We really had no excuse for the way our meeting went other than the fact that all of us, with the exception of Katie, are extremely ADD (she reminds us of this on a regular basis).

So even though we started out talking about the BJ Thomas and Keb’ Mo’ video that we
just released and the upcoming Grand Old Opry appearance that BJ will be doing with
Sara Niemietz as a guest artist, we gradually morphed into a creative train completely
getting derailed and side tracked. So here is a glimpse of how the conversation at our
staff meeting went today:

BJ & Keb Mo>>>>

Sara’s Niemietz upcoming trip to Nashville>>>>

Sara 21st birthday (today)>>>>

BTW, Sara had her first cocktail>>>>

Leighton sent me an app (while sitting right next me) called “I’m Astronaut”> >>>

Now we are all taking pics of each other and my dogs to upload into this app so we can
see each other as an Astronaut>>>>

Spending about 45 minutes laughing at ourselves>>>

Emailing all of this fun to Luellyn because she was not at today’s meeting>>>>

Katie starts talking about daughter Rachel driving into a big bottomless puddle and
getting water in her entire car and transmission>>>>>

Leighton said she must get her “tranny” checked out>>>

Which brings us to start talking the Transgender Navy Seal in the news today >>>>

And then about pointy bras that some transgender women wear>>>>

How when Katie and I worked at “corporate jobs” women dressed up everyday with full
hair and makeup and we wore business suits>>>>>>>>>

The days before computers and Katie and I being the oldest, lamented about “the olden
days before computers” having to use “white out” for typo’s>>>>

How I worked as an answering service switchboard operator with a huge plug board>>>>>

Angelia Jolie played a switchboard operator in “The Changeling”>>>>>>>

Angelina’s new boobs, which 3 of us thought, looked too “pointy”.

Believe it or not we work like this all the time… and we laugh at the fact that we do manage to get things done.

Some times you just need a fun, meandering day at the workplace…I know this because
we tend to excel at it.

So don’t work to hard…and try to laugh a whole lot…it is good for you.

Nashville, TN—B.J. Thomas’ new music video, “Most of All,” featuring Grammy Award winning blues musician Keb’ Mo’, posted on YouTube today; the song is included on Thomas’ new album “The Living Room Sessions,” which recently debuted at #39 on the Billboard Country Album chart. To view the video please click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJltbSV5lyA&feature=youtu.be.

“The Living Room Sessions” is a stripped down, acoustic collection of Thomas’ greatest hits with special guest artists including: “I Just Can’t Help Believing” with Vince Gill, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head with Lyle Lovett, “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song with Richard Marx, “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” with The Fray’s Isaac Slade and “Rock and Roll Lullaby” with Steve Tyrell. Other songs on the album include: “Eyes of a New York Woman,” “Don’t Worry Baby,” “Old Fashioned Love” and more…

#####

Nashville, TN—Coinciding with the release of his acoustic, special-guest collection of greatest hits, THE LIVING ROOM SESSIONS, B.J.THOMAS is slated for multiple upcoming national and Nashville appearances.  Thomas will be performing on LATE NIGHT WITH JIMMY FALLON with The Roots on street date, April 2.  Leading up to the Spring release date, he will appeared at this year’s Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, and took over the station as Guest DJ on WSM-AM for one hour, which streamed live online on February 28. He will also performed “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song,” live on March 2, on the Grand Ole Opry with Richard Marx, who appears as a guest-vocalist on the album.  Prior to the release date, special autographed editions of the album can be ordered on pre-sale starting March 1, and will be available for purchase at www.wrinkledrecords.com.
 
THE LIVING ROOM SESSIONS on Wrinkled Records celebrates almost 47 years since Thomas’ first Gold-selling hit on Scepter Records with an album of stripped down, intimate acoustic re-imaginings of 12 of his most renowned songs.  Working with famed veteran country music producer Kyle Lehning at Sound Stage Studio in Nashville, and backed by some of Music City’s finest sessions musicians, Thomas recorded select songs on the album as duets from his “wish list” of guest artists from different genres including country legend Vince Gill (“I Just Can’t Help Believing”), bluesman Keb’ Mo’ (“Most of All”), critically acclaimed country artist Lyle Lovett (“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”), pop great Richard Marx (“(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”), rocker Isaac Slade, lead singer of The Fray (“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”) and producer/songwriter/ contemporary standards singer Steve Tyrell (“Rock and Roll Lullaby”).  

