Judy's Notes, Musical and Otherwise

Signing Your Child up for Music and Dance Lessons

2011-08-24T18:54:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year when many parents consider signing their children up for lessons: music, dance, karate, art, the list goes on and on. I'd like to offer a few helpful hints for those of you considering music or dance lessons for your child.

1. Do your research! Just because someone "hangs out a shingle" to advertise that they give lessons doesn't mean they are truly qualified. Ask about the teacher's background. Does he or she have a degree in music or dance? Are they certified by any professional organizations? Do they, themselves, perform? Be sure they can give you some sort of credentials. We made this mistake with our daughter's first dance teacher. She was the owner and main teacher at her studio. Our girl took lessons from her for five years before we discovered that the woman's degree was in Business and she had never studied dance beyond high school. By then our daughter was attached to her and it took us five more years until she was mature enough to realize that she'd learned all she could there (and had several years before that!) When we switched studios we discovered that our daughter did not know any of the proper technique or nomenclature, and she had to work very hard to learn all over again.
2. Who else teaches at the studio? If your child is taking more than one dance class they will probably have more than one teacher. Go to the Open House at the beginning of the year and talk to all the teachers. Ask them about their backgrounds, and their personal theories about the art.
3. Ask the owner of the studio if any of the older students ever teach classes. This is okay in some cases, but not always. Make sure you meet EVERYONE who is going to be teaching your child.
4. Ask for references and call them. Better yet, ask your friends and acquaintances where their children study. You'll get a more honest answer than if you get references directly from the teacher.
5. If your child is taking music lessons, make sure the teacher includes Music Theory as part of every lesson. The teacher should approach every student as though he or she is going to be the next great musician or composer, and therefore should teach every student music theory!
6. There are varying theories about the age at which your child should begin music lessons. Personally, I don't believe in starting children on any formal training on an instrument until they are at least five years old. Their motor skills are simply not well-developed enough at that age and it can be very frustrating. Better to go to "Music Together" type classes with your young children if you want training. Or just expose them to lots of different types of music at home, in the car, wherever. Make sure you bounce them on your knee when they are babies, dance with them, and do everything to encourage a development of a sense of rhythm. This is most important!!
7. Here I speak only about piano lessons, because it is my area of expertise: if your child has been taking lessons for a year or two and wants to quit: DON"T LET HIM OR HER! They are just reaching the point where things are getting a little bit harder, and maybe the excitement of first being able to play has passed and they might be getting a little bored. Ask the teacher to work with you to help the child regain interest, perhaps by adding a few popular songs to the repertoire, or playing some musical games as part of the lesson. But don't let them quit. This is NOT a decision your child should make. I know this can be very hard, and you will have to lay down the law and go through tough times when your child doesn't want to practice. They may throw tantrums like my own child did (she went on to be a music major in college). Don't fall for it. After all, if they hated school , would you let them quit? Tell them to ask this question to every grown-up they meet for a week: "Do you know how to play a musical instrument?" I guarantee you that most people who don't play an instrument will tell your child that they wish they could! Some will say, "I took lessons when I was a kid, and then I quit. I wish I hadn't quit." No one will EVER say, "Yes, I know how to play an instrument. I had to practice a lot when I was a kid and it was really hard. And I'm so sorry I did. I wish I did not know how to play an instrument."
Now, if your child has been playing for a number of years and is now going into the upper grades in school, and wants to quit, that's another story. By this time you should know if your child has the talent and passion to pursue music as anything other than a hobby. If they do, then by all means find a way to let them continue lessons and help them manage their time. If they are only an average player, and have lost interest in lessons, and have other priorities, then consider letting them quit or just take time off. If they've studied for six years or so, they have a firm foundation and will be able to play at parties and for their own pleasure for the rest of their lives.
Because I am biased toward the piano, I believe every child who shows any sort of musical talent should have the opportunity to take piano lessons. Piano lessons provide a base in music education that will make it easier for the child to then learn other instruments if they wish. And if your child sings, he or she will never have to look to anyone else for musical accompaniment! Of course, music lessons help develop skills that translate into other academic areas, especially math. There is absolutely not one bad thing to say about exposing your child to music lessons. Start looking for a teacher today!!!

A Question from the Mail Box

2011-03-10T11:52:00.000-05:00

We just got a letter! We just got a letter! We just got a letter! Wonder who it's from?

It's from Leigh Ann, and she asks:
We were wondering how you chose the books you talk about in "Reading Our Way"?

Here's my answer!
Hi Leigh Ann,
Are you asking specifically about the books I mention in that one song, or throughout the CD? I'm going to assume it's throughout the CD.....
First of all, as with all the books, places and "weird things" on the CD I chose what has been special to my family over the years.
Secondly, I undertook a ton of research to find books that were specific to various states/regions around the country. It was a lot of internet research, plus writing emails and asking librarians. Some books were an automatic "given," such as Make Way for Ducklings and Misty of Chincoteague because they are so closely associated with places. Others were not so easy. For example, I was totally surprised to find out that the "Ramona" books took place in Oregon!

As for the specific "Reading our Way" song, that song came from personal experience. I have read to my children from Stephen King books (yes, even when they were young...I just chose the stories carefully!) and we have gone to see Eloise at the Plaza Hotel and read and done the other things mentioned in that song as well. We have traveled to 49 US states and read to each other and listened to audiobooks all along the way. We didn't go to Alaska, but we did go looking for Balto in Central Park, and we found him, too!

I hope this answers your question. Thanks for writing!
Judy

If you have any questions for me, don't hesitate! Send them TODAY! Just click "contact Judy" on the home page of my website to get my email address. Maybe you'll see your name here on my blog!

WANTED: New Dancers for the Judy Crew

2011-03-07T17:45:00.000-05:00

It's just so much easier for me to post the official press release than rewrite all the info, so here it is:

PRESS RELEASE

March 5, 2011
For immediate release

Grammy Nominated Children’s Performer Judy Pancoast is looking to add fresh faces her fabulous Judy Crew dance team, and auditions are Saturday, March 12 from 1-3pm at Bedford Dance Center, 172 Route 101 in Bedford, NH.

The Judy Crew Dance team performs with Judy at her major stage shows, performing choreographed routines, skits, and moving into the audience to dance with the children during the last part of the show. They are an integral part of Pancoast's stage show, and, as such, prospective Crew members must have professional dance training or experience dancing on stage. Judy is looking for boys and girls between the ages of 12 and 17 who love to perform, are comfortable with young children and are energetic, enthusiastic and fun-loving! You must be available to travel around New England this summer.

Teens of all shapes and sizes are encouraged to attend. Being “Disney Perfect” is not necessary, but a positive attitude is a must.

Past Judy Crews have accompanied the singer to perform at the New York Kids 4 Kids Carnival and Robert DeNiro's Tribeca Street Fair in New York City, among other shows.

Come prepared to learn a short routine and demonstrate your dancing skills. You must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian. You will meet other members of the team and be able to learn first-hand about their experiences performing with Judy. Please note that there is no monetary compensation for being on the Judy Crew, but travel expenses for overnight stays are covered and meals are provided for day trips.
Although car-pooling is often arranged, Crew members are responsible for their own transportation to rehearsals and shows.

For more information, email Judy@judypancoast.com.

It Was a Wonderful Time!

2011-03-07T17:41:00.000-05:00

By now you probably know that I didn't take home the Grammy, but I want to thank Pete Seeger for winning because it was much easier to save face when losing to a LIVING LEGEND. And I was okay. It was the most glamorous and exciting weekend of my life and I got to share it with my whole family and everything went swimmingly. I want to thank everyone who prayed for me, for our safe trip and everything....and sure enough, I'm home now, and I can still sing!

In fact, I've already begun work on the next CD, which, after long negotiations with the North Pole, will be entitled "Judy Pancoast Presents Christmas with Mrs. Claus." I have had a close personal relationship with the dear lady ever since I began producing her TV show here in NH back in 2004. You can take peep at a portion of that show here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWFbXPZ90vo and it will give you some idea about what an enthusiastic person Mrs. Claus is, and she's very excited about this new venture.

I've also been booking shows for spring and summer, which is always a big project and does not get easier every year, as you might think. With Arts funding and support for libraries being cut right and left, and donations to festivals and community celebrations down it is harder and harder for people like me to make a living. But that's okay, because I've got my biggest project ever in the works ...the "Weird Things are Everywhere!" multi-media stage show for theaters and performing arts centers. I'm working with some brilliant young production designers and this is going to be an unbelievably fun show, with cool stuff to see AND hear along with me and the Judy Crew Dancers. We're premiering the show at the Regent Theater in Arlington, MA on April 23. You can find out more about that here: http://www.regenttheatre.com/tickets_events/2011/04

If you want me to come to your town this spring or summer then please know that my best booking agent is WORD OF MOUTH! Talk to your librarian, fair or festival presenter or parks and rec person about me and send them to my website. My best bookings come from fan referrals! And thank you from the bottom of my heart.

To God be the Glory

2011-02-09T08:37:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking about this a lot, of course. What will it be like to be the one sitting there in the audience as they announce the nominees and waiting to see if it's my name in that envelope. I'm sure my blood pressure will be sky high. For two months I managed to be pretty cool, saying, "Well, I'm probably not going to win, but I'll get nominated again. Now that my work has been recognized, I'll get nominated again..."
But then lately all of the people I see are saying "I know you're gonna win!" and stuff like that, and I'm beginning to worry, because of course, deep down, I really do want to take home that statue. I want to bring it to show all my friends and family and all the people who have supported me. I want to post pictures of it on FB so you can all see it. I want to put it on my mantle and be able to see it every day and think, "Yeah....all these years of making music have been validated in a big way."
I want to show it to the little kids and say, "Look! I got a trophy!"

Of course I do, it's just really hard to admit it, because then there's more of a chance of feeling bad if my name is not called. Even just writing about it here is a risk because I'll look really stupid if they don't call my name. So it's better just to say I don't really care. HA.

As I said, I've been thinking about this a lot. The whole insanity of the nomination....how I dreamed of it when I was young, and how as every year of music has gone by I have felt that I was further and further away from the possibility of it happening. How when I turned 50 I cried all day, thinking my chance had passed and it was all downhill from there.
Every year of music....

And then it dawned on me. Every year of my life I have had the ability and the joy of making music. Even when I was little, before piano lessons, singing was what I did. All the time. My father sang to me when I was a baby and a toddler in his lap, and my mother always had the radio or the stereo on and would sing in her crazy wild way. And I sang with them. My mother bought me my first 45, "Georgy Girl," because I knew all the words from hearing it on the radio. I sang in front of an audience for the first time on the stage in the basement of Notre Dame School in Waterville, Maine. I sang "Those Were the Days." (nobody ever said I probably shouldn't sing a song about a tavern in a Catholic school...ha ha!" I have to laugh thinking of it now.) In my teenage years I went to church with my father and during the hymns he would whisper in my ear, 'Sing louder, Judy...sing louder!" cause he just loved it when people would turn around to see who was singing, and I loved making my Daddy proud.

The point is, I can take no credit for being able to sing, to make music. I can take no credit that writing songs came naturally to me. I can only give God the glory.

There have been miracles in my life, for sure. I'll tell you about them sometime if you want. But I only just recently, with all this Grammy madness, realized that the biggest miracle in my life is that I can sing. That I can make myself and other people happy by singing, and none of it was my doing in the first place. For whatever reason, God decided that I should be one of the lucky ones to get that ability. He gave that same ability to many of you who are reading this, and I've had the sheer joy of singing and making music with many of you. All because of God's grace.

SO whatever happens on Sunday, to God be the glory, because without God's grace, none of this would be happening. I'm not gonna pray that I win, because I don't think that's the kind of prayer God wants to hear. I'll just be thanking Him (or Her, if you will) for what I've already got. I want to remember that, to keep that in my heart, cause even if I come home on Monday without a trophy, I'll still be able to sing. Thanks be to God.

In Defense of Children's Music

2011-02-02T13:41:00.006-05:00

A few years ago I met Livingston Taylor after a show he performed at the Mall of New Hampshire. I purchased one of his CDs and told him that I was a children's musician, to which he blithely responded, "There's no such thing as children's music. All music can be for children." At the time I was somewhat taken aback. After all, I've always felt that music written for children should be child-centered, with lyrics about a child's world. I don't know about you, but I don't know of too many adults who have gone bug hunting or enjoyed princess stories or used their imaginations to swim in jello unless they were with kids. And while I do think that most music can be shared with children, and they may enjoy it, I suspect that they enjoy it more when it's about something they can relate to, just as with adults.

But lately I'm beginning to think that Livingston Taylor was prophetic, because I keep reading the blogs of children's music "pundits" who rhapsodize about children's music "that doesn't drive parents crazy" and children's music that "doesn't make parents want to pull their hair out." And recently I had a video rejected by "jitterbug.tv" because the guy who runs it said, "I just don't see much here for the parents." Well EXCUSE me, silly me! I thought this was about the KIDS!!

It used to be that if a child loved something, the parents loved it too because it made their children happy. But now the tables have turned,. Now, it seems, a kid can't love music unless their parents love it too.

When Emma was little someone gave her a set of cassettes by "Judy and David" that featured endless hours of traditional children's music like "The Noble Duke of York" and "Old MacDonald." Was I crazy about them? Not really. But Emma LOVED them so we played them over and over until the tapes wore out. I used to take her and Louisa to concerts by Maine's Rick Charette. Did "Alligator in the Elevator" offer something for me? Nothing but the pure joy of watching my kids, and hundreds of others, sing and dance around like fools.

Still, the trend in children's music today is toward music which has to appeal to parents as well, so you get a lot of "indie" rock music (now called "kindie") that makes parents feel "hip" and like they are raising cool kids who are "hip" as well. I'm not sure but I think this may have started with "KidzBop," those insidious renditions of pop songs "sanitized" and sung by kids that have sold a jillion copies. Then along came the musicians with "rock cred" who'd had indie rock bands but had now turned to writing music for kids. That's great! There's room for everybody here. But where is the variety? Where is the gentle, foolish, silly music that only kids love? Don't kids get to have their OWN tastes? Their OWN things that are special just for them? It seems these hipster parents will never expose their children to "Old MacDonald" unless it's done rock-style. Frankly, I'm a little worried about Winken, Blinken and Nod, to be honest.

I guess I'm making a case for my own music here, which has always been about the kids. There have been some parents who have told me they love my music as much as their kids do, and while I appreciate that, there have been some parents who have told me they are sick of hearing my music, as they laugh and say how many times they've had to listen to a particular song in a row. I'm okay with that, too. I'm aiming at the kids, and if they love it, then I'm doing my job.

There are many wonderful children's musicians out here who are the farthest thing from "kindie" but have made zillions of children happy....people like Barry Louis Polisar, Bobby Susser, Joanie Bartels, Marla Lewis, Steve Blunt, Katherine Dines, Mr. Billy, Patricia Shih, and many more that you can find out about at the Children's Music Network (http://www.cmnonline.org.) We can't let their art, their truly child-centered art, be lost in the "kindie" trend. So yeah, I love rock music for kids and would probably be getting my kids into the music of Justin Roberts if they were still the right age, but we'd also be listening to the artists I mentioned above. Because while some children's music can appeal to parents, it really shouldn't HAVE to.

Why Music Education Must be Mandatory in Schools

2011-01-26T08:38:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I did something I have never done before. I went to the NH State House to speak before the House Education Committee regarding HB 39, a bill that would remove Technology Education, Health Education, World Languages, and Arts Education from the mandated core curriculum in our public schools. As the Representative who wrote the bill said, it would not mean that schools couldn't teach those subjects, it just means they don't HAVE to. Can you imagine how ludicrous this is? Under the guise of "local control" a local school board could choose to cut TECHNOLOGY education, for crying out loud, if they had to make budget cuts. But for me, the part of this bill I'm most passionate about is the notion of cutting funding for arts education. That's why I decided to go to Concord and speak.

I posted my remarks on my Facebook page, but for those of you who don't "do" Facebook, I'll post them here as well:

My name is Judy Pancoast, and I am a resident of Goffstown and a 2011 Grammy Award nominee.

I’m here to speak in anecdotal form about my opposition to H.B. 39.

In 1973, when I was 13 years old, I was bullied mercilessly by the kids in my Jr. High School because I was the fat girl. At home I spent hours playing the piano and singing and making up songs, which brought me relief from the daily torture I experienced. At school no one wanted to sit with me at lunch, so I used to sneak into the music room and play the piano and sing.

One day, the chorus teacher walked into the room as I was singing. Next thing I knew, with his encouragement, I was singing a solo in the spring concert. I would never have been able to do it without his help and confidence in me. That teacher changed my life. Soon I was no longer just the fat girl…. I was the girl who could sing and write songs. Throughout the rest of Jr. High and High School I took every music class offered and participated in chorus and band. I was fortunate that my high school offered music theory and music history courses as well as performing groups. Eventually I went on to study music in college. I have made a living as a professional musician ever since, and I have traveled and performed in 49 US States and abroad because of music. In two weeks I will be attending the Grammy Awards ceremony as a nominee, and, in 1997, I was honored by the New Hampshire State Senate for my work as a children’s musician. I am also a juried member of the Arts in Education roster of the NH State Council on the Arts. I am sure that none of this would have happened without that first music teacher’s encouragement and my subsequent public school music education and experiences.

