Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Laura Kennedy Falls In Love With America Again!


Dennis Gelbaum, Co-Executive Producer of the 'Fall In Love With America Again' project, (created by Evie Evangelou, Amber Roniger and Dennis Gelbaum) will be participating in the 2010 Veteran's Day Virtual Telethon - "Every American has a story to tell - doesn’t matter who they are - where they come from, where they live, what they do. Showcasing the talents and successes of our returning Veterans, sharing memories and stories of our fallen soldiers, celebrating the servicemen and women who are still serving this Country - is all part of our 'Fall In Love With America Again' project. I look forward to participating in the 2010 Veteran's Day Virtual Telethon and sharing some great stories about America."
Dennis Gelbaum

“Joining forces with the “Falling in Love With America – Again” project was an easy decision since both of our campaigns are about remembering why we love our Country, our Flag, and our Freedom. As a 21 year Navy Veteran and 9/11 survivor, there is nothing that makes me prouder than seeing our friends and neighbors showing their love and respect for this country by flying our country’s flag and sharing their stories about why they love America!"
Laura Kennedy, USN-Ret

As a consultant, Laura Kennedy works one-on-one with both employers and employees to increase their productivity, work place attitudes, and teamwork, as well as the all important bottom lines! Laura’s real passion revolves around helping others. Laura spends countless hours volunteering with the homeless & mentoring with Veterans.

Check out: http://flagstillstandsforfreedom.com/
Check out: http://laurakennedylive.com/

Check out our promotional video::
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1OGAVgiVD4&feature=player_embedded

Monday, July 26, 2010

Michelle Obama Falls In Love With America Again


Michelle Obama adds (in a letter to Evie Evangelou about our Fall In Love With America Again Project): "We are at a critical moment in our Nation's history, and we need an allhands-on-deck approach to solve the problems that we face. Thank you for daring to innovate, for dreaming big, and for finding ways to create a better tomorrow. America needs your hands, your hearts, and your hard work now more than ever."

'Fall In Love With America - Again' - (created by Evie Evangelou, Amber Roniger and Dennis Gelbaum) is an innovative, timely and important new documentary style web and mobile based multimedia series highlighting stories from across America - stories from small towns, communities, neighborhoods, streets, homes, rooms… It's all about what we think America is, who American's are, how we see ourselves, and how we welcome the world to our home.

"Fall in Love with America Again is an expression of freedom, of creativity, inspiration and love of country. It is a declaration of the Best of America by the people and for the people. I am certain that this campaign with its positive message and novel point of view, will create a halo effect around everyone involved." Evie Evangelou, Executive Producer, Fall In Love With America Again.

The project includes live webcam updates, producing a feature length documentary film, broadcast series and special, live events, touring exhibit, multimedia content produced by us and submitted by folks all across America, interactive websites and social networking sites/communities, etc.

Our adventure will take off September 2010 (with the launch of our websites, social networks, blog, video and audio channels) and the project will continue through the summer of 2011. We will be having a series of multimedia contests - looking for the next great American song, video, photograph, illustration, short story, poem, chef, fashion designer, teacher, business leader, volunteer, local heroes and more.

"This project is about connecting and re-connecting, using all media to tell stories that will have everyone fall in love with America, again!" Dennis Gelbaum, Executive Producer, Fall In Love With America Again.

(c)2010 Evievision and ramp it up entertainment

Sunday, July 25, 2010

American Veterans Radio Falls In Love With America Again!


“From the time I was a child in the foothills of Missouri, I knew that America was a special place. I was raised in a home where a Korean War Veteran happened to reside and I was privileged enough to call him my father. I went on to serve in the U.S. Army as well as my son who is currently serving as a Combat Medic. I know personally the sacrifices that have been paid to ensure that this beautiful land of ours remains free. The “Fall In Love With America – Again” project has touched my heart in a way I cannot explain; let it touch yours. I am extremely proud to be associated with this project and let us never forget that Our Freedom is Not Free: Won’t You “Fall in Love With America – Again?” Jim Lederle, American Veterans Radio

As of July 25, 2010 – American Veterans Radio is ranked number 25 of 600 tracked military websites which places AVR in the top 4% of the best military websites worldwide! More than 150,000 listeners, from all fifty states and the District of Colombia, six of the seven continents, sixty-seven countries!

