EVA CASSIDY :  WHAT'S NEW?

guitar
Updated December 24, 2008

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL OF EVA'S FANS AROUND THE WORLD!

Click here for information about Eva and Christmas, including photos of decorations Eva made herself!


NewALBUM REVIEW: Karl Stober of eJazzRadio reviews the SOMEWHERE album. He writes, "No thought, script, or judgment can offer justice to the impact Eva Cassidy and her storyline has on each of us."


New Zealand FlagALBUM REVIEW: Critic Stu Hunt of the Nelson Review in New Zealand reviewed the SOMEWHERE album on December 11, 2008. He praises the "effortless beauty of her approach" and asserts that "Albums like 'Somewhere' underline the fact that there was much more to her than simply a tragic figure and that, had she lived, it is highly likely she would have eventually reaped similar levels of acclaim."


Guitar pictureEVA'S GUITAR TECHNIQUE ANALYZED: Eric in Silver Spring writes, 'I was at Barnes and Nobles last night in Bethesda, and ran across Guitar Techniques magazine that had a tablature and transcription of Eva’s “Over The Rainbow” in the January 2009 edition. It had about a 7 page spread, analyzing her chord structures, commenting on how she added a 9th to the G chord to add a little more oomph or that she played partial chords so as not to overwhelm the vocal with the guitar part. Pretty interesting analysis. Additionally, they had one full page photo of Eva —- the one standing on the lawn in the oversized sweater -- and cover photo to “I know You By Heart” CD as an inset pic.'


U S FlagALBUM REVIEW: The Knoxville News Sentinel in Tennessee reviewed the SOMEWHERE album on November 16, 2008. Critic Wayne Bledsoe writes, 'The latest Cassidy collection, "Somewhere," does not disappoint. Cassidy was such a natural singer that she could, and did, tackle any style and make it her own. The highlights on this set includes a sweet rendition of Robert Burns' "My Love Is Like a Red Red Rose," the bluesy "Ain't Doin' Too Bad" and the jazzy Cassidy original "Somewhere." It's a tragedy that Cassidy didn't live long enough to see so many people fall in love with her music, but it's a blessing that she created it in the first place.'


"YOU CAN JUST FEEL HER SPIRIT WHEN SHE SINGS:" My cousin Margret found this short feature interview with singer David Archuleta on the /I>People web site. She explains, "He mentions Eva, and there is a little bit of Eva's music while he's speaking of her! God bless this young man!" David said, "On the music side someone I would love to spend a day with is Eva Cassidy. You can just feel her spirit when she sings. I think it would be so cool to spend time with her and see what she was like." (I think David pronounced her name right this time, too. Yay!)


ANOTHER STAR WITH GOOD TASTE: Linda in Maryland has discovered another high-profile Eva fan -- Kristin Chenowith, one of the best-known Broadway stars. "[In an interview] she mentions Eva in the same company with singers Whitney Houston, Barbra Streisand, Dolly Parton....refers to Eva as one of her favorite artists."


Image of an ice skateIS KIMMIE MEISSNER SKATING TO EVA'S 'OVER THE RAINBOW' AGAIN? Or was this a repeat broadcast of a performance from a couple of years ago? Mary in Texas writes, "Kimmie Meissner skated to Eva's 'Over the Rainbow' on Family Tribute (NBC) on Ice on Nov. 16th. The program is scheduled to be rebroadcast on Style TV Network on Sunday morning, Nov. 23rd. The program was great family viewing and featured U. S. skaters."


RADIO INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA AND HUGH CASSIDY: Elana Byrd writes in the Guestbook, ' Tomorrow afternoon, Sunday, November 2, 2008 - shortly after noon - maybe 12:30 pm EST (and don't forget the time change tonight!): Hugh and Barbara Cassidy will be interviewed on WPRW radio (89.3 FM) out of Washington, DC by Miyuki Williams on her show titled "A Sunday Kind of Love!" The interview should last 1 hour and include Miyuki's playing lots of Eva's songs, both in that hour as well as before and after!! Miyuki had this same format a few months ago and it turned out that the radio tower had a flaw and the show was only beamed 1/2 of its normal range. Still, Miyuki had a huge response to the show from DC and No. Virginia residents - grown men cried, lots of response! She wanted to do it again when the tower and transmitter were at full blast. Check this out at wpfw radio on line if you are not in the DC, Md. area!!! And spread the word!!'


Image of a chartSTILL IN THE CHARTS: The new album SOMEWHERE is still in the album charts in the United Kingdom. This past week it was #40, and the SONGBIRD album from 1998 is #92.


image of a CDSCOTTISH REVIEW:A review in the October/November issue of the magazine Scottish Woman calls the SOMEWHERE album "compelling" and says "The stunning 'Early One Morning,' originally recorded back in 1987, closes this deeply emotive reminder of a magical voice."


U.S. flagARTICLE FROM WASHINGTON: The News Tribune in Washington State carried this article about Blix Street Records and the new album SOMEWHERE, on September 28th. '“It’s by far the most diverse record,” Straw said. “‘Songbird’ was a super album. But any criticism of it was maybe it was too middle-of-the-road. And this one, it’s got so many colors. There’s a lot of different facets to it. It takes a little time to get your head around.”'


image of a CD"SONIC BOOMERS" REVIEW: The "Bentley's Bandstand" column on the "Sonic Boomers" web site reviews the SOMEWHERE album. Here's an extract: 'The true mark of her talent is how she always sounds like herself no matter what she sings. Taking the bluesy “Ain’t Doing Too Bad” into the alley is the album’s big surprise. From a live session in 1996, Cassidy never veers toward imitation, making sure not to set herself up to fail, but adds her own soul with a full-blooded arrangement and sassy delivery. That’s class. Same with Franklin’s “Won’t Be Long.” Anytime an artist puts themselves in the same frame as Lady Soul, it’s likely to be a losing proposition. Not this time. Eva Cassidy stays on top of the action, jumping through the verses and turning on the heat near the end to make sure we don’t miss the emotion running through this little known gem, also covered by Tracy Nelson and Mother Earth on their debut release. Saving the best for almost last, “Summertime” is Cassidy and her acoustic guitar, performing a classic that sometimes feels like it should be retired. But here, the lyrics are caressed in a way that makes the song we’ve all heard a thousand times seem brand new. The mark of greatness is when a musician touches our heart and makes us feel something we haven’t. Eva Cassidy was able to do that almost every time she opened her mouth to sing. Even though she’s gone now, she’s really still right here.'