To me, Music was not just a core curriculum subject it was THE core curriculum subject. Although I excelled in other academic areas they never held the interest for me that my music courses did. I was one of millions of kids through the years who go to school because of the chance to make music. In fact, many children find their only opportunity to learn music and learn to play an instrument at school. And many children find in the arts not only a place where they are accepted and a refuge from bullying, but a lifelong passion and a career.

It is a well known fact that when economic times are tough music programs are the first to be cut. If music education is not mandatory in our schools then how many children like me will lose their chance to grow and shine and benefit their communities and the world?
Just imagine a world with no music because there is no one to make it; then it should be easy to understand why arts education must be a substantive part of a child’s education. I am here as living proof.

Musings on Weird Things

2011-01-12T10:45:00.000-05:00

I was thinking yesterday about what I had to do over four years to get this album completed, and the thing that first sprang to mind is all the stuff I sold on Ebay to finance it. As an indie musician there is no "big money" behind me so I had to come up with every cent to pay for it, and believe me, I didn't skimp as you can probably tell from the production values on the CD. I wanted everything to be just right...an album I could say is truly the best I have to offer. So I sold my treasures...including ancient Barbie dolls I'd had since I was little and my set of ceramic buildings from "Mitford," the wonderful little town in the "Father Tim" books I love so much from Jan Karon, among other things. These are things that were very important to me, but I told myself at the time that doing the thing I love the best now and moving forward with my creative life was more important than holding on to material things and memories from the past. But I have to admit, it wasn't easy selling those things. Still I was happy while working on the CD with my producer and one of my dearest friends, Jim West, and I was excited about my idea of a concept CD that would take kids on a journey across the USA with me. I've just loved traveling and discovering new things in this amazing country and I wanted to get kids excited about learning all about our great country and the many wonderful and varied treats it has to offer.

It would be a lie to say I wasn't also apprehensive, though. I was doing a concept CD, something that is rarely done anymore in this age of downloading single songs, and I had all kinds of doubts: "Is it boring? Am I doing okay on the narration? Does it make sense? WILL KIDS ACTUALLY LIKE IT?" Jim had to reassure me at just about every session, but he's really good at that and bringing out the absolute best in me, so we forged on.

Now, the CD has been out there for a year, and it has done more than I ever expected it to do. Lookie here:

*Paula Slade from Examiner.com called it a "one-of-a-kind" CD and said it was an "engaging musical road trip," plus:

All in all, Weird Things are Everywhere is a very special trip for children ages five through 10 that offers plenty of entertainment and packs an educational punch perfect for classrooms and home school families.

* It received a coveted STARRED review in School Library Journal, which said I was a "vocal chameleon" (my kids are so sick of hearing me say that!) and:

The focus on literacy and reading, the fun segues between songs, and the performer's superb voice makes this an excellent choice for use in a school setting.

*Amber Bobnar from BostonChildrensMusic.com said it was one of the 12 best children's CDs of the year!

aaaaaannnnnnndddddddd....

There IS that little matter of a GRAMMY NOMINATION!!!

So, all in all, I'd say it was good decision to sell that stuff.
Still, the indie musician struggle goes on. A Grammy Award nomination does not instantly make one rich, so now begins the matter of buying the plane tickets, paying for the hotel, finding a DRESS to wear on the red carpet and all that stuff. And I wasn't expecting to have this kind of expense in the quiet month of January so I didn't exactly plan ahead! We should all have such troubles, huh? That's easy for you to say....you don't have MY husband who is peering over my shoulder every second saying, "How are we gonna pay for all this?"
I swore to him this morning that I would do it, just like I've managed to do all the other stuff...the CD, the tour, etc. etc.
So my point is? I need to sell CDs...lots of CDs...between now and the end of January. Would you consider purchasing one? Is there a child in your life who has a birthday any time this year? How about getting that end of year teacher gift out of the way now? Is there a librarian you know who has a small budget but would LOVE to have a CD that's been given a starred review in School Library Journal? Buy one for your special niece, your Godchild, the kid next door....
It's $15 and that includes the shipping and handling. You can pay through PayPal or send me a check. For the details, click here: http://judypancoast.com/tune_room_store.htm

You can also get them at Amazon.com and at CDbaby.com but the only place you can get a personally autographed one is from my website or at one of my shows. Plus buying it directly from me means you aren't giving any of your hard earned money to a middleman.

Thank you once again for supporting my music and helping to make my dreams come true!

Somewhere there is a child.....

2010-12-24T11:04:00.000-05:00

Somewhere out there, there is a child who will be alone tonight. While other children are leaving out cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, this child will be staring anxiously at the lights on the tree, hoping and praying that his or her parents will make it home safely from that Christmas party where too much alcohol is being served.

Somewhere there is a child who will be taken to a Christmas party where too much alcohol is being served, and she or he will probably witness some sort of fight or argument with tears and then have to pray all the way home that his or her drunk-driving parent will somehow miraculously get them all home alive. When they get home, he or she will fervently hope that they will go to bed and not scream or fight or cry o,r even worse, involve him or her in some alcohol fueled madness.

Somewhere there is a child who will go down to the tree on Christmas morning afraid to wake up his or her hung-over parents. And when they do wake up, they won't be in a very festive mood, or, worse yet, they will still be drunk from the night before. There may be tears /fights around the Christmas tree. This child is not excited, he or she is anxious and afraid and just wants it all to be over.

Somewhere there is a child who has lots of expensive presents waiting for him or her under the tree, whose parents think that all they have to do is buy stuff to make a nice Christmas, when all that kid really wishes and hopes and prays for every night is for his or her parents to STOP DRINKING.

How do I know these children are out there?

Because I was all of them at one Christmas or another.

Your children are learning everything about how to celebrate Christmas from YOU. Please don't drink this Christmas. Show them that it's possible to have fun without having alcohol to drink. It's the BEST gift you could ever give them.

Sincerely,
Judy

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT

2010-12-02T02:54:00.004-05:00

I'm just thrilled to announce that I have just received news that I've been nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Children's Album. I am absolutely over the moon!!!!!
I know I really don't stand a chance of winning but it really is true that it's a total thrill just to be nominated!!!!!

http://www.grammy.com/nomineesThe only other times in my life when I have been this filled with joy and excitement were the times I found out I was "with child." This is a dream I've had since I was 12 years old. I really just can't believe it!!!!
Thank you, my friends and fans, for supporting my music through the years!!

New Tour Page and Blog

2010-11-11T19:03:00.003-05:00

I've decided to revive a blog I began last year about The House on Christmas Street and use that as a tour update blog. I've also now got a brand new tour page on my website which is a hub for all things tour-related. You can get to the blog from that page. Please visit it here: http://http://judypancoast.com/2010_tour.htm
and please comment and keep in touch while I'm on the road. Who knows? Maybe I'll see YOU out there somewhere!

In the meantime, I'll continue to post things here that are non-Christmas related. It's just that right now in my life, EVERYTHING is Christmas related!! It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!

The House on Christmas Street International Tour 2010

2010-10-28T19:36:00.001-05:00

Here's the latest news on the tour:

There are two OFFICIAL tour sponsors:

The Official Internet Christmas Site Sponsor of the tour is Planet Christmas! This is the site that really made it happen for me back three years ago (has it only been three years?) Thank you Chuck Smith!

The Official Internet Christmas Music Station is www.LightFavorites.com. During the Christmas season they switch on the "Christmas Lite" ...The Christmas Lite broadcasts Christmas music 24/7 live from the North Pole, with Santa Claus as the DJ! Just click the link from The Lite Site to tune in.
They will be providing bumper stickers to give away and a banner for the tour.

The first stop on the tour is less than a month away, at Mitchell's Magic Christmas in Claremont, NH (www.claremonthchristmaslights.com) on November 27th. I'd love to see it be a big hoopla, so if you are anywhere in the area please come on over! The concert begins at 6pm.

I would also like to mention the two "47-Thousand Twinkling Lights" level sponsors who have come forward. They are:
Dan Bicknase of Fairmont Lights: http://www.fairmontlights.com/

And Designs by JuJu (adorable machine embroidery designs for babies and children and the people who love them!) : http://www.designsbyjuju.com/

At each stop on the tour I will be autographing free color photos, holding trivia contests and dance contests for free CDs, and, of course, looking for a "manly man" to sing "Candy" with me. Check this out if you want to see what I'm talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5IPzF8cCtY

In short, it's going to be a blast!

One month from today I fly to the Toole Castle in England! More on that in the next update....

Judy

Composer and Performer of The House on Christmas Street..The OFFICIAL theme song of Planet Christmas!

WANTED: Sponsors for the "The House on Christmas Street International Tour 2010" Christmas related businesses take note: Your company name, website and logo can be featured on Judy's website, tour t-shirts and more. For info, click here: http://judypancoast.com/sponsor_judy.htm

Support from individuals also GREATLY appreciated! Invest in a dream!!

The Singing Pumpkin

2010-09-30T10:33:00.000-05:00

Halloweeeeeeeen!

2010-09-30T10:27:00.003-05:00

Here in NH the leaves are doing their fall thing and it's starting to be really beautiful this year. In my own yard things look pretty dismal. I haven't taken the summer stuff in yet, and my perennial garden looks sad. I'm the dummy that managed to plant everything to bloom in high summer, and nothing is blooming now...in fact things are turning brown. Maybe I'll just put up a sign that says "Garden of the Dead" for Halloween this year!
Speaking of Halloween, I will be officially putting up my display outside and decorating inside over the next few days. I refuse to put anything up until the first of October, and then I go nuts!
Does your family get in the car during October and go around looking at the displays, like folks do at Christmas time? A lot of the same people who go nuts with the lights at Christmas also like to do it up at Halloween, and there are some pretty creative things going on out there. In fact....take a look at my next post to see what one ingenious decorator did with one of my songs!

I Love it Here

2010-09-25T14:33:00.004-05:00

I'm happy to be featured among the NH celebrities on the "I Love It Here" website for Visit NH. You can check out all the pictures here: http://www.nhdreamvacation.com/celebrities/

It's exciting to be featured with such NH notables as Tomie dePaula, Sarah Silverman and Tom Bergeron.

And it's true...I DO love it here in New Hampshire....and one of my favorite NH places is The Milford Drive-In!

Getting to Know the People on the Tour

2010-09-20T13:04:00.008-05:00

Just thought you might be interested in seeing the web pages for some of the places I'm going to be visiting on the "The House on Christmas Street International Tour 2010!"

In Tennessee: www.PlanetChristmas.com

In Wyoming: http://www.ajschristmasmagic.webs.com/

In Texas: http://twiceshy.webs.com/

Also in Texas: www.mainchristmasinelgin.com. and http://www.elgintx.com/xmas.asp

In Georgia: http://larrydrum.home.comcast.net/~larrydrum/christmashome.html

In North Carolina: www.LakeParkLights.com

Also in North Carolina: www.highcountrylights.com

In Washington: www.woodinvillewonderland.com

In Minnesota: http://www.fairmontlights.com/

In Pennsylvania: www.rephswinterwonderland.webs.com

Also in Pennsylvania:
http://www.moyerdisplays.com/index.html

In North Carolina: http://pilotmountainchristmas.com/

In Virginia: http://www.fredericksburglights.com

In Indiana: www.joneslights.com

And in New Hampshire: www.ClaremontChristmasLights.com

I can't wait to meet all these folks!

I'm happy to say...

2010-09-15T20:34:00.003-05:00

If you read my post the other day about the lovely and delightful waitress my husband and I met the other night who has musical aspirations then you will understand my excitement at receiving a link from her to a couple of videos she has on YouTube. They showcase her beautiful voice very well and I thought you might like to watch them, so here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvQqsXSrvJ8&NR=1

Isn't she great? Now she needs a band!!

Updated Tour Schedule

2010-09-15T09:05:00.006-05:00

I just updated the tour schedule yet again and I believe this will be the final itinerary. Still to come..details on the big finale in Orlando on CHRISTMAS EVE!! Stay tuned!

Saturday, November 27th

6pm

The Mitchell Homestead

16 Francis Street

Claremont, NH 03743

Wednesday, December 1

The Toole Castle

Manning Close

Wells, United Kingdom

Friday, December 3

12 noon

The Factory at Franklin Shopping Experience

Food Court

230 Franklin Rd
Franklin, TN 37064-2256
(615) 791-1777

Saturday, December 4

Christmas by the Tracks

Elgin, TX

Several performances at the gazebo throughout the day

and that evening a performance at

The Dennis Residence

806 N Main St.

Elgin, TX 78621

Sunday, December 5

6:30pm

The Brown Residence

6607 Avenue S

Lubbock, Texas 79412

Tuesday , December 7

The Hurlle Homestead

1003 N.W. 24th St.

Fruitland, Id 83619

Wednesday December 8

The Zembruski Residence

23620 NE 183rd St

Woodinville, WA 98077

Saturday, December 11

The Bicknase Homestead

1027 North Hampton street

Fairmont, Minnesota 56031

Sunday, December 12

The Jeffries Homestead

2112 NE Waterfield Drive

Blue Springs, Missouri(east side of Kansas City)

Monday, December 13

The Home of Indiana Jones (been dying to say that!)

11720 Gatwick View Dr.

Fishers, IN 46037

Tuesday, December 14

7pm

The Reph Homestead

198 Firehouse Lane

Nazareth, PA. 18064

Wednesday, December 15

6pm

The Moyer Residence

117 West Penn. Ave.

Cleona, PA 17042

Thursday, December 16

12 noon

Special appearance at Paul's Bakery in Fredericksburg...more details to come~

5pm

The Shank Homestead

9410 Deep Creek Lane

Fredericksburg, VA 22407

Friday, December 17

Annual Driveway Party at the Joyce House

"The House on Christmas Street International Tour" CHARITY

2010-09-14T10:28:00.003-05:00

One of my other goals for the tour is to somehow improve each community I visit along the way by doing a concert there. To that end, I present the list of charities that my tour hosts are collecting for along the route. I'm honored to be a part of their efforts to make the world a better place:

The Mitchells, Claremont, NH: Children's Hospital at Dartmouth

The Browns, Lubbock, TX: South Plains Food Bank.
http://www.spfb.org/site/c.lgLQIVOyGpF/b.5475427/k.5CCB/South_Plains_Food_Bank.htm

The Hurles, Fruitland, ID: Food drive for two local Senior Centers and CASA, Court Appointed Special
Avocates for children.

The Zembruskis, Woodinville, WA: Special Olympics of Washington

The Jones' of Torrington, WY: The ALS Association

The Charpiats of Pilot Mt., NC: The Pilot Mountain Outreach Center

The Greers of Conway, SC: St. Jude's Children's Hospital

The Drums and their neighbors in Cumming, GA: Family Haven a local Forsyth County battered woman's (and children's) support center, shelter and legal aid group. We will be collecting cash and supplies for their shelter.
https://www.forsythcountyfamilyhaven.info/Home.html

The Bicknase's in Fairmont, MN: The Salvation Army

The Moyer's of Cleona, PA: Shining Light http://shining-light.com/.

The Jones' of Fishers, IN: Humane Society for Hamilton County, a non-kill humane society that is very
overcrowded.

The Bottomleys of Ennice, NC: Glade Creek Volunteer Fire Department

The Walkers of Winter Park, FL: Give Kids the World where a lot of the Make A Wish Children go when they
wish to go to Disney World

The Jeffries' of Blue Spring, MO: The Salvation Army

The Browns of Indian Trail, NC: the Union County Christmas Bureau:
http://www.co.union.nc.us/HumanServices/SocialServices/ChristmasBureau.aspx

XTRA 99.1 in Gloucester, VA: The Peninsula Food Bank.

And the Holiday by the Tracks event in Elgin will help to support various local non-profits through the sale of decorated Christmas trees.

And coming soon, an announcement about how YOU can help a major children's charity during this tour....

The Fall-Back Plan ...a Fear-based Notion

2010-09-12T14:11:00.003-05:00

The other day my husband and I were enjoying a dinner out and got into a conversation with our lovely waitress (it was rather late in the evening and the restaurant was quieting down). Turns out she is an aspiring singer who dreams of making it big. She's waitressing in Manchester, NH and trying to decide what her next move should be. So I asked her if she had a demo, and she's going to work on one. And I asked her if she had a pro FB page, or a website, and she doesn't. And I asked her if she writes songs, and she said she used to but hadn't in a while. So I said, "What are you doing to make your dream come true?" and she said not much, really because, she said, she is afraid to fail. And right now she is stuck in the day-to-day of waitressing, seeing her friends and her boyfriend, paying the bills and so forth. She needs desperately to get unstuck before today's choices become tomorrow's stumbling blocks.

I've had conversations like this with young people before, and it always drives me kinda crazy because I wish that someone like me had spoken to me 30 years ago. What I mean is...I wish someone older had really encouraged me to GO FOR IT in a big way and not be afraid.

I was not raised to GO FOR IT. Without disparaging my parents, who did, in fact, give me the gift of piano lessons, I have to admit that they were not the type of people who thought of the possibilities outside of our home. I was discouraged from going to college ( I went anyway, thanks to my sister) and the first time I was invited to go to another town to sing (at a church) was when I was 19 years old and my mother absolutely refused to let me go because she was afraid something bad might happen to me. I don't want to go any more into my upbringing than that; I just want to say that I wasn't raised with "wings." I was raised with fear. Wings were something I had to grow on my own, and it took me a looooong time to develop the confidence that is needed to make it big in the performing arts world.