Check out: http://www.avradio.org/excitingnewproject.htm

"From day one, the purpose of American Veterans Radio has been to bring a small piece of home to our military veterans - wherever they may be, to recognize our 1st Responders for being available 24/7, spotlighting the wonderful talents of the Indie Artist and last but surely not least, bringing great music to our listeners worldwide!

In the spring of 2009, while working on a CD collection project to send CD’s to our troops in the sandbox (AKA Iraq), the concept of broadcasting live to our troops and launching a free internet radio station, began to take shape.

After lengthy discussions with my wife and with the passion and compassion I had (and have) for our veterans (my father served in Korea, I served from 1980 – 1988, and my son is currently serving our country), American Veterans Radio was created.

After turning on the switch, as I like to call it, on August 31, 2009 we began thinking about all of our dedicated 1st Responders and the sacrifices they also have to make on a day to day basis (My wife is a Nurse and my brother is a Police Officer). So it was decided we were going to do all we could to give them the respect and dignity they deserved.

And lastly while listening to some excellent tunes a friend of mine had self recorded, I couldn’t for the life of me figure out why this individual didn’t have a contract with a record label; they were that good! So I told them that I would showcase their music on my daily show. As is well known now within the Indie Artist World, American Veterans Radio dedicates a full week, every week, to highlight and spotlight an individual Independent Artist.

It has been hard work with literally 1,000’s of hours dedicated to the radio station but one thing is sure: it has been well worth it.

While doing my live show “The Mixin’ It Up Show” if I receive a request from a Veteran serving in Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea, Japan etc. then I feel that all is right with the world.

American Veterans Radio was just a part of allowing our brave men and women to be back home if only for a moment – what better place to be."
Jim Lederle, American Veterans Radio

Friday, July 23, 2010

Natasha James Falls In Love With America - Again


"It is not often you get asked to participate in a project that immediately strikes you as exciting, valuable, timely and interesting. In short, one that has all the elements that can bring wide interest and reception, the elements that ring that doorbell called, SUCCESS. In addition, it is even more rare, to be able to contribute and participate in all the very areas that are the most exciting to you. In my capacity as Judge, and writer, and performer, among other areas I am involved in with this project, I look forward to being able to uncover some gems of songs and work with the songwriters to be able to bring them to the spotlight. Dennis Gelbaum, one of the show's Executive Producers, (and co-creator) has brought such a project to me: FALL IN LOVE WITH AMERICA - AGAIN. This is the story of all of us, for all of us, by all of us." Natasha James

Meet Natasha James - the consummate singer-songwriter and the kind of unique artist who can craft visuals merely through her songwriting. Natasha pens works that cross many musical genres and pull at the heartstrings all music lovers... especially country music enthusiasts. (Natasha was nominated for the 20th Annual Los Angeles Music Awards for "Country Artist of the Year," - awards to be given out November 18th, 2010!) Check out Natasha's website at: http://www.natashajames.com

Natasha says, "Anytime I pick up my guitar or sit in front of a piano, I have the ability to write a song. I never intentionally try to pen a tricky hook or intricate melody. I write for myself based on stories that come from my life experiences."

She says, "I don't like a lot of rules. I even hate sidewalks. 'The Restless Kind' reflects the stage in my life where I realized I had been blessed and attained many of the things I had desired including a great home in a nice neighborhood and kids that I love. I had consciously put my music aside to achieve many of these things. But as I moved forward in my life, I missed connecting with people through my music and was becoming...restless. That album brought me back to my music and my desire to connect with people through my recordings and live performances."

