WOW! I can't believe I will go under the knife in just eight days. I am nervous but I continue to say my positive affirmations and visualize myself in my healthy, cancer free body when this is over. I am feeling great and stronger than ever. I have discovered some amazing new vegan foods to eat like raw vegan ice cream from coconut milk, vegannaise, Kamut yeast free bread and so many other delicious vegan foods that I don’t miss meat, sugar or dairy at all! I continue to juice daily, lose weight and ride my bike about four miles daily. I am a regular at my local health food store, Cream of the Crop, and everyone there is wishing me well when I go in for my wheatgrass shots each day. I am in great shape right now, my skin is soft, my eyes are clear and bright and I know I will survive this surgery and recuperate quickly.

It was an amazing week when many of my musician friends, Sue Palmer, Paul Loranger, Sharon Shufelt, Jonny Viau, April West, Pete Harris, Melissa Hague and Steve Wilcox recorded with me at PH studios in Escondido. We recorded some standards I have always wanted to record; At Last, I got it bad and that ain't good, He’s Funny that Way, and Joe Liggins I gotta right to cry (which was one of the songs I used to strip to as a young dancer in the early 80’s). We will go back in on April 16th to record a few more tunes before I enter the hospital. I felt like it was important to do this, because if something did go wrong in surgery, (which it won't!!!) at least I have recorded some of my all time favorite songs. I know everything will be fine but it felt so special and heartwarming to have my musician friends rally around me and donate their talents and studio time for free. I am one lucky girl.

I continue to be humbled and awed by so many beautiful gestures of friendship and love from you. I have received so many cards (many with checks!) letters, emails and phone calls. Pay pal gifts continue to stream in. I am overwhelmed with so much to do and have over 400 emails waiting for an answer. Thank you for your patience with me right now, and thank you so much for your huge hearts and your tender words of love. The benefits are listed below that will help me pay for my living expenses while I am disabled. There are so many bills to pay and now that I cancelled my European tour, I am in debt for the airline ticket money the Finnish promoter sent me. I owe about $8000 in hospital bills that Medi-cal will not pay, plus another 5k to the Finnish promoters. Not to mention the lost wages of the band members who all lost work when I cancelled. The money raised at these benefits will go a long way towards helping me recuperate in peace without worrying about how we will survive.

My long time friend, singer, songwriter, musician Chris Gaffney is also suffering from liver cancer. Go to helpgaff.com to help him. And my friend, Ann Rabson from Saffire the Uppity Blues Women, is facing serious cancer challenges of her own almost at the same time as me. She and I have already started discussing collaborating on some upbeat cancer survivor songs when we are both healed! I feel stronger knowing that many of my friends are suffering right along with me and I know we will all prevail and be better and stronger for having gone thru this experience.

I really feel like on some level, cancer has been a blessing. (I know, ask me again when I am groaning in pain in a hospital bed!) But for the first time in my life, I have really started to think about what I eat and when I eat it. I have always been proud to be a big, voluptuous gal, and have always been active and healthy in my 200 lb plus frame, but now I am really conscious of what I am eating, and what it is made of, and where it comes from. I believe I may have chosen this challenge on some cosmic level, so I could learn from this experience and improve and I know I have been given an opportunity to grow spiritually from this fight. Maybe I will start a workshop for cancer patients to learn how to write songs and journals to help them cope with their illnesses. Music is such a powerful healer and maybe that’s why this has happened to me. I will use the cancer experience as a way to make my memoir even more powerful and meaningful. I will really be able to lay claim to the Toughest Girl Alive title now! I know my optimistic nature is coming in handy during this challenge. (Notice I refuse to say I'm sick!? I am just health challenged right now!) And it has been so helpful to know that I am not alone and that I have so many beautiful, caring people in my corner. So many of my friends around the globe are organizing benefits for me. Thank you all so much for your continued love and support. I feel your healing thoughts and energy and I hope you will keep me close to your hearts on April 18th.

Don’t worry about me people. You're not rid of me yet!!

Big Big Love and Gratitude,

Candye

UPDATE: 3/27/08 - Cancelled my European Tours and scheduled surgery for April 18th

Hello everyone!

It was an agonizing decision but I decided I had to cancel my european shows and my appearance on the blues caravan tour for the time being. I will endure the whipple procedure (pancreatic duodectomy) on april 18th at UCSD Thornton Hospital. I will be in the hospital for two weeks minimum. The address for the hospital is : 9300 Campus Point Drive, La Jolla Ca 92037.

It was a very difficult decision to cancel this tour. So many people depend on me for their income and so many people worldwide just wanted to see me sing. But I will sing again and by doing this surgery early, I have a better chance of recovering quickly and thus being able to do my other shows later this summer. I am feeling great and this extra time at home will allow me to continue my juicing and exercise and get in optimum shape before I endure this very radical surgery. Thanks so much to those of you who wrote me kind and sometimes funny emails encouraging me to stay at home. The permission slips you sent were hilarious!

I have already lost 20 pounds as a result of my dietary changes and will be lose probably another 50 pounds from this intense operation. I am sure I will be fine and will be in better shape than ever. I am already thinking about the activism I will embrace when I am well; for the health care that should be available to all of us regardless of our economic status. Poor peoples lives are worth as much as rich peoples and if I hadnt had a child under 21 and been eligible for partial pay medi-cal, if I hadnt had generous friends, fans and family who are helping, I wouldnt even be able to have cancer surgery and would just be sent home to die! This isnt right and I will fight to publicize this issue. Right now though, I just have to fight to get better and beat cancer and survive this surgery.

I am strong and I can do it. I just know it. But I still need your love, prayers, support and healing white light. Keep those positive thoughts coming!

If you want to donate $$ to the cancer fund, go to paypal.com. My user name is candyekanetour@aol.com. Or you can send a check to candye kane cancer fund 315 s. hwy 101 #47 encinitas, ca 92024.

Thank Goddess, I have partial pay Medi-cal insurance now but I will be laid up for months after this intense surgery and will still need to pay bills and survive with no income. Thanks in advance for your continued generosity.

Much love and gratitude;

Candye

Hello all,

UPDATE: 3/11/08 - My Bout with Pancreatic Cancer

Hello all,

Some of you may have already heard this thru the grape vine or thru close friends or family members of mine so forgive me if you are receiving this information again.

On Friday, February 22, I went to the Scripps Encinitas emergency room with abdominal pain. I have been having this pain about every four to six months, for several years now, The pain has landed me in hospitals all over the world including Belgium, Germany, Holland, Nebraska, Indiana and New Jersey. (I actually had to cancel a tour in Germany some time ago, with BB and the Blues shacks because of this problem, and left the stage at Skips in Angola, Indiana because of same.) Usually they have diagnosed the pain as acid reflux, and I personally thought the pain was gallstones but no stones have ever been found. On this feb 22 ER trip, they finally gave me a cat scan and found a 3.4 cm tumor on my pancreatic head. The report they gave me said that the "mass is presumed to be cancer or a pancreatic neoplasm unless proven otherwise."

Since the finding of this tumor, I have done lots of research on the causes, symptoms and treatments for pancreatic tumors and cancers. There is a wonderful website pancan.org that provides some amazing information for people with this cancer, if you are interested. This cancer is normally caused by excessive cigarette or alcohol consumption or family history. I have none of the above but I have been exposed to very large amounts of second hand smoke in my lifetime. I have met with a pancreatic surgeon at UCSD Moores Cancer Institute and have had an endoscopic fine needle aspiration. This is a fancy word for biopsy. The biopsy results are still not analyzed yet, but they took five samples of the tumor with a very fine needle. I had to swallow a camera and the camera introduced the needle thru my stomach wall to take samples of the tumor on my pancreas. The doctor who did the procedure, and my pancreatic surgical nurse thinks I have a neuro endocrine tumor (which is the same one that Apple founder Steve Jobs had). The biopsy made me very sick and further inflamed my pancreas, and so I was admitted into the hospital this weekend for complications and fever resulting from the biopsy. Hospitals suck and I am really glad to be back home now and am feeling much better.

Like Steve Jobs, I have radically changed my diet as a result of this tumor. I have given up coffee, sodas, meat, fish, starch and sugar. I have purchased a juicer and am juicing daily with wheatgrass, beet, carrot, parsley, ginger, cucumber, chard and many fresh fruits. I am trying to alkaline my body since I have learned that cancer cannot grow in an alkaline environment. I am staying active and upbeat and have enlisted my friends and family to surround me with positive thoughts and white healing light. Now I ask you, my fans and friends to do the same.

I still don’t know yet what the final results are of the biopsy but I should know something by the end of this week. I know that I am facing surgery, or chemotherapy, (although it is rarely successful in treating a neuroendocrine tumor) and maybe both. I am really strong and really healthy. In fact, I feel GREAT. Its weird when they tell you that you have cancer when you feel like a million bucks. Right now, I don’t know which of my upcoming shows will have to be postponed but I will make that announcement soon. I am definitely coming up to the bay area this weekend – see my tour schedule - and will probably not have to have my surgery until after at least part of my upcoming European tour. Of course, I will do whatever my doctors advise me to do so I can recover as quickly as possible.

The good news is that neuroendocrine tumors are not as aggressive or deadly as pancreatic cancer. They move slowly and are much easier to treat. The prognosis is much better for these types of islet cell tumors so that is wonderful. The bad news is I have a tumor and it will definitely affect me, my family; the band; the shows and my fans in some way, at some point.

Since I have no health insurance, its going to be a real struggle financially to survive without working. Some of you have already been very generous and kind and sent me money through paypal. My paypal account name is candyekanetour@aol.com. Others have been wonderfully supportive with offers for benefit concerts. My friends in Austin, Rosie Flores, Margaret Moser and Susan Antone are reportedly already organizing one, and my friends Dave Alvin and Toni Price and many other musicians and artists have kindly offered to lend their voices and guitars to my cause. I am also applying for aid from many music cares organizations and I am applying for Medi-cal. Hopefully, with the help of my friends, family and fans, and a few kindly music relief groups, I will be able to fight this tumor and get back to the job I love – making music for you!

