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Any and all news about Candye Kane will be posted here as it comes in, so check back frequently. There's a dedicated page for news about her cancer. You can also follow Candye on BlogSpot - candyekane.blogspot.com
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Hello all; The summer is almost over and I am behind on my blogs and updates. Here is a good long one with some poignant and happy news. We have had a wild and amazing ride in the summer of 2010. Here are some of the highlights; I am sure many of you have already heard about my ex-husband Thomas and his accident. He was struck by a train, on August 16th (the same day as the death of Elvis!) near his Oceanside home walking our dog, Swango. Swango and Tom have been inseparable since he was given to us as a puppy in 1998. Swango, an Australian cattle dog/dingo mix had been ill and was disoriented from medications and ran onto the tracks in the path of an oncoming train. Tom heroically tried in vain to save Swango and in doing so was struck by the train himself. Miraculously, he is okay but he has a broken leg and will be unable to do some of the handyman work he has done to survive financially. Swango sadly, did not survive the accident. You can read about the tragedy here: nctimes.com/news/local/oceanside/article_96577587-12a1-5168-b60d-48a06d401144.html We have set up a website for him at helpthomas.com and will be performing at several benefits in his honor. Tom was life flighted from the accident scene to the hospital and that will probably be the biggest expense. I don’t know what the odds are that someone could survive a train accident and pancreatic cancer in the same family but my sons and I are all extremely grateful for this reminder of the fragility of life. I am so relieved Tom did not join Elvis in a shared death day anniversary. We have had a wonderful summer. Our Northwest launch for my charity unitedbymusic.org was super successful. I have been involved in the project since 2005 in the Netherlands and beyond and it was thrilling to bring my lovely Dutch performers to the USA for the very first time. We raised a lot of interest in this worthy project that teaches people with disabilities about blues music. For info on how you can launch UBM in your town, please contact Barbara@unitedbymusic.org. Barbara Hammerman is our Northwest director for UBM and has been essential in raising awareness for this awesome project. We have played some super fun festivals this summer – Monterey Blues Fest, Cincy, Colorado Springs Blues under the bridge and Gay Pride, Edmonton Alberta Labatts Blues Fest and have several more to go. Festivals are so fun because we get to hang out and catch up with our musician friends. Some of the awesome people we have hung out with this summer include Janiva Magness, Charlie Musselwhite, Debbie Davies, The Insomniacs, Teeny Tucker, Kenny Neal, Sista Monica, Jon Justice, Monkey Junk, Jimmie Vaughan and Lou Ann Barton. I am so lucky to have this amazing job and be able to visit with people I genuinely love and respect. What a thrill! We are all so honored to be featured in Blues Blast Magazine in Illinois bluesblast.com and we are nominated for a blues blast award. Voting is open until August 30 and you don’t have to live in Illinois to vote for us. It would be so awesome to win! Please go and vote for us at the link below: thebluesblast.com/bbma/2010/bbmavote2010.php We are also nominated in my adopted hometown of San Diego and are super honored as well. Voting ends on august 30th also so please click on the link and vote. Again, you do not have to live in the states or in California to vote for us: In other news, we are thrilled to announce that my stage play the Toughest Girl Alive, has an official slot on the regular theater season for the Moxie Theater in San Diego moxietheatre.com Since Moxie is a non profit theater, we need help with underwriters for this wonderful, inspiring show that chronicles my troubled beginnings and features live music and original songs. If you are interested in helping us with a small, tax deductible donation, please write to me at: candyekanetour@aol.com The show will be directed by Javier Velasco (San Diego Ballet Director) and Sue Palmer as our musical director. The entire Candye Kane band will also be performing. Please help us with your tax deductible donation and order your tickets now! Thanks again to all of you for your continued love and support. Music heals and I am so grateful to still be alive to share my message of hope and empowerment thru music. I believe we have the strength inside of us to overcome every life challenge. Cultivate your own strength now by practicing positive words and visualizations so you will be prepared when your own life crisis hits. And please continue to support live music, played by live humans whenever and wherever you can! Big Love and Gratitude,
Candye
Hello Northwest Fans and Friends and everybody else that we love! We have just added a Candye Kane band show in Seattle at Hwy 99 on July 30th! Apparently harmonica great Lee Oskar has had a personal tragedy in his family and had to cancel his show on that date. So we are super excited because now we will be doing a night time performance at HWY 99 after our united by music reception. As a special bonus, we will be featuring some lovely burlesque dancers from the Seattle area to get you in the mood for our show. Please tell your friends about this last minute addition to our schedule and….. I am so excited to be able to invite you to a special FREE event in the Northwest for the United by Music Project all the way from the Netherlands. Most of you have read my enthusiastic blogs about this tremendous project that teaches people with intellectual and physical disabilities about the blues. I have been involved with UBM in Holland since 2005 as a coach and mentor teaching Dutch people with disabilities about how blues music and songwriting can help them transcend their daily challenges. We have some incredible performers this year and you simply must meet Lady Angel, Arthur Shorty and guitarist Leon, in person in their very first trip to the states. United by Music has taken us to the World Congress for Downs Syndrome in Dublin, Ireland as well as the World Congress for people with disabilities in Cape town, South Africa and now, here we are right here in the USA. We just had two amazingly inspiring UBM performances at Redwood City Blues Festival and in San Francisco at the Union room at Biscuits and Blues. My friend blues diva Janiva Magness joined us for these performances and inspired us all with her own story of her sad diagnosis as a young girl with schizophrenia and bi polar disorder. Janiva was placed in 12 different foster homes in two years and she knows what it means to struggle with challenge. She was a perfect addition to our program as she demonstrated that our fate does not control their destiny. Many of us wept as she shared her story. We both knew we were hard knock gals in solidarity but being involved in this project together for a few days, really cemented that connection. I speak often from the stage and in interviews about my own early struggles in show business and how I was discouraged from pursuing a career in music because of my controversial background. Imagine going thru life with a disability and not only being discouraged from living your dreams, but being told you cannot even have your own home, or children or a successful job or marriage. UBM gives talented people with disabilities a chance to show what they can do on the bandstand. We encourage our participants to write and perform their own songs of empowerment, proving to themselves that they are capable entertainers worthy of applause, attention and praise. It’s a dream come true to bring our wonderful Dutch performers here to the States and Canada for the very first time and to give YOU a chance to meet them in person. Hear them tell their stories of how UBM has changed their lives for the better. Enjoy FREE refreshments and live music with the Candye Kane band backing up these awesome entertainers. Perhaps you know a talented person with a disability who would love a chance to perform with a professional blues band. Or perhaps you would like to get involved in a project that transforms and inspires everyone who witnesses it. Maybe you just feel strongly about keeping the blues alive or you are committed to seeing everyone enjoy equal opportunities regardless of culturally imposed limitations. We would love to see United by Music be an active program in every city in the world, giving a chance to talented people with disabilities to get up onstage and strut their stuff, gaining confidence and courage in the process. Please join me at these FREE/ ALL AGES events listed below, often followed by a live Candye Kane band performance. We encourage you to sign up NOW and reserve a space at unitedbymusic.org and check out all the wonderful venues throughout the Northwest that will host United by Music events. This project has been a true blessing for all who witness its beauty. Don’t miss out on this once in a lifetime chance to say you were a part of something amazing from its inception. You will be entertained, enthralled and truly inspired by the stories and songs of our talented Dutch performers. Come and witness firsthand why United by Music changes lives and empowers people with intellectual and physical disabilities. I am so honored and humbled to be part of such an amazing project. I know you will love it too. Big Gratitude and Love,
Candye Kane
Hello all! The tour has been going wonderfully here in Europe! We left the states on a real high after the National Blues Awards in Memphis. We lost our awards to the great Tommy Castro for BB King Entertainer of the Year and Best Contemporary Blues CD of the year, and I lost for Best Contemporary Blues Female to the awesome Ruthie Foster – but both of them are friends of mine who gave generously during my pancreatic cancer struggle two years ago. It was amazing to be nominated so many times (this makes it four nominations total!) and to actually perform at the awards. We all had a tremendous time and seeing Buddy Guy presented the lifetime achievement award from Bonnie Raitt was an award onto itself. It was so fun seeing all my musician friends. None of us get much of a chance to hang out because we are always criss-crossing each other across the country so it was really fun to be in the same room with so many incredible people who keep this music alive all year round. Check out my photos on my myspace and facebook pages. Then we jetted off to my favorite city, Amsterdam where we biked around town for a day before leaving for Oslo, Norway. We played a super fun show at Buckleys Bluesklubb and got to see a real Viking ship at the Viking museum with our Norwegian hosts, Rolf, Kristen, Ellen and Alex (who had performed with Louisiana Red just days prior at the blues awards!). We had a great show in Lillehammer at Paddys Bluesklubb. The people there were lovely and really seemed to enjoy the music. Its been a long time since I was back in Norway (I think Notodden was the last time, several years ago so it was cool to be back.) Next stop was Kwadendamme blues festival in the Netherlands. RJ Mischo sat in for one song and that was awesome. The festival promoters wanted us to stay in the church house behind the cathedral, as we were performing there the next day but none of us felt comfortable there. They had these little camping cots set up for us in the rectory with lots of religious statuary everywhere and more crucifixes than I have ever seen in one place, EVER. Even though Laura attended Catholic school as a young girl and I have my own family history of Catholicism and attraction to the beauty of religious art, neither one of us felt comfortable sleeping under pictures of Jesus with his bleeding forehead so we opted for a nearby hotel instead. Besides, when youre on the road, sleep is essential and camping cots just cant cut it. The show at the church was especially amazing. To be able to lift my voice and channel Mahalia in a gothic cathedral was really awesome. I did some of my favorite spirituals like “Joshua fit the battle of Jericho” and “ Down by the Riverside.” There is some cool video of it on my youtube and facebook pages. It was great seeing Kees, the promoter of Kwadendamme doing so well. He also suffered from cancer at the same time as me. Now we are here in Lithuania. We flew first to Bratislava, Slovakia. It was a lovely little town, although we didn’t get to see much of it as we went straight to the show in a museum full of scales and cash registers and posters from the 20s to the 50’s. It was a real interesting experience. This very loud heavy metal band opened for us called Love Blade. The audience was small but so generous and they really seemed to love the music. I was very curious about this tiny country that appears so poor. Apparently they were once all Czechoslovakia until after WWII when one side (Slovakia), sided with their nazi oppressors and one side, the Czech republic, did not. The Czech side got Prague during the split of the country and so the other side stays a bit poorer. Our hosts couldn’t have been more kind and accommodating but I couldn’t help but wonder whether all those scales and cash registers had been taken from Jewish merchants during the war. There were so many Jews once in Eastern Europe and most of them were merchants so scales and cash registers would have been important parts of their livelihoods. There is still a very large population of Jews in Eastern Europe but now they are mostly and tragically, all underground – in cemeteries. We got no sleep after the show in Slovakia as we had to awaken at 3:30 am for a 4 am taxi to the airport and a five-hour layover in Prague. Prague is one of my favorite cities but all I got to see this time was a hard metal airport bench and I couldn’t sleep at all. We finally arrived here in Vilnius to this beautiful hotel and on the way, we heard “Bad Girl” played on the radio! That was very exciting! After a couple of hours of desperately needed nap time, we went straight to the venue. The show was opened by a darling 17 year old blues guitarist named David Smash. (This is the literal translation of his name from Lithuanian to English.) He is also opening for us tonight in Palanga. He apparently won a blues competition here against Poland. I find it very exciting that they have blues competitions here at all! The audience was packed at Club New York but generally the Lithuanians are very shy. They applauded ferociously and gave us an encore but they were very quiet. We will leave the hotel now and drive four hours to Palanga to play at Club Rayme on the seaside and then tomorrow, we fly to Croatia for the Zagreb Blues festival where I am the headliner!! I haven’t played this part of the world much. I was scheduled to play here with the RUF Blues Caravan two years ago when I was diagnosed with cancer and Saida Shakura took my place, so its been fun to be able to revisit these places I missed while I was sick. The people here are so generous and so enthusiastic about blues! After Croatia, we will return to the Netherlands for a few last shows and then several workshops and auditions for my charity, United by Music. I am thrilled to get back to Holland where I can ride my bike again and see all my lovely United by Music friends. People ask me how I keep up with this hectic schedule and I have to say repeatedly, its my honor and privilege. The audiences give me their energy, the music heals me and I am blessed to be alive in this, and every moment. May we all appreciate every moment we have on this planet, whether its just sitting by a tree, driving to work, or reading quietly next to another living, breathing human! Big love and gratitude,
