Donna Colton: News

We've been doing all kinds of stuff these last couple of months, just nothing that we've been able to have an audience for! We did some radio interviews and got great response. We traveled to NJ and played at the Minstrel Coffeehouse. We've got video of that on our new YouTube site. Go there and check it out.

We did our taxes :-(
we're getting some $$ back :-) !!

I just did some back up vocals on Kim Simmonds solo CD project.

Sam's been on vacation this week, so we're taking it easy. We're ready for warm.

See you out there.
Donna

Yep. It was that guy. Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers fame. All The Gold In California. Grammy winner, great voice and really nice guy.
Andy Cooney, another great singer, is recording an album with different artists and in different countries. When he gets done the Irish Symphony Orchestra will be on it and Ronan Tynan of the Irish Tenors, too. But I digress.

Larry Gatlin is singing on Andy Cooney's record, a song that he wrote as well as some other familiar tunes. He was in town and Subcat Studio's got to watch him work. He whirled in wearing a Southwestern style long overcoat, black and red with zig-zag design, bright red cowboy boots and dressed in jeans, shirt and a jean jacket with a bluetooth earpiece blinking in his ear. He announced that he'd done a dumb thing and locked the door of the place he was staying at and unintentionally locked out his wife with their 2 year old grandchild who had to poop and he was in a world of doo-doo for that. Well, if that doesn't sound like something that a down home regular guy would do, I don't know what does.
After he got the situation straightened out, he was right to work.
"Let's get going because I've got some football to watch".

He recorded his parts and harmony parts, most things in one or two takes. With the Irish Symphony playing the track that he sang to he did a free form version of "Beautiful Dreamer" in one take that was exquisite.
With a quick run through from Andy Cooney of one of the songs and making notes about how the melody went, he recorded the part perfectly only having heard it once.
We ( Sam and I ) were there because Sam has this great vocal mic that people usually like to record with, so we brought that to the studio and hung around to help and visit with the people that were there with Larry and Andy and of course to try and get to meet them. When Larry saw Sam's mic among the ones they had set up to give them a choice of which one to use he said "I've sung in front of plenty of those in my time. That'll do just fine." And it did.
Andy Cooney will be doing a concert in Auburn on March 3, 2008 to raise money for one of the schools there. He performed there with his band last June to a sell out crowd of 1200 and hopes to do the same thing in March. I've only heard of Andy, but got to hear his voice singing with Larry during the recording and he's smooth. A very silky tenor voice that I really liked listening to.
Crystal Gayle will also be singing on this record. Not sure how that's happening, but I guess they'll go wherever and whenever she has time in her schedule to record.
So, when they were done, Larry blew out of there as quickly as he blew in, but not without graciously saying goodbye to everyone, shaking hands and noting that he'd had a great experience at the studio. Then he was off to watch the Giants play whoever they were playing that day.
What a cool business this is, huh?

DC and The Troublemakers not only made Mark Bialczak's Top 10 List for 2007, we got the #1 spot. We could not believe it. Especially in the company of Joe Whiting and Mark Doyle, who put out a great CD (their first together in 20 years) and Los Blancos, one of the favorite roots rock bands in CNY.

It was so gratifying to be recognized for all of our hard work, sweat, tears and all of that. It truly can be agonizing sometimes to figure out how to make a good record. It feels like it was worth the wait and our effort. We kept telling fans that asked when the cd would be done, "Well, we think this spring" then "Maybe by the fall." Then "We're getting close! "
Thanks to everyone who stuck with us and bought the CD when it was finally done. And thanks to Mark B for listening to it and giving us the good word.
We came out of our gig on New Years Eve and someone had written in the the ice on the back window of our van: Donna Colton #1 CD of 2007!
When I got in the van to drive to my day job it was still there. By the time I got to work, it was salted over. That's how it goes...

So we had that lunchtime gig at Empire Brewing in Armory Square just before Christmas. We were playing our tunes and some Christmas tunes and, you know, it was Sam and I doing our stuff. At some point and I'm not exactly sure when, but I noticed that this guy was sitting in front of us with two little girls ordering food and talking to them, keeping them entertained. He looks like Tom Kenny (Spongebob) but it's been a long time since I've seen him. But the more I look the more I think, yeah, that's him. It's him, right? Yeah, it's him. Well just be normal and don't get all spongebob ga ga on me, okay. this is the dialogue that's going on in my head. You don't want to disturb famous people when they might be trying to just have a quiet lunch with their kids. Then his wife joins them and then I notice that they're singing along when we sing something that they know. Mockingbird, Run, Rudolph, Run... I did read that he was going to be in town and playing a gig at Shifty's with his home town band. Yeah, it was him, I think? After they finished lunch and they were paying the bill and putting on coats, they had to walk in front of us to get out of the place. Tom Kenny is singing Iko, Iko along with us as he's walking out with family in tow. It had to be him, right?