Poster EVA CASSIDY MUSICAL STILL TOURING: Now in its fourth season, the musical "Over the Rainbow: Songs in the Life of Eva Cassidy" currently stars singer and actress Faye Tozer, formerly of the pop group Steps. Here are links to two articles about the show that include Faye Tozer's thoughts about the difficulty of portraying Eva Cassidy on stage. This one is from the South Wales Echo and this one is from the News Shopper. To see if the show will be playing anywhere near you, click here. There's a link to a promotional video on that web site also. I just watched it, and I have to say, it was a lot better than I expected it to be.

For a full account of how a devoted Eva fan responded to the show, read this excellent review from Les in England:

Reflections of Eva

Perhaps, like most or maybe all of the audience who made the journey to the Alexander Theatre, Birmingham on Tuesday 7th October 2008, I really had very little idea of what to expect from the show that early autumn evening. The show was ‘Over the Rainbow – The Eva Cassidy Story’ and I must declare an interest here, in that I had been a fan of Eva’s since hearing the first play of ‘Over the Rainbow’ in 1998 here on the BBC Radio in England. I have all the cd’s of course and ….well you know how it goes, once Eva wraps her voice around you, you are hers for the rest of your life, like a siren calling to a desperate sailor lost on a raging ocean. Perhaps for that reason, I had resisted going to this show for as long as I could. But in truth it was fear that had stopped me. Fear that I would be disappointed, such is the quality of Eva’s voice and the emotions she has and evokes in me, that I was already challenging what I would see and hear. Of course I would be let down, no one could sing like Eva!

Probably everyone has their own version of Eva’s story, depending on their personal knowledge and rather like a great song that can be both universal and personal, you carry it around with you as your own source of inspiration and comfort, bringing it out like an old friend that never lets you down when life grinds you down. I was fearful the spell would be broken.

Fearful, knowing that, inevitably, a ‘biopic’ in whatever form, often has to be rearranged in a different order to that which actually happened in reality, to fit the arc of the story and bring that particular medium to a conclusion that we are all satisfied with.

Now here’s the one fear that really terrified me! The fear that, having listened to Eva for 10 years, read virtually everything written about her, the raw nerves of a 53 year old man would be exposed to the point of tears there in the Theatre for all to see, blubbing for all he was worth. Well despite all fears, here I was.

Now ok, lets make it clear, this isn’t a Broadway production, this wasn’t the heart of the London Theatre scene with all the glitz and glamour that scenario entails; no huge budgets; no Cameron Macintosh to produce, but then Eva was never about glitz and glamour, understatement in all things more like. I would guess this production is a work in progress, with all the glitches, faults and flaws that come with earnestly trying to encapsulate a whole life, albeit cut short all too soon, in just a couple of hours. My advice for what it’s worth, whatever you may have read or heard, is go see the show, pay your money gladly and support it, in the hope that it will grow like the friendships and flowers Eva gently tended over the course of her short life.

The first Act certainly had its moments that dispelled any fears that I may have had and though perhaps much that happens on stage can never match your dreams, in the spirit of ‘There will never be another Eva, but there may be someone else’, Faye Tozer as Eva, certainly brought her alive, injecting her own spirit and soul into the songs we know Eva best for. Particularly in the quiet medative moments that were being depicted, ‘Songbird’ perhaps the pick, there was an audible sigh as the opening notes were delicately picked and for those few moments at least, Eva lived. There she was, right there in front of me. All I had longed for, Eva singing just for me. The emotion, the voice, the shy but stubborn personality, at times childlike and playful, at times intense and uncompromising and of course that radiant elfin-like beauty that any man worth his salt would have loved to have woken up next to every morning for a moment or a lifetime and the generosity of spirit that was irresistible, causing any female to have longed to call her a friend. Here my resistance crumbled and try as I might to fight the tears, nothing could stop them. All I could think of was that description by Chris Biondo on hearing Eva sing OTR for the first time on that car ride. He had to pull over feeling feeble; feeble was I.

The show took the story from Eva’s early adolescence after her idyllic early childhood and her feelings about Robert Goddard school and the responsibilities of life, how the hurtfulness of the world began to shape her vision and feelings and how she used the pain to transform her own life and in due course all those she touched, now in their millions, around the world. As if she was prepared to soak up the ‘slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’, and turn them all into love and fire them back to us like Cupid, all with no strings attached, all within a totally ego - less performance in which only three things seem to matter to her, the song, the song and the song.

Joined by Chuck Brown, Eva and the band whipped up a storm as the story moved through to Blues Alley, not being shy to take in the well documented difficulties that Hugh has written about with his precious daughter during those years when they grew apart. Eva’s resistance to all things without grace and beauty, including the music business moguls and PR men, whose judgments were so fallible. There’s none so blind as those who cannot see.

After the intermission the second act came to its inevitable heartrending conclusion, no less easy to take for all the prior knowledge of the loss of such a unique talent and such a unique person. Here there were some deviations from the ‘Songbird’ book in terms of storyline and if I was to be critical at all, it laboured a little under the terrible sorrow or Eva’s decline. But who am I to criticize, how easy can it be to show the drawn out slow sting of that early, unwanted, unforgiving death, without reducing the pace of the story almost to a standstill, indeed conveying that slow inevitability must be at the forefront of the story.

Of course that now famous, spiritual, heart rending version of ‘Wonderful World’ that Eva sang, drew down the curtain on Eva’s life and the show and drew a standing ovation from the appreciative audience.

Bravo to all the cast for their interpretation and characterization, in particular Faye Tozer playing Eva, who no doubt as professional as she is, must surely be drenched in overwhelming emotions after each performance. She gives her all as Eva surely must have.

