Greetings from New York!  It's a gorgeous, temperate night here tonight, and as you can see, I am jet-lagged but so glad to be here.  Family members and friends descend on NYC tomorrow to celebrate my sister's birthday.  Midwesterners in the big city - look out NYC!  Can't wait to walk the Brooklyn Bridge tomorrow, and tour the Highline Saturday.  And Sunday night, I'm doing a show at The Living Room!  

When’s the last time you were surprised by some truly exceptional and unusual music?  The kind that builds little pup tent inside your soul and feeds you s’mores?  The kind that reminds you of dandelions in sunny defiance of concrete?  The kind that makes you want to sound your barbaric yawp and do pirouettes beneath a grapefruit moon?

Well, here’s your chance.

This WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 8-9:15PM
Three Songbird Cabaret
Featuring Amy Raasch, Aimee Bobruk & Ainjel Emme
Genghis Cohen
740 N. Fairfax (just North of Melrose), 90046

Aimee & Ainjel hail from Austin, Texas – that mysterious, spiritual homeland of sublime vintage boots and music that tastes of earth, sunflowers, juke joints, bats, ghosts and sweet lemonade.  They are inspired.  They are badass.  And they, along with yours truly, conspire to rock you this Wednesday and buy you musical beers.  You should come.

Now I know that you’re busy, so here are some other options to tease, cajole and otherwise edify your shimmering summer soul.

For instance, Tuesday night, July 28, there’s big screen fun to be had at the Laemmle Sunset 5.  A film I acted in, “I’m Not Matt Damon,” shows at 7:45pm, as part of L.A. Shortfest.  I play a manipulative Hollywood producer (typecast again).  I handle a bag of meat.

Not so much with the raw flesh?  Feast your senses and sensibilities upon select wines, hors d’oeuvres, organic foods, Greek delicacies and transcendent music at the Chronicle Wine Tasting at the new Brio Spa on Thursday, July 30.  Sets by me and “California sound” veteran Steve Postell. 2003 Lake Ave, Altadena, 8-10pm.

Or your can throw on your sunglasses and get all Hollywood at the premiere of “Bitter/Sweet,” a film for which I provided the song that plays during the closing credits.  Sat, Aug 8, 6pm, Egyptian Theatre.  Continue to wear sunglasses throughout evening for full effect.

Complete info on all at www.amyraasch.com/live.

Better than American Idol?  Only if you like original songs, great performers and a cause with a heart.  You can judge for yourself SUNDAY NIGHT, MAY 17, 8-10PM in the LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBCAST of the GINA Singer/Songwriter Contest for the Missing.

I am a top ten finalist for my song, "Alcatraz."  I'll be performing it for the first time ever with a piano player and a cellist, and I thought you might enjoy tuning in.  Just copy the following into your browser: 

http://www.411gina.org/webcast.htm

Sometimes you have to download something to view it, so you might want to tune in a bit early to make sure you're ready for action.

You can even email comments while the show is going on.  Just send an email to: 

GinaWebcast@yahoo.com  

and they will read it on the air!

This event is bittersweet, and always pulls at my heart strings.  The amazing news is, every single time they have done one, a missing person has been found!  Founded by a musician whose sister went missing, this org has located over 400 missing people since year 2000.  Please tune in, support, and send me good vibes.  There's a very juicy first prize!

xo,
Amy

P.S. - If you're in Los Angeles, you can come watch the show live at the address below.  Come and we'll do drinks after!

Subject: LIVE Interactive WEBCAST For the Missing Sunday May 17, 2009 8-10 PM PST

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – May 12, 2009
GINA for Missing Persons 7th Annual Singer/Songwriter Contest
acknowledges National Missing Children's Month...
Sunday May 17th, 2009 8pm - 10pm
Guitar Merchant
7503 Topanga Canyon Blvd.,
Canoga Park, CA 91303.
$10. Suggested donation
LIVE INTERACTIVE WEBCAST: http://www.411gina.org/webcast.htm
PLEASE WATCH AND EMAIL US YOUR COMMENTS AT: GinaWebcast@yahoo.com  
Host: Jannel Rap
 