When I did get the chance to go to college, I was told by several of my high school teachers that I should study Music Education, because I should have a "fall back plan." I wish I'd never heard those words, because (as I've learned later in life) they are based on fear. You're afraid you're gonna fail at what you're good at and what you love, so you plan something solid for when you do fail. You know what? If you have a fall-back plan, you fall back. You never work hard enough at your dream to make it come true.

It ended up that though I spent three years in the Music Ed. program, I never got a degree in Music Ed. I dropped out after my Junior year when I accidentally became a radio deejay (that's a story for another time). I worked at a radio station and sang at a piano bar for a year, and when I went back to school and got my degree it was a Bachelor's in Music. I still had a fall-back plan, but now it was radio and not teaching.

At the age of 26, having worked in radio full-time for several years and singing "on the side," I finally got up the guts to leave Maine and move to Nashville and try to make it there. I had radio as my fall-back plan (oh, and a husband by that time too!). I was so terrified and intimated by all the excellent musicians around me that I hardly dared to open my mouth to say I was a songwriter, let alone go on auditions. I finally did audition for the famed Bluebird Cafe, got a slot on open mic night and was received well enough that I was invited back. Meanwhile, the radio station I worked for went bankrupt and, in a panic because I needed that fall-back plan, I got another radio job outside of Nashville which involved our leaving the state and I never got that chance to play at the Bluebird again. Fear, fear, fear. If I'd known then what I know now, I would have lived on the street to get the chance to play at the Bluebird again. Who knows what might have happened?

I'm not sure if I'm expressing myself eloquently enough here, but I guess the real point I'm trying to make is that if you are reading this, and you have a dream, you need to be courageous, not fearful. Forget the dang fall-back plan. Yes, you need to earn a living, but do something (like waitressing, if need be) that you are not invested in and spend ALL of your free time working on your passion to make your dream come true. There is no blueprint for making it in the performing arts world, but if you are dedicated, courageous and willing to take chances, you will find your way.

So I never got to be as famous as Madonna (who I believe does not have a fearful bone in her body) but I finally got the guts to make the leap and go into music full-time just 15 years ago...and I have never regretted it. My only regret is that I was not courageous enough when I was young to really go for the gold. Now, however, I've learned how to take risks and go out on limbs to try to make my career bigger...which is why I'm going on this nutty tour in December. I'm still hoping for that hit record, and if it never happens then at least I will know when I'm 97 years old that I tried as much as I could and I never gave up, and that's the legacy I leave for my children and maybe my grandchildren.

I'll probably never be invited to speak at a college commencement, but if I did I would say to the graduates: Don't have a fall-back plan!! The world is filled with gifted people who have fallen back. You are young, you are talented and you have no encumbrances....put all of your energies into developing your talent into a career and take every chance and every risk and never sit by the phone afraid to pick it up and make that call, and never be afraid to walk through that door or ask that person for help. BE COURAGEOUS.

I would end that speech with my favorite quote in the whole world, and I hope you take it to heart....
"Of what use is a dream if not a blueprint for courageous action?"

The Official Line Up for the "The House on Christmas Street" Tour

2010-08-31T08:32:00.004-05:00

It's all set. In case you missed my other post, this year I've decided to do something really big to try to push "The House on Christmas Street" into the mainstream. It's been beloved and promoted by Christmas decorating enthusiasts all over the place, and I've figured out a way to say "Thanks" to them, bring attention to the song and help out some charitable organizations along the way.
Starting on Nov. 27th I will be touring the land (and even going to the UK) and doing outdoor concerts at the homes of people who use my song in their animated lighting displays. I am doing this at no charge to the homeowners except that they have to provide lodging and they are expected to work on publicity for their event. At each stop we will be collecting donations for some local or national charity.
Everyone on this list invited me, and it's taken a while to put it all together, but here it is:

Saturday, November 27th

6pm

The Mitchell Homestead

16 Francis Street

Claremont, NH 03743

Wednesday, December 1

The Toole Castle

Manning Close

Wells, United Kingdom

Friday, December 3

12 noon

The Factory at Franklin Shopping Experience

Food Court

230 Franklin Rd
Franklin, TN 37064-2256
(615) 791-1777

Saturday, December 4

Christmas by the Tracks

Elgin, TX

Several performances at the gazebo throughout the day

and that evening a performance at

The Dennis Residence

806 N Main St.

Elgin, TX 78621

Sunday, December 5

6:30pm

The Brown Residence

6607 Avenue S

Lubbock, Texas 79412

Tuesday , December 7

The Hurlle Homestead

1003 N.W. 24th St.

Fruitland, Id 83619

Wednesday December 8

The Zembruski Residence

23620 NE 183rd St

Woodinville, WA 98077

Friday, December 10

The Jones Residence

211 Lupine Drive

Torrington, Wyoming 82240

Saturday, December 11

The Bicknase Homestead

1027 North Hampton street

Fairmont, Minnesota 56031

Sunday, December 12

The Jeffries Homestead

2112 NE Waterfield Drive

Blue Springs, Missouri(east side of Kansas City)

Monday, December 13

The Home of Indiana Jones (been dying to say that!)

11720 Gatwick View Dr.

Fishers, IN 46037

Tuesday, December 14

The Reph Homestead

198 Firehouse Lane

Nazareth, PA. 18064

Wednesday, December 15

The Moyer Residence

117 West Penn. Ave.

Cleona, PA 17042

Thursday, December 16

The Shank Homestead

9410 Deep Creek Lane

Fredericksburg, VA 22407

Friday, December 17

Annual Driveway Party at the Joyce House

School Library Journal Gives "Weird Things" a STARRED review

2010-07-31T21:25:00.001-05:00

I'm just honored and so happy to let you know that School Library Journal has given my latest CD, "Weird Things are Everywhere!" a starred review in their August issue!
This is one of the most wonderful things that's happened in my career and a great reward for all the hard work I put into the CD over four years, but a raft of credit has to go to my producer and co-conspirator, Jim West of West Sound and Video in Londonderry, NH. He's THE best!!

Multimedia Reviews: VIDEO/DVD/AUDIO

More About My Great In-Laws: Nick's Ride for Kids

2010-07-27T12:10:00.003-05:00

My wonderful brother-in-law, Nicholas Pancoast, is the GeneralManager for the Hampton Inn, Boston Logan Airport and the Area Director of Operations for The Linchris Hotel Corporation. He will be riding his bicycle 630 miles in 10 days in an effort to raise funds for three New England Children’s Hospitals.

On September 3rd Nick will leave the northwest tip of New Hampshire and spend the next 10 days traveling to all 22 Linchris hotels throughout New England. He will leave Littleton, NH, riding along northern Vermont from St. Johnsbury to Colchester. He will then ascend down the western part of the state through Rutland and over to the east side in Springfield, at which point, Nick will then re-enter the state of New Hampshire. He will ride along the southern border from Keene to Manchester and visit Salem before entering Massachusetts. Nick will cover the east coast, stopping at 13 Massachusetts hotels before ending his ride in Provincetown, at the tip of Cape Co. on September 12th. Nick will also visit the three children’s hospitals along the way and I will be doing concerts for the kids at all the hospitals as well.

This is a wonderful project and I am so proud of him. I hope you will support his efforts by visiting his site and leaving a note of encouragement, and perhaps donating as well. The website is http://www.nicksrideforkids.com/

Thanks!

The International Appalachian Trail

2010-07-27T10:28:00.003-05:00

As you know, the name of this blog is "Judy's Notes, Musical and Otherwise." Today's entry is one that fall into the heading of "Otherwise."
I'm so proud of my father-in-law, Richard Anderson, that I want to share this article with you. Richard has been in my life for 25 years and during that time I have learned so much from him; most importantly, that no idea is ever too big to accomplish if you forge ahead and create a team to help you. And that even if people snicker at your idea, if you believe in it and work hard you can prove them wrong.
You'll understand exactly what I mean when you read this article:

	THIS STORY HAS BEEN FORMATTED FOR EASY PRINTING

VOICES

Across the great divides

A movement is afoot to extend the Appalachian Trail all the way to Morocco

By Alex Beam, Globe Columnist | July 23, 2010

Not so long ago, South Carolina’s “love guv’’ Mark Sanford extended the Appalachian Trail when he claimed to be hiking the famous Maine-to-Georgia path, while in fact he was dallying with his mistress in Argentina. Catcalls and guffawing ensued.

Now there is talk of pushing the AT beyond its northward endpoint, Maine’s Mount Katahdin, through the geological continuation of the Appalachian range, which rises in Labrador, Greenland, Iceland, Scotland, Ireland, Portugal, and Morocco. And yes, a bit of tittering has been heard.

Author Simon Winchester, who lives near the trail in Sandisfield, explains the geology for us: “About 350 million years ago, there was a huge mountain building episode on the supercontinent Pangea, before the Atlantic Ocean came into being. It occurred in the Appalachians, along Nova Scotia and the West Coast of Scotland, all the way into central Morocco,’’ says Winchester, whose next book, a “biography’’ of the Atlantic, will be released this fall. “This great arc was created, so yes, there is a geological symmetry between the Appalachians and the Atlas Mountains in northern Africa.’’

Whose idea was the International Appalachian Trail? “It was my idea,’’ says Richard Anderson, Maine’s former conservation commissioner. Anderson and a group of like-minded Canadian colleagues have already tacked on AT hiking trails in New Brunswick, Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland/Labrador. Now they have begun discussions with hiking types in the British Isles and elsewhere about creating a geologically correct Appalachian Trail.

“Thinking beyond borders is our basic philosophy,’’ Anderson says. “We’re not trying to sell anything, we’re just proposing the idea.’’ They’ve had positive responses from Spain, and will be talking to the Norwegians about trekking on the Svalbard archipelago next month. “We’re waiting for somebody from Morocco to call us,’’ Anderson says.

Anderson and his crew say they aren’t exactly “extending’’ the AT, which has federally protected status and is co-managed by the National Park Service and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Brian King, associate director of the Harpers Ferry, W.Va.-based ATC, wrote in an e-mail that “we do not support any of the talked-about extensions of our responsibilities (there is a proposal from Alabamans) for a number of reasons, not least of which being we and our volunteers have all we can handle right now in present and planned programs.’’

Winchester recently attended an International Appalachian Trail gathering in Maine, and reports that “they are the most wonderful enthusiasts. Most of them are geologists or scientists, and who is going to complain about the idea of walking, anyway? One can envision the Northern Irish walking community working with the Republic of Ireland on a trail from the North Antrim coast to County Cork. It would be another way to bring peace and harmony between Northern and Southern Ireland.’’

What about the many bodies of water that have interposed themselves among the Appalachian mountains during the past 200 million years? “That is a bit of a problem,’’ Winchester allows. “Hiking the whole thing would require a logistical sleight of hand, and several short-hop airplane rides. But it’s doable, and someone will do it. Maybe Bill Bryson [author of the mega-selling AT book, “A Walk in the Woods’’] will do it and be eaten by a camel.’’

I hope not!

Rain Rain ...

2010-07-09T18:30:00.002-05:00

This summer the Massachusetts libraries are using the theme "Go Green" for their Summer Reading Programs. My presentation is called "Come Outside and Play" and it encourages kids to spend more time outdoors, because I believe that fostering a relationship between children and the Earth will help them become more invested in its care. I presented this program twice yesterday, and it got me thinking....
It rained nearly every day in June 2009 here in NH....this summer things are quite a bit different. We've hardly had any rain at all, and you can tell by the looks of our front lawn...burned to a crisp. We don't believe in watering our lawn, but we do water the fruit trees, flower and vegetable gardens. We use a hose for the fruit trees and watering cans for the veggies and flowers.
Why am I telling you this?
Because it's important to conserve water, and nothing drives me crazier than driving down the street and seeing automatic (or even non-automatic) sprinklers going and WATERING THE SIDEWALK OR THE STREET!! You can probably tell that I've seen this quite a bit already this summer. Please... if you use a sprinkler make sure the water is falling on plants and not on tar.
And if you live somewhere where there is sparse rain please consider purchasing a rain barrel. They usually have them at the local hardware or agri-store. That way, when it DOES rain, you can recycle the rain you catch to water your growing things....or, as I say in my song "I Love the Rain," to wash your car.
Now, if it would only just rain.....

Another CRAZY Idea

2010-07-08T07:06:00.004-05:00

Since "The House on Christmas Street," (my tribute to the folks who decorate their houses to the MAX every Christmas season) has become such a hit with decorating enthusiasts I've been on a non-stop campaign to bring it to the attention of the mainstream public.

For those of you who don't know, the song is used in animated lighting displays at homes far and wide (even in Australia and Germany!). This phenomenon began in 2006 without my doing a thing...suddenly I began to discover videos of houses "playing" my song. At present there are 68 videos on YouTube alone and from what I hear this coming Christmas that number may more than double. Because of all of this I've networked with lots and lots of people in the Christmas decorating community and made many wonderful friends. Yes, there is a Christmas decorating community, and if this is news to you then you ought to visit some of their websites, like www.planetchristmas.com, www.lonestarholidays.com, www.doityourselfchristmas.com, and www.constantlychristmas.com. These folks think about decorating their houses 365 days a year!

Their enthusiasm for my song has led me to cook up a crazy plan to gain more attention for "The House on Christmas Street" this year. Time's a wastin' (I'll be 51- aaaaagh--on Sunday) and I decided I can't let another year go by without doing something wild to try to push it over the edge into bonafide Christmas-hitdom. So here's what I've planned.

This year I'm heading out in my 2004 Toyota Sienna (which already has over 300-K miles on it) and traveling from state to state to visit homes where the song is being used in a display. I'll be singing the song on the front lawn (driveway...roof...whatever!) at each house while their synchronized light show runs. I've got houses lines up in NH, NJ, PA, SC, FL, TX, AZ and WI so far! I told the folks that if they wanted me to show up and do this they have to get as much publicity going as they can for it via local radio, TV and newspapers. This is not a problem as a lot of the people who are into mega-decorating love publicity. I've had a couple of Christmas festivals invite me to perform along the way as well.

At the last stop I am going to go for the world record of the most times the same song has been sung in a row by one person. I've already applied to Guiness and am awaiting their approval.

I'm hoping you will want to be involved and maybe brainstorm some kind of promotion for this. If you use the song in a display and would like a visit, send me your email address and we'll talk about it. If there is a Christmas festival in your town that might be looking for entertainment, let me know about it. And when I publish the schedule, if there's a performance near you, come out and meet me! If you have a good idea of another way to promote the song, I'm all ears!

You probably think I'm nuts...and you're right! I'm not getting any younger and I've been in the music business professionally since the age of 16. My dream is to make this song a perennial Christmas hit. I'll do just about anything to make it happen!

Bless you for your support in 2009. I hope we can do something together this year!

Oh..and by the way...for the latest most up-to-date news about this and other Judy Pancoast stuff, please join my fan page on Facebook.
THANKS!

BUSY Summer! How's Yours Going?

2010-07-07T17:43:00.002-05:00

Hi Everybody...
My summer has taken off at a whirlwind pace. Has yours? It just seems to be flying by. I do try to take a couple of minutes whenever I pull into my driveway to take a look at my perennial garden, however. It's in full bloom right now and it's really beautiful. I keep reminding myself that these are the moments I look forward to all winter and I should really take the time to enjoy them now!
I'm very excited about the NH debut of my new band, The Groovy Dudes, tomorrow night in Manchester, NH. I hope tons of people come out! It's going to be a great time!
Later this month I'll be heading down to Gloucester, VA for a "Christmas in July" concert sponsored by XTRA 99.1. I'm really looking forward to meeting a lot of my fans down there. XTRA 99.1 plays "The House on Christmas Street" every Christmas season and it's a big hit down there, so it should be a packed house and I can't wait!
Please visit my calendar to see my schedule and plan to take the kids to one of my concerts this summer. It's always more fun for me when you're there!
Happy Summer!
Judy

HOCS at Walt Disney World? You Can Help!

2010-06-24T05:37:00.006-05:00

A thoughtful fan and friend came up with the idea of starting a Facebook campaign to see if we could get Walt Disney World to add "The House on Christmas Street" to their Holiday Spectacle of Lights. You can help by "liking" the FB page and sharing it with your friends! Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Ho...3795641?ref=mf
Thanks! And remember to share it if you like the song!

Toy Story 3 WARNING

2010-06-23T08:41:00.005-05:00

Has it really been nearly FIFTEEN years since the first Toy Story movie arrived at the cinema and knocked us off our feet with its brilliance and touching story?

Gosh! In 1995 my children were SIX and 18 months old. Louisa got a Woody and a Buzz Lightyear from Santa that Christmas. I was a "young" mother and my husband and I were relative newlyweds who had just celebrated our tenth anniversary.

Fast forward, and I do mean F-A-S-T, and here we are in 2010...a futuristic sounding year if there ever was one. I bring the "kids," now TWENTY and SIXTEEN, to see Toy Story 3. Emma has only one year left of college, and Louisa is half-way through high school. I'm now OVER 50, and I shudder to think what my hair would look like if I didn't color it. My husband and I will celebrate our 25th anniversary next year.

