100 Things to Do in Cleveland Before You Die 2nd Edition by Deb Thompson and Tonya Prater

A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

I'm not sure why, but we generally are terrible at being tourists where we live. When we head out of town, we do research and plan for the places that we might go and the things that we might do; but when it comes to staycations and finding things on the weekend, we seem be creatures of habit and return to the tried and true, rather than explore the local area. This summer, we decided to finally visit the Mansfield Reformatory, where Shawshank Redpemption and other films were filmed. It was a neat attraction full of information about the history of the facility and information about the films that were made there. It even had 'haunted' stories to share about paranormal experiences that others have had. This gem is right off the main road and only 45 minutes from home, but it took us 16 years after we moved here to finally check it out. It's examples like this that found me jumping at the opportunity check out 100 Things to Do in Cleveland Before you Die; a guide that could help me as a local explore many activities and places that are close to home.

The book is well organized, divided into 5 themed sections: Food and Drink; Music and Entertainment; Sports and Recreation; Culture and History; and Shopping and Fashion. Within each section there are several local places or events to check out, including a brief description or story about each. Also sprinkled in are tips with some other nearby things to check out. This format is easy to thumb through and check out some great options in (and around) Cleveland. Several of the listings actually include more than one place to check out, giving you even more than 100 things to check out. The locations and activities included are both everyday and special occasion activities, like the Summer Solstice Festival and the Woollybear Festival. At the back of the book there are suggested itineraries to explore, including one for date night or a family outing; a guide to the activities by season; and an index which makes it easy to look up something specific.

I was pleasantly surprised to see a mix of some places/events that I have visited and some hidden gems that I have yet to experience. The guide would work well for both locals and out of town visitors, offering a mix of places that local residents may not have tried and places that visitors will want to check out. There are several new places that I look forward to checking out. The book is the perfect size to stash in the car so that we will be ready for the next time we are out and about in Cleveland.

About the Book:
100 Things to Do in Cleveland Before You Die, 2nd Edition by Deb Thompson, Tonya Prater

Located on the shore of Lake Erie, Cleveland is as diverse as the people that call it home and is finally being recognized as the gem that it’s always been. From family fun to romantic getaways there is something for everyone in the city that Rock and Roll built. 100 Things To Do In Cleveland Before You Die is the ultimate guide to finding the best things in the city and, for life-long residents, new ways to explore old favorites. This is THE guide for finding the best food, festivals, museums, outdoor activities, music and more. 100 Things guides you through the city like a local and shares what residents have known for years; Cleveland is the place to live or visit for a memorable experience. A melting pot of people and cultures, Cleveland is a place where you can find great food from a truck or from an award winning chef, home to some of the biggest sports fans in existence, world class museums and venues, an amazing amount of green space, and features public art around every corner. Browse the pages of 100 Things before you set out on your next trip to the city to experience something new.


About the Authors:

Deb Thompson is a freelance travel writer whose work takes her across the country to find the most unique attractions that destinations have to offer. An avid fan of the strange and bizarre, she enjoys nothing more than exploring the hallways of haunted locales, searching for Bigfoot in the great outdoors, finding aliens in Roswell and mixing it up with a great cocktail. You can follow her endeavors at JustShortOfCrazy.com. Tonya Prater is a travel writer with the heart of a nomad. Once a full-time RVer who dreams of reliving the experience, she is on a mission to find the fun, quirky stops scattered across the U.S. that most people drive past. Tonya shares her experiences at TravelInspiredLiving.com, which offers travel inspiration for the budget-minded.

No compensation was received for this review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. A complimentary review copy was provided to me.

Train - Bulletproof Picasso Review #Bulletproof Picasso #O2O

No compensation was received for this post. I participated in the Train Bulletproof Picasso album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided a free album to review but all opinions are my own.

The Grammy award winning band Train is releasing their 7th album, Bulletproof Picasso on September 16th.

This San Francisco based group is best know for hits like "Hey Soul Sister" and "Drops of Jupiter". And you may have already heard the first single from the new album, "Angel in Blue Jeans", on the radio.


I have had the opportunity to listen to a review copy of the album over the past week. I already was familiar with Angel in Blue Jeans (didn't know I was familiar until the first time through the album) and have really enjoyed listening to the album. I find that several of the tracks are very catchy and I find myself singing and dancing along in the car (the dancing is somewhat subdued, as I am buckled in and driving - maybe more of a steering wheel tapping).

The other day, my son had been riding in my car and I had on the album. Then later we went out in my husband's car and we put on the album so that my husband could check it out. When the song came on that had been playing in my car earlier, my son remarked I know this song. Of course, since it wasn't the first single, it helped confirm just how catchy the songs were.

I think my four favorite tunes (in no particular order) are - Bulletproof Picasso, Angel in Blue Jeans, Wonder What You're Doing For The Rest Of Your Life and Just A Memory.

Tracklisting for Bulletproof Picasso:
1. Cadillac, Cadillac
2. Bulletproof Picasso
3. Angel In Blue Jeans
4. Give It All
5. Wonder What You're Doing For The Rest Of Your Life
6. Son Of A Prison Guard
7. Just A Memory
8. I'm Drinkin' Tonight
9. I Will Remember
10. The Bridge
11. Baby, Happy Birthday
12. Don't Grow Up So Fast

You can preorder your copy on iTunes and Amazon.

You can also find Train here:
* Official Train Website
* Twitter
* YouTube
* Facebook

No compensation was received for this post. I participated in the Train Bulletproof Picasso album review program as a member of One2One Network. I was provided a free album to review but all opinions are my own.

60's Rock -N- Remember coming to Akron Civic Theatre #giveaway

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary set of tickets to attend the show from the Akron Civic and they provided information and the tickets for the giveaway. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Growing up, as I am sure most kids did, I listened to a lot of my parent's music. So, when I heard that the show 60's Rock-N-Remember was coming to the Akron Civic Theatre, I got a little bit excited. The show includes Herman's Hermit's starring Peter Noone, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap and Dennis Tufano of the Buckinghams. As I read through some of the songs listed in the show blurb, I find myself singing the songs in my head. I know so many of the songs and am certain that I will have to stop myself from singing along with all of them. (I know the songs, but I certainly can not sing!)

60's Rock -N- Remember featuring Herman's Hermit's starring Peter Noone, Gary Puckett and The Union Gap and Dennis Tufano, original voice of The Buckinghams.
Sunday, October 27, 2013 4:00 PM
Akron Civic Theatre

Peter Noone is a multi-talented entertainer, who has been delighting audiences nearly all his life.

At the age of fifteen, Peter achieved international fame as “Herman”, lead singer of the legendary Sixties pop band Herman’s Hermits. His classic hits included: “I’m Into Something Good” “Mrs. Brown, you’ve Got A Lovely Daughter”, “I’m Henry VIII, I Am”, “Silhouettes”, “Can’t You Hear My Heartbeat”, “Just A Little Bit Better”, “Wonderful World”, “There’s A Kind of Hush”, “A Must To Avoid”, “Listen People”, “The End of the World” and “Dandy”. Ultimately, Herman’s Hermits sold over sixty million recordings. In all, fourteen singles and seven albums went gold. The Hermits were twice named Cashbox’s “Entertainer of the Year”.

Gary Puckett & The Union Gap was an American pop rock group operating in the late 1960s. Their biggest hits were "Woman, Woman," "Young Girl," and "Lady Willpower."
GARY PUCKETT and the UNION GAP was one of the most successful musical groups of the sixties. Gary's unmistakable signature voice garnered six consecutive gold records and top ten Billboard hits:
"YOUNG GIRL"
"WOMAN WOMAN"
"LADY WILLPOWER"
"OVER YOU"
"THIS GIRL IS A WOMAN NOW"

Dennis Tufano is the original lead singer of the 1960s rock group The Buckinghams, and has been a solo performer since the early 1980s.