I ask you for your love, your patience and most of all, your positive thoughts during this difficult time. If you have any extra money to give, now is the time to give it. If you live in the bay area, please come and celebrate my life and music with me and my band.

Thank you for keeping me and my sons, Evan and Tommy in your prayers. Most of all, thanks for the gracious and gentle gift of your friendship and love while I fight this current bump in the road.

Sign me – still the toughest girl alive;

Candye Kane

UPDATE: 12/13/07

Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwaanza, Happy Christmas!

I am THRILLED to announce that I have FINALLY been acknowledged and nominated by the Blues Foundation awards for Best contemporary blues female!!!!!

I really can't believe this has finally happened to ME! After all the heartaches and bad luck I have endured recently, this is just the best news I could have received. I was beginning to feel invisible after 8 international cd releases and touring so hard for so long. Its just a wonderful, gratifying thrill! I don't think I will win but I couldn't be in finer company with my friends and sister nominees, Fiona Boyes, Teresa James, Debbie Davies and Bettye Lavette. Whoever wins, I am just so excited to be noticed and yes, it really feels good to know that my contributions to the blues finally matter to the blues foundation.

This is just a wonderful honor. Please join the blues foundation at blues.org so you can vote for me! It's a great organization dedicated to preserving blues music and blues history!

blues.org/bluesmusicawards/nominees.php4

I want to thank Bob Margolin, Bill Wax, Chip Eagle, Steve Hecht, Tina Terry, Michelle Kaplan, Nancy Edwards, Grit and Thomas at Ruf Records, Miki Du Nord, Bob Porter, Joris Wijngaarden and Blues DJs, club owners and journalists all over the world for raising my profile and helping me to achieve this long time goal. I also want to thank my wonderful band, My son Evan Caleb, Bill Stuve (who will leave me to join the Sean Carney band in January) and Heine Andersen (who will also leave me to start a band with his lovely wife Denyce in January.)

2008 looks like it will be an exciting year after all. I will start the Blues Caravan tour in January with my new guitarist, San Jose based Laura Chavez, and my friends Deborah Coleman and Dani Wilde. Look for us in your town soon and thanks again so much for your love, empathy, continued support and Yahoo's! Whether I win or not, this has been a lovely holiday surprise!

Happiest of Holidays,

Your favorite blues ho ho ho,

Candye

UPDATE: 10/31/07

Hello everybody!

We just got back from our three week tour of Europe that included stops in France, Switzerland, Belgium and The Netherlands. We had an incredible time Highlights included our shows in Paris when my friend Little Victor sat in, and the Netherlands where we auditioned new contestants for the United by Music tour we will do next year. We also had my new friend Dani Wylde play guitar with us in Holland. You can read all my notes about it on my myspace blog: www.myspace.com/candyekaneband

We missed all the fires in San Diego and Southern California. We were all so lucky to not have any damage to our homes or property beyond the ashes everywhere. I still haven't been back home as I will embark on my three week East Coast tour now but I have been told that the white ash looks like snow. I also got the sad news that my friend and sister singer, Etoile of Ruby and the Red Hots fame, lost her entire home in Del Dios along with all her possessions. The house also held her grand piano that belonged to her Grandmother. If you would like to write to Ruby and see how you can help; Rube@Rubyandtheredhots.com

I am excited to announce that I have been nominated for another music award. The 2007 Pride in the Arts Award. This awards program acknowledges Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered artists for their musical efforts. Also nominated here is my friend Georgie Jessup from the DC area. Please vote for us at the following link. It only takes a minute and costs nothing.

stonewallsociety.com/PITA2007/SWSPrideInTheArtsmusicartsvoteballot2007.htm.

Voting will end November 14, 2007. (The day after my birthday!) The recipients will be announced on Rainbow World Radio, www.rainbowworldradio.com, on November 30, 2007 at 8:00pm eastern time. You will also be able to find the recipients at the StoneWall Society & Pride In The Arts websites. Please let Len and the good people at Rainbow world radio know that you appreciate their attention to an often overlooked group of artists.

My friend, Hollywood legend and archivist Art Fein, has posted the following video to his You Tube site. It shows a very skinny me! with my friend, guitarist, Jerry Sikorski and my ex husband Thomas Yearsley on bass. I was six months pregnant with my son Tommy in this picture and that's why I wear pants that proudly show my big belly.

youtube.com/watch?v=LcS1eWo2Yhs

You can also check out my other favorite videos on my You Tube page; http://youtube.com/user/candyekane. Check out early Paladins and Dwight Yoakum vids along with others from my famous friends and idols.

Thanks again for all your love and friendship this year! This will be our final swing through the east coast so if you can come out to a live show, your support is always needed and appreciated. Clubs are closing all over so we all need to do our part to show that live music matters in our lives. Goddess bless you all and Happy HALLOWEEN!

UPDATE: HAPPY NO MORE WAR, LIGHT UP THE SMOG FREE SKY WITH FIREWORKS 4TH!

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July and I am here in Lincoln, Nebraska. This is corn field country where people actually stop for you when you get a flat tire, drive you through the Mcdonalds on the way to pick up the new tire, pay for lunch and then insist on changing your tire for you on the side of the freeway while the whole band stands aghast, watching. (This actually happened!) This is plain-spoken people country where they look you in the eye, with a firm handshake that they mean and do, what they say they will do. This is the heartland part of the US where young boys and girls go off to war because they really believe in our Grandparents vision of a democratic, honest country that would never condone torture. This is the part of the country where young soldiers go off to war not only because they want to see the world and get a shot at a good education but because they were brought up to respect the flag and the people whose blood spilt for it.

I am not a real patriot. There are a lot of problems in this great country of ours. We are stuck in the quagmire of this losing war in Iraq; we will leave our huge deficit to our kids and grandkids; The President has an imaginary friend who gives him advice (that, or he hears voices in his head.) Our government seems to virtually ignore global warming and is so gluttonous from the big money they get from oil lobbies that they spend zip on research for new energy resources. They would rather worry about keeping hard working Mexicans out of the USA and worry about whether two men might choose to marry and live in a committed relationship. The health insurance problem is vast, not only because we poor people have to choose between paying our phone bill or getting a check up, but because a woman of my size can be denied health insurance even with low blood pressure and low cholesterol, just based on my weight. Yes, it’s a mess here, my friends.

Still, I am happy to be an American. Why? Because in my neighborhood growing up, there were black people, Mexicans and white kids. There were Catholics, Jews and Mormons. (I have been all three!) We didn’t all agree about everything and we spent a lot of time fighting with each other but I learned early that people come in all sizes and colors. Here in America, there are mosques and churches of all kinds, synagogues and Krishna temples. There is Eckankar and Paganism, self-realization and even the dreaded scientology. There are women who walk around in cut offs and halter-tops, butches with beards and rings in their noses, women wearing Islamic head coverings and Amish dresses and bonnets at the same rest stop. There are hookers who hang out on my street and sell their wares to men who drive by in their souped up Toyotas with their stereo so loud it makes my I.U.D. vibrate. There are surfer boys, retired Marines, lesbians, Jehovahs witnesses, Rastafarians and Samoan Christians all on the block where I live.

I love America because my government sucks, but I have the right to write about it and talk about it and write letters to my congressperson and my local paper. I have the right to protest and hold up signs and yell and scream at rallies. I don’t have every right that I should have. I should have the right to marry whomever I want and I should have the right to be treated the same way under the law as any married couple, heterosexual or otherwise. Poor people and regular folks should have the right to run for office and it shouldn’t be about money. But I still believe in an America that will eventually try to right its wrongs. (Not the ones that can’t be righted; we can’t bring back the buffalo or give the Native Americans back all their land. We can’t take back our historic mistakes like slavery, refusing shiploads of Jewish children and women during WW II and Japanese interment camps. Some wrongs are so horrific they cannot be reversed or fixed.)

However, just like women fought for the right to vote, and people fought in the 60’s for freedom and civil liberties for every American regardless of skin color, I believe someday we will get back to the noble American ideals of our forefathers and mothers. The America that our Grandparents loved and fought for; The America that valued honor and believed diversity made a country stronger just like the statue of liberty inscription said. An America that really does take care of its poor and its meek and huddled masses; An America that doesn’t just fill us with fear while lining their pockets but cares about each citizen, poor and rich, gay and straight and strives to protect each of us. That’s the America that I am reminded of when I am here with the good people of the Midwest.

There are good and bad people in every city in the world and I am not naïve enough to think otherwise. But I want to be the kind of American who helps my neighbor fix a flat and pays for lunch while doing it. I want to be the American that holds out a hand to someone who is suffering. I want to get my childhood vision back of an America that was good and noble, honest and true. A country where your vote counted and you didn’t just have to vote for the evil guy or or the other evil guy. A country where our civil liberties are protected 100% and where we would never hold people in prisons without due process or overthrow the Geneva Convention as antiquated and out of date. I believe in an America that is compassionate and cares about our planet and all its inhabitants, realizing that we are all one in the great cosmic universe. So, when I sing that National anthem tonight at my show in Lincoln, I will envision that America and these salt of the earth American kids who are dying to defend her. I will envision us all as one human family protecting and caring about each other in a pollution free, peaceful world with polar bears and hybrid cars and health insurance affordable to us all!

Happy no more war, light up the smog free sky with fireworks 4th of July!

UPDATE: Summer Tour notes, May 2007

The tour just started. Played in Austin on Thursday night with Seth Walker. it was a super fun show. Had lunch with Derek O’ brien and Toni Price; both old and dear Austin friends. Toni will be moving to San Diego in June so we San Diegans are very lucky. I guess a lot of people in Austin are really hassling poor Toni about her decision to leave Austin. She has been there and been playing her happy hour at the Continental for 15 years! She said people have been really hostile to her since she announced her move. That’s just so sad and she is really disillusioned.

