Buzzin' In The Hive

2012 Dawns Happily In The Beehive

2012-01-27T07:52:00.000-08:00

As we swing into 2012, I'm so grateful for new friends made in 2011, new places traveled to, and brand-new professional associations. Some highlights: "Down On The Bayou II" during JazzFest in NOLA; not one but two evenings of house-concert evenings of duets with the very wonderful Mac Rebannack, both to benefit the New Orleans Musicians Clinic; my July appearances with the Decoys at the WC Handy Festival that included an evening of sharing the microphone with Bonnie Bramlett (who'd driven herself down from Nashville for the occasion!); the August Wetlands Jam Festival in Brunswick, ME, and more... There was also a full plate of appearances with Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez at fab venues like Blues@Boscobel, The Fairfield Theatre Company, The Mohegan Sun Wolf Den, Rochester's Abilene and Syracuse's Nelson Odeon. 2011 saw the release of our first-ever concert DVD, "LIVE HIVE," and we're happy to support it's sold briskly on Amazon and at live shows.

But perhaps the most historic and--saving the best for last--most fun I had all year came from Big Al Anderson's invitation to join his reunion of the seminal sixties band The Wildweeds for two nights just after Christmas at the Iron Horse in Northampton, MA. I stood in for the late, great Bobby Dudek, the band's killer bassist and high-harmony cat. It was priceless. If you grew up anywhere near Connecticut, you know the WIldweeds by reputation, and if you were lucky enough to see them live, you know lots more than that!! Cheers to them!!!

2012 dawns clear and bright. During this last week of January I've once again collaborated with my old friend Ian Hunter and his producer, Andy York (who also produced "The Deep End") on four cuts for Ian's newest CD, slated for summer release. As always, it was a precious musical experience. Onward to Delray Beach Florida with the Rockers In Recovery Band at the International Tennis Championship on March 3, and to Cleveland to play the gala for the Rock n' Roll Hall of Fame Induction on April 3....and again, a full calendar of shows with Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez stretching ahead into autumn already. More news later...in the meantime, Happy New Year from the Beehive Queen!!!!

Shoals Soul Shakin' : The W.C. Handy Festival July, 2011

2011-09-08T07:04:00.000-07:00

Muscle Shoals has a hold on me. First there was the music, for as long as I can remember, pouring out of radios and record players, deeper than deep: "You Better Move On," "I Never Loved A Man, "Mustang Sally," "Slip Away," "Tell Mama." I've sung these songs all my life, tried to do them justice. Then, a soul journey in September 2010 at the behest of my dear friend Kim Stovall brought me face to face and heart to heart with some of the pioneers of the Shoals scene (I visited with Rick Hall at FAME and toured all the other still-active studios) as well as with some of the cats who keep the flame burning today, when I joined the Decoys--the latest incarnation of the "Swampers"-- at their regular Wednesday night gig on the outskirts of town (Kelvin Holly, NC Thurman and Mike Dillon; Scott Boyer and David Hood were absent that evening, but songwriter Donnie Fritts and the great guitarist Travis Wammack showed up for the ride). We all became immediate friends--a mutual admiration society. Later in 2010, Kelvin and Spooner Oldham came to NYC as part of Pegi Young's band, with her husband Neil in tow, and we hung out on the bus, on Jimmy Fallon's NBC soundstage, and at my favorite breakfast spot in the Village. An idea was floated: maybe I should come down for the WC Handy Festival in July, 2011. Maybe I would, I said.

Springtime came and plane tickets were purchased. The die having been cast, Kelvin and I talked songs, day after day. Finally in late July I flew into Nashville and grabbed a rental car. I hit the Shoals city limits Thursday night and dove into that river of song straight on, meeting the Decoys at a country club shindig they were playing. Of course I got up, and right away, the song of the week was established: Arthur Alexander's "You Better Move On," one of the first-ever hits cranked out of FAME Studios. Bittersweet and stately and soulful and gritty, it became our anthem.

Friday dawned. Bonnie Bramlett was on her way down from Nashville, they told me, taking a leisurely drive on the Natchez Trace to make the scene that night with The Decoys at Crocodile Ed's, and a scheme was hatched for some duet action. I thought the natural choice was "Cover Me," written by the late, great Eddie Hinton, whose tremelo-guitar-pickin'-soul-singin' ghost I could almost see in the humid night air. Miss Bonnie arrived, and after dinner and drinks we joined the band by the side of the stage. With Donnie Fritts sitting square in front of us, and not a dry eye in the house (including ours), Bonnie and I threw down for Eddie:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0WlqNOOEcE&feature=player_embedded

"Swampers" is the sprawling, appropriately-named cocktail lounge at the Shoals Marriott Hotel, and super-chick-supreme Suzanne Bolton had engineered a Sunday night gig for me there. The joint was packed, Kim seated front and center with her mom Brenda. Kelvin was onstage along with Mike Dillon and NC Thurman, and from the first note, the music couldn't have been more right. We swamped, we gospel-ed, we rocked and rolled. They are such a thrill, those three musicians. Love them all dearly. Mike has a groove and gospel voice to die for, ditto NC's keyboardist's arrow-true sense of the song, ditto my soul brother Kelvin's peerless tremelo-laden guitar chops.