Candye in Vilnius
I am so glad to see the calla lilies blooming in my yard and overjoyed to see this long, cold winter drawing to a close. I hope there are flowers blooming where you are and that spring is giving you a renewed sense of hope and happiness. Since the snow is thawing (or so we hope - Utah!) we are embarking on our first tour of 2010. The tour will take us northwards to Santa Cruz, Ashland and Portland, Oregon, Seattle and Port Townsend, Washington, Vancouver BC and then west to Boulder, Colorado, Park City, Utah and Albuquerque, New Mexico. Im excited to see my Northwest friends again. In between these Northwest shows, I will be working for my charity unitedbymusic.nl. Our founder, Joris Wijngaarden will be stateside to join me whilst we meet with people from the Special Olympics and others, to help us realize our dream of bringing United by Music to the USA. We will be hosting some showcases this summer featuring some of our United by Music singers. Joris and I founded United by Music to give young people with disabilities a chance to compose original music and perform with a large sized swing band. This charity is such a rewarding part of my life and it has taken us to the World Congress for Down Syndrome in Dublin, Ireland. Look for our table with materials about United by Music at my shows and information on how you can get involved. Opening the Northwest tour will be super talented Guitarist/Composer Skip Heller myspace.com/skiphellertrio. Skip and I met about three months ago and we are making beautiful music together. I am so proud to have him on this tour and help him promote his latest effort, The Long Way Home. Skip has over 17 releases in styles ranging from Exotica, Country, Jazz and Rockabilly. He has produced CDs and shows for artists Ray Campi, Les Baxter and Lalo Guerrero, to name just a few. We will be singing some duets together and having a love fest every night from the bandstand. Don’t miss this rare chance to see Skip work his magic on a guitar and then watch our own amazing Laura Chavez in action with the Candye Kane band. Big thanks to those of you who voted for us in the 2010 Blues Foundation awards. We are thrilled to be nominated in three categories – BB King Entertainer of the Year, Best Contemporary Blues Female and Best Contemporary Blues Album of the Year for Superhero. Laura Chavez and I co-produced Superhero and we are honored to be the only female producers in our category. After the Northwest tour, we will be on our way out to Texas and then Memphis for the blues awards. We will be performing a song live at the awards show at Cook County Convention Center on May 6. Go to www.blues.org and get your tickets. The awards are open to the public and are just incredible. You get access to all of your favorite blues artists, producers, record company people and agents in one room. I was there last year and saw BB King, Irma Thomas, Bonnie Raitt and Charlie Musselwhite in one ten-minute period, not too mention the incredible performances by many of the same blues celebrities. It is well worth the money to take your vacation around this once a year, star studded blues event. Our summer is looking busy with lots of festivals and shows all around the world. The shows listed on our calendar are just those that are confirmed. If you see a date in Milwaukee or Chicago, its likely we will be booking shows right around that area in the same time frame. Keep checking back to our myspace page for current updates and be sure and contact us if there is a venue you think we should be playing! And finally, we are happy to welcome our new bass player Kennan Shaw to the Candye Kane family. Kennan is from Crockett, California and most recently played with John Lee hooker Jr. He is a great guy and a rock solid bassist! Welcome Kennan! Thanks again for reading this e-newsletter and for all your sweet emails and correspondence. I don’t have time to get back to everyone but I really appreciate your input and comments. Many of you write to me about yours or a loved ones struggle with cancer and ask for my opinions. I have written a blog called “Letter to a cancer patient.” You can access it at my facebook fan page. In the words of retired East Los Angeles school teacher Jaime Escalante: “Its not how many times you fall down, its how many times you get back up.” When the world gets you down, keep getting back up. All the strength you need is inside your amazing body. Tap into it when you need it most. Our thoughts create our reality. Make sure that your thoughts are as positive and affirming as possible. Tell yourself that you can get back up and bloom again, just like those spring flowers in your garden. Keep your garden full of hope. Big Love and Gratitude,
Candye Kane
I played a show on Sunday in Redondo Beach at the Brixton on the pier and Frank Stallone opened. I met Frank once before at my friend Manuel Cuevas tailor shop years ago when it was on Lankershim in North Hollywood. He seemed like a nice enough fellow back then and so when I heard he was opening for me at the Brixton, I was looking forward to it. I sort of felt sorry for him, actually. I mean, he had a hit record once and his brother Sylvester Stallone is a huge star. It must be hard enough to be in the shadow of a very famous brother but to be opening for me? I never think of myself as very important and I know that I am more of an underground Los Angeles celebrity than anything else. Everyone pretty much knows his name and unless you are a blues fan or a Hollywood punk from the 80's or a big bust fan, you may not have ever heard my name. I felt badly for him that he was opening for an unknown like me. He did the typical, super long, rock star sound check. He had six guitars and he had to sound check them all. He didn't play badly and his singing was actually pretty good except for his predictable song choices. I mean, how many more versions of Clapton's "Cocaine" do any of us really need to hear? But I have respect for anyone that learns their instrument well enough to play it in public. Playing an instrument takes discipline and tenacity and I lack both. Singing comes easy to me. I just open my mouth and do it -- but playing a guitar? People actually have to practice that stuff and so whether they play in a Holiday Inn bar band or on the biggest festival stages, I respect instrumentalists who have learned to play any kind of instrument. I respect Frank and his band. They were nice guys and he was pretty down to earth backstage where we shared a dressing room and he and Skip exchanged stories about Philadelphia where they both hail from. So, imagine my surprise when he set up a particular song with a story that was full of stereotypes about fat girls!! AT A CANDYE KANE SHOW!!!???? The song was one he had written; a true story about a lady friend that he knew in the old days. He said that she was "way over 300 pounds." He held his hands wide for emphasis so we would understand how truly large his lady friend was. Frank told the captive crowd that this young woman had a huge crush on the Beatles. A crush as big as her large sized ass, apparently. Frank went on to say how ridiculous he thought it was that any person of this woman's size would dare to have any fantasies that any of the Beatles would even look twice at her. He laughed as he told the story. "Yeh, at her size, maybe she could be a roadie or something but its crazy that she actually thought one of the Beatles might go out with her! I mean, maybe if she lost like 200 pounds, they might look at her -- but at her size? and the crazy thing was that when Paul McCartney got married, this girl was heartbroken. She was crying and all upset like she actually had a chance with him at her size. I mean, this girl was sooo FAT - so I wrote this song about her. Its called 'Candy Sweet'. We would like to do it for you now." After I picked my jaw up off the floor, I looked around the room and surveyed the crowd. It was a typical Candye Kane crowd full of beautiful, colorful disenfranchised people - Several beautiful big women and men, gay couples, older, swing dancing couples and plenty of blues fans. I thought about the irony of Frank's speech -- both that he dared to tell such a blatantly hateful, size-ist story at a Candye Kane show but also that the song was actually called "Candy Sweet"!! I couldn't help but wonder: was he really this insensitive? His friend's heart was broken because Paul McCartney got married. She was crying and upset and all he notices is her fat? Was he really this ignorant to all of my years of fat anthems and fat activism? Was his eyesight so bad that he couldn't see that there were several women in the crowd who clearly met the description of his large sized friend, Candy Sweet? Were we fat women invisible to him like we are to so many other fat haters in this world? Could it somehow be a coincidence? Was he deliberately fucking with me? I just didn't get it - but my time onstage was rapidly approaching and so of course, once I got that microphone, I had to say my piece. I did a few songs to start off the show and then I set up my song, " You need a Great Big Woman to show you how to love." I dedicated it to Frank and I retold his story about his large sized friend, Candy Sweet. I said, "Obviously Frank Stallone is not man enough to handle a big woman. It takes a real man or woman, to know how to grab onto those curves and not let go. The curves always make the driving more interesting. I am sure at least one of the Beatles would have been man enough to handle a fat girl." I let Frank know that there are actually people in the world who LOVE us fat girls and who seek us out especially to enjoy our meaty and generous bodies, thighs, bellies and asses." I wished Frank the joy of having a fat girl wrapped around him one day soon and I made sure to point out that beauty and sexiness come in all shapes and sizes and that losing weight has little to do with attraction and success in the bedroom. Frank came up and gave me a high five during the song and I give him credit. At least he listened to me, and was man enough to acknowledge his faux pas. But I am still astounded at the ignorance and blatant disrespect that large sized people publicly endure. With the Kevin Smith airplane humiliation on Southwest airlines recently, fat discrimination is once again in the spotlight. I can't begin to tell you how many times I have been on an airplane, crammed into a sardine can sized seat with a 6 foot plus man behind me and his knees in the small of my back all the way from San Diego to Newark. I have been seated next to people whose B.O. was so bad, I was sure they had never taken a shower. I have been seated next to crying babies and people throwing up in barf bags before the plane even takes off. I have spent hours next to giggling teenagers and sweaty men with hairy arms who weren't fat but who were convinced that the armrest belonged to them just like their Lazy Boy Recliner back home in Lubbock. All of these things are uncomfortable and an inconvenience on a crowded flight. I agree that having half a seat on an airplane is no fun. But shouldn't the onus of responsibility be on the airlines to provide seats that accommodate the very different body types in America? We are not a small country. We have basketball players and football players and yes, we have lots of fat people. No one wants to be inconvenienced on a crowded airplane but it kind of comes with the territory. If fat people need to buy an extra seat, then that former Varsity football player with his hairy arms on my armrest should have to buy an extra seat too, or we should all shut up and take it for a few hours. That hairy-armed guy might be the one to tackle the terrorist or pull me out of the burning plane wreckage during the crash, so I am not gonna go out of my way to make the plane ride worse than it already is. Recently I was hanging out with a very close friend of mine who is a fantastic musician and has a really cool original song called "Thats Big." I thought his song was a fat celebration anthem until I heard his rap before the song. He set up the song with a whole speech about how he likes to hang out at the Lane Bryant store at the mall. He says he always meets fat women there and then he invites them to the donut shop where he buys them a dozen donuts. He says he loves the smell of the donuts and now he uses the donuts as cologne to attract fat women to him. It's a funny rap and the crowd eats it up (pun intended.) I had to explain to my friend why this rap was offensive to fat women. He really didn't grasp why describing luring fat women to him with donuts was offensive at first. I explained to him that if you described luring Mexicans to you with tortillas or African Americans to you with fried chicken or Jews to you with dollar bills, that each statement would be racist and offensive. I am happy to report that my friend has changed his rap and it is still entertaining and funny without being sizist or cruel. I further explained to him that many of us are fat because we are genetically predisposed to be that way. I am generally the same size as my mother and though I avoid sugar and starches and ride my bike regularly and dance onstage nightly, I pretty much hover around 200 pounds. I have lost 100 pounds to cancer but I still wear XXLs in almost every fashion outlet around. My body likes being a certain size and that curvy, generous size is okay with me - though it may not be okay with the rest of the world. I feel like it is our responsibility to speak out and educate our friends and colleagues about hurtful speech and how it affects us. As I often say, words are powerful. We must teach each other how to choose words carefully - and we must be conscious of the words we use to describe others. We need to learn how to become human bullshit filters and block out the words and images that are destructive and serve only to tear us down. I know my friend didn't mean to hurt fat women with his rap or his song and I am giving Frank Stallone the benefit of the doubt, too. The universe has made us all perfect, just the way we are. I encourage all of you to stop fighting your bodies - whether they are aging, drooping or widening with age. Love your body the way it is because you wont have access to this body forever. And next time you fly, try not to judge the person next to you in the airplane seat. It's only a few hours of discomfort but your attitude and your unkind remarks can leave an impression that will last far longer than an airplane flight. I believe we can change minds and hearts - one word, one song and one person at a time. Sunday it was Frank Stallone who needed to be set straight. Tomorrow it will be Southwest airlines. Beauty and sexiness come in all sizes, shapes, ages, colors and genders. Everyone is beautiful to someone - somewhere. Spread the word.