Last night was a super fun show in Houston at the Continental. The Octanes opened and they were just awesome! They reminded me of a young Paladins. Really good. That Adam has a great guitar tone and a cool singing voice. It wasn’t very packed since I was going up against Texas legend Marcia Ball, but some really nice people came down from KPFT; Sandy, Buddy Love and Nancy and some other incredible folks. it was so nice meeting them and Sandy will be in Memphis so we will get to hang out.

I am playing in Dallas tonight with Blue Lisa, Cheryl Arena and Andrea d. Pianist Red Young will be sitting in with us. Red is an old friend and he is just amazing. He’s been touring alot with Eric Burdon so I am real lucky he’s not on the road. We are playing at Sons of Hermann Hall which I hear is a super cool place so I’m excited.

Tomorrow is OKC and then we will spend two nights off in Clarksdale, MS!! We will just hang out and try to visit all the sites in Steve Chesebroughs delta blues book. Bill Stuve has never been to Clarksdale either so we are both really excited. I was shocked that Bill had never been down there after 30 years on the road. Bill says Rod would never go anywhere unless they paid him a lot to be there! Charlie Musselwhite sent me a detailed email with who to ask for and what to see in Clarksdale. He said he will quiz me on it when I get to Memphis!! I am so excited about coming to Memphis and going to the awards show. This will be my very first time there for the awards. I played there once at the New Daisy theater during the awards but didn’t go. So I am really looking forward to meeting any of you, who will attend. I can’t wait to hook up with my old friends and make some new ones. Anyway, travel safely and hope to see you down the road somewhere somehow.

*********************************************************************

Dallas was awesome! we played at this historic hall. You could feel the ghostly energy in there. It was an old saloon dance hall. It was a fun show but the Dallas crowd wasn't very emotional. We had a fun time though. Cheryl Arena played with us and she was just amazing, and Red Young came down and played again. It was really fun having these two incredible musicians onstage with us. OKC was a lot of fun too, I sat in with the opening western swing band, The Stockyard City Boys. They were very sweet and it was fun singing with a fiddle and steel player in the group. Just like my old days in Hollywood at the Palomino. VZDS is an old drug store in the historic part of OKC. My myspace buddy Jason came down with his sweetie and we all had a really fun night.

Tonight we are in Clarksdale, MS. We are going to the Delta Blues Museum and to the Cathead store. We'll visit the Riverside hotel which is now on the site where Bessie Smith died. We'll eat soul food at Sarahs and visit Memphis Minnie’s grave. Then we'll mosey on up to Memphis, on the same highway Muddy Waters traveled, for the Blues Music Awards. You can feel the soul down here. It's eerie the way the fog rolls across the cracked asphalt and the lightning and fireflies flash in the sky. The air feels humid, thick and serious and even though its impossible to find the exact spot where blues man Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil at the crossroads, you can see why this would be the place where legends like that live on. So many amazing musicians traveled these roadways - hwy 61, hwy 49, with their lucky mojo bag and their black cat bones, risking everything to try to find a way to make music for a living. I am so lucky to be able to travel these roads after them.

Today we were driving through all kinds of gnarly thunderstorms and tornado warnings. It dawned on me how many times I have risked my life on the road, just to get to the next town to play music. I have been stuck in several blizzards; jack knifed my trailer in the snow; stayed in scary dumps where I was sure I would be robbed or the van would be broken into. I have weathered floods and electrical storms; had shows cancelled because of hurricanes (including katrina!) I have seen semi trucks collide and seen hairy accidents when you just knew there were no survivors. I have witnessed drunk drivers swerving all over the road and seen hail the size of golf balls. I have almost collided with moose and deer and elk. I have had so many near misses when cars have cut me off going 80 miles an hour. I have had hotel rooms that cancelled out by mistake and had to sleep in the van with all the other guys in freezing temperatures. Through snow, sleet, freezing ice and rain, I have driven across the country from San Diego to Portland, Maine again and again and again and been stuck in snowstorms from Copenhagen to Lillehammer to Stuttgart. But I am so blessed to do this for a living, I still manage somehow to get in the van again the next morning and put myself through it all over again. Not just me, but tons of road musicians out here doing the very same thing, bringing our shows to your town because we love this life and love this music. So that’s why it means so much when you come out and spend your hard earned dollars to see a live band. Thank you for coming and seeing me in big cities and little towns, everywhere and thanks for continuing to support any kind of live music. Risking your life for music may seem weird to some, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. See ya soon in your town!! xo

Yesterday was awesome. I am still sore from dancing. Explored Clarksdale; visited the Riverside hotel where Bessie Smith died and hung out with the colorful and sweet proprietor "Rat." he was full of stories and gave us a lovely tour of the hotel where Sonny Boy, JFK Jr, Lightin’ Hopkins and many others have stayed. He was spraying diesel when we arrived to scare off any snakes that might come up from the river!! We went to Morgan Freemans club, Ground Zero and I was thrilled to see my old friend Joni working there who used to manage the Grand Emporium in Kansas City, That was a great surprise. Hung out awhile with Pinetop Perkins on the couch in front and bought him a coke in the 80 degree humid heat. He is 94 and just a sweetie. He said, "I sing songs about big fine gals like you and your double bubbles." We visited the delta blues museum, the Cat Head store and the Hambone gallery where I discovered the amazing folk art of Stanley Street. wow, he is incredible. stanleystreet.com Then at night we went to an old juke joint called Reds. Red was a big, jolly kind of intimidating character who kept demanding that everyone tip more. He loved me though and we took lots of pictures There were people there from Paris, Rotterdam, Australia and Japan. I guess the people who are craziest about blues and southern history tend not to be Americans! Johnny Rawls played with Roger Hurricane Wilson on guitar. Johnny’s smooth, sexy soulful voice kept all of us ladies up and dancing. Eventually, the night turned into a big jam session with my son Evan on drums, Stanley street on harp, Bob Stroget on bass, then switching off to Bill Stuve, and soon my whole band was up there and even me singing a few. Both Pinetop and Mitch Woods showed up but alas, there was no piano! I danced and laughed and drank beers and poured sweat in the humid Mississippi night. It was wonderful to be making music in this historic and magical place. Now were off to Memphis Minnies grave on our way to the city of Memphis. more later!

***********************************************************************

Blues foundation award show impressions

Wow. The Blues foundation awards (formerly known as the Handy awards) were amazing! I had such a great time. I have never been before, mostly because I am usually on the road during the time period and its expensive to travel to Memphis and pay to get in. BUT this year, my bassist Bill Stuve was nominated and we were able to launch our tour around the awards. I am soooo glad I went! I saw so many of my old friends and the show was a great chance to see people I admire.

The highlights? It was great to see Sugar Pie De Santo so spunky after losing her husband and her home to a fire earlier this year. Irma Thomas was ever soulful and inspiring. I hung out with old friends I love - Gracious Marcia Ball backed up Irma Thomas and also won an award. My buddies Johnny Dyer and Kim Wilson blew me away again with an awesome version of "Juke." It was so cool hearing all those harmonicas onstage at once with Mark Hummel, Sweet Dick and Mitch Kashmar. Sweet Bob Margolin backed up Diunna Greenleaf whom I thought was the best performer of the evening. What a voice! Janniva Magness was sparklingly lovely in her silver beaded gown as she won for best contemporary blues artist, yet again. I got to see people I have heard about but never seen – EG Kight whose song "Call me sugar" was amazing. Slick Ballinger did this Pentecostal style gospel thing; a bit weird, I thought, for a drinking, partying crowd. He almost started speaking in tongues! Thankfully Bobby Rush followed him with his three hoochie mamas, shaking their big, luscious behinds for a little bit of sexual healing. Watermelon Slim was incredibly dapper in a lime green suit and his performance was top notch. Right after Tab Benoit won, he took Amanda May (Kim Wilson’s luscious girl toy) and lucky ME on his arm, right into his big, fancy tour bus. It was a lot of fun hanging out with Tab, moments after his big win. I loved his words about Hurricane Katrina in that sexy Louisiana drawl! All that talent and brains too. Oh my gawd!!!

I was surprised how many fans there were that asked for my autograph or wanted to take a picture with me. I wasn't even nominated but people wanted me to sign their programs and posters. That was a real honor. It was fun seeing all my musician friends who also were there for the fun. I wasn't even looking and I ran into old friends Al Blake, Kid Ramos, Richard Innes, Larry Taylor (whom I mistook for Junior Watson! Sorry Larry!); Ann Rabson who is warm and wonderful as always, Bob Corritore and beautiful girlfriend Kim. I saw Charlie and Henri Musselwhite (Henri looked so classy and elegant in her black dress), gorgeous Jeff Turmes whose new CD I really love; Mitch woods in his cute vaudeville straw hat; Chip Eagle with long hair! He is as smart and adorable as ever; Spunky Trudy Lynne; Little Ed who had on an amazing fez; Guitar Shorty who won an award in his Texas shirt; RJ Mischo – my fave harp playing Midwesterner; Guy Davis - a gorgeous and talented hunk o' guitar picking and singing love; and accordion blues man Jt Lauritzen all the way from Norway.

I cried through the whole entire memorial part of the show. I mean, I was sobbing from Sam Myers in the beginning all the way to the end. Floyd dixon, Clifford Antone, Chico Chism, Ruth Brown, Tayo Lesmayer...we lost so many beautiful people this year!

It was a wonderful night full of fun and friendship. The only criticisms I have - the show was way too long. Performers should be limited to one song unless they fall into the "legend" category like Irma Thomas or Dr. John. It went on well after 1:30 am. 5:30 to 1:30 is a long, long time even for music we love. I don’t understand artists who hog the stage for too long causing their colleagues to go on too late. All of us play for a living. we should be polite and limit our time onstage so everyone gets a chance to be heard! I also wondered why they served pork ribs, which are pretty hard to eat when you are wearing a suit or an evening gown or are a Jew. There were no vegetarian options for dinner, which I found strange. The service though, was really great I thought. They shouldn't lump big stars like Etta James in the same category with young upcoming stars. It makes it impossible for a newcomer to win because people will always vote for name recognition. And I still wonder - who are these people that decide who gets nominated? I went up close to the stage to see who was seated at the VIP tables (I assume the tables up front were VIP or for photographers) and I didn't recognize anybody. I mean, I don't know everyone that's a who's who of the blues but it would be helpful if they had some information about each person who is on the nominating committee on the website at bluesfoundation.org or somewhere! Maybe it's there and I am just clueless!