Giveaway!
Courtesy of Akron Civic Theatre, I am able to give away to one A Busy Mom of Two reader a 4-pk of tickets to 60's Rock-N-Remember.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will remain open through October 20th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. Winners will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winners will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary set of tickets to attend the show from the Akron Civic and they provided information and the tickets for the giveaway. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Court Yard Hounds Amelita review *

*No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary review copy of the album was provided. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

You may know Emily Robison and Martie Maguire as two-thirds of Dixie Chicks. Well, after a few years away from the limelight, these real-life sisters have found harmony by collaborating as Court Yard Hounds.

There are plenty of country-pop, fiddlin' folk, banjo-twangin' summery hooks in the songbook. Oh, and Emily and Martie can play more instruments than you can count on two hands. No big deal!

Along with the release of Amelita, Court Yard Hounds are set to embark on a US tour, kicking off with Lollapalooza in August. The first single off the album, "Sunshine", is available now.

I don't know about you, but I generally need to listen to a song a few times before I can form an opinion. With Amelita, which I have been listening to for about a week now, there were a couple of songs that jumped out at me right away and several others that I have really started to enjoy after a couple of listens. My daughter is even humming along in the backseat, and usually the first thing she asks when she doesn't know a song is "can you put on MY music?".

I really like the sarcasm in the song Sunshine. They have a friend that seems to be able to rain on everyone's parade and really bring down a perfect day, so they call them Sunshine. The best part is that we all know "Sunshine", we all have people in our lives who are so down on everything and they seem to try to bring you down too. The easy to relate to subject and the catchy tune make this an enjoyable song for me.

Another tune that I find myself humming to myself as I walk between meetings is The World Smiles. The song is about about keeping a positive attitude and believing in the good all around you. As an optimist, I certainly believe in finding the good in everything, so I really like the message in this song. Plus, there is just something about the different instrumental sounds included in the song, that really draws me in and leaves me humming along with the song and even when it's not on. In fact, as I type this, I can't help but sing it in my head.

Amelita Track Listing:

Sunshine
Amelita
The World Smiles
Aimless Upward
Guy Like You
Rock All Night
Phoebe
Divided
Gets You Down
Watch Your Step
The Road You Take

You can buy the album on Amazon or iTunes.

No compensation was received for this review. A complimentary review copy was provided through One2One. By completing a review, I am entered into a drawing. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Music Lover? Earn Money for Sharing Your Opinion!

I have shared before how it was music that ultimately brought my husband and I together. I introduced him to a new band, whose music he really liked.

I have always loved music of all types.

Now there is a site where you can find new music and even earn money for reviewing the music that you hear.

The site is called slicethepie. It seems that your earnings might start small, but by writing thoughtful, constructive reviews, you can improve the rate you receive for sharing your opinion.

I really like the idea that you can easily earn a little bit of money by listening to music.

Why not give it a try?

*this post contains a referral link. By signing up through my link, I will earn a little each time you complete a review.

Tune Belt Sport Armband for iPhone Protective Cases (AB84) Review*

* No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary sample was provided for the review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.
I am not sure what it is about us, but my husband and I seem to have an uncanny knack for looking for products several months in advance of their availability. It has happened with kids toys, bike accessories, party ware for a birthday party and more. I haven't yet figured out how to parlay it into something of value, but it is a reality that we deal with.

Such was the case when I got an iPhone last year and was looking for a way to be able to use it during my workout. I like to use the RunKeeper app for my workout, so bringing my phone along (and not holding it in my hand) was a requirement...and the workout clothes that I had did not have a pocket that would hold the phone (several have them for the smaller iPods and/or for a key). There were several options available for pouches/pockets that would hold the phone, but none of them could be used without first removing the phone from the OtterBox Defender case that I had for my phone. I didn't want to mess with having to remove and reapply the case on a daily basis, so I simply went without and continued to look, convinced that what I was looking for was out there somewhere. In the mean time, I simply would tuck my phone under my bra strap when I was out for a walk or run. It worked for me, but was not ideal and I worried about it being next to my skin - especially if it was an extra hard workout and I was sweaty - and worried about it slipping out and falling to the ground.

So, when I found the Tune Belt Sport Armband for iPhone Protective Cases (AB84) that was specifically designed to fit an iPhone in an OtterBox Defender case, I was excited. (Now, out of fairness, it has been around for a while, I just hadn't found it until recently.)

Some details from the site for the AB84 Sport Armband for iPhone Protective Cases:

Comfort:

Lightweight, comfortable neoprene construction
Stable armband securely holds player
Adjustable armband fits 9" – 17" and an Armband Extender is available for larger arm sizes (see SKU EX3)

Convenience:

Full navigational control through clear, protective window cover
Cord flap securely stores and manages earphone cord
Washable

Protection:

Cushioning neoprene protects player
Helps protect against perspiration, bumps, scratches & the elements
Reflective logo

As soon as the armband arrived, I checked it out by taking it for a run the very next morning when I headed to the Y for my Spinning class. The case is made of Neoprene, making it lightweight and stretchy. The inside, although there are seams, doesn't have any spots that felt rough on the arm. The construction appears to be quality, something that I expect will last for a while.

The phone, in its protective case, easily slides into the holder through the opening at the top. The opening is self-closing, so there was no need to worry about the phone falling out, but the material is soft and flexible and would accommodate the cord for earphones. There is even a small Velcro strap (called a cord flap, I learned) on the one side, that you can use to wrap around any excess length on the headphones cord. I like that there is even some extra room behind the phone, where I could tuck a couple of dollars, a license or a credit card - all things that are a challenge to take along in typical exercise clothes.

The clear plastic facing allows you to easily see and operate the touch screen on the iPhone. Even when I am wearing the armband, I am able to unlock the phone, start the run and stop it. Certainly, as with any armband, you have to move your arm or turn the band to allow better visibility of the phone while wearing it - but aside from start, stop or time check, I rarely am looking at my phone while I work out. Having the phone in the armband did not make it anymore difficult to hear the cues I have set in RunKeeper - it tells me my distance and pace every 5 minutes...keeps me going!

With the Velcro for securing the armband on your arm, it is fully adjustable to accommodate a wide range of arm sizes and I found it easy to adjust even while wearing it. While wearing the armband, I was able to remove the phone with relative ease - which is good, if you need to answer a call. Putting the phone back in while wearing it was a little more challenging - consider, I was trying to do this one handed and the opening was more taught because of the armband being securely fitted around my arm. I don't see a problem with this and when the occasion has arisen, I have either just dealt with it and taken the time to put it in or have loosened (but not removed) the armband to replace the phone quicker and then re-secured.

The design was updated last year and will accommodate both the iPhone 4 and 5 in the OtterBox Defender case. Have a different type of phone or music player? Tune Belt offers a wide variety of options, even options for portable CD players and cassette players, which is where they got their start with an idea for the first TuneBelt about 30 years ago.

I hadn't previously worn an armband style holder, so it was a little strange feeling at first, but it quickly became something that I was accustomed to. I have been able to use the holder to allow me to track my runs and my walks and taken it on bike rides too. Not sure that you want an armband style holder? Fortunately, Tune Belt also offers a full series of belt style holders that fit around your waist.

Based on my experience with the sport armband from Tune Belt, I would purchase another Tune Belt product and recommend it to others that are looking options for holding their phone or music device while being active. I like that they have been around for several years, and have taken customer feedback to continuously improve their products. I like that they have a variety of cases, for different brands and styles of phones and music players.