-- Candye Kane
Howdy everybody! I am so sorry for the spam recently posted to this list. I have changed the settings on the list and deleted some members and hopefully the spam will stop! Please forgive me and accept my apologies. Hope your thanksgiving was plentiful and your holidays are shaping up to be beautiful. Remember at this stressful season, to try and forgive others for their flaws and shortcomings. All of us are here to learn and teach each other lessons – of forgiveness, patience, and kindness. Learn to breathe deeply and surround others with white healing light. When they speak ill words of condescension, cut you off on the freeway, push their way past you to get to the front of the line, send them a silent blessing of love and understanding. This blessing will give you instant power over those who scurry past you without thinking, or hurl words at you without realizing their effects. You rise above it. You bless them with love. In doing so, you invite love, white light and understanding to yourself. I truly believe that when we approach others from a place of compassion, we invite compassion into our world. Imagine a world where everyone is blessing each other silently with good will – not just around the holidays, but every day of the year. That’s what universal love is all about. Practice it – not just at Christmas or Chanukah but 365 days a yea and watch the world change, one person; one blessing at a time. I appeared tonight in Oceanside with my friend, guitarist Skip Heller, at a rally for the health care reform bill. I also appeared this last Wednesday with the amazing Laura Chavez, at a rally to stop the Stupak- Pitts amendment to the new health care reform bill. The Stupak – Pitts amendment would prevent women from being able to obtain abortions in any public health care option. Women should not be singled out for discrimination based on our gender and our ability to bear children. If vasectomies are covered, abortions must be covered as well. I hope you will visit moveone.org and help by organizing and demonstrating in your town. Health care should not be a luxury for only the rich. 14,000 people a day are losing their insurance daily! This is not okay in America, the land of the free - the largest industrialized nation in the world. I will appear this week in Columbus, Ohio at the Vonn Jazz Lounge with musician Sean Carney to benefit the blues for a cure program. Blues for a cure is a program founded by Sean to benefit cancer programs in his home state of Ohio. Both his mother and sister are cancer survivors. Having experienced my own pancreatic cancer struggle, I am proud to lend my voice to this noble cause. I will also appear at a benefit on Dec. 19th for Encinitas musician Steve White Steve has been stricken with esophageal cancer and has undergone radical treatments with no health insurance!! When will this epidemic end and we start taking care of people in this country? PLEASE DO SOMETHING! MARCH! WRITE LETTERS! HELP US!! Speaking of the cancer epidemic, I am sad to report that my friend, East Coast blues singer Nicole Hart lost her husband, musician and songwriter, Lance Ong to stage 5 lung cancer just last night. Lance fought a valiant battle with cancer and sadly, was uninsured like so many Americans. There are still benefits going on to help pay for the mounting medical bills that Nicole and Lance acquired during their fight. If you are in a position to do so, please go to: myspace.com/friendsoflanceong and give whatever amount you can. We are coming to your town for our last shows of 2009 and hope to see you out there somewhere. I am still so grateful for each one of you and your love, kindness and support. Thanks for being there for me this past year and hope to see you one last time in 2009! Big love and happy ho ho ho,
Candye
Howdy everyone and happy fall!! Its my birthday month and what better birthday gift than to grace the pages of the world famous New Yorker magazine? newyorker.com/arts/events/nightlife/2009/11/02/091102goni_GOAT_nightlife Although they still label me “adult entertainer turned blues diva,” it is an amazing accomplishment to be enough of a personality to get a caricature in the New Yorker!! And actually, this isn’t even the first time! They drew me once before, many years ago but this is the first time I actually was able to obtain a copy. I am very proud. Please also check out this link below and vote for our cd super hero for the House of Blues Radio Hour record of the year. It is very nice to be honored with all this great company! So many of my friends are on that list – Dani Wilde!! The Insomniacs, Ana Popovic, Maria Muldaur, Nathan James, Shemekia, Jason Ricci. I am just so pleased to be in such wonderful company. thebluesmobile.com/contests/ecs6.shtml. Tomorrow, Nov. 5 at 3 pm, we will appear on Bill Wax’s BB Kings Bluesville show on Sirius/XM radio. The band and I will be chatting with Bill and playing some of our all time favorite blues songs so be sure and tune in. Bill and the other folks at XM/ Sirius have been so supportive and really played Superhero a bunch. We are all grateful. This is the last tour of the year for us, and its lovely to be here on the East Coast watching the leaves change color and the temperatures drop. We will end the tour down in Florida, where it’s a bit more like the California weather to which we are accustomed. Im looking forward to seeing all of my Florida fans and friends. We played a great show in Alexandria at the Birchmere with Commander Cody guitar whiz, Bill Kirchen. What a great guy! Other tour highlights have been our show in Lincoln, Ne at the Zoo Bar and our late night sushi party with Guitar Shorty and band, courtesy of Robbie at Wasabi. His restaurant is great. Please go there if youre in Lincoln. We also had an amazing Halloween show in NYC at the City Winery with special guest Sue Palmer. It was awesome seeing all the costumed participants getting ready for their Greenwich Village parade. The best costume I saw was a man wearing a half matador, half flamenco dancer outfit and his friend was dressed as a bull. That was the best! Its been a fitting ending to a year that was so full of activity, I can hardly catch my breath. I feel most alive when I am working but I am looking forward to spending some time at home on my Electra bicycle in December and January. I am planning on working on my book – adding some chapters that include my healing and positive affirmation philosophies. The Memoir, The Toughest Girl Alive, had already been finished and adapted to the stage but now that I have added beating cancer to my already colorful life, I feel strongly about including a few chapters on my optimistic outlook and how it has helped me transcend so much. We still have some openings in December and January and are wide open for New Years Eve, so if you are even thinking of having a party, let me know. We are very affordable and would love to come to your house and show you a rockin good time! 2010 already looks exciting. We have been negotiating with Moxie theatre in San Diego about doing my stage play and hope we will confirm it soon. In addition, 2010 will bring us back to Europe and Canada a few times for festivals and of course, we will resume our work in the USA. I am also busy at work with my United By Music family, establishing a non-profit agency here in the states. We hope that we will be able to eventually bring unitedbymusic.eu to the USA and feature more musicians like the awesome Sujeet Desai, sujeet.com, whom we featured at the world congress for down syndrome in Dublin, Ireland in August. Thanks to all of you for your continued support and kindness. It has meant so much to see you all at the shows in such a turbulent economy. As I say on the bandstand every night, when you spend your hard earned money on live music, you are doing a community service and it really helps keep music alive. Speaking of keeping music alive, my friend, songwriter Peter Case had emergency heart surgery and like so many of us, has no insurance. Please consider donating to his fund and to the recovery fund for drummer Richie Heywood of Little Feat. Richie played on my Whole Lotta Love cd and is an amazing musician. Add to that list, Encinitas songwriter and musician Steve White and his battle with esophagus cancer. I will play a benefit for Steve on December 19th in Encinitas. It is my hope that 2010 will bring a solution to so many of us across this great country who remain uninsured or uninsurable because of the corrupt insurance companies standards and pre-existing condition clauses. You can google any of these great musicians for more information. May your holidays be filled with warmth and music and your new year - full of laughter. Remember, we all have the strength inside us to transcend whatever comes. Tap into that reservoir of strength and surprise yourself. You can overcome anything! With Big Love and Gratitude,
Candye
Still not digging ditches...! Next week we will be embarking on our last tour of the year 2009. We still have nine days off on our upcoming tour and we are available to play house parties, art gallery and gas station openings, church rummage sales, local dive bars, Synagogues and Mosques, Dunkin Donuts locations, Gay clubs, X rated bookstores, bowling alleys and strip joints. Seriously, in most cases, with these many days off, we are willing to play for three hotel rooms, food, a few whiskey and sodas and whatever we can make at the door. If you know a venue that might want us, or a friend who is celebrating a marriage, divorce or bar mitzvah, please suggest that they contact me right away at candyekanetour @ aol . com We really need some extra work in the New York, New Jersey area on Nov 1 – (Sunday afternoon – a great day for a post Halloween party! You can serve your guests all the kids leftover candy!!) AND Nov. 5, 6, 8, 12, 19, 20 and 21 in the Carolinas, Florida area, New Orleans and anywhere between Key West and San Diego. We have all our own equipment – can set up just about anywhere and are a lot of fun to hang out with. Let me know asap if you have any ideas! We also had two shows cancel in San Diego. The Calypso Café had a kitchen fire and will be closed for six months and Tio Leos has a new booking agent who refused to honor our date. So I have only one show in San Diego this month on Oct 16th, this Friday at the Harbor Holiday Inn for a fundraiser for the Blues Society of San Diego. Its also the launch party for the Blues Cruise and will be open to the public. 7 pm show time – 20$ cover. We had an amazing tour in Australia and have had about two weeks home before we dust off the Ford Econoline and take off for the Midwest, East Coast and Florida. It was really fun touring with Charlie Musselwhite and his awesome band. We had a blast and we hope to do some more shows together in the future. Check out my facebook page for pictures facebook.com/candyekane The folks down under were beautiful. They bought cds, T shirts and were excited and demonstrative (read: clapped and cheered a lot!) about the music. I know I talk a lot between the songs about my cancer battle. Sometimes I see people visibly cringe in the audience (and on the bandstand!) because I guess they just want me to shut up and sing! But I feel like if my story and my belief in positive affirmations h elp even one person, then its worth boring the rest of you. I hope you agree and will bear with me. I have so much gratitude and I sometimes feel like I might burst with enthusiasm. People who believe in auras say that mine is very bright now. That makes sense because I am just so thrilled to still be here on this planet and be able to share my lust for life. I was hit with a curve ball and saw my life flash before my eyes. I cant waste a single minute sitting around. And guess what folks...!! Another great piece of news: I am cancer free again!! Three tests down, six more to go before I am officially in remission. I am so lucky!!!!!! Even though I admit that I am a bit tired of all the crazy traveling Ive been doing, Im just happy to be able to sing my songs to people who spend their hard earned money to come and support live music. Its especially meaningful - meeting everyone after the shows. I hear some heavy stories of survival and loss every night from people who have been touched by cancer and other devastating illnesses. I feel so honored that people want to share these very personal stories with me. And its just a privilege to be onstage each night with my great band – Laura Chavez, Paul Loranger and Evan Caleb. I am so lucky in so many ways - and having this great band of people and family aroun d me and making music beside me, is tremendous. Good reviews of Superhero continue to stream in. Check out the November issue of Downbeat magazine and the October issue of Living Blues. We were number ten on the living blues chart and that was incredible! And although we didn’t win the San Diego Music Award for Best Blues cd, I have high hopes we will be nominated for a Blues Foundation Award – which would be very exciting! I want to end this email with a sad goodbye to my friend, punk rock icon Brendan Mullen who died Monday in Ventura after a massive stroke. Brendan was loved by many and gave many of us our first chance to play music in Los Angeles in the 70s and 80s. He founded the punk rock club the Masque and worked for a decade at Club Lingerie on Sunset where I first saw James Harman, The Paladins, Dwight Yoakum and many other musical inspirations. Without him, there would have been no L.A. punk scene. May he rest in peace. latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-brendan-mullen13-2009oct13,0,4056471.story Thanks for reading this newsletter. Please come to a show somewhere, sometime and g ive us a hug. And remember, if you are really broke, write me an email and if its at all possible, I will add you to the guest list. The Arts are not a luxury. They are a necessity and poverty should not keep anyone from getting insurance or seeing a live music show! Big Love and Gratitude to all,
Candye
Hello everyone!~ Just got home from Europe where i played for a month with my United by Music tour for special needs kids. (unitedbymusic.eu) we played at the world congress for down syndrome in Dublin, Ireland and we featured amazing downs musician, Sujeet Desai. It was so empowering and so much fun. Check him out at sujeet.com we are working on creating a non profit agency in the USA for this awesome project that gives people with all levels of disabilities the chance to perform onstage with an American blues and swing band. It's so rewarding and I really feel like its the best project I am involved in. Tomorrow we leave for Australia and then on to the east coast and Florida. I am excited to be in nyc on Halloween and will probably dig my wonder woman costume out one last time, for that special night. We will be at citywinery.com. I know it probably seems like I'm working too hard but I am so grateful to be alive and I gotta stay busy to pay the college tuition! My youngest son, Tommy is in UC Berkeley majoring in jazz piano and education. My shows have been so much fun and along with the great reviews for the Superhero CD, our little guitar wizard, Laura Chavez, is getting some amazing reviews for her playing. Check out guitaredge.com, bluesuedenews.com and vintageguitar.com. We will be doing my stage play again, The Toughest Girl Alive, in 2010 at Moxie theater in San Diego so look for its mention in upcoming blogs, and join our facebook page, facebook.com/thetoughestgirlalive, for updates and news. The shows have become even more healing as people share with me their stories of survival and loss due to the cancer epidemic. I cry along with them sometimes, as they share their intensely moving stories. I had my third CAT scan this morning to check if the cancer has returned. Won't get results for two weeks but so far so good. I am sure I will be cancer free for awhile, and even if it comes back, I will have another surgery to remove it. Neuroendocrine tumors seem to be the good kind of cancer and as I often say; my fat ass saved my fat ass! If I have to have another surgery, I could still stand to lose another 50 pounds without disappearing so that's a good thing! One thing cancer has taught me --- everyday is a blessing for all of us. We are all so lucky to have bodies or any size and shape and to simply be alive now, in this day and age. Try to remember that every bump in the road is teaching us a lesson and strengthening us. We are being prepared for our next challenge in life and we all have the strength inside us to get through whatever life hands us and overcome. If I can be an inspiration to anyone on how to have faith in yourself, and overcome adversity, I am happy to be. I really believe we have to try and stay as Zen as possible and keep an attitude of gratitude. Detach from the outcome and know that the universe will manifest everything we wish for as long as we visualize it often and regularly. Please come to a live show soon and give me a hug. I am so grateful to be able to open my mouth and sing and I want to share that enthusiasm with you. Thanks again for all your support and kindnesses. xoxo Candye Check out this cool review by comedienne and ex nun Kelli Dunham:
October 2009/ CURVE MAGAZINE/ The Best Selling Lesbian Magazine
SKIP XANAX, BUY THIS. For someone who sings the blues, Candye Kanes new CD, Superhero (Deltagroove) sure does cheer me up -- and I promise it'll cheer you up as well. A wildly popular, sexy and bawdy queer performer, Kane has had a difficult year -- she was diagnosed with a rare form of pancreatic cancer in 2008 -- which might explain why all the songs on this album are about fighting back and looking up. The indescribably good title track amazes me every time I listen to it. Which I think I will again, right now! Even if youre not a blues aficionado, keep in mind that Superhero is almost enough to makes this awkward butch get up and dance ---- errr, almost!
