AIDS on my mind

December 1st my be World AIDS Day, but April 4th will always be the day I remember my cousin Peter VanderPutten who died of AIDS in his beautiful Key West guest house the Cypress House on April 4, 1989. I lived with him in Key West at the time and was with him when he died.

In America in 2014, we may not be living those horrible days in the '80's of ignorance, hate and loathing in AIDS riddled communities like Key West, but we still have a long way to go.

In memory of Peter I want to share the song I wrote for him and so many others, it is my gift to you as a free download, or if you just want to listen to it here, the audio is embeded below.

recorded in 1990 on New York Sessions: featuring: Allen Won-saxophone, Andy Marvel-piano, Tony Bridges-bass, Pete Abbott-drums and Reid Trevaskis-backing vocals.  Nice to see that everyone in the band is still out there playing!

NYCSubwayGirl News Music + Art mashup at New Museum

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Hello, The calendar hadn't even switched to a new year since I sent out my last news. We lost a musical hero, (here's my blog Pete Seeger Remembered,) and I've recorded some songs from my musical songbook and look forward to releasing it to the public in the next months. Here's a post about it: New Recording Session. And a free download of my song Rise Up that I wrote for Eve Ensler and her V-Day One Billion Rising campaign.

In NYC it's been a pretty long cold winter and busking in the subway has had it's challenges as you can imagine (I've had to cancel a few times).  We've had back to back storms, bitter cold and a Super Bowl to contend with, and those of you who know what it's like to walk a dog on chemical salt covered sidewalks, it's quite a challenge (and I have 2). I am excited to share the news about a cozy and warm inside gig.

This Thursday February 20th from 6-9 pm I will be performing at the New Museum during the Pawel Althamer exhibition entitled "The Neighbors" (located @235 Bowery. NYC). Pawel wanted to have street musicians performing during the exhibit to express the idea of collaboration and connection. I will be performing from time to time (here's a link to my schedule). Many other street musicians have been selected to also perform. 

Someone asked me why I don't consider this a concert series in a museum lobby. I am being amplified so that the live music is heard up on the 3rd floor. Much like performing in public spaces, people are on their way to something, the fact that a performer happens to be on their route is not static or stationary as a concert would be. I have seen the exhibition, and I visualize it while I play. It definitely affects the way I perform as seen from two points of view. One is from the perspective of where I am physically performing in the lobby as people enter and as they wait for the elevator, and the other, where the music through speakers is part of the aural landscape of the exhibition. Having the music as a live soundtrack for an art installation switches the dynamic of performance. I hear and see things differently in this situation and find intriguing the mashup of music + art. Something that is new to my world. When I shared this thought with Pawel, he responded "welcome to the temple." 

Here's Pawel's Inspiration video clip:

It's a wonderful opportunity for me create spontaneous soundscapes.  I sing or play chordal arrangements based on my memory of a piece, say for example the whimsical one of Pawel imagining himself living in a suitcase….  

I hope to see you at one of my performances.

I am looking forward to March the month of Spring and new growth!

All the best,

Cathy

NYCSubwayGirl

the pups enjoying snow on the beach by Lilian Haidar

Harper James engineer, Degraw Sound + Cathy Grier by Nousha Salimi

#Rise4Justice Feb 14th

Since 1998 on February 14th V-Day has championed ending violence around the globe, bringing millions-billions together in support. This year the One Billion Rising movement is reaching out for justice. #Rise4Justice. I wrote a song for last years 1st One Billion Rising campaign and have an updated version made especially for 2014.  Here's a free download of my song Rise UP that I wrote for V-Day + Eve Ensler.  rise Up For Justice!

Pete Seeger remembered

Pete Seeger's music was an integral part of my folk singer/songwriter education. I went to 4H summer camp in the early 70's in Moodus CT, where we gathered around a campfire singing to his music. I remember learning Little Boxes (written by Malvina Reynolds) made famous by Pete. And thanks to the internet, I just learned it's the theme song to Weeds (who knew- guess not me?! Shows you how TV illiterate that I am! 

In the midst of the early 70's with the Vietnam war and racial divides, his music, his art, his humble presence always pushed me to think instead of react. He taught me through his music the power of song, to sing out, sing loud and most of all sing together. 

He lived into his 90's and that's a lovely long life.

1/27/14

Pete Seeger is gone 
into the bitter cold air
his banjo silent
on a winter January day
From his music I joined the choir of the times
Sang of the earth
and caring for others, not just the righteous ones
but careful and concerned
for missing chances we humans forget to take
to chart a different course
he put the boat in the water
taught us to sail
without any power over
what prevailing winds, currents, eddys
would take us
Onward into his nineties
no ego
Sing out he cajoled
Sing Loud
The true power of song
within every next line a belonging
Call and answer praise
A voice that multiplies
is a Gorgeous sound

Remembering Martin Luther King JR

Today is an important day where we remember the life of Martin Luther King Jr. A man who spoke so eloquently about non-violence and who sparked a consciousness within so many of us. 