Have you checked out Tune Belt?

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary sample was provided for the review. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Rod Stewart - Time *

* complimentary review copy provided for this review.

When I was back in high school (it really scares me a little when I consider how long ago it was now), I was very active in the church youth group. Every summer they would hold a large retreat at a nearby university. Each year, there was a theme for the retreat - based on a recent song. One of the years, the theme song was 'Forever Young', by Rod Stewart.

Much like that powerful ballad from the late 80s, the songs that are part of his just released (on May 7th) album Time have powerful lyrics. Many of the songs share the stories of his life and reflection on his life.

Rod Stewart has spent four decades being a rock star, three being a parent, and has a new album's worth of rollicking stories to tell. Time is his first album of new material in almost 20 years (and his hairstyle hasn't changed one bit!). The album was born from a burst of inspiration that came while Rod was reviewing his life for his recent memoir. Rod rediscovered his voice as a songwriter and rekindled his gift for writing the honest, nerve-touching narratives that have been the cornerstone to the first three decades of his career. 'Suddenly ideas for lyrics were piling up in my head,' he says. 'Next thing I knew, I had a song called 'It's Over' about divorce and separation. And now I was getting up in the middle of the night and scrambling for a pen to write things down, which has never happened to me. I finished seven or eight songs very quickly and I still wasn't done, and it became apparent that I would eventually have a whole album of material to record.'

Time Track Listing:
1. She Makes Me Happy
2. Can’t Stop Me Now
3. It’s Over
4. Brighton Beach
5. Beautiful Morning
6. Live The Life
7. Finest Woman
8. Time
9. Picture In A Frame
10. Sexual Religion
11. Make Love To Me Tonight
12. Pure Love


I really enjoyed listening to the album and the songs felt so familiar to me that there were even points where I was questioning if it was a song I had heard before, but only one was not an original song - Picture in a Frame. The liner notes features all of the lyrics and a few pictures - I love this, call me old-fashioned, but that was always one of my favorite features in an album, cassette or CD - the lyrics. I had three favorite songs - Can't Stop Me Now, Beautiful Morning and Time. I think of all the songs, Time was the most familiar sounding to me...it says though that it was copyright 2013 and it isn't the first single that was released...so I can't really explain why it was so familiar.

You can purchase a copy of the CD through Amazon or pick up the MP3 version (you'll miss out on the liner notes though).

Rod Stewart’s links:
Website: www.rodstewart.com
Twitter: @rodstewart
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rodstewart
YouTube: www.youtube.com/rodstewart

No compensation was received for this post. I participated in this campaign for One2One Network, who provided some information for the post. I received a free copy of the album to facilitate my review. By posting, I am entered into a giveaway. All opinions stated are my own or that of my family.

Michael Bublé - To Be Loved #ToBeLoved *

* complimentary review copy provided for this review.

For the past few months, I have been taking several workout classes at the Y and am fortunate to have a wonderful instructor...in fact, I have the same instructor 5 days a week for three different classes - spinning, boot camp and toning. For spinning she has a set play list, based on the workout of the day, but with boot camp and toning, she just has the music playing in the background and it seems, just plays whatever is in her library. The other day, we were in the midst of rotating between several very challenging stations in a circuit workout and the tempo of the music shifted...we had gone from 80's Hair Metal to Michael Bublé's 'Ave Maria'. One of the women in the class called out, definitely great music, not great workout music though - and the instructor switched to another song. The following day, in spinning, we were talking about the song when it came on during cool down. We all agreed that Michael Bublé has an amazing voice (and is nice to look at too!) and that we all love his music and how his Christmas album is a definite must have.



His amazing voice really shines on his newest album - To Be Loved. I recently had a chance to check out a review copy of his album and I really enjoyed it. There are four original songs and 10 cover songs. I love that when he does covers, that they range from the classics to things that I consider to be more 'current', like the BeeGees 'To Love Somebody'. Several songs feature other artists, including Bryan Adams on the original song 'After All' and even Reese Witherspoon on 'Something Stupid', a Nancy and Frank Sinatra cover.

You likely have heard the first single, an original tune, co-written by Michael Bublé, called 'It's a Beautiful Day'. I really enjoy the song which has a cheerful tune, although, I guess I haven't really listened closely to the lyrics before now, because I just read on his webpage that he considers it an 'anti-love song', a kind of revenge song. After listening closely, it is clear that the song is about a former relationship that she ends, because she just wants to be friends and he has an 'I don't care' attitude and won't spend his time thinking about the break-up. The good thing is that one of his other songs is a love song, a love song for the women in his life - his wife, his mother, his grandmother. "These are good times for the singer, who is about to become a first-time dad. He sounds like a man in love with life. "I wrote Close Your Eyes about my wife and about the power of all the women in my life—my sisters, my mom, my grandma and all women in general. Let’s face it, where would we be without them?"

The performance of the songs on the album is definitely great, he has an awesome voice. Some of the songs are slower, but the album would make a great back drop at a dinner or an evening with friends or just relaxing with my husband.

You can pick up a copy of the album at Amazon or iTunes or at a local retailer.

No compensation was received for this post. I participated in this campaign for One2One Network, who provided some information for the post. I received a free copy of the album to facilitate my review. By posting, I am entered into a giveaway. All opinions stated are my own or that of my family.

Emmy Rossum - Sentimental Journey

When I was first asked about listening and sharing Emmy Rossum's soon to be released album, Sentimental Journey, I had never heard of her and had no idea what to expect. When I received the album, I started to listen to it, before doing any research. As is the case with any music, I set out to listening to it in my car. I like this because I am driving and don't have the ability to look ahead on a track listing or anticipate what is left on the album.

As I listened, I started to recognize some of the music that she was singing - turns out that Sentimental Journeys is a collection of classic covers. She has the perfect voice to present these classics to the listener. As I listened to her, I could imagine her singing along with the Rat Pack or being a lounge singer, like you see in those older movies.

As I listened, I noticed that there were a number of songs about seasons, including one that seemed to be a Christmas song. I later learned that her organizing principle when compiling the album was a musical calendar that would take listeners on an emotional journey through the 12 months of the year. This is a rather unique approach, but I think I kind of like it - even though it was odd to listen to a Christmas like song in January.

Sentimental Journey, releasing on January 29th, is a collection of classic covers that takes us through the American Songbook.

On Sentimental Journey, the multi-talented actress and singer brings her stellar voice to songs popularized by some of the most beloved artists of the last century. Emmy's 12-song 'passion project' is an emotional musical journey, with each song representing a month in the year.

"Each song needed to either lyrically or emotionally reflect the corresponding month," Emmy explained. "Some songs were obvious fits, like Summer Wind for June, and Pretty Paper for December. Others songs were less literal fits. I chose Nobody Knows You (When You're Down and Out) for September because, to me, the plaintive melody and lyric emotionally reflect the cold weather creeping in and the sense of melancholy we can get in the fall months."

Rossum is also an acclaimed actress who currently stars in the Showtime series Shameless with William H. Macy. She also stars alongside Emma Thompson and Viola Davis in the upcoming feature film Beautiful Creatures, which hits theaters on February 13th.

