Happy New Year!

Have a safe and happy New Year! I'm looking forward to doing some recording for a new record in 2009....as well as some special performances coming up such as a workshop and concert performance at the Washington National Cathedral on the weekend of Feb 14th and a performance in early March in Montgomery Alabama featuring the Alabama Dance Theater performing to my songs as I sing live. You can check out all the info on these and other upcoming stuff at bethnielsenchapman.com.

Xoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxo BNC

Scotland, Noerthern Ireland and England

2008 has been a really full year for me (when is it not?). I had such a great time touring Scotland, with a few dates in Northern Ireland and England. Here I am hanging out with "Nessie"...... Nessie lives in there......

And performing in Inverness with some of the finest musicians in all of Scotland sitting in! Duncan Chisholm and Phil Cunningham!! ;)


In December I flew to Aspen Colorado to perform with Hal Ketchum and actor Anthony Zerbe in a theater piece called "Lime Creek Christmas" based on readings from a novel by my friend Joe Henry. Joe and I wrote "Say Goodnight" together. He's pictured here in the photo below.

Pictured left to right: Arnette Zerbe (Anthony's beautiful wife), Ann Patrice Carrigan, Joe Henry, Anthony Zerbe, BNC, Hal Ketchum, and Renick Stevenson.

I am looking forward to a great 2009! Xoxoxo BNC

BNC Live SAND & WATER from DUBLIN, IRELAND.

Thank you, Vincent!

Novemember 2008 Mini Solo Tour of England and Scotland

Sunday 16th BELFAST
Grand Opera House 02890 241 919

Tuesday 18th BIRMINGHAM
Glee Club 0871 472 0400

Wednesday 19th BARNSLEY
Emmanuel Church 01226 321 511

Thursday 20th BUXTON
Opera House 0845 127 2190

Sunday 23rd LANGHOLM
Buccleuch Centre 01387 381 196

Monday 24th LATHONES
The Stable Inn 01334 840 494

Wednesday 26th INVERNESS
The Ironworks 0871 789 4173

Friday 28th BANCHORY
Woodend Barn 01330 825 431

For more information visit my Touring Page.

MORE October 2008

Hi folks!

Happy Halloween! October has flown by! I played shows in Austin Texas, Loveland Colorado, and Mesa Arizona on my October mini-tour. I brought my son Ernest Chapman on bass, Tripp Dudley, my nephew, on world percussion and drums and John Ragusa on flutes, vocals, harp and conch shell. Here the guys are hanging around the extraordinary beauty of Sedona. Thanks to Bob Zucker and his lovely wife Debbie we got to see some gorgeous countryside on our day off!





I'm looking forward to heading over the pond in a couple weeks to do a some shows and radio. Starting with the Belfast Grand Opera House (what a room!) followed by Birmingham, and the Buxton Opera House, etc. You can go to bethnielsenchapman.com for full details. We'll also be heading up through Scotland in some areas I've never seen. This time around I'll be playing solo with some accompaniment from the stellar Maart Allcock on bass, vocals etc.

The big news is that I'm releasing a super exclusive 5 song EP just for this little tour. It won't be available on my website or record stores, only at the gigs! The EP includes the original 4 track demos of "Sand & Water" and "No One Knows But You" and "Fair Enough". The collection also has a holiday song I wrote with Melissa Manchester and Matt Rollings called "There's Still My Joy" and a cover of "Love Me Tender". I just heard that they are already playing "There's Still My Joy" in Belfast!

Starting November 10th, "There's Still My Joy" and "Love Me Tender" will be available for download on itunes in the UK. But the EP will only be at the gigs. Here's the cover art...



More to come! ☺BNC

Vintage Video! "That's the Easy Part"

IMC Uses THE FLAME For A Worthy Cause

International Medical Corps - (kind of a Doctors Without Borders org.) Has been using "The Flame" in a series of videos to their story. They've been selected by Amex as part of Amex's Members Project where members direct dollars to causes - one of 25 with oppt to win 1.5 million in 17 days. It's one great cause among many I know but 1.5 million could save the lives of a lot of kids.

October 2008

Ok...I don't know where the summer went but I thought I'd better catch ya'll up on the last couple of months before the fall is here!

Late August found me doing a presentation workshop on the creative process at the Alabama State Council on the Arts Summer Retreat for Arts Professionals at the Cheaha State Park.