An added kick was the arrival of the great session drummer James (J.M.) Van Eaton, veteran of every Jerry Lee Lewis session at Sun studios. To me, taking nothing away from DJ Fontana, Van Eaton is the king, his behind-the-beat snare making him the rockabilly cousin to Al Jackson, Jr. J.M. had graciously agreed to sit in, and we romped through Jerry Lee's "Night Train To Memphis." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpvsUizH_TI I hoped that somewhere, Sam Phillips was smiling. Later in the week I'd have dinner with Jerry Phillips, Sam's son and a major player on the Shoals scene (indeed, in the entire Shoals/Memphis/Nashville triangle) with his triple-threat endeavors: 100,000-watt radio station Q-107, The Sam Phillips Festival, and live podcast "Muscle Shoals To Music Row" (www.MS2MR.com). Jerry has become a friend, and I'm deeply grateful that Q-107 regularly pumps out my song "Love Make You Do Stupid Things" from The Deep End over the morning airwaves via Jimmy Oliver's "Morning Show with Jimmy O." (Jimmy was there at the Swampers gig, beaming as we swamped up "Stupid Things" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCeducEP9DM ) Sam Phillips' presence is very much felt in the Shoals, and it's beautiful to have the timeless spirit of the music he created co-existing and mingling with the FAME/Muscle Shoals Sound/3614 Jackson Highway vibe). Suffice to say, the Swampers' house was properly rocked.

My last night found me on the main drag of Sheffield. A stage had been erected in the shadow of the Sheffield Hotel, where Arthur Alexander was working as a bellhop when Rick Hall discovered him. Again, with the Decoys--fittingly--the song of the evening was Arthur's "You Better Move On." Jerry Phillips and photographer/raconteur/renaissance man Dick Cooper were both there (Dick's roadhouse photos from my September visit grace the interior booklet of Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez's new concert DVD Live Hive), and everyone was beaming, including me. Perfect.

On the drive back up to Nashville on Highway 43 the next morning, with plenty of time to spare, I got beautifully lost while yapping to NYC on the cell phone, and took a leisurely detour through some achingly fine Southern back roads before reconnecting with my main route. It was a fitting end to this latest soul journey.

A shout-out to my Shoals family: Kim, Dylan and Brenda Stovall, Dick Cooper, Kelvin and Tonya Holly, Spooner Oldham, Jerry Phillips, Mike Dillon and Rhonda Curington, NC Thurman, David and Judy Hood, Scott Boyer, Suzanne Bolton, Terry and Anita Pace, Sonny Edwards, Jilda Watson, Steve "Papa T" Turner, Gary Asher, Deborah and JM VanEaton.....if I forgot anyone, I'm so sorry.....you are all deeply in my heart, as is the place you call home.

I humbly close with this quote from Terry Pace (writer, film historian, playwright) describing a backstage photo of Jerry Phillips and me:
Soul singer supreme Christine Ohlman -- the beloved "Beehive Queen" and longtime vocalist with the Saturday Night Live band -- with producer, performer, songwriter, publisher and Big River Broadcasting president Jerry Phillips (son of the "Father of Rock 'n' Roll," Shoals native Sam Phillips) during a W.C. Handy Music Festival outdoor event in downtown Sheffield, Alabama. Christine made a number of unforgettable appearances in the Shoals during this year's festival, jamming with The Decoys and fellow soul diva Bonnie Bramlett, resurrecting Muscle Shoals soul classics like "You Better Move On," "Respect Yourself" and "Cover Me" and performing a stunning show of her own with Decoys guitarist Kelvin Holly at Swampers in the Marriott Shoals Hotel in Florence. (July 25, 2011)

Thank you, Terry. Thank you all.

Down On The Bayou III: May, 2011

2011-05-14T13:44:00.000-07:00

During the second weekend of the 2011 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, musicians from all across the country--and specifically from across the South--gathered for the third annual "Down On The Bayou" concert organized by Widespread Panic keyboardist JoJo Hermann, all to benefit the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic and its parent, The New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation. This was my second year of participation, and I was completely jazzed to be asked to emcee the show. In classic Jam Band tradition, JoJo had planned a nine-hour concert, complete with a tasty "late night" section guaranteed to delight the fans-- and delight them we did, as artist after artist rolled onto the stage of legendary club Howlin' Wolf. From true classics (Irma Thomas, Walter "Wolfman" Washington, Deacon John, Jon Gros, Ivan Neville, Russell Batiste, Jr. ) to Mardi Gras Indians (Wild Magnolias w/Bo Dollis and 101 Runners w/Monk Boudreaux) to R&B-tinged artists (Anders Osborne, Bonerama, and my barn-burnin' duet with American Idol Taylor Hicks on the Edwin Starr soul chestnut "25 Miles") to new-style country legend Jamey Johnson (the hit of the late-night segment) to blues queen Marsha Ball, alt-country legend Michelle Shocked, and Jam Band heroes Seven Walkers (Bill Kreutzmann & George Porter, Jr.'s newest aggregation), the fun never stopped for a moment. Fans left happy at 6 a.m., and the Musicians Assistance Fund was enriched by some $62,000 and still counting (private donations continue to come in). By all means, consider going to the Clinic's website and donating today. Their vital work helps to keep the music (and musicians) of New Orleans alive.