What would Eva have thought of it? Of course I cannot say, I wish I could ask her. I imagine that she would be absolutely incredulous that a show about her short and perhaps to her, uneventful life would be playing to so many people (and selling many cds in the foyers to boot) on the other side of the Atlantic. Maybe she would exclaim in all humbleness and surprise those same words she said as she left her Tribute Concert in 1996, ‘They loved me’.

Of course Eva, it took you this long to realize?

I called this review Reflections on Eva. Walking home I caught my own reflection in a shop window and I realized then that to me, that’s the essence of Eva and what perhaps sums her life up, her God given gift to hold up a mirror to us all so we can see life, love and loss in all its endless happiness and sorrow and embrace it.

What did I think of it? Well, all I know is that after a disturbed nights sleep, when I swear I dreamed of Eva, the following day I was a little kinder to everyone I met, a little more forgiving and a little more optimistic that in a world fraught with enormous difficulties and problems there still remains hope, there still remains beauty and there still remains that little flickering flame of love that lights the way through the long dark night.

And after all, isn’t that what Eva would have wished for?


Australian flagFEATURE STORY IN AUSTRALIA: Sadly, Australia's Rhythms Magazine does not seem to have a web presence. If you're in the right part of the world, though, you'll want to pick up a copy of the October issue for its story about Eva and the SOMEWHERE album, featuring an interview with Eva's producer and longtime friend and collaborator Chris Biondo.


Grace GriffithCOMING NEXT YEAR: Those familiar with Eva's story know that she greatly admired vocalist Grace Griffith, that it was Grace who introduced Eva's music to Blix Street Records, and that Grace has struggled with Parkinson's Disease for several years. I hope many of you agree with me that Grace's music deserves a wider audience. Maybe it will happen soon -- Kathy McCabe writes that Bill Straw of Blix Street is "committed to releasing a Best of Grace Griffith CD which would include songs from all the CDs she's already released including her amazing version of 'My Life.' He'd like to target the UK hopefully by the beginning of next year and will tie in Grace's music with her connection to Eva's story and her struggle with Parkinsons Disease as well. ...All of us are committed to telling the world about Grace's amazing talent, her wonderful performance on 'My Life,' and her brave battle against PD. If each of us keeps working on this, it will happen... it's happening already. This quest has so many personal interconnections on many continents and so many people from all walks of life pulling for it, that it will succeed. We're hoping to work with Michael J. Fox as well. He's actually seen Grace perform!" I listen to Grace's music often and encourage you to discover her if you have not already done so. As this project progresses I will keep you informed.


Album cover for the new album SOMEWHERESALT LAKE CITY REVIEW: Eva's music is quite popular in Salt Lake City, due largely to the frequent radio airplay offered by folk DJ Susanne Millsap, who passed away last year. In the Deseret News, critic Scott Iwasaki describes himself as a fan, assures his fellows that the SOMEWHERE album "doesn't disappoint," and goes on to describe it as a "virtually perfect CD." You can read the full review here.


BUZZ FROM THE BEE: Isn't this the best newspaper name ever -- the Sacramento Bee? Their critic Rachel Leibrock writes, '"Somewhere" captures Cassidy's eclecticism with 12 tracks, including 10 covers that show off her impressive vocal range and an uncanny emotional depth. The songs here (selected by members of her family) are a satisfying run through various blues, pop and country gems. On Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors," Cassidy's voice is sweet and winsome, while on songs such as "Ain't Doin' Too Bad" and "Chain of Fools" she's robust and brimming with a sassy energy. A soft, spare take on "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" is as lovely as they come. The title track, co-written by Cassidy, completes an unfinished recording of Cassidy's vocals with a lush, full band instrumentation and its impact is as joyful as it is bittersweet.' Hey, how come I didn't get to pick a song, hmmm?


Album cover for the new album SOMEWHEREON SALE FOR $9.99 AT AMAZON: Friday morning, 9/26. Here is a direct link to SOMEWHERE on Amazon dot com, in case you neglected to stock up during that splendid week when the price was $7.99. (Updated September 26th, 6 AM EST)


ZEN GUITAR: Eva is mentioned in The Book of Six Strings: The Six Fold Path of Zen Guitar by PhilipToshio Sudo & Tobias Hurwitz. On page 46 they write, "The essence of a single song can be perceived in the light of its larger genre. Is not every blues song similar in a way, every punk song and every jazz song? And yet these genres are all open to interpretation. Artists color songs. The great singer Eva Cassidy did not write her own songs, but all that she touched, she made her own. She illuminated each song in the special glow of her own genius. Eva has demonstrated how one song is indeed a thousand songs, how the true songbird can sing of anything sweetly. What does YOUR heart sing in the deepest reaches of your soul? With what shades do you tint your music? Who are you? What is your song?"


Flag of MarylandMARYLAND GAZETTE ARTICLE: Andrea Noble interviewed Barbara and Hugh Cassidy for this article, headlined "Album released 12 years after singer's death." Also quoted were Chuck Brown and Chris Biondo. Nice article.


U.S. flagSEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REVIEW: Critic Gene Stout writes, 'If you're a Cassidy fan, you won't be disappointed. The collection of previously unreleased songs includes Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors," as well as "Chain of Fools," "Walkin' After Midnight," "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" and George and Ira Gershwin's "Summertime." Each song is performed with new arrangements that demonstrate her tremendous musical depth.'