Kelli Dunham
I've spent a lifetime being judged. I was judged as a youngster because I was chubbier and bustier than my peers. My big bust made people think I was loose and easy, even when I was still a virgin in high school. My ample thighs gave the impression that I was somehow stronger. The track coach assigned me to the shot put because I looked bigger than other girls. I sucked at shot put and having big breasts and a round belly didn't make me physically stronger than my teammates at all. When I started auditioning for church and school musicals, my appearance relegated me to the matronly mother or grand mother roles. I spent high school drama in a grey wig and granny glasses and dreamed of someday playing the princess or the ingénue. Those roles always went to the thin blonde with the soprano voice and never to the busty brunette alto but at least I was on the stage. As an aspiring professional singer looking for a record label home, I was admonished by countless record companies and managers; "lose weight, wear contact lenses, change your appearance as much as possible, don't cuss, don't talk about your past as a sex-worker, be a born again Christian." If I would only clean up my language, change my looks, body and personality and deny everything about my background, I could be a big star. So, I took the things about me that everyone found unsavory - I took my generous belly, my big breasts and thighs, my white trash girl upbringing, my unashamed, unabashed sexuality and my teenage, welfare motherhood and turned them into assets. I magnified them in press releases and spoke openly about them in interviews. I celebrated them in song and found kindred spirits in the fat activist, feminist, sex positive and GLBT communities. I took charge of the negative words of my verbally abusive childhood and transformed them into words of empowerment. I wrote songs that made me feel stronger and inspired others to feel the same. Eventually I found a home in the blues, where historically, people were also judged and marginalized because of the color of their skin. I found a way to make music and do what I loved in spite of the naysayers and the often, overwhelming discouragement. I survived and thrived in the face of those who said it would never be possible. It hasn't always been an easy path. I have paid a price for my candor. I have been labeled a novelty act because of my willingness to be outspoken. I have been marginalized as a joke because of my own songs that celebrated sexuality or flaunted the narrowness of convention. I have been laughed at because of my eagerness to celebrate my body parts by sometimes playing piano with them, or by my own humorous approach to song writing and performing. I have been ridiculed for aligning myself with sex workers and prostitutes in my writings and activism. And most recently, I have been discouraged from working with the disabled because it might not enhance my record sales! However, most of the time, I have been applauded for having the courage to speak out and be true to my convictions. The applause is unnecessary because I am just being honest. No bravery should be necessary when you are just trying to be yourself but in this world of judgment, plastic surgery, pretense, and pre-fabricated images, we all have to have courage just to get out of bed in the morning. I have found so many parallels with my own troubled beginnings and the special people I get to perform with and coach in my united by music project. They are often people with intellectual disabilities who don't look any different than anybody else. They are often discouraged and marginalized. Even at the World Congress for Down Syndrome this past weekend in Dublin, they were accused of not being "disabled enough" because on the surface, they look like everyone else. Their disabilities are often hidden from the public and that makes things a bit more difficult. They look like they lead normal lives but inside, suffer from emotional and intellectual disorders that make it nearly impossible to lead normal lives. They often live in group-home situations and have trouble functioning in society as individuals. Lasting relationships elude them and they risk being exploited by others because of their disabilities. While a down syndrome or a wheelchair bound person is clearly challenged, most of our United by music singers don't wear their disability on their sleeve. They have to work a bit harder, even within the support communities - to find a way to fit in, normalize, assimilate and simultaneously, find a way to be accepted as having special needs. It's a tricky wire to walk. The visibly disabled and those with hidden disabilities are united in their struggle. They share the common experience of being discouraged from participating in regular life. Both groups have a difficult time being accepted by the able bodied and able minded and so they have to fight that much harder for opportunities and for equal instruction, education and inclusion. Both groups are united in their "otherness." I find parallels in our choice of blues music as well. Blues music is not promoted on mainstream television or radio. Blues is not readily available on MTV or on the front shelf at the record store. Blues and Jazz are almost always hidden in the record store, on the last rack, behind all the popular hits of the day. Blues has to be sought out or introduced to a person or they find it by accident through the record collection of someone close to them. Blues is not mainstream music. Blues doesn't fit in. It is a specialized - underground music. Like our special needs performers, Blues is often misunderstood and assumed to be sad, dark, slow and boring, or easy and simple to play. Blues is accused of lacking depth and often overlooked as a genre. Though blues was born of the oppression of African Americans during what was arguably the darkest chapter of U.S. history, the pre- civil war years, blues is still marginalized and polarized. Blues is still on the bottom shelf behind everything else. Blues still has an "otherness" that time seemingly cannot erase. It is because of these parallels that I feel committed to the United by Music project. Giving people with visible and hidden disabilities the opportunity to play music on a stage of equal footing with able bodied, professional musicians is priceless. By participating in UBM, we prove that when we are discouraged we must continue the fight. We prove that we can achieve when others say we cannot. By participating in UBM we reject the judgment of appearance. The lines are blurred between who is visibly disabled and whose disabilities are subtly hidden. Suddenly, on the musical stage, side by side, we are all the same. By playing in United by Music, we celebrate blues music and educate people about this hidden gem in American music history. I come to UBM from an emotional place as a musician and a writer. I know instinctively that this is working and creating lasting confidence and changing the lives of our special needs performers. However, research has shown that music is a universal language. It is the common denominator of communication in the expressive and nonverbal worlds to logical and grammatical society. It connects one to subtle emotions, an emotional world in which children usually live. In individuals with learning disabilities, the right hemisphere of the brain is superior in many ways; (improviser) to the left hemisphere (logical/analytical) In a so-called able minded/normal person, it is the opposite. People with disabilities can learn to transfer the information from right hemisphere to left (mental shift) and use the whole brain to improve their disability. All they need is someone to teach them how do this "Mental shift" and acquire the skills of the left hemisphere. In the United by music project, we utilize this mental shift to help our performers achieve their dreams of being musicians and performers. We watch them go from nervous beginners on opening night to relaxed professionals by tours end. We learn patience and determination ourselves, as we witness our performers overcome obstacles and conquer their fears and mood swings as they take the stage night after night. We shatter stereotypes as our native Dutch speakers sing and speak in English. We challenge the visual judgment of others as we cloud the distinctions between who has a disability and who doesn't. I am no longer a fat, teenage mom from East Los Angeles - I am a world renowned blues diva. Our performers are no longer disabled adults with special needs, they are sought after stars, entertaining an adoring crowd. One night on one of tours past, a journalist approached one of our performers, Arthur/Shorty and asked him "How does it feel to play with performers with disabilities?" We were all so proud and felt like this was the culmination of all of our hard work. In that moment, Arthur was beyond his "otherness." He was judged to be "normal" and was suddenly accepted and mainstream. Arthur proved that night, as all of our United by Music performers are proving, that they are capable and worthy of our applause and our attention. They can write songs such as our theme song, "I'm not special, I'm just like you" and take power over words. They survive and thrive in the face of those who say it is not possible. They overcome the judgment of others every day - Which one has a disability? Which one doesn't have one? Why does it matter? And as they find their own footing in the spotlight, they find the courage and the determination to keep trying. They find the guts to live their dreams. United by music helps them find their way but ultimately, it is they alone, who have to stand up there on the stage and deliver. We are just the wind beneath their wings. And that is a wonderful place to be.
Candye Kane
It's late at night here in Dublin, but I cannot sleep without sharing my amazing day today. We had a very early morning flight from Amsterdam to Dublin where we are staying at the Dublin University and appearing at the World Congress for Down Syndrome with my charity, unitedbymusic.eu It is a huge gathering with people from all around the world who work with down syndrome and it is very inspiring. Today we rehearsed our show and I got to meet and sing with Sujeet Desai from upstate New York. Visit Sujeet.com to hear and read about this awesome young man and great musician. I was sobbing whilst I heard him playing "What a Wonderful World" on the clarinet and then Dani Wilde and I sang a gospel version of Amazing grace with him on violin, that was so much fun and again, I couldn’t stop the waterworks. I have sung this song at countless funerals so to sing it with a down syndrome musician who has so much sensitivity and soul was incredibly moving. It made this sad song, so often an expression of loss, into a celebration of life, human resiliency and determination. I am in awe of Sujeet and his parents who have done such a wonderful job with this young man and made him reach for the stars instead of settling for a life of limitations. His mother, Sindoor Desai is a Doctor/Dentist/Activist who has written numerous articles on parenting a down syndrome child as well as a recent paper in progress, on the cognitive abilities of down syndrome and how music and arts can help enhance intelligence. I purchased a bumper sticker the other day in North Hampton that read "The Arts are not a luxury" and nothing proves it more than Sindoor and Sujeet Desai and their amazing story of how music is not only more than a luxury but has enriched and blessed their lives beyond measure. I am so lucky to be here and to be able to coach and play alongside all of the beautiful souls from the UBM (united by music) project. Joining me on this tour are San Diego musicians Sue Palmer, Jonny Viau and Billy Watson, as well as my own band featuring Laura Chavez and Evan Caleb. Special guest bassist Harm Van Sleen is also here with us. Harm has worked with our UBM clients during numerous rehearsals to get them ready for this tour. And my future daughter in law, Dani Wilde is also here as my co-emcee. I know they all share my enthusiasm about this tremendously inspiring project. We all learn patience and enthusiasm from our involvement in this project and its lovely to see our clients blossom from nervous stage jitters to confident performers by tours end. We will tour many cities in the Netherlands when the World Congress in Dublin is finished. We also have my long time friend Barbara Hammerman here with her lovely daughter Amanda Gresham. They are here to archive our shows and hopefully help us set up a non-profit in the USA. I feel so strongly that people with disabilities should have the opportunity to create music alongside so called "normal able bodied/ able minded people." For some of our clients, it is the first time they have appeared onstage and received attention, not because they look or act differently from others, but because of the talents they can share. This is so gratifying to witness and really has become somewhat addictive for me. We were on the road for a couple of weeks in the East Coast before we left the states. We played some great shows – most notably Piermont New York, at the Turning Point, where our friend Debbie Davies sat in and awesome guitarist Dave Gross was in attendance. The show in North Hampton at the Iron horse was also fantastic and our friends, Gaye and Andra from Saffire the Uppity Blues women were in attendance. We saw them again in Campton, New Hampshire where we played the White Mountain Blues and Boogie Festival. It was an amazing festival under the stars. Laura and I sat in with Tommy Castro and Deanna Bogart, which was such a thrill! We hung out with Anthony Gomes, Harper, the Delta Generators and of course, the amazingly funny and feminist Saffire. It was an incredible tour and I can't believe just a week later, I am here in Dublin being moved and inspired by these awesome and beautiful people all around me. What a life I lead!!! I am so lucky and so blessed to still be around to do this special work. As if my life weren’t charmed enough, I am nominated for a San Diego Music Award for Blues record of the year for Super Hero! Go to sdma.com and write me in for Artist of the Year and vote for the other categories. You don’t have to be a san diego resident to vote. We are still on the Billboard Blues Chart and awfully glad to be there. Please order the cd if you haven’t already and help us stay on the charts. Go to deltagrooveproductions.com and please order Super Hero for yourself or a loved one. The music is great and the songs are inspiring, especially if you or a friend is dealing with a debilitating illness. I continue to be amazed and awed that I am still alive at all after pancreatic cancer just one year ago. I am so moved by your stories of cancer survival and loss. The end of the show, when I am selling cds has become almost a therapy session where I am honored with poignant and often emotional stories of cancer loss and courage. I feel like perhaps that is part of the karmic reason I am still here, to be a listener and perhaps an inspiration to others. People thank me for being so honest about my cancer struggle, but I am always confused by their thanks. Why should anyone be ashamed of fighting a disease like cancer? I am proud for the chance to share my story and thankful beyond measure for the chance to still be here, making music and doing what I love. May we all be blessed with strength, determination and courage and may we all realize that it is a hidden reservoir right here inside us when we need it most! Thank you for your continued support, positive energy and just for reading my blog! Your super hero,
Candye
What a week! Our new cd Super Hero has debuted at #10 on the Billboard Blues Charts!! We share our space with amazing artists like Buddy Guy and the Cadillac Records Movie soundtrack! We are the only indy band on the charts right now and that feels really great! Thanks to all of you who ordered the record online or at a local record or bookstore and thanks to DJs everywhere for playing it. This is the first time my record has EVER charted on Billboard, so we are all pretty excited around here!! If you can help us, please order it here: Order Superhero I am also thrilled to be playing at Cozys tomorrow night in Sherman Oaks. This is my first L.A. area show in years. We have been hard pressed to find a venue to play in L.A in a long time, so if youre around tomorrow night, please come down and see us! We have20new cds and t-shirts and just want to see our old friends and make some new ones. The cd has been getting some great reviews and I am really grateful. The latest issue of Vintage Guitar with Mick Mars on the cover has a tremendous review and Bill Bentley did a wonderful review on his blog, along with so many others. I am so grateful. Laura Chavez is finally getting some recognition for the brilliant guitarist she is. Check us out live and I know you’ll agree. We are on our way to the east coast for some shows with my future daughter in law, Dani Wilde. She is just a tremendous little ball of energy and what a voice! You must come and hear her. I know you will be blown away. She lives in the UK and so she is not stateside much. Don’t miss your chance to see this amazing young talent. After the East Coast, we are on our way back to Europe to work with my United by music charity. We start in Dublin at the International Downs Syndrome conference where we will feature some incredibly talented people. Its so rewarding to teach these youngsters with disabilities about blues music and how it can help them transcend their daily challenges with blues songwriting and performance. It’s the best project I am involved with and I can’t wait to get across the pond. Again, I live each day grateful for the chance to be here. I will have another cancer test in September but so far, am cancer free and so appreciative to all of you for your kind hearts and generous support. Each time I am tested it costs thousands so I hope that soon our health care system will be overhauled, the right way, to afford all Americans equal access to health care. Even before cancer, I was denied healthcare again and again, because I was considered " high risk" because I was over 200 lbs. Even though I had low blood pressure, low cholesterol and no diabetes and lived an active lifestyle, I was denied by every major carrier. Now of course, since I have had pancreatic cancer, I will never be able to obtain health care because of my pre-existing condition. People with asthma and allergies are even denied health care and the poor are forced to choose between paying bills or buying a necessary prescription. I have been watching the debates on this topic closely and although I am against more government intrusion in our lives, I know that healthcare and the chance to treat cancer and other diseases, and prolong our lives, should not be only for the rich. Let’s hope we find a way to solve this problem in our great country so that access to healthcare will no longer be determined by ones economic class or financial status. Thanks again for your ongoing support and your beautiful spirits. We are all united in our humanity and we are all magnets for love, peace and compassion. May we all love each other more, and most of all learn to love and accept ourselves.