In other Beehive news, we await the imminent release (late June) of Live Hive, Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez's first-ever concert DVD. Watch for news on the web site and in our blogs...
I will decamp to Muscle Shoals, AL in late July for the WC Handy Festival. Rebel Montez can be seen all over the Northeast this summer....check www.christineohlman.net for all the concert listings!!

Swinging Into Spring With The Beehive Queen

2011-04-03T14:49:00.000-07:00

As we swing into Spring for real here in the Northeast USA, so much is happening in the world of the Beehive Queen....

LIVE HIVE (so-called after my big beehive hairdo) Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez's first concert DVD, was shot in mid-January before a sold-out house. Special on-stage guests included Andy York (long-time John Mellencamp lead guitarist and co-producer of The Deep End) and gospel/soul singers extraordinaire The Sin Sisters, who appear with me on our Strip CD. My dear friend (and Deep End duet partner) Ian Hunter looked on from the audience. LIVE HIVE will include the first-ever appearances of two signature soul music covers, "That's How Strong My Love Is" and "Piece Of My Heart" as well as two brand-new originals slated for the next record, "The Grown-Up Thing" and "The Wish." LIVE HIVE is scheduled for June, 2011 release.

The Deep End was honored on national 2010 Top 10 lists, including those of Nick Cristiano of The Philadelphia Inquirer; Bill Holmes of Blurt and PopMatters.com (#2 CD of the year); our friend Rich Gibson from the Ohio rock/Americana scene; and 2 picks by TheAlternateRoot.com, including a #1 ranking.

Spring and summer appearances by Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez will include The Wolf Den at the Mohegan Sun, BOMBFest, Blues at Boscbel, MusikFest 2011, 1794 Meetinghouse, The Fairfield Theatre Company Stage One, Boston House Of Blues Foundation Room, The Branford Festival, and much more. Check out www.christineohlman.net for complete concert calendar. Solo, I will join David Foster & The Shaboo Allstars plus Elvin Bishop and the James Cotton Band for the Shaboo 40th Anniversary concert.

On a mid-March evening following his induction into the Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Fame, I was honored to be asked by Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) to join him for an evening of duets to benefit his Healing The Gulf charity. The event took place outside New York City. It was sweet and deep. What a joy to sing with Mac at the piano!

Way back in mid-December, I hobnobbed in NYC with Neil and Pegi Young and Pegi's band The Survivors. At Brooklyn's Bell House, I took the stage with Neil to warble background vocals for Pegi. Muscle Shoals aces Spooner Oldham and Kelvin Holly of The Survivors were also on board, of course...

Following my annual pre-holiday appearance with The Saturday Night Live Band for the 2010 SNL Christmas broadcast on NBC, Christmas evening found me on stage as the special guest of Ronnie Spector at Connecticut's Mohegan Sun Casino. At this "Meeting Of The Beehives," I paid special tribute to the late Solomon Burke with his holiday classic "Christmas Presents."

I appeared in January at "Up From The Bayou" in NYC to benefit The New Orleans Musicians' Clinic, sharing the spotlight with New Orleans piano legends Henry Butler and John Gros and Soulive guitarist Eric Krasno. The sellout crowd at NYC's Sullivan Hall belied the fact that it was the evening of the winter's second-biggest blizzard.

Best of all, In May, I will travel to New Orleans to headline "Down On The Bayou III" during the 2011 Jazz and Heritage Festival, all to benefit the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic. Organized by JoJo Hermann of Widespread Panic (JoJo and I are the celebrity spokespersons for the Clinic), this year's concert will find me dueting with American Idol Taylor Hicks. A duet outing with Mac Rebennack is also planned in what promises to be a legendary night. More on that in the next blog.

The Beehive Rocks 2011

2011-01-07T04:18:00.000-08:00

Happy, Happy New Year, as we begin 2011 together.
I'm so very grateful for all that happened in 2010, starting with the release of The Deep End and all the critical acclaim it received (including four top Ten lists...Nick Crisitiano of the Philadelphia Inquirer; Bill Holmes of blurt.com, popmatters.com and Dr. Bristol's (#2 CD of the year); and two writers from The Alternate Root magazine, an Americana Icon (#1, in one case). On the road, we met so many new friends and played so many great shows. I can't thank all the fans and friends enough for the warm welcomes, the messages of support, and that oh-so-good interplay between musician and audience that makes music the soulful, magical force that it is, in all of our lives. We released the first video from The Deep End --"Love Make You Do Stupid Things"--and an EPK/electronic press kit for the album as well. Thanks, too, to the members of Rebel Montez--Cliff Goodwin (guitar), Michael Colbath (bass), Larry Donahue (drums), and Chris Bickley, who has joined us on guitar on some dates this year. They are stalwart, their talent is boundless, and I know you love, respect, and appreciate them as much as I do.

My travels took me to some super-soulful spots. I visited New Orleans twice--once for the "Down On The Bayou II" benefit for the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic (this year also saw the release of Get You A Healin' on which "The Cradle Did Rock from The Deep End appears as a bonus cut alongside tracks by BB King, Richard Thompson and the Subdudes, again to benefit the Musicians' Clinic)--and spent a lovely week in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, sitting in with the Decoys, Donnie Fritts and Travis Wammack and hanging out at Fame and Cypress Moon (the former Muscle Shoals Sound). The Decoys' Kelvin Holly, Spooner Oldham and I reconvened in NYC in December for their gigs with Pegi Young and a sit-in in Brooklyn where both Neil and I took the stage.

