E-newsletter - New recording on the way, Aug 25 show in Minneapolis, and more!

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.

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