Natasha has in fact actually been the "restless kind" from a very young age. Born in San Francisco, and raised in Southern California, Switzerland, Italy and England, at 14 Natasha started playing and singing in local Los Angeles jazz and blues clubs. Two years later, she moved to San Francisco and worked the 'folksy' clubs: Coffee Gallery and the Boarding House, among others.

After two years, she resumed modeling and acting in Los Angeles, studying at Lee Strassberg's while landing small roles as a character actress. Moving to Europe again at 18, she continued singing and playing folk-blues along with her own music while studying for a degree in languages and literature. Quitting school, she moved to London, and then teamed up with a reggae band playing regularly upstairs at Ronnie Scott's and touring northern England. While in London, she ended up writing lyrics to a song composed by Jeff Hunter, which resulted in a move back to L.A. to continue recording, songwriting/arranging and performing with a number of different known and unknown artists.

By this time, Natasha James was modeling on a regular basis, working in films on both coasts, performing her own music in New York and Los Angeles and recording with other artists. She settled in New York City, playing local clubs with her band, Good 'N Dusty', and was being heard on WFMU as well as Channel J for Videophile.

Of late, Natasha James has been a Bay Area staple, performing and recording in different line-ups with material covering Country, Rock, Bluegrass, Blues, Jazz, Americana and Funk. Her favorite tracks on the album include "Just Enough" -- for its compositional value.

She adds, "I love the process of writing and developing a song and especially collaborating with other songwriters. It MAKES you stretch when you work with somebody else and I enjoy that part of the exercise."

On performing live, Natasha's all about the crowd. She says, "I love the feedback and interaction of a live setting. I'm not a person that wants to perform in a vacuum. I once heard a very famous artist say to a live crowd, " I'm not here to entertain you." That's not me. I absolutely am. I'll change a set list or do whatever I need to roll with the feel of the crowd or take us on a journey together." Natasha concludes, "I feel so fortunate to do something I love as an artist."

More about Natasha:

http://billboardpublicitywire.com/releases/TripleAAA/Americana/prweb2203574.htm

'Tequila Time', the latest release from Highway One Records recording artist, Natasha James, is a triple shot of Triple AAA/Americana already making waves at radio with roots rock hits from country rock, to Tex-Mex, to swampy country blues. From the Stonesy vibe of "Straight to Hell," to the Latin vibe of the title track, "Tequila Time," to the Allman Bros. like slide on "Get Out Of My Way," Natasha James delivers. Her vocals have been compared to Bonnie Raitt, Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, Joan Baez; her music to Van Morrison, Los Lobos, Allman Bros, Neil Young, Johnny Cash…see for yourself…you might just wanna join her "south of the border, livin' on Tequila Time." From the opener, "Takes Alotta Love," to the last track, "Modern Life," you'll find yourself tapping and humming to high-energy, upbeat songs of broken hearts, desert sunsets, south-of-the-border bars, NYC east village dawns, and that endless highway always behind and always ahead.

The production is superb, with Ronnie Rivera engineering (Lisa Marie Presley) and 6x GRAMMY winner, Gavin Lurssen, mastering (Allison Krauss/Robert Plant, "Raising Sand"; Oh Brother, Where Art Thou), and a rare musical maturity in the songwriting we also saw on her last record, Bad Judgements (the single, The Restless Kind, went to #10 on the FMQB charts staying in the top 100 for 10 months, and her Billboard article received more than 144,538 hits!).

With Tequila Time, an impeccable collection of songs with soulful driving vocals, Natasha shows us that she's here to stay. The musicianship is excellent with her own band consisting of Steve Evans (Charlie Musselwhite, Roy Rogers, Etta James) on bass, Ian Lamson (Elvin Bishop) on guitar, Herman Eberitzsch (Jules Broussard, Jorge Santana, Malo) on keys, and friends and fellow contributors Rafael Padilla on percussion (Chris Isaak, Shakira, Sara Bareilles), Bobby Black on pedal steel (Commander Cody, Asleep at the Wheel), just to mention a few.