2010 also caught me onstage with my friends Paul Thorn up in Connecticut, the Subdudes in NYC, Jack Pearson in Nashville (Jack is an encyclopedia of soul all on his own), and Jeff Carlisi in Atlanta. The "Casey Cares" and "Rock n' Roll For Children" benefits brought me together with Rick Derringer, Colin Hay and the guys from Night Ranger. And Christmas night found me sitting in with the legendary and gorgeous Ronnie Spector.

And, wonder of wonders, the Saturday Night Live Band will play its first out-of-Studio-8H live gig in seven years in January in NYC. So.... a fabulous year...and I'm sure there's more I can't even recall right now.

In January, Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez will film a live concert DVD to be called "LIVE HIVE"...watch for it mid-year, packed with bonus extras like the "Love Make You Do Stupid Things" video, The Deep End 's EPK, and at least two brand-new songs that are slated for the next CD.

Cheers to all for 2011...may joy, love, and peace be present in each of your lives, and may music continue to make the world go 'round.

Down On The Bayou II

2010-11-21T13:29:00.000-08:00

I'm extremely proud to have been the only female artist on stage (it just worked out that way...) at April's "Down On The Bayou II" concert during the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which was organized by my friend, Widespread Panic keyboard wiz JoJo Hermann, and to have my version of Edwin Starr's "25 Miles" included in the concert's recent digital release, all profits to benefit the New Orleans Musicians' Clinic. I hope everyone check out this download--it's an easy, fun way to contribute to the good work of the Clinic and its parent charity, The New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation.

TEXT OF THE OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE:
"Down on the Bayou II- Live Jam from New Orleans now available
More than 60 musicians collaborate to create live jam album for charity"

The live recordings from Down on the Bayou II, a benefit concert for the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic (NOMC) and Assistance Foundation (NOMAF), are now available for download atwww.nugs.net. The recordings captures the collaboration of more than 60 musicians coming together as never before playing renditions of classic songs such as “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”, Robert Johnson’s “32-20 Blues”, Dr. John’s “Right Place Wrong Time”, “Turn On Your Love Light” Edwin Starr's "25 Miles" and Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman”. All proceeds from sales of the album benefit the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation to support its vital Musicians’ Clinic (est. 1998).

The concert, which took place April 29, 2010 at the Howlin’ Wolf in New Orleans, Louisiana is the second annual benefit concert spearheaded by Widespread Panic keyboardist JoJo Hermann. “Down on the Bayou is an annual concert during Jazzfest that brings top musicians together to pay tribute to New Orleans and the contributions this city and its musicians have made to the music we make and love today. The New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic is a model for artist healthcare and we’re proud to support it,” explained JoJo.

The recordings of the performances that night found their way into the hands of multiple Grammy award-winning producer John Porter. Those musicians who donated their performances to benefit the Musicians’ Clinic include: Big Chief Bo Dollis, George Porter Jr., Widespread Panic, Bill Kreutzmann, Ivan Neville, members of The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Gov’t Mule, Big Sam, Luther Dickinson, Anders Osborne, Christine Ohlman and Jon Cleary, among others. 100% of the proceeds from Down on the Bayou Live will go to sustain America’s only comprehensive medical home for musicians.

“The staff, volunteers, board of directors and the 2000 + patients of the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic are deeply grateful to the amazing Howlin’ Wolf staff and the musicians who donated their inspiration to make Down on the Bayou a magical night of music and funk!” states NOMC & AF Director, Bethany Ewald Bultman. “This album truly embodies the mission of the clinic to keep New Orleans music ALIVE.” (www.savetheclinic.org).

The album premiered on www.nugs.net on the afternoon of October 29th.

New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic/Musicians Assistance Foundation:
The mission of the New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation is to keep music alive by sustaining New Orleans musicians and tradition bearers in body, mind and spirit. We do this through providing access to health and social services through the New Orleans Musicians’ Clinic, regardless of musicians’ ability to pay, and by fostering cultural opportunities that advocate for and support this effort. To learn more, visit www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org.

New Video: "Love Make You Do Stupid Things"

2010-10-08T11:39:00.000-07:00

Our first full-production video from Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez's latest, The Deep End, was a joy from start to finish. When we shot the main footage in late July with Bill Hurley of ADC Film Production in front of a blue screen at Connecticut's Horizon Music Group, we'd already hatched a scheme to raid Bill's extensive collection of vintage horror movie footage to enhance the theme of the vid's title, "Love Make You Do Stupid Things." A second shoot at the legendary Lakeside Lounge in New York City with the track's special guest, the guitar-totin' Eric "Roscoe" Ambel of the Del Lords, yielded some fun stuff as Roscoe and I romped in the Lakeside's equally legendary photo booth and swapped stories at the bar. The triple-tremelo-guitar attack of Rebel Montez's Cliff Goodwin, Deep End producer Andy York (who's on tour now with John Mellencamp), and the aforementioned Mr. Ambel is potent stuff, with bassist Mike Colbath and drummer Larry Donahue laying down their usual murderous groove. It was big fun, and we hope you dig the result. Check it out at www.youtube.com/christine ohlman , and let us know what you think! Rock on, everybody!