Overall though, I thought it was an awesome evening. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I made lots of new friends and I got to hug and kiss my old ones. I took some amazing pictures and I smiled so much, my cheeks hurt when it was over. I recommend this event to anyone who loves the blues. You get to see your musical favorites up close and personal and you meet fans and friends from all over the world. I don't know why I didn't do it before but I hope to get to come back next year! Maybe, Goddess willing, if miracles do happen, I'll be a nominee myself! Keep your fingers crossed for me. Hope to see YOU there in 2008! >join the blues foundation at bluesfoundation.org.

Candye in Alabama

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Had a great show in Montgomery Alabama at the Capital Oyster Bar. When we arrived, we were shocked to find that they were without power due to a lightning strike nearby. I was pleasantly surprised by my good friends Michael and Kristen Benoit who had driven down from Atlanta to see me and lovely Fiona Boyes and her husband Steve stopped in as well. We ate delicious oysters by candlelight and then the power came on just in time for us to take the stage. We played a 75 minute set and just as we were ending, it started pouring! sometimes our timing is just right! Now we are in Nashville for a night off, and I was lucky enough to be able to catch my dear friend Ranger Doug with his western swing group the Time Jumpers at the Station Inn. I sat in and sang " all of me" with these ten amazing musicians. They will do a live broadcast next week on XM radio. They are just tremendous musicians. If you’re in Nashville, they play the Station inn every Monday night timejumpers.com Tomorrow we play here in Nashville at Bourbon Street. I hope to see you there!

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Man I am burnt out. I just flew back from Munich Germany. I left on Thursday and played gigs on Friday and Saturday and came back Sunday. I am in Richmond, Virginia now. I am so tired but am trying to stay up to get on U.S. time again. Heine and I went and did four acoustic sets at this High End Messe 2007. It was a stereo convention for high tech audiophiles. They had some amazing stuff there. Turntables made out of plexiglass on brass legs with diamond needles that sold for 118,000 euro!! Boze, Phillips, Wurlitzer all had booths. There was a super cool jukebox that kind of looked like my Seeburg but it was new. There were a bunch of record dealers too and I bought some cool records ; Ray Charles with betty Carter, Muddy sings Big Bill broonzy, Muddy sings folk songs, The Bluesbreakers with Clapton and Mayall; Nellie Lutcher. Bought some drummer records for Evan. It was fun. We played in the big hall and had some very nice audiences. I saw Hans Theesink there. Hes a cool dutch musican I have known for quite awhile. I really can’t believe there are people who can afford turntables for 30,000 euros! WOW. thats amazing. I am just fine with my dumb 99$ model from Fryes. Yes, I have to go and turn the records over manually and it doesn’t play more than one at a time but its cool and it sounds good. And I love being able to hear all those old records I haven’t heard in years. Anyway, I am going to bed, I have to change over my laundry first, Thankfully this hotel has a laundry room. It’s hard to even find time to do your laundry on the road. Evan opened a beer bottle and the thing exploded and hit him in the eye!! Now I am freaked out that he damaged those beautiful eyes. I am looking for an opthamologist here in richmond. If anyone reads this and knows anyone; let me know. Is anyone even reading this?

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Balti- MORE rules and John Waters has nothing to do with it.

Well, I have just had whirlwind of activity in the last few days. Came back from Munich to a one eye-balled drummer. Evans eye is okay but I guess all those years of me screaming "Youre gonna put your eye out with that thing!!!" were for naught. He still pointed the beer bottle at his gorgeous green eyes while opening it. Thanks to my pal Liz Caufield in Richmond, I found the Virginia eye institute and they assured us that Evan will live and not go blind anytime soon. That night, we played the Gravity Lounge in Charlottesville, va and it was so wonderful. The sound was great and it’s a book store! The people who go there are smart and they actually read! And they served good pasta and alcohol too, in a bookstore! It was really a cool venue. Check it out. Next night was Arlington and the Clarendon ballroom with swing king Tom Koerner and his swing dance group gottaswing.com He and his dance partner Deborah were so wonderful and we were just dazzled by all the incredible dancers there at all levels. Its so much fun when the swing dancers come out because they entertain us!! Thanks so much Tom for being so wonderful.

And then LAST NIGHT!!: I have to say, I had started to hate Baltimore and had begun to think my future there was doomed. I was robbed there once, had poor attendance at the shows and then the latest debaucle with John Waters and his threat of a lawsuit pushed me over the edge. And if that weren't enough, my van broke down yesterday here in Maryland. I got it fixed and it was less than $200 but I really thought there was a Baltimore curse for me. Enter sweet Joe Burton who hired me for what may be the most amazing house party of my life! Joe is just a big sweetheart who used to live in San Diego and thankfully saw me play there a few times. He organized the show last night at this wonderful artists loft called loadsoffun.net He called all his friends to come and see me and he got the fabulous burlesque/comedy duo Trixie and the Evil hate monkey to open and host/hostess the show. It was so incredible from the moment we pulled up in front of this brownstone bldg with the colorful commie mural and parked in the garage next to beautiful large floats from mardi gras parades past. A huge fifteen ft. furry, brown goat smiled down at me and a giant, sequined hand waved me in. I knew it was going to be a special evening. Joe is a wonderful host and missed his true calling as a promoter. He should be named the cultural ambassador of Baltimore after the feat he pulled off last night. He is a musicians dream, as he fulfilled each part of my rider and then some. He had a deli tray, fresh strawberries and some lovely chardonnay waiting for us. When the show began, it was hilarious with the Evil Hate Monkey baring almost all in the funniest sketch ever. Then, the drop dead gorgeous Trixie came out and they did a fabulous martini glass acrobatic act with feathered fans and Trixie balancing carefully on the monkeys feet, ending in a scrumptious tassle twirling. If you haven’t seen them, you must! they are just awesome! They won best duo at the Miss Exotic World competition last year. The audience was wonderful. They listened carefully, laughed and clapped in all the right places and enthusiastically welcomed each of the songs and introductions. This is the audience I wish I could plant in every bar I play in. They weren’t screaming over the band or yelling out "Freebird." They weren’t having beer guzzling contests while I sang a heart drenched love song. They didn’t sit there like mannekins watching TV. They were fun, engaged and intelligent. They danced and sang along. They smiled, made eye contact and gave us all support. I just felt surrounded by so much creativity and love. It was really beautiful. Trixie and the monkeys artwork had a lot to do with making the whole vibe eccentric and spirited. I am so happy to have met them and hope to play with them again soon (trixielittle.com). Thanks Joe Burton for introducing me and my music to so many cool people. I want balti-MORE MORE MORE.

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Today we went to the XM studios and recorded some live tracks with Bill Wax. Bill is the host of XMs Bluesville. He plays me more than any other DJ I know of. He is a wonderful man and is committed to underappreciated artists and to preserving the blues as much as he can. He is a big believer in sharing the wealth and thats just one of the reasons why I dig him. We recorded five songs; Toughest Girl Alive, Back with my old friends, For Your Love, I could Fall for you and Work what you got. If it comes out good, I may post a couple of them at myspace. We really had a great time at the beautiful XM studios. Now I have to run and get ready for my show at Chicks surf hall in bladensburg. wish you were all here with me.

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Well, you can't have a good night every night. Tonite at Chicks Surf Hall in Bladensburg was fun and the crowd was wonderful. We had local blues diva Ruby Hayes sit in and she is just a classy and lovely lady. BUT the talent buyer at the club, Texas Fred was a real jerk. He treated me like crap. It was so weird. I admit we started ten minutes late, (@ 9:10 instead of 9:00) and I missed a last minute radio show he wanted me to do this afternoon, because I was at the XM show, but really his rudeness was just uncalled for. I have never been treated that badly by a promoter. Can’t say I will ever play that Chicks surf hall again in my lifetime. It was really humiliating to be treated like that after traveling so far to play. It made me grateful for the majority of the club owners and promoters who are so sweet and gracious even if we do have an under attended show on occasion. Thank god people like Texas Fred are the exception and not the rule. There’s just no excuse to treat other human beings like shit. we are all in this together.

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Charlotte, Asheville and Arlington encore

We had an awesome time in Charlotte. I was dreading the drive from the DC area down to North Carolina and back but it really was worth it all. The show at the Double Door was so much fun even though we went against a free music festival down town and Derek Trucks, I think, was playing down the street. We had a nice friendly crowd and my friend Bob Margolin came and sat in all night. It was a lot of fun. We rocked out and had a lovely sushi dinner next door, with his wife Pam and the rest of the guys. It was really fun playing with Bob. He is so special. I was excited to get to spend some time with my cousin Gene and his sweet wife Nancy. We visited them at their home in concord and listened to the roar of the racetrack nearby while we swam in their pool. Next, we went to Asheville to Jack of the Woods and had an incredible show down there. The crowd was wonderful. They danced all night. For a minute, I felt like I was back in Baltimore! Then last night, we played here in Arlington at the IOTA. I drove us through a huge hail and lightning storm to get here. There were bikers parked under all the bridges, on their way to various Memorial Day celebrations. We had a super fun show even though we were all exhausted from our insane eight hour drive from Asheville. They are so nice at the IOTA. Steven, Ryan the bartendar, Natalie the door girl and manager and Alex the chef and his cute girlfriend caroline. We really enjoyed it there and it was fun seeing Joe from Batimore! Rita and Mary from the Chicks surf hall show. Thanks so much all of the fans in every city! Texas, OKC, Alabama, No Carolina, Arlington, DC, Baltimore area for all the love and kindness. You guys made this long tour worth it. Still, I can’t wait to get home. This is the third week of the tour and I am really starting to feel like sardine in a can. I can’t wait to get home to my beach and to my bike again. It has been fun being here in DC for Memorial day though. We thanked Vets all day for serving our country and that was fun to give thanks to these brave men and women who make it possible for the rest of us to live freely. Goddess bless the USA and every country with human beings in it.