Dr. King inspired me to seek out truth, to believe in peaceful protest, to understand that only with a voice can we be heard.  I learned that music is a powerful tool against ignorance and hate. that is what I will sing about today.

Here are some words from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's last address April 3, 1968 at Riverside Church given the night before he was assassinated.

"....only when it was dark enough can you see the stars......non-violence or non-existence that is where we are today...we got to stay together and maintain unity...."

New Recording Session

Tomorrow I'll be recording all day in a recording studio. 2002 seems like a lifetime ago when I went into Magic Shop in Soho to record my CD Comin Back To Me.  As far as vocal quality, guitar stylings and sound goes, it was a lifetime ago.  Also not lost on me, the world of the internet has completely transformed the life of a musician.  In 2002 it was beginning to seem like something big was changing. Today in 2014 we are in another hemisphere.

I've been singing in the subway since that time and honestly haven't been able to figure out what to do next.  Fast forward to the end of 2013 when a film maker friend of mine Lilian Haidar (she shot the cover of my 1998 recording "Retracing") invited me to hear Steve Poltz at Bowery Electric. I really liked the sound and introduced myself to the enginner Harper James who said he worked at Degraw Sound in Brooklyn, So that is where I will be singing my heart out all day long.

Stay tuned. Follow my postings on instagram @nycsubwaygirl

here are some covers of past recordings: Retracing 1998, Comin Back To Me 2002, What Fools Do 2002, Gut Reaction front and back cover, Troia/Grier 1983

New Year 2014

 I am sitting in my apartment not too far from Times Square where 1000's are gathering to celebrate the New Year. And I am thinking about people and connection, and Inspiration.

In 2014 I wish for all of us to reach in and awaken our own inner artistry and to share that with our inner circles of friends and family.

The world is asking for Art and Creativity.

2014 is the year of the Artist.

A song for rescued Mustangs

If you follow my blogs you know I love Equine Advocates a sanctuary in Chatham, NY. I have performed at many of their events.  This fall I filmed on location at the sanctuary for a special message about Wild Horses.  EA recently adopted a mustang names Hayden.  His story is remarkable.

Here's my clip and if you are so inclined won't you join me in supporting Equine Advocates.

Singing Goodbye for a friend

My life is music. It brings me joy even through sadness (especially). If sharing my music with others brings joy and release, then I am certainly in the right place. Today I will be singing love and joy during a very sad moment.  A dear friend lost his husband last w eek unexpectedly.  I will be singing goodbye in celebrating the life of Tim Merrell.  He had the most amazing smile.  And that is what I will be singing today. And for my friend Jose Rolan and their son Avery.

Smile by Charlie Chaplin

Smile though your heart is aching.  Smile even though its breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by

If you smile through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow, you'll see the sun come shining through for you. 

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness. Although a tear may be ever so near

That's the time you must keep on trying. Smile, what's the use of crying? 

You'll find that life is still worthwhile, If you just

Smile 

Read about Tim and Jose in a lovely Huffington Post piece by Chef Rossi

Giving to others, Champions I support

It's the end of the year when orginazations are scrambling to get financial support for their efforts. Throughout the year I put aside a portion of my subway tips and donate to organizations I feel are doing amazing work locally, nationally and internationally.

Here is my wish list for my year end giving, what I call the Champions.

Please consider joining me.  

Artists Against Fracking, Broadway Green Alliance, Brooklyn Arts Exchange, Clearwater, Democracy Now, EarSay and Judith Sloan, Equine Advocates, Facing History Facing Ourselves, Global Zero, GrowNYC, Lower East Side Ecology Center,  One Billion Rising, Peace Talks Radio, Playing for Change, Road Recovery, Sing for Hope, V-Day

Nelson Mandela

In 1990 I went to a Free Mandela concert at Wetlands, a wonderful NYC club (sadly no longer in existence), it was the most thrilling, exhilerating experience.  To have witnessed Mandela's release into the our 20th century world with such dignity, grace and force and then to rise up to lead the nation that had emprisoned him is beyond extraordinary.

