So far, things are going well.  "airplanes" has been received well, by the few but noteworthy people that have actually received a copy. 

As an independent artist with no help from a label, and no resources to pay a publicist or radio promoter, this is going to be a very slow build.  I learned to fly in a Piper Cub, that had no engine starter.  You have to "prop" the motor by hand to start it.  When there is no head-wind, it cruises at 82mph.  I once flew cross-country from Denton, TX to Oshkosh, WI and landed at that famous air-show without a radio.  I was not only handicap in communication in heavy air traffic, but as you can imagine, it took a while to get there.  I think that a long journey in a Piper Cub makes a good analogy for this record "release".  It may take a while, but it will get there eventually.

Prince Charles told me never to drop names, but...the coolest thing to happen so far is that Jackson Browne bought a CD.  I was playing with Allison Moorer, opening up for Steve Earle.  Sweet Allison was kind enough to let me sell my records at the show and look who showed up and bought one!  I about had a heart attack when Jackson saw me in the hall and told me so.  I think I said something dumb like, "thanks for the support".  I hate meeting my heros.  I never know what to say. 

"airplanes" is available on itunes, Amazon, etc, and CDBaby.  The record for all intensive purposes is not officially released.  I haven't even had a CD release party.  I am saving money and shopping the record around, and eventually, there will be a campaign to officially get this little record out into the world.  I am very pleased with how it came out and worked very hard on every detail.  I hope you like it too.   I'm sure everyone will catch on in a year or two and suddenly I'll be the next big thing like Bon Iver;)

The packaging is still being made by hand, by yours truely.  They are all numbered and signed.  I have sold about 600 copies and have made 800.  I don't expect to be making these by hand for much longer, so get your collector's copy while you can at CDBaby.com. 

There is a video in the works for "just friends" and it is being edited as we speek!  The video is directed by Pamela Romanowsky and Aaron Lee Tasjan and Leslie Mendelson, and my old buddy Ishaq Clayton make appearances.

I was also featured on KPFT's Sugar Hill Sessions.  Chris Masterson (of Son Volt) and Falcon Valdez joined me for a live set and interview.  There was a technical snag, so it did not air in February.  You can listen to it live on March 27th at 2pm CST, www.kpft.org during the KPFT Radioactive segment. 

"airplanes" has a few great reviews.  Here's the links to some of them:

"Eleanor
Whitmore's 'Airplanes' is a perfect example of what happens when
attention to pinpoint detail in production and exquisite
instrumentation accompanies a well conceived collection of songs; a
highly impressive debut album.


-- Jay Sweet, Paste Magazine

"Eleanor
Whitmore's, 'Airplanes; brings a brand of folk-pop that melds Aimee
Mann and the Beatles in a tuneful, distinctive way." --Jim Caligiuri,
Austin Chronicle

"Jackson Brown bought Eleanor's CD.  You should too." --Allison Moorer

I'm still writing.  I would love to make another record, but it may take a while at this pace.   Until then, you can listen to some of the new songs at the shows. 

That's about all for now... I'll keep you posted.

p.s.  if you know
1.) someone that works in the TV/Film industry or deals with music licensing
2.) someone at a cool indie record label
i will send you a free CD plus another to pass along. 

eleanor whitmore
~airplanes

1.) never say a word
2.) sister sleeps
3.) waltz of the mystery ship
4.) just friends
5.) awake to remember me
6.) fly
7.) sorry
8.) coffee in the rain
9.) sing
10.) the river
11.) keep on moving
12.) airplanes

Produced by Chris Masterson
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound
Mixed by Steve Christensen
Engineered by Steve Christensen, George Reiff, Andrew Hernandez, Chris Masterson, Jonas Wilson, Donald Dulaney, and Eleanor Whitmore

All songs by Eleanor Whitmore except, 'the river' by Michael O'Connor (ASCAP) & Eleanor Whitmore (BMI), and 'airplanes' by Chris Masterson (BMI) & Eleanor Whitmore (BMI)

The Band:

Eleanor Whitmore- vocals, harmony vocals, violin/fiddle, stroh violin, mandolin, viola, mellotron, string arrangements, Ray Wylie Hubbard's National guitar on 'airplanes', pots & pans
Chris Masterson- acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandoguitar, 12-string acoustic and electric guitar, bass, ukulele, glockenspiel, mellotron, harmonica, omnichord, harmony vocals, pots & pans
George Reiff- bass guitar, harmony vocals, pots & pans, harmonica, tambourine
Paul 'Falcon' Valdez- drums, all percussion except pots & pans
Sweney Tidball- Piano, Wurlitzer piano, mellotron, tack piano, clavinette, Rhodes piano, Lowery organ

Additional instrumentation:

Katy Rose Cox- violin on 'fly'
Melissa Becker- viola on 'fly'
Bonnie Whitmore- cello on 'fly' and 'airplanes, harmony vocals on 'just friends', 'airplanes'
Alex Whitmore- harmony vocals on 'never say a word' and 'keep on moving'
Bruce Robison- harmony vocals on 'the river' and 'keep on moving'
Andrew Hernandez- harmony vocals on 'coffee in the rain' and 'sing'
Todd Pertl- pedal steel on 'fly'
Speedy Gonzales- trombone on 'sorry'
Oliver Steck- trumpet on 'sorry'
Johnathan Doyle- saxophone on 'sorry'
Jim Starbord- spoons on 'keep on moving'
Chris Brecht- typewriter on 'keep on moving'