In awareness and honor of our missing:
Robert Spellman-CA, Andrew Thompson-AUS, Cynthia Macklin-TX, Jesse Ross-ILL, Donna Jou-CA, Monica Carusco-TX, Sabrina Aisenberg-FL, Jahi Turner-CA, Amber Dubois, Daniel Yuen-CA, Regina Bos-NE...families of the missing will join us to help tell their stories
 
Finalists:
Karen Hart-Amy Raasch-Skyelar Kole-Arlene Kole-Andy and Renee-Mark Wayne Glasmire
J.Scott Bergman-Aubrey Bouskill-The Midnight Blues Band-Darius Lux
with Guest performance by: Clementine
 
Special Guests:
Paul Williams, Erin Runnion, Mika Moulton, Michael C Ross,Steven McClintok
Mandi Martin, Rich Ezra, Pamela Oland and Col. Darryl Harrelson and Captain Anne Young LAPD
 
First Place Singer/Songwriter:
 performs on June 6 or 7, 2009 at the 1st Annual LA Acoustic Music Festival on the Santa Monica Pier. They will appear on the same stage with Bruce Coburn, Nancy Griffith, Richard Thompson, David Lindley and more. Proceeds of this prestigious event go to: California Acoustic Music Project (CAMP) For Ticket and Information go to:  818-621-8309 LAAcousticMusicFestival.com
 
Impressively, at least one missing person featured during each of GINA Singer/Songwriter Contest finale has been located!  To date in over 600 International events with the support of musicians and performers worldwide on The Squeaky Wheel Tour™, to date nearly 400 missing people collectively profiled by the GINA for Missing Persons FOUNDation Programs and artists have been found!!
 
Without our amazing SPONSORS  this event would not be possible are: COSMO, TK PROMO, LAWIM, Daisy Rock Guitars, LA Acoustic Music Festival, Indie Bible, Sunlite Guitars, Taxi, Music Connection Magazine, Crystal Clear, GO Girls Elite and Gig Page, SongNet, Songsalive!,  Woman's Radio, Bird and Bear, Family Info Safe, Dirty Linen Magazine, Elizabeth Howard, Harriet Schock, Leanne Summers,  Studio 770, Elizabeth Howard, Pamela Oland and Robin Fredricks
 

Press/Media inquiries: GINA for Missing Persons FOUNDation: 877 411 GINA Fazia Donnelly; Faziad@aol.com 

####


www.amyraasch.com
www.myspace.com/amyraasch
www.youtube.com/amyraasch
& Facebook!

Sassy, sexy evening of fun, music & friends at one of the grooviest theaters in town to support my friends at Theatre of Note.

I will be bringing the rock at 7:45, followed by sonic tricks & treats by Bay Area wow-sters Loop!Station.

Also not to be missed: spoken word by acclaimed HBO Def Poetry Jam vet Joe Hernandez-Kolski and reading from the astonishing "Perks of Being A Wallflower" by author Stephen Chbosky.

Plus, a fab photography exhibit, silent auction, WINE & CHEESE, and to top it all off...a zesty dance party.

Come hang out for a fun Saturday night!

xo,
Amy

THE INTERESTING, INCREDIBLE, AMAZING, FANTASTIC PERFORMANCE PARTY AT THE BOOTLEG
DATE: Saturday, April 4, 2009
TIME: Doors open at 6PM
Performances begin at 7PM
Dance party begins at 11PM
LOCATION: Bootleg Theatre, 2220 Beverly Boulevard 90057
INFO AND RESERVATIONS: 323-856-8611
PRICE: $20 (1/2 price after 11PM)

FRIDAY THE 13TH -- Love Valentine's Day or need to strenuously avoid it? "Songs of Love and Hate" has something for you. Courtesy of our friends at Nette Radio, this sexy, cathartic show is coming to you live from the NEW Talking Stick Lounge in Venice -- a surprisingly spacious and soulful spot on Lincoln with tasty food, teas and coffee! Smokin' hot bill includes me, The Conlons, Shannon Hurley, and Melissa Trinchere. A FREE and comfortable way to kick off this loaded weekend, love it or hate it! I'm on at 7:45, so get there early and get a seat!

FRI, FEB 13, 7-10 PM
The Talking Stick
1411 C Lincoln St (@ California)
Venice, CA 90291

See you there!









