May 23, 2007: Thanks, Sal!

Dear Friends,
  I am working on a book, to be published by Viking in 2008. It’s a memoir, although I don’t think I am old enough to write a memoir. It isn’t chronological, and it isn’t full of facts and dates, but it’s been a satisfying exploration into my own life, in a somewhat circuitous, curious fashion. I asked my friend Jane Siberry what I should call it, since the word ‘memoir’ makes me cringe a little, and she said, ‘Call it a LIFE-oir! Or a LOVE-oir!’ Okay, it’s a LIFE-and-LOVE-oir.

I’ve had a lot of peripheral projects lately. I just filmed a BBC television show with my friend and sometime musical collaborator Phil Cunningham. He is hosting a new show about Scottish music, and we wrote a song together especially for the show. I borrowed a bit of longing and language from Robert Burns and dipped into some ancestral feeling for this. It was a lot of fun. He hasn’t titled the series yet, but look for something from the BBC about Scottish music, hosted by Phil, and there you’ll have it.

I also did an acoustic show at the Rubin Museum here in Manhattan with Mr. L and Elvis Costello last month. We did a show called "Magic Numbers" and every song we sang had a number in the title. Here is Sal Nunziato’s review of the show:

"Rosanne Cash has performed acoustically 7 times at The Rubin Museum Of Art. Each program had a theme based around paintings and readings. I was one of the lucky 92 people who attended "Acoustic Cash #7 : Magic Numbers," this past Friday. Miss Cash’s special guest this evening was Elvis Costello and their program was a "bit loose," songs with numbers in the titles.

Sounds good to me.

For 75 minutes Cash, Costello, and Mr. Rosanne Cash, John Leventhal treated this blessed crowd of a hundred and fifty or so people to some absolutely mind-blowing material, which was all put together through many e-mails. With just guitars and music stands, (ok, and some chairs) the trio did wonders to Nilsson’s "One," Dylan’s "One Too Many Mornings," The Bee Gees "N.Y. Mining Disaster 1941," Cash originals such as "Seven Year Ache" and "44 Stories," Costello originals "Less Than Zero" and the rarely played "Unwanted Number," which was written for the film "Grace Of My Heart," and my two personal highs, The Lovin’ Spoonful’s "Six O’Clock" and a most inspired version of "76 Trombones" from The Music Man." I am NOT making any of this up. Promise.

At one point early on, Rosanne turned to her husband and said, "They are all here to see him," referring to Costello, of course. But from my point of view, if it wasn’t for Miss Cash’s unpretentious and natural demeanor on stage, Costello may have just clunked through this material. Rosanne Cash is one of those rare artists whose presence and banter is just as welcome on stage as her music. When she sings, it’s just cherries on the cake. And without her warmth and inspiration, I may not have been so eager to see just another Elvis Costello acoustic show.

This was one of the greatest nights of music in a long time. How I got in on a Friday the 13th, I’ll never know.

Sal, NYCD"

Thanks, Sal! (the check’s in the mail)

The PAX gala was held in NYC this past May 15th, and I had two birthday boys at my table of ten: fellow board member and dear friend Tom Knowlton, and second dear friend Michael Rips, two gorgeous gentlemen now on the far side of fifty. The gala was an enormous success and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City performed (with myself guesting on one song) and they were just beautiful. Francisco Nunez, the founder and director, is a brilliant and visionary young man. Read here about both PAX, and the YPC. School is about to be out, kids will be playing at home, so please, before you send your child over to play at someone’s house, ASK if there is a gun in the house.

This year has brought its losses, as years are wont to do. The generation ahead of me just keeps falling off the planet. I wish them all, family and friends, and families OF friends, godspeed on the next road they travel.

Here’s to an inspiring, turquoise-tinted summer.
       

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