U.K. flagSELBY TIMES REVIEW: This small British newspaper has an unnamed music critic who loves Eva! Here's the link. 'It's incredible to believe Eva Cassidy is still surprising and delighting her fans with the release of new songs 12 years after her untimely death at the age of 33.... While not having the immediate impact, perhaps of Songbird, these 12 tracks are still of the highest quality and yet another beautiful glimpse in the life and work of a truly great female vocalist. There's also a real blues edge to a number of these tracks, which stretches Cassidy's vocal range to new and interesting heights. As the possibilities of releasing new work diminishes with every passing year, these rare occasions where her precious songs are rediscovered are a thrill for music fans and further testament to her prowess as one of the greatest singers of her time.'


image of a CDVARIOUS INTERNET REVIEWS:

Image of a chartCHART TRACKING FOR THE NEW ALBUM:


PLEASE READ THE WEBMASTER'S COMMENT BELOW! Join the "promote Eva Cassidy" team! Eva's guitarist, Keith Grimes, recently told me that when the Eva Cassidy Band had a gig scheduled at a new venue, he would phone the club to ask who was performing that night. "I'd say, oh, Eva Cassidy? That's fantastic! I've got to come! Can you give me directions how to get there?" The directions, of course, were the reason for the call, but he'd try to generate some excitement among the staff ahead of time. You can use the same technique when you buy your Eva Cassidy CDs by telling the cashier how much you love her music, plus the suggestions that follow.


image of a CDWebmaster's comment: Have you got time to make a few phone calls for Eva's sake? There are two types. The first phone calls should be to any local radio stations that have EVER played any of Eva's music, or folk or singer-songwriter style music. Tell them you'd love to hear them play something from Eva's new album, and if they don't know about the album you can tell them about it. Be sure to add that if they don't have the album yet, you'd love to hear ANY song by Eva Cassidy. The second kind of phone call is to your local music stores. Ask if they have the new Eva Cassidy album. Most of the time they'll have to look it up. If they have it, express joy and delight, find out what section they have it shelved with, and ask what time they close tonight! This can raise awareness where it really counts.

I remember the week EVA BY HEART came out. I must have made about a hundred phone calls to music stores in the Washington area. The majority of the conversations were as described above, but on a few occasions I spoke with a clerk who was a fan, and had been playing the album in the store. It was so heartening. Later in the week I went to the Olssons Books and Records in Old Town Alexandria and made my standard query in person. The clerk pointed to a special display and said that everybody there loved Eva Cassidy! "In fact," he said, "the guy who wrote the album notes is here in the store right now. With his dog." That's how I met Joel E. Siegel (with his dog). I was very happy to be able to thank him in person for his support of Eva's music. Joel was a brilliant Grammy-winning music writer and film critic; he passed away last year and he is greatly missed.


U.S. flagNew York Daily News Article: Writer Jim Farber starts off poorly, with the hackneyed assertion that death is "a good career move." Fortunately he pulled himself together after that to praise Eva's music and the new album. Here's the link. 'given a tone as warm as fleece. In character, Cassidy could sound maternally protective one moment, spiritually fraught the next, and sexually yearning moments after. She sang songs from the inside, with a sense of engagement that seems complete. Referring to the song "Somewhere," Farber writes, 'The title track - her very first effort - has lyrics that show a poet's flair. And the song's music, which she penned with producer Chris Biondo, unfurls with an anthemic flourish. It's exciting to hear she could write so well, but also sad, considering there can't be much more of it. Then again, if Cassidy's heirs have been able to find so much quality material so far, who knows what's yet to come?'


U.S. flagVIEW FROM BOWIE: David Emanuel of the Bowie Blade News wrote an article published August 21st. Interestingly, it seems to have been published as an editorial. 'I listened to the CD last night. Try getting through the absolutely chilling and haunting "A Bold Young Farmer" without feeling the hairs on the back of your neck raise. And just try to listen to her redo of Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors" without getting a lump in your throat. And for those of you who have never heard her version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," on her platinum-selling album "Songbird," well, you haven't truly lived until you hear her masterfully beautiful rendition.... And we are again swept away on her amazing journey, as if she's still her with us. And in many ways, she really is. Somewhere, Eva, know that we thank you and still miss you.'


U.S. flagBALTIMORE SUN ARTICLE: The headline reads, "A voice silenced in 1996 is brought back to life." Mary Johnson interviewed Eva's parents for this article/review, which appeared in the August 28th issue of the Sun.

Johnson writes, 'Like the versatile singer who refused to be pegged, the recording is an eclectic mix containing something for everyone, including pop, R&B, folk, Appalachian, jazz and country. There are near-gospel tunes, such as Dolly Parton's "Coat of Many Colors," and classic folk, such as "My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose," and swinging country like the Patsy Cline classic "Walkin' After Midnight," along with a heart-wrenching, prophetic "Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain" - and my personal favorite, Gershwin's "Summertime," as I've never heard it and as it was always meant to be sung. Among the original songs, Cassidy adapted the lyrics of "Early One Morning" from an English folk song set to music by Rob Cooper, and she wrote "Somewhere" with her longtime friend and producer, Chris Biondo. On the CD, I could hear echoes of some of my favorites: a little Ella Fitzgerald, the raucousness of Billie Holiday and the vocal beauty of Barbara Cook. Their music, however, is different from the breathing immortality of Eva Cassidy. She connects with listeners on a one-to-one level. Her voice is pure, her musical sense uncanny, her ability to define a lyric amazing and assured - "Summertime" seems to be uniquely on par with her best-known cover, "Over the Rainbow." I listened to it over and over again; I had to figure out how she brought such fresh life to this Gershwin classic while uncovering its natural roots.'

Johnson also wrote about Eva's artwork: 'Eva was also an accomplished artist whose work reflects her individuality and joyous spirit. This art is lovingly displayed on both levels of the house on the banks of the West River: mostly dream-like, near-surrealistic landscapes containing tall cypress trees, still ponds with swans floating, clouds that seem suspended, executed in her favorite cool and serene palette of blues and greens.'


U.S. flagARTICLE IN THE ANNAPOLIS (MARYLAND) CAPITAL: Theresa Winslow spoke with Eva's parents for this article.


U.K. flagDAILY ECHO REVIEW: Reviewer Nick Churchill describes the SOMEWHERE album as "sparky" and "fan-pleasing." (Added September 3, 2008)


Ireland flagARTICLE IN THE IRISH INDEPENDENT: "The songbird is singing again," writes John Meagher in his article for the Independent. You'll enjoy reading his interview with Eva's parents, Hugh and Barbara Cassidy.