In the "Toy Story" universe, Andy is all grown up and heading off to college. The toys are anxious...what will become of them now? He's been saving the ones who are nearest and dearest to him in his toybox, but now Mom wants him to clean out his room so his little sister can move in. The main thrust of the movie is the question of where Andy's, and our, dear toy friends will wind up.

This cuts a little too close to the bone for me. By the end of the movie, buckets of tears are cascading down my face. Where has the time gone?

And did I really have the stupidity to donate Woody and Buzz to our church yard sale a few years ago? WHAT WAS I THINKING!!!

The weird thing is that there's a whole generation of kids who don't even know about about Woody and Buzz and the gang. I made an "alien" voice: "The Claw! He has been chosen! He must go!" to a child the other day and she had no idea what I was talking about! The young mothers now were in their early teens when the first movie came out, and they probably didn't see it, so they have no interest in renting it for their kids. Now, with this new movie out, maybe Toy Story and Toy Story 2 will enjoy a well-deserved revival.

But if you were a young mother or father with little kids in 1995, and these movies are beloved enough by your family that they will want to see "Toy Story 3" even though they are no longer kids, then don't say I didn't warn you. It's a super movie that more than lives up to its predecessors, but bring lots of tissues!! Even my 20 year old was crying!

WIN TICKETS TO MY NEXT BIG SHOW

2010-06-22T21:40:00.002-05:00

The New England debut of my brand new back-up band, The Groovy Dudes, is Tuesday, June 29th at the Next door Theater in Winchester, MA, and you can win a family four pack of tickets from BostonChildrensMusic.com. All you have to do is visit her site here and post a comment about my music! It's easy! Someone's got to win...and maybe it will be you!

http://www.bostonchildrensmusic.com/win-free-tickets-to-see-judy-pancoast/

HOWDY TEXAS!

2010-06-17T19:51:00.002-05:00

I just had a total blast last weekend on a whirlwind trip to TEXAS to attend the Lonestar Holidays Annual Academy. This is a weekend where decorating enthusiasts from all over the state (and beyond) gather to learn and share the latest information and technology for synchronized and animated holiday displays, both home and commercial. I got a big Texas welcome when I sang "The House on Christmas Street" at the opening festivities..and everyone was just so nice. It's true what they say about Texas hospitality!
So thank you to all my new friends for making it a wonderful weekend for me. Hope to see you again next year!
YEEEEEHAW!
www.lonestarholidays.com

MAY I HAVE YOUR VOTE?

2010-06-13T08:04:00.003-05:00

Hi! I'm VERY excited that my latest CD, Weird Things are Everywhere, is on the list of potential nominees in the Nickelodeon Parents' Picks Awards for Best Kids' CD. I'm nominated to be nominated!
Now I need your vote! Please visit the site, register and vote for me. I'm up against some serious competition and I know this is a longshot and that's why every single vote counts. It will only take up about five minutes of your time but means the world to me, so please vote.
http://www.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/best-parents-picks-kids-music-cd

THANK YOU!

PARENTS' PICKS AWARDS!

2010-06-11T22:19:00.002-05:00

Voting is now going on...but only for 6 more days...for the Nickolodeon Parents' Picks Awards for Best Kids Music CD...and "Weird Things are Everywhere!" is on the list. Please vote for my CD so that I can be one of the nominees!!

Nominate Judy Pancoast for a Parents' Picks Award! http://www.parentsconnect.com/parents-picks/best-parents-picks-kids-music-cd?xrs=pp10-social-fbembed-parents-picks-kids-music-cd-PRODUCT-Judy-Pancoast&hl=Judy-Pancoast

THANK YOU!!!

The Silly Bandz Craze and what it Means!

2010-05-27T23:26:00.003-05:00

If you have ever been to one of my shows, then you know that I have a dear friend who is an alien named Google (he had the name first!) I met him many years ago when I was visiting Roswell, NM, the place where a flying saucer crashed way back in 1947. They say that one of the three aliens in that spaceship survived, and he was Google's grampy.
It has also been written that witnesses to the discovery of the crash site reported that they found a strange substance there. It looked like aluminum foil, but when crushed or twisted it would spring back to its previous shape as though it had never been touched....

Fast forward to 2010...when everywhere you look, kids are wearing Silly Bands on their wrists by the dozens. What are Silly Bands? Well, they are bracelets made of a material that, no matter how it is twisted or stretched, springs back to its original shape. These are made in cutesy shapes like animals, stars, and other things that would appeal to children.

Hmmmmmm.....it doesn't take a great mind to put two and two together here! I hypothesize that these silly bands are made from an alloy of the original material found at the Roswell crash site, and that they have been made to be attractive to children so that the little munchkins would turn them into a legitimate craze and EVERY kid would have to have some. Why? Because they contain a tracking device which will enable the little green men to find the children when they return to Earth in 2012.

Crazy theory.....or am I on to something? You decide. As for me.....
I WANT TO BELIEVE!

Random Musical Notes

2010-05-18T09:26:00.003-05:00

I'm just doing some paperwork here in my office and listening to random music on my iPod, and I'm actually here to admit that I really still like listening to some of the 90s boy bands. I'm listening to The Backstreet Boys right now, and they had some great love songs with terrific harmonies...like "I'll Never Break Your Heart" and "As Long as You Love Me." So even if the romance you had while listening to those songs ended in crashing horrible disaster and he (or she) did end up breaking your heart after all, the music is still good.
I got to know all of this music because my daughter Emma was just coming into her own musical tastes during that period, so she had all the boy band music and the Spice Girls, too. I remember that my husband took her to the movies to see the Spice Girls movie, and when they came home the first thing he said to me was, "What's not to like?" HA HA!!
I also really still enjoy listening to 98 Degrees.. that was Nick Lachey's band. He's become better known as the ex-husband of Jessica Simpson, but his little band with Drew made a really great CD that even featured a guest turn from Stevie Wonder and I confess I listen to that one a lot.
But the BEST band from the 90's is, without a doubt, HANSON!!! They're all grown up now and they are still rocking and I am delighted to say that Emma and I have been to see them eight times. If all you know them for is "Mmmm Bop" then you ought to look them up and listen to the music they're making now. I bet you'll like it!

Help for Haiti Still

2010-05-08T13:24:00.002-05:00

Hello again,
I was viewing footage of the flooding in Nashville this morning and it broke my heart a little bit. My husband and I were married in Nashville and spent the first year of our life together there. Although that was many years ago, it is still sad to see so many Nashville landmarks, such as the Grand Old Opry stage and the Opryland Hotel, damaged so badly. I understand that President Obama has declared the state an official disaster area, and many agencies are rushing to help. I am proud to say that the MusiCares arm of the National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences (the Grammy folks) has set up a relief fund and has organized fundraisers already. If you are interested in learning more, please click here.

In the meantime, the suffering goes on in Haiti as well. If you've been reading this blog, then you know that last month I participated in a benefit concert for Haiti on Long Island, and to date our little concert has raised $8,400 for Doctors without Borders. I would love to see that figure go up to ten grand! If you can help (no donation too small), please send a check or money order payable to "Doctors Without Borders" and send attn: Patricia Shih, Help for Haiti, PO Box 1554, Huntington, NY 11743 NO LATER than May 31.

Thank you very much!!

Judy's Tune Room on the Radio

2010-05-07T08:06:00.003-05:00

Have you been in Judy's Tune Room yet? That's my radio show for kids and families, which is produced by Jordan Shea, a student in the broadcasting program at Londonderry High School here in New Hampshire. It airs on their Low Power FM Stations, LEO 103, on Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8 and 11am. But no matter where you live you can hear it streaming live at this address http://www.londonderry.org/leo/leo103.cfm

We play fun music for kids and we have jokes and lots of silly stuff. Sooooooooo
I'm looking for your jokes, birthdays and special announcements, too. Please send them to me ASAP here at my website. I'll also be featuring a "Star of the Show" in Judy's Throne Room, and I'm looking for kids to celebrate. If you know a special kid who should be celebrated on the radio, let me know about him or her!

Thanks!

Judy Pancoast & the Groovy Dudes

2010-05-05T10:48:00.002-05:00

Hi...
Here's my biggest news to come along in a long time! I've started a band to play with me at some of my larger shows! The band is called The Groovy Dudes, and features Mary Gatterman on keyboard, Bob West on guitar, Maxx Arbuckle on bass and Tim Maxwell on drums. They are fantastic and you'll be seeing more about them soon on the website. In the meantime, please read what Boston Children's Music.com has to say about my new adventure!

I haven't updated my calendar in awhile...but don't worry. I'll be getting to it soon! Hope to see YOU sometime this summer!

Stuff you should know about

2010-04-16T18:12:00.005-05:00

Wow...I can't believe it's been almost a month since I've blogged. Guess I've gotten too hooked on Facebook. If you are on FB and would like to join my fan page there, you can find it here on Facebook.

But anyway, I wanted to tell you about a couple of things I know you'll like. I'm going to assume you'll like them, since you like me, and this is the kind of stuff I like. Does that make sense?
Anyhow, the first thing is this brand new song and video by Hanson. Yes, THAT Hanson. The three little brothers from the 90's are all grown up and still making fantastic music. Their new video totally rocks the house. You should watch it here:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=104317949

And last, but not least, did you know that April is National Poetry Month? I just discovered a new poet for children who writes wonderfully funny stuff reminiscent of Shel Silverstein. His name is Darren Sardelli and you can check out his poetry, his book and more about him (including how you can get him to come to your school) here:

http://www.laughalotpoetry.com/

I've got a lot of fun shows coming up this summer....watch the calendar on this site for the latest gig updates!
See you soon!

Funding for Your Judy Pancoast concert

2010-03-22T03:52:00.002-05:00

If you are affiliated with any kind of performing arts presenting organization, you should know that my concerts are eligible for NEST (New England States Touring) funding through the New England Foundation for the Arts. Don't let cost keep you from bringing music to the children of your community. Here's where to find all the info: http://www.nefa.org/grants_services/new_england_states_touring_nest

I'm Coming to Your House ...Maybe!

2010-03-17T19:07:00.002-05:00

I've decided to do something really special for the concert in Goffstown this Sunday. Goffstown is where I live so it has a special place in my heart, and this concert is to benefit the big 250th anniversary celebration next year. I really want them to do well, so in an effort to really pump up ticket sales I am giving away a special door prize....a free concert by "moi" at your house! If you have a child with a birthday coming up, a special celebration, or just want to host a block party...I'm your woman, and you can win the concert absolutely free just by attending this Sunday's concert!

Tickets are now on sale in Goffstown (NH) at Howe's Pharmacy, the Little Round House gift shop, Apotheca and King's Bowling Lanes. The concert starts at 1pm on Sunday and I'll be there with my Judy Crew...looking for you!

Info on my NEXT BIG SHOW

2010-03-05T08:51:00.002-05:00

WHAT:  Judy Pancoast & the Judy Crew
Concert to Benefit the Goffstown, New Hampshire 250th birthday celebration!


WHERE:  Goffstown, NH, Villa Augustina Rosary Hall
WHEN: Sunday, March 21, 1:00-3:00
COME HUNGRY: There will be a bake sale and coffee in the cafe to benefit the Villa's 8th grade class
PHOTO OPS:  Minuteman Tim will be there to say "Hello" and pose for photos 
TICKET INFO:  The tickets are $5 per person, all ages.  Tickets are 
on sale at Apotheca, Little Round House Gift Shop, and Howe's Pharmacy, all in Goffstown Village.

Help for Haiti: Island to Island, Heart to Heart

2010-03-01T03:37:00.000-05:00

Help for Haiti: Island to Island, Heart to Heart
Fundraiser for Haiti through Doctors Without Borders
and food collection for Long Island Cares
Sunday, April 11, 2010
at The Cinema Arts Centre, 423 Park Ave., Huntington, NY
2:00 family concert
6:00 evening adult concert
8:15 night time dance with a '50s and '60s rock and roll band and a 10-piece swing orchestra
Tickets to all events sold separately; $15 adults, $8 for under 12 years old PLUS non-perishable food item
Silent Auction with GREAT items!
Refreshments for sale
Participating Artists CD, books and merchandise sales table

Afternoon concert for families (NOT IN ORDER of performance):
Dr. Planet science singer
Paul Helou singer-songwriter
Hip Pickles drumming troupe
Lee Knight singer-songwriter
Judy Pancoast singer-songwriter
Darren Sardelli funny poet, MC
Patricia Shih with singer-songwriter
Dick Kniss bassist
Mike Soloway singer-songwriter
Nancy Tucker funny songs
Evening concert for adults (NOT IN ORDER of performance):
John Platt MC, WFUV-FM DJ
Arlon Bennett singer-songwriter
Ray Korona singer-songwriter
Kira, Bre, Josh and Jim Oshinsky singer-songwriters
Linda Ray's Huntington Cabaret
Martha Trachtenberg and
Tom Griffith singer-songwriters
Toby Walker blues guitarist and singer
Judith Zweiman singer-songwriter
Rebecca and Andrew Perea classical duo

Nighttime dance
Squeaky Clean '50s and '60s rock and rollThe Jumpers Orchestra swing band

Vote For Me!

2010-02-15T00:25:00.003-05:00

The Hippo Press is having it's annual "Best of New Hampshire" poll and I would really love to win! They don't have a category for best children's musicin, but they do have a category for "Best local artist playing mostly original music" and I would sure appreciate your vote in that category. You might also consider writing in "A Judy Pancoast concert" for "Best Place to Take the Kids."
You have to vote in at least 20 categories on the poll in order for your vote to be counted, so it's probably best if you live here!
Click here to vote: http://hippopress.com/index.html
Thanks VERY much!

Judy's Tune Room Back on the Air!

2010-02-10T08:01:00.002-05:00

I'm delighted to announce that my radio program for kids and families, Judy's Tune Room, has found a new home! I am now working with the students in the broadcasting program at Londonderry High School here in New Hampshire to produce the show. Beginning in March, it will air on their Low Power FM Stations, LEO 103, on Saturday mornings. But you'll be able to hear it no matter where you live as it will be available on the web through the High School website and on my website.
I'll be playing great music and interviewing children's performers, and I'm looking for your jokes, birthdays and special announcements, too. Please send them to me ASAP here at my website. I'll also be featuring a "Star of the Show" in Judy's Throne Room, and I'm looking for kids to celebrate...whether they got a great grade on a project, learned to ride a bike, or were simply "Caught Being Nice" I want to hear about it.
Keep watching this spot for specific info about the premiere air date and time! And send me those jokes, birthdays, and other news!
Thanks!

Please help me get adopted!

2010-02-04T19:05:00.003-05:00

In 2007, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, my husband, our two daughters and I made a trip to the Animal Rescue League shelter in nearby Bedford to look for a cat. Our beloved cat Dinah had passed away the previous July after 14 wonderful years as a member of our family, and we were finally ready to bring a new kitty into our home. Our daughter, Emma was freshman in college at the time.
The shelter was having an adoption event and the place was packed, and the kitten room was bustling. One cage stood out from the rest with the most gorgeous tortoiseshell kittens you ever saw. Louisa, then age 13, immediately took a shine to them. Emma turned to me and said, "Mommy (you know you're in trouble when your college age daughter calls you Mommy), I want a kitty too. Can I get one?"
And I replied, "But you're in college. You can't have a cat!"
"I'll bring it to live with me when I graduate. PLEEEEEEEEEEZ?"
Brilliant Mom that I am, I replied, "Go ask Papa. If he says "yes," then we'll adopt two."
Now I must explain that, first of all, Papa is not the grandfather, it's what our girls call their father, AND I'd had to twist his arm to get him to agree to adopt even one cat. So I figured, heh heh, heh, this was a failsafe plan cause he couldn't possibly say yes.
How could I be so foolish as to disregard the effect a daughter can have on her father?
That was my first mistake.
We took the three tortie kittens into the kitten room to get to know them. One of them, the brother, was way more mellow and less entertaining than his sisters, who literally bounced off the walls and had us laughing our heads off. They were so much more fun....so guess which ones we took home?
That was my second mistake.
Now, many broken Christmas ornaments, much scratched furniture, one pestered dog and two frazzled years later, little Hazel and Deeley (named for Cat Deeley, the hostess of "So You Think You Can Dance") are firmly ensconced in our family. They each have their own distinct personalities and quirks. Deeley, the larger (oh let's just face it...she's fat!) one, won't eat anything but cat food, while Hazel will eat the food off your plate if you let her (and she's the skinny one.) Deeley likes to sleep at the foot of the bed, while Hazel will curl herself right around your head and wake you up with her wet nose poked up your nostril.
They let Louisa carry them around like rag dolls and are two big babies, and I can't imagine ever splitting them up.
What's the point this story? Well, the Animal Rescue League of NH, where our two babies were adopted, is having a "Kennel Up" event on March 25th, and I am participating. I must raised a certain amount of dollars in order to be freed from my kennel, and I hope you will help. The League has saved countless kitties, doggies, bunnies, hamsters and other critters from the New Hampshire cold, disease and destruction and brought laughter and joy to many families like ours through their good work. In these tough economic times their services are needed now more than ever as families have to give up their pets.
Please donate whatever you can afford and help me reach my goal. I would be very very grateful...even if it's only one dollar!
You can donate safely here: http://www.firstgiving.com/judypancoast
And on behalf of Hazel and Deeley and all of the animals in need of a friend, I thank you.
And remember, although there's "nothin' like a dog," as the song says, kitties come pretty close!
Thank you!