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www.myspace.com/netteradio

“Drea​m On” is a two-​CD set full of songs​ inspi​red by Dr. Marti​n Luthe​r King,​ Jr. Talk about​ timel​y!​ Gear up for the inaug​urati​on at this soulf​ul event​ benef​iting​ vario​us chari​ties and hear selec​ted artis​ts from the CD live,​ enter​ the raffl​e to win fabul​ous prize​s and enjoy​ slamm​in'​ hosti​ng by celeb​rated​ Def Jam Poetr​y vet, Joe Herna​ndez-​Kolsk​i,​ a.​k.​a.​ "​Pocho​ Joe."

My song for the CD was inspi​red by a story​ Dr. King recou​nted in his final​ speec​h.​ In 1958,​ he was stabb​ed in Harle​m by "a deran​ged black​ woman​,​"​ at his first​ book signi​ng.​ The New York Times​ repor​ted the next day that the blade​ had come so close​ to his aorta​ that if he had so much as sneez​ed,​ he would​ have died.​ In the hospi​tal,​ Dr. King recei​ved thous​ands of lette​rs,​ even one from the Vice Presi​dent,​ but none meant​ so much to him as a simpl​e,​ brief​ lette​r from a young​ girl.​ My song,​ "The Nearn​ess of the Blade​,​"​ is based​ on that lette​r.​

Hear it tonig​ht,​ along​ with my song,​ "On the Shore​s of Elsin​ore,​"​ about​ the trium​ph of spiri​t over racis​m in the inlan​d empir​e,​ and anoth​er new one calle​d "​Waves​ So High"​ that is getti​ng rave revie​ws.​ You can check​ them all out at www. youtu​be.​ com/​amyra​asch, but if you come tonig​ht,​ you'​ll hear some extra​ zesty​ versi​ons.​A celeb​ratio​n!​

THURS​DAY,​ JANUA​RY 15
MLK TRIBU​TE CD RELEA​SE PARTY​!​
8:00 PM
Molly​ Malon​e’s
575 S. Fairf​ax Ave
L.A. 90036

​Read all about​ the CD at www. thedr​eamco​ntinu​ed.​ org.

Hope to see you tonig​ht!​

Amy

P.S. I'm on at 9:​15!​!​

Hope to see you tonight!
xo,
Amy

TONGUE & GROOVE-
Readings/Musicat the Hotel Cafe, Sunday January 11th from 6:00 to 7:30pmwww.hotelcafe.com

“Tongue & Groove” A monthly offering of short fiction, personal essays, poetry, spoken word + music produced by Conrad Romo.

This month featuring the following: Kevin Moffett Permanent Visitors, Josh Cereghino NY/LA Moth Grand Slam Champ, Karen Moulding The Untrainable Heart, Jacob La Civita Timely Persuasion, Justin Klippel, and musical guest Amy Raasch

Sunday Jan 11th
6:00-7:30 pm
The Hotel Cafe1623 1/2 N. Cahuenga Blvd.
Hollywood, Ca 90028
$6.00

Kevin Moffett is the author of a collection of stories, Permanent Visitors. His fiction has appeared in McSweeney's, Tin House, the Chicago Tribune, The Pushcart Prize anthology, New Stories From the South, and The Best American Short Stories. He teaches at Cal State San Bernardino.

Karen Moulding's fiction has been published on-line at nerve and sliptongue and also at Fawlt Magazine among others. She has an MFA in fiction from Columbia, and law degree from Columbia, and she is a part-time a go-go dancer. Her first novel is The Untrainable Heart

Jacob LaCivita - Timely Persuasion is his first novel. Unpublished works include four screenplays, two episodic television scripts, and two adapted teleplays. He has also ghostwritten a number of professional letters, public speeches, and television monologues for friends and family. Josh Matthew Cereghino is an L.A. native. At U.C. Berkley he studied Rhetroic. (yes, Rhetoric). He has lived in Argentina and Korea and held a variety of jobs, including travel writer, English teacher, museum phtographer, Antarctic excursion vessel cook and Zamboni driver at the Conejo Valley Ice Rink. He is the current reigning NY and LA Moth Slam champ.