U.S. flagKevin O'Hare of the Massachusetts Republican reviewed the album on August 24th. 'This is the first Cassidy release in five years and her magnificent voice still shines through brightly.... The real treat here however is the inclusion of a couple of Cassidy originals, notably the album-closing title song, which was co-written by producer Chris Biondo. Left unfinished, it was recently completed for this album by Biondo and some of Cassidy's former bandmates, resulting in one more reason the music world will always lament the singer's early passing, but will take solace in these precious recordings.'


Album cover for the new album SOMEWHERENewly Updated SOMEWHERE Page: Information about the new album SOMEWHERE can be found here. You can see a preview of the images in the album booklet, including some of Eva's drawings. This page is a work-in-progress as I continue writing about the songs on the SOMEWHERE album. Several songs have been updated in the first week of September.


SOMEWHERE is everywhere! The new album is now available worldwide. Here is a direct link to SOMEWHERE on Amazon dot com, and here's the direct link on Amazon.co.uk. If you're in Canada, you can use this link to Amazon.ca. Remember that if you use Amazon links from this web site, 5% of your total order will be donated directly to melanoma research at no additional cost to you! But it's also a good thing to support your local independent music stores. Maybe you could even suggest that they play Eva's music for everyone to enjoy!


Image of a radioTENTATIVE RADIO INTERVIEWS, ETC.:
  • Friday, August 29th: On my favorite radio station, WAMU, David Furst will interview Barbara and Hugh Cassidy and review the new CD for "Metro Connection." Check their web site for details of the schedule. "Metro Connection" is an award-winning news magazine produced by WAMU, and I believe there is a podcast available. Sorry I do not have the details. I don't quite "get" podcasts yet!

  • Wednesday, September 3, 9-10 PM: The "Jazz Straight Ahead" program on Morgan State Unversity's radio station will be showcasing Eva's jazz singing and tunes from the new CD. The host is John Tegler, who I presume is the same John Tegler as above. Barbara and Hugh Cassidy will be interviewed.

  • Mid-September: The "Maryland Morning" show will discuss the new album and interview Barbara and Hugh Cassidy. This will be heard on WYPR in Baltimore and two sister stations in Frederick and Salisbury, Maryland.




    • Image of a CDSOUND CLIPS FOR THE NEW ALBUM: The web site for Blix Street Records now has sound clips for all the tracks on the SOMEWHERE album here.


    United States Flag"WADE IN THE WATER" TO BE FEATURED ON "AMERICAN ROUTES": The popular public radio program "American Routes" will feature Eva's recording of "Wade in the Water" in connection with a feature story about New Orleans and the challenge of rebuilding its cultural life. This program is broadcast on many stations nationwide, and their web site is www.americanroutes.org. The New Orleans program will be aired the weekend of August 22-24, 2008.


    Question MarkBLOG REVIEW: I'm not sure how much focus I want to give to blog reviews. In rare cases they have become the equal in importance to print media, but most of the time they're pretty meaningless. While we're waiting, though, I thought the fans would appreciate another preview of SOMEWHERE. Scott of the Yahoo Group found a review of the new album on a site called Muruch. It's very professionally written and has some nice descriptions.


    United States FlagPLACES TO WATCH, PLACES TO LISTEN: Now that preview copies of the SOMEWHERE album have been sent to potential reviewers and promoters, we can start watching for mentions in the media. In the Washington DC area, Richard Harrington will be writing about the album, possibly for the Washington Post(?), albeit this would be freelance since he recently retired from the paper. Mary Johnson, arts writer for the Baltimore Sun, and Michael Buckley, arts writer for the Annapolis Capital are expected to write about the album, as will Teri Winslow from the Bowie Blade and the Maryland Gazette. I hope Mary Cliff will play some excerpts on her "Traditions" radio program on WAMU. Miyuki Williams of WPFW may be previewing the album for her "Sunday Kind of Love" radio show, and David Furst with WAMU's "Metro Connection" will be interviewing Eva's parents for broadcast in late August. Elsewhere, watch for a review from Mark Bialczak of the Syracause Post-Standard.


    IRISH WINDOW DISPLAY: From Gerard in Ireland, a snapshot of a window display including SOMEWHERE, in the lower right corner. He writes, "This was the Celtic Note music store in Nassau Street -the street where foreign tourist's buses stop outside Trinity College to allow the tourists to go shopping or see the Book of Kells in Trinity."

    Snapshot of window display


    Album cover for the new album SOMEWHEREThe web site "All About Jazz" has a good information write-up about the forthcoming SOMEWHERE album here. As I read it I thought it sounded a lot like a press release, and it turns out, that's exactly what it is. Check it out.


    COMMENT FROM THE WEBMASTER: As I watch the 2008 Olympic Games on television I find myself thinking about the Eva Cassidy fans all over the world. People from so many countries write in the Guestbook. Recently I was thrilled to see the first (probably) posting from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Other countries recently heard from include Germany, Norway, Belgium, India, Ireland, Italy, England, and France -- and that's just the most recent page! Not long ago I heard from Dave Marash, formerly of ABC "Nightline," who told me he'll be teaching journalism in China this fall, "and introducing people to Eva, for sure!" I think we all agree that Eva's music makes the world a better place.


    United States flagFIRST US AIRPLAY FOR NEW ALBUM: From Elana: 'Bob McWilliams, host of "Trail Mix" on Sunday afternoons in Kansas, played "Early One Morning" yesterday and gave a big plug for the CD. You know Kim [Morrow] and that was one of her targeted radio hosts. She had no idea he would play it immediately and say it would be released Aug. 26. Now she is going to double-back and ask him to play at least one song per week until the release and trust he will pick other songs from the CD to feature. This was on Kansas Public Radio which has various stations throughout Kansas and is also heard in other bordering states.' I think that Eva's most devoted fans are going to be a big part of the PR process for this new album!