Candye Kane
Howdy Y’all!! We had an amazing tour of the Midwest for an entire month! I had just a few days off at home in between tours. Frankly, I am pretty tired and could have used some more downtime but now its back in the van and back to the grindstone. We are on our way up the West coast for shows in Portland, Seattle, San Francisco, Eugene and many more. The new cd, Superhero is out now on the Delta Groove Label and its doing great so far. Thanks to all of you who have ordered it online at www.deltagrooveproductions.com or helped it to be in the top 20 downloaded blues albums on Itunes. You guys rock!! It was great seeing so many old and new friends in the Midwest. We had so many special, memorable nights and here are a few of the highlights; Bo ulder, Colorado at the Outlook Hotel - our friends and label mates, The Insomniacs sat in. That was awesome seeing them again and having them play with us. What a killer band! Another amazing night was in Eureka Springs at the Blues Festival when my longtime friend, classy harmonicat and gentleman, RJ Mischo sat in with us. It was great seeing RJ and his wife Heidi and we had a wonderful time in Eureka Springs. What a cool town! Kansas City was also special when pianist Bruce Katz, members of his band and the KC hometown heroes, Trampled Under Foot, sat in with us at Knuckleheads. We all had a fabulous evening jamming under the stars in KC. Dallas was fun when my friend, harp player Cheryl Arena sat in and sang a few. We also had a great bunch of shows in Michigan. I was really pleased to see so many people coming out to support live music in such a messed up economy. They are really feeling the heat in Michigan with unemployment at 12% so it meant so much to have so many beautiful music lovers spend their hard earned money on us! We came home to San Diego and filmed a live DVD/CD for later relea se, at the first class venue, Anthology. It is such a beautiful setting and we are all excited to see the results. My friends Sue Palmer and Michele Lundeen sat in and made the evening even more incredible. This month, there is an awesome feature story about me in Blues Revue Magazine www.bluesrevue.com I am very proud of the story by Stacy Jeffress and they also have a great review of our new cd. I am also included in a new anthology compiled by my friend, award winning author, David Henry Sterry. The anthology features a short story of mine, called "The Babysitters Secret." The book is called: Hos, Hookers, Call Girls and Rent Boys and is available at amazon.com or at http://www.softskull.comWe will do a special reading for the book on July 26 in San Francisco and then again in NYC on August 6. The book features writers Annie Sprinkle, Carol Queen and yours truly. Sex workers current and former strip away the stiletto heels and G-strings, revealing their humanity in this funny, tragic, illuminating, inspiring, and unprecedented inclusive anthology. I have a special show on July 15 at the Calypso Café in Leucadia with the wonderful Gypsy Jazz band, Gypsy Groove. The band features my former guitarist Jeff Ross and my ex husband, Thomas Yearsley on bass. Come down and hear us do some of your favorite standards, Django style. I am really looking forward to this show. Things are going great up here in the gorgeous northwest, or superior California as Miss Laura Chavez calls it. I am so grateful for every day that I wake up and have the chance to make music. Even though I am a bit weary and have taken on a lot of work, I feel proud and resilient and thrilled as hell to be able to make music with people that I love. Please come out to a show soon and more importantly, please order the new cd. Most of the reviews are saying that its my best work ever! I hope you will agree. Big Love and Gratitude to all;
Candye Kane
UPDATE: 5/26/09 - The Mormon Church and their campaign of hate. I know it firsthand. I was 16 when I was excommunicated from the Mormon Church. For years, the church had been a huge part of my life. As a small child, 8 years old and up, I attended primary and sunday school and it represented a safe haven for me where on the surface, it seemed that no one was verbally abused or taught to shoplift. As a teenager, I escaped the hysteria of my own dysfunctional family life and avoided the rough and tumble junior high school gangsters, by teaching music to the primary childrens choir and enjoying community activities like road shows and bake sales. In church I was chaste and clean and treated like a precious child of God. I attended sunday school and sacrament meetings, went to church dances and had my first real boyfriend, when we giggled and passed notes during prayer meetings. I loved the church and the holy feeling I got there. I loved my church friends and their quiet family home evenings. There were three Mormon families on my block and I was always welcome at dinnertime and on Monday nights. No one ever got called a cock sucker at their houses, and no one ever ended the sweet get togethers with the tuna casserole flung across the room or the easter ham catapulting out the window. I believed in the Mormon values of staying sweet no matter what and really believed that Jesus wanted me for a sun beam to shine for him each day. Then I started high-school and met my first true love. His name was Arturo Gutierrez and he looked just like Rocky. I loved him instantly and was determined to make him my boyfriend. After months of rejection, I finally succeeded in making him my boyfriend, partly because I was willing to give him the ultimate gift of my virginity on a grassy Mt. Washington hillside one summer day. Art and I became inseparable and I started going to Mass with him. His family was intensely Catholic and though I missed my Mormon friends, I still saw them at school sometimes and little by little, I fell away from my Mormon connections. Still, when the Bishop called me into his office one day for my yearly interview, I felt ashamed. I believed that the bishop had a direct hot line to God. I believed he could already tell by my face that I was engaged in premarital sex. I knew that some of my other Mormon friends were also having sex with their boyfriends, so when he asked me if I was morally clean, I didn't want to lie and compound my problems. I knew the Bishop would already know that I was having sex with Art. The Bishop was holy. He was Gods pal. He had god wrapped around his finger. Lying would only make it worse. So I told the truth that day. Yes, Bishop, I have been having premarital sex. Yes Bishop, I have been morally unclean. I didnt realize that because of my honesty, I would be excommunicated and banned from the church, FOREVER. It hurt a lot when I had to appear before a tribunal of three of the elders of my church ward. I was in love with my boyfriend but I didnt want to lose the stability and sanctity that the church had provided. I was a kid from a messed up family where it was normal to shoplift with your mom and it was normal to be pulled by your hair down the stairs or locked out of the house with all your clothing strewn all over the front yard. The church was the only semi-normal link I had with people I perceived as good and kind and honest. And that day, the tribunal decided to excommunicate me forever. There's a weird sense of finality about it when you are kicked out of a church. They said I would never be welcome there again. That I could no longer speak to my old friends from church or greet them on the street. I don't think my friends knew about the edict commanding them to avoid me. Many of them are my friends, now, here on Facebook. But the damage was done and I was effectively isolated and cut off. I was 16. Maybe I would have seen the error in my ways if I had been embraced in my time of need and accepted. Instead, I was cast out like stale sacrament bread. I was no longer Mormon. I no longer belonged. A short year later, I became a teenage mother when I became pregnant with my son Evan. This was many, many years ago, and since that day, I have been thru many religious and spiritual journeys. I have finally settled into my spiritual home - Judaism. In Judaism what happens right here on earth is far more important than some invisible kingdom on the other side. In Judaism, it is our solemn responsibility to heal the world now, Tikkun Olam and to make the world a better place to live. No religion has all the answers but when my Rabbi said that God could be male, female or not trapped by gender at all; when my Rabbi acknowledged that gender could be a trap, that was enough for me. I worked super hard to become Jewish and now have a spiritual home where I know I won't be given the boot for having sex outside marriage. I could even become a Rabbi or a Cantor if I were so inclined and would never be kept out because of my gender. (Unless I were orthodox, which is another patriarchal story entirely.) So the Mormon churches calculated campaign to confuse and confound the mostly progressive population of Southern California didn't surprise me at all. Unfortunately, while it was happening, I was even confused. I saw the well groomed, wholesome looking college aged kids on the corners waving signs that said Vote Yes on 8 with the silhouettes of families and I was happy. I thought : "How lovely that these kids are pro equality and pro marriage for everyone." I didn't understand that their presence and the entire campaign was designed to confuse people into voting AGAINST equality. It wasnt until AFTER voting day, that many of my family members and friends were aghast that they had actually voted against equality, and had voted to actually CHANGE our constitution, for the first time ever - to specifically discriminate against another group of human beings. Many people I know felt like they had played right into the hands of the enemy. We had been duped. We had believed and fallen for a phony scam, hook, line and sinker. We had all helped to sink our own ship. There was a time in this country when women and black men couldn't vote. There was a time when Native Americans could not own property. There was a time when women could not divorce their husbands and Jews, Blacks and Dogs were banned from certain public places. I didn't think that this issue would arise in my lifetime but here it is again, rearing its ugly head. When will Americans learn that equality and separation of church and state is what makes our country unique and democratic? Our constitution and the writings of our forefathers guaranteed us certain inalienable rights as human beings. There was a reason why the separation of church and state was included in our constitution. It was so no one human could enforce his own will on another human being. This constitution is what makes America a place where we can all coexist like the corny bumper stickers say. We do coexist in this country. The Supreme Court of California will let the voters decide again, and hopefully this time, we will not allow a racist and patriarchal mormon church to mislead us into doing the right thing. The Mormon church kicked me out and confused me as a teenager and then they confused me and my friends and family again as a full grown adult. Regardless of what your personal feelings are about homosexuality, you must agree that all of us are created equal as humans, and as such, all of us should have an equal right to marry and to be miserable if we are so inclined. It is the right and just thing to allow all humans to be in committed relationships if they wish. Furthermore, dare I say it is the Christian thing to do? Jesus was a guy who believed that even prostitutes were holy and had merit in society. Jesus was a guy who believed that everyone was equal in the eyes of God. Mormons are Christians. Their whole church is called The Church of Jesus Christ. So shouldnt they take a Christian attitude towards their fellow man and not impose their superiority complexes on the rest of us? The Government is way too big and intrusive already - telling me what I can smoke and where, and now who I can marry! Its time to stop this madness. One group of humans is not superior to another group of humans. We are all organic organisms and we are all headed to the same place - DEATH. Why make it harder on others while we are here on this planet? How truly un-Christian can you get? So, I am cleaning up my friends list. I cannot and will not continue to be friends in cyber land or otherwise, with people who feel they are superior to others. NO ONE should be allowed to decide whom another person can or cannot marry. No one elses marriage is a threat to anyone elses. This is not a moral issue. This has nothing to do with sexuality or the sanctity of marriage or anything else. This is a civil rights and equality issue. We all pay taxes. we should all be able to get married. PERIOD. All love is divine. I will remove anyone from my friends list whom I find to be a bigoted human being in the name of Jesus, the Jewish Zombie, or a so-called God or any other religious entity or edict that gives you the right to discriminate against someone else. Goodbye Cinda Marie Price. It was nice knowing you in the mormon church when we were 12. Too bad you grew up to be a bigot and I grew up to be a free spirit who believes that all love is sacred and should be allowed to flourish and thrive whether that is in marriage, or any other kind of union. Glad I am the free spirit and not the bigot. May all of us be able to marry and celebrate love and diversity. That's as American as Apple Pie.