THE LIVING ROOM SESSIONS also includes four solo performances by Thomas:   the opening track “Don’t Worry Baby” (a Beach Boys classic first covered by the singer in 1977), “Eyes of a New York Woman” (1968), “Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love” (a #1 country hit in 1983) and “Everybody’s Out of Town” (1970).
 
The singer, a five-time Grammy and two-time Dove Award winner who has sold more than 70 million records and is ranked in Billboard’s Top 50 most played artists over the past 50 years, invites longtime fans and newcomers alike into his “living room” for never-heard-before arrangements of his legendary classics. 

Nashville, TN—B.J. Thomas and Richard Marx performed on March 2 for the first time together in front of a live audience to a packed-house on the historic radio show “The Grand Ole Opry.” Thomas, who performed two songs on the Saturday night program, was joined by Marx on his legendary hit single “(Hey, Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song.” The song was a live preview of the recorded version that will be included on Thomas’ new collection of acoustic, stripped-down hit recordings titled THE LIVING ROOM SESSIONS which will be released on April 2 on Wrinkled Records.

THE LIVING ROOM SESSIONS will celebrate almost 47 years since Thomas’ first Gold-selling hit on Scepter Records with an album of re-imaginings of 12 of his most renowned songs — recorded with an all-star lineup of guest vocalists: Vince Gill (“I Just Can’t Help Believing”), Keb’ Mo’ (“Most of All”), Lyle Lovett (“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”), Richard Marx (“(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”), Isaac Slade, lead singer of The Fray (“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”) and Steve Tyrell (“Rock and Roll Lullaby”). Thomas will perform with The Roots on Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on April 2, street date of the release.

For more information visit www.bjthomas.com .

L-R: B.J. Thomas, Richard Marx

Photo credit: Chris Hollo

#####

Contact:

Lori Lousararian
Rogers & Cowan
310/854-8104
llousararian@rogersandcowan.com

If you happened to be looking for a new baking project for the weekend, why not try Etta’s Italian Cream Cake? You’ll love it!

ITALIAN CREAM CAKE
2 CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR
1 TSP BAKING POWDER
1 1/4 TSP BAKING SODA
1 1/4 TSP SALT
2 CUPS SUGAR
1 CUP BUTTERMILK
1/2 CUP CANOLA OIL
2 EGGS
1/2 STICK MELTED BUTTER
2 TSP VANILLA EXTRACT
1 TSP ALMOND EXTRACT
1 CUP COCONUT
1 CUP CHOPPED PECANS
INSTRUCTIONS
Sift together flour, soda, salt, and baking powder and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl place sugar, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and butter. Mix together well. Add vanilla extract and almond extract. Slowly add dry ingredients scraping the bowl as you go. Beat on medium until mixed (don’t over beat). Fold in coconut and pecans and divide between two to three pie tins that have been buttered and floured. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until inserted toothpick or butter knife comes out clean.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
2 PACKAGES CREAM CHEESE
1 STICK BUTTER
2 TSP VANILLA
6 CUPS POWDERED SUGAR

Let cream cheese and butter come to room temp and beat together until smooth. Add vanilla add powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and creamy.

You can listen to songs, share them with friends (spread the Etta love), check out upcoming shows and tons of other cool features you can check out. You can even send her a message!

http://www.reverbnation.com/ettabritt?profile_view_source=header_icon_nav

Copy and paste the link in a new browser window and you’re all set!

It was a running joke in my family that my father and I gave directions using restaurants as landmarks. My mother, who, of course, was thin, would not even be aware that a restaurant was located at any given corner.

Her version of directions were very simple:

“Go down to Main Street and take a right, then go to 5th and turn left … Go past the Methodist church and then you will turn right onto Belcourt. And there you will be.”

Me and my father’s version:

“Go down here to where the Taco Bell is and then turn toward the donut place. Then you will see a Tony Roma’s on the left and you will turn there…then you know that big white building, with the cross on top, that has bake sales on Sunday afternoons? You want to go past that and then you will be at the place where you will see a KFC and Mickey D’S across from each other. That is where you want to turn right. And there you will be. But go early cause there is a great French bakery next door and today is the day they give samples.”