    UK flag"FIELDS OF GOLD" WARS AT THE BBC: Agent Steve in York is back on the job -- I have always been able to count on him for interesting tidbits. 'About 3 or 4 months back, Bob Harris's usual producer was retiring or something like that, so they were doing a bit of a retrospective. Bob played Eva's FOG, and afterwards mentioned that he reckoned Pauly Walters and "Sir Tel" had "stolen" FOG from his show. All a little bizarre." I have to laugh -- those wacky announcers at the BBC are still squabbling over who discovered Eva? I researched this issue exhaustively a few years ago and reported the results on my "Fields of Gold" article. It wasn't either of those two, either! I also found that yet another BBC announcer played Eva's 'Wade in the Water' prior to the first broadcast of "Fields of Gold." Anyone know who it was? You'll find the answer on the Q & A Page.

    Steve sent me a sound clip of Bob Harris' commentary, which I have transcribed: "It still sounds beautiful, doesn't it? It's Keith Grimes on guitar, by the way, I don't think I've ever credited him on the radio before, but he does add so much atmosphere, doesn't he, to Eva Cassidy's 'Fields of Gold' from her SONGBIRD album. We WERE the first to play that, I know that Wogan claimed it, but we were actually the first, not that it really matters that much. Paul Walters, who produced Wogan at the time, the late Paul Walters, listened to this programme regularly, he was a big fan of the Saturday night show, and he used to take across into Wogan things that he heard on our programme that he liked and thought would be suitable, so having played -- I think it was on Wogan's show two or three days later. And it still sounds beautiful, I've not played that for a long time, it's lovely to hear it again. 'Fields of Gold.' Eva Cassidy."


    UK flagEVA MENTION IN UK'S DAILY EXPRESS:From Agent Steve in York: "It must be silly season again in Fleet Street, with Heath Ledger's death prompting an article in the Daily Express which includes Eva." Helen Dowd's article in the Express says: 'Looking at the life of Eva Cassidy, the blues singer who died of cancer aged 33 in 1996, her relative obscurity until 2000 is almost as heart-breaking as some of her melancholy songs. Her cover of Somewhere Over The Rainbow was unearthed by Radio 2 and played by Terry Wogan and just a year later her gentle acoustic album Songbird sold six million copies in the UK. It also went to No10 in the charts in Australia, Germany, Sweden, Norway and Switzerland. Her producer Chris Biondo’s words on her posthumous success could be applied to so many of those who died in obscurity: “She understood that being popular and famous was not all it’s cracked up to be,” he said. “That wasn’t what drove her to make music. There are singers who are successful now, popular now, who won’t be remembered like Eva. They don’t have the emotional impact.”' Did anyone else but me notice that the Biondo quote came from this web site? Without attribution, may I add? (Oh, and who's Heath Ledger?) (Added July 26, 2008)


    BBC LogoFIRST AIRPLAY FOR NEW ALBUM: Sir Terry Wogan played "Red, Red Rose" on his radio program today. He is reported to have said: "Now this is an entirely new Eva Cassidy song.... A wonderful version of a beautiful song. That’s Eva Cassidy, that’s from a new CD called Somewhere. Ten years after the release of Songbird, the legend continues, a collection of 12 previously unreleased songs. Isn’t that wonderful, that’s really nice. We’ll have to be playing more from that, and don’t think we won’t." Oh, BBC Radio Two, I love you!


    Album cover for the new album SOMEWHERE + Bumper Sticker that says, Another Eva Cassidy Fan = Heart image:
    Eva's sister Margret asked me to announce that the EVACASSIDY.COM website is accepting advance orders of the new album SOMEWHERE. As an added bonus, they'll include a free bumper sticker with every order.


    URGENT REMINDER: It's summertime in the northern hemisphere, "and the livin' is easy. Fish are jumpin' and the cotton's high," and so is the danger of melanoma. Today an article mentioning Eva was published in "Counterpunch" entitled "Baseball Caps and Sunscreen." You can feel free to ignore the politics, but the author gives us some excellent reminders that generic sunscreen and a baseball cap are NOT enough to protect us from the sun. Linda S. found another recent article about melanoma from the Washington Post entitled "Melanoma Rates Increase Among Younger Women." Please be prudent on these sunny days.


    Album cover for the new album SOMEWHERENEW EVA CASSIDY ALBUM COMING AUGUST 26th: Blix Street Records announces the international release of SOMEWHERE, an album of twelve new songs from the Eva Cassidy "archives." Check back here soon for further details, but here's some preliminary information:


    R I Double A LogoSONGBIRD WENT PLATINUM IN THE UNITED STATES: The album SONGBIRD achieved the million-album U.S. sales figure in December 2006, but I just heard about it tonight. This is exciting news if you believe, as I do, that Eva's music makes the world a better place. (Added July 5, 2008)


    U S FlagINTRODUCTION TO EVA CASSIDY, FOR DAVID ARCHULETA FANS -- or is it an intro to David Archuleta for Eva fans? Thanks to Scott of the Yahoo Group for this discovery. The webmaster's write-up is excellent and the comments are fun to read. Reminder to all: Eva's name is pronounced EVE-ah, rhyming with Diva.


    Bass clef imageNEW EVA SONGBOOK FROM FABER MUSIC: Lisa, a guitarist eager to perform all of Eva's arrangements with guitar accompaniment, recently contacted Faber Music to ask about future songbook releases. She received a prompt and polite reply that the company does plan an additional Eva Cassidy songbook, though no date had yet been set.


    Heart imageTHE HEART OF THIS WEB SITE continues to be the Guestbook. Could anyone read it without feeling touched? What a blessing that every day new people find meaning and beauty in Eva's music.


    MAYBE THERE WILL BE SOME EXCITING NEWS very soon, but in the meantime, I happened across a very sweet review of the AMERICAN TUNE album that I don't recall seeing before, from the Entertainment Weekly web site. Kristina Feliciano writes, "With a honeyed voice and not a drop of guile, Cassidy crafted singular interpretations of even wearily familiar songs. We may have lost this unapologetically uncommercial artist to cancer in 1996 (she was only 33), but her gifts carry on in posthumously released CDs like the winning American Tune. Cassidy's Raitt on time in bluesy bauble ''Drowning in the Sea of Love.'' She simmers in a sultry rendition of ''God Bless the Child.'' And her soulful ''True Colors'' beckons brightly despite its shopworn sentiments. Maybe that's why we love her."