The House on Christmas Street in GERMANY!

2010-01-30T21:06:00.004-05:00

Look at this email I just received!

Hello Judy,

first of all we like to wish you a happy new year 2010.

Please allow to introduce ourselves. We are a family of four living in the small town of Mayen in west-central Germany. We are Thomas, Dagmar and our daughters Janine (15) and Kim (12).

Inspired through private initiatives in the USA, which combine a Christmas light display with a charity-event, we spontaneously decided in October 09 to do the same in Germany. We had our first season running from November 27^th to January 2^nd with one of the kids favoured songs being “The House on Christmas Street”.

At closing we had been able to attract a few thousand visitors to our small town in central Germany. And best of all, we were able to collect EURO donations in equivalent of over 3600.-$. to help kids in need.

Overwhelmed from the success we like to share a picture of our little “House on Christmas Street” with you sharing the same passion, helping kids.

As many visitors’ asked about your song, we decided incorporate links to judypancoast.com in the FAQ section of our new website. We kindly ask you to let us know if it is ok with you that we did so?

You find the website at www.lightadream.de, unfortunately up to now its all in German, but under “Videos” you can see a clip of our House on Christmas Street in action and maybe you like it.

Best regards from Mayen, Germany

The Voss family,

Thomas, Dagmar,

and our daughters Janine and Kim

Isn't that cool? Of course, I can't understand anything that's written on the website..but the video looks great! Wish I could see it in person!

Mother's Milk Donations Needed for Haiti Infants

2010-01-28T09:25:00.003-05:00

I'm posting this info here because I know a lot of Moms who bring their children to my shows are nursing mothers:

Urgent Call for Human Milk Donations for Haiti Infants

The Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA), United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC), International Lactation Consultant Association/United States Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA/USLCA), and La Leche League International (LLLI) are jointly issuing an urgent call for human milk donations for premature infants in Haiti, as well as sick and premature infants in the United States.

This week the first shipment of human milk from mothers in the United States will be shipped to the U.S. Navy ship Comfort stationed outside Haiti. Comfort is currently set up with a neonatal intensive care unit and medical personnel to provide urgent care to victims of the earthquake. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant stationed at the U.S. Navy base in Bethesda, MD is assisting with providing breast pump equipment and supplies to Comfort. Dr. Erika Beard-Irvine, pediatric neonatologist, is on board to coordinate distribution of the milk to infants in need. HMBANA, USBC, ILCA/USLCA, and LLLI are responding to requests to provide milk for both premature infants and at-risk mothers who have recently delivered babies on board the USNS Comfort, but an urgent need exists for additional donations.

At the current time, the infrastructure to deliver human milk to Haiti infants on land has not yet been established. As soon as that infrastructure is in place, additional donations will be provided to older infants.

Mothers who are willing to donate human milk should contact their regional Mothers’ Milk Bank of HMBANA. A list of regional milk banks is available on the HMBANA web site.

Currently milk banks are already low on donor milk. New milk donations will be used for Haiti victims as well as to replenish donor supplies to continue to serve sick and premature infants in the United States. Donor milk provides unique protection for fragile preterm infants.

UNICEF, the World Health Organization, the Emergency Nutrition Network, and medical professionals all recommend that breastfeeding and human milk be used for infants in disasters or emergencies. Human milk is life-saving due to its disease prevention properties. It is safe, clean, and does not depend on water which is often unavailable or contaminated in an emergency. Relief workers, health care providers, and other volunteers are urged to provide support for breastfeeding mothers to enable them to continue breastfeeding, and to assist pregnant and postpartum women in initiating and sustaining breastfeeding.

For more information, contact HMBANA at 408-998-4550 (www.hmbana.org). Additional information can be
provided from the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) at 202-367-1132 (www.usbreastfeeding.org), ILCA/USLCA at 800-452-2478 (www.ilca.org or www.uslca.org), or La Leche League (LLLI) at 847-519-7730
(www.llli.org).

SOURCE: United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC)

The USBC is an organization of organizations. Opinions expressed by USBC are not necessarily the position of all member organizations and opinions expressed by USBC member organization representatives are not necessarily the position of USBC.

The United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) is an independent nonprofit coalition of 41 nationally influential professional, educational, and governmental organizations. Representing over half a million concerned professionals and the families they serve, USBC and its member organizations share a common mission to improve the Nation’s health by working collaboratively to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding. For more information about USBC, visit www.usbreastfeeding.org.

(I would like to thank Sienna from the Hilltown Families blog for sharing this information)

Shakin' it Up

2010-01-18T00:51:00.002-05:00

I'm getting the urge to shake things up a little bit over here at Judy Pancoast Incorporated. What can I do to make the concerts more fun for the kids? I'm getting ready to audition The Judy Crew 2010 (if you're a teen and want to audition, email me here and I'll send you the details!)...and I'm thinking about forming a back-up band. SO....watch for some new and exciting changes in my concerts this year...and let me know what you think!!!

CHRISTMAS IN JULY?/Plan Your Road Trip Now!

2010-01-15T09:32:00.006-05:00

Want to plan a fun vacation for the family? Here's my suggestion:

Radio station Extra 99.1 WXGM in Hampton Roads, Virginia, is sponsoring a "Christmas in July" concert with yours truly on July 23rd at the Bena Country Store in Gloucester, VA. It's going to be a blast!
If you are one of my fans in the area you should know that the ONLY way to get tickets is to win them on the air, so as the time approaches you'll want to stay glued to the station. I can't wait to meet you guys! (However, if you are not in the area and are planning to make the trip, let me know and I'll get you in to see the Wizard!)

I've performed down there several times before and I love the area...and I bet your family will love it, too...it's got:
Newport News (http://www.marinersmuseum.org/ that's just one of the great spots)
Virginia Beach (http://www.vbfun.com/visitors/default.aspx)
Busch Gardens (here I come, DarKastle ride! http://www.4adventure.com/BGW/default.aspx)
Colonial Williamsburg (http://www.history.org/)
the Tabb Library in Yorktown...it's one of my favorite areas in the country and one YOU should consider visiting with the kids!
The first time I went there was when my husband and I drove down to Orlando for our honeymoon at Disney World (2 years after we got married!) in 1988. We drove all the way to Williamsburg in one shot and spent a day there visiting Colonial Williamsburg and the surrounding area. We fell in love with it then.
It's a mere 11 hour drive (that's nothing to this road warrior...I've got almost 300-THOUSAND miles on my 2004 Sienna!) so you could leave from Manchester, NH at 8am and be there before the sun goes down, including rest stops. So plan a road trip with the family for that weekend...and be sure to take my new CD "Weird Things are Everywhere!" with you to entertain the kids!
If you want to take a couple of days to do the trip, make sure you check out http://www.roadsideamerica.com/ before you leave, to find some of the weirdest things out there along the way!
If you have any questions about making the trip, let me know! Just consider me your friendly travel guide.....

Weird Things are Everywhere!

2010-01-14T09:24:00.004-05:00

HEADLINE:

CHILDREN TAKE SUDDEN INTEREST IN US GEOGRAPHY

Parents Puzzled

No need to be puzzled, Mom & Dad! Someone must have given your child my new CD, "Weird Things are Everywhere!" for a present. Have they suddenly expressed interest in going on a road trip? Are they asking for a US map or atlas? Are they telling you about the weird things out there on the American Road? YAY HOORAY!

Early reports are in, and it seems that kids are playing the CD over and over and over again...having a great time, singing along, and learning! One child recently said to me, "So....you were born in Maine?" and at first I was surprised. Then he said, "Well, in the first song you said there was a giant Paul Bunyan statue in the state where you were born, and then later on you said that Paul Bunyan was in Maine, so I put two and two together." Now that kid was REALLY paying attention!

"Weird Things are Everywhere!" is an educational CD unlike any you've heard before. It's not just packed with dry, uninteresting facts...it's loaded with fun songs and cool stuff specifically designed to catch kids' attention and make them want to go out and see for themselves. It's a great addition to any elementary school classroom and a wonderful present. Navigate to the Tune Room Store NOW to get your copy! http://judypancoast.com/tune_room_store.htm

The Next Holiday is NOT Valentine's Day

2010-01-07T13:25:00.002-05:00

It's the birthday of the KING of ROCK N' ROLL tomorrow, Jan. 8th! Elvis would be 75 years old had he not passed away in 1997...and I bet he would still be going strong. Too bad there were no celeb rehab clinics back then...not until First Lady Betty Ford got hers going.

But Elvis lives on in the hearts and minds of many of us who still enjoy his music. He was one of a kind!

In honor of the big day, I have uploaded my tribute song "A Little Bit of Elvis" to my MySpace page. You can hear it at www.myspace.com/judypancoast.

And if you love Elvis, be sure to play his music for your kids so they can love him too!

Where is The House on Christmas Street?

2010-01-03T01:13:00.003-05:00

As of January 3, 2010, The House on Christmas Street has been used in outdoor home lighting displays in these locations (these are the ones I know of. If you know of any more, please let me know! I like to keep track!)
AUSTRALIA:
Ballarat, Victoria
CANADA:Tillsonburg, Ontario
Thorsby, Alberta
UNITED KINGDOM:Wells, Somerset

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
ARIZONA:
Fort Mohave
CALIFORNIA:
Folsom
Millbrae
CONNECTICUT:
Brooklyn
Vernon
DELAWARE:
Newark
FLORIDA:
Deerfield Beach
Eustis City
Kissimee
Orlando
Punta Gorda
Riverview
GEORGIA:
Smyrna
HAWAII:
Hilo
ILLINOIS:
Kankakee
Leroy
Tolono
INDIANA:
Fishers
Huntington
MAINE:
Wilton
MASSACHUSETTS:
Stoneham
MICHIGAN:
Livonia
MISSOURI:
Jefferson City
Kansas City
NEBRASKA:
Friend
NEW HAMPSHIRE:
Claremont
Hudson
NORTH CAROLINA:
Monroe
OHIO:
Cincinnati
Columbus
PENNSYLVANIA:
Easton
Pittsburgh
SOUTH CAROLINA:
Conway
TEXAS:
Cypress
Garland
VIRGINIA:
Ridgeway
WASHINGTON:
Spokane
WYOMING:
Torrington

TALLY: Four countries and 23 states, 54 Search results on YouTube.
Christmas decorating enthusiasts ROCK!!

My Christmas Wish

2009-12-24T07:21:00.002-05:00

I woke up this morning, Christmas Eve, from a nightmare I sometimes have. I won't go into the details, but it led me to writing this, my Christmas wish.

I wish no child had to worry about Mom or Dad (or both) getting drunk this Christmas season. I wish no child had to sit at home and wonder if Mom and Dad were going to make it home alive from that Christmas party. I wish no child had to suffer through family gatherings where just about every adult was drinking alcohol, and some were so drunk they got sick or passed out, or had fights with each other. I wish no child had to ride home from such a party with a drunken parent at the wheel.
I wish no child had to hear horrible things being said because an adult was drunk, things that would or could never be forgotten. I wish no child had to be in fear of being hurt at Christmas-time (or any other time, for that matter) because a caregiver or other adult in their life was out of control due to alcohol. I wish no child had to experience a Christmas morning with a hungover parent...or, worse yet, one who was still drunk from the night before.

I wish children could learn that Christmas celebrations are happy and healthy times, times of celebration and love that DON'T have to include a mind-and-mood altering substance like alcohol. I wish children could learn that you could have fun, watch a sporting event, have a party, go out to eat, and LIVE HAPPY without alcohol.

I wish that every grown-up would remember that children learn what they live, they watch what we do, and they model themselves after us. What we do is far more impactful than what we tell them to do.

I wish that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas full of light and laughter ...a Christmas to remember always. One that won't give anyone nightmares forty years later.

God bless you and yours.
Judy

House on Christmas Street a HIT on the Jersey Shore!

2009-12-23T10:57:00.001-05:00

LOOK at my email that just came in from a station in Cape May, NJ:

HI JUDY, GOOD NEWS!
Your song made it to our regular Christmas Playlist!
Less than 5% of Christmas songs offered by Indie Artists to our regular playlist.
All Indie Artists are featured on the Indie Artist Spotlight, a special show that is aired on LIFT FM but your song made it to the regular Christmas Playlist- Congratulations!

We would like to send some copies ofr the song to our listeners. Please send some autographed and we'll do an on-air give-away to some fortunate callers. God Bless!

Joe Burke - our address is on our website http://www.liftfm.com

Added Today!

2009-12-17T08:43:00.001-05:00

WNAM 1280 in Oshkosh, WI "America's BEST Music!" and 1490 WMRC in Milford, MA!!

TWO MORE!!

2009-12-16T22:41:00.000-05:00

WJXB in Knoxville TN and WRSA in Huntsville AL!

MORE STATIONS!!!!

2009-12-16T22:23:00.002-05:00

This is SO exciting..The House on Christmas Street is being added to stations all over the country. In addition to the stations already mentioned (listed below) it is now playing on:

LIFT 98.5 in South New Jersey
KKMI in Burlington, IO
Magic 104.1 in Tucson (check out THIS: http://morningmix.mixfm.com/)
KG95 in Sioux City, IO

If you are in the listening area of any of these stations please let them know you like the song!!!

BIG HITS Y-101.9 in Portland, ME
98.7 The Bay in Dover, NH
WRCH Lite 100.5 in Hartford, CT
WKAY-FM 105.3 in Galesburg, IL
EXTRA 99.1 in Gloucester, VA95.9
WGRQ in Fredricksburg, VA94.3
WROE in Green Bay, WI

AND on these WONDERFUL internet stations!http://www.soundsofchristmas.com/http://litefavorites.com/http://www.planetchristmas.com/PCRadio.htm www.jacksonville.com/radiojax http://www.orsradio.com/ (the Christmas Mix channel)

Judy's Christmas Music on AccuRadio

2009-12-14T20:59:00.001-05:00

Here's a link to the stations on AccuRadio that play my Christmas Music. If you listen, please let them know that you like it!
THANKS!

http://www.accuradio.com/searchresults.php

Check THIS out!

2009-12-09T06:48:00.003-05:00

This is turning out to be a VERY exciting December for me!
I just found out the WRCH in Hartford is not only playing "The House on Christmas Street" for the third year in a row, but they have a video on their website called "Extreme Christmas Lights" and they are using my song in the video.
This is wonderful exposure for my song. Thank you so much WRCH!!
And thank you to all supporters of the song who are calling radio stations and requesting it this year. So far it is being heard on these "terrestrial" stations:

BIG HITS Y-101.9 in Portland, ME
98.7 The Bay in Dover, NH
WRCH Lite 100.5 in Hartford, CT
WKAY-FM 105.3 in Galesburg, IL
EXTRA 99.1 in Gloucester, VA
95.9 WGRQ in Fredricksburg, VA
94.3 WROE in Green Bay, WI

AND on these WONDERFUL internet stations!
http://www.soundsofchristmas.com/
http://litefavorites.com/
http://www.planetchristmas.com/PCRadio.htm
www.jacksonville.com/radiojax
http://www.orsradio.com/ (the Christmas Mix channel)

Please let me know if you hear it on any other stations.....or if there is a station near you that should have a copy of the song!
THANKS!

TEXAS-SIZED HELP NEEDED ASAP!

2009-12-08T11:04:00.000-05:00

Howdy all you Lone Star Staters...
You guys have been so terrific to me in helping "The House on Christmas Street" become known. I just discoverd that the state with the fourth highest number of visits to my website is : TEXAS!!! I love you guys! And now...I have a Texas-sized favor to ask you.I have managed to interest a station in Irving called 94.9 KLTY. They are the NUMBER ONE Christian radio station in the country serving the DALLAS market.

I first submitted "The House on Christmas Street" to them in 2007 and they turned it down because it wasn't a "Christian" song per se. I do disagree with that, by the way.....it includes secular imagery but I did not shy away from including Jesus and His Family in the description because I am also a Christian and HE is the centerpiece of my own small display.Anyway, I've also noticed that a lot of Christian music stations are playing more secular Christmas music this year in an effort to draw more listeners ...KLTY, in fact, is playing "White Christmas" by Bing, among others.

I just now received an email from the program director asking to hear an mp3 of the song. So I need back-up! Would you PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE call and email the station asking to hear it? I told him my song has lots of fans in Texas but I really want him to have proof!The website page for contacting the station is here: http://www.klty.com/contact_us.php

If you use the song in your display or if you have heard it and just like it please contact them and request it. If they added it to their playlist it would be a HUGE HUGE HUGE step toward making the song a hit.If you can do this I would be so grateful I'll come to Texas next December and do concerts at your houses all over the state. I PROMISE!Please let me know if you can help by adding a comment here. And God BLESS you!!!

Merry Christmas!

