...a note from Christine...

    Happy Springtime friends.  This year we had enough cold weather in Austin that I am excited about the buds on the trees and the warmth in the breeze.  Some years I feel cheated because I hardly got to wear my sweaters.  Bring on the t-shirts!
     I have decided to replace the Non-Profit of the Month tradition with news about Swan Songs, the non-profit that I co-founded and manage.  Swan Songs fulfills musical last wishes by organizing private concerts for individuals with a life threatening illness.  They can request their favorite Austin area musician and we try to bring them to their side.  I am pouring my heart into it and want to share its development, so I will take the liberty of including a small update each month.  We recently organized concerts with Eliza Gilkyson, Ed Miller, Todd Phelps and Nick Classen.
     The French Happy Hour at Lamberts is picking up steam and I love singing chansons for two hours every Thursday - I must have lived in Paris in the 40's in another life.  Cow Beret Orchestra members include - in various combinations - David Webb, David Carroll, Chris Gage, Paul Glasse, Michael Austin and Richard Bowden.  It changes every week, but it's always a stellar line up.  I'll have to miss a couple of weeks coming up, so double check our schedule.  When I'm not there they will keep the same theme, so you'll still hear some great French music. 
     Okay!  A bientot!  Au revoir!
              Christine 

Swan Songs News
An interview with Christine about Swan Songs will appear on News8 Austin Sunday, March 4, twelve  times throughout the day. 

On Sunday, March 11 the CBS radio affiliates in Austin (Mix 94.7; Majic 95.5; Beat 104.3; Talk AM 1370) will also air a Swan Songs interview with Christine. 

You will  find a link to these interviews on the News Room page at the Swan Songs website after they air.

Swan Songs is a partner in the Randalls Good Neighbor Program.  For every dollar you spend at Randalls grocery stores, they will donate 1% to Swan Songs.  Take your Randalls card to the customer service window and ask to add Swan Songs as a recipient organization to your card.  Our number is #11463 - take it with you when you sign up.  Every time you shop, you'll be supporting the Swan Songs mission!

You can also now donate online through PayPal at swansongs.org. 

Quote of the Month
"An optimist is the human personification of spring."
Susan J. Bissonette 

...and a note from Chris...    

     Are there enough hours in your day?  Not mine.  I guess if I gave up relaxing meals, sleep, movies and American Idol I could just work 24 hours a day and get everything done.  (I'm not going to, we all deserve a little relaxation, right?).  I do know I need to learn to budget my time a little better.  We keep a couple books open all the time, one about cutting your day to day expenses, and the other about getting the most out of working from home. 
     Which we do, you know, we run out and play shows and talk to people a lot, but in order to get there we have to work in our home offices to book the gigs, promote the gigs, update the websites, make new CDs, track sales, do the accounting and.....Oh My God, I haven't finished the taxes yet!! 
     I have a feeling we're all up against this wall.  There's so many emails to check and respond to, so many phones ringing with solicitations, so many bills to pay.  It's all part of this wonderful adventure they call life, I guess, and as far as I know it still beats the alternative.
     Except for a trip to California this Spring, we're staying close to the home office for a while.  I've got several studio projects lined up (Praise be, knock on wood), and a couple new instruments to try out.  I have to have one of everything, (or sometimes several). Thanks to Lindy Hearne and Johnny Gringo for hooking me up with a couple new axes.
     Bring on the future!  See you at the gig.
      Chris