The Occidental Community Choir, under the direction of Sarah Saulsbury, joyfully continues our 40th anniversary celebration with a series of concerts exploring the healing alchemy of singing in community. Through storytelling, poetry, tap-dancing microbes et al, and featuring the original songs for which the choir has become well-loved, the Spring program promises to deliver sweet and soulful harmonies, poignant and funny lyrics, expertly rendered accompaniment and laughter and tears that will engage and inspire us together in choral community. You won’t want to miss an unforgettable capstone on the OCC’s first 40 years of singing in the choir! Come 1/2 hour early for the slide show. $15 Adults, Kids 12 and under Free. * $10 for Community First Night Fri. May 3 Fri. May 3 *@ 8 pm; Sat. May 4 @ 8 pm; Sun. May 5 @ 3 pm; Sat. May 11 @ 8 pm – Occidental Center for the Arts (3850 Doris Murphy Ct., Occidental)Sun. May 12 @ 3 pm – Glaser Center(547 Mendocino Av., Santa Rosa). Tickets atOccidentalChoir.org/tickets / or at the door. Get your tickets early!
The GLAAD Rising Stars Grant Program celebrates young people’s commitment to accelerating LGBTQ acceptance within their communities and culture at large.
The grant, named after trailblazer and out country music star, Ty Herndon, is offered to support young people for their commitment to enhancing LGBTQ inclusion and representation in music. The recipient of the Ty Herndon Rising Stars Grant will receive $2,500 to further fund their work and initiatives and will be honored at the 2019 Concert for Love and Acceptance in Nashville, TN on Thursday, June 6, 2019. Hotel and travel accommodations included.
To become a recipient of the Ty Herndon Rising Stars Grant, applicants must complete the online application form located on glaad.org/risingstars, and submit a short video essay. The 2019 Rising Stars Grants are available to a person or team of people, between the ages of 18 and 30, who are working to enhance LGBTQ representation within their communities and culture at large, specifically in the music industry. Applications are due Sunday, May 19th, 2019 by midnight PST.
*Applicants must be available to travel to Nashville, TN on Thursday, June 6th, 2019. Applicants are asked to hold the following dates on their calendars (06/5/2019 – 06/6/2019).
Former Rising Stars Grant recipients have been honored for their thoughtful work to address many issues facing their local communities, including: producing music videos to feature LGBTQ storylines and hire LGBTQ actors and production members, increasing diversity of performers on college campuses by funding transgender entertainers and speakers, fostering conversation around diverse representation in entertainment through a digital journalism project, and more!
Friday April 26 @ 7:30 pm.People’s Music Benefit for Occidental Center for the Arts!Join Alex Bryant of People’s Music Store for ‘a night of great music with friends’ to benefit our live music venue Occidental Center for the Arts! Don’t miss this showcase of Sonoma County talent featuring: Hoytus & New Paradise, The Stoney Point Ramblers, Whispering Light, and Washington Hill. MC’d by Jim Corbett . All proceeds benefit our nonprofit arts organization. Admission is $15. at the door. Refreshments available ; wine and beer for sale. OCA Art Gallery open during events. Wheelchair Accessible. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental CA. 95465.
Friday April 5 @ 7:30 pm. Occidental Center for the Arts. First Friday Live: Crystel Collaboration. Jazzvocalist extraordinaire Julie (Crystel) Lester, who ‘daylights’ as an RN/Educator with our own West County Health Services in Occidental, joins forces with the most excellent musicians of The Collaboration Jazz Band (David Scott, Randy Quan, Tim Haggerty and Geoff Whyte ) for some high energy, danceable ‘Crystel Collaboration’ that will knock your socks off!$15 at the door. Wine, beer and refreshments available. Wheelchair Accessible. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 707-874-9392. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465
Saturday March 23 @ 7 pm. Occidental Center for the Arts welcomes Heartwood Crossing, a Sonoma County-based band known for smart songwriting, moving vocals and rocking instrumentation that just won’t quit. Featuring seasoned performers Dave Monterey and Tim Sheehan, singer-songwriter Emily Lois, Daniel Magee on bass and Dan Ransford on percussion, this home grown band is sure to bring a good time to Occidental ! $15 Adv/$18 at door. Fine Refreshments. Art Gallery open. Wheelchair accessible. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org. 707-874-9392. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465