Beehive Soul Journey: Muscle Shoals, September 2010

2010-09-18T17:34:00.000-07:00

I'd long been invited to come to Muscle Shoals to sit in with The Decoys (legends in their own right, and Donnie Fritts's touring band) at their regular Wednesday night hang at a roadhouse outside of town. One thing led to another and months went by. Finally, I decided to just book a flight and do it. Kelvin Holly, the Decoys' monumental guitarist who's been with Little Richard for many years, was the king mixer of the week's festivities, and my dear soul sister Kim Stovall planned everything for me. You all know I collect soul music on vinyl and have for years. Going to the Shoals (this would be my second trip) is like going to church for me.

During my two-day stay, I toured FAME and the former Muscle Shoals Sound (now renamed Cypress Moon and largely a film studio, nestled beautifully on the Tennesee River; that's me sitting on the couch in front of the wall covered by moss green shag carpeting in the main office); sat in the FAME control room and met with Rick Hall; met with my friend Jerry Phillips, Sam's son, whose 100,000 watt radio station Q-107 is beaming "Love Make You Do Stupid Things" from The Deep End all over the South; saw the set for Jerry's cool new podcast "Muscle Shoals To Music Row" ( www.ms2mr.com ); had coffee with celebrated photographer and local bon vivant Dick Cooper (many of the best Shoals music photos are Dick's); lunched with cool chicks Suzanne Bolton (who manages everything at FAME for Rick) and Kim Stovall; had a quick photo taken outside 3614 Jackson Highway (because no one likes the present owner, we had to sneak around); and toured through the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, where I learned that Nat "King" Cole had two other music-playing brothers (I'd thought there was only one) and saw Webb Pierce's gold-plated cadillac with ornamental guns mounted on the hood.

All this was a prelude to the gig at Sidelines II, a local watering hole out on Ford Road ("It's a joint," Kelvin had said, and he was right.) Spooner Oldham ended up missing in action (he didn't get out of church in time), but showing up to play were Donnie Fritts, a bunch of cats from Little Richard's band, and Travis Wammack. I knew The Decoys were good, but they turned out to be more than that. Mike Dillon rules the drum kit and sings his ass off, while Kelvin, Steve Vickery (sitting in for David Hood, who apologized personally for having to go to London and do Jools Holland's show) NC Thurman and Barry Billings similarly rule their corners of the stage. This was American music at its best, played with heart and soul and grit, for the pure joy of it. Everyone could sing, and sing well. They told me after I got there that there had never (not for any special reason--there just had never) been a woman in the "sitting in" spot with the Decoys, so I was honored, to begin with. But the welcome I got will stay with me for the rest of my life. We did Erma Franklin's version of "Piece Of My Heart," romped through Freddy King's "I'm Tore Down" (after Donnie Fritts and I decided Freddy is, indeed, the best King) and, when, after a swamped-up turn through "Take Me To The River," Mike Dillon announced, "She's a Decoy!", my heart was pretty full.

Donnie got up to sing "We Had It All," and I joined him on the bridge. Then The Decoys burned through the Fritts/Penn/Oldham anthem "Memphis Women and Chicken." The crowd was whooping, dancing, drinking, sweating and smiling (with Dick Cooper snapping what turned out to be 400 photos of the evening) by the time Travis Wammack quietly took the stage with his signature red 335---and just as quietly blew my mind. His 1964 hit "Scratchy" wasn't (and didn't need to be) on the bill: he was there to be part of the band. They played a couple, he shredded---and I mean SHREDDED---and then announced, "I'd like to sing a little..." as he sounded the arpeggio that introduces "When Something Is Wrong With My Baby." This was perfect, pristine country soul, sung so true, deeper than any well, and I was proud to stand up there and be part of the gospel choir that the bunch of us made (remember I said they can all sing...) at the chorus. THEN Wammack ripped into the most ass-kickin', hip-shakin' version of the Isley Brother's "It's Your Thing" that the world has ever known. I danced all over the stage, Mike Dillon and I aced the harmonies, and the Beehive Queen's soul was very, very, very, very content. So many folks came over to the table to thank me. It was I who felt grateful, and I still do, and I always will. What a beautiful thing, to be there with everyone, so DOWN in the groove, all night long. My thanks and respect to Kim, Kelvin, and all involved.

Before I left, very early on Thursday morning, I visited Jimmy Oliver's morning show on Q107 Eric Ambel, Cliff Goodwin & Andy York's triple-tremelo-guitar attack on "Love Make You Do Stupid Things" sounded mighty fine beaming out over those megawatts. And, by the way, the cotton opened up overnight, between Tuesday and Wednesday. The drive south back to Birmingham on Route 157 was through a sea of white.

Autumn In The Beehive 2010

2010-09-11T04:30:00.000-07:00

After a whirlwind summer that found me in Houston, Atlanta, Baltimore, DC and points between, I landed in New Orleans at the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, visiting with friends and participating in PazFest II, Michael Paz's benefit for the Ruth Paz Hospital for Burns and Pediatric Surgery in Honduras. Late August also saw the digital-only re-release of "Get You A Healin' " to benefit my pet charity, The New Orleans Musicians' Clinic, with original tracks by Irma Thomas, Dr. John, Allen Toussaint and others. On the "bonus cuts" side, Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez's "The Cradle DId Rock" from The Deep End joins tracks by BB King, Richard Thompson, The Subdudes, and Chandler Travis. So very proud to be included.