Sentimental Journey Track Listing:

“Sentimental Journey” (Les Brown, Ben Homer, Arthur Green)
“The Object Of My Affection” (Pinky Tomlin)
“I’m Looking Over A Four Leaf Clover “(Mort Dixon, Harry M. Woods)
“These Foolish Things (Remind Me Of You)” (Eric Maschwitz, Jack Strachey)
“(I’ll Be With You) In Apple Blossom Time” (Albert Von Tilzer, Neville Fleeson)
“Summer Wind” (Heinz Meier, Johnny Mercer)
“Many Tears Ago” (Winfield Scott)
“All I Do Is Dream Of You” (Nacio Herb Brown, Arthur Freed)
“Nobody Knows You When You’re Down And Out” (Jimmy Cox)
“Autumn Leaves” (Joseph Kosma, Jacques Prévert)
“Things” (Bobby Darin)
“Pretty Paper” (Willie Nelson)

Check out the video for These Foolish Things:

Her album is currently available through iTunes or Amazon for pre-order. (It was cheaper on Amazon by $2, when I checked).

You can catch Emmy performing a track from her new album today (January 25th) on Access Hollywood Live. She will also be appearing as a guest on several other shows in the next week or so - on Conan on January 28th, Chelsea Lately on January 29th, and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on February 6th.

You can follow Emmy on Twitter and learn more about her on her website. When I was exploring her website, I saw that she received Golden Globe nomination for her role as Christine in the movie Phantom of the Opera. I watched that movie a few years back, but after listening to her album, I want to go back and check out the movie again.

No compensation was received for this post. I participated in this campaign for One2One Network and received a free copy of the CD to facilitate my review. By posting, I am eligible for incentives. All opinions stated are my own.

Taylor Swift - Red

When it comes to new music, I frequently need to hear a song several times to decide if I like it. I think in part it is that I enjoy being able to sing along and when I hear songs the first few times, I can't sing along.

I think that some of this has rubbed off on my daughter. I find that when we are in the car, she is not willing to listen to the radio, because she doesn't know all of the songs, but once she knows a song, she will sing along and will sing it even when it is not on. One artist that she seems to know a lot of songs by is Taylor Swift. Her favorite is what she calls "I warm the bleachers" but what most people know as "You Belong With Me".

Lately, I have been listening to Taylor Swift's new CD - Red in my car. So far, I have enjoyed the music. I have listened to it several times. Of course, there are a couple of radio hits already from the album (clearly some of them came out before the album did).

As I listen to her music, I always wonder what her inspiration is, where she gets her ideas. I have heard that she bases much of it on her life and former dating relationships. This surprises me a bit, she has a lot of songs about break ups and heart break and yet she is only 23 years old - how much heartbreak can a young woman of 23 have experienced. I also think that much of her music seems much more mature than her age would suggest it should be. Either way, I enjoy listening to her music and this album did not disappoint.

I was a little surprised to find out that my kids were familiar with a few of the songs on a recent car trip. I always wonder where they learn new music. They pretty much just listen to what is playing in the car or the music on their iPods. Now that it is the school year, they rarely ride with me and my husband tends to not listen to the radio, but to his own music. When "I Knew You Were Trouble" came on the radio, I was not surprised that it was familiar to me because I had been listening to the album, but was surprised that my kids already recognized the song. My son even knew it was sung by Taylor Swift, by name.

No compensation was received for this post. A complimentary copy of the CD was provided to me. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family.

Imagination Movers

We have been fans of the Imagination Movers at my house for just over 3 years now. My husband first read about them in a magazine and we started to DVR the show for the kids to watch. When they came to town for a show that fall, we decided to take the kids to see them. It was a great show and the kids enjoyed dancing in the aisle. Since then, we have attended two other shows - the whole family attended one and my husband and daughter the next one.

If you are not familiar with the Movers, you can check out their website or read this article that I wrote back in 2010 when we were still sort of new to the Movers.

If you are familiar, then you will be excited to hear that they are coming back in concert starting September 21st. Unfortunately for us, their tour is not bringing them to our area this fall - but we did see them in April, so that is probably why.

As the kids are getting older, we listen to a wider variety of music, but we always come back to the Movers. We may go a few days of listening to pop music and then someone will ask for "First Day of School" or "Give Me Your Hand" - two of our favorite songs on our Movers' play list.

You can learn more about the Imagination Movers on their website and reach out to them through Twitter and Facebook.

See the Imagination Movers Live in Concert

Family favorites Imagination Movers kick off the second leg of a massive 2012 North
American tour on September 21st in Jacksonville, Florida. The tour begins after brand-new episodes of The Movers’ Emmy Award-winning show started airing on Disney’s new Disney Jr. Channel.

Razor + Tie released The Movers’ ‘Rock-O-Matic’ album this year. The CD/DVD package
features the band’s most irresistible songs to date, live-action and animated music videos, skits that recall old-school Movers comedy heroes like Monty Python and the Monkees and the high-energy hijinks for which The Movers are famous.

Head over to ZooGlobble to watch the fun music video for standout-track “Everybody Sing”:

http://bit.ly/ymwpFx

Since they partnered in 2003, Rich Collins, Scott Durbin, Dave Poche and Scott "Smitty” Smith have grown from a New Orleans-based band to a worldwide brand by creating music that kids and grownups can enjoy together. The blue-suited Movers have earned millions of fans (including Conan O'Brien, Chris Rock and Nia Vardalos) with their combination of danceable power pop songs, catchy choruses, a knack for inspiring audience participation and a heaping helping of onstage silliness.

The Emmy-winning Imagination Movers are bringing their high-energy rock concert for
families to a theater near you! The Disney Junior stars (Rich, Scott, Dave and Smitty) thrill audiences by combining catchy power-pop songs with a knack for inspiring audience participation as well as a healthy dose of onstage silliness inspired by the Movers' real-life experiences as fathers of young kids. This is live musical event that will truly engage the littlest of kids along with their older siblings, parents and grandparents.


FALL 2012 TOUR DATES:

FRI 9.21 – Jacksonville, FL – Florida Theater

SAT 9.22 – Clearwater, FL – Ruth Eckerd Hall

SUN 9.23 – Hollywood, FL – ArtsPark

TUES 9.25 – Panama City, FL – Marina Civic Center

THURS 9.27 – Longview, TX - Belcher Performing Arts Center

FRI 9.28 – Grand Prairie, TX – Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie

SAT 9.29 – Austin, TX – Paramount Theatre

SUN 9.30– Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center

THURS 10.4 – Phoenix, AZ – Comerica Theatre

FRI 10.5 – Henderson, NV – Henderson Pavillion

SAT 10.6 – Santa Rosa, CA – Wells Fargo Center for the Arts

SUN 10.7 – Los Angeles, CA – Club Nokia

MON 10.8 – Visalia, CA – Visalia Fox Theatre

THURS 10.11 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre

FRI 10.12 – Wichita, KS – Orpheum

SAT 10.13 – Tulsa, OK – Mabee Center

SUN 10.14 – St. Louis, MO – Fox Theater

THURS 10.18 – Indianapolis, IN – Clowes Memorial Hall

FRI 10.19 – Detroit, MI – Music Hall

SAT 10.20 – Waukegan, IL – Genesee Theatre

SUN 10.21 – Merrillville, IN – Star Plaza Theatre

FRI 10.26 - Moncton, NB – Moncton Wesleyan Celebration Centre

SAT 10.27 – Charlottetown, PEI – Confederation Centre of the Arts

SUN 10.28 – Halifax, NS – Rebecca Cohn Auditorium

MON 10.29 – Fredericton, NB – The Playhouse Fredericton

TUES 10.30 – Saint John, NB – Imperial Theatre

THURS 11.01 – Brockville, ON – Brockville Arts Centre

FRI 11.02 – Belleville, ON – The Empire Theatre

SAT 11.03 – Sudbury, ON – Fraser Auditorium at Laurentian University

SUN 11.04 – London, ON – Centennial Hall

MON 11/05 – Peterborough, ON – Showplace Performance Centre

WED 11.07 – North Bay, ON – Capitol Centre

THURS 11.08 – Orillia, ON – Orillia Opera House

FRI 11.09 – Chatham, ON – Chatham Capitol Theatre

SAT 11.10 – Brantford, ON – Sanderson Centre


Giveaway!
Courtesy of Imagination Movers and Razor + Tie, I have available not one, but two copies of the Imagination Movers Rock-O-Matic CD and DVD.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway will remain open through September 27th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. Two winners will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary copy of the Imagination Movers Rock-O-Matic CD/DVD for my family. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival

As a kid, I can remember going to several types of festivals and community events with my family. Whether it was a local Oktoberfest, a Taste of Dayton, the Strawberry Festival or music festivals, they were always a good time. I don't remember many specifics, but I do remember seeing the Grass Roots at one event, have memories of dipping strawberries in chocolate, eating rib sandwiches, German food and can remember that spending time with my family was a great way to spend the day/night.