From there it was on to play in NY at the Cutting Room. What fun that was! The same night a hurricane happened to be rolling through Manhattan...but we still filled the place!



Mid September found me in LA at PeaceJam. Seven Nobels and a whole bunch of young peacemakers at Loyola Marymount. Check out peacejam.org!

Bob and I were so happy to see the Archbishop again!



Back in Nashville I had the pleasure of seeing my good friend, and the legendary Bob Harris during the week he was here for the Americana Awards. Bob also introduced me to one of his dear friends the very legendary (and incredibly down to earth) Robert Plant!

Here I am with Robert and the fabulous Buddy Miller in Buddy's studio. This is royalty on either side of me!



And Bob Harris and I wandered into the "Idle Hour" beer joint on Music Row in between interviews.



Then on September 20th the lovely Judy Collins came to perform at the Observatory. It was great to see her again, having done some shows with Judy a few years back. She sounded and looked amazing!



So coming up is ...well...lots more stuff!

This week I performed at the Bluebird on Thursday night with JD Souther, Gary Nicholson, and Radney Foster for a Obama-rama fundraiser.

Saturday afternoon (Oct 4th) BNC and band performed at the Celebration of Cultures.

Saturday night I also performed "Beautiful Fool" at the First Amendment Center Anniversary Show at the Bluebird. Whew!

Now it's off to do some dates in mid October (check the tour page on the website) and ending up in Carlsbad performing one night at Deepak Chopra's meditation retreat......then before you know it it's November!

I'm looking forward to going back over to the UK the last 2 weeks in November. I'm going to mostly be performing in Scotland with a few dates in England and a show at the Belfast Opera House as well!

I'm going to be offering an exclusive 5 song EP for sale only at my shows during the November mini-tour. More about that later!

Sorry it's so long between updates...I've been doing a lot of writing songs which means my typing time is greatly replaced by strumming!

Xoxox BNC

Ps...hey...I'm a very proud Mom...if you get a chance to go to itunes and do a search for "Team Illuminati" and you'll see my son Ernest's new CD. Write a review! I'm very excited for him...I think he made a great record!

MTV COVERS PEACEJAM GLOBAL CALL TO ACTION CONFERENCE!

MTV Shows

August 2008

BNC Upcoming stuff! (recent adventures coming soon!)



BNC & Band Performs in NY at "The Cutting Room" on September 6th

"The BNC Band" features NY's own John Ragusa on flute, NY native Annie Roboff on keys, Ernest Chapman & Jessie Friedman of "Team Illuminati" fame on bass & vocals, and NY based drummer/percussionist Tripp Dudley.

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



September 11-13

BNC will be in LA at Peacejam's 2008 International Global Call To Action Youth Conference held at Loyola Marymound University.

Check out info on this incredible gathering of Nobel Peace Laureates and young people committed to inspiring peacemaking at PeaceJam.org.

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



BNC performs for the Celebration Of Cultures
Saturday October 4th, 2008!

celebrationofcultures.org

Sat., Oct. 4, 2008

FREE ADMISSION
Centennial Park, Nashville

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

Also! More dates to be posted for October. You can see most of them on the BNC Tour Page.

AND! Very soon we'll be posting the Mid-November mini-tour dates in the UK! Stay tuned!

Oh yeah! Check out the new record that's just come out on itunes by BNC's son Ernest...his band is called "Team Illuminati" and this collection Rocks!! Please check it out and send a review to itunes!! Just do a search in itunes on "Team Illuminati".

BNC Concert for PeaceJam!

for ticket info go to:
http://www.bluebirdcafe.com

Beth Nielsen Chapman hosts:

PeaceJamFoundationBenefit Concert
June 17th at Bluebird Cafe
"IN-the-Round"9 PM.
Nashville, TN

Don't miss this incredible show! All proceeds will go towards scholarships to send youth from this region to the International PeaceJam Conference in Los Angeles,September 11-13, 2008.

The Lineup:

Beth Nielsen Chapman

Doyle & Debbie
(their Debut "in-the-round" at the Bluebird!)

Ernest Chapman
(Team illuminati Mastermind)

Damien Horne
(A boundary-obliterating singer/songwriter!)

BNC Newsflash and Catch up!