Thank you Chris Masterson for your inspiration, fire and direction. I wouldn't be here without you. Special thanks to my parents, Alex and Marti Whitmore for getting me started, making me practice and always supporting. Thanks George Reiff and Steve Christensen for making it every step of the way. Thanks also to my sister Bonnie, Michael O'Connor, Bruce Robison, Kelly Willis, Paul 'Falcon' Valdez, Sweney Tidball, Chris Brecht, Andrew Hernandez, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Brent Mitchell, Slaid Cleaves, Susan Gibson, Jim Starbord, Oliver Steck, Jonathan Doyle, Speedy Gonzales, Mike Castoro, Les Brooks, Katy Rose Cox, Melissa Becker, Curtis??? (for the Stroh violin!), Jonas Wilson, Donald Dulaney, Greg Calbi, Marry Ellen DeVaux, Sharon Angello

I've decided to put up some different songs from the record over on Facebook. Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Eleanor-Whitmore/14468932198?ref=s

You have to scroll down towards the bottom to get to the music player.

I love NY. I love Brooklyn. I miss old friends & wish they could all move here to NY. I love not driving when gas is over $4/gal. I love the subway. I love Shayni Rae's Truck stop on Monday nights. If it wasn't for this wonderful little jem & all the good people there on Monday nights, I might not be loving NY so much.

Times are tough. The music biz has been sucking for years, but now everyone is feeling the pinch. I thought the arts were supposed to prosper during economic hard times, but no one I know is hiring. I might have to start bartending or something. Hopefully people will keep drinking if they don't want to pay to hear music anymore. Drinks are expensive in NY.

I have so much free time with all this not working that I have volunteered to be in a theatrical production with 100 other redheads onstage. I might as well, while I still have money to die my hair red.

I love NY. I love my friends. I love playing music. I love NY.

"never say a word" is track 1 of 12 on the record, "airplanes", which will be released...eventually. unfortunately, "blown away" didn’t make the cut, but it will probably end up on the next record. Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound mastered the record =) i can thank my producer for that. stay tuned...still working on artwork, etc...blah blah

No I haven't dropped off the face of the earth.  I just moved to Brooklyn NY and was there for 2 1/2 days before I split for a month long tour with Will Hoge.  I'm not even certain when I will spend any length of time in my new home.  After this tour, I'm back to Austin for SXSW.   Chris and I will be playing some unofficial showcases so come on out!

The tour has been going well aside from a lot of snow.  It was snowing when I left NY, snowing when I got to Boulder CO, and still going in Detroit.  We've been sharing the bill with Jason Isbell and Dawn Landes - both fine acts and human beings. 

Hope to see some of you out on the road! 

 

 

 

 

Wow! Just spent 4 amazing days in the studio with an incredible cast of characters:

Chris Masterson - Producer, guitarist extraordinare
Eleanor Whitmore - Artist, phlemist (hacking and wheezing out the tunes)
Steve Christensen - Engineer, executive sauce mixer
Andrew Hernandez - Assistant Engineer, details (it's all about the details)
George Reiff - Bass (sweetest licks in town), good vibes (thanks for the incense)
Paul "Falcon" Valdez - Drums, Percussion, groove city. (fastest tambo in the west. cowbell anyone?)
Sweney Tidball - Piano, Wurlitzer, "the" touch. (coolest name in the liner notes)


Some pretty amazing music came together in just 4 days. It's just the roughs and I've still got a lot of work ahead of me. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.

It was a little rough for me - I managed to have a severe allergy attack and developed a sinus infection, so the vocals are some serious scratch. It was tough guiding the band through a song while snorting and hacking, but the boys managed beautifully.

Every song took on a life of its own. There were some songs that I knew would be great, but there were a few sleepers that turned out so COOL! One of which, I almost didn't even record.

I am so thankful to all these guys for working their butts off this week and each of them added so much to the project. We knew the product was going to be good with this "A Team", but I think we all exceeded our expectations. A truly creative endeavor. And everyone was so damn nice and real pleasure to work with.

The mixes are rough - especially my vocals. Chris and I will do a lot of the overdubs at home, all the while trying to figure out our recording rig. We've got another song to record at George's home studio. Artwork to figure out...mixing...mastering...lots of work left, but one step at a time.

Anyway, I'm off to a good start and I'm going to have a bad ass record when it's all said and done. Thanks to all of these guys for making it happen. I couldn't have done it without you. Thanks to Bruce Robison for letting us use the studio!!! An extra special thanks to my muse and soul mate, Chris Masterson.

Get ready to party with some Eleanor jams sometime early next year!

-e

Many of you have seen me play with various artists and wondered when I would have my own album out. Well, it's finally in sight at least, although I can't tell you exactly when or how I'll fund the project. Yay personal loans and trading studio time! (Anybody know any investors or indie record label executives?!)

It's taken me about 10 years to write enough songs and I've written the bulk of them over the past year. It's been a great year. Chris Masterson (Son Volt) is going to produce the project. We've started playing a few gigs together when we have the time.

Recording starts at the end of September. I have no idea how to put a record out successfully. I've seen quite a few of my talented friends put records out unsuccessfully, so I'm a little nervous.  (We finished Chris' EP in June and are still trying to find a "home" for it).

Liscensing, distribution, record reviews, booking a tour with a great opening slot for my favorite artist, radio play?...these are things I know little about. And I thought playing the violin was hard. I might need a little help from my friends on this one, so let me know if you have a best friend at Paste Magazine or something.

Anyhoo, Chris and I are moving to NYC in January and this is all very exciting, but I do feel like I'm about to jump off a big cliff. Life's too short to just stand there. Wheeeeee....