Over the next couple of weeks, there are two festivals (actually, they are both part of the greater Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Festival) coming to the Canton area.

The first starts this weekend - The Balloon Classic and the Jackson-Belden Food Fest.

I love hot air balloons. There is something so seemingly serene about hot air balloons. I love watching them as they gracefully float across the sky. I've always thought it would be cool to go on a hot air balloon, but with a spouse that is afraid of heights and doesn't like to fly, the experience wouldn't be the same romantic experience that I imagine. Frequently, during this festival, we have seen the balloons come near our house and there are some pretty neat looking balloons. On Friday evening, they have a Balloon Glow, where you can watch as the hot air balloons illuminate in rhythm with the music. This has to be a sight to see. Saturday night, they cap with Fireworks. If you are in the area, stop by to check out the balloons and the food from several food vendors. Unfortunately, this year, we have a weekend full of sports, so checking out the Balloon Glow is not an option.

Next weekend, there is a 2-mile/5-mile race and a community parade.

Then, in a week and a half, you can check out the Ribs Burnoff. Starting on Wednesday, August 1st and running through Friday, August 3rd, stop by for lunch or dinner (the festival runs from 11 am to 10:30 pm) and check out the food from 11 rib masters from across the country at the Stark County Fairgrounds. I am looking forward to checking out some of the ribs. My son has recently decided that he is a big fan of ribs. In addition to the barbeque, there will be several other food vendors (in case you aren't a fan of ribs).

There is fun for the whole family, with inflatable games, bounce houses, sand sculptors, balloon twisters and face painters. You even have a chance to see the float builders, located in Exhibition Hall, put the finishing touches on their floats for the Timken Grand Parade on Saturday.

Throughout the event, there will be musical entertainment, as well. During the day, there will be the day stage and then each night they have special show. My experience has been that you can see some really great shows at local festivals, fairs and events - and typically, they are a very reasonable price (sometimes as reasonable as free) compared to seeing acts at a larger venue. These types of shows can be a great way to introduce children to the 'art' of concerts. Music is something that brought my husband and I together, so it only seems right to share it with our children. My son has had the chance to see Weird Al in concert, but so far, the only act my daughter has seen in concert is the Imagination Movers.

Wednesday night, August 1st, it is the Gin Blossoms that take the stage. What amazes me is that the Gin Blossoms debut single, "Hey Jealousy" was released back in 1992 - that was 20 years ago! Realizations like that make me feel old. We are planning to take the kids to check out the Gin Blossoms - I am figuring this is very similar from a timing perspective to my parents taking me to see the Grass Roots, whose first songs would have been out about 20 years before I saw them. I know the kids have heard it in the car before, but just to be sure, I think we will have to listen to some of the music over the next couple of weeks.

Thursday night, it is country star Jason Michael Carroll. I'm not familiar with his music, but a quick sampling of music on Amazon, found some nice sounding songs.

On Friday, Saving Abel takes the stage. Saving Abel is a more recent group, with their debut single, Addicted, hitting the charts in 2008. Saving Abel is one of those groups who's music I know, but I don't know that it is them. I had to listen to Addicted to be sure I knew what song it was.

"All concerts will perform on the Emergency Medicine Physicians Stage at the Stark County Fairgrounds at approximately 8:30 p.m. Free standing room only will be permitted on the track but chairs or seating of any kind on the track is not permitted. Seats are available in the grandstands for affordable prices for you and your family! NEW in 2012: General Admission seating (bleachers) will be offered at $5 per ticket and Reserved Admission (seats with backs) will be offered at $9 per ticket! " You can get the full information on the shows and information on ordering your tickets on the Ribs Burnoff home page.

These and many other events lead to the Hall of Fame Game on Sunday, August 5th. I had the chance a few years ago to attend the Hall of Fame Game. I found it to be a great experience - there you are in a high school size stadium watching professional athletes play their sport. I went with my brother and we had a great time watching the Giants play in the game.

Local festivals and events are always a lot of fun. It is amazing to me how similar, and how different, the events can be even in different parts of the state. Do you go to local fairs and festivals?

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. We received a family four pack of general admission tickets for the Gin Blossoms in exchange for sharing about the upcoming events.

Rascal Flatts Changed

At one point in my college career, I started listening to some country music. It was the influence of some of my friends who were part of a neighboring fraternity. My Big in my sorority was friends with several of them and I found myself spending time with them and as we listened to the music, I found that I was learning the songs and singing along. Country wasn't completely 'new' to me at this point. As a child, I remember one of my first albums (yes, actually a record album) was Kenny Rogers' The Gambler. And, a few years earlier, Friends in Low Places had been released and was a common song to be heard at social events in college. I do remember having someone (who, I'm not sure?) make me a mix tape of many of those country songs that I listened to on my Walkman the following summer as I would walk in the evenings. (Record albums and mix tapes - makes me feel old! My kids have seen record albums, but probably aren't familiar with tapes)

Since that time, I have continued to enjoy country. My favorite morning drive channel for several years when I was first married was a country station, until they changed up their morning crew and I lost interest in the DJs. I still listen to some country, although much of what I hear these days are the cross-over hits on the radio or the songs that my husband has on in his car.

One group that I have become familiar with is Rascal Flatts. They just released their 8th studio album, called Changed, last week. I have been listening to it for the past couple of days. There are a number of songs that sound familiar to me, although only one has been released. I'm thinking it is mostly their comfortable style that is familiar to me.

The first single from the album, which was released earlier this year is a song called Banjo. It is already a top 10 country radio hit. It is a bit of a catchy tune, about having to get away to a place that is off the maps where you hear the banjo. You can check out the lyrics here.

I think my two favorite songs are Hot In Here and A Little Home. Hot In Here is a fun song with sing along lyrics. A Little Home is a song that I feel I can relate too. It talks about always needing home. As a member of a large extended family, not being around makes me homesick - growing up, we got together at least monthly and being away from it, I miss it. Even now that I have a home and family of my own, it is still nice to go home to where I grew up and be with the rest of my family. I love the end of the song:

'No matter how grown up you get
Oh, no matter how far you roam
Sometimes you just need a little home
Home sweet home
Sometimes you just need a little home
"Hey, mom and dad, what’s goin’ on?”'

You can learn more about the band, their past albums, their upcoming tour stops and more on their website. I learned, for instance, that two of the members are from Ohio (what a great place to be from and live!).

You can find Rascal Flatts out on tour this summer. You can find the current schedule and purchase tickets here.

Here is a chance to win tickets to see Rascal Flatts, as part of their fly away contest - they're giving away airfare, hotel, tickets and meet & greet passes for two lucky fans to see Rascal Flatts on their summer American Band tour kicking off this June with Eli Young Band, Little Big Town and Edens Edge. Contest ends April 30th.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or that of my family. A complimentary, review copy of the album was provided through One2One to facilitate this review.