He wrote so many inspiring words, here are some:

"Honour belongs to those who never forsake the truth even when things seem dark and grim, who try over and over again, who are never discouraged by insults, humiliation and even defeat." ~ Nelson Mandela from a letter to Winnie Mandela, Written on Robben Island, 23 June 1969 

"For every woman and girl violently attacked, we reduce our humanity. For every woman forced into unprotected sex because men demand this, we destroy dignity and pride. Every woman who has to sell her life for sex we condemn to a lifetime in prison. For every moment we remain silent, we conspire against our women. For every woman infected by HIV, we destroy a generation." ~ Nelson Mandela during the 46664 Concert, Fancourt, George, South Africa, 19 March 2005

Happy Thanksgiving 2013

Happy Thanksgiving. Trying to navigate a holiday based on celebration, gatherings, food and connections while being held hostage by consumerism is hard - Reminder, it is called Thanks Giving for a reason. And now stepping in ever so boldly is the idea of stealing that cocoon of quality time away from us with tempting deals to buy discounted goods. I say lower prices all year round, raise minimum wages, close stores for Thanksgiving. I heard a Walmart commercial on TV last night "Black Friday deals starting Thursday 5pm!"  WHAT? How can we allow this important day to chill be taken from us in this way? With so much going on in the world between the natural disasters, geopolitical strife, national tragedies involving guns, corporation malfeasance, it's hard to get in the spirit. I get it, so why not go out and just shop? But here we are folks, we can run from it or learn from it.  So on Black Friday (incidentally it's my B'day), I'll be buying N0-THING, I prefer to join the Buy Nothing Day movement, not get caught up in the frenzy where I could possibly buy something because it's there to buy, sparkling in front of me, teasing me when actually if I stepped back I most likely would say, "Do I really need that new_______?" - (you fill in the blank).
 
I invite us all as humans not as human consumers to take a deep BREATH and express our dignity and full expression of who we really are by spending the day in connection with others or even in quality time with our selves.  Imagine that?! Trungpa Rinpoche called breath "expression of our ordinary magic." So go out and breathe that magic, even for one day.

NYC Veterans Day 2013

call me a dreamer

but I believe in peace

call me a contradicted peace activist because I can support a Veterans Day parade

and still believe that Peace is the only answer

Last year marked 11 years since America launched head first into Afghanistan

To have watched the parade with so many women vets, injured vets, all proud vets.

Vets from the Coast Guard, National Guard and all branches of what we could consider the usual branches of military.

Now we have drones and NSA spying to protect our freedoms, the unusual the norm. 

In an ongoing never to end war on terror, how can you stop a war on terror with Terror?

This is not the America I believe in. 

I grew up in the Vietnam generation, the Nuclear Age before the Age of Aquarius, learning to use song and activism to stand up against a government, against a ideal that I don't agree with or understand.  

Tomorrow I'll be standing along 5th avenue applauding those veterans of all races and gender. It's theirs to celebrate, their survival, their aliveness.

I will continue to hold from my beliefs. I will

Let the sunshine in. Let the sunshine in.

Retired Army Gen. Ann Dunwoody — the nation’s first female four-star general — will serve as grand marshal. Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno will represent the featured service branch, the Army, as honorary grand marshal.

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Super Storm Sandy 1 year later

1 year later and so much has been rebuilt and so much has been left undone.  In the aftermath of the storm one of the sad hard facts is the amount of lower income housing that is no longer available.

I want to honor those who did so much to help in the relief and rebuilding efforts that continue today. For those of us who remember days + weeks without water and electricity and who are now safe and warm, we have much to be thankful for.

One of the most amazing relief efforts came from Respond + Rebuild Occupy Sandy Recovery (Occupy Sandy is a grassroots disaster relief network that emerged to provide mutual aid to communities affected by Superstorm Sandy. They're also a fiscally sponsored project of the Alliance for Global Justice so all donations are tax deductible)

I donated my subway tips to GrowNYC at the Union Square market that provided food for relief efforts.  here's My clip:

Summertime Blues + Berries

I love summer, it's a time as a subway performer I wonder when I'll make the decision to stop performing (too Hot).  I look forward to the many "above ground" performances and volunteering work that I do in the summer time. My favorite is the annual Blueberry Festival in Austerlitz, NY in Columbia County.

And this weekend it's the 14th annual Blueberry Festival held on the grounds of Old Austerlitz Village, in Austerlitz, NY.  The Blueberry Festival helps to fund the amazing relocation and restoration of the many gorgeous 19th Century homes found on the site.  Crafters and Artisans set up booths to showcase and sell their wares in many of the 19th Century traditions. Spinners spin, Pottery and Brooms, rugs and looms, petting Zoo for the kids young and old.  and lots of entertainment.

For 7 years I have been the entertainment coordinator, sound reinforcement company, engineer, MC and basic all around grunt to ensure the entertainment is non stop and well entertaining!

Here' a clip I created from last years event.  Featuring Ampersand, Andrea Nussinow + Blue Star Farms, Berkshire Ramblers, Bluebottle Jug Band, Cathy Grier (I actually sing to a dancing barn owl),  Gary Green + The Big Caboose, Hudson Buskers, Moonshine Holler, Roger The Jester, Trish Marki's Birds of Prey, Wildlife Institute of Eastern NY.

The annual Blueberry Festival is held the last Sunday of July since 1999 9am-4pm with Blueberry Pancakes-using local ingredients, real butter, milk and maple syrup. Proceeds go to support the mission to present our community's rich history through preservation and education.