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Angola = agony on this run!

Made the 8 hour drive from DC area to Angola and had a terrible day. I ate something weird at Bob Evans and it gave me severe heartburn. I took a Zantac and then woke up in the a.m. w/ horrible abdominal pain. I swam laps and ate lighty hoping the pain would dissipate as the show approached but by 7 pm, I was doubled over and crying, it was so bad. Still, I got dressed for the show, went onstage, sang about six songs in terrible pain and then I just burst into tears. I couldn’t take the pain anymore. I thought I might pass out and fall off the super high stage at Skips. It was awful. Luckily my friend Bon was in the audience and she rushed me to the ER as Bill Stuve made an attempt to entertain the crowd. I am so sorry to have let you down, my sweet Angola fans and friends. I have never had to leave the stage before like that. Of course, once in the ER, they gave me a pain pill and ran a bunch of tests. They still don’t know what is wrong with me. I keep thinking it's my gall bladder but they keep telling me it may be acid reflux or something. I have no insurance like so many musicians and my money is so tight. Doctors have recommended that I get a scope done but it’s a very expensive procedure so I have chosen to pay my bills instead of getting this done. When I am home, I ride my bike daily and I eat well so I avoid this nightmare, but so often out here, we are forced to eat Dennys or Mcdonalds or whatever else is available on the run. Anyway, I feel much better now and want to thank all the kind folks @ Skips for being so compassionate. I will be back in angola and I WILL play a great show for you next time!

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Cleveland rocks. Had a great show last night at Wilberts with my buddies from Blue Lunch. The Cleveland sports teams won their games and so everyone was fired up and in a wild mood. It was really fun being able to sing last night with no pain except for the migraine headache that has been plaguing me since my ER visit. I am so glad I was able to do the show and want to thank my friends for coming out to support me. Some of them, like Kelvin, take the bus to see me! Now, that’s dedication! Anyway, thanks so much Cleveland for a lovely show. I was still bit weak but expect tonite in Columbus that I will be 100%. Hope to see you there! Only two more shows and then we get to go back home!!! yippee. I can't wait to see my son, my house, my bike and my beach again!

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One show to go and counting!!

Our show last night in Columbus was super fun. it was standing room only and we had a rocking good time down there. I am finally starting to feel 100% better after only eating fruit and baked potatoes on the road. It’s working. It was really fun last night celebrating Dan’s bday with the wild Phil Spector lookalike, Bruce Nutt. We had a fabulous time. Now tonite we play in Knoxville, Tennessee and we'll all be celebrating the end of this long arduous tour. I used to insist on only 3 week tours because I always found the last week to be sheer hell if it were longer than that. But now, with gas at $3.50 a gallon, I have no choice but to stay out here longer to maximize our earning potential. I can’t even tell you what troupers Evan, Bill and Heine are. They make less, work harder have to share rooms more often and they do it with a smile. I am really blessed to be playing with these great human beings. Tomorrow Bill and I will fly home and Heine and Evan will make the 2222 mile drive home to San Diego - 32 hours long. They are gnarly. I pay them a driving bonus but still, it’s a long tough road. Anyone who thinks a musicians life is easy should get in our stinky van and make a three day drive eating only road food. its tough out here but you wonderful fan are the ones that make it worthwhile. Thanks so much for allowing me to share my music with YOU.

From Columbus to Knoxville to home

Our last show in Knoxville at Barleys was really fun. What a cool town. Everything is vintage and the old buildings are amazing. We really had a fun tour and it was a great town to end the month in. I have three weeks home now and then will set off for the Midwest, Canada and Florida. I am looking forward to having this time at home. My son Tommy will graduate from high school on Sunday. I know this will be an emotional thing for me as my last baby grows up and leaves home. I have had a child since I was 17 years old so this is a real life change for me. Having kids has been the biggest blessing of my life and the fact that they have both grown up to be great musicians makes me proud. Tommy will attend Hofstra University in the fall and be a dual major in music/finance. I am very proud of him. Anyway, now that I am home there are all kinds of bills and weeds in my yard waiting for me. I have my work cut out for me but I am soooo glad to be sleeping in my own bed again; empty though it may be!

Thanks for reading my blogs.

Candye

UPDATE: 5/7/07

Howdy everybody!

This week, with so much tragedy and sadness on the news from Iraq and Virginia, I am especially grateful to be alive and blessed more than ever to play music. My heart goes out to all of those who have been affected by the lunacy of war and violence. Music is often the only place I can escape this scary world we live in. I know many of you also turn to music when you are in pain. I hope, if you have a minute, you will let me tell you a little bit about whats happening in my musical world.

Its our last weekend in San Diego before we embark on our summer of touring to promote our new cd, Guitar'd and Feathered that will hit the stores on May 22 here in the USA. Its my bluesiest cd yet with awesome performances by my own band, Evan Caleb, Heine Andersen and Bill Stuve, AND killer guests - Dave Alvin, Ana Popovic, Sue Foley, Popa Chubby, Kid Ramos, Junior Watson, Bob Margolin, Jeff Ross, Billy Watson, Sue Palmer and Bob Brozman. I am really hoping you will like it. Please write to me and let me know.

The band and I are coming out to the midwest and the south starting on May 3 to see some old friends and make some new ones. Come and hear our new songs from the new cd along with your favorites.

Also, theres a real nice story in the paper that my new friend Jim Tragesor wrote about me in the north county times. I love it because it's very well written and all about the MUSIC!! WOO HOO!!

nctimes.com/articles/2007/04/18/entertainment/music/12_39_144_18_07.txt

I am especially stoked about our upcoming trip to memphis for the Blues Foundation Awards. If you haven't voted for our bassist Bill Stuve yet, it's too late now! Keep your fingers crossed for Bill. You can check out all the amazing people who will be honored at the awards at;

blues.org/index.php4

I am also looking forward to my show in Dallas where my buddy, Cheryl Arena will be sitting in with us and opening. You have got to check her out too. She's a great songwriter and harp player! And look out Cleveland, when I hit the stage at Wilberts with the great swing band Blue Lunch. I'll be sitting in with them after our set so be sure and hang out late if youre in Cleveland. These guys will blow you away with their awesome musicianship and style. I am sorry to say that my New Orleans show at the Rusty Nail was cancelled. I guess they are having some trouble with their neighbors and the sound volume police. I hope to swing back through in the fall when things cool down.

I am also really proud to announce that fabulous guitarist and blues singer, Anna Troy will open for us on Beale street during the Blues foundation awards shows on May 11 at Blues city cafe on Beale street!! I am a fan of Anna's self release Ain't No Man, and I am hoping she will be my labelmate before long. She is darling, stylish, just 22 years old and sooo talented. AND if that werent enough in her favor, she's from San Diego!

Check her out at myspace.com/Annatroy

Please come out and support a live show when you can. We need YOU there!!! Your love and support means so much. Now, more than ever, we need music to heal our troubled souls. I am so blessed to be able to share mine with you. Each night onstage, I am healed again. Thanks so much for the opportunity to sing for you.

Goddess bless you;
see ya soon!
xo
candye

UPDATE: 2/22/07

Howdy everybody - hope you're staying warm and dry.

The Hillcrest Mardi Gras was this week and an amazing time was had by all. All the LIPPS drag queens were there, spearheaded by the multi talented Tootie. Impersonations of Tina Turner, Michael Jackson and Cher were awesome as usual. I was on the cover of San Diego Buzz Magazine in the photo taken for my cd cover by Alan Mercer. check it out at sdbuzz.com - click on the cover story for the interview.

Tomorrow night is my son Evans birthday. He'll be 27! (as you know, I had him when I was 10!) We are having cake and celebration at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach. It's a happy hour show from 5:30 - 8:00. Great food and swing dancers at the Belly Up. come down and hang out with us.

Saturday night will be our first gig at the new Blue Cafe in Huntington Beach - thebluecafe.com. We play at 9:30 with the delta 88s and the Kelly Wright band. This is a special show because it is our pianist Smedleys last show in Southern California for awhile. He is going back to Thunderbay, Canada where he and his wife Alice will have their first baby! We are all very happy for them and wish them all the luck in the world.

Special thanks to those of you who came to the staged reading of my life story; The Toughest Girl Alive - a musical. Portions of my memoir have been adapted to the stage by the head of the San Diego ballet, Javier Velasco. We are hoping the play will be picked up by a theater here in San Diego for later this year or 2008. I will keep you all posted about the progress. It sure would be awesome to make music and stay here in my home town for a spell.

I lost two very dear friends this past week; Heather Macallister "Revalucian"; the founder of the Fat Bottom Burlesque revue show lost her long battle with ovarian cancer. Her revue show opened for me in Seattle, Vancouver, Portland, Santa Cruz, Hollywood and many other cities. She was just 38. And my close friend Dineen Kocak lost her life to violence in Oakland. She was only 42. You can read more about these two amazing women on my myspace blog.

I hope things are going incredibly for you in your neck of the woods. I hope to see you when it stops raining and the snow thaws out. Keep those cards and letters coming in.
xo
Candye

UPDATE: 2/8/07

Hey y'all!! Come down to Tio Leos (Napa street at Morena Blvd/ Seaworld drive exit east off the I 5 fwy) tomorrow, Friday Feb. 9 and check us out! We will be playing with an amazing band "Tell Mama," featuring our guitar player Heine Andersen and his beautiful wife Denyse. This girl can sing! She is the real deal. You must come and see her. I'll play first at 9:30 so I can hang out and see Denyse strut her stuff. Just an amazing show! They have great food and amazing cocktails at Tio Leos! And as usual my myspace buddies get a discount at the door.

