IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME!!! - We haven't been in touch with you for awhile, but we're thinking of you all the time!! We hope you're having a great summer. We've been really busy this summer, making a new recording (see pictures from the studio above). We are really happy with how it's sounding, and the official release date is October 21.
Please save these dates for the CD release concerts!
November 3 - New York Mills Cultural Center, NY Mills, MN
November 10 - Princess Theater in St James, MN
November 19 - Ginkgo Coffeehouse, St Paul, MN
Please scroll to the bottom for more info on the recording!!
LIVE SHOW IN MINNEAPOLIS ON AUGUST 25 -
Please join us for a free noon-time concert at Peavey Plaza, right outside of Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis, on Thursday, August 25. It's a beautiful oasis in the city, with a large pool you can walk through, and several water falls. Presented by MNSpin and Green Minneapolis. We'll be previewing several songs from the new CD. Scroll down for details!
MORE GOING'S ON IN AUGUST - We'll be at the Minnesota Bluegrass Festival on August 11, performing on the Market Place Stage at 5pm. Also, we'll be returning to play music and doing sound effects at the Kalavela Puppet Pageant in New York Mills, MN. Shows are Aug 19 and 20. Scroll down for details.
HEADING SOUTH IN SEPTEMBER - We are so pleased to be making our debut at 3rd Friday Coffeehouse in Somerset, Kentucky, with LaMay and Reese, on Sept 16. We'll also be at a favorite venue of ours, Huntsville Traditional Music Association, on Sept 20. On our way back up north we'll make a stop in Murphysboro, Illinois to do a house concert. Please scroll down for details!
CURTIS & LORETTA SHOWS
Thursday, Aug 11 at 5 pm
MINNESOTA BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL
We're on the Market Place Stage at 5 pm
El Rancho Manana Campground
27302 Ranch Rd, Richmond, MN 56368
Presented by MBOTMA
https://www.minnesotabluegrass.org
Aug 13 and 14 -
Please note the OLD WADENA RENDEZVOUS has been canceled for this year, due to extensive tornado damage at the site earlier this summer. We'll see you there in 2023 !!
Friday, August 19 at 7 pm
12th Annual KALEVALA PUPPET PAGEANT
We do music and sound effects for the annual puppet pageant, presented by New York Mills Cultural Center
At the VFW, 120 S Boardman Ave, New York Mills, MN
Info at (218) 385-3339
www.kulcher.org/2022-kalevala-puppet-pageant
Free admission, and it's the Free Town Corn Feed too!
Saturday, August 20 at noon
12th Annual KALEVALA PUPPET PAGEANT
We do music and sound effects for the annual puppet pageant, presented by New York Mills Cultural Center
At Finn Creek Open Air Museum
55442 340th St, New York Mills, MN
Info at (218) 385-3339
www.kulcher.org/2022-kalevala-puppet-pageant
During Finn Creek Fest, free admission
Thursday, August 25 at noon
PEAVEY PLAZA
1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55415
Free outdoor concert at beautiful Peavey Plaza, right outside of Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis
Presented by MNSpin and Green Minneapolis
Bring a lawn chair or a blanket
https://www.greenminneapolis.org/event/mnspin-musician-of-the-week-13/
Friday, September 16, 7 pm
3RD FRIDAY COFFEEHOUSE
Cooper Community Arts Center
107 N Main St, Somerset, Kentucky
Split bill with LaMay & Reese, info at 606-305-6741
http://lamay.com/3FF/schedule.htm
$10 suggested donation
Tuesday, September 20, 7 pm
HUNTSVILLE TRADITIONAL MUSIC ASSOCIATION
Burritt on the Mountain, outdoor concert
3101 Burritt Dr, Huntsville, AL
https://burrittonthemountain.com/htma-coffeehouse-concert-series/
Admission $10 online, $15 at gate, kids free
Opening by Randolph Avenue Motleys
Sunday, September 25 at 3 pm
HOUSE CONCERT IN MURPHYSBORO, ILLINOIS
Open to everyone - More info coming soon!