Memorial Day rituals + community

Memorial Day is about remembering, it's about those who lost their lives in conflict and wars in the name of our freedom.  And yes it's about parades and gatherings, recitals, and picnics.

Who cares about the weather, and how wet and cold it is this year.  Because we get a chance to have our gatherings.  We get a chance to live among the living. We get to sing our Blues live and real.

My mantra is enjoy the BBQ with humble pie front and center.

This Memorial Day I remember and I celebrate for all those departed and those who are lost.  For those who dedicated for a purpose that they might never understand yet live with the consequences. Physically and emotionally.

Memorial Day. I'll be upstate at a lovely rural community gathering with a visit by the VFW, listening to the Governor's Proclamation and bowing my head in silence. Later I'll celebrate with friends.

Hope you have a wonderful day. Remembering.

Here's a pic of me and the Blues guys performing on Saturday, having been moved inside due to inclement weather. Taken by Fran Heaney:

Kurt, Richard, Kevin, me and Pete

with thanks to Joe Heller

10 years ago

10 years ago today we went to war in Iraq.  Under false pretenses, under fear of weapons of mass destruction, since proven never existed as a threat.  I was against it all, still am.  I wrote, I sang, I joined New Yorkers Say NO To War.  I marched.

Today even through my cynical and sad eyes, I can still honor all the fallen, all the victims on all sides, all the heros. men, women, the National Guard members who were swept up into the non-debate of a non-draft country and government which remembered what happened when it's citizens rose up against another misbegotten war in Vietnam. I saw through the slick, tricky, slippery slope creation of "Military Contractors" who were making more money in 1 year than countless US soldiers combined.  And the corporations who really are the  financial "winners" in this human tragedy never could be won war.

I still believe our US entitlement throughout the world is hurting us all.  I continue to support efforts of diplomacy in the name of peace.  You may say I'm a dreamer, but without dreams what's life for?

Here's a song for today.  My song "Dedicate"

10 years ago today peace was still an option, download free Dedicate,  I dedicate my life to peace. Can you dedicate? 

tonight in Hudson NY 1 Billion Rising

Tonight another One Billion Rising event will occur @8pm for my friends in Columbia County NY, I'll be performing my song at Stageworks 41 Cross Street, Hudson, NY during a fund raiser for The REACH Center  and One Billion Rising. The event features the play The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler. I will be also perform musical interludes throughout the play. For tickets please call the Stageworks box office at: 518-822-9667 or use the link here to directly purchase tickets 

Yesterday was a perfect day in NYC with One Billion Rising.  I sang in Grand Central then rushed to Hammerstein Ballroom for my sound check where I had an amazing dressing room vocal slam with the incredible Myah Azucena. Then I stood on the steps of ABC Home as a flashmob led by brass instruments and drums and dancing people surrounded us.  Deepak Chopra spoke a deeply heartfelt and empowering blessing and then I sang my song Rise Up. The energy was fantastic. Then off to Hammerstein for the big event.

Happy V-Day One Billion Rise UP!

Happy Valentine's Day, Happy V-Day Happy One Billion Rising Day to end violence around the globe. 

Today something extraordinary is occurring. Today will be amplified by the power of the people uniting. You might be a part of it as I am, or you might hear about it in the news or from a friend, but what is happening is tangible, it's the connected energies of people globally expressing an intention. To end violence. Stop abuse. 

I am honored that V-Day.org has featured my song today on the One Billion Rising website.  You can listen and download here

15 years ago I was on the crew at the first V-Day event at Hammerstein Ballroom NYC.  Back then we had no idea how Eve Ensler's poignant and culture shifting play The Vagina Monologues would turn into a global movement.

15 years ago. V-Day.org was born and has since raised more than $90 million to end violence towards women.

15 years ago I met the love of my life and so we  too celebrate 15 years. Celebrating One Billion Rising is a wonderful way to honor our 15 years and Eve Ensler who introduced us.  Happy Anniversary!

Tonight I'll be performing my song 'Rise Up' on the same stage that 15 years ago helped release the first V-Day out into the world.

Tony award winning playwright Eve Ensler says "We cannot keep working day after day when millions of women and girls are battered around the world. this is the moment when we escalate and amplified by our efforts, where we get bold and dangerous and disruptive and say no more.  Where we celebrate the fact that we are women and we have bodies and we have a right to walk and be anywhere on this planet anytime and be safe and free." 

Watch the clip I made of Eve and what Inspires her.

poster + logo by Megan Sparkman

Snowstorm Pause

I am enjoying a short winter pause until the week's events of One Billion Rising in NYC.

Snowbound upstate I put on snowshoes and took the poodle pups for a walk. Quite a different change of scenery from the subway!

Leap Of Faith music and words Cathy Grier