Quest for Zhu Soundtrack - a giveaway

Part of what makes a movie is the soundtrack. Sometimes, those soundtracks are not songs you are familiar with, but on the Quest for Zhu Soundtrack, it is hard not to sing along with classics (sung by the cast of course) like ABC and Celebration and recent hits like Dynamite. There are a few original songs thrown in as well.

"ABC" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast {Jackson 5}
"Celebration" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast {Kool & the Gang}
"No Place Like Here" - Windy Wagner
"Who Says" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast {Selena Gomez & the Scene}
"One Day" - Pipsqueak
"Dynamite" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast {Taio Cruz}
"What I Like About You" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast {The Romantics}
"You're My Best Friend" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast {Queen}
"I'll Be Around" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast {The Spinners}
"Put Your Hands Up" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast
"Let's Groove" - "Quest for Zhu" Cast {Earth, Wind and Fire}
"Chunk's Story (The Surf Song)" - Sean Campbell
"No Place Like Here" - Savannah Outen
"One Day" - Thia Megia

Thinking of getting a copy for the ZhuZhu fans in your life? You can purchase the soundtrack CD and preview the songs at Amazon or buy the MP3s at iTunes. You can catch two singles on SoundCloud - find Savannah Ouston - No Place Like Here and Thia Megia - One Day.

Want to connect with the ZhuZhu Soundtrack? You can find a fan page on Facebook and follow them on Twitter. Check them out on the video of the ZhuZhu Pets performing ABC from the soundtrack. You can also find them on Tumblr.

Giveaway!
Thanks to the group behind the soundtrack, I have the opportunity to giveaway to one A Busy Mom of Two reader, a copy of the new Quest for Zhu Soundtrack CD and prize pack.

PRIZE PACKAGE:
*QUEST FOR ZHU -Music From The Motion Picture Soundtrack, featuring SAVANNAH OUTEN-NO PLACE LIKE HERE, and American Idol's THIA MEGIA-ONE DAY.
*Official ZhuZhu Pets/Quest For Zhu poster
*Limited Edition set of ZhuZhu Pets/Quest For Zhu figurines (these were only available for a limited time via the commercial on sale DVD-but only 2 figurines per pack, but we are including all FOUR characters in the set for this contest)


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through December 18. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will be contacted by e-mail and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected (would like to get it to you in time for Christmas).

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are mine or that of my family. A prize pack is also being provided to my family.

The Very Best of Neil Diamond

I feel like I have always known music by Neil Diamond. As I read through the list of tracks included on the soon to be released The Very Best of Neil Diamond - the Original Studio Recordings, I found myself singing a few lines from each song. Some of which, I was surprised to recall were his songs. I'm not sure what song that I heard first, but I am pretty certain that my parents listened to Neil Diamond. In college, no party would have been complete without a group sway to Sweet Caroline. I am not sure that I can pick a favorite, but know that Forever in Blue Jeans is one of my favorites.

Then, I was listening to the radio the other day and learned that Neil Diamond is coming to town next summer. I checked out the tour schedule. The shows start in June and it looks like tickets start to go on sale next week for many locations. I'm not sure that I will make it to the show, but I am sure that if I do, it will be filled with many familiar songs.

"Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings proudly announce the release of The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings on Tuesday, December 6. The new long-awaited definitive single disc compilation of 23 best-loved hits and signature tracks from America's quintessential singer-songwriter is the first Neil Diamond collection to draw from the artist's complete studio discography. The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Records includes his first pop chartings as a writer/performer for Bang Records in the mid-1960s; his spectacular career-defining hits for Uni/MCA (1968-1972); music from 1980's The Jazz Singer (his 5x platinum-selling soundtrack album on Capitol Records) and studio essentials from a long-running association with Columbia Records that began in 1973 with the Jonathan Livingston Seagull soundtrack album and runs through a pair of Rick Rubin-produced albums: 12 Songs (2005) and Home Before Dark (which became Neil's first Number 1 album on the Billboard 200 in 2008). Also included is "Recollections," a revelatory set of liner notes penned by Neil especially for this collection, providing anecdotal detail and behind-the-scenes point-of-view insight into each of the songs. In his reflections on "Hell Yeah," the track that closes the album, he writes, "'Hell Yeah' is an affirmation of a lifetime spent devoted to music and my attempt to find a personally satisfying life for myself beyond the music. I have that life now but it was a much harder job than I thought possible. Still, well worth all the years and all the tears." In closing his "Recollections" for The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings, Neil says, "I wish I could personally thank the hundreds of musicians, arrangers, and engineers who, along with the producers, spent long days and nights in studios around the country to make these recordings vibrate and thrill. As a songwriter I can only humbly bow down and thank them all from the depths of my heart for giving wings to my dreams.""

The track list for the album is:
The Very Best of Neil Diamond - The Original Studio Recordings

1. Forever In Blue Jeans


2. Beautiful Noise


3. Love On The Rocks


4. Cherry, Cherry


5. I Am…I Said


6. Sweet Caroline


7. Cracklin’ Rosie


8. Play Me


9. I’m A Believer


10. Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon


11. Holly Holy


12. Solitary Man


13. Song Sung Blue


14. You Don’t Bring Me Flowers


15. Hello Again


16. Red, Red Wine


17. If You Know What I Mean


18. Brother Love’s Travelling Salvation Show


19. Pretty Amazing Grace


20. Kentucky Woman


21. Shilo


22. America


23. Hell Yeah

Giveaway!
Courtesy of Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings, one A Busy Mom of Two reader will win their own copy of The Very Best of Neil Diamond.

Read More>>

Billy Joel Piano Man (Legacy Edition) and Billy Joel - The Complete Albums Collection

I really enjoy the music of Billy Joel. It's hard to believe, but his recording career began 40 years ago. I can remember watching the video for Innocent Man and listening to Uptown Girl in my parent's car. I remember trying to learn all of the events and lyrics of We Didn't Start the Fire. I can remember when I finally had the chance to see Billy Joel in concert the first time, and the friend that went with us left before Piano Man, the encore that evening.

In honor of this milestone, Columbia/Legacy records released both Piano Man (Legacy Edition) and Billy Joel - The Complete Albums Collection.

Billy Joel - The Complete Albums Collection boxed set

Columbia/Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, is commemorating forty years of Billy Joel's career as a solo recording artist with a pair of historic releases--a limited edition Billy Joel - The Complete Albums Collection boxed set and a two-disc Legacy Edition of 1973's Piano Man album (exclusively featuring a long-lost fabled radio concert from 1972)--each appealing to aficionados of the iconic American singer-songwriter-performer. Billy Joel - The Complete Albums Collection brings together for the first time, in one elegantly designed box, the artist's complete catalog of 14 essential titles, from 1971's Cold Spring Harbor through 1979's Grammy-winning Album of The Year 52nd Street and 1981's live Songs In The Attic to 2001's Fantasies & Delusions, the first album of Billy's classical compositions. Each album has been recently remastered in 24 bit audio for this edition and comes in cardboard jackets replicating the original album covers and sleeves. 