When asked about this latest record, Natasha says, "At first, we were going to call it Modern Life, which is one of my favorite songs -- we also have a video coming out of that one - but Tequila Time is bouncier, and really, don't we all wanna be south of the border, livin' on Tequila Time?"

Fall In love With America Again
Created by Evie Evangelou, Amber Roniger and Dennis Gelbaum, Executive Producers - Dennis Gelbaum & Evie Evangelou, Co-Executive Producer Amber Roniger
© 2010 EvieVision & ramp it up entertainment

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Fall In Love With America Again! - One Great Story!


"I want to try to get people to love America," he said.
Read this great story - it fits right into our new series, 'Fall In Love With America Again!' (*Thanks Vince Taschetti for sending this to me!)

LoBaido Accomplishes His Mission In Texas
Published: Sunday, July 04, 2010
Staten Island Real-Time News, From the Print Edition
Stephanie Slepian

Photo Courtesy of Scott LoBaido.
Grasmere artist Scott LoBaido has completed painting his largest American flag
on the rooftop of Lamons Gasket Co. in Houston, Texas.

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- All Scott Lobaido needed was 900 gallons of paint and one Texas-sized rooftop.

It was the perfect canvas for the all-American artist from Grasmere to paint his version of Old Glory, the largest he's ever done -- and he's done a lot of them -- and quite possibly, the largest anywhere.

His project atop the corrugated metal roof of Lamons Gasket Co. in Houston began on Flag Day, June 14. He completed it today, the Fourth of July, after outlasting the Texas sun as well as the wind and rains of Hurricane Alex.

It covers 3.5 acres, the size of five football fields.

"I've played the rain card and I've played the heat card when I've painted outdoors, but I've never played the hurricane card," said Lobaido, 45, on Friday while waiting for the weather to break. "This is something I've always wanted to do. It was just a matter of finding someone as patriotic as me."

He found that person in Kurt Allen. Born in England, raised in Australia and an American citizen since 2008, Allen has employees hailing from 22 countries. All 22 of their flags are hanging in an international array at his gasket factory. And he had a roof to spare in the shadow of William P. Hobby Airport.

A Houston mom, the mother of an American soldier, called the flag a "big Welcome Home" for her son -- expected to fly into Hobby from Iraq this weekend. "I cannot wait for him to see this," she told Lobaido last week.

Lobaido began his patriotic journey in 2006 when he traveled the country -- a beat-up Chevy Suburban and the nation's colors as his guide -- to paint the stars and stripes on 50 rooftops in 50 states.

"I want to try to get people to love America," he said.

Is his work finished? "Not yet," he said, "but when a kid comes up to me and shows me a flag they drew and what it means to them, well that's mission accomplished."

Fall In Love With America Again! is a documentary style broadcast, web and mobile based video/audio/multimedia series highlighting stories from across America - stories from small towns, communities, neighborhoods, streets, homes, rooms. It's all about what we think America is, who American's are, how we see ourselves, and how we welcome the world to our home.

Check out:
http://fallinlovewithamericaagain.blogspot.com
and our promotional video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1OGAVgiVD4&feature=player_embedded

The project includes live webcam updates, producing a feature length documentary film, broadcast series and special, live events, video/audio/multimedia content produced by us and submitted by folks all across America, interactive websites and social networking sites/communities, etc. It is a fantastic way to connect you and your advertisers to consumers/fans and it all starts in the heartland of America.

Created by Evie Evangelou, Amber Roniger and Dennis Gelbaum, Executive Producers - Dennis Gelbaum & Evie Evangelou, Co-Executive Producer Amber Roniger
© 2010 EvieVision & ramp it up entertainment