In other news, Guitar’d and Feathered, my new cd is finished, mastered and on its way to the pressing plant! It's awesome and I daresay, my finest work yet. There are so many great performances on it. Popa Chubby, Ana Popovic, Dave Alvin, Sue Foley, Bob Brozman, Junior Watson, Kid Ramos, Jeffrey P. Ross and the incredible Bob Margolin.

There’s delta blues, country blues, rockabilly, Motown style, and soul ballads. It cooks. I am so proud of it. It will be released April 22 and we will immediately start our tour the first weekend of May in Texas with stops in Memphis for the Blues Foundation awards, Atlanta, Mississippi, Washington DC and many, many more cities! We are booking dates NOW so if you want to have a house party with us or have a paying venue suggestion, contact my agent Tina Terry at themusicmatters@hotmail.com

House parties are a lot of fun and give you the chance to have us come to you and play music in your home with all your friends present. They don't cost as much as you think, especially on a weeknight, so contact Tina now if you live in the south or the east coast. August will bring us back out to the Midwest and will include stops in Kansas City, Minneapolis, and points beyond. If you live out there and want us to come to your town, consider a house party with some friends and bring us right to your front door!

We are negotiating now with several blues festivals in the Northwest and Canada. Check back at myspace for the newest updates. And a special treat for those of you who have read this far; If you'd like to hear some samples of the new cd, go to: sonicbids.com/candyekane

xo
Candye

UPDATE: 1/17/07

Bob Margolin is GOD or is that DOG?

I have just finished making my new cd Guitar'd and Feathered with the amazing Bob Margolin producing and playing on it. I know I don't have to tell any of you here how freaking awesome he is BUT I just thought I would anyway.

Bob is a beautiful human being inside and out. He is a great producer because he is just the right combination of sensitive, serious and funny. He knows when to listen and when to speak. He brings out the best in everyone around him. His playing, of course, is incredible. He is a soul daddy through and through. He was so patient and so kind to everyone in the studio. I feel so honored to have worked with him. If this is any indication of how my year will go, then I am thrilled to be in 2007. I say he is god, but he loves his dog so much, I am sure he would prefer to be called DOG. be sure and check out his awesome new cd Bob Margolin in North Carolina with his gorgeous dog on the cover.

For those of you who dont know Bob Margolin, I say, where the hell have you been hiding out? Bob is on my top friends list not just because he is my real life friend and now hollywood produce-ah but he is an incredible guitarist, songwriter and human being.

He is most well known for his playing with the great Muddy Waters and appearing in movies like The Last Waltz but Bob has also played with the biggest legends in blues and is a gifted and brilliant writer and guitarist.

Please click on his face if you haven't already and check his action OUT!! He is incredibly gifted and if that ain't enough, he is sweet and humble too! What a combo. I am in love with this man I swear.

He did such a great job on this new cd. Can't wait for you to hear it. All the performances are awesome. Sue Foley came out from canada to play on my song "I'll put the blues on you." She is beautiful and a groove queen. Dave Alvin played some amazing national steel guitar with Bob Margolin on slide, Evan Caleb on the bass drum and Bill Stuve on string bass on "Back with my old friends." It felt especially poignant to do this song with dave since we have been friends now since 1982.

Junior Watson played magic on an incredible cover of Big Maybelles tune "Country Man." Popa Chubby lent me his scorching hot licks on the fifties style rocker "Crazy little thing" about a girl who dances on the bar with her top off.

Jeff Ross played sultry gypsy guitar licks on my original "I'm not gonna cry today." Kid Ramos swayed us with his acoustic guitar on Nellie Lutchers "Fine Brown Frame." My regular band with Heine Andersen on guitar, co wrote two songs on the cd. The funky motown style song "I'm my own worst enemy" and my son Evans soul ballad "Goodbye my heart. My youngest son Tommy even came down and played Hammond B3 on this track. The whole band played on many more and gave their best performances to this cd.

Bob Brozman did an amazing job on my tune with Jack Tempchin, "Mohammed and Jesus." With the help of Sue Foley and Bob Margolin, we covered Guitar Slims "I done got over it" and our buddy Billy Watson blew some harp on it for us.

Jimmy Sloan was a wonderful engineer and his lovely, pregnant, singing wife Kim Fox sang back up for me on a tune. Their studio and home is so beautiful and I am so grateful for the chance to have recorded there.

I am always excited about a new cd but I really think this will be my best one yet and definitely my bluesiest. It has just the right combination of sexy, soulful singing, making for an incredible mixture of music if I do say so myself.

I will shoot the cd cover tomorrow with awesome hollywood photographer Alan Mercer. Check him out here on myspace. He's the bomb. Guitars and feathers and a big diva in the middle somewhere should make a great cd cover! I want to thank Nancy Edwards for the cd title. She's the one that thought of it and I think its great.

I am really proud of this project and I sure hope you guys will like it too. It will be out on april 22nd on Ruf Records!

Long live Bob Margolin and DOG bless you all.

Candye

UPDATE: 11/27/06

Okay, I know its freezing for some of you and there may even be a little snow on the ground! But I am coming your way and we will melt that snow with a rocking blues-a-billy sex positive show to warm you up inside and out.

Our first show is at the Wet Spot in Seattle. I know some of you kinkier people are well acquainted with the Wet Spot and its reputation as a sex positive meeting place. BUT at this show, we will all keep our clothes on, (at least most of us will!) PLEASE come down and don't be put off by the Wet Spots racy reputation. This is a musical event and they are proving that they are not just sexually adventurous but have good taste in music too! 1602 - 15th Ave W. 98107/ 206) 270-9746 We play at 8 pm!

Next on our tour will be the Wild Buffalo in Bellingham. They have great food at this venue and it's a must that you be there! We had a super fun time with the lucky devil girlie show, but on this show, Baby Gramps will open the show fresh from his appearance on David Letterman! Please come down and brave the snow for your last taste of Candye in the year 2006.

We will cruise on up to beautiful Port Townsend for a wild night at the Upstage. We hung out with some darling big girls up there last time and can't wait to come back for some love harborside.

Then its on to Salem and Portland for some very special shows. Dec 2 at Leftys in Salem is always a great evening. And on Dec. 3 we play Starkys. It's a wonderfully friendly gay bar and we will play a special benefit for Esthers Pantry. Everyone is invited! Thanks to Joe and Rex for their help with this show.

During the day on the 3rd, we will be doing a rare instore appearance at the Music Millenium at 3 pm. A perfect chance for you to come down and bring the kids to see what all the fuss is about. On the 4th, we will be at Duffs Garage. I know its a Monday but get wild and come on down. We need you there!

Our next stop is Phillipsville in the redwoods; the Riverview Inn. Always cozy and fun at this old style roadhouse. And then, as if it couldnt get better, we will be at Biscuits and Blues in San Francisco! This is such a fun venue on the corner of Mason and Geary. We turn it into a beautiful love-in at the B&B when I am in town. Please come down and see us. Bill Stuve on bass, Evan Caleb on drums, Heine Andersen on guitar; loads of fun.

And finally on Dec. 10, I will appear solo with my sexy sistahs at the Minna Gallery in San Fran for a special Nude Aid fundraiser for the center for sex and culture. As you know, Carol Queen and Robert Lawrence have hosted me at the center several times and now they need some $$ to help with their recent move. Come on down and take photos or paint your favorite topless celebrity. Hostessed by the legendary Annie Sprinkle, this event features nude and semi nude models creating and modeling for art before your very eyes. The admission fee guarantees you an art piece. there will be items auctioned off and everyone will leave with a cherished memory and a lovely artistic keepsake. 111minna.org.

have a lovely and snuggly holiday season and come and celebrate with us!
xoxox
candye

UPDATE: 11/01/06

Hello from amsterdam!

We are having an amazing tour over here in the Netherlands and I really wish every one of you could be here with us, not only for the fun but because it is incredibly moving. I cant even begin to tell you how much joy I am getting from doing this. Last night, we were interviewed by a local TV station and the guy asked me several times why I was doing it. He kept thanking me, and so many people have thanked me. I have to thank them because I get so much out of being around these lovely people. Their beautiful spirits and energy just burst out of them and I cant help but smile and be happy around them. I am enjoying it so much; getting a chance to coach some of the singers who sing with us. Miss Moon, Lady Angel and Arthur De Kort; and then bringing up some of the kids onstage at the end who cannot sing, but who beam in pride from being part of the show and the excitement of a big band.

Of course I call them "kids" but these are people with disabilities of all ages. Some are obviously disabled and some are less obvious. Some are in wheelchairs or have what looks to me to be downs syndrome, and others seem pretty average but are challenged by an unseen emotional or mental disability. But every one of them, even the most challenged, responds to love and warmth and a kind touch or a big smile and the MUSIC and that is really amazing.

I was in a bad mood the other day and so I started thinking about this tiny woman in a polka dot dress who couldn't speak very well but got up onstage to join us in the finale. I put my arm around her and her whole face lit up. She came very close to my face and gently place her little finger on my nose and held it there. This sweet little gesture amidst all the wild histrionics of the band and the horn section playing in a frenzy, just made me all warm and fuzzy and left me smiling again. Then there was this darling brown skinned boy in a wheelchair. He has little control over his arms but they strap a drum on him and he gets to play in the Hoogvliet drum corps. I think Hoogvliet is the name of a town? He wanted to take a picture with me and so I bent down to kiss him and take a picture and he just screamed this amazing scream of sheer joy. It was just another amazing moment of so many I could tell you about.

I know there are many issues more pressing in the world; people caught in wars and horrific circumstances in Darfur, Rwanda and the Middle East. I think its difficult to make people have a sense of urgency about people born with disabilities because in most societies, there are already social services set up to help them. But this is not about helping them as much as it is about normalizing all of us through the great equalizer that is music.

When these people get on stage with us, or interact with the musicians who sometimes jump off the stage to play for them (like in sax player Johnny Ferreira and harmonicat Billy Watsons case); all of us are united in our excitement and common love of music.

