http://melaniehammet.com/news.html Melanie Hammet: News Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Sat, 03 Apr 2010 01:38:27 -0700 http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#14
I taught two songwriting classes yesterday at this fascinating school, started just this year. The students were great---as were the songs they wrote---thanks to the creative people who brought this into being.]]> http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#14 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#13
I spent hours looking at iconic American images and phrases and reassembled them into the lyrics of "Inauguration Day."]]> http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#13 Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#12
"got a pint-size trigger
so easy to pull it
but the dadgum thing
shoots a gallon-size bullet"]]> http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#12 Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#11
Thanks to Virginia at Malaprop's for her gracious hosting of last night's event. I've heard David talk about his book a dozen or more times now and I remain a huge fan of this story---The Education Of Mr. Mayfield---

This is a rare and delightful trek with David: independant bookstores all across the South, where it's a guarantee that an interesting idea, person, story, song, or poem will be waiting.]]> http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#11 Fri, 23 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#10 http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#10 Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#9
Ben plays all the instruments on this track: stand-up bass, guitars, and mandolin. Beautifully done!]]> http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#9 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#6
If I had not been pushed for time, I would have ditched the homogenized interstate landscape and cut south off of I10 to scenic 90, put up with the ugly retail blemishes along the way just to be closer to Biloxi, Gauthier, Pass Christian, and Ocean Springs, to name several. I’d have stopped at the Walter Anderson Museum for the dozenth time, checked in at Shearwater, bought some kind of healthy soda at Five Seasons . . . . .

Even so, the coupla hours west to east, New Orleans to the Mobile tunnel across the bayway----I love the gulf coast.

“the sky, the mud, the breath and the blood I am Lifted”]]> http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#6 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#8 http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#8 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#7
But: it is almost more wonderful to discover alligator cheesecake, to even know that those words exist back-to-back in a two word combination that would be a great song title, a great name for a band, a drag queen, or an appetizer at Jockamo’s, in the city of dreamy dreams--New Orleans.

And that is part of what we had on our table----Parker, Tracie, David and I---sitting in the back room jammed with people, hanging on to our wobbly little four-top so the fried green tomatoes with shrimp and the pepperypeppery batter, the salad with worcestershire dressing and a single oyster, and the soft shell crab with some kind of outrageous pecan dressing keeping it afloat in the middle of the meuniere didn’t fall off the table and require us to chase it across the floor.

Which we would have. Gladly.]]> http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#7 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#5
There are places and gatherings where the soul of a community hovers, touching the time and its membership with a kind of light. Such was this noontime and David and I recognized it immediately and felt honored to witness and participate.

So many of the men and women we met had known M.B. Mayfield personally. Some have his paintings in their living rooms; all knew the gift of his art to their homeplace.

David was there to make M.B. Mayfield's story part of written history. I was there to sing. And I did, "Hammer" being a particular favorite. Perhaps the plainspoken lyrics had something to contribute: "when all you got is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."

I am proud to have been part of that Mississippi moment.]]> http://melaniehammet.com/news.html#5 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700 sounds unique sounds - Melanie Hammet - News