One of the things my father was very good at was cooking chili. But he made his VERY hot and spicy with tons of jalapenos in it. It was always too hot for me.

So this is my special recipe that I came up with…it is still a bit spicy but will not send your tongue to hell and back…

I hope that you will make it and enjoy it…

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

4 Lbs ground sirloin

4 Tbs vegetable oil

1 large white onion

1 med purple onion

10-15 garlic cloves (sections)

32 oz beef broth (low sodium is fine)

2 C water

2 15 oz tomato puree

2 Tbs corn meal

2 ½ Tbs baking cocoa

¼ Tsp Accent

And the following spices

SPICES NEEDED:

1 Tbs ground cumin

1 Tbs whole cumin seeds

3 Tbs good chili powder

1 Tbs sweet paprika

1 Tsp allspice

½ Tsp ground coriander

½ Tsp cayenne

½ Tsp mace

½ Tsp oregano

1 Bay leaf

½ Tsp cinnamon

2 Tbs kosher salt

1 Tsp black pepper

Okay cowboys… First let us say a special thanks to the Chili Gods that are about to bless your taste buds…Thank you Mighty Gods of Chili.

Start browning meat in large deep skillet with veggie oil…

In food processor put rough chopped onions and garlic… take it to almost a pulp stage.

When beef is a little more than half browned, throw in onion/garlic mixture. Let cook for (while you stir it in) for about 8-10 minutes.

Then throw in whole cumin seeds, stir and let them cook with meat.

Take a potato masher and mash the meaty mixture so that there are no big clumps…

In separate dish…mix ground cumin, chili powder, paprika, allspice, coriander, cayenne, mace, oregano, cinnamon, salt and pepper. Mix these dry ingredients together and sprinkle over meat.

Transfer all of the cooked meat mixture into a very large pot.

Now put in broth, water and puree and mix well.

Then put in bay leaf and let simmer for ONE HOUR!!!

Then remove the silly bay leaf. Rinse it off and store it so that you can use again…JUST KIDDING!! Throw it away!

Now after the above-mentioned hour, add the cocoa, Accent and corn meal…STIR well and then go have a beer and let the whole thing simmer for about 3 hours.

REMEMBER to stir it every time you go and get another beer. That should a lot of stirring.

Serve it with grated jack and cheddar cheese, minced fresh white onions and cornbread

All the spices can be changed to your own taste BUT this is the blend that I have found works the best. I also like to make it a day ahead and serve on next day…24 hours of frig time does something to the “marrying” of all the flavors…

Don’t forget to tip your server… and kiss the cook.

Note: the apron in the picture is over 25 years old and was given to me by a good friend.

Nashville, TN — B.J. Thomas, a true American institution whose iconic pop, country and gospel hits defined their respective generations and now transcend them, has found a unique way to celebrate an incredible half a century in music and some 47 years since his first gold selling hit on Scepter Records: an album of stripped down, intimate acoustic re-imaginings of 12 of his most renowned songs. With special guest artists Vince Gill, Lyle Lovett, Keb’ Mo’, Isaac Slade of The Fray, Richard Marx, Steve Tyrell, and more, joining him on his most memorable songs, Thomas releases “The Living Room Sessions” this Spring on Wrinkled Records.

The singer, a five-time Grammy and two-time Dove Award winner who has sold more than 70 million records and is ranked in Billboard’s Top 50 most played artists over the past 50 years, invites longtime fans and newcomers alike into his “living room” for never-heard-before arrangements of his legendary classics. The Living Room Sessions also includes four solo performances by Thomas: the opening track “Don’t Worry Baby” (a Beach Boys classic first covered by the singer in 1977), “Eyes of a New York Woman” (1968), “Whatever Happened To Old Fashioned Love” (a #1 country hit in 1983) and “Everybody’s Out of Town” (1970).

Says Sandy Knox, President/Owner of Wrinkled Records, Inc. , “I don’t know if we can put into words how thrilled we are here at Wrinkled Records, to have the opportunity to work with such a musical icon like B.J. Thomas. All of the hit songs he has recorded are like grand pieces of musical history.” She adds, “It has been exciting for all of those who have been involved in this project, because B.J. has never done this type of album before in his legendary career.”

