Monday, March 07, 2005
JANET RENO INSPIRES 'SONG OF AMERICA' ALBUM; TEAMS WITH DAVID MACIAS, GRAMMY WINNER FOR STEPHEN FOSTER TRIBUTE
Maybe there is something about the Attorney General post that inspires music. First, recent A.G. John Ashcroft sings "Let The Eagle Soar" (ruffling a few feathers in the music critic field, I suspect). Now, former A.G. under Bill Clinton, Janet Reno, is getting in on the (musical) act.
Reno is teaming with Grammy-winning producer David Macias on the project, called SONG OF AMERICA -- a series of recordings that will tell the history of our country through music, from 1620 up until the present. Inspired by Reno, and due out in 2006 on MACIAS' own Emergent label, SONG OF AMERICA will feature 50 tunes performed by an eclectic assembly of well-known artists covering all styles of music. (Macias garnered a Grammy for "Best Traditional Folk Album" for his co-production work on the critically acclaimed Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster).
The pair first met after Reno -- the country's first female Attorney General -- was given a copy of Beautiful Dreamer during a visit to Nashville. After learning the Stephen Foster tribute was Macias' brainchild, mutual friends brought Reno and Macias together. "I got a call asking if I'd like to have lunch with Janet Reno," says Macias. "So I said, 'well sure, sure I would.' The conversation centered on this idea of telling the story of American through its songs. Basically, we want to go back to colonial times, through the revolutionary war and retrace the country's footsteps to the current day with a musical narrative of what happened."
Reno originally conceived of the SONG OF AMERICA with her niece's husband, songwriter/producer Ed Pettersen, as a way for Americans to reconnect to their musical and cultural heritage. Pettersen further developed the idea as a compilation that would donate profits to folk music education, which garnered Reno's enthusiastic support. The ex-A.G. is delighted about the project finding a home with Macias' Emergent label because she sees it as a great project for America's youth. Along with Reno, Macias believes the album could be a great educational tool, adding, "One of the things that we'd like to be able to do is to get this album and an accompanying teacher's guide to every elementary school teacher in America."
Macias will co-produce SONG OF AMERICA with Pettersen and the production company Split Rock Records. In doing so, Macias will draw on his experience as co-producer of Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster, where he was pivotal in bringing the work of America's first great songwriter to life. Along with Steve Fishell, he enlisted a group of talented artists -- including John Prine, Alison Krauss, Raul Malo, Michelle Shocked, Mavis Staples, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Ron Sexsmith and Roger McGuinn -- to put their unique stamp on such Foster compositions as "Oh Susanna," "My Old Kentucky Home," "Camptown Races," "Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair" and "Hard Times Come Again No More." Performing Songwriter called the album "a star-studded and notable release that is garnering acclaim as being that rarest of creatures--a tribute record that lives up to its promise."
"To have something that you think about and you dream about for such a long time finally come to fruition is very special," says Macias about his work on the album. "Then to have it recognized by the creative community is very special. It just feels wonderful."
"Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster" won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album on February 13 at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards Pre-telecast. Kudos to producers Steve Fishell, David Macias and Tamara Saviano -- and all the contributing artists.
Reno is teaming with Grammy-winning producer David Macias on the project, called SONG OF AMERICA -- a series of recordings that will tell the history of our country through music, from 1620 up until the present. Inspired by Reno, and due out in 2006 on MACIAS' own Emergent label, SONG OF AMERICA will feature 50 tunes performed by an eclectic assembly of well-known artists covering all styles of music. (Macias garnered a Grammy for "Best Traditional Folk Album" for his co-production work on the critically acclaimed Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster).
The pair first met after Reno -- the country's first female Attorney General -- was given a copy of Beautiful Dreamer during a visit to Nashville. After learning the Stephen Foster tribute was Macias' brainchild, mutual friends brought Reno and Macias together. "I got a call asking if I'd like to have lunch with Janet Reno," says Macias. "So I said, 'well sure, sure I would.' The conversation centered on this idea of telling the story of American through its songs. Basically, we want to go back to colonial times, through the revolutionary war and retrace the country's footsteps to the current day with a musical narrative of what happened."
Reno originally conceived of the SONG OF AMERICA with her niece's husband, songwriter/producer Ed Pettersen, as a way for Americans to reconnect to their musical and cultural heritage. Pettersen further developed the idea as a compilation that would donate profits to folk music education, which garnered Reno's enthusiastic support. The ex-A.G. is delighted about the project finding a home with Macias' Emergent label because she sees it as a great project for America's youth. Along with Reno, Macias believes the album could be a great educational tool, adding, "One of the things that we'd like to be able to do is to get this album and an accompanying teacher's guide to every elementary school teacher in America."
Macias will co-produce SONG OF AMERICA with Pettersen and the production company Split Rock Records. In doing so, Macias will draw on his experience as co-producer of Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster, where he was pivotal in bringing the work of America's first great songwriter to life. Along with Steve Fishell, he enlisted a group of talented artists -- including John Prine, Alison Krauss, Raul Malo, Michelle Shocked, Mavis Staples, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Ron Sexsmith and Roger McGuinn -- to put their unique stamp on such Foster compositions as "Oh Susanna," "My Old Kentucky Home," "Camptown Races," "Jeanie With The Light Brown Hair" and "Hard Times Come Again No More." Performing Songwriter called the album "a star-studded and notable release that is garnering acclaim as being that rarest of creatures--a tribute record that lives up to its promise."
"To have something that you think about and you dream about for such a long time finally come to fruition is very special," says Macias about his work on the album. "Then to have it recognized by the creative community is very special. It just feels wonderful."
"Beautiful Dreamer: The Songs of Stephen Foster" won the Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album on February 13 at the 47th Annual Grammy Awards Pre-telecast. Kudos to producers Steve Fishell, David Macias and Tamara Saviano -- and all the contributing artists.