    United States flagDREAM MENTOR: "American Idol" finalist David Archuleta was asked, "If you could have any mentor, who would it be?" The seventeen-year-old singer replied, "I'd really like Eva Cassidy. {She's] someone I could really be educated by, 'cause she really understands music... What a perfect person to meet, if I could, but she's not here anymore." You have good taste, David -- her name is pronounced EEE-va, though. UPDATE: Larry King asked, "Who would you most like to duet with?" David Archuleta replied, "I'd go with Eva Cassidy." FURTHER UPDATE: Archuleta confused the ladies on "The View" by naming Eva as his own "American Idol." Apparently they hadn't ever heard of her and thought he was talking about DAVID Cassidy!?!?! In case you were wondering, he's no relation. (Updated June 27, 2008)


    THE PUBLIC MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT EVA BUT the singers and critics do, not to mention the contestants in the singing competitions that are currently so popular around the world. Hardly a day goes by without some brief mention of Eva Cassidy in Google News. Here's a sampling of recent items:



    Wine glass imageLISTEN TO EVA WITH MERLOT: Researchers recently released the results of a study analyzing the effect of music on the enjoyment of wine. According to the wine website "The Decanter," "The study, carried out by Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh for Chilean wine company Montes, suggests that choosing the right background soundtrack could be crucial to getting the most out of specific styles of wine.... The research is based on the theory of cognitive priming, which holds that certain styles of music stimulate, or prime, certain parts of the brain. When wine is tasted, these areas are already active and have a corresponding effect on our perceptions of taste." What's the connection with Eva Cassidy? Apparently the Heriot-Watt researchers recommend accompanying Merlot wine with the following songs: "Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay by Otis Redding, Easy by Lionel Ritchie, Over The Rainbow by Eva Cassidy, and Heartbeats by Jose Gonzalez."


    US flagAMERICAN IDOL JUDGE FINALLY SAYS EVA'S NAME: "I like the kind of Eva Cassidy-type arrangement," said Simon Cowell, referring to a performance of "Yesterday" by Syesha Mercado (March 2008). Previously on the blockbuster TV talent show, 17-year-old David Archuleta had performed "Imagine" in an arrangement which critic Ann Powers of the Los Angeles Times wrote was "basically copped" from Eva's recording. She also added, "Few people remember her now -- except singers, who treasure the subtlety of her arrangements and her pristine voice." (February 28, 2008). I myself did not agree that Archuleta made major use of Eva's arrangement, certainly not in the same way Tamyra Gray did years ago, but the controversy has probably caused a number of American Idol fans to seek out Eva's music.


    BILLY RAY CYRUS AND EVA: Billy Ray Cyrus, famed for his hit "Achy Breaky Heart" and as the father of Miley "Hannah Montana" Cyrus, includes Eva's arrangement of "Over the Rainbow" on his new album, HOME AT LAST. Here are a couple of quotes from Cyrus, which have been reprinted several places so I am not certain of the original sources: "This was one of the first songs the folks at Disney strongly suggested I record," Cyrus said. "The producer of 'Hannah Montana,' Michael Poryes, heard me mulling it over and asked if I'd ever heard Eva Cassidy sing it. He burned me a copy, and I fell in love with her right there. I was intrigued by her story -- a woman who stood staunchly behind the integrity of her craft to the very end. My version is a tribute to a great singer who left this world too soon." Also, I just recorded "Over the Rainbow," and my inspiration was Eva Cassidy's version. She was a tremendous artist, maybe one of the greatest, only she wasn't discovered hugely until after she passed away. I'm a big fan of her version, so I recorded it for a new album that comes out in September on Walt Disney Records.


    US flagPOSSIBLE EVA MOVIE: The trade magazine Variety reports that AIR Productions is working on a biographical film about Eva. 'AIR's Amy Redford, Irwin Shapiro and Rick Singer will produce. "We see this film as an uplifting story of indomitable human spirit and an insightful look into the life and personality of an amazing talent," said Redford, who just produced and directed "The Guitar."' Eva's family is supporting this project. As far as I know, there is no screenplay as of yet, due in part to the writers' strike. If this movie is made (and statistically, fewer than one film in twenty that is "in development" is actually filmed and released), I hope it will be wonderful and truthful and inspiring, and that only Eva's own voice is used. (Added December 19, 2007)


    Amazon LogoAMAZON ASSOCIATES UPDATE: This website is pleased to participate in the "Amazon Associates" program as a fundraiser for cancer research. The year-to-date totals are shown in the "navigation box" on this page. Since the fundraiser began, we raised approximately $11,000 from Amazon.com, $350 from Amazon.ca, and £3,000 from Amazon.co.uk. This money has been sent directly to the melanoma research fund at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. When you're doing your on-line shopping, if you want to order ANYTHING from Amazon.co.uk (United Kingdom) or Amazon.com (United States), and Amazon.ca (Canada), come to this website first and follow the link to Amazon from here!  It doesn't cost you any more money, and a percentage of your total order amount is automatically donated to this charity. These little bits of money mount up, and it's such an easy way to support a worthy cause with a special connection to Eva Cassidy. THANK YOU SO MUCH for your participation!


    DUET POSSIBLE: One of Eva's friends in the local music scene was Mary Ann Redmond. I know for a fact that Eva admired Mary Ann wholeheartedly, because I once asked Eva who was the best, "absolutely don't-miss-this-one," local performer. She demurred, saying there were so many who were really wonderful, but said that if she had to pick only one, it would be Mary Ann Redmond. It turns out Mary Ann felt somewhat the same way about Eva Cassidy! The two women performed together at Fleetwood's in Alexandria in 1995. Mary Ann has added to her web site a video clip of a duet between herself and Eva from that performance. They are singing Eric Clapton's song "Tears in Heaven." The music is heavenly, but what I find most touching are the two singers' expressions of mutual admiration at the beginning of the clip. You'll want to listen more than once. (Note: For information about another "duet" with Mary Ann Redmond, visit the Questions and Answers Page.)