Sat and Sun, Oct 1 and 2
BIG ISLAND RENDEZVOUS
Bancroft Bay Park, Albert Lea, MN
Everyone MUST park at Freeborn County Fairgrounds, 1031 Bridge Ave, Albert Lea, and take free shuttle to the Rendezvous
More info and advance tickets at 1-800-658-2526
Tickets - $15 ($13 advance), $9 kids 6 - 11 ($8 in advance), kids 5 and under free, Family pass $35
http://www.bigislandfestivalandbbq.org/rendezvous/rendezvous.htm
***Thursday, November 3 at 7:30 pm
NEW YORK MILLS CULTURAL CENTER
CD RELEASE CONCERT for LIFT THE WORLD
24 N Main Ave, New York Mills, MN 56567
Reservations and info at 218-385-3339
https://www.kulcher.org/fall-2022-concert-series/
Tickets $10 advance, $12 at the door. Members $2 discount.
***Thursday, November 10 at 7 pm
PRINCESS THEATER
CD RELEASE CONCERT for LIFT THE WORLD
505 1st Ave S, St James, MN 56081
Admission is $5
More info at 507-375-4370
https://www.ci.stjames.mn.us/189/Princess-Theater
***Saturday, November 19 at 8 pm
GINKGO COFFEEHOUSE
CD RELEASE CONCERT for LIFT THE WORLD
721 N Snelling Ave, St Paul, MN
We'll be joined by our fabulous guest musicians from the recording -
Tom Schaefer on fiddle and Sandy Njoes on bass!
Info at 651-645-2647
https://ginkgocoffee.com
Admission is $15
NEW CD, "LIFT THE WORLD" is a collection of mostly original songs, inspired by the pandemic. These songs celebrate what is truly important in this life, all the way from the heart-warming to the heart-breaking.
The songs range from “Corona” which details the devastation but also the silver linings experienced by so many of us during the pandemic; to “Karmic Closet,” a delightful blues song about the clutter many of us realized we needed to clean out; to the title cut, “Lift the World,” which celebrates the peace realized when a dear one literally lifts the world from our shoulders. Loretta wrote “Home in You” after learning a friend with Covid was not expected to survive. But he did survive, and she was inspired to write about all the dear ones who help us find our way home. The playful “Shoulda Coulda Woulda” ponders where else we’d be if we weren’t here right now. The uptempo “Get a Hound” convinces us how great it is to have a dog around when you’re stuck at home during a pandemic. “Santa Claus on Halloween” is a country-tinged love song that Loretta wrote for Curtis.
Guest musicians are making this recording sound extra special! We are honored to have Sandy Njoes on bass, Tom Schaefer on fiddle, and Sera Smolen on bowed cello. Sandy and Tom will join us onstage at the CD release concert at Ginkgo Coffeehouse on November 19.
This project is thanks to a Creative Support for Individuals Grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. There are more pictures from the recording studio at https://www.instagram.com/curtisloretta789/, and a blog with more info at https://curtisandloretta.com/2022-new-recording.
We're doing a series of 3 videos, letting people know just what is involved in making a recording. Part 1 is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pnnqsl91Pes. We cover the logistics of going into a studio in that one. In the next two videos, we'll talk about what happens after you get the actual music recorded - artwork for your CD, registering with BMI or ASCAP, promoting the recording and more!
2021 TUMBLEWEED MUSIC FESTIVAL SONG CONTEST ON YOUTUBE - In 2021, Loretta was a finalist in the songwriting contest, and it's all online now - you can listen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtML0-k2GRs. All the contestants are in alphabetical order, so with the last name of Simonet, I'm toward the end!! The winner was a lovely song, "Sea Glass," by Laura Zucker, so her entry is at the very end of the video!
***Loretta Simonet is a fiscal year 2022 recipient of a Creative Support for Individuals grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board. This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature; and by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.