Candye Kane
UPDATE: 4/18/09 - one-year anniversary today from the cancer surgery Today is my one-year anniversary today from the cancer surgery I endured on April 18, 2009. I really am amazed that I am still here, alive and actually performing tonight at the Lionel Hampton Jazz Club here in Paris!! What an incredible year it has been. When I think back to how fragile and sick I was the first few weeks after the Whipple procedure for my pancreatic cancer, I am really astounded to be feeling as strong and healthy as I am today. I feel that I have been given a second chance at life and want to use every opportunity to inspire others to fight their own challenges and stay strong. If I can be an example to others of how to take charge of their own bodies and how to make lemons from lemonade, I will feel like all the pain and struggle of the last year has been worth it. Just one year after cancer, I have been chosen as an ambassador for the Electra Bicycle Company in their 2010 catalog and Way To Roll ad campaign. The WTR campaign celebrates individuals leading unique & inspired lives in the h opes of inspiring others and igniting a chain reaction of positivity, awareness, change and artistry to make the world a better or more beautiful place to be. The campaign will be rolled out across several formats: advertisements in US and international magazines (mainstream pubs and those endemic to cycling culture), the beautiful 2010 Electra Bicycles catalog, and online at www.electrabike.com. I will be featured in the catalog and possibly in an ad!! Woo Hoo!! I have also finished my new cd, my tenth, SUPERHERO, for Delta Groove records. http://www.deltagrooveproductions.com Its slated for a June 16th release and we are super excited. I leave for Memphis for the Blues Foundation Awards on May 5. I am not nominated this year, but my friend, guitarist and co-producer, Laura Chavez and I will perform at the Delta Groove Records showcase alongside my other labelmates and friends. Pretty exciting stuff just one year after being cut open, scrambled and put back together! I know how lucky I am to be here. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly and many people die just six months after diagnosis. I was lucky to have a rare, slower moving form, the neuro endocrine tumor, and was lucky to have a brilliant and dashing surgeon Dr. Andrew Lowy at UCSD Moores Cancer Center perform my procedure. I have lost other friends to this same cancer so my future seemed pretty bleak at first. I still have to pinch myself that I am still here on this planet at all. I have very few side effects from the Whipple, other than losing 100 pounds. I have to be careful eating rich and fatty foods and that’s been a bit difficult here in France. I am looking forward to going back home to my juicer, my neighborhood health food store and most of all - my gorgeous yellow Electra bike! Cancer has brought many blessings to my life. New friendships with other survivors and patients – bonding with others who are suffering health challenges, like my friends, Kenny Neal, Ann Rabson, Jenny Bohman and Michele Seideman. Cancer has made me reevaluate my choices and my lifestyle, helpe d me lose 100 pounds and taught me about nutrition and juicing. Most of all, cancer has made me appreciate the beautiful friendships and moments I have on this planet. On today, the anniversary of the traumatic nine hour surgery I endured, I just want to thank you again for your kindness, white healing light and generosity. I am still hundreds of emails and thank you notes behind but little by little, I am getting caught up. Your monetary gifts, the benefits and beautiful words of inspiration you shared with me were essential and vital for my speedy recovery. People cannot believe how strong and vibrant I look, just one year after this cancer catastrophe. I feel great and am grateful to be around a bit longer to make music for you! I realize now that every day I have here is special and sacred. There are no guarantees in life and so I cherish every day I am given. May you fight your own struggles with courage and positive thought and may you also appreciate every day you open your eyes and take a fresh breath of=2 0air. Your super hero diva, Candye Kane
Howdy everybody! We are deep into making our new cd for Delta Groove at Joey Altruidas studio on Melrose across from Paramount pictures. So far, we have recorded seven songs with the help of our amazing engineer Donnie Whitbeck of Karling Abbeygate fame. Laura Chavez and I are producing this cd ourselves and we are thus far, very proud of the results. The cd is tentatively titled Super Hero, after one of the songs I wrote. It has almost been a year since my pancreatic cancer surgery (april 18) and so making this cd is a real miracle for me. I didn't even know if I would still be on this planet at this time last year. Its a real triumph to be back in the game and recording again! I am so lucky to be working with the great people at Delta Groove! I hope my comeback story can inspire those of you dealing with illnesses and losses and the incredible challenges of every day life. We have had my long time pal, guitarist Kid Ramos come in and play on a couple of songs and also the great Stephen Hodges who plays drums and percussion with Mavis Staples and Tom Waits, on a couple of tunes. Most of the playing though, is done by my own wonderful rhythm section, Paul Loranger on bass and Evan Caleb on drums. We will also have guests Dave Gonzales from the Paladins and Hacienda Bros fame in next week as well as the great pianist Sue Palmer, sax man Jonny Viau and Stevie Utstein on B3. This is my ninth cd and my first one for Delta Groove. Its also my first self produced cd and of course the first one, featuring the awesome talents of Laura Chavez. I just wanted to let you all know why I am so behind on answering emails and let you know that I will be back online more very soon! Thanks so much for your support and patience. Look for a mid June release of this new cd! I know you will love it as much as we are loving making it! xoxo from Hollywood,
Candye Kane
Howdy everybody and HAPPY 2009!!! I hope everyone is recovering from the holiday madness. I want to apologize to any of you who came to my last show at the Belly Up Tavern in December. I got that horrible flu and was lying in bed with a high fever when the band took the stage in my place. I heard that many of you stayed to show your support of the band in spite of my absence. This just proves one more time why I have the classiest friends and fans, in the world. Thank you sooo much for coming in the first place and for staying to support my pals who filled in for me - A special thanks to Toni Price and Thomas Yearsley for sitting in and singing a few. The place to be this weekend, is the Belly Up Tavern www.bellyup.com tomorrow night (January 9th) from 5:30 to 8 pm. My future daughter in law, UK singer Dani Wilde will be there with me and I can't wait to see your faces when she sings. She is just a tremendous talent - great singer and songwriter and only 22 years old! She is engaged to my eldest son and drummer, Evan. Don't miss this amazing show. Dani is only here for one month from her home in Brighton and will also be appearing solo at Anthology with Robben Ford on January 18th. My ebay auctions will be up on Ebay starting January 13th. You can search for me by seller / user name KaneCandye. My email address for ebay is Kanecandye@yahoo.com I am selling tons of amazing gowns and stage clothes, including hard to find vintage dresses in large sizes. Buy the dress I wore on Roseanne, Donny and Marie and Queen Latifah among other fabulous items. Also, PLEASE Don't miss my stage play/workshop, The Toughest Girl Alive - at the Diversionary Theater on January 29, 30, 31 and Feb 1st!!!! This play has been adapted to the stage by acclaimed San Diego Ballet Director/choreographer, Javier Velasco and features actors Amy Bidel and Daren Scott in addition to Candye Kane, Sue Palmer and the Candye Kane band featuring Laura Chavez. I will send another email blast letting you know how to get tickets and look for the postcards at the Belly Up show tomorrow. I am so grateful to be alive and have another year ahead of me to make a joyful noise with all of you. It was a crazy year full of heartaches and losses. I was reminded again the other day how precious and fleeting life is when a woman ran a red light while on her cell phone and smashed into me on Lomas Santa Fe drive, two miles from the Belly Up. I had to be taken to the hospital in an ambulance! I am okay but have a few aches and pains in my neck and back. The crash just reminded me of how fragile life is and how at any minute, we could be snuffed out by another careless human being or any odd twist of fate. Every moment we can come together and enjoy th e company of another human being, or enjoy a sunset, a walk on the beach or beautiful, inspiring music is a good day to be alive. Thanks for giving me a chance to share my joy with you! Big Love Always,
Candye
Hello everybody! I hope you're enjoying November and getting ready for a toasty, cozy holiday season. I am very sad to announce that two of my shows have been cancelled. The Long Beach show on November 14th for my birthday was cancelled because the booking agent, my long time friend Vince Jordan is no longer affiliated with The Cellar. I was so sad to hear about this because I really wanted to celebrate my life and cancer ass kicking with you all. I was actually born on November 13th so if you'd like to drink a toast to me on the 13th, please do. I will feel your love and cheer long distance. Also, my show in Tacoma at Jazzbones on Nov. 29 has been cancelled and we have been rescheduled in Coos Bay, Oregon at the Green Spot. While I love my friends in Coos Bay, I was excited to come back to Jazzbones where they had a wonderful benefit for me coordinated by my lovely friend, Barbara Hammerman. I wanted to rock out with my Tacomian homies and now I have to beg you guys to please come and see me in Seattle at the Triple Door Theater on the 25th. I will have my friend, Sue Palmer with me on the piano and we will do a song or two to honor our beautiful musician friend, the late Janell Rock. (You can see and hear Janell on my top friends list at myspace.com/candyekaneband Janell passed away recently after a long, valiant and courageous fight with cancer. She was amazing and a real inspiration to us all. Anyway, I am feeling great and still very blessed for each day I have on this planet. I am excited about our new President and I feel really hopeful that we have moved past some real prejudices in our country to finally have elected an African American to the highest office in our government. Now, if we can just get a woman elected!!!! Of course the victory is also bittersweet when some of our citizens are still suffering open bigotry. The No on Prop 8 campaign was so misleading and confusing. The "Yes on 8 posters" gave the impression that a YES vote was a vote of inclusion. The bright yellow poster showed happy human figures dancing implying that a YES vote was a vote to include all human beings the right to marriage. I was so saddened by the results of Prop 8. I know most people didn't understand the proposition or read the voters guide carefully. I had so many friends telling me that they were confused. Why would someone's desire to marry and be in a committed life long relationship with a partner of any gender, be a threat to anyone else? I am sure the confusion over the ad campaigns resulted in this vote. Our constitution has never been amended to EXCLUDE a group of people, as this proposition will do and its abominable. Please click below on this petition to repeal and re-open Proposition 8. petitiononline.com/seg5130/petition.html It is the morally right thing - to afford equal marriage rights to all of our citizens. When we stop imposing our will and fear based prejudice on our brother and sister human beings, we will really have evolved and transcended some of our collective American bigotry. I am so honored to still be alive to witness the spiritual evolution of our country. Little by little, we are growing up. Now lets repeal prop 8 so love can be legal for all people because all love truly is DIVINE.