Ok. It’s official. I’m not a natural born “blogger”. I find it so challenging just to keep up with the pace of reality these days (or has it always been ‘these days’?) I can’t bear the thought of having to recollect it all in any sort of order and type it out. So you’ll just have to bear with my intermittent memory. Once again it’s all a blur....but it’s been a full couple of months to say the least!

So I think my last entry was just prior to my Austin gig with Rodney Crowell. It was a fundraiser for “Healthy Child Healthy World” and of course anything with Rodney Crowell is already stellar!


We performed at a “green” house in Austin built by Stanley Lerman, an ecologically designed contemporary sanctuary.



This is Stan. He’s quite an amazing guy, having also been a successful clothing designer, as well as a master of yoga!




Here I am with Anne Robertson from Healthy Child Healthy World, and Rodney Crowell. I serve on the Board of HCHW. It’s a great organization!



And this is our Executive Director Christopher Gavigan. We are holding up the just released “Healthy Child Healthy World” which Christopher authored. This book is a MUST HAVE for families, especially those with small children. Don’t walk. Run out and buy it. Or order it from Amazon. Having been touched by cancer twice in my life I have been very drawn to learning about toxins that are all around us in our culture. I have to say this book covers a multitude of information on how to keep your family and yourself safe! Visit healthychild.org for more information!

Next fun adventure to talk about was this year’s BNC Creativity Stargaze! What an amazing group this year. There were so many talented people and some great surprises!
We started off with a cookout on Friday night. Thanks to Rocky doing all the cooking...except for my roasting my own marshmallows! Here are some of the workshop attendees!




Here’s Amy checking in the troops! This is Lisa Ashook signing up...Lisa is one talented lady! (So is Amy...)

Below is Anna Wolfe hanging with her hot dog at the cookout on Friday night.


We also got a chance to view the rings of Saturn on Friday night. There’s nothing a peek into a huge telescope to give you some perspective.

This is Eddie Wohlford and his lovely daughter Katie. Eddie and I used to play in a band back in the seventies called “Harmony”. This band was the hottest ticket in town in Montgomery Alabama. We played in the “Kegler’s Kove” lounge...4 hours a night six nights a week. I played there for almost 2 years! That was like going to “song college”. I’m so glad Ed and Katie could be at the Stargaze this year!




So “Blasting Off With Beth” was the first class of the day on Saturday.
This was a really fun group. Good listeners!




We all had divine lunches by Gabrielle on Saturday and Sunday.

Here’s Gabrielle explaining the mouthwatering organic food to the creative geniuses!



One of the coolest things about the Stargaze is that it is an international gathering. This year featured some incredible talent from Northern Ireland.



This is Brian Houston and Eilidh Patterson, both from Belfast, who performed a great tune they wrote together.

There was also some spontaneous post-lunch frolicking that was initiated by Anna. This was probably due to an abundance of creative energy brought on by the fab food and overall inspiration of spring!




And then it was on to Rocky’s talk about the universe. This is always mind-bending and it’s a great wake up call for the part of us that wants to take things too seriously. Rocky’s a great songwriter and producer of records. You’d never know that when you’re listening to him being an astronomer. How does he do it all?



This year’s Drive-by-hit-songwriters included the perennial favorite Bill Lloyd who always blows everyone away.



And on Saturday evening we were graced with a lecture by none other than Mike Reid, who truly charmed everyone with his sense of humor while exhibiting such diversity and breathtaking songs...including “I Can’t Make You Love Me” which he performed.



One of our surprise guests was Craig King. I met Craig a couple years ago. He’s astonishing! Not only does he work with the likes of Ludicris and Kanye West, he possesses an otherworldly expanse of talent on the piano. It made me so happy to introduce Craig and Mike Reid to eachother, both extraordinary, and each so respectful of the other’s talent.


Talk about some creative skills! I would stand between these two guys for days! Below is Anna, Paul Reisler and Ernest, my son.



This year we pulled Master Songwriting instructor Paul Reisler back into the Stargazer. Paul’s become one of the most in demand teachers around. He’s just so good! I got wonderful feedback from students on his comprehensive focused instruction. We work well together as a tag team.



So thanks to everyone for coming this year and being a part of making the Stargazer 2008 really special!



Here’s to next year!!!!!