Sam and I are doing Jim Reith's Christmas Spectacular at Syracuse Center4Arts. All of the proceeds go to benefit McMahon/Ryan House to help sexually abused kids; a very worthy cause. Anyway, it's a great line up of local talent and we're all volunteering, so takes some time to come out hear what truly wonderful musicians we have in this town.

We were so glad to have the wonderful audience we had at Creekside Bookstore when we played. We know there were alot of company Christmas parties happening that night, so we weren't sure how many would be able to make it out; but you did! And we sold many Christmas CD's for new fans and gifts. We love playing at the coffeehouse because it's a warm and cozy listening room and we get to do all of our own music and tell all of the stories about inspiration and other antics that happened while we were recording. Once again, your attendance warmed our cockles...

On Sale now at area P&C Food stores! $8.00 each and proceeds benefits Casey's Place, 228 Lafayette Rd, Syracuse.

10 Tracks of your favorite local artists including Joe Whiting, Frenay & Lenin, Dave Hanlon, Loren Barrigar and more. Donna Colton & the Cazenovia High School Choir croon the classic "I'll Be Home For Christmas". Listen for suts from the CD on Big Mike's show on Sunny 102 FM.

We had a great gig! Thanks to everyone that came out to see us. We always have a woderful time at Morris. All was good until Burt made me rub his bare butt.

Next year, we'll get more of you to come out to this event! This was hosted by Jennifer Tom of Positively Pink Packages and abreast cancer survivor herself! She and partner Heather work year round to put packages of things that people gettting treatment will need. They give these bags of goodies to Dr's offices to hand out to patients and the stuff in them includes things like books on what treament entails, pillows for putting under your seatbelt for comfort, head scarves etc.
This was such an elegant event! All of the desserts were fab, champagne tickled your nose. And they had 4 tables of great silent auction items!!! Furniture, a Stickley clock, wine tours, sports memorabilia, jewlery, vacations to the caribbean, and even a bid to own part of a race horse!! Next year, you guys have to come!!

I've been meaning to write about this sooner, but now I have a bit of time. We had such a great time being a part of this event! Our friend, Audrey, invited us to come to the dedication in a beautiful site on the Ludivico Sculpture Trail. You walk about a half mile on a path through the woods right on the canal and view some of the other works. Audrey's is at the end of the trail and they had a band playing and about 150 people there for the event. Many of the people that worked at Gould Pumps came to see the work. I got to sing Amazing Grace for the ceremony and Audrey managed to hold it together. She was on the verge of tears when she spoke, thanking all of the people that helped her accomplish this work of art. I tell you, we were so proud to be a part of this. i felt like I was witnessing something so historic. This piece was life size and weighed 8 tons. The concrete base is 14 foot diameter. Many of the workers recognized parts that Audrey used in the composition of Pump Man that they had a part in desiging or tooling. What a cool thing!! I can just see people coming down the path to view it years and years from now. Something so solid that will last many moons after we're gone.

We Troublemakers got to play at the afterparty at Lakeview Country Club in Auburn, right by the lake, hence the name. There were so many of Audrey's family members and friends around to help her celebrate. We had a wonderful time and got people to dance and play a little more than we thought we might for the long day that we had. A truly enjoyable, emptional and moving experience being involved in this.

i just got the November issue of Acoustic Guitar Magazine and we're in it! This is a national publication with 150,000 subscribers, so we're excited about it. And they used a photo of me (that Sam took! Add Photographer to his resume) at the start of the article.

You can go to www.acousticguitarmagazine.com to see the on-line version. I've also got AG in my links, so you can get to the site there, too.

The article is about what PA gear real musicians use and Sam and I answered a bunch of interview questions from the writer, Andy Ellis via e-mail. Go, read, see what we said. I'll tell you more about it later.

Donna

We had two private gigs last weekend and one of them was my high school classmate, Cheryl; it was her husband, Mike's Surprise Birthday Party! What a great time we had!! Donna Colton and the Troublemakers played, everyone danced and drank and clapped and much merriment was had by all. And, Mike never suspected a thing. Total surprise.
See you Soon,
Donna