Friday March 8 @ 7 pm. Occidental Center for the Arts proudly presents: Laurie Lewis & The Right Hands! Grammy-winning, iconic Americana and bluegrass singer/songwriter /fiddler/educator Laurie Lewis joins Tom Rozum and the masterful musicians of The Right Hands for a not-to be-missed concert at OCA’s acoustic sweet spot! $28 Advance/$32 at the door. Reservations advised. Fine Refreshments. Art Gallery open. Wheelchair Accessible. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org 707-874-9392. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465
L-R: Haselden Ciaccio, Patrick Sauber, Laurie Lewis, Brandon Godman, Tom Rozum Photo credit: Jessica Eve Rattner
Friday March 1 @ 7:30 pm.People’s Music Benefit for Occidental Center for the Arts!Join People’s Music for ‘a night of great music with friends’ to benefit live music venue Occidental Center for the Arts! Don’t miss this showcase of Sonoma County talent, featuring: Hoytus & New Paradise, Andy Graham, The Stoney Point Ramblers, Whispering Light, Washington Hill. MC’d by Jim Corbett aka ‘Mr. Music’. All proceeds go to Occidental Center for the Arts. Admission is $15. at the door. Refreshments available ; wine and beer for sale. Wheelchair Accessible. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental CA. 95465. Hoytus and New Paradise
Saturday February 23 @7 pm. Occidental Center for the Artswelcomes back famed folk singer/songwriter duo Steve Gillette& Cindy Mangsen. Gillette (Darcy Farrow; Bed of Roses; Back on the Street Again) and his wife, singer-instrumentalist Mangsenwill delight you with traditional and contemporary folk songs, rich harmonies, accomplished guitar, banjo, and concertina accompaniment, and a good dose of humor! compassrosemusic.com $18 Advance /$22 at the door. Fine refreshments. Black History Month exhibit in our Gallery. Wheelchair Accessible. 3850 Doris Murphy Ct. Occidental, CA. 95465. www.occidentalcenterforthearts.org.
Kacey Musgraves accepts Album of the Year at the 2019 Grammys. (Screenshot via YouTube)
Country singer Kacey Musgraves won the coveted Album of the Year award for her album “Golden Hour” marking the end of a Grammys award show filled with plenty of queer women representation.
Musgraves, who also won Country Album of the Year, has emerged as an LGBTQ ally in the country music world. She has spoken up for more LGBTQ inclusion in country music and her song “Follow Your Arrow” was hailed as a pro-LGBTQ anthem. Musgraves also served as judge on “RuPaul’s Drag Race” Musgraves also took home Best Country Solo Performance (“Butterflies”), and Best Country Song (“Space Cowboy”) Awards for a total of four winning categories.
Lesbian singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile won three awards during the pre-telecast including Best Americana Album for “By the Way, I Forgive You” and Best American Roots Song and Best American Roots Performance for “The Joke.” She received the most nominations of any woman this year and became the first LGBTQ person to win awards in those categories.
While accepting the award for Best American Roots Performance, she shared that she came out in high school at age 15. She says she never was invited to high school parties or dances.
“I never got to attend a dance. To be embraced by this enduring and loving community has been a dance of a lifetime,” Carlile said. “Thank you for being my island.”
Carlile also received a standing ovation for her vocal powerhouse performance of “The Joke” during the televised ceremony.
Other queer artists with impactful Grammys performances were Ricky Martin who performed with Camila Cabello, J Balvin, Arturo Sandoval and Young Thug for a Broadway musical-inspired Grammys opener to Cabello’s song “Havana.”
Miley Cyrus, who identifies as pansexual, dueted with Shawn Mendes on his song “In My Blood.” She later also teamed up with Katy Perry, Maren Morris, Musgraves and Little Big Town for a tribute to Dolly Parton.
Janelle Monáe performed her bisexual anthem “Make Me Feel” off her album “Dirty Computer,” mixed in with her feminist song “Pynk.” She didn’t win for either category she was nominated for (Album of the Year and Best Music Video) but she did dedicate her nominations to her “trans brothers and sisters.” In an interview with Variety, the singer was asked about coming out as queer last year.
“People do it everyday,” she replied. “My trans brothers and sisters, they do it everyday. And they are shunned from these sorts of events. So this one is for them.”
Lady Gaga scored two wins (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Best Song Written For Visual Media) for her “A Star is Born” duet with Bradley Cooper, “Shallow,” which she also performed.
Dua Lipa and St. Vincent, who is sexually fluid, did a steamy joint performance of her song “Masseducation” and Lipa’s “One Kiss.” St. Vincent and Jack Antonoff won Best Rock Song for “Masseducation.”
History continued to be made with Cardi B becoming the first woman to win Best Rap Album and “This is America” by Childish Gambino winning Best Song. This is the first time a rap song has won in that category.