    WEBMASTER'S EDITORIAL: May I please say a few words about copyright? This is not the place for an in-depth discussion of the nuances of copyright regulation. That information is available elsewhere, and I particularly urge you to peruse the copyright pointers on YouTube. I nevertheless feel the need to remind people that Eva's recordings are copyrighted; that the songs she performed are copyrighted to the authors; that her arrangements of public domain songs are copyrighted; that videos of Eva are copyrighted; that photos of Eva are copyrighted. While we're at it, please remember that the articles and images on this web site are copyrighted also. Either I personally wrote them or I obtained specific permission to reproduce them on the site.

    Sorry to be such a meanie, but please stop suggesting that I use this website to promote illegal uploadings.


    U S100% OFF TOPIC: I am currently engaged in a project to set the Bill of Rights to music, so that American citizens can easily memorize this important text. If this interests you at all (fellow members of the ACLU, perhaps), feel free to check out the songs on this page.


    Peace

    PRAY FOR PEACE


    "Imagine all the people living life in peace."

    Peace in many languages:
    Hawaiian: "maluhia" (from Jan)
    Danish: "fred" (from Henrik)
    Finnish: "rauhaa teille" (from Annuka)
    Spanish: "paz" (from Margot) or "felizidad" (from Kimberly)
    Latin: "pax" (also from Kimberly)
    Irish: "siochain" (from Yvonne and Gerard)
    French: "paix" (from MP and Yvonne)
    Croatian: "mir" (from Sasa)
    Dutch: "vrede" (from Margot)
    Swedish: "fred" (Katarina says "the same word as in Danish, but we pronounce it differently")
    Catalan: "pau" (from Olaf>
    Tlingit: "li-k'ei"(from Laurie)
    Japanese: "heiwa" (from Fumio)
    Tagalog: "kapayapaan" (from Lenette)
    Portuguese: "paz"
    Italian: "pace"
    Hebrew: "shalom"
    Arabic: "salaam" (from Todd)
    German: "Frieden" (from John)
    Hindi: "shanti" (from Debbie)
    Welsh: "hedd" (from Paul)
    Polish: "pokoj" (from Magda)
    Urdu: "amun" (from Asad)
    Swahili: "amani"
    Esperanto: "paco"
    Yiddish: "scholim" (from Don)
    Indonesian: "damai" (from Marlene)
    Mandarin: "ping-ahn"
    Cantonese: "tai-ping" (from Cathy)
    Russian: "mir" (from Joop)
    Cree: "payutukayimowin" (from Don)
    Hungarian: "beke"
    Nepali: "shanti" (from Bernie)
    Czech: "mír" (from Kamila)
    Tongan: "nonga" (from Jan)
    Korean: "pyong-hwa" (from Tim)
    Somali: "nabad" (from Don)
    Maltese: "paci"
    Old English: "freod"
    Cornish: "kres"
    Breton: "pok"
    Manx: "paag"
    Occitan: "la patz"
    Basque: "bake"
    Cheyenne: "nanomonestoste"
    Alabama: "oolakano"
    Hausa: "salama"
    Frisian: "frede"
    Dari: "sulh" (from Kent)
    Bengali: "sh 'anti"
    Belarussian: "pakoj"
    Hiligaynon: "paghidait"
    Azerbijani: "sulh" (note: the 'u' should have an umlaut over it)
    Welsh (more words): "Heddwch" and "Tangnefedd"(from Paul) Georgian: "mshvidoba" (from Don and Basiki)
    Estonian: "rahu"
    Latvian: "miera"
    Aukan: "fii"
    Cebuano: "kahusayan"
    Chamorro: "minaguen"
    An'dorian: "bip"
    Kampangan = "kapayapan"
    Kiribatese = "te katoang"
    Wolof = "jamm"
    Bangla = "shAnti"
    Hatian Creole = "lape"
    Xhosa = "uxolo"
    Undu = "aman"
    Malagasy = "fiadanana"
    Nauruan = "iow"
    Turkman = "parahatchylyk"
    Northern Sotho = "kagiso"
    Potawatomi = "e'tokmite'k"
    Persian = "solh"
    Filipino = "kapayapaan" (from Erwin)
    Romanian = "pace" (from Walter)
    Greek = "irini" (from Peter)
    Portuguese = "Amor" (from Santa Rita)
    Greenlandic = "Eqqissineq" (from Allen)
    Lithuanian = "Taika" (from Ramunas)
    Armenian = "Hashtootune" or "Khaghaghootune"( from Serjik)
    Mandarin = "he2 ping2" (2 means second tone) (from Jonathan)
    Thai = "santi" (from Pornchada)
    Algonquian = "Aquene" (from Katherine)
    Papiamentu = "Pas" (from Terri)
    Slovenian = "Mir" (from Monika)
    Norwegian = "Fred" (from Hartmut)
    Turkish = "Barýþ" (from Hasan)
    Kiribati = "Raoi" (from Don)
    Nauruan = "iow" (from Don)
    Samoan = "filemu" (from Mary)
    Niederdeutch = frod (from Don)
    Uighur = tiniglikh (from Don)
    Maliseet & Passamaquoddy = sankewitahasuwakon (from Don)
    Friulian or Frulan pas (from Don)
    Sudovian = sampaka (from Don)
    Africkaans = vrede (from Don)
    Guarani = py'a guapy (from Don)
    Ilongo = paghidait (from Don)
    Kashmiri = aram (from Don)
    Maori ( NZ ) = "Rangimarie" (from Stephanie)
    Slovak – „mier“ (from Brano)
    Turkish = Barýþ (from Hasan)
    Ukrainian = spoìkiy (from Daria
    Visayan (a local dialect spoken in southern Philippines) - Kalinaw (from Ian)
    Pray for Peace in Tagalog = Manalaning para sa Kapayapaan (from Ian)
    Pray for Peace in visayan - Ampo Alang sa Kalinaw (from Ian)


    Thanks to everybody who is helping with this list! I'd like to see that beautiful word in other languages too -- you can e-mail me if you have any more to offer. (Yes, I could look them up, but it's more fun this way.) Be sure to put the word "Eva" on the subject line of the e-mail.