2009-11-29T09:02:00.003-05:00

Hey...I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving!
We were in NYC to pick up Emma from school and we stayed to watch the parade and have our usual Hard Rock Cafe Thanksgiving dinner.
Since we were all home we went out and cut down our Christmas tree yesterday. Emma selected it because she liked that it was wide. It was wide, alright. When we got it home it looked HUGE in our small living room. I didn't even have enough lights to cover the whole thing. I put all the strands we have on it last night and the needles were so sharp they kept making little holes in my hands. You should see...my hands and fingers are all red today! When I finish the job later today I'm going to wear gloves!
So the tree is up and will be decorated by this evening....now all we need is some snow! Then it will REALLY feel like Christmas-time!

Okay..so once in a while I google my own name!

2009-11-16T14:22:00.002-05:00

....and sometimes I find some really cool stuff that I didn't know was out there....like this blog from Vermont which was written by someone who attended our Dartmouth Hop-Stop Series concert about a year ago.
Thank you, Bettina! Hope to see you again sometime!

http://damnyankeevermont.blogspot.com/2008/10/judy-pancoast.html

House on Christmas Street Contests

2009-11-16T02:20:00.002-05:00

Hey all you crazy decorating types!
There are currently TWO contests out there for homeowners who are using The House on Christmas Street in their synchronized lighting shows this year.
First, check out www.planetchristmas.com. I've talked about this site before as THE go-to site for decorating enthusiasts. There's a wonderful community there who are more than willing to share their expertise and help you get going in the world of mega-decorating. The site holds an annual decorating contest and this year there is a category for The House on Christmas Street. Go there and check it out!

The other contest is being run by http://www.litefavorites.com/christmas, an internet Christmas radio station. They are giving away copies of my CD to their winners. Check out the details on their website!

And good luck!

Christmas Time's a Comin'

2009-11-09T03:46:00.003-05:00

Hello!
Well, the turkeys are still in hiding and the Christmas decorations are out in the stores! I hear rumors floating around that certain radio stations are going "All Christmas" sometime soon...and so I come to you with my yearly request for your requests!
PLEASE begin calling early and often and request The House on Christmas Street at your local station...even if they only play one Christmas song an hour.
If the station says they don't have a copy, please get the name of the contact person and their address and I will mail one out right away.
This blog is going to automatically show up on Facebook, and so I especially implore my FB friends near and far to please take the time to email or call your favorite station...especially all you PC and Lonestar Holidays folks!
This song has already made it farther than I ever thought it would all because of people like you...yes, you! You who have used it in your home displays, already got some of your local stations playing it, requested it on internet stations, written about it, blogged about it and told your friends about it. Now it just needs that extra little push to make it a hit.
Someone asked me recently how I will know that its a hit.....well, one way will be when I actually start getting royalties from it being played on radio stations. So few stations play it now that I really don't get much at all. Not even enough for ASCAP to cut me a check! The only way that will change is if there really is a grass roots campaign of people calling and requesting it. Think of it...that's how "Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer" became a hit. It was played in a California radio market for seven years before it finally "broke out." We can do the same! I know so many of you love the song because you have written to me about it! So please take this extra step.
I also want to let you know that this year I will not be selling my own CD of the song to make way for the new SOUNDS OF CHRISTMAS 2009 CD that features it, along with other Christmas songs by artists like Huey Lewis & the News, Stephen Bishop, Richard Marx and more. This CD is to benefit William Shatner's Hollywood Horses Charity which pairs special needs kids with horses and does great things for them. I donated my song to this project because I believe in it and, let's face it, it's pretty cool to see my name on the same label as Huey Lewis!!
Thank you for all you have done so far and all you continue to do. Being a self-employed indie artist is a risky proposition and can sometimes be kind of scary, but your emails and comments of support...and of course, the laughter and smiles of the kids...really make it possible for me to keep going even when times are tough. I could never thank you enough!!
Please be sure to let me know if your local station needs a copy of The House on Christmas Street!

House on Christmas Street in Columbus, OH

2009-10-11T14:22:00.002-05:00

Yes, I know, Halloween is still about three weeks away but decorating enthusiasts all over the country and the world are already thinking about Christmas....getting out their blow molds and blow-ups, untangling lights and checking wires and bulbs and more.
One of those folks, a guy named Joe, sent me an email to let me know that he's going to be synchronizing his display to "The House on Christmas Street" this year, and he personally made a REALLY cool sign to go with it. He sent me a picture of it and I just had to share it with you.
So if you are roaming through Columbus, Ohio during December be sure to look for The House on Christmas Street and say "hi" to Joe!

If You're a Grown-up Who Likes My Music....

2009-09-27T08:15:00.002-05:00

....then you will probably love the music of Mike Viola. Even if you don't know his name, you have heard his voice and songwriting talents in the movie "That Thing You Do" for which he wrote the title song and provided the voice. He has written music for other movies, too, including "Walk Hard, " which stunk as a movie but had good music.
I saw Mike in concert last night in Cambridge and he was so great and it was so much fun! It was the first time I've walked into a bar alone since 1985 and I was feeling a little awkward but it was well worth it because he was just so fantastic. He was so down-to-earth and every single song was incredible. He talked about how he was influenced by the pop music of the 70s and right then I knew we were soul-mates because that's my main influence too.
Check out Mike and his music at : www.mikeviola.com

He also recently produced, wrote songs for and sings on Mandy Moore's newest album. There's one song, "Merrimack River," which is the most gorgeous thing I've ever heard. http://www.last.fm/music/Mandy+Moore/_/Merrimack+River

That's Mandy & Mike doing it live. You'll love it!

HUGE AMAZING ANNOUNCEMENT

2009-09-25T06:22:00.002-05:00

Next month, my song "The House on Christmas Street" will be featured on a CD compilation called “The Sounds of Christmas 2009”. Proceeds from this CD will go to William Shatner’s Hollywood Charity Horse Show, which benefits disabled, disadvantaged and special needs children (and you can find out more about them at http://www.horseshow.org ).
The CD will also feature these songs and artists:
Lis Soderberg “All I Need”
Huey Lewis and the News “Winter Wonderland”
Lisa Kessler “Christmas Vacation”
Pete Hopkins “Home For Christmas”
Stephen Bishop “Rock Little Reindeer”
Tina Lambert “O Christmas Tree”
Roy Holliday “Christmastime On The Beach”
Hayseed Dixie “Misty Wonderland Hop”
Dennis DeYoung “When I Hear A Christmas Song”
Annie Pattison “Love For Christmas”
Tey “Silver Bells”
Richard Marx “Santa Claus Is Back In Town”
DJ Icy-Ice and the Fresh Elf “The Night Before Christmas”
William Shatner “Good King Wenceslas” (yes, I'm going to share CD space with CAPTAIN KIRK!!!!!)

Lis Soderberg is a singer/songwriter from Toronto. Her song “All I Need” finished 3rd in Billboard’s World Song Contest, and you can hear it right now on her MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/lissoderberg
Huey Lewis and the News originally sent copies of “Winter Wonderland” to their fan club (they were mailed out on pretty green cassettes). This was in December of 1984. It has never been available on CD.
Lisa Kessler is a gifted Soprano whose first CD, A New Life, has songs that continue to appear on iTunes and Amazon‘s best-seller lists. You‘ll be able to hear “Christmas Vacation” on her MySpace page soon at http://www.myspace.com/lisakesslervocalist
Pete Hopkins is a singer/songwriter from L.A., and was recently a semifinalist in the Shure National Songwriting Contest. You can hear “Home For Christmas” on his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/petehopkins
Stephen Bishop has been nominated for Grammys and Oscars, and appeared in “Animal House“ and “The Blues Brothers“! He also released his own Christmas CD through his website a few years ago (it‘s now sold out). His original song “Rock Little Reindeer” has been freshly re-mixed for this compilation!
Tina Lambert is releasing her second Christmas CD next month, and both feature her a cappella, singing all the parts, and then mixing them together , with the result being a beautiful chorus of Tina‘s! You can hear her Christmas songs on her MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/tinalambertmusic
Roy Holliday describes himself as “Vegas meets the beach for a unique, yet classic, blend of original Christmas music.” Check out his MySpace page to hear this song and you’ll get exactly what he means at http://www.myspace.com/royholliday
Hayseed Dixie has made a career out of their very original bluegrass interpretation of rock artists like AC/DC (a style they call Rockgrass)! Their song here is a unique blend of “Winter Wonderland” sung to the music of Led Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop”. You can hear samples of their other songs on their MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/hsdx
Dennis DeYoung, former lead singer for Styx, released “When I Hear A Christmas Song” a couple years ago through his website. This marks its first national release!
Annie Pattison is a nine-year-old singer who was recently a finalist on Calgary Junior Idol! You can hear her original song “Love For Christmas” on her website at http://www.scorecreative.com/anniesings/
Tey is an L.A. singer/songwriter, who was recently described by Music Connection Magazine as a “gifted songwriter and vocalist who sets herself apart with a raw sexuality and palpable soulful influence." You can hear more from Tey on her MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/teypunsalan
Richard Marx has had so many hits, that he actually holds a record as he first solo artist to have his first seven singles hit the Top 5 on the US charts! While he doesn’t have his Christmas song up right now, you can hear a lot of his music on his MySpace page at http://www.myspace.com/officialrichardmarx
DJ Icy-Ice and the Fresh Elf are a pair of rappers that you probably know. At this time, though, we can’t reveal any other info about them.
William Shatner. James T. Kirk. T.J. Hooker. Denny Crane. The Big Giant Head. The Priceline Negotiator. You know who he is. He originally recorded this song for KROQ (Kevin and the Bean), as a part of one of their annual Christmas cassettes (yes, cassettes!). This is its first appearance on CD!
You can hear a clip of William Shatner on the label's website at http://www.socmusic.net (and you can pre-order the CD, too)!
This is one of the most exciting developments ever to happen in my career, and I have Ken Kessler, the owner of Sounds of Christmas Music and the mastermind behind Sounds of Christmas Radio, to thank for it! And of course, you....for supporting my songs and me all these years.Merry Christmas!

Decorating Madness

2009-09-21T02:48:00.002-05:00

The leaves are just beginning to turn color here in New Hampshire, and I saw some folks putting out harvest and Halloween decorations on their lawns when I went for a walk this afternoon. Not me! I have a rule that no Halloween decorations go up until October 1st, and then I go to town.
But believe it or not, there are people out there (some of you reading this) who have been working on their Christmas yard displays for weeks....some even months! These are the totally wacky decorating enthusiasts world-wide who have made "The House on Christmas Street" an "underground" hit that is probably playing at a decorated house near you this holiday season.
I just want to take a minute to give kudos to those folks who are hard at work planning where the next 20 strings of LED lights are going to go, how to get Santa to pop out of the chimney this year, or where to put their 5th mega-tree. They do it with a jolly, joyful spirit just to cheer the young and the young at heart.
If you've thought about getting into 'extreme" decorating, and perhaps learning how to synchronize your lights to music, there are a couple of websites I want to recommend to you. The first is www.planetchristmas.com . Chuck Smith and the folks at PC will help a newbie every step of the way until you, too, can be planning your holiday display year round. You can find the folks from Texas (and other places too) over at www.lonestarholidays.com where they also specialize in decorating madness and all things Christmas (and other holidays too). There are many other sites online that can help you get started if you want to create your own "House on Christmas Street" this year. Oh, and be sure to stop by www.lightorama.com too. You'll want to peruse the many gadgets and gizmos they offer to make the job easier. They've got a software sequence for "The House on Christmas Street" too.
Hope to hear my song playing at YOUR house this year!

Weird Things Are Everywhere

2009-09-12T10:39:00.003-05:00

You can now PRE-ORDER "Weird Things Are Everywhere" on the Judy's Tune Room Store page. http://judypancoast.com/tune_room_store.htm

I believe this is my finest and funnest work!!

I hope you like it too!
It will be on sale to the general public November 9.

My Book Case

2009-08-30T07:47:00.004-05:00

In the immortal words of Kip, Napoleon Dynamite's brother, "You know I love technology". Without it I could not be writing to you right now. But I think sometimes we get so excited about technology and its convenience that we forget how special it was sometimes just to wait for something.

For example: waiting for that one night in December when Charlie Brown's Christmas Special would be on TV, and we'd all gather around the set to see it that ONE TIME. If you missed it, you'd have to wait a whole year! That's what made it so special! Ditto for that yearly showing of "The Wizard of Oz."
Or waiting the half hour for my Swanson TV dinner to be ready to eat. Yum. The anticipation was half of what made it so delicious when it finally came out. You just can't microwave fried chicken and mashed potatoes properly.

But there are other technological "advances" that I'm cautious about. The privacy issue, for one. When I was a teen, there were many times I just wanted to be alone. Today's kids are NEVER alone...someone always has access to them through their cell phone or computer. They never have the excuse that "My father was waiting for a call so I couldn't use the phone, that's why I didn't call you last night." It seems sometimes they don't even know what privacy IS. But lately I have noticed my daughter turning off her phone more often...maybe the need for solace has finally appeared.

There's one technological development that we have so far resisted in the Pancoast family: The Kindle or other e-book reader. I know, I know....you can carry around a million books in your purse and take it to the pool or beach or blah blah blah. Well, guess what? I carry around a paperback in my purse, and when I finish it, I replace it with another. I keep a book or two of short stories in the car at all times, too. If I had a million books in my e-reader I may not ever finish any of them!

Also, I'm really attached to my book cases. I still remember the year my brother and I both got book cases for our rooms for Christmas. It was one of my favorite gifts ever. I used to love rearranging my books in that bookcase.
The first pieces of real furniture my husband and I purchased after getting married were a big bookcase and a smaller one from This End Up. You could take away my sofa, coffee table, even my bed...but I'm never giving up those book cases. I like looking at them and seeing the books I've read, some I've had since childhood.....the ones that are too dear to me to give to the annual library book sale. There are a milion happy memories of the places I've been and the stories I've been part of while reading those books...in addition to the memories of where I was in my life when I read them.
When I broke my ankle and was housebound a couple of years ago I went kind of crazy rearranging those books over and over. And I re-read more than a few of them. If I'd gotten all of those books on an e-reader, all of that fun would be gone.

I've already lost the joy of reading the liner notes and staring at the artwork on album covers. It doesn't help that I can barely read the small print on a CD insert...since beginning to download music we don't even get that anymore. (in fact, I've been wondering why I'm spending so much time designing my new CD cover when most people who buy it will probably get it by downloading!)

I can't bear the thought of losing my books, too.

So keep your e-reader; I'll keep my Mystery Guild membership, thank you very much!

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

2009-08-26T16:05:00.003-05:00

My brand new CD, WEIRD THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE, will be going on sale to the general public on my website on November 9 and shortly thereafter on CDBaby.com and on iTunes.com.

Pre-order it now and it will ship to you in late October, before anyone else has it!
WEIRD THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE
is a road trip with Judy that takes you across the United States, with stops along the way to visit interesting sites related to children's literature. It's jam-packed with geographical and historical facts, and lots and lots of WEIRD THINGS, along with brand new songs!
Featuring:
Reading Our Way Across the U.S.A.
Yucky
Bum de Bo
Superman Can
Take Me to Your Reader
Once Upon a Time
The Dog Did It
I Can't Go Surfin'
A Little Bit of Elvis
Weird Things are Everywhere
Where I Live

Special Note to Teachers and Home Schooling Parents: This CD is filled with fun songs and information that will enhance your US Geography, Literacy, History and Music programs. Your students will ask to hear it over and over again....and they'll be learning while having fun!

Pre-order today by sending check or money order in the amount of $15 (includes shipping and handling) to:
Judy Pancoast
43 Pinehill Avenue
Manchester, NH 03102
Pre-order today and enjoy WEIRD THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE before anyone else can buy it!

For those of you who prefer to buy online, a PayPal link will be available on my website soon. Watch here for news on that!

Hip to be Square

2009-08-24T00:22:00.004-05:00

I just reviewed my posts from the last couple of years and I can't find a post where I wrote about this particular topic, although it's been on my mind for quite some time.

I have noticed a trend in children's music...and in other aspects of parenting. It's this media hype that parents must be "hip" and raise their children with all things "hip."....hip music, hip books, hip clothing...blah, blah, blah. There are tons of articles and blogs on "hip parenting."

What exactly does "hip" mean in 2009?

I posed this question to a bunch of other children's musicians in a networking group in which I participate, and there were as many different answers as there were people. In general it seems to be that "hip" parents feel that they are on the cutting edge of pop culture, and wouldn't be caught dead providing their children with anything that might be considered "traditional" or "un-cool." Here's a quote from an editorial in the Toronto Globe that better explains what I mean:

Alternaparenting, it seems, is all about putting your kid in the right T-shirt. And not cutting you kid's hair (because Kate Hudson and Chris Robinson didn't). And furnishing the baby's room with a rocking Eames chair (even though it's uncomfortable)

Anyhow, I began to wonder about this trend when my music was rejected by a radio program for kids. This particular programmer was looking for music that was "hipper" than my stuff. Then it happened again with a reviewer, someone who writes a prominent online column about children's music. He said he preferred music with a more "raw" sound. HUH?

This leaves me at odds. You see, no one has EVER accused me of being "hip," not even in the 70's, when I was a teen. Back then, of course, it was not "cool" to call someone "hip," because "hip" was an outdated term from the 60's, but I guess it's "hip" again in the 2000's.