Ok....after the Stargazer I headed to speak at the Alabama Writer’s Conference in Monroeville, Alabama. That was really cool....there were poets and authors there too.

And then it was on to Montgomery Alabama to perform at the Capri Theater for a fundraiser for that old theater that was just across the street from my ninth grade classroom. It was great to see old friends and be a part of saving that wonderful old theater!

Here’s a shot of my sisters Barbara and Beverly who I turned into the merch-queens of the evening!



This week I head to the Festival of Homiletics in Minneapolis where I’ll be doing several presentations of song and speaking about the creative spirit.

In addition to performing in the round with authors, sermon writers, and poets, I’ll be presenting a workshop with Naomi Tutu on creativity. Here’s a little explanation about that.

Stepping Out In Faith
Presented by Naomi Tutu and Beth Nielsen Chapman



Naomi Tutu and Beth Nielsen Chapman will conduct a workshop together on the power of dropping into the heart and listening to the guiding voice of spirit. Beth’s songs, interspersed with story and insights from Beth and Naomi, will explore both creative expression and preaching from the perspective of Divinity in action. In the process of song-writing, Beth describes the moment of inspiration as ‘lift off’, or a feeling like ‘divine intervention’. In preparing to preach, Naomi’s approach is to “read and reread whatever the selected texts are for that day and listen to what they say to me”, and then to put them away and find the thread from the center of the heart and follow it. This method of opening up to trust in the guidance of spirit is empowering and allows for the greatest sense of free flowing creative expression.

Well, that’s all folks! Check for updates! Next month I’m going to the Yukon...I can certainly say I’ve not been bored since I can remember!

Oh yeah! I’m signing off with two great shots from a fundraiser I sang at this past March. This was such a blast! And it was for a great cause...to support John Hall for re-election to Congress. Here I am playing in “the band” of my dreams!


With Bonnie Raitt, John Hall and Hutch Hutchison...with cameo appearance by Jackson Brown!



:)BNC

Creativity Stargaze 2008

SIGN UP NOW

BNC Songwriting & Creativity Stargaze 2008!


Sponsored by Performing Songwriter Magazine

Hey! We’re back with a bang in 2008! Come to the Stargaze and re-align your creative power. Two and a half days and evenings of incredible hands-on classes in songwriting, creativity boosting, and performance at the historic Dyer Observatory in Brentwood, Tennessee. Bonfires, guitar/piano pulls, incredible organic lunches, powerful instruction, Drive-By Hit Songwriters, critiques, and tons of inspiration all for $325! If you are a member of NSAI(Nashville Songwriter’s Association International) you can knock off fifty bucks and get in for $275!

Are you stuck in a creative rut? Find the thread that leads to your deepest expression. Sit with legendary songwriters and learn about their creative process.

Take Beth’s magical mystery tour through the creative process where you will come to unlock the powerful creative spirit within you. Acquire new tools and learn to step fully into the mastery of your skills. Through critique of student’s songs and lecture, Beth will also address how to protect your creative flow in the face of letting your songs “cross the street” from art to commerce without getting hit by the mack truck of the music business.

But you don’t have to be a professional songwriter to love this workshop. Any form of creativity may apply! This adventure includes tips, tools, song critiques, guitar-pulling, (and keyboard pulling!) bonfires, story swapping, and spontaneous “Drive-By-Hit-Songwriters” not to mention incredible home cooked organic lunch each day by Gabrielle Middlestadt.



Friday evening will be more like a casual cookout/guitar pull and bring your own beverage kind of thing. Then get ready for Gabrielle’s delectable heavenly lunches Saturday and Sunday.



Historic Vanderbilt Dyer Observatory sits perched atop one of the
highest hills in Nashville. The observatory is nestled in a park-like
setting of native oaks, walnuts and hickory trees. At Dyer, people of
all ages discover the wonders of the universe through the largest
telescope in Tennessee, the Seyfert Telescope. The grounds are a
perfect place for relaxation and contemplation. Dyer is known for
bringing science and art together with events such as Bluebird on The
Mountain. This concert series has become Nashville's most popular
outdoor venue for singer/songwriter concerts.

At Stargaze 2008 we will be introduced to the magic of the Star Chamber!
Renowned artist Chris Drury has created a one-of-a-kind sculpture at
the Observatory.



