Fan Letters and SXSW Tour
SXSW TOUR March 6-20th (Dates Below)
A BIG Thank you to all those who made our last night at Soho 323 so special. The house was packed, the music was hopping and I loved feeling the audience’s energetic flow from silent to dancing as I started the set off with ballads and escaladed, escaladed until it all exploded! A special thank you to my band and Michael P (rapper), and Nubian Matty (reggae artist) for contributing their talents to the Clara Lofaro show. Chuck (our bassist) said it was his best birthday ever, and everyone agrees that Isaac (Julius C) rocked the drums. Don't worry, he'd not going anywhere; cheers and keepers all around. I thank all the artists who shared the stage with me at Soho 323 in February! They want us back when I take a break from touring in May! Speaking of tours…here are the dates to the first one. Hope you can make it!
3/6 Eddie's Attic (Atlanta,GA)
3/7 Smith's Olde Bar (Atlanta, GA)
3/8 The Evening Muse (Charlotte, NC)
3/10 The Moonlight Music Café (Birmingham, AL)
3/11 Tasty World (Athens, GA)
3/12 House Concert! (Atlanta, GA)
3/13 The Mercy Lounge (Nashville, TN)
3/16 The Hideout Theatre (Austin, TX)
For show details: http://www.claralofaro.com/gigs.shtml
Many people said things to me after my last NYC show that were both helpful and moving beyond words. I leaned over to give a first time listener a hug after the show when she stopped me and said, “thank you for saying all the things that women think but are afraid to say.” I couldn’t believe she got that part of what I was trying to do. I’m glad the shows make you all feel good, but you have to know how much you give to me too, every time I let out my voice to sing and look out at you.
I've attached an unbelievable email I received from a fan after the show below. Check it out!
Love,
-cl
(A letter from a fan Charles Couch, after attending her show Feb 28th @ Soho 323)
Dear Superstar:
I'm so proud to be able to say, "I knew her when it only cost $5 to get in to see her perform; she had a last name; sold her records 1 for $10, or 2 for $15; and rode the J train. Now, she's just 'Clara', has a driver, I can't afford a ticket, and she couldn't even tell you where you could get a good deal on one of her Grammy Winning CD's".
I plan to be singing your praises to anyone who will listen and "holding my breath" until I can attend another of your gigs. If I had the time, I'd offer to be president of the "Clara Fan Club". I'm adding your name to the list of people and/or hits that I championed or knew before they were really big. You might be interested to know who else is on that list:
Trisha Yearwood, Sister Hazel, The Edwin R. Hawkins Singers (Walter, Tremaine, Edwin...)"Oh, Happy Day", Laura White, 3 Doors Down, Isis, Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Little Wing", Tracy Chapman's "Gimme One Reason", DeGarmo & Key, Honeytree, Dogwood, Michael Bolton's remake of "When a Man Loves a Woman", Resurgence of "Since I fell for you"; Liza Mills (she took Janis' place with Big Brother and the Holding Company at the Port Arthur Festival and touring Europe and U.S.); Garth Brooks (long, sad, songwriter-kicks-self-in-ass story), Neil McNeil, guitarist with Blankity Blank Band from Atlanta, and a couple more still up and coming artists, some I actually had a hand in promoting, others I just foresaw and predicted their huge success.
Maybe I should apply for an A&R rep. job with your custom label before you sign with WB, Universal, Sony or whoever has the good sense to sign you up first. I really do have proven, serially-magical ears. You should probably keep your label and just make a distribution deal with a major so you can have your own successful label as well.
Tell your band they did a great job. Congratulate Chuck on picking a great set and playing so many kick-ass bass lines, Kerri (sp) for the awesome backing vocals and the drummer (forgot his name). I loved it all; except the last song, though I do understand its broad, vast, rich market potential, I don't think you should go there. It's kind of out of the nitche that I'm sure you could dominate as "the Artist of the Year". I'd hate to have Clara known best for her hit single in an overpopulated uncharacteristic genre, especially since you blow me away in your already pretty broad range of nitches.
