hallelujah- seeing Leonard Cohen is a religious experience…

Amazing. Speechless. I saw Leonard Cohen, the great poet, incomparable lyricist, legendary songwriter and superb artist, who wrote "Hallelujah" (Jeff Buckley's version is gorgeous and epic), "Chelsea Hotel No. 2", "Famous Blue Raincoat", "Suzanne", "Sisters of Mercy" "First we Take Manhattan, Then We Take Berlin", "Bird On A Wire" and a million other classic songs…

OMG. seriously, witnessing Leonard Cohen perform, humbly kneeling on the ground, singing up in desperation and wonder to the heavens, and chuckling at his own lyrics in his Baritone sounding voice is just amazing. He's 75. 75. And such a beautiful spirit, introducing his band twice during the show, paying them great homage...bowing deeply to them individually, and bowing deeply to the audience. He's unbelievable. I had tears in my eyes, about 3 times, that I was too embarrassed to cry publicly (even though noone could see me in the pitch black concert space, of course), when he sang lines like

"I heard there was a secret chord, that David played and pleased the Lord
But you don't really know much about music, do you?
It goes like this, the 4th, the 5th, the minor fall and the major lift, the baffled king composing Hallelujah. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah."

and
"I remember you well in the Chelsea Hotel
You were famous, your heart was a legend
You told me again you preferred handsome men
but for me you would make an exception
and clenching your fist for the ones like us
who are oppressed by the figures of beauty,
You fixed yourself, you said, "Well never mind,
we are ugly but we have the music."

Wow (deep inhale)

I was sitting next to Leonard's producer for his first few records, and asked him if the story in "Famous Blue Raincoat" was a true story (where Leonard's brother steals his wife, and thanks him in a letter). He said Leonard didnt' have any living brothers, but you never know. So many mysteries untold.

Leonard's music is a gift. please check out "Hallelujah" and "A Thousand Kisses Deep" if you're a poet and lover at heart…even if you're not, there's poetry to be born in every soul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttv5dyvtF4o "HALLELUJAH" LIVE IN LONDON

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YygNf2PW2S4 "A THOUSAND KISSES DEEP" LIVE IN LONDON

with love,
xoxoxoxo
sheri

New Classical Cover of "All He Has To Do" & NEW RECORD UPDATE!

Hi Guys,

Greetings from my recording studio in New York City! sorry I've been out of touch a little bit this summer, but I've honestly been writing songs like a madwoman for the next record, with every free second I get. I'm shooting to have 30+ songs I'm happy with, to choose from for the next record, so I have been super, super-focused, and really writing up a whirlpool of a storm!

I might start posting video and sound clips of new songs for you guys to hear, and get your feedback on (if you'd be so kind!), which I'd love to get from you all- but briefly here are some new song titles, just to give you a tiny taste of what's coming up, possibly on the next record...

"Black Rose," "Safe Zone", "Winning Hand", "Yes, I Do Love You", "Yellow Brick Road", "Untitled (Woody Allen Movie Song)" "Spoons", "50 Ways to Kill Your Lover" and "Freedom". "I Could Love You Still" and "Straight Line" are songs you may have heard before, but contenders for the next record too! I'm working on versions of 8-10 other new songs too (I kind of work schizophrenically and sideways, and love the manic rush of working on multiple songs at once), so more on new ones soon.

Oh! Also, another exciting thing...I recently got sent a Classical cover version of "All He Has To Do" this amazing guitarist/woman arranged and played on youtube. This song isn't a hit (yet, I hope??) , but to hear it covered classically was so amazing to me and geez, seriously, a real honor! She arranged it for a wedding, which is awesome. I think she might have made my year (; If you have a second, and want to watch it, here it is:



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w52Rv65CY4M

Ok, I have zillions of thing more to tell you all- and I promise to try and start video blogging and posting sound clips of new songs soon, and more often!!!! These new song clips won't be perfect, and my vocals will be raw one-take performances, but I promise it will be real. very honest. very raw. very me singing to you in your kitchen, den or living room. or garage, if it's not too moldy. very sheri.

I might actually need to start drinking a little whiskey before I hit the mic, for a couple of these songs though! get a little rasp going there!!!

love you guys, i hope you're all brilliant and bloody good (as they say in the UK), and let me know how you all are.
i miss you guys. and send any song titles you think would make great songs, maybe it'll be inspiring to this songwriting madness i'm in!!!!! (:

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
sherdogg

Opening for Shawn Mullins at The Tin Angel Update!

Hey!

So just wanted to tell you how the Shawn Mullins opening date at The Tin Angel went last Saturday night, April 11th…

It surprisingly went pretty great! I had slightly lower expectations going in, as I didn’t know how his audience would receive me, as an opener. It was a sold-out crowd that night, and I played a stripped-down, intimate show….just me on guitar and piano, and my amazing friend Rubin, on cello.

Well, we played our 7-song set, and I put as much heart and soul as I could into the music. And I was shocked at how well it went…Everyone was incredibly kind and gave me a warm reception. I sold more CD’s than I imagined possible. Even a handful of autographs, which is a funny thing to me.

Shawn played a really great show (yes, he did play his big hit “Rock-A-Bye”), and he is not only a great artist but a genuine, cool cat, kind-of-guy. After the show, he asked me to open some more dates for him early next year, so that’s exciting.

Someone videotaped the show, so soon as I get it, I hope to post the video footage here on my myspace page and also on youtube. Even a couple news songs, you haven’t heard yet.

Keep checking back here and on youtube for the videos. More soon…

Love you!
xoxo
sheri

p.s. does anyone have any favorite cover song requests for me to play in the future? Think Cat Power’s Covers record…Fire away…

2009 is gonna be good…Happy new year!!

I want to wish you all a Happy, Wonderful, Blessed, Magical and Joyful New Year! You know, I have this hunch that 2009 will be filled with great success, and wonderful things for us all! Happy New Year, everyone! Good things to good people!

A little update on things musical…

I’m more than halfway done writing the next record! Lately, I’ve been lucky to be visited by the creative Muse, who’s gifted me many “magical song-dust pieces” to channel and sculpt into songs. Imagine a hunched-over sculptor working their palms through brown-red clay, envisioning and forming a life-like statue; what DaVinci must have looked like sculpting a glorious piece of art. For me, songwriting is part brown-red clay sculpting and part shaman-visionary magic.

The manual meets the magical.

(but please don’t get me wrong…at times I seriously kick my own ass to write, when inspiration doesn’t flow as readily. There is definitely some “perspired inspiration” and “inspired perspiration” going on too).

So, right now, I have 9 songs for the next record, and hope to keep writing another 11 songs; so we have 20 solid, great songs to choose from. I’ll keep you guys posted on the songs, as I progress deeper and deeper into writing this record…

Music Video update! The music video for “Waste My Breath” is done! We should be debuting it in late January or February…stay tuned for info on its release!! It’s sexy, and it’s fierce!

Happy New Year to you all!
And I thank you, honestly, for all your support.

Xoxo
Love love love,
sheri