|
October 2005
Ireland, Northern Ireland, England and
Greece ~ September Tour 2005
Dear friends,
When you take yourself out of your comfort zone it often opens you up to new possibilities and perspectives, challenges and changes you, and instills a sense of wonder…I have always been drawn to cultures around the world and so when I have the opportunity to take my music on the road I go for it! My latest overseas adventure took me on tour to Northern Ireland, Ireland, England and Greece where I made new friends, sold out of cds, saw fascinating new places, and was overwhelmed by the generosity and support I received from so many folks along the way! A big heartfelt thank you goes out to all of you whose paths I crossed, and who helped make my tour a success and a wonderful experience!
Belfast, Northern Ireland was the first stop where I opened for Steve Forbert at the Errigle Inn and did a live radio spot on the BBC. I got to spend time with my good friend Eilis Boland and her kids while in N. I. as she books my gigs there. Then it was off to Rathfriland where Andy Peters put on a great gig at a beautiful church upon a hilltop. Colin Gillen’s in Co. Sligo was the next stop, and then shows in Dublin, Lurgan and Kilkenny, a gorgeous medieval city. After an all night drive back to Belfast (thanks to Jackie Rainey) I was on my way to the shores of Crete, Greece but not before a mechanical problem on our aircraft meant I’d spend the night in the Athens airport trying to catch a bit of sleep before flying into Crete in a thunderstorm….the pilot’s words to us en route to our approach were calmly put but not so calmly taken “folks there’s a thunderstorm directly over the airport in Chania so we’re going to make an attempt to land and if we fail we’ll head back to the north” I was wondering how close we were going to get to the ocean before the pilot decided we’d abort….a rough and bumpy ride had me more than relieved to be on the ground in Crete. Both my Dad and brother are pilots so I’m used to flying in a small plane where you get thrown around a lot but this was not a fun ride! The next night I played a show at the U.S. Navy Base to an enthusiastic crowd of guys starved for live music and then at Akrotiri Villas, where I played to the Villa guests with the backdrop of a full moon and gorgeous scenery. I had a few days off to take in the sights of this beautiful and fascinating island with 8,000 foot peaks, quaint villages, homemade moonshine, great beaches and wonderful hospitality from my newfound friends Reg & Daphne Fairfoot, managers of Akrotiri Villas.
England was the final stop of my journey where I shared a night of song swapping with good friend Sally Barris at the Soul Café in Maidstone and got to catch up with some of my local friends who’ve been so supportive of my music over the years….Gigs in Ashford, Cambridge and Hitchen followed and then I had a day to explore the streets of London before heading back to Music city via the big Apple. An amazing journey and one that I could not have done without the help of so many people, thanks to those of you who helped with the tour and who came out to the shows and bought cds.
Over the summer I spent the
latter part of August at my family’s resort in the Adirondacks leading
horseback riding trips, playing tunes around the campfire, waterskiing,
hiking, and hanging out with family & friends before heading overseas….
Prior to that I was in the studio with Thomm Jutz recording songs for
my upcoming release, which is due out later this fall. Thomm is on tour
with Mary Gauthier of Lost Highway Records till the end of October so
we hope to finish it up in early November. Please stay posted to my site
for details about the project and how you can pre-order cd copies.
News ~ May 2005
Toni’s song “Undertow” co-written with Warren Sellers was recently selected among thousands of entries as a Finalist in the Pop Category of the 2004 USA Songwriting Competition. This is one of the world’s leading International Songwriting competitions and a prestigious honor.
In June, Toni will be attending the 2005 Durango Songwriter’s Expo in Santa Barbara, California. She will also be doing a few gigs in the Los Angeles area. Please check the “gigs” page for more details.
Europe / UK Tour 2005: Toni is currently planning another UK tour for September / October of 2005. Recently picked up by agent Joanna Serraris of Musemix Booking in Europe, Toni will be expanding her tour to include dates in Europe as well as Ireland, England, and a house concert and date in Greece… stay tuned to the “Gigs” page for further details.
Australian artist Tony Eals produced by award winning
producer Michael Flanders
has recorded Toni’s song “No Stoppin’ This Heart”
co-written with Rachel Nemuth. It will be the first single and video off
of his upcoming album due for release later this year.
Toni has recently teamed up with publisher Matt Lindsey of Matt Lindsey Music in Nashville. They are working together to find a label to help finish and put out the new project, recorded and produced by Doug Lancio (Patty Griffin / Mathew Ryan).
Stay tuned for more news and updates……….
House Concerts
House concerts are a phenomenon that have been catching on all over the world.
In the USA, SLAMM Magazine had this to say:
"Frustrated by the distance traditional venues put between artists and their audiences, these concerts sought to bring the music back to places where artist and listener shared the same few feet of floor space. Almost all of the concerts are acoustic, focusing on the long-ignored art of the singer/songwriter"
How would
you like to see Toni perform in your town ?
If you are interested in hosting a house concert then just e-mail Toni to set it up.
It is simple ... all that is needed
are 40 people or more to buy tickets
... Toni comes to your home and provides an acoustic performance.
The host usually provides drinks and food in an easy-going, informal atmosphere
e-mail
Toni to find out more details and set up a House Concert of your own,
or get details of how to attend one of these shows!
TONI WINS PRESTIGIOUS 2001 MERLEFEST
SONGWRITING CONTEST
Nashville
based roots rocker Toni Catlin won the 2001 prestigious Merlefest Chris
Austin Songwriting Contest held in Wilkesboro, North Carolina on April
27th for her song "Me and My Heartache on the Run" co-written
with academy award nominee Gwil Owen.
Catlin was one of three finalists selected in the general category out
of 577 applicants. She survived the first round of judges comprised mostly
of Nashville publishers and label executives.
As a finalist Toni was invited to perform her song live at Merlefest in
front of judges Jim Lauderdale, Beth Nielson Chapman, Stacey Earle, Tift
Merritt and Si Kahn. Songs were judged on originality, melody, lyric and
commercial appeal. Winners performed their songs on the cabin stage on
Fridayevening.
Past winners include A&M Artist Gillian Welch and Lost Highway recording
artist Tift Merritt. Toni's debut album "Heartache on the Run"
has received excellent reviews from such notables as XM satellite radio
& Gavin journalist Jessie Scott, and Country Music International's
Alan Cackett among others. She is currently performing regional concerts
from her Nashville base.
Visit Toni's MySpace pages.
www.myspace.com/tonicatlinmusic