Though that last song was unique in ways and your particular style was it's best point, I believe a huge number of your most adoring fan base will not enjoy that particular cut. I would advise against going after one too many markets if it means not being known as the Queen of the market that you love the most. There is such a big place right at the top of the heap for exactly you. A good illustration is Bobby McFarrin (sp), virtually no one knows who he is until I say, "Don't Worry Be Happy!", and that is such a pity because he is the "Michael Jordan" of Jazz Vocalists, practically worshipped by fans like me and totally uncelebrated by the masses for his genius. I'm always trying to introduce people to his awesome true talents and they just remember the hit.
I just don't want to see you commit to a label based on the immediate millions they know they could make with that one song, make the flash in the pan money without committing to your life long carreer of developing a huge, stable, loyal, adoring fan base for the music that makes you who you are, a Superstar. OK, I'll take off my "Daddy hat" now and get back to singing your praises. You are a "MAJOR TALENT", only severe mishandling could stop you from taking the world by storm, and your band seems well equiped for the ride.
I'll be writing some reviews of your SoHo performance and submitting them for publication here and there; or should I just send it to you and let you send it to whoever you'd like? I'm a published music critic, renowned on the Mississippi Gulf Coast though I've been largely silent for years and haven't printed a music review in a year or so. Oh, and the club hugs were a whole lot better than the email ones, I look forward to getting a few more of those someday.
Sincerely,
Michael Couch,
Clara's Biggest Fan
(the above tittle is an upgrade from my previous status as merely A Clara LaFaro Fan)
I realize I may have to compete with others for this tittle and that only you can actually award the tittle but, heh heh, it is standard industry practice for anyone who wants, to make such a bold claim and no one ever seems to achieve an official final ownership of the tittle. Therefore, I maintain my claim to such tittle against all comers and would be glad to give up said tittle should someone present a valid claim of supperior Fanmanship. Send all contrary claims to personal my email address or your website since that would be a more neutral grounds for this Armagedon of fan warfares.
A BIG Thank you to all those who made our last night at Soho 323 so special. The house was packed, the music was hopping and I loved feeling the audience’s energetic flow from silent to dancing as I started the set off with ballads and escaladed, escaladed until it all exploded! A special thank you to my band and Michael P (rapper), and Nubian Matty (reggae artist) for contributing their talents to the Clara Lofaro show. Chuck (our bassist) said it was his best birthday ever, and everyone agrees that Isaac (Julius C) rocked the drums. Don't worry, he'd not going anywhere; cheers and keepers all around. I thank all the artists who shared the stage with me at Soho 323 in February! They want us back when I take a break from touring in May! Speaking of tours…here are the dates to the first one. Hope you can make it!
3/6 Eddie's Attic (Atlanta,GA)
3/7 Smith's Olde Bar (Atlanta, GA)
3/8 The Evening Muse (Charlotte, NC)
3/10 The Moonlight Music Café (Birmingham, AL)
3/11 Tasty World (Athens, GA)
3/12 House Concert! (Atlanta, GA)
3/13 The Mercy Lounge (Nashville, TN)
3/16 The Hideout Theatre (Austin, TX)
For show details: http://www.claralofaro.com/gigs.shtml
Many people said things to me after my last NYC show that were both helpful and moving beyond words. I leaned over to give a first time listener a hug after the show when she stopped me and said, “thank you for saying all the things that women think but are afraid to say.” I couldn’t believe she got that part of what I was trying to do. I’m glad the shows make you all feel good, but you have to know how much you give to me too, every time I let out my voice to sing and look out at you.
I've attached an unbelievable email I received from a fan after the show below. Check it out!
Love,
-cl
(A letter from a fan Charles Couch, after attending her show Feb 28th @ Soho 323)
Dear Superstar:
I'm so proud to be able to say, "I knew her when it only cost $5 to get in to see her perform; she had a last name; sold her records 1 for $10, or 2 for $15; and rode the J train. Now, she's just 'Clara', has a driver, I can't afford a ticket, and she couldn't even tell you where you could get a good deal on one of her Grammy Winning CD's".