Jennifer Lopez also gave dance-filled tribute to Motown while Diana Ross honored her own birthday, which is in March, with a performance. Michelle Obama, Lady Gaga, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Jennifer Lopez also made appearances at the top of the show to help host Alicia Keys reflect on the importance of music.
Check out the complete list of winners below.
Album Of The Year — “Golden Hour”- Kacey Musgraves
Record Of The Year — “This Is America” – Childish Gambino
Best New Artist — Dua Lipa
Best Rap Album — “Invasion Of Privacy”- Cardi B
Best R&B Album Winner — “H.E.R.”- H.E.R.
Best Rap Song — “God’s Plan”- Drake
Best Country Album — “Golden Hour”- Kacey Musgraves
Song Of The Year — “This Is America”- Childish Gambino
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance — “Shallow” Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical — Pharrell Williams
Best Rap/Sung Performance — “This Is America”-Childish Gambino
Best Rap Performance — “King’s Dead”- Kendrick Lamar, Jay Rock, Future & James Blake / Bubblin, Anderson .Paak
Best Rock Album — “From The Fires”-Greta Van Fleet
Best Rock Song — “Masseduction” – St. Vincent
Best Metal Performance — “Electric Messiah”- High On Fire
Best Rock Performance — “When Bad Does Good”- Chris Cornell
Best Urban Contemporary Album — “Everything Is Love”- The Carters
Best R&B Song — “Boo’d Up”- Ella Mai
Best Traditional R&B Performance — “Bet Ain’t Worth The Hand”- Leon Bridges / “How Deep Is Your Love”-Pj Morton Featuring Yebba
Best R&B Performance — “Best Part”- H.E.R. Featuring Daniel Caesar
Best Latin Jazz Album — “Back To The Sunset”- Dafnis Prieto Big Band
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album — “American Dreamers: Voices Of Hope, Music Of Freedom”- John Daversa Big Band Featuring Daca Artists
Best Jazz Instrumental Album — “Emanon”- The Wayne Shorter Quartet
Best Jazz Vocal Album — “The Window”- Cécile Mclorin Salvant
Best Improvised Jazz Solo — “Don’t Fence Me In”- John Daversa
Best Reggae Album — “44/876”- Sting & Shaggy
Best Dance/Electronic Album — “Woman Worldwide”- Justice
Best Dance Recording — “Electricity”- Silk City & Dua Lipa Featuring Diplo & Mark Ronson
Best Contemporary Classical Composition — “Kernis: Violin Concerto”- James Ehnes, Ludovic Morlot & Seattle Symphony
Best Classical Compendium — “Fuchs: Piano Concerto ‘Spiritualist’”; Poems Of Life; Glacier; Rush”- Joann Falletta
Best Classical Solo Vocal Album —” Songs Of Orpheus”-Monteverdi, Caccini, D’india & Landi, Karim Sulayman
Best Classical Instrumental Solo — “Kernis: Violin Concerto”- James Ehnes
Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance — “Anderson”- Laurie: Landfall, Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet
Best Choral Performance — “Mcloskey: Zealot Canticles”- Donald Nally
Best Opera Recording — “Bates: The (R)Evolution Of Steve Jobs”-Michael Christie, Garrett Sorenson, Wei Wu, Sasha Cooke, Edward Parks & Jessica E. Jones
Best Orchestral Performance — “Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11”- Andris Nelsons
Producer Of The Year, Classical — Blanton Alspaugh
Best Engineered Album, Classical — “Shostakovich: Symphonies Nos. 4 & 11”- Andris Nelsons & Boston Symphony Orchestra
Best Pop Vocal Album — “Sweetener”- Ariana Grande
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album — “My Way” -Willie Nelson
Best Pop Solo Performance — “Joanne (Where Do You Think You’re Goin’?)”- Lady Gaga
Best Country Song — “Space Cowboy” – Kacey Musgraves
Best Country Duo/Group Performance — “Tequila”- Dan + Shay
Best Country Solo Performance — “Butterflies”- Kacey Musgraves
Best Music Film — “Quincy”- Quincy Jones
Best Music Video — “This Is America”-Childish Gambino
Best Regional Roots Music Album — “No ‘Ane’I”- Kalani Pe’a
Best Tropical Latin Album — “Anniversary”- Spanish Harlem Orchestra
Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano) — “¡México Por Siempre!”- Luis Miguel
Best Latin Rock, Urban Or Alternative Album — “Aztlán”- Zoé
Best Latin Pop Album — “Sincera”- Claudia Brant
Best Spoken Word Album (Includes Poetry, Audio Books & Storytelling) — “Faith – A Journey For All”- Jimmy Carter
Best Children’s Album — “All The Sounds”- Lucy Kalantari & The Jazz Cats
Best Folk Album — “All Ashore”- Punch Brothers
Best Contemporary Blues Album —” Please Don’t Be Dead”- Fantastic Negrito
Best Traditional Blues Album — “The Blues Is Alive And Well”- Buddy Guy