Candye Kane
Were into the last week on our celebration tour and I am feeling the fatigue. It became a real celebration way back in Lynchburg, VA when I found out that my MRI showed me to be cancer free with no sign of recurrence so far!!! Now, three long weeks later, with only one show cancellation (Im truly sorry Rockland Maine!) we are on our way down to Florida to wind things up for the last few shows on this long East Coast run. Its been a wonderful tour and has been great fun seeing so many old friends and fans again. It really feels good to know how many people are wishing me well and its sweet when they come out to the shows and tell me so. I am so grateful for the chance to get to sing each night and its inspiring to meet so many cancer survivors who share their stories. Everyone has been very supportive and understanding when I have had to do some or most of the show seated. I am finding out that its diffic ult for me to take really long drives (over 200 miles) and still do two shows in the same night. Thankfully, the club owners have been kind hearted and accommodated me more than once by allowing me to do just one long hour and forty five minute show. Its much easier for me to do one long show. When I have to get my energy up for more than one show, its almost impossible, especially after a long drive. I am a bit worried about Key West where I have to do several sets. I will try my best but I am not gonna kill myself over it. I just hope I can get thru them all; especially Tuesday when we have to play one early happy hour show and two late shows. I will do my best and hope people understand. Before cancer, I never even thought about not doing all my shows. I always preferred doing one long one because its too fun to stop once I get going, but I would do whatever the promoter wanted. Now, I worry that the club owners will get mad at me if I don't do what they want. Its weird to be in the position where I have to think about preserving my energy but that's what I have to do. I have to think about whether or not my body can take it. It's a strange position to be in. I am getting stronger though and despite weird digestion issues, I feel okay most of the time. Its hard to find time to exercise though and I think I would do better if I could ride a bike regularly and/or get some time to work out. That's hard to do when I am up so late and trying to get enough sleep. Its impossible to sleep in the RV. Way too bumpy! The band is sounding incredibly tight. Laura Chavez wins new fans everywhere we go. Its so cool to see the adoring and amazed looks she gets after her scorching solos. This girl has a brilliant career ahead of her. My bassist Paul Loranger is sounding great and is such an angel, always there lending a hand to his bandmates. My eldest son Evan is swingin every night, and getting better all the time on the drums. It's a real comfort to have him here to watch my back as the miles go by. Although its really hard to pick jus t one or two stand out shows in a month, there are a few that stick in my head the most: I sang a song in Hoboken at Maxwells when I was in the New York area at a benefit for Mary Lou, the wife of songwriter Peter Karp. Mary Lou has Ovarian cancer and is very ill. She is a tough broad too and is fighting for her life. I sat in with my good friends, Popa Chubby and his awesome wife, Galea, and it felt really good to lend my voice to another person suffering from cancer this soon after my own struggle. I have never met Mary Lou and barely met her husband Peter but they sure seem like wonderful people. I also met singer Gina Fox that night who is Mary Lous best friend and met the great guitarist, Petey Joe who played my Hartford cancer benefit. That was a real special night. Another special night was had in Greensboro, NC at Zion Bar and Grille where guitarist Dave Gross sat in. Dave is the boyfriend of Gina Sicilia and is a great player. Matt Hill also came to the show. He and Bob Margolin played the=2 0benefit that Gina organized for me at Scotland Yard. Casey from the Greensboro Blues society arranged that last minute Greensboro show and I am most grateful to Bob Margolin for hooking me up with Casey. Special thanks to Tina Terry, my agent at Piedmont for her hard work on this entire tour, and especially her kindness surrounding the Greensboro show, in her hometown. Tonite was our show at the Capital Oyster Bar in Montgomery, Alabama. It was so much fun. They are real blues lovers at the Oyster bar. Lewis the Owner always treats me like an old friend. Little Willies in Tuscaloosa was great too and it was a real pleasure to meet Womens Studies professor and writer, Bebe Barefoot and her wonderful husband Bill. We also had a couple of great days off in Atlanta and a rockin show at the Vortex Midtown, courtesy of my longtime friends and Vortex owners, Michael and Kristen Benoit. Atlanta has long been my favorite city in the South. Michael and Kristen just opened a new Mexican restaurant in Atlanta called the Bone Garden. It is a beautiful restaurant with a Dia de los Muertos (day of the dead) theme. If you are in Atlanta, you must try this authentic and delicious food and atmosphere. I will be home October 13 just for seven days and then I fly to Scandinavia for my last shows with the Blues Caravan. I know people think I am working too hard but it makes me feel alive when I play music. The love and energy I get from a crowd is healing and I want my fans and the promoters to know that I am still here and I am still ready to rock. I have plans to go into the studio in January and record a new cd. My play will also open in San Diego at the Diversionary Theater. We have a Facebook page for the play: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=69987520183&ref=ts No matter what happens, I will go out singing and swingin and you can take that to the bank. Big Love from Alabama,
Candye
That dreaded summer of 1974 was the summer of transformation. My mom called me into the house from my sweltering game of kick the can with the neighborhood homeboys. Until that moment, you could find me running blissfully up and down my northeast Los Angeles cul de sac in cut off shorts, no shirt and vans slip ons. Suddenly my mom was informing me that I had to wear a shirt from now on. My breasts were growing and it was "inappropriate" for a young lady to run around shirtless. I spent the rest of the summer seated in front of the electric fan, stubbornly refusing to give into my moms' merciless demands, my raging hormones and my blossoming mammaries. By ninth grade, the rest of my body was starting to catch up with my now D cup bustline. I became an expert at hiding my size 12 curves under my dads baggy button down collar shirts and levis. I would never know the joys of the "5 -7- 9" shop. I carried my schoolbooks close to my chest and kept my eyes lowered, praying to G-d that none of my classmates would call me "fatso" or "chubby cheeks." I really wasn't fat, but my large, round breasts were the first thing that people noticed when we met. They were scary and intriguing for the boys at school, except for the one bully who pinned me against the lockers so he could cop a feel at their firmness. With my first year of high school came my initiation into size discrimination. Even though I was often the best singer in the drama class, I couldn't get the part of the ingenue or the princess in our school productions. My size dictated that I play the matronly teacher, or the matronly mother or the matronly nanny complete with grey wig. I was a matron and yet, I was still a virgin. Senior year was the first time I actually started to enjoy my voluptuous body. A trip to Vegas proved to be quite advantageous when a peek at my cleavage and ample behind distracted the security guard from asking for my ID. I could play on the slot machines to my hearts content and hadn't even had my 18th birthday yet. Pregnancy and childbirth inflated my generous body further. My breasts swelled to an F cup. I was now a size 16. I couldn't get jeans in the mall boutiques to fit me, anymore. I started shopping at Lane Bryant and discovered the plus size sections of the bigger department stores. Simultaneously, I was modeling for big cash in magazines that celebrated big women. Magazines with names like Hefty Mamas, Two tons of Fun, Curvy Gals and Juggs. I was a large sized sex symbol. I was working in a stigmatic business but at least I wasn't invisible. I was acknowledged. I was beautiful and sexy. I started receiving marriage proposals and bonafide fan mail. I started embracing my curvaceous bounty and realized that there was a whole cross-section of people who enjoyed their partners with generous proportions. With money and out of state travel, came confidence and big dreams. I used the money from the skin trade to subsidize my musical career. I began hiring musicians to play with me and writing and recording songs and demos. I was a cover girl on Voluptuous magazine - why not take the next step and become the singing star I had always wanted to be? Alas, lest I become overly comfortable in my own skin, the music business provided a rude awakening and reality check. I really wasn't okay being a fat girl, or at least that's what the record executives wanted me to believe. I was too fat to be a country star. I needed to lose weight and fix everything about myself that was unique, unusual and hence, broken. I was blatantly told by several powerful show biz veterans that I would never "make it" if I didn't look the part. Didn't I realize there were no fat women in country and western music? I could lose weight and play the game, or I could go back to my barrio with my muy grande nalgas and be a welfare mom. I went back to East L.A. from Nashville, but I didn't go quietly and I didn't stay a welfare mom for long. I have always been a fat activist even before I knew there was a label for it. I was a fat champion out of necessity. I didn't feel undesirable like many large sized people do. I had a ready fan base to tell me I was sexy and wanted. But I still had the same confrontations with prejudice and stereotypes in my daily anonymous life, as every other outsider. Rude waiters asking me if I really needed dessert or if I knew how many calories were in the pastrami plate - Dirty looks from old women in the supermarket when I lingered too long in the ice cream aisle- Laughter and snickers from store clerks in Victoria Secret - Teenage boys screaming from speeding cars when I jogged past: "It's not gonna help, fatty!" - Men in the singles scene who wanted to date me from my ad, but took off running when they saw how large I was in person- Well-meaning friends and relatives who told me I would be so much healthier if I just lost a few pounds - Countless people telling me that I had such a pretty face, because they couldn't bear to comment on the rest of me - People telling me how great I looked and asking how much weight I had lost, because I couldn't possibly look good if I hadn't been dieting. So, I began to own my fatness. I started writing and singing songs about it. "200 pounds of fun", "You need a great big woman to show you how to love", "Work what you got if it's a little or a lot", "Fit, Fat and Fine." I wore bikinis and low cut dresses. I wore short skirts and skimpy gowns. I discovered drag queen stores where the sizes were bigger, the fabrics stretchy-er and the sequins shinier. I sought out other large sized and fringe communities and my music attracted them to me. I was featured in a book called "Real Women Don't Diet" and appeared on talk shows like Roseanne, Maury Povich and Montel Williams, extolling the virtues of big women. I got new kinds of fan letters from new kinds of fans; Women who identified with my struggle as a fat girl in a skinny world. I had another baby, gained more weight and grew to 270 pounds and a size 24. I was rejected from insurance companies because my weight was considered a pre-existing condition. I had low cholesterol and low blood pressure but was considered high risk by the medical establishment. According to them, I was morbidly obese. I was indignant. Did the insurance companies ask skinny girls how much they weighed? Were they discriminated against for being too thin? I was fat but I was still active - riding a bike, walking on the beach, dancing onstage every night and eating and drinking whatever I wanted. I was fat but I was still very sexy. There was more of me to love and more of me to celebrate. Yes, I was fat and I was proud. I rubbed my belly and spoke to it, "You're soft and warm and cuddly. You keep me warm on a cold winters night. You're good to grab onto during sex." I loved my big body and I spread the word that fat was where its at. That we are all beautiful no matter what size we are. That fat is okay too. And then one day, cancer knocked on my door. Since being diagnosed with cancer and having the Whipple procedure done on April 17 in a nine hour surgery, I have lost 75 pounds. They removed part of my stomach, small intestine, bile duct, pancreas and my entire gall bladder. I am under 200 pounds for the first time in almost twenty years. I have gone from a size 24 to a size 16. I am thinner than some of my thin friends. I can buy the "one size fits all" fishnets and they actually fit! One of my friends said recently, "Now that you're losing all this weight, do you think your fat fans will desert you?" I was speechless after that question. I didn't really think it was a possibility. Why would my fat fans desert me just because I had cancer? Why would my fat fans desert me when I was still a fat girl inside? I didn't ask for cancer. I didn't ask to be thinner this way and I certainly wouldn't wish the cancer diet on anyone else. In my head, I still identify as a fat girl. I still shop in plus size shops and websites. I still opt for the table instead of the booth at the restaurant. I am still too fat for mall boutiques and I still shop in the specialty stores, only now I am a XL instead of a 3X. My friends question though, really worried me. Especially after a blog appeared on a website called "The Rotund" challenging my songwriting integrity. The writer, Dr. Sheila accused me of lying about my weight in my song, 200 lbs of fun. Suddenly I was being accused of dishonesty when I had always prided myself on my fidelity. Would my big girl fans desert me because I no longer looked like them? It's a question with no real answers. I haven't changed who I am or my philosophy that all of us are worthy and equal. I haven't changed my belief that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, ages and sexual orientations. I still feel like an outsider and I will always identify with the disenfranchised because I am still, one of you. No matter how thin I may become or how easy shopping may become, I still feel like a fat girl, now trapped in a slimmer body. I haven't noticed that much difference since my surgery. I don't move any quicker than I did 75 pounds ago. I do think more about what goes into my mouth, because my digestive system is fragile and I have to pay attention to what I eat. I do exercise daily because I want to be as healthy as possible and I don't want the cancer to return. I do avoid sugar because cancer feeds on sugar and I don't need it in my system. But in every other way, I am still the same fat girl I always was. Now, I guess I am truly an outsider because I am too fat for the Victoria Secret store, and too thin for the NAAFA convention. Does this mean that my large sized fans are going to dump me? I would like to hear from you and hear your opinions. When a fat person loses weight because she/he has had a health crisis, is she still a member of the club? Or do we become some sort of invisible person - invisible to the large sized community we love and embrace, just as we are invisible to the culture, because we are fat? Am I part of the problem now, instead of part of the solution? Am I a former outsider looking in to my outsider community? How does weight loss affect how the fat acceptance community views us? Is all weight loss bad? Or just crash dieting and gastric bypass weight loss? Is all weight loss created equal? I want to think that my music is more important than my size. I want to think that large sized women and men will persist in buying my music and sharing it with others. I will continue to sing my size celebration songs because I love them and I know there are people who need to hear their message of inclusivity, no matter what size they are. I will continue to perform the songs because I still identify as an outsider in more ways than just the numbers on my scale. If you have stuck with me thru the thick, then I need you to stick with me thru the thin, even if it happens to be a bit thinner than you. Who among you has the courage to look past my appearance and embrace who I am? Isn't that what all of us really want from each other? It's not 1974 anymore and I don't have the option to sit inside all summer in front of the electric fan rather than wear a shirt to cover my changing body. My body is changing on its own, from the trauma of cancer and the lifestyle changes that cancer has wrought. I love and cherish my body because it is alive and has so far, triumphed over a complicated surgery and a life threatening illness. I love and cherish my body because fat or thin, sick or healthy, it's the only body I have. It's the summer of 2008 and once again, it's a summer of transformation. Hopefully it is also a summer that will transform not only my dress size, but also transform all the narrow minds who would judge me for my weight - be it 270 or 170. Think about it.