 Included in the box are: 

1. Cold Spring Harbor (1971) 

2. Piano Man (1973) 

3. Streetlife Serenade (1974) 

4. Turnstiles (1976) 

5. The Stranger (1977) 

6. 52nd Street (1978) 

7. Glass Houses (1980) 

8. Songs In The Attic (1981) 

9. The Nylon Curtain (1982) 

10. An Innocent Man (1983) 

11. The Bridge (1986) 

12. Storm Front (1989) 

13. River Of Dreams (1993) 

14. Fantasies & Delusions (2001) 

15. Collected Additional Masters (1985—2007) 

"This has been a long time coming, putting all my albums into one package," said Billy in a recent in-depth interview for The Complete Albums Collection. "I'd never seen them all together in one place until I got the box set. It represents a lot of work! It's a little overwhelming, actually, looking at each individual album and remembering how much writing and recording, the time spent arranging and producing everything that went into each album." In addition to offering brand-new remasters of every Billy Joel studio album, Billy Joel - The Complete Albums Collection includes two lavish 60-page booklets, printed lyrics to every Billy Joel composition, a new Q&A with Billy conducted by noted music journalist Steve Morse, and a bonus disc of 17 rare and non-album recordings including "Elvis Presley Boulevard" (B-side of the "Allentown" single, 1982); the live cover version of the Beatles' "I'll Cry Instead" (B-side of "An Innocent Man," 1983); "House Of Blue Light" (B-side of "We Didn't Start The Fire," 1989); and "You Picked A Real Bad Time" (B-side of "All About Soul," 1993). "You're Only Human (Second Wind)" and "The Night Is Still Young" are outtakes that did not see light of day until 1985. Several tracks on the bonus disc originated as Billy Joel's contributions to various multi-artist movie soundtracks, notably his covers of the Elvis Presley hits "Heartbreak Hotel" and "All Shook Up," both from 1992's Honeymoon In Vegas. Billy covered Lloyd Price's 1959 hit, "Where Were You On Our Wedding Day," for the 1999 movie, Runaway Bride, and Duke Ellington's "In A Sentimental Mood" for A League Of Their Own in 1992. In 1982, Billy Joel contributed his original "Nobody Knows But Me" to In Harmony II, a Columbia LP to benefit Sesame Street/Children's Television Workshop. Other cover tunes on the bonus disc range from Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love" and Leonard Cohen's "Light as the Breeze" to the Gerry Goffin-Carole King standard "Hey Girl" (Freddie Scott, 1963). In 1991, Billy Joel contributed "When You Wish Upon A Star" to Columbia's Disney tribute album, Simply Mad About The Mouse. And in 2001, Billy Joel sang the Beach Boys' "Don't Worry Baby" at the Radio City Music Hall All-Star Tribute to Brian Wilson concert. The exclusive bonus disc included on Billy Joel - The Complete Albums Collection closes with "All My Life," a 2007 single (which marked Billy's first newly-written song since 1993's River of Dreams) now making its first appearance on an album. Random copies of The Complete Albums Collection ordered through the Official Billy Joel store (www.CompleteBillyJoel.com) will be autographed by Billy Joel, so big fans will want to be sure to order their copy there.

Legacy Edition of Piano Man

The forthcoming Legacy Edition of Piano Man, Billy Joel's 1973 debut album on Columbia Records, includes the 10-song original album in its entirety, remastered for this release in addition to a second disc premiering the first-ever release of Billy's mythic performance at Philadelphia's Sigma Sound Studio on April 15, 1972 (a year prior to his signing with Columbia). Philadelphia Daily News music writer Jon Takiff, an eye-witness to the event, has penned a new essay on the Sigma Sound show for the Legacy Edition of Piano Man. The release and failure of a flawed Cold Spring Harbor, his first solo album, on an indie label in 1971 prompted then-struggling musician Billy Joel to go to Los Angeles and cut-his-chops incognito in local piano bars as Bill Martin (chronicled in Piano Man's title track). Unbeknown to Billy, WMMR, a top-rated Philadelphia FM station, had begun spinning "Captain Jack," a live track from a Billy Joel show they'd recorded at Sigma Sound, and the station's phones were going off-the-hook. The "Captain Jack" live recording was turning into a bonafide underground FM anthem, opening the door for a New York audition, competing major label interest, and a Columbia Records contract for the song's author and performer. "Columbia was Bob Dylan's label," Billy said. "That was the deciding factor. At this time, you were allowed to build your career through FM radio, album tracks, concerts, singles and Bob Dylan was iconic for not being a hit singles type of artist. This was a company that knows how to build a career with an artist, so we decided to go with Columbia. "I never sat down and said I'm gonna write a hit record. I wouldn't know a hit record if it bit me. I just wrote songs. I wrote them for me, I wrote them for the band, or I wrote a song for the women in my life. I was just writing songs for me. It's music that I wanted to hear. If I didn't hear certain kind of music on the radio, I realized, 'Well, if I write and record this it'll probably be on the radio and that's what I'll hear.' That's what I was thinking. Not so much about having hits, but about making music that I liked. I only really ever did it for me. That may sound selfish, but I'm the only person that I really know all that well." The Legacy Edition of Piano Man makes available, for the first time ever, Billy's full performance at Sigma Sound, re-mixed from the original studio recording. The concert includes three Billy Joel songs--"Long, Long Time," "Josephine," and "Rosalinda"--which do not appear on any other albums by the artist and, of course, the performance of "Captain Jack" which launched one of the most remarkable careers in show business. The legendary Sigma Sound performance is available exclusively on the new Legacy Edition of Piano Man (and is not included on The Complete Albums Collection).

Billy Joel - Piano Man (Legacy Edition) 

DISC ONE: The Original Album 

1. Travelin' Prayer 

2. Piano Man 

3. Ain't No Crime 

4. You're My Home 

5. The Ballad Of Billy The Kid

6. Worse Comes To Worse 

7. Stop In Nevada 

8. If I Only Had The Words (To Tell You)

9. Somewhere Along The Line 

10. Captain Jack 

DISC TWO: The Sigma Sound Studios Performance 

Introduction 

Falling 

Travelin' Prayer 

The Ballad of Billy the Kid

She's Got A Way 

Everybody Loves You Now 

Nocturne 

Turnaround

Long, Long Time 

Captain Jack 

Josephine 

Rosalinda 

Tomorrow is Today 

Recorded live in April 1972 at Sigma Sound Studios in Philadelphia, PA Previously unreleased

Giveaway!
Courtesy of Sony/Legacy, one A Busy Mom of Two Reader will win a copy of the Piano Man Legacy Edition.

Giveaway will remain open through December 1st. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will be contacted by e-mail (be sure to leave one!) and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.
No compensation was received for this post. I received a review copy of Piano Man Legacy Edition and information about the album releases. In addition, Sony/Legacy is providing the Piano Man Legacy Edition for the giveaway.

Yanni - Truth of Touch

I recently had the opportunity to check out the latest album from Yanni. The album is called Truth of Touch. It features a couple of songs with lyrics, but mostly is the instrumental only pieces for which Yanni is best known. This is Yanni's first instrumental release of original compositions in over eight years and is a return to the genre Yanni helped create and advance.

What Yanni says about the new album:

“I work the rhythms in this album,” explains Yanni about the new material. “There is a beautiful complexity in these rhythms, a new sound design. I think the melodic content is very strong and very memorable. I was having fun with this album and that’s going to become apparent.”

I have listened to the album a few times. There are a number of the instrumental songs that I really enjoy, like Truth of Touch and Seasons, but I think my favorite songs are the ones with lyrics. I hate to admit it, but I actually listened a couple of times before I realized that there were some English lyrics in O Luce Che Brilla Nell’Oscurita. The song is operatic in style and features Nathan Pacheco, who was also part of the Yanni Voices production a couple of years ago. The song definitely is mostly in Italian, but there is English in there too. There is something about the operatic performance and fullness of his voice that transcends language and makes me really like the song, even though I can't understand what is being sung. When I listen to that song, it makes me want to pull out my Michael Crawford Performs Andrew Lloyd Weber CD. (My husband uploaded most of our music to iTunes so that we could listen to it and include on playlists for our iPod, but interestingly that CD is missing from the collection - or I would be listening now).