Best Bluegrass Album —”The Travelin’ Mccourys”- The Travelin’ Mccourys
Best Americana Album — “By The Way, I Forgive You”- Brandi Carlile
Best American Roots Song — “The Joke”- Brandi Carlile
Best American Roots Performance — “The Joke”- Brandi Carlile
Best New Age Album — “Opium Moon”- Opium Moon
Best Song Written For Visual Media — “Shallow”- Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper
Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media — “Black Panther”- Ludwig Göransson
Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media — “The Greatest Showman”- Hugh Jackman (& Various Artists)
Best World Music Album — “Freedom”- Soweto Gospel Choir
Best Roots Gospel Album — “Unexpected”- Jason Crabb
Best Contemporary Christian Music Album — “Look Up Child”- Lauren Daigle
Best Gospel Album — “Hiding Place”-Tori Kelly
Best Contemporary Christian Music Performance/Song — “You Say” -Lauren Daigle
Best Gospel Performance/Song — “Never Alone”- Tori Kelly Featuring Kirk Franklin
Best Contemporary Instrumental Album — “Steve Gadd Band”- Steve Gadd Band
Best Immersive Audio Album —” Eye In The Sky – 35th Anniversary Edition”- The Alan Parsons Project
Best Remixed Recording — “Walking Away (Mura Masa Remix)”- Haim
Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical — “Colors”- Beck
Best Historical Album — “Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris”
Best Album Notes —” Voices Of Mississippi: Artists And Musicians Documented By William Ferris”
Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package — “Squeeze Box: The Complete Works Of ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic” Weird Al Yankovic
Best Recording Package — “Masseduction”- St. Vincent
Best Arrangement, Instruments And Vocals — “Spiderman Theme”- Randy Waldman Featuring Take 6 & Chris Potter
Best Arrangement, Instrumental Or A Cappella — “Stars And Stripes Forever”- John Daversa Big Band Featuring Daca Artists
Best Instrumental Composition — “Blut Und Boden (Blood And Soil)”- Terence Blanchard
Best Alternative Music Album — “Colors”- Beck
Best Musical Theater Album — “The Band’s Visit”- Original Broadway Cast
Best Comedy Album — “Equanimity & The Bird Revelation”- Dave Chappelle
Brandi Carlile says she “can’t wrap her head around” being the most-nominated female artist at this year’s Grammy Awards, but she’s keenly aware of the overall significance of those accolades.
The folk-rock singer-songwriter’s latest album, “By the Way, I Forgive You,” saw her talking a stance on a number of contemporary issues, like addiction, immigration and bullying. Released in February 2018, the album received massive critical praise and helped Carlile score six Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year (for lead single “The Joke”) and Album of the Year.
“I feel like I’ve always been on the fringes of mainstream acceptance like that, but it means the most that I’ve received this honor at this point in my life,” she said in a new interview with Variety. “Being a 38-year-old mom, with two kids, who’s gay and lives on a farm, and is nominated alongside Janelle Monae and Cardi B, it’s kind of unbelievable.”
Carlile isn’t taking that newly expanded platform for granted, either. She went on to explain why she feels it’s more important than ever for LGBTQ artists to be open about their sexuality in spite of the professional risks that may arise.
“Representation can be kind of life or death for a kid in a small town,” she said. “At the very least it can give someone hope.”
The Washington state native, who cites Elton John and Freddie Mercury as influences and recently teamed up with Sam Smith for a duet version of her hit, “Party of One,” is about to kick off an action-packed Grammys week. In addition to Sunday’s awards ceremony, she’s due to perform at a MusiCares tribute to Dolly Parton on Friday and appear at Clive Davis’ annual pre-Grammy gala the next day.
And though Carlile may be lauded by LGBTQ fans and advocacy groups for being so frank about her sexuality, she’s quick to credit other queer female artists, such as the Indigo Girls and k.d. lang, for having paved the way.
“They were made fun of for being frumpy or not dressing right or not walking right,” she said. “Me and Courtney Barnett [a gay Australian singer-songwriter] are a product of the fact that they took those hits for us and now, nobody thinks it’s acceptable to say those things about us.”