The 200 ton structure is made from native stone, hand carved timbers,
and is a marvel to contemplate. The sculpture is a camera-obscura,
seated inside the chamber, the top that allows images from the sky and
horizon to be reflected onto white-washed walls of the interior. The
chamber also functions as a huge sundial which marks the passing of the seasons by projecting a noon-day image of the sun in an analemma. There in the Star Chamber Beth will lead a class on how to use your voice. We’ll do some “toning” which centers on the power of the vowel especially as it applies to finding the words inside a melody. Yes, we’re going to walk inside this amazing igloo-shaped rock which will take you to a place in your center. From there will come some insights about how to sing from that same center.



Hotels Nearby
Some great little hotels are all around the Observatory. Here are some we can vouch for!

Comfort Inn and Suites
615-221-5001
5566 Franklin Pike
Brentwood, Tn. 37027

Mainstay Suites
615-371-8477
107 Brentwood Blvd
Brentwood, Tn. 37027

Candlewood Suites
800-633-8464
5129 Virginia Way
Brentwood, Tn. 37027

Steeplechase Inn
615-373-8585
5581 Franklin Pike Circle
Brentwood, Tn. 37027

Travel and lodging and dinner in the evening is not included (except for the “casual” weinie roast on Friday night during the sign-up). But the lunches will be astonishing!


Drive-By-Hit-Songwriter-Geniuses!
During the BNC Creativity Stargaze, we will feature a few great “drive-by-geniuses” of songwriting and recording fame, INCLUDING: Mike Reid! Mike is the writer of countless hits and also created musicals for theater. Mike co-wrote “I Can’t Make You Love Me” for Bonnie Raitt! Here’s Mike and I a few years back after I sang that song when he was inducted into the Hall Of Fame!



And we’ll have some other legends as well, such as Bill Lloyd (Crazy Over You {Foster & Lloyd}) Bill Lloyd will wow you with his “Forest Gump” eclectic ability in all styles of music and his infectious tunes, as well as advice on the ins and out of pushing the boundaries of country, pop and rock.








AND!



Marshall Chapman (Betty’s Bein’ Bad, and the author of “Goodbye Little Rock and Roller”. Marshall Chapman will be doing a “Drive-by” and playing you some of her incredible songs and talking about her writing process. If we’re lucky she will also give us some sneak previews of her upcoming book “They Came To Nashville” which is sure to enlighten any aspiring writer!

We also celebrate the return of Annie Roboff,



(“This Kiss”, “If My Heart Had Wings”).



Annie Roboff will also be stopping by for a quick co-writing class with Beth. Writer of countless hits including “This Kiss”, written with Beth and Robin Lerner, Beth and Annie will let you in on some of their experiences as a co-writing team.

Master Class With Paul Reisler


Paul Reisler, one of the most popular songwriting teachers in North America provides a comprehensive and wonderfully digestible wealth of knowledge about songwriting and song structure. A teacher for many years and in high demand, Paul, songwriter, composer, songwriting teacher and founder of the musical group Trapezoid is also the founder and creator of “Kid Pan Alley” This past March, Kid Pan Alley was featured on NPR’s “Morning Edition.” Here’s star songwriting teacher Paul Reisler!



AND ROCKY!



This year we also have back astonishing astronomer-genius and caretaker of the Observatory, Rocky Alvey, who will lead us across the universe as we tour the magnificent skies at night looking through the telescope at incredible galaxies, moons and planets. There’s nothing like the vast expanse of the cosmos out there to mirror the vast expanse of the inner cosmos of creativity.

Rocky Alvey is infinitely engaging with his astounding knowledge of the universe. It’s just impossible to explain how he can warp your sense of dimensions with what’s out there in the great sky of stars. You have to see it for yourself! It will make you realize the ultimate beauty of creativity at its finest level!

So don’t miss the fun! Availability won’t last long! Sign up early because we have a limited amount of space and the space will go fast! Just download the registration form and send with a check for deposit to:

BNC CREATIVITY STARGAZE
PO Box 58156
Nashville, Tn.
37205

or sign up online. Instructions are all on the bethnielsenchapman.com website!

OH! And if you are a member of NSAI (The Nashville Songwriter’s Association International) you get $50 off the registration fee! If you are not a member you can become one and also qualify! So for $275 you can come for the whole she-bang!

See you there!! Love, BNC