Nope, I was decidedly un-cool. I liked The Carpenters, John Denver and Barry Manilow. I wore their t-shirts to school. I listened to bubblegum pop and watch "Dark Shadows" regularly. I never drank or did any kind of drugs, and I was in the chorus AND band in my high school. I was fat, had acne and fine, limp hair. I didn't get invited to the right parties and when I went to college in 1977 I was the one who got kicked out of the dorm room so my room-mates could have boys over.

I never underwent some big transformation, either. If you check this blog for last summer's posts, you will see that I was absolutely giddy about meeting David Cassidy. That's NOT "hip." In fact, it's so unhip that I found out that particular post was flagged on some hipster website and over 700 people came to my blog to check it out and laugh at me. I'm not exaggerating either. Just like back in high school!

But getting back to the issue of music.....since I am not "hip" and never have been, I don't know how to write "hip" music. I try to write music that sees things from a child's perspective. Amazingly, this comes pretty easily to me because (as my daughter often says) my emotional development seems to have stalled at age eight! However, I don't know how to write for "hip" kids. I write for kids who like to catch bugs in jars, stomp in puddles, and wouldn't know Juicy Couture Kids clothing from something on a Target sales rack. I think this is pretty much all kids, until their parents sway them in some other direction.

Unfortunately, and I'm going out on a dangerous limb saying this...I suspect that these very same "hip" little kids are going to turn into really obnoxious teens. And I don't want to be around when they do.

So, I guess I'm never going to be very successful on a large scale in the children's music biz since I'm so un-hip. My music is decidedly influenced by The Partridge Family and The Monkees and when I perform I don't wear striped tights and crazy hats. Believe me, no one would want to see that!

I hope that parents, whether they are hip or un-hip, will let their kids hear my music and decide for themselves whether or not they like it. On the other hand, with luck, maybe someday I'll be so "un-hip" that I'll be "hip!" Stranger things have happened......

School Starts in two Weeks!!

2009-08-20T16:20:00.002-05:00

I always dread the start of school. I have always enjoyed having my girls around and I miss them terribly when they go back to school. Because I'm self-employed and don't usually do a lot of concerts in September, I'm home a lot working on the business side of things. Sometimes it gets kind of lonely.

Plus, my summers are always jam packed with traveling, concerts, meeting new friends and lots of excitement. When it all comes to a crashing halt in September I can't help but feel down.

The first day that Louisa, my younger girl, began first grade, I taught our dog how to shake hands. Now Louisa is about to begin tenth grade, and my little doggie Buffy is still my main companion during the week.

Anyhow, I guess I'm just writing because I'm feeling my usual end-of-summer melancholy, and I wonder if anyone else feels this way. It's true what the old folks say, the years go by faster and faster with each passing one.........

Dying to tell you

2009-08-10T16:36:00.001-05:00

..something so exciting that it is very hard for me to keep a lid on it. But I must. But be looking for a big announcement for me coming soon!
Beam me up, Scotty!

Sad

2009-08-06T11:52:00.002-05:00

I just finished a show at a daycare, and there was a wonderful little boy, 7 years old, who was so full of happiness and life that he sprang right up and danced, surfed, sang, swam in jello and "bleahed" with an unabashed joy. It made me so happy to be the inspiration for that. But I have to admit that deep inside, I also felt a little sad....
Just about a week ago, I learned that the boy who was part of the inspiration for my song "The Jump Rope Queen," passed away last year at the age of 18. When I knew him back in 1996 he was the state jump rope champion among boys from first grade, and the jump rope queen was the state jump rope champion among girls from first grade, and the lovely coincidence is that they were both in the same class. They jumped rope with that same unabashed joy on the playground, and they were just happy little kids, full of life and promise. I couldn't help but make up a song about them.
Somewhere over the last 12 years something went drastically wrong, however. The young man became involved with illegal drugs, and passed away from an overdose. I keep asking myself over and over, "How does this happen? How do they go from joyful little children to troubled teens?" But if we knew the answer to that, and heeded its message, there would be no teen casualties from drugs, drinking or violence, and they would all grow up to fulfill the childhood promise. I worry about it constantly with my own children; I fear that no matter how many times my husband and I have talked to them about these things, somewhere they might fall into that pit. Oh, that we could be there to make everything right for them 24-hours a day, like we did when they were little!
My heart breaks for his family and friends.
I will always remember him as that joyful little boy, jumping rope like made on the playground, with everyone gathered round and cheering him on.

RESEARCH PROJECT PLEASE HELP

2009-07-28T09:23:00.001-05:00

I've decided to do some research to help me make decisions about my future career, and I hope you will help. Thanks to the support of many Christmas decorating enthusiasts, "The House on Christmas Street" has become somewhat popular in a sort of "underground" way, playing at houses all over the world. I've received a lot of email from folks who love the song and some who have said that it really tells their story (thank you!!) but I really don't have any kind of numbers about who has used it, who is planning to use it, or who has even heard it, so I'm going to post this survey here and also on Planet Christmas and some other websites. The results of this research will help me decide whether or not to venture into producing a House on Christmas Street children's book, t-shirts and sweatshirts, bumper stickers, etc.
Please take a few minutes to help me out by answering these questions:
1. Have you heard the song "The House on Christmas Street?"
2. If you answered "yes" to #1, where did you hear it?
3. Have you used the song, or are you planning on using the song, in your own home lighting project?
4. Would you personally be interested in purchasing t-shirts, sweatshirts, or any other kind of licensed item connected with the song?
5. If the answer to #4 is "yes", then what kind of items would you be interested in?
6. Would you be interested in promotional items such as bumper stickers or buttons to hand out to your visitors that say something like "I've Been to The House on Christmas Street?"
The next question is for those of you who raise money for charity through your home lighting display:
7. Would you be interested in offering "House on Christmas Street" items to your visitors in return for a contribution to the charity of your choice?
8. any comments about the song or these potential plans?
You may send your answers to this survey to me personally at judy@judypancoast.com or you may post them here as a comment. As a small token of my appreciation, I will send an mp3 of the song to everyone who sends a request to me judy@judypancoast.com
.Thank you VERY VERY MUCH for helping me with this project.

Weeeeeeiiiiiirrrrrrddd

2009-07-27T01:40:00.001-05:00

Just wanted to pop in quickly here and say that I am alone at the radio station here in the middle of the night, and a mouse just ran through the studio.
Somehow I don't think Karen Blake is going to like this when she gets here!!

Travel Tips

2009-07-20T07:57:00.003-05:00

Today I am in Solon, Ohio and this morning I will perform my last show of this tour. I have had a wonderful time and enjoyed meeting so many new people. I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to visit my website and also who have downloaded my music. I really and truly appreciate your support.
After the show today I will make the 11-hour drive home, but before I head out, here are some travel tips I have learned on the road:

-PRICELINE.com! Naming my own price got me Motel 6 rates at three star hotels on this trip. I HIGHLY recommend it.
-AUDIOBOOKS from the library: I got several before I left and they have kept me entranced during my many hours of driving.
-ROADSIDEAMERICA.com: Hands down my favorite website for planning a trip. If you and your family like to see the oddball things that are out there on the American Road, by all means visit that website. Seeing a lot of this stuff is a great testament to the ingenuity and wackiness of the American Spirit, and it's just plain fun!
-McDONALDS! One measly dollar for a 32-ounce drink all summer, and 99% of the time the soda is mixed correctly (unlike at convenience stores, which are often cheaper but you never know what you're going to get).
-COOLER: I always take a cooler with me and fill it up with ice at the hotels. I keep it stocked with milk, water, fruit and soda
-CEREAL: I had a box of munchable cereal in the car at all times. It's a healthy driving snack...and way better for you than chips, crackers or pringles!
-STARBUCKS! Hooray for free wi-fi on the road. A lot of places advertise that they have wi-fi but then they charge you for it once you get in there. Beware! Starbucks wi-fi is free as long as you have a registered Starbucks card.
-DUNKIN DONUTS: never eat at a Dunkin's outside of New England. I've never had a drink mixed correctly at any DD outside of my home area.
-GOLDEN CORRAL: Usually a great place to pig out if you are only going to have time for one meal that day. I've never found one in New England but they're all over the place in the west.
-TAKE THE SURVEYS- If you are selected on a restaurant receipt to take a survey, then take the 15 minutes and do it. I got several codes for $$$$ off restaraunt meals just by doing this.
-SEND POSTCARDS TO KIDS: Kids LOVE to get postcards. Before you leave, stock up on postcard stamps and ask the families of children you love to give you some of their return address labels. Keep them with you, and when you are traveling, find the most fun postcards from the places you visit. Write a few lines to the child or children, slap on a stamp and address label, and you've given that child a special treat that they may keep for a lifetime (I still have a stack of postcards that my big sister sent me when she traveled across the country when she was 19 and I was 7!)

Okay...that's all I can think of and I gotta go. Take care and wave to me if you see me on the highway today. I'll be the one with the license plate that says KQQ-KQQ!

Texas Hospitality

2009-07-17T22:11:00.002-05:00

I had a wonderful day in Texas today!!
I spent the night just outside of Amarillo and drove into Dallas this morning. This is my second time coming to Dallas, and I still won't make it to Southfork Ranch. One of these days!
I was invited by the Christmas Lights Community folks to perform at the Park Forest Community Pool where they were having their meeting this evening. I had a nice little crowd of (mostly) girls who were reluctant at first (most were over the age of nine, and you know how that is!) but by the end they were going just as koo-koo as I was! It was really a lot of fun. The folks have invited me back to perform there again next year, and along with my invitation to go back to Roswell for the UFO festival next summer, looks like I have the beginnings of a 2010 tour already.
As a matter of fact, I've noticed that, outside of my home neighborhood of New England, most of my website "hits" come from Texas. It seems there are a lot of Christmas decorating enthusiasts out here who really like "The House on Christmas Street." So next summer I'm going to plan to have more performances here in the Lone Star State, and hopefully get to meet some of these nice people in person.
So, maybe next summer I'll get to see JR at Southfork after all this time!
By the way,....here's a big shout out to all my Drive-In fans...I'll be back NEXT weekend!!

Still on the Road!

2009-07-09T19:54:00.002-05:00

Wow...it's been so busy since we got to New Mexico that there hasn't been any time to write here. We had the most amazing time at the Amazing Roswell UFO Festival! The best part was the parade on Friday night....we were on the Literacy Council float with two boys (brothers) who were being the MEN IN BLACK. They were so sweet and cute! Google was there with us and I sang Take Me to Your Reader about ten times, with the theme from Men in Black in there a few times as well. Google really was the hit of the festival. Everywhere we went people wanted their picture taken with him. He was really glad to be back in Roswell....we looked around and actually found some of his long lost cousins. It was a great time!
If you have never been to New Mexico I really encourage you to visit here some time. They don't call it the "Land of Enchantment" for nothing. The land is mostly flat desert, but then these incredibly beautiful mountains and mesas seem to rise up out of nowhere. The sky is so big you can see the sun come up right at the horizon and go down the same way. And the days are mostly sunny and hot. If you don't like the heat, this is not the place for you...but as for me..I love it!
Louisa and I went hiking in the Sandia Mts. on the edge of Albuquerque one evening. We only went about two miles because we weren't really well prepared (it was king of spontaneous) but it was so beautiful. The ground is really colorful, as if God painted it. And there were lots of huge rock formations with cave like areas that I just had to explore. Next week, after she has flown back home, I'll probably go out there again. So if I don't write again, you know where to look for me!
Today we did two performances. The first was in Truth or Consequences, a funky little town with a cool name. It's right near Elephant Butte state park, which we visited for a couple of hours between shows. It's a man-made lake that's very beautiful, surrounded by mts. and mesas and buttes...very magical!! Also a good place to get a sunburn, which we did, a little bit.
The evening show was in Deming at the Marshall Memorial Library. A lot of people who've seen me there before came back, and that's always a great feeling. A sweet little girl named Cassandra was our ladybug. She didn't want to sing but she made a beautiful ladybug!
We are staying in Deming tonight and tomorrow it's on to Las Cruces. Louisa is leaving me on Saturday (MY BIRTHDAY!!!!) and going back home, then I'll be here by myself, with my last show in NM next Thursday in Tucumcari. Then I'm going on to Dallas for a show, and one last show in Ohio before I go home and do the rest of my shows around New England this summer.
I really appreciate all of the friends who have come out to see me here in New Mexico, and I can't wait to see the rest of you back home!!
And make sure you plan a trip to beautiful New Mexico some time soon!

On the Road Again

2009-07-02T12:20:00.002-05:00

Hello from TULSA!
We are on day four of the tour, which began in lovely Manchester By the Sea in Massachusetts on Monday, with a very well-attended and fun show at the library.
We have been traveling hundreds of miles a day these past few days to make it to Roswell in time for tomorrow's shows...and we are going to do it. Today is actually a light day..only 7 and a half hours in the car! That's a breeze compared to yesterday's THIRTEEN.
Here's some of the cool stuff we've seen on the road so far:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/pet/stiffy.html

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/18225

More soon!
Judy

Words Cannot Express.....

2009-06-26T09:56:00.004-05:00

I am not ashamed to say that I am a Michael Jackson fan. I have been a Michael Jackson fan all my life. I believed in him, his music and his innocence, and when I say innocence, I mean not just "innocent" in terms of the heinous accusations that were made against him, but his innocence as a person. There is no doubt in my mind that Michael Jackson and I were kindred spirits.
When I saw him on that special, talking about the special tree he used to climb at Neverland Ranch....while everyone else made fun of him for that, I got it. I have places like that too. When I saw the inside of his house, filled with toys and video games, I got it. My house is like that too, though on a much smaller scale.
All of my adult life, when I've walked into a situation where there were adults and children...like a wedding, a barbecue or a picnic, I've always felt much more comfortable hanging out with the kids than the grownups. That's why what I do for a living is such a perfect fit. ...I'm really just a kid in a grown up body, and that's how I always saw Michael. The difference is, Michael was a man and I'm a woman...somehow it's more acceptable for me.
When he was on television, forced to defend himself against the accusations of a bitter and suspicious world, I wept for him. Even though I suspect that most of you who will read this will think me a fool, I wept for him. I knew exactly what he meant when he said, "That's how the world thinks...but that's NOT how I think."
One of the very first record albums my mom bought for me, when I was about 12 years old, was The Jackson Five's Greatest Hits. I had his first solo album....and all his other albums.
I remember rushing home from taking my "little sister" (Big Brothers & Sisters) trick or treating to watch the Thriller video on MTV. In 1988, when I finally went to Disney World for the first time, the only reason I went to Epcot was to see "Captain EO." On my 30th birthday, at about midnight, I was settling into bed. Philip asked me if I wanted to watch a video, and I said "Okay." He put the "movie" in, and I was absolutely delighted to see that it was the MOOONWALKER video that I'd wanted.....over an hour of Michael videos. I raised Emma on that video...she LOVED it!! One of the first songs she danced to was "Black or White..." we loved it how the people morphed in that video. Louisa loved him too, and spent hours perfecting the moon walk.
I was miserable when I couldn't get tickets to his 1984 tour....but I scored some on Ebay to his 30th anniversary show at Madison Square Garden on 9/10/01. I didn't tell Philip how much I paid for them, but believe me, it was worth every penny, and he thought so too. Last night he thanked me for having made him do that. I'm SO GLAD I got to see Michael live. It was the THRILLL of my life.
As a songwriter, I could tell everything I needed to know about Michael Jackson by listening to his music. My favorite song of his was "Heal the World." All you have to do is listen to it to know what a good soul he was. He was all about loving and caring for the innocent and helpless of the world.
Here's a secret you probably don't know...in 2004, when we were on tour in California, I took my family on a little adventure. I'd found out how to get to Neverland on the internet, and we went searching. We drove out on this long road....that seemed like it was going nowhere, until we saw one of those highway cleanup signs that said the stretch of road was sponsored by "MJ."
We finally got to a side road that led to a guarded gate. I got out with a package of my CDs and a note telling him they were for his kids, and the guy in the guardhouse asked me what I wanted. I said, "These are for the Master of the house." and the guy responded that he would see that he got them. There was no sign, nothing to indicate that we were at the right place. You couldn't see the rides or the elephants from the road, but you could feel that it was the right place. I would give my right arm to know if he ever listened to my music and shared it with his kids.
I always thought, in the back of my mind, that one day I would get to meet Michael Jackson. Now I know I won't on this earth, but I'm sure that I will meet him in heaven. In the meantime, he left us a lifetime of wonderful music from the time he was a little boy until now. I know I'll listen to it for the rest of my life.
I could write so much more, but I've got to get outside. I'm planting a butterfly garden in memory of Michael.
Love, Judy

FINISHED AT LAST

2009-06-25T10:38:00.002-05:00

Finally, finally, finally! I have sung the last note in the recording studio for the new CD! Now all that remains is the mixing and producing and it will be available for release. The final title will be WEIRD THINGS ARE EVERYWHERE (A Reading Adventure Across the USA). Pre-order info will be coming to the Tune Room Store page of this website soon.
I really believe that this CD is my MASTERPIECE. I hope you like it too!