I plan to be singing your praises to anyone who will listen and "holding my breath" until I can attend another of your gigs. If I had the time, I'd offer to be president of the "Clara Fan Club". I'm adding your name to the list of people and/or hits that I championed or knew before they were really big. You might be interested to know who else is on that list:
Trisha Yearwood, Sister Hazel, The Edwin R. Hawkins Singers (Walter, Tremaine, Edwin...)"Oh, Happy Day", Laura White, 3 Doors Down, Isis, Stevie Ray Vaughn's "Little Wing", Tracy Chapman's "Gimme One Reason", DeGarmo & Key, Honeytree, Dogwood, Michael Bolton's remake of "When a Man Loves a Woman", Resurgence of "Since I fell for you"; Liza Mills (she took Janis' place with Big Brother and the Holding Company at the Port Arthur Festival and touring Europe and U.S.); Garth Brooks (long, sad, songwriter-kicks-self-in-ass story), Neil McNeil, guitarist with Blankity Blank Band from Atlanta, and a couple more still up and coming artists, some I actually had a hand in promoting, others I just foresaw and predicted their huge success.
Maybe I should apply for an A&R rep. job with your custom label before you sign with WB, Universal, Sony or whoever has the good sense to sign you up first. I really do have proven, serially-magical ears. You should probably keep your label and just make a distribution deal with a major so you can have your own successful label as well.
Tell your band they did a great job. Congratulate Chuck on picking a great set and playing so many kick-ass bass lines, Kerri (sp) for the awesome backing vocals and the drummer (forgot his name). I loved it all; except the last song, though I do understand its broad, vast, rich market potential, I don't think you should go there. It's kind of out of the nitche that I'm sure you could dominate as "the Artist of the Year". I'd hate to have Clara known best for her hit single in an overpopulated uncharacteristic genre, especially since you blow me away in your already pretty broad range of nitches.
Though that last song was unique in ways and your particular style was it's best point, I believe a huge number of your most adoring fan base will not enjoy that particular cut. I would advise against going after one too many markets if it means not being known as the Queen of the market that you love the most. There is such a big place right at the top of the heap for exactly you. A good illustration is Bobby McFarrin (sp), virtually no one knows who he is until I say, "Don't Worry Be Happy!", and that is such a pity because he is the "Michael Jordan" of Jazz Vocalists, practically worshipped by fans like me and totally uncelebrated by the masses for his genius. I'm always trying to introduce people to his awesome true talents and they just remember the hit.
I just don't want to see you commit to a label based on the immediate millions they know they could make with that one song, make the flash in the pan money without committing to your life long carreer of developing a huge, stable, loyal, adoring fan base for the music that makes you who you are, a Superstar. OK, I'll take off my "Daddy hat" now and get back to singing your praises. You are a "MAJOR TALENT", only severe mishandling could stop you from taking the world by storm, and your band seems well equiped for the ride.
I'll be writing some reviews of your SoHo performance and submitting them for publication here and there; or should I just send it to you and let you send it to whoever you'd like? I'm a published music critic, renowned on the Mississippi Gulf Coast though I've been largely silent for years and haven't printed a music review in a year or so. Oh, and the club hugs were a whole lot better than the email ones, I look forward to getting a few more of those someday.
Sincerely,
Michael Couch,
Clara's Biggest Fan
(the above tittle is an upgrade from my previous status as merely A Clara LaFaro Fan)
I realize I may have to compete with others for this tittle and that only you can actually award the tittle but, heh heh, it is standard industry practice for anyone who wants, to make such a bold claim and no one ever seems to achieve an official final ownership of the tittle. Therefore, I maintain my claim to such tittle against all comers and would be glad to give up said tittle should someone present a valid claim of supperior Fanmanship. Send all contrary claims to personal my email address or your website since that would be a more neutral grounds for this Armagedon of fan warfares.
posted by Clara Lofaro at 8:53 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home