Music really can heal. It heals these beautiful souls for a little while who are tormented by various disabilities but it also heals us musicians who are often self absorbed and selfish. We get so caught up in the record business and all of us fighting each other to get a bigger piece of the pie. It is extremely gratifying to see musicians (myself included) put away our big egos and give the same amazing performances we would give at the best blues festival in the world. Not just for the money or because we will get a recording contract or get on the cover of the blues magazine or win a Handy award or show up the guy in the next band; but just because there are adoring people there who need this music and are visibly and emotionally moved by it. I get all teary eyed and gushy when I talk about it but really, it is ME who should be thanking THEM.

I am so busy being healed and I hope, healing others, that I dont have a lot of time to even think about a single thing I am missing. Every thing I have is just perfect exactly the way it is and this experience is telling me that a million times as loudly as possible.

We do hope we can do this all over the world because I truly believe it is a transforming experience for anyone who witnesses it. Wish you were here!!

for daily photo updates : unitedbymusic.nl

to see us on dutch tv today: rijnmond.nl

UPDATE: 10/24/06

Seven Time San Diego Blues award winner, Candye Kane will embark on a three-week tour of the Netherlands from October 26 to November 12.

Kane has assembled a stellar band for this amazing and philanthropic tour, United by Music. The band features former Mighty Flyers Bassist Bill Stuve, Canadian saxophonist Johnny Ferreira, Harp player Billy Watson, Boogie woogie pianist Sue Palmer, trumpeter Robbie Smith, Guitarist Heine Andersen and Drummer Evan Caleb.

United By Music, in the planning stages for over a year, features native Dutch singers who have overcome various levels of disabilities, performing onstage. These young adults competed with other young hopefuls, for a chance to appear onstage with the Candye Kane band. All will perform songs in English. The repertoire includes blues standards, Candye Kane songs and some of the guest singer’s own original compositions. This inspirational program has been a transformative experience for both the singers and musicians involved, as they overcame obstacles and stereotypes and came together to share the healing powers of blues music.

While in Amsterdam, Kane will record a track with Ana Popovic. Kane's upcoming release will be produced by blues legend Bob Margolin and features guest guitar performances by Popa Chubby, Nick Curran, Junior Watson, Poison Ivy of The Cramps, Dave Alvin, Sue Foley, Kid Ramos and Bob Brozman. The bulk of the recordings will be done in early January 2007 in Hollywood's New King Sound studio.

December will find Candye back on the road in the states, visiting the Northwestern part of the USA, with dates in San Francisco, Seattle, Portland and beyond.

For photos of the United by Music tour: unitedbymusic.nl

UPDATE: 9/20/06

H y'alli;

I am happy to say that I won the award again last night at the san diego music award held at Viejas casino. I couldnt attend because I am in amsterdam (I know, life sucks) but my son and drummer evan attended and collected the award for me. I beat out many of my deserving friends, sue palmer, michelle lundeen, chet cannon, nathan james and ben hernandez, and len raney for the award. I feel honored to have won but I am just as honored to be nominated with all these great people who give so much of their lives to live music and the san diego blues community. Thanks so much to all who voted for me. It really feels good to be acknowledged for my music. I feel blessed to be singing and I hope I can continue to do so for many years to come. I asked evan to dedicate the award to legends clifford antone, floyd dixon, sam myers, billy preston, buddy blue and jessie mae hemphill whom we lost earlier this year.

I'll be home in san diego on sept 24, opening for the temptations at humphreys in a special acoustic show. I will be accompanied by heine andersen and nathan james on guitar as well as play a couple songs on my own guitar. It should be a lot of fun. I will end the month of september playing a special party for writer, publisher and healer louise hay. Louise has hired me for many of her parties through the years and its always a pleasure to play for her and share in her great energy and the warm vibes of her entire staff. hayhouse.com

October 1st finds us leaving for helsinki and starting the next month touring in europe; visiting stockholm, paris and many other points in between. Oct 26 starts the united by music tour www.unitedbymusic.nl. This is my tour of the netherlands featuring singers with disabilities and some of my wonderfully talented colleagues. Sue Palmer, Billy Watson, Robbie Smith and Johnny Ferreira will join me on this fabulous and rewarding musical journey. I cant wait to share the stage with them and with all the wonderful dutch singers who will belt out the blues and be healed in the process!

The year started out a little rough but seems to be closing on a happy note. I feel blessed and honored to continue playing music and sharing my life with people like YOU. Like many of my sister and brother Jews, I will celebrate Rosh Hashanah (The Jewish new year) this week. We dip apples into honey and wish for a sweet new year. I wish you all the sweetness life has to offer in the coming months. My you be happy, healthy and loved. Hope to see you at a blues show in the not so distant future.

Love and Juicy kisses;
candye

work what you got, if its a little or a lot!

UPDATE: 6/12/06

We’ve been having a great tour out here so far. Amazing attendance and wonderful CD buying people. Thank you ALL so much!

The tour started out great with our show in Des Moines at Blues on Grand . T Bone came down from Blues wax and we had a fun night with our buddy Jeff Wagner and his pickled body parts collection.

The next night was Lincoln Gay Pride. It was so much fun! I didn’t know it but the University of Nebraska at Lincoln was the first college to offer Gay and Lesbian studies as a major. Amazing that this happened in Lincoln, birthplace of Teena Brandon 1972-1993, the heroine of the movie Boys Don’t Cry, who was brutally murdered in nearby Falls City. All of my Lincoln friends were there, Jan, Rick, Gayle, Kara and Kelly, and I made a bunch of new friends and saw a fabulous singer songwriter, misty odell; www.mistysmusic.com It was a beautiful day in the sunshine with children, puppies and drag queens in full attendance. I hung out until the wee hours at the Panic Bar with my pals and met some really interesting people. Len, is a 70 year old farmer and peace activist who had to go home early to tend to his new baby calf and Marc Schroll is a sci fi writer. He writes books about alien life. I asked him if he had A) ever been abducted and B) ever had an anal probe. His answers were no and yes. Very interesting!

The next two nights were at the Zoo Bar, the famous blues club of Lincoln. I have been playing the Zoo since 1990 and its always a great time. Lady Bianca came down to see us,www.ladybianca.com She’s an awesome singer and pianist from Oakland, Ca who happened to be on tour at the same time. We had so much fun with our normal wild crowd down at the Zoo. Lincoln is still my favorite city in the Midwest.

After the show that night, I ate a gyro and ended up having a horrible gall bladder attack that landed me in the Emergency Room. I was surprised when the intake worker said “Hey, aren’t you Candye Kane? I have all your records! I’ m a big fan!” She came and asked for my autograph while I was laying on a gurney with an IV in my arm! She was funny but I can imagine how irritated “real ” stars must get if they get bothered by fans even when they are in severe pain like I was. Soon, they gave me the morphine and my pain was a distant memory but I still felt like crap two nights later in Springfield, Illinois where I played with Dwayne Burnside from Memphis. Dwayne is quite the ladies man and I dug his grill. Thanks Sean, Jamie and Susan for being so damn cool.

Kansas City: On the 70 freeway, we saw a sign for the Testicle festival in Olean Missouri. I am dying to play this festival! (theres a pic of the billboard on my myspace.site) I am sure it’s really a rocky mountain oyster festival but it would be great to get a t-shirt from there, at least. If anyone knows how to get in touch with the Olean Jaycees, they book this festival. Please let me know if you find out who is in charge so I can try to get a booking there!

The show in KC was rockin! Had a packed show at Knuckleheads and I heard that the kids from the new Blues Caravan were coming down. (That’s the tour I did last year with Sue Foley and Ana Popovic.) I don’t think Ian Parker, Ainsley Lister and Erja Luitenen showed up but Little Rachel did and we had a grand ol’ time. I want to apologize to my KC fans for doing half the show sitting down. I guess I was still weaker from the ER visit than I thought or maybe all the mosquito spray I had on was poisoning me, but I thought I would pass out onstage! The audience was sweet and seemed to understand. The KC blues festival was going on and so I was real happy to have such a big crowd. My friend Janniva Magness was playing at the festival the next night. Don’t know who I have to sleep with to get on that festival but I sure would love to play it!

Last night was Sioux City, Iowa at the Chesterfield. Brent and Paula used to have the Attic across the river and their new venue is just amazing. Hung out with Rob the great sound man and met cutie pie’s Mick, the bartender and Dennis who helped sell cds for me. We had a young pianist, Chris Bueller sit in from Omaha. He plays in a band from Omaha, called the Shakey Boys. They were quite good. Chris is just 20 years old and he prefers organ. But I hope he works on his left hand because he really needs to learn to boogie woogie. Then maybe I will take him on the road.

Financially, the tour has gone better than expected, THANK GODDESS. Gas prices are lower than I budgeted. (3$ instead of 4$) But we are only half way through. We still have to go to Milwaukee, Ann Arbor, Angola, Columbus and Cleveland before we end up back at home next week.

I am feeling a lot better since my bout with my gall bladder. I am modifying my diet and am trying to become a vegetarian. I am now committed to avoiding foods that had fur. I think this is a positive step towards better health for me. I don’t ever want that kind of pain again. I am much better but Evan is sick with bronchitis right now and that must be hard to play drums when you’ re hacking up science projects; but like mother like son - that boy is a trouper.

Back on the home front, my house is all rebuilt after the fire and it doesn’ t smell like smoke at all! I am really looking forward to getting back home and having some time on my beach this summer. I am also very proud of my youngest son Tommy. He just made the honor roll and got a special award for Math and Leadership. He will attend a Berklee School of Music workshop in Fullerton this summer and hopefully attend Berklee in the fall of ’07. He is home alone so much. It is a real testament to his dedication and determination that he made the honor roll. He is one smart and talented cookie. Check out his band skanktuary on my top 8 friends on myspace.