Justin Klippel is a native Angelino. He is working on his first collection of poems. He is in the process of becoming a history teacher. Justin loves, 1950's pinup girls, death metal, and Lynch.

AMY RAASCH surprised herself by spontaneously writing her first song -- which ended up on a film soundtrack. Her debut album, "Love or Inertia," made several "Best of Year" lists. Her project "52 Songs in 52 Weeks," awaits your comments at youtube.com/amyraasch. Sign up to have a hand in shaping the new album at www.amyraasch.com.

Come one, come all and come early, because we’re starting on time!

www.tongueandgroovela.com

Mainly, THANK YOU.

But if you don't mind a few more words, this was too long to be accepted on my YouTube profile. Happy New Year!

It's January 1, 2009, and I've just posted 26 of my 52 Songs project, which was written and recorded just under the wire on New Year's Eve 2008. Halfway there. Woo Hoo!

I need to take a moment to shout out huge thanks to the wonderful, loyal, insightful and monumentally generous YouTube friends who have ridden this rollercoaster with me thus far. You have truly kept me going, and you are the reason I'm going to rock on through all the way to 52. You are my inspiration.

If you're new to the adventure, welcome! You've arrived at an exceedingly excellent moment. Sit back and I'll prepare you a delectable and very fresh pear-ginger concoction I invented exactly today. You can help me name it.

More importantly, you can tune in, subscribe, become a Friend, and best of all, leave me your thoughts and comments on the songs. I'm cooking up more than pear-ginger cocktails this year, so it will behoove you to sign up for the mailing list at AMYRAASCH.COM, get in on the '09 YouTube Friends Perks, and HELP ME CHOOSE SONGS FOR THE NEXT ALBUM.

What? You haven't even heard my FIRST album, "Love or Inertia" yet?! Whoa, whoa, whoa Nelly Furtado. It's time for a little context. For an ideal Sunday morning-cuppa tea and New York Times album. Post-Famer's Market, putting-flowers-in-a-vase album. Highly compatible with going-through-old-papers-and-deciding-what-is-still-relevant-in-your-life-soundtrack. But don't take my word for it:

"LOVE OR INERTIA" is a love letter to the lost, and a shy note to the soon to be found. Are the dreams of those left behind stronger than the realities of the empty spaces? How do we cope with abandonment, how do we survive the silence, where there was once enough laughter and noise to fill our most frightened moments? Do we follow a 'wild blueprint' (as Raasch herself puts it) and try block out the creeping thoughts of isolation, do we smash into trees to get a super hero to save us, or dive deep into steamy seduction and let sweat and touch confuse us. Or do we write brittle beautiful songs and confront the shadows? Raasch has an actor's focus on the tiny movements of the soul, and enough belief in the hope that shines out every new dawn, to create songs of truth and regret and ultimately salvation. No pity here, either for herself or the wounded heroes and heroines in her seductively sung stories, but so much compassion and understanding. Find out more and buy this CD here: www.amyraasch.com"

- Next Big Thing_http://nbtmusic.wordpress.com/2008/09/12/the-nbt-review-13/

You can send an email to INFO@AMYRAASCH.COM for a signed copy, and for YouTube friends only, FREE SHIPPING. I'm down to my last box of CDs, and there will be changes on the re-order, so who knows? CD's from the first printing could become collector's items some day, and you can sell them on eBay for big bucks. Not that you'd ever part with them, of course.

Seriously, though, 2008 brought major changes and challenges. You could say that…my compass was lost. You could say that you are my new compass, and you would not be mistaken. So please, be well, be vocal, be around, keep in touch, let me know what you think. Forward videos to your friends and encourage them to weigh in. There is going to be some fun stuff, especially for those who venture forth and sign up on AMYRAASCH.COM.

For now, I leave you with a little Delmore Schwartz:

"What is to be given
Is spirit, yet animal
Color, like heaven
Blue, yellow, beautiful."

'09, baby. Let's go.

xo,
Amy

ALL SONGS BY AMY RAASCH AVAILABLE FOR LICENSING. CONTACT: INFO@AMYRAASCH.COM.

**All Words, Music, Recordings & Performances COPYRIGHT AMY RAASCH