I decamp to Muscle Shoals, Alabama September 15 to sit in with Donnie Fritts and The Decoys on their regular Wednesday night gig and to visit with Rick and Linda Hall at FAME and tour other studios.....this journey to the heart of Southern Soul music will be like going down to the well for me. I'll report back on how it goes.

Reviews for The Deep End continue to come in, with wonderful mentions in Downbeat, Blues Revue, and Blueswax. Leading the pack are The Bluegrass Special's "The Deep End insists on telling the truth until it alters perceptions of love and loss and how it all works, especially when it falls apart so tragically as that which produced this work of art. Here comes the sun, healing and transcendent." and Dave Marsh's "Ohlman turns out the best blue-eyed soul of her career...'The Gone of You' fully exhibits how much grief a blues-drenched heart can bear. The whole history of soul music can be heard here, reflected in a passionate life--or two." (Rock n' Rap Confidential).

I am deeply grateful, and deeply aware of how much the connection with friends and fans through the music means. Hope to see you soon on stage.

And thanks to VENU Magazine, a fabulous new arts and music mag based out of Fairfield, CT, for their wonderful feature in the September/October issue.

Summer In The Hive with The Beehive Queen

2010-07-17T03:04:00.000-07:00

It's high summer, and "The Deep End" has been in release for four months. The review have been pretty overwhelming, from Dave Marsh to Nick Cristiano in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Downbeat, Blues Revue, M Magazine, Hal Horowitz's insightful piece in the All-Music Guide, and so many more. I'm appreciative to everyone who's responded positively to this record, and I'm joined in this gratitude by the members of Rebel Montez--Cliff Goodwin, Michael Colbath and Larry Donahue. Our tour schedule has taken us to venues like the Rochester International Jazz Festival's Abilene Americana stage, where we headlined alongside (on separate nights) Dave Alvin and Amy LaVere. I was so proud to perform at this year's New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival to benefit the New Orleans Musicians Clinic ( www.nomc.org ) alongside JoJo Hermann & Widespread Panic, The North Mississippi All Stars, Gov't Mule and others. More than $50,000 was raised.

This new record has such deep meaning for me, and in on-air SIRIUS/XM appearances with both Vin Scelsa and Dave Marsh, Andy York (the record's producer) and I have gotten to explore some of the songs in the radio setting. Our schedule will take us to various points on the East Coast this summer into the fall, and we look forward to seeing all of you on the road. Keep in touch on Facebook at the "Christine Ohlman Beehive Queen" music page, or e-mail me at info@christineohlman.net . Let's all rock on together. --Christine

The Deep End Release Date Set

2010-01-10T10:19:00.001-08:00

The Deep End debuted in the digital world in November and has been downloadable on iTunes and Amazon.com since then. Now, the release date has officially been set for March 20, 2010 with pre-order on Amazon.com on January 20. A free download of the title cut, as well as much more information, is available at www.christineohlman.net. Co-produced by Andy York (John Mellencamp), its fourteen songs are of life and love tempered by loss. The members of Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez (Michael Colbath-bass; Larry Donahue-drums; Cliff Goodwin-guitar) are joined by special guests (and my duet partners) Dion, Ian Hunter, and Marshall Crenshaw, plus special guests Levon Helm, Big Al Anderson, G.E. Smith, Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, Catherine Russell, Vic Steffens, Shawn Pelton, the Asbury Juke Horns w/Mark Rivera, Jeff Kazee, Paul Ossola, Mitch Chakour, and, of course, Andy. In all, it's been a labor of love, following a recording hiatus of several years due to the passing of both our long-time producer (and my mate) Doc Cavalier and our guitarist, Eric Fletcher, who is memorialized in a cool radio airshot he and I recorded together in 2005. The advance reviews have all been great. It's all been done for the pleasure of our listeners, and we hope you dig, and enjoy.

Andy York and I will appear January 31 (11 am) with my great friend Dave Marsh on his Sunday morning SIRIUS/XM show "Kick Out The Jams" to chat about the record and perform a few tracks. Tune in and turn on!

In other news, I appeared in a raucous commercial parody on Saturday Night Live called "Carter n' Sons Barbeque" (a/k/a "Swine Fever!") Check it out at NBC's HULU site. As always, I'm the one with the big blonde beehive!

Rock on into Spring.....Christine

Imminent Release of The Deep End

2009-10-11T06:34:00.000-07:00

Many of you have asked when The Deep End will be available, so I'm happy to tell you that digital release on iTunes is set for November 1, with availability for downloads on Amazon and other sites on or about November 8; full street-date release on January 19, 2010, with pre-order on Amazon in mid-December. You'll be able to order it at www.christineohlman.net on October 20. We will celebrate at Cafe Nine in New Haven, Connecticut, the favorite original-music hangout of Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez, on November 14.

What a journey of the heart this record has been. I’ve experienced, since the release of my last studio album Strip, the loss of both a mate—Doc Cavalier, who’d been our producer—and a long-time guitarist and collaborator, Eric Fletcher. It’s been tough, and sitting down at the writing table wasn’t always easy. Rosanne Cash and I were talking, and she asked me if I’d written sad songs. It wasn’t until I considered her question that I realized I hadn’t. Ultimately, this is an album about love and the courage to fall into it. The fact is, the loss just informs you; it opens emotional doors that couldn’t possibly have opened before, no matter how much you thought you knew about it. I wrote about love—the newness of it, the glory of it, the loss of it, the constancy of it, the sadness that can come from it, the wonder of it…the sweet bitterness of it, sometimes. It’s my favorite topic, and never have I felt it so deeply and been so deeply affected by it.