Twilight and the Back Fence

2009-06-15T02:56:00.004-05:00

Okay, I'll admit it...I have been sucked (no pun intended) into reading some of the books in the Twilight series. Actually, I read the first one, and my poor husband suffered through me commenting out loud about how terribly written it is every night as I read before falling asleep. I stand by that assessment, but that still hasn't stopped me from listening to that book on audio (it was slightly better on the audio book, because the young woman who read it sounds likes a teenager, and the way the character spoke made more sense hearing the words spoken in that voice...) and following it up with the next two on audio. I can't help it, I'm a pop culture fiend.

I justify my craving for all pop culture knowledge because it gives me a common ground...a starting point for conversations with people I don't know all that well. I once read that the old-time tradition of passing gossip between neighbors over the back fence had died out in modern society because we no longer know our neighbors. Celebrities are our new gossip fodder. Most of us don't really know them, and we figure that they have sought out fame, so we don't feel guilty talking about them. It makes sense. If I try to talk to an acquaintance who happens to be standing in line next to me at the grocery store, what better conversation starter than, "How about that Jon & Kate? I'm so sick of hearing about them?" or "So, who do you think is going to win American Idol?" Just about everybody hears about this stuff, unless they live under a rock or are just too snobby for pop culture. And if they are THAT snobby, I probably wouldn't care to talk with them anyway!

So, getting back to Twilight...I resisted it for quite awhile, but then I heard so many adult women talking about it that I just had to get it from the library and see for myself. Okay, I'll admit, the story is somewhat intriguing, and I have enough of a "thirst" (pun intended) for the story to see how it turns out. But I have a MAJOR problem with the description of the main female character, "Bella." This is a girl who has NO interests (other than a boy vampire), NO aspirations (other than becoming a vampire because she loves the boy vampire), NO favorite subjects in school, NO hobbies, no anything to make her interesting at all. She is merely there to provide a focal point for the vampire, who falls in love with her initially because he can't resist her SMELL!!!! And women MY AGE are calling this story "romantic!" Lord help me if this is the kind of character we want our daughters to emulate. I can't even believe people are letting their daughters read this in this day and age.

The other day someone in my circle of friends compared an adult reading the Twilight series to an adult reading the Harry Potter series and I almost had a brain explosion. The Harry Potter books are LITERATURE that will stand the test of time and be read by generations to come. It's like comparing Archie Comics to "Catcher in the Rye."
Even more importantly, Hermione Granger is a fully developed character, and a heckuva role model for any girl. She is smart, strong, creative and funny. And yes, she is allowed to have a crush on a boy, but that never gets in the way of her being true to herself. I would be delighted if my daughter asked herself "What would Hermione do?" and horrified if my daughter asked herself "What would Bella do?" I think you get my point.

Furthermore, I know moms and dads who are letting their 10 and 11- year old daughters read these books, and I'm sure they are blissfully ignorant of the fact that some of the themes therein are quite mature, including the budding (at the point I'm at in the series, anyway) physical relationship between "Bella" and "Edward." Parents are the best judge of what their children can handle in this department, but the problem is that I don't think many parents are informed about the actual content of these books. They've become THE thing for girls to read, and perhaps parents think that because so many kids are reading them they must be okay. Personally, I think the message the books send to girls about valuing themselves (or NOT valuing themselves, I should say) is far more heinous than the sex, but I still think you ought to know.

One final thought: there is one other series for youth that I have picked up recently, and I've enjoyed it a bazillion times more than the Twilight series. Diary of a Wimpy Kid made me laugh right out loud! If your kids are reading these books, take ten minutes and pick one up and read a little. I'll bet you'll laugh out loud too! And funny books are way better than romances any day of the week, if you ask me!

What I'm Good At

2009-06-01T03:25:00.001-05:00

I've been working hard in the recording studio putting the finishing touches...and I do mean the FINISHING touches...on my forthcoming CD. It's been about three years in the making! (no, I haven't been working on it steadily...it's been a couple songs here, a couple songs there). It's a concept CD called Reading Our Way Across the USA; that's why it's taken "a little" longer to produce than my other recordings. Anyhow, it will be released THIS SUMMER. Thank you for your patience in waiting! When I mentioned this at a show last week a Dad in the audience said, "Finally! New material!" So, I especially appreciate you Moms and Dads who have listened to the same songs over and over again with your kids! You're troopers!Anyhow, I want to get kind of personal here, because this is something that occurred to me as I was listening to one of the finished tracks: "This is the best of me. It's what I have to offer this world, and it's what I hope will outlive me."By that, of course, I mean that I feel that music has been my calling since I was old enough to sing. Writing songs has come naturally to me for most of my life (wrote my first one when I was 11). So when I'm in the studio creating a recording of one of my songs, I feel like I am putting the whole best of myself into that recording. When you hear it, you are getting the best of what this person has to give. I'm not that great at anything else, but I appreciate you who think that I'm pretty good at doing this, and who have supported me in my quest to make a living doing what I love. Thank you so, so much. I will continue giving you and your families the best I have to offer as long as I can...and with God's blessing maybe a couple of generations will grow up with my music. That would be the greatest gift for me, and all that I could hope for on this earth.I have to put a caveat in here: Obviously my daughters are the greatest thing I've produced in this life, but I can't take the whole credit for how terrific they are!!

RETURN TO THE DRIVE-IN!!

2009-05-15T09:29:00.002-05:00

Big Announcement:
Judy and the Crew will be returning to the Milford Twin Drive-In this summer for a bunch of shows when kid movies are playing! These concerts were a highlight last summer and brought us a lot of new fans. Hope to see you there!!
Dates so far: May 29th for the opening of "UP". Rain date May 30th.
July 24th for "G-Force." Rain date May 25th.

More to come!
The Drive In is great family fun and we are so fortunate to still have a couple of these American cultural treasures here in NH. Please plan to bring your whole gang to at least one of the shows this summer and help the Drive-In stay with us for a long time. Check out their website at: www.milforddrivein.com. And tell them Judy sent you!

PS...my very first job was at the Winslow Drive-In in Winslow Maine, summer of 1976! That summer remains a cherished memory.

Boston Children's Music

2009-05-13T13:38:00.002-05:00

Hurrah! I just found out that I'm on the list of "FAVORITE PERFORMERS" on the Boston Children's Music blog. If you live in Greater Boston you might want to check out this very informative and fun blog with info about children's performances of note in the area. You can find it at www.bostonchildrensmusic.com.

Please let Amber know you are a Judy Pancoast fan! Thanks!

Check this out!

2009-05-03T08:14:00.001-05:00

Looks like "The Good Times Goose Bumps Motel" is going to be my next big hit among the decorating enthusiasts! Check out this video made by a fan:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cRx6qZ4kv0

Isn't it cool? :)

New Blog for "The House on Christmas Street"

2009-04-26T08:18:00.002-05:00

Hellooooo...
On the advice of a trusted PR friend I have created a brand new blog specifically for information about my song, "The House on Christmas Street." You should see the link for it here on the homepage of this blog...but in case I'm wrong, here's the link: http://houseonchristmasstreet.blogspot.com/

This blog is intended to be a "go-to" spot for all information and comments on the song. If you are a fan of the song or my Christmas CD, I hope you'll stop by and leave a comment!
Thanks!

Music Page on Face book

2009-04-21T20:33:00.002-05:00

I finally figured out how to make a music page on Facebook. You can find it by clicking here (I hope) http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=62250577026#/pages/Judy-Pancoast/70289139838?sid=44f83ef0dd2616ea7475a3be895a7b78&ref=search

That looks like a long link but I can't figure out how else to do it.
Anyhow, I haven't yet uploaded any music, but I'd love to have you come by and become a fan. I'm going to start listing all my shows there, and if you want to discuss my music or shows or children's music in general there's a discussion board.

In the immortal words of Olivia Newton-John,...Come On Over!

Prunes

2009-04-20T18:38:00.004-05:00

Last night Louisa and I went over to SNHU to see the band honeyhoney open for Gavin DeGraw. Yes, we went to see the opening act and then we left. I was very excited that they were actually right here in town, since I only discovered their music about a month ago and have been hooked ever since.
We jammed ourselves into a space on the floor, not too far from the stage. As I looked around I noticed that I was not the only person in my age range there, which was comforting. (as opposed to when I go with Emma to see Hanson, where I am clearly a fish out of water, if you know what I mean.) Anyhow, I yelled and cheered for the band, and apparently (Louisa told me) some teenager was giving me nasty looks, as in, "what kind of freak are you, old lady, yelling at a concert?"
We-e-e-e-lllllllllll, here's what I wish I could have said to her: listen kid, your life is going to whiz right by you and someday you will look in the mirror and find yourself at the ripe old age of almost fifty, and yet, inside, you will remember what it felt like when you were 24 and screaming at a Rick Springfield concert, and you'll say "What the heck happened?" And furthermore, I hope to high heaven that you don't let the fact that you are twice the age you were then keep you from being the real person you are, and if you feel like yelling out because you love the guy or band onstage, then I hope you will yell out and have a great time and are able to ignore the snotty kid who is now giving YOU dirty looks.
So there.
And furthermore, to the miserable people who actually posted on message boards making fun of this blog because of the stuff I wrote when I met David Cassidy last summer: Why don't you go eat some prunes, cause you clearly need them!
I am who I am and who I have always been, and I'm not going to change and become some inhibited old lady just because society says I have to act a certain way. If someone can't handle that, it's their problem. I got made fun of when I was a teenager for the same thing: too loud, too funny, too ridiculous, too off the wall, too fat, sings too much, talks too much, too this, too that. But you know what? I've had an amazing life and sometimes laughed so hard I thought I'd have a heart attack and I'm still having a great time (alcohol and drug free always, I might add.) So you can come along and join the fun or you can sit around and make mean-spirited comments, but I hope you have a box of prunes handy, because you really need it.
Too the rest of you who have loved me and joined me in the whirlwind, I love you too. I'm so glad you get it!
Love always, Judy

SIGN MY GUEST BOOK PLEASE!!

2009-04-20T18:35:00.002-05:00

Hey You Guuuuuuuuuuuyyyyyysssss....
In an extension of what I said yesterday about blogging being weird because you don't know who is out there reading it, if, indeed, anyone is: I noticed that since I installed the newer guest book on my website 250 people have visited it, yet only a teeny weeny fraction of those people have actually signed it. Come on!! It's lonely out here in cyberspace. Every once in a while I look at the guest book to see if anyone has left me an exciting or unexpected message. You know, like fan mail from some flounder. If you are stopping by to read other people's messages to me in the guest book, you should at least leave one of your own. That would make me sooooo happy!

Health Update

2009-04-20T00:29:00.002-05:00

I find it very weird to blog, I'll admit. I have often thought that no one is out there reading any of this stuff and I'm just writing to amuse myself. But I was proved wrong when I posted about my cancer scare several days ago. I received many emails and inquiries from people concerned about my welfare, and it really touched me.
Here's what finally happened: after a really terrible Easter weekend during which I pretty much had myself gone and buried, I went to the specialist at the Elliot Breast Health Center on Monday morning. He looked at my pictures from my ultrasound, and then did one of his own, and he said there was absolutely nothing there to worry about. He said the original radiologist had mis-read the films. How about that? All of that worry and nail biting and tearing up was for nothing. I don't know if I was more relieved or angry. Relieved for the obvious reasons, but also angry because the specialist mentioned that this is apparently a pattern for the particular radiology office where I went for my mammogram and ultrasound in the first place.
The good news is that they feel that, because of my mother's breast cancer 15 years ago, I should be under their wing at the Breast Health Center, so that's where I'm going for mammograms now, every six months.
I do want to say a very, very sincere and heartfelt "thank you" to everyone who kept me in their prayers and sent notes of concern. It's so good to have friends! And all you Mommies out there: be sure to have your yearly mammogram and take good care of yourself!!

Dreams Can Come True at Any Age

2009-04-12T07:34:00.001-05:00

Ok...it's a difficult weekend. But someone sent me a link to this video, and it made me feel so good I had to share it with you.
I have never seen a look on Simon Cowell's face like you will see in this video. It's really worth watching. http://digg.com/d1oVwl
Happy Easter!!

Design Your Own Judy CD

2009-04-09T20:50:00.001-05:00

I've had a brilliant idea! Coming very soon you'll have the opportunity to design your own Judy Pancoast CD. You pick ten of your favorite Judy songs, pay $9.99 via PayPal, and we'll make a CD just for you. I'll autograph it for you and ship it off free of charge.I've decided to do this because the demand for CDs has slowed down considerably, while downloads of my music from iTunes and other sites have really picked up. I think CDs may be going the way of the dinosaur soon. So, instead of reordering thousands of copies of my past CDs and having them take up space, I'm going to let them sell out (Swimming in Jello already has) and make only custom CDs of my current library by request.However, I will be releasing a brand new CD of new material this summer, and there will be plenty of copies of that to go around until those sell out as well! I'm gradually going to add the new tunes to the existing online library to make them available for your customs CDs. This option will be available soon! So, if you would like to introduce your favorite Judy tunes to a child in your life, start picking out your ten songs and you'll have your personalized, custom made, autographed CD on your way to you in no time flat for only $9.99!

The California Muse

2009-04-02T19:28:00.002-05:00

The California Muse is an interesting blog I found when I was searching around for people on Blogger who areinterested in children's music. Here are 6 questions she sent me, and here are my answers:

1. What is your musical training/background? Are you self-trained/did you have formal musical training? I am a self-trained songwriter, but I did have formal training in piano from the time I was ten years old, and I have a degree in music from the University of Maine. I took voice lessons there as well but I wish I hadn't.

2. Why children's music? What draws you to compose and perform music specifically for children?
I began composing songs for children when my first child was born. It was just natural to make up little songs for her. Then I went back to school to become a teacher, and during my field work in classrooms I just began making up songs with the kids. One day the principal of the school where I was working asked me to do an assembly, and the rest is history. I began working professionally as a children's musician in 1996 and I have never looked back. I'd rather sing for kids than any other audience in the world. I'm not an "adult" musician who does music for kids part-time or just to make money. This is truly my purpose in life.

3. What were some of your musical favorites as a child and what were some favorites you played for your own children?
Well, like every kid I loved Disney songs and my first record was an album of songs from Disney movies that my mother got at a gas station, believe it or not! They were selling it as some kind of promotion! I wore that thing out. But I was the youngest of three kids so I got into pop and rock pretty early. I'm a child of the 70's and my favorite music has always been bubblegum pop...and I'm not ashamed to say it! My kids were raised on The Partridge Family, the Carpenters, and lots and lots of oldies. They also really liked Joanie Bartels, any music from Sesame Street and Rory

4. What countries have you traveled to in the world and what were your favorites?
I have been to Canada, Mexico, England and Kenya. My favorite was Kenya because of my experiences there at the orphanage at which I volunteered.

5. What are 10 things you still want to do in this life?
Yikes... that's an interesting question. Let's see....
1. See my song "The House on Christmas Street" actually become a real bonafide seasonal hit that plays on the radio long after I've left this earth
2. Meet John Travolta
3. Win a Grammy
4. Go back to Nyumbani orphanage in Kenya
5. Take my husband to see the Tour de France
6. Buy a small cottage or shack by the sea
7. Visit Japan
8. Write a musical
9. Hold my grandchild in my arms (of course, one has to be born first!)
10. See my daughters happy and successful

6. What are 5 words friends would use to describe you?
I'm not really sure, but I'll take a whack at it...
1. creative
2. funny
3. talkative
4. good mother
5. hard worker

There you go!

Monsters VS. Aliens

2009-03-29T05:07:00.003-05:00

Went to see Monsters VS. Aliens yesterday and I loved it. I laughed out loud in several places and the kids in the audience seemed to really enjoy it. Ya gotta see it in 3-D....I think it would be worth traveling a little ways to a theatre that offers it that way if your local theatre doesn't have the technology.
It is rated PG and there are lots of loud action/scary scenes which may upset very young children ( I always say, you are the best judge of your child and you know what may upset them, this is just my opinion). But I think it's basically okay for the average five year old and up.
If you know me, you know that I really despise so-called family movies that include inappropriate language and any kind of adult/sexy stuff (oh, they are out there, believe me.) This movie had nothing like that. It was very well done: great animation, funny script and excellent voice characterizations by people like Reese Witherspoon and Hugh Laurie (Dr. House!)It gets an A+ from me!
Let me know if you like it!

Family Music Extravaganza April 4

2009-03-26T08:58:00.004-05:00

I'm getting very excited about a big concert coming up on April 4 at the Timberlane Performing Arts Center in Sandown, NH. Its a big FAMILY MUSIC EXTRAVAGANZA and I am peforming along with Steve Blunt, Ben Rudnick and Friends and Jay Mankita. It's going to be a BLAST! Please visit the website here: http://www.timberlanepac.org/08-09/avon.htm for more info on this event. All of the proceeds go to fund breast cancer research.
When I was approached to participate the organizers had no idea that this is a cause near and dear to my heart. My mother is a breast cancer survivor (14 years now!!) and so that puts me in a high risk category as well. I have to admit that the possibility does scare me, as I'm sure it does most women. So bring the family (especially those awesome breast-fed kids!!) and help out this worthy cause!

Free Songs for Kids

2009-03-22T19:25:00.003-05:00

Hello and Happy Spring (though there is still snow in my yard here in New Hampshire)
I just uploaded two songs to my new profile at http://freesongsforkids.com/. This is a wonderful site where many children's artists have contributed tunes that you can download for FREE for your children. Check it out!