Working with famed veteran country music producer Kyle Lehning (Randy Travis, Willie Nelson) at Sound Stage Studio in Nashville, and backed by some of Music City’s finest sessions musicians, Thomas recorded many of these as duets from his “wish list” of guest artists from different genres including pop great Richard Marx (“(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song”), country legend Vince Gill (“I Just Can’t Help Believing”), bluesman Keb’ Mo’ (“Most of All”), Lyle Lovett (“Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”), rocker Isaac Slade, lead singer of The Fray (“I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry”) and producer/songwriter/ contemporary standards singer Steve Tyrell (“Rock and Roll Lullaby”).

Says Thomas, “In the studio, everything was real simple and organic, and we didn’t labor on anything too long to get things right. Mostly, it was a lot of fun. There were some great, surprising moments as well, particularly the performance from Isaac Slade and the dynamic vocals by Keb’ Mo’. He is so much more than a blues musician. He originally wanted to do ‘Hooked On A Feeling,’ but I wanted to save that for Sara Niemietz, so we recorded ‘Most of All.’ He came in not knowing the song at all, but he sat down, learned it, internalized it and put in the work it took to make it magical.”

Thomas also vibes on The Living Room Sessions with label mate and renowned Nashville touring and session singer) Etta Britt (“New Looks From An Old Lover”) and 20-year-old Broadway and soundtrack phenom Sara Niemietz, who joins Thomas on “Hooked on a Feeling.” Niemietz first sang this classic—a Top Ten pop hit from 1968—with Thomas years earlier, when she was invited by the singer, at the age of four, to join him onstage for her first public performance ever.

The track listing for “The Living Room Sessions” is as follows:

1. Don’t Worry Baby
2. I Just Can’t Help Believing (with Vince Gill)
3. Most Of All (with Keb’ Mo’)
4. Eyes of a New York Woman
5. (Hey Won’t You Play)Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song (with Richard Marx)
6. I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry (with Isaac Slade)
7. Rock and Roll Lullaby (with Steve Tyrell)
8. New Looks From an Old Lover (with Etta Britt)
9. Old Fashioned Love
10. Hooked On A Feeling (with Sara Niemietz)
11. Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head (with Lyle Lovett)
12. Everybody’s Out of Town

Adds Thomas, “The biggest blessing for me is that I never get tired of the songs I have had the privilege to share with the world. I still feel an emotional connection to them, and as they bring back great memories for me, they affect me the same way they might touch a longtime fan of my music. I never planned any of this out, so to be able to express myself in music and have that as a vehicle for my life for as long as I have is something I am always grateful for. There are so many thrills, satisfactions and great adventures I’ve had being involved in this for so many years, and I’m excited to have the opportunity with The Living Room Sessions to present some of my favorite songs in a different setting that feels just like home.”

Thomas’ Oscar winning “Raindrops” in “Spider-Man 2” in 2004, underscored the singer’s continued place as an identifiable cultural touchstone. In recent years—as he continues to perform 60-80 shows annually throughout the U.S. and internationally–everywhere from Australia and Hong Kong (last year) to Paris (this coming March 2013), with plans to tour this year with the release of “The Living Room Sessions” in the Spring.

Read all about it right here!

To avoid any browsers issues, and make it super easy for everyone to read, here’s a plain link: http://www.wrinkledrecords.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/buffymaverick_cdreview.jpeg

Copy and paste in a (new) browser window, and you’re all set!

Place: 3rd and Lindsley
Time: Tuesday 6:00 PM
Date: January 29th, 2013

Joining Jimbeau on stage will be some of Nashville’s finest musicians, the same A Pickers who recorded in the studio with him.



Musicians:

Dave Pomeroy (Bass Guitar and President of Nashville Musicians Union)
Tommy Sheehan (Guitar)
J. T. Cohenslaus (Guitar)
Jimmy Nichols (Keyboards)
Paul Scholten (Percussion)
Ken Somerville (Backing vocals & Rhythm Guitar)

Come experience the unique miracle and music of Jimbeau Hinson, one of Nashville’s true treasures!

Hope to see you there.