The songs came over a period of about 10 months, the last being “The Gone Of You,” co-written with Cliff Goodwin. It turned out to be, along with the title track (with wonderful guitar work by Big Al Anderson), the album’s signature. We’ve included it twice, in a full studio version and then in a genius demo track that Andy York, who produced the record and was its most stalwart contributor, fashioned from voodoo loops and dark guitar. I sang it one late-night-into-early morning, so we dubbed it “The Gone Of You (After Hours).” Yet it’s “The Deep End,” with its theme of jumping off a cliff, that owns my heart.

If the writing of the songs had been a joy, the recording process proved to be a total kick, spearheaded by sessions with the core band: Cliff Goodwin, Larry Donahue and Michael Colbath of Rebel Montez, joined by Andy York. Then from Andy’s home studio to Vic Steffens’ cool Connecticut-based Horizon Music Group to Levon Helm’s place in Woodstock to Station West in Nashville, Lily’s Terrace and New Calcutta in NYC, and Sounds Great in Boca Raton, the guest artists had tracks flying, on fire together.

Ian Hunter whipped off his sunglasses in the June heat at Andy’s and dug into “There Ain’t No Cure.” To my delight, he’d also written the lyrics to “The Deep End” on a yellow legal pad and offered to add his voice there, too. Marshall Crenshaw and I romped on one of my all-time favorite “lost” Motown classics, Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells’ “What’s The Matter With You Baby,” over at Levon’s studio, the great man himself on drums, his shoulders famously hunched in that beautiful way of his. Dion and I conferred by phone and, with Cat Russell’s help, crafted our vocal tracks—he in Florida and I in Connecticut— for “Cry Baby Cry,” a treasured southern soul gem out of my vinyl collection originally done by the unsung duo Van & Titus. Dion had loved the track as much as I did when I’d first sent it to him. The guitarists on this record are, truly, an “A Team”—from Rebel Montez’s current (Cliff) and once (Eric, to whose memory the CD is dedicated, appearing with me in a pristine radio air shot of Link Wray’s “Walkin’ Down The Street Called Love”—if ever a title fit the theme, this is it) —to G.E. Smith, Big Al Anderson, Eric “Roscoe” Ambel, and Andy York. I am so deeply grateful to all the musicians whose hearts and souls are stamped on these tracks. They honor me with their presence.

It’s been a long and winding road, and in many respects I felt this was a journey I truly had to make by myself. That I’ve had great artists support me along the way has been a dream, and a gift. As I say in the liner notes, “There are so many who have stepped up with grace and love to help me get through these past years, to rejoice with me, to hold me while I cried, and to lift me up.” I have, indeed, been lifted, and now I look forward to sharing these songs with everyone. Let’s jump into the deep end.

September, 2009/"The Deep End" On The Horizon

2009-09-14T07:23:00.001-07:00

Summer in the Beehive was whirlwind....I traveled the country, from Detroit and Chicago to Atlanta, Charlotte and Nashville, performing and conducting master classes for young musicians. Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez kept up a schedule of festival dates that helped us connect with fans far and wide in support of 2008's career retrospective disc Re-Hive, and in advance of the release of our latest work, The Deep End. Mixing and mastering completed, we are awaiting its arrival, with digital availability expected on iTunes and all outlets by November 1. The record will be available at live performances after October 1 and released widely on or about January 1.

What a journey of the heart this record has been. Support and artistry was contributed by so many great friends, from the duet partners (Ian Hunter, Dion, and Marshall Crenshaw), to the musicians (Levon Helm, Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, Big Al Anderson, G.E.Smith, Shawn Pelton, Catherine Russell, The Asbury Juke Horns--Chris Anderson and Neal Pawley--with Mark Rivera, Paul Ossola, Jeff Kazee, Mitch Chakour, Vic Steffens), the production team (my co-producer Andy York, whose musicianship shines on every track, along with Vic Steffens' overseeing and mixing and Jimmy Chapdelaine's mastering), a true photography ace (my dear friend Ric Kallaher) and, of course, the flash cats of Rebel Montez--Cliff Goodwin, Michael Colbath, and Larry Donahue, with a special guest appearance by our late guitarist, Eric Fletcher.

I wrote about love--the falling into it, the newness of it, the loss of it, the sadness that can come from it, the glory of it, the wonder and kick of it. It's my favorite topic, and never have I felt so deeply and been so deeply affected by it. Many of you know that I've suffered loss in these past years, both of a long-time mate and of a close musical collaborator. It's been a long and winding road, and in many respects I felt this was a journey I truly had to make by myself. That I've had so many great artists with me along the way has been a dream, and a gift.

I look forward to the release of these songs and to hearing from listeners what they think of them. That communication feeds all of our souls, and is the lifeblood that makes musical expression precious, always.