I definitely enjoy the style of his music, but must say that without vocals I find that his music lends itself more to being played at home, or when I am need of some music without noise in the car. I like to sing along in my car and sometimes struggle with listening to music I can't (try) to sing along with.

You can learn more about Yanni and the Truth of Touch Album on the Yanni website. If you are interested, Yanni is in the midst of a world tour and has many stops scheduled in the United States over the next couple of months.

You can hear samples of the tracks here.

No compensation was received for this post. I received a digital copy of Truth of Touch through One2One for the purposes of providing a review of the album.

Disney's Imagination Movers Live! In a Big Warehouse Tour

My kids are so excited (okay, maybe my daughter is a little more excited than my son), the Imagination Movers are coming to the Akron Civic Theater for two shows on Friday, March 25th. In fact, we were at the Akron Civic Theater last weekend for the Cuyahoga Valley Youth Ballet performance of Madeline at the Circus and when we walked in, there was a large stand-up of the Imagination Movers in the theater with show information. My daughter posed with the stand-up to get a picture.

We went and saw the Imagination Movers about 15 months ago on their last tour and it was an amazing experience. When the theater went dark and the announcer was introducing them, even I got the chills. In no time, the kids were up and dancing in the aisles - it was their first "concert" experience and based on their smiles and the amount that they talked about the show afterwards, I would say that they thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Their live show, at least last time we saw them, was structured very similar to their television show - they sang, they solved a problem and had a good time.

I have shared before about the Imagination Movers and how much I enjoy their show and their music. I like that they work their way through a problem solution - I think it is a great way to show kids that sometimes (in the case of the Movers, most of the time) the first solution you come up with may not be the right one and you need to try again to solve the problem. Their songs are catchy tunes that I frequently find myself singing along too. In fact, I have, in a state of distraction, found myself a few miles down the road from dropping the kids off at school, still singing along to the Movers, not having changed back to "my" music. They have a number of songs that I enjoy, and I'm not sure that I could come up with just one. I would say my daughter's favorite right now is First Day of School and my son's is Playing Catch.

Disney's Imagination Movers Live! In a Big Warehouse Tour with special guest Choo Choo Soul.
Akron Civic Theatre
2 Shows on March 25th at 4pm and 7pm
You can purchase tickets for the show at the Akron Civic Theater here.

Giveaway!
I have the opportunity to giveaway a family four pack of tickets to the 4 pm show on Friday, March 25th, courtesy of the Akron Civic Theater.

To enter: Leave a comment sharing which Imagination Mover is your child's favorite.

Additional Entries:

Share with your friends on Facebook, Twitter or your blog. Come back and leave a comment telling us how you shared, be sure to include a link.

Leave a comment sharing which Imagination Mover song is your favorite.

The giveaway will remain open until Saturday, March 19th at 2 pm! The winner will be selected using a random number generator and will be contacted by e-mail (please be sure to leave an e-mail) and will have 24 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. My family purchased our own tickets for the show that we are attending. The Akron Civic Theater team provided a four pack of tickets for this giveaway.

Bedtime Music

When I was expecting and as a young parent, I read and was told that establishing a consistent bedtime routine was key. It helps babies and children know what to expect next. So, we set out to do just that. We had bath and books and singing and many of the standards. It worked well for us. The kids each easily fell into the practice of going to sleep at 8 pm. Now, by no means is bedtime always easy at my house. Some nights, my kids are the best stallers with more needs than you can imagine - I need a drink of water, I need to tell you something, I need a hug (you can't say no to that one!), I need to potty, I need to be covered up, and so on.

One of the things that we bought each time we had a baby was a CD Clock Radio for their bedroom. We had gotten a free CD at one of our hospital classes that was filled with classical music (I had heard that listening to classical music boosts brain power, but understand now that there is question on the actual "Mozart effect"). We would use the snooze function, along with the repeat function, to provide 90 minutes of soothing music for the babies at naptime and bedtime.

I figured that there were two benefits, it contributed to the consistency of our routine and the music would help block out other noises in the house, making it easier for the babies (children) to sleep. The nice thing playing it on snooze was that it didn't run all night and when they would wake and return to sleep at night so that they also knew how to fall asleep without the assistance of music.

For over 7 years, my son listened to the same disc every night and since we had somehow received two from the hospital, my duaghter has listened to the same disc for over 4 years. My son's CD player stopped working this year and now he goes to bed without music. For me, this was a bit of a challenge to accept, as if by him no longer having (needing) the music at bedtime, he is growing up. Despite that, I definitely feel that playing that same CD every night has worked well for us and helped establish bedtime routine.

This post shared at Works For Me Wednesday.

Sound of Music - BluRay and Soundtrack

One of my favorite movies of all time is The Sound of Music. In fact, you may have heard me mention that more than a few times on this blog.

Last fall, shortly after the Sing Along tour, The Sound of Music soundtrack and movie were re-released. I was really happy to receive a copy of both the Soundtrack and the Blu-Ray/DVD combo pack with 3 discs.

The Soundtrack, which is a 45th Anniversary Special Edition version, includes all the songs from the movie and includes a special recording of Lea Michele, from Glee, singing My Favorite Things. The combo pack, which is the 45th Anniversary Edition, comes packed full of extra features and footage. First, the movie is in high definition. Plus, you can watch it with on screen lyrics, just like at the Sing Along. There are audio commentaries with Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer and Director Robert Wise. There is a featurette about the making of the movie and so much more!

I mentioned last fall that I thought my daughter was too young to take to see the Sing-a-Long in the theater, but I figured that in the comfort of our own home, we could sit down together and watch it. That way, if she couldn't sit still for the duration or needed a bathroom break, we could take advantage of pause.

I warmed her up to the show by starting to play the songs in the car, right after we received the CD. I started with some of the catchier songs, like Do-Re-Mi and My Favorite Things. Then, I added in I Have Confidence and Maria. I'm not sure how much attention she paid, but she didn't ask me to skip them, so she had a chance to become familiar with the music.

Then, one afternoon, when my husband and son were watching a boy movie in the media room, I suggested to her that we watch the Sound of Music. I was surprised, she sat still and watched the whole thing. That meant that I got to watch the whole movie straight through. She told me that she liked it. In fact, it has been a few months since we watched it the first time and she can't stop talking about it. I find her singing Do Re Mi from time to time and A Problem Like Maria. She calls it the mountain movie and asks regularly about watching it again.

She watched it again last weekend, mostly without me, as I was preparing dinner in the kitchen. When her brother came into the room, she was busy trying to tell him who everyone was (with lots of questions to mom - is that her big brother and which one is Maria?). She was rather concerned when the movie went to Intermission - in fact, I had to skip it. I tried to explain why it was included, but she didn't care. I guess that is one difference that will always exist, I grew up watching it on TV, complete with commercials. I think I was in high school the first time I watched it on VHS and was able to see the movie without interruptions, although I did have to change the tape at the intermission since it didn't all fit on one. I was an adult before I got my own copy on DVD and could watch it when I wanted. She will likely only ever know watching it on DVD, because really, why would we watch it on TV when we can watch it on DVD?

I love that she is growing up and I can start to share things that were my favorite things when I was a little girl (and many of which still are today). I have books and movies that I can't wait to share with her. Of course, part of me still wants her to slow down and stay a little girl longer - time goes too fast.

No compensation was received for this post. Sony sent me a complimentary copy of the BluRay DVD Combo and the Soundtrack for my review. All opinions expressed are my own.