That’s all for now. Thanks to all of you who spend your hard earned money to see us! We just added an L.A. gig on July 27 at Cozys in Sherman Oaks and a bay area gig on July 7th at the Center for Sex and Culture just before our Reno Show on July 8. Please come down and support this wonderful center funded by good vibrations and run my friends Carol Queen, Robert Lawrence and Scarlot Harlot.

Happiest of birthdays to all my Gemini and Cancer friends this month.

Love and Kisses,

Candye Kane in Milwaukee

UPDATE: 4/30/06

I am in Europe until May 18th on tour. After a show in Germany that lasted until 2 am, I got a call yesterday morning at 6 am that my house was on fire, but it looked like they could save it. The good news is that no one was hurt. I had a contractor fixing a small problem on my roof. Apparently he used a blow torch to loosen some of the tar and the torch started smouldering some of the roofing insulation without his knowledge. After smouldering all day, by late Friday night, the roof and house were smoking profusely. My 17 year old son Tommy came home about 11:00 pm and opened the attic and black smoke billowed out. He wanted to climb up there with a fire extinguisher and thankfully, my roomate Josh talked him out of it and they called 911. Over 50% of my roof is gone and all the wiring has to be replace. I can't afford health insurance on my meager income, but by law I have to carry home owners insurance and so much of it will be covered. The contractors also have insurance. You can well imagine that I havent been sleeping too well here in Europe.

This is not the first time wacky stuff has happened while I have been on the road. During the last northwest tour I was on, my son Tommy, who is generally a wonderful and well behaved honors student, decided to have a little gathering. One of the boys got drunk and belligerent with a girl at the party and Tommy threw him out. The boy returned late at night and slashed all of the tires on all of the cars in front of our house. This was an expensive lesson. All the guys in my band had left their cars at my house while we were out on the road for three weeks. Tommy doesn't have friends over anymore.

Another time, in the throes of a bitter divorce, I had a young lady whom I thought I knew well stay at my house with then, 10 year old Tommy. She snapped when Tommy and his friends were playing tricks on her like unplugging the phone repeatedly and hiding the remote control. She threw a fit and locked Tommy out of the house. He called the police and me on the East Coast. I still had two weeks to go on our tour. Everyones income relies on me. I called my brother in to replace the high strung baby sitter. My brother has grappled on and off with drug addiction but was sober at the time he came to care for Tommy. During his stay, he had a relapse and invited a local crack ho into my home. He used my car for collateral for the crack and when he couldnt come up with the money, he hocked my guitars and reported my car stolen. All the while, he told young Tommy to lie to me for my own protection. This was the first time my son had lied to me about anything. I only found out what was going when I intercepted a phone message from an Officer about my stolen car. I called the Officer back and found out my car had been missing for three days. I told the officer that my car had lo-jack. They located it within an hour but it had already been in two accidents! My parents came down to San Diego to relieve my defiant brother who is now supposedly sober.

Despite the obvious perils of flying, unsafe drivers, traveling exorbitant distances daily, eating horrible road food, bad weather like hurricanes, sleet and blizzards,breathing in the second hand cigarette smoke of 100 people at the same time, little sleep on lumpy beds in noisy hotel rooms and carting heavy luggage up three flights of marble stairs with no elevators, there are the perils of what goes on at home. Being a single mom has made it even more stressful when I leave my house. I stock my house with groceries from Costco and Sams Club and leave detailed instructions for everyone around. I hire whom I consider capable people to stay with my son and now that he is older and drives, he is able and prefers to stay with our roomate pretty much on his own. (He will be 18 in a few months.) I now have a global cell phone so I can be reached 24/7 and I try to get online as much as possible. I call home every other day and have a network of good people in case of an emergency. For a long time, Tommys school was in close proximity and when he got older, he went to a private school with a good bus system. Now he drives the 25 miles to and from school each day and eats prepaid lunches in the school cafeteria. He says he enjoys his independence and is fine when I leave, but I still cry everytime I have to leave him and the comforts of my home.

I am lucky the fire wasn't worse. I am lucky that Tommy didn't stay out at his buddys house on Friday night or fall asleep with the house smouldering, or go into the attic with his fire extinguisher. I keep having nightmares about what might of happened and them finding the 5'11 body of my handsome teenage son clutching his fire extinguisher with the house in ruins. Sometimes I can't even believe the weird stuff that happens to me. I think if I wrote a screenplay about it, they would say "No way. This is too unrealistic."

Don't feel sorry for me. I am getting paid to be in Europe. Music has afforded me the luxury to take both my kids all over the world, including Australia, Europe and Israel. Music has healed my life and exposed me to amazing, incredible people. Still, with gas at four bucks a gallon and interest rates rising, I don't know how much longer I will be able to do it. Ironically, as soon as Tommy goes off to college, I may have to cut back on my road work. So the next time you see a road band, consider the sacrifices they make to be there in that funky little out of the way bar. It may seem like an incredibly glamorous life and sometimes, it is. But life has a tendency to go on without you. When we go back home, all of the bills and events that have arrived are still there, waiting for us. Sometimes the people we love may not be waiting for us anymore. The road is riddled with musicians divorces.

Thankfully, after this tour is over, I will return to my musically gifted teenager and a standing, if charred and stinky house with a huge hole in the roof. I will count my blessings and be thrilled to be back on American soil even if our government is questionable. And after a few weeks, I will jump back in the Ford Econoline and do it again. Because as Walter Trout says in his song, "This is the life I chose."

Candye in Tubingen, Germany

UPDATE: 4/18/06

Howdy Everybody! We are fixin' to leave for our European tour on Sunday; (my son Evan on drums, Bill Stuve on bass, Heine Andersen on guitar and Smedley B on piano). Every time I go, I feel so blessed and think that this could be the last time, so I want to savor each and every moment! I am excited especially about getting to visit Poland as I have never been there. Warsaw was the center of Jewish life pre WWII so I am anxious to explore what little is left of their legacy.

The summer is filling up with some exciting shows. As usual, the Gay community and the rockabilly kids are keeping me alive. I have six festivals for the GLBT community this summer and am still negotiating with Toronto and San Diego pride so I will keep you posted. My cd is # 7 on the gay channel on Sirius radio. Thank GOD for this wonderful community of tolerant and free spirited people who love my music and support me. My San Francisco pride appearance will be with the SF Gay Mens Choir and I am especially thrilled to be singing with this great group of singers. I am also doing a great rockabilly car show in L.A. later this summer, The Blessing of the Cars, as well as the Sunset Junction Street Fair with Dave Alvin and Hank Williams III. They close off Sunset Blvd East in Hollywood for this festival and it is always fantastic. Bill Wax at XM radio and some other wonderful blues djs continue to support my music as well. I really want to thank them for their continued support.

I want to tell you about the tour we will be doing in the fall in the Netherlands called United by Music. It is like an American Idol show (except not mean spirited or bitchy) for disabled people. They are having auditions now and the winners will get to sing with an American blues band on a tour. (that's us!) I am very excited about this tour and the response has been fantastic. We will do a press conference about it on May 15th when I am in Amsterdam. We did one show like this last summer in Sliedrecht and I invited some of the disabled kids onstage to sing with me. The crowd loved it and so did the kids, so it seemed logical to try it again in a bigger and better way. It is all being organized by my friend and fan, Joris Wijngarden. If you know any Dutch journalists or photogs who may be interested in this project, please send them our way so we can notify them about the press conference. This project will be a wonderful thing, especially because I believe that the love and applause from a crowd can be magically healing. I also think its symbolic since these people face huge challenges in their every day lives and my challenges seem tiny and insignificant compared to theirs! There is a website under construction unitedbymusic.nl and there is a documentary planned to chronicle the tour and to follow around three of the people who will be in the show. I am very excited about this wonderful opportunity to help people and to make music together.

I hope things are going great and thawing out in your neck of the woods. We face challenges in our world in every way and road musicians continue to be affected as well as all commuters, by the rising costs of gas. My undying gratitude goes to those of you who spend your hard earned money on live music. Because of YOU, people like me still have a chance to survive doing what we love. This gift you give us is immeasurable. Whenever you choose to see a live musician, you are doing a public service and guaranteeing that live music will survive another decade. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

Candye

UPDATE: 1/3/06

Hi everybody!! Hope your holidays went smashingly and that you have a fabulously busy 2006 with good health and multiple eargasms for all.

I've got some exciting gigs coming up. Really looking forward to seeing all my pals in the northwest again. Santa Cruz is always a wonderful freak fest with all of us proudly waving our freak flags high! San Francisco, Biscuits and Blues has awesome greens and fried chicken. Come down and mac and see the show. I will appear on the House of Blues radio hour again in San Fran as well! Yippee. My friend Heather from the Big Bottom girls who lives in San Fran is doing much better in her ovarian cancer battle, we hear. Thanks for all your love and prayers. bigburlesque.com

Can't wait to play again in Portland area, Tacoma, Seattle on Super Bowl Sunday. Don't get too drunk on beer, save it for the show at the Tractor Tavern! I will be staying at wurlitzermanor.com check out this amazing bed and breakfast and their fantastic pipe organ. Bellingham will be a lot of fun too. We have the lucky devil girlie show burlesque girls opening and some special birthday surprises for some deserving fans. It will be such fun!

Have a special show coming up in February in Bisbee and Phoenix Arizona. Bisbee is the coolest mining town up on a hill. All the buildings are vintage and the people are super fun. Also looking foward to my special show in Cleveland at the Beachland Ballroom with the amazing band, Blue Lunch and my friend, Boston Diva Michele Willson. Don't miss this once in a lifetime show if you are anywhere near Cleveland.

Once again, wanna thank all the DJ's who played me this year especially Bill Wax at Bluesville/ XM radio. I want to also thank Beef Stew at 106.9 WCCC - Hartford, CT who named my cd #2 in his top 16 of the year. Thanks to J Doyle at Queer Radio and all of the other DJs and wonderful journalists who keep my name out there so I can survive one more year. I couldn't do this job without them and YOU. Thanks so much for all your help and love.

Hoping for peace in 2006...
love & kisses,

Candye

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