"The Deep End" / March, 2009

2009-02-28T08:20:00.001-08:00

As fall moved into winter, sessions for The Deep End, my first CD of new material since 2003 (and the first since the passing of my mate and producer Doc Cavalier) were completed in New York City with the Asbury Juke Horns and Mark Rivera joining the other friends--Ian Hunter, Dion DiMucci, Levon Helm, Marshall Crenshaw, GE Smith, Big Al Anderson, Catherine Russell, Paul Ossola, Eric "Roscoe" Ambel, Vic Steffens, Mitch Chakour, and Jeff Kazee--who were already on board with producer and chief contributor Andy York and the members of Rebel Montez: Cliff Goodwin, Michael Colbath, and Larry Donahue. If the writing of the songs had been a joy, the recording process proved to be a thrill. From AY's home studio to Vic Steffens' cool Horizon Music to Levon Helm's place in Woodstock to Sounds Great in Boca Raton to Station West in Nashville to Lily's Terrace and New Calcutta in NYC, we had tracks flying all over the place, the groove strong, hearts on fire together. I am deeply grateful, as we complete mixing, for the intensely soulful performances turned in by each and every one. Watch for The Deep End's release in early summer.

On another note, I just returned from New Orleans for 2009 Mardi Gras with the Bywater Bone Boys Krew led by my friend Skip Henderson (founder of the Mount Zion Memorial Fund) and our pre-dawn ritual of racing through the Marigny, masked in black, banging on drums and cans, "waking the pre-dead." It's a rite that dates from the City's founding, and it was a deep and moving experience. I continue to urge everyone to think of the good people of New Orleans and the help they still need, and to check out the websites for the New Orleans Musicians' Assistance Foundation/Musicians' Clinic at www.neworleansmusiciansclinic.org and Sweet Home New Orleans, the housing relocation organization that works in concert with the Clinic, at www.sweethomeneworleans.org . Laissez les bon temps roulez.....

Christine

Southern Tour 2008 and Fall News

2008-09-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

The summer ones were deep ones as I once again hit the Southern Music trail, flying into New Orleans on July 14 (right after the super-swingin' Los Lobos/Rebel Montez double bill that kicked off the Hamden Arts Council 2008 Concert Series--thanks to all who showed up and made a perfect night even more perfect) for an 8-day round of visiting friends. Lunch with legendary producer/arranger Wardell Quezerque ("Mr. Big Stuff", "Groove Me," and so many others); a tour of the New Orleans Musicians Clinic with its co-founder, my dear friend Bethany Bultman; a couple of nights with my great amigo Skip Henderson, founder of the Mt. Zion Memorial Fund and placer of headstones on the graves of Robert Johnson, Skip James, Tommy Johnson, and more; and a hang with Deb Travis, a dedicated nurse whose safe haven program for abused women at Charity Hospital had just opened when Katrina hit (Charity has yet to reopen its doors, like so many other New Orleans institutions). The program lost everything, but Deb persevered and now, at University Hospital, a similar program has blossomed under her leadership. There is heroism everywhere in the Crescent City these days--tested again in the wake of the late-August storm called Hurrican Gustav--and I honor it.

From New Orleans it was a short hop to Muscle Shoals, Alabama, one of the towns that can truly lay claim to being "Soul Music USA," for a sit-in with Tupelo, Mississippi's native son Paul Thorn and his kickin' band as part of the WC Handy Festival. Many of the great session cats form the Shoals were there (Spooner Oldham, David Hood, NC Thurman, Kelvin Holly to name a few) and soulful Americana was the order of the night. As you know, that's right up the Beehive Queen's alley. Photos can be seen at: http:..www.christineohlman.net as well as on the MySpace page at www.myspace.com/christineohlmanmusic .

Early August found me on stage at the "Celebrate Brooklyn!" tribute to Bill Withers. Hall Willner and Janine Nichols assembled a truly wonderful and unique cast of singers; I was proud to join Nona Hendryx, The Persuasions, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, The Swell Season, Corey Glover, Howard Tate, James Blood Ulmer, Eric Mingus, and many more. The legendary guitarist Cornell Dupree backed me as part of a stellar band led by Steve Bernstein and including my SNL cohort Lenny Pickett.

I have been deep at work on "The Deep End," my upcoming CD slated for release in early 2009. Early September found me in Woodstock, New York tracking with the great, great Levon Helm at his beautiful studio in the woods. Marshall Crenshaw joined me in a duet version of the old Marvin Gaye/Mary Wells duet "What's The Matter With You Baby" as Levon formed a rhythm section with Paul Ossola (bass); Andy York (guitars) and Jeff Kazee (keyboards). Tracking has been going on since June at Horizon Music in West Haven, Connecticut and Andy's home studio in western Connecticut. The members of Rebel Montez (Cliff Goodwin-guitars, Larry Donahue-drums, and Michael Colbath-bass, with special guest Andy York (guitar) and Mitch Chakour on keys) have tracked the majority of songs with me, and so many friends have graciously signed on for guest appearances. I duet with both Dion DiMucci and Ian Hunter (as well as Mr. Crenshaw), with other guests including guitarists G.E. Smith, Big Al Anderson, and Eric "Roscoe" Ambel.

In other news, we await the imminent release of "Re-Hive," a CD retrospective of my four CDs with Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez that includes unissued & alternate takes as well as 2 new recordings of Chicago blues classics that feature Cliff Goodwin on guitar. We felt it was time to look back, a little, as we look forward to the release of "The Deep End."

Rock on, everyone....we'll see you on the dance floor!! --Christine