Candye Kane
I am finally back home after six weeks on the road in Europe. The first four were with my cherished project, United by Music in the Netherlands, and the next two weeks were with the RUF records Blues Caravan show featuring Virginia guitarist Deborah Coleman, my new soon-to-be daughter in law, amazing UK singer, Dani Wilde and myself. Before I tell you about my trip and the highlights and lowlights, I want to tell you about two very special benefits in my honor: The first is August 17th in Tacoma, Washington at Jazzbones. My beautiful friends Amanda Gresham and Barbara Hammerman have organized a benefit to help my band with the lost wages and back bills that we all incurred while I was undergoing cancer surgery on April 18th. Some amazing musicians are performing at the benefit including guitar heroine Alice Stuart and Becki Sue and her Rocking Daddies. I sang a song with Becki Sue, on her last cd, which featured my close friend Les White on the bass. Also joining this incredible line up is Son Jack jr, Lady A and the baby blues funk band, and the Red Hot Blues sisters. If you are a fan or a friend of mine up on the Northwest area, please go and support this generous group of musicians who are donating their time. gigginthenarrows.com The second benefit is actually a three day event at Safari Sams in Hollywood on Labor day weekend, Aug 30, 31 and Sept. 1st. This is the first annual dog and pony show and was the brainchild of my good friend Dave Alvin. Dave has organized an incredible group of musicians and started a fund to help me and other people in the music community who are uninsured or under-insured. Several mutual friends of ours, including Dave's best friend, Chris Gaffney who recently died of liver cancer, and our friend Drac Conley, have been devastated by unexpected life threatening illnesses and no insurance. Our whole country suffers from inadequate healthcare, but musicians and artists who often live hand to mouth, with no pensions or day job insurance, are especially afflicted. Dave has assembled an all star line up that includes Big Sandy, The Blasters, The Knitters, Peter Case, Dave Gonzales and the Hacienda Brothers, Levi Dexter and many, many more awesome musicians. I like daves concept because it isn't just me who is in a bind since I was diagnosed with cancer. So many of us are vulnerable these days, and especially musicians who move us with their music but often live on the fringes of society.
musicmenagerie.net/dogandponyshow/
Again, I feel so truly blessed to be surrounded by so much love and so many beautiful, kind hearted people who want to help. My friend Lady Monster recently had an awesome benefit for me in San Francisco at the El Rio. Annie Sprinkle did a healing ritual for me onstage, on her birthday and many burlesque dancers performed routines to my songs. Jodie Woodward in Boulder Colorado did a benefit at Oskars in Lyon, Co. with all women on the bill. I just feel so honored and so humbled by all this generosity and love. It was a long tour but I was very lucky because I was able to stay in the apartment of my dear friend, manager and long time companion Adam. Being able to stay in one place during the tour meant so much. I was able to have a juicer and make fresh juice almost daily. I was able to keep my stuff in one place without having to move hotels daily during the tour. I keep a bike there and was able to ride it almost daily to the Natuur Winkel (health food store) to get organic groceries. Without that luxury, I don't think I would have been able to do the tour at all. I was still so fragile after my surgery on April 18. Despite my health challenges, it was my goal to do the united by music tour. These students depend on me and they gain so much from performing music with a big band of professional musicians. I had to cancel a few of my appearances but my friend dani filled in for me on those nights. You can see pictures of the united by music tour and the artists we feature at unitedbymusic.nl or my myspace page. It was the perfect tour to transition back to work, because I had so many people helping me with the shows. I didn't have to sing all night because my singing duties were divided amongst my students and my stellar group of musicians. I did sing my first 90 minute set since my surgery at the Big Rivers Festival in Dordrecht, Holland. I have to cheat a bit and use my legs to support my body when I really belt it out. All my muscles have been severed on my abdomen so its hard to use my diaphragm to project my voice. I am really having to think about technique and vocal support but I am getting stronger and better all the time. I am just so grateful to be alive that any time I open my mouth to sing, I am blown away. I have been given a second chance on life and I don't want to waste it now that I know how fragile it is. The Blues Caravan shows were a lot of fun. We played in Bejar, Spain in the oldest bull-ring in Spain. It was a terrific line up with John Lee Hooker, Jr. and Johnny Mars and Michael Roach. I was excited to see my friend Poppa Chubby and we took a bunch of pictures. Hopefully, I will get a few copies of them. We didn't go on until 2 am, and most everyone was drunk by then (except me!), but we had a good time nonetheless. Our last show was in beautiful Gouvy, Belgium where I have been before. It was great seeing my friends in Gouvy and I was so proud and happy to be back there. I met Benoit Blue Blue Boy there, who played at my benefit in Paris, France that Sophie Kay organized. It was so sweet to meet yet another kind soul who had volunteered to help a stranger. We had Joanna Shaw sit in with us and it was a beautiful last show for the Blues Caravan. It's so fun to have that much female energy on stage. We will be playing only a couple of shows in the USA in September, so if youre in or traveling to Virginia, don't miss this magnificent show. There is a lot of suffering and hardship going on around our planet and it used to really scare me. But now I know that all of us have tremendous courage and huge capacities for love and kindness inside each of us. I have had to tap into my courage recently to stay strong and overcome my cancer challenge. The love all around me made it easier to stand up and fight. If you are faced with an illness or an obstacle that seems too great to bear, try digging deep inside yourself for the strength you have, often laying dormant. There is a sleeping giant inside you, too. That sleeping giant is the human spirit and the will to live. I have another cancer test in September, but no matter what the outcome, I know I can face whatever lies ahead. I have incredible strength inside me. And your love and compassion has made that all the more evident. I am almost grateful to cancer for awakening my sleeping giant and reminding me of my own power and fortitude. I am a super hero and I am gonna keep on fighting. Thanks for being by my side. Xo Candye
PS: I played in Los Alamos, New Mexico last night at the county fair. My first USA show since the surgery. We did two sets. I had to do most of it sitting down. The exhaustion of traveling all day (with airline cancellations and lots of extra waiting around) plus the high altitude did a number on me. I really felt breathless the whole time. But I sang well and the band played great. It was really fun in spite of having to sing seated. I am glad though, that I don't have to jump in a van and drive to Omaha today, as much as I love and miss my lovely Midwestern fans and friends. I think I made the right choice in just flying out to these festivals and canceling some of the smaller venues for now. I am grateful for the kind understanding of guys like Jeff Wagner at Blues on Grand in Des Moines who took the time to write me an email and tell me he forgave me for canceling. I know I will be strong enough soon to resume my normal touring routine. Everyone in my life says they can't believe how much I am working already, but singing gives me immense joy and makes my life feel meaningful. Singing makes my life feel normal. I know I wont have to do my sho w sitting down for much longer! Next weekend, we play in Wausau Wisconsin for the Big Bull Falls Festival. I am excited because my new daughter in law to be, UK Singer Dani Wilde will join me onstage for some songs. If you are in Wausau, you are in for a big treat! Hopefully I will be able to stand the entire show!
xoxo
The United by Music tour is over and we had an amazing, sparkling-ly beautiful hot day here in Amsterdam for my second day off. It was incredible and felt like summer was finally here, as opposed to last week when it was pouring so hard and the wind was raging. I am really enjoying being off of the tour and having some real, consecutive days off, even though the tour was full of lovely and poignant moments. Our last show at the Big Rivers Festival in Dordrecht was on a blustery, cloudy day with rain intermittently. There was a sea of umbrellas in the crowd when the United by Music show took the stage at 2:30. By the time I went on, for my own set, at 6:30, the clouds had cleared and the sun came out. I have witnessed the umbrella phenomenon once before, at the Peer Festival in Belgium a few years ago, when the stage was drenched by buckets of rain, and one by one, umbrellas popped up until it was like one big tent. I really think Europeans value music so much more than we Americans do. I have never seen Americans stand in the pouring rain with umbrellas to see a band. Maybe in Seattle? Anyway, it is incredible to be reminded how much audiences here love music and it was a lovely ending for all of our special Dutch singers who worked so hard for this musical journey. I started crying onstage when I saw all of my United by Music students crying in front of the stage during my set (and no, they weren't crying because I was singing off key!) I hate when I cry onstage but it was emotional to leave my friends after a full month on the road with them. Each of them grew in confidence and courage and it was inspiring to witness. They battled episodes of self-doubt, stage fright and personal and emotional turmoil - a father in the hospital, a fight with a lover, a bout of jealousy - and they stayed professional, honoring our show biz credo that the show must go on. I was very proud of them and I hope they were all proud of themselves. It was rough saying goodbye to the band too. I was so lucky to have an amazing group of musicians this year who were warm and wonderful to our artists and did their best work. Johnny Fereirra, Billy Watson, Sue Palmer, Robbie Smith, Laura Chavez, Dani Wilde, Harm Van Sleen, Paul Loranger, and my sons Tommy Yearsley and Evan Caleb, thanks so much for your big hearts and professionalism. As difficult as it was saying goodbye, luckily some of us will reunite for the World Congress for People with Disabilities in Capetown, South Africa in late August. In addition to the World Congress, I just booked a show in a blues club in South Africa called the Die Boer Theater, while we are there. Who knows when we will have the chance to visit South Africa again? I am really excited for this once in a lifetime opportunity. I will also never forget this tour because my eldest son and drummer Evan and UK singer Dani Wilde announced their engagement! I am so happy for them both. They are just nauseatingly cute together and clearly in love. Dani and I met when we toured together for RUF records Blues Caravan and Evan came over to Paris to join us. Love has been in the air ever since. We had a beautiful party on a boat in the canals of Amsterdam and Dani's parents Chris and Jan, and her talented brother Will and his girl Bernice came over from Brighton, and joined us for our festive family cruise. It was a beautiful evening that night in Amsterdam - again no rain! I am so blessed to have a new future daughter in law like Dani. She is a tremendous singer and songwriter. Check her out on my myspace page. She wails like Janis Joplin with a voice out of a tiny, Brenda Lee sized body AND she is warm and kind and totally lovable. GO EVAN AND DANI!!! Since the UBM tour ended, Laura and I are staying on here in Amsterdam. We will join the Blues Caravan with guitarist Deborah Coleman and Dani Wilde, tomorrow in Stuttgart. We have shows in Madrid, Spain; Appenzell, Switzerland and Gouvy, Belgium before we fly home on August 5. It has been a great luxury to recuperate here in Amsterdam with the United by Music tour. The Big Rivers Fest was the first time I sang a whole hour set since the cancer surgery on April 17th. All the other nights, my special artists and the band helped me cover the shows. At Big Rivers, I was on my own vocally and it was tough. I really had to work at belting it out. Since all my abdominal muscles have been severed, it is a bit like learning how to use my diaphragm all over again. I managed to sing the whole show and was pretty proud of myself. What a great way to stage a comeback! Laura and I have been riding bikes around Amsterdam and enjoying the sights and the weather. We sit in cafes and coffee shops on canals and people watch. I swear, we saw Elvis yesterday. He had the same huge, jet-black sideburns he had in the 70s. He was a bit fatter than in the 70s, and was holding the hand of a large sized blonde. He had on gold sunglasses. I tried to get a picture but he jumped into a taxi. We also saw a man having a very animated argument with himself. He hit himself on the chest and yelled at an invisible entity as he passed: "Why is it always my fault?" We also saw a pimp riding a tricked out low rider bicycle while carrying a bottle of Johnny Walker Red and of course, there are the bevy of beauties in the red light district showing us their best lingerie and all of their tattoos for free! Amsterdam is an amazing place to get better. And finally, last night in San Francisco, my friend Stephanie "Lady Monster" organized an all-star benefit for me at the El Rio. My heroine, Annie Sprinkle did a healing ritual for me on her birthday! How powerful must that mojo be?? Many performers, including my longtime friend, writer Carol Queen danced burlesque routines to my music and donated prizes for raffles and baked goods to sell. I am so honored to have such a beautiful community all around me - Musicians, Artists, Writers, Dancers and Sex workers - to come together and show their love for me. Its really incredible how much love is out there. I just want to be worthy of it all. I keep trying. One more time, and I cant say it enough; thank YOU to all who organized benefits, all who performed at the benefits and all who bought a ticket. It is such a beautiful thing to know that so many people care around the world. I will have that cancer test in September and know for sure then whether the surgery got rid of it all, but no matter what the results, I will never forget the huge hearts and generosity of so many good people all over the world. People I didn't even know who sent Paypal contributions and people who wrote checks big and small. Thank you thank you thank you. I am so blessed in so many ways. I must be doing something right! Big love,
Candye in Amsterdam
Hello everyone. Our tour is going great here in the Netherlands. (www.unitedbymusic.nl for photos) Sue Palmer left us Sunday and my son Tommy is here now to take her place on piano (tough shoes to fill!) and play some trombone for us, for the remaining two weeks. Yesterday we played in a big barn in Rotterdam at a petting zoo. It was an incredible place to have a concert amidst the hay and the goats. There was actually a peacock in the haystack with us and she just sat there the whole time during our rowdy and raucous set. She seemed a bit upset about my big feathery hat and she kept fluffing up her feathers, trying to look bigger. It was cute. The United by Music artists are getting better and more confident each performance and that is really exciting to witness. I couldnt have done this tour without the help of my friend, UK blues artist Dani Wilde. I have had to cancel a few of my performances because of my health and Dani has been right there to emcee for me and perform her own amazing songs. The entire band is just awesome and everybody is doing their very best for our kids. Robbie Smith arranged all of the horns for me. Johnny Ferreira goes above and beyond the call of duty daily, playing his sax to the kids on stage and playing with them offstage too. He has such a big and friendly personality. The singers all love him. Billy Watson is another great friend and stage artist willing to do whatever it takes it get the job done. He sings a duet with J.A. Grace of "Hit the Road Jack" and sometimes he even lays right down on the ground during the song. His wild antics crack us all up. Harm Van Sleen has really helped the whole time, rehearsing with the UBM artists and he speaks dutch so its great having him there to communicate if things get confusing. The rhythm section features Paul Loranger and my son Evan on drums. Paul is just an angel and he has been so good to me. I love him and of course, Evan is right there for me all the time, keeping the beat and making me laugh. And finally, my girl Laura Chavez is just so incredible. The soul and heart that comes from her guitar playing is just awesome. I am so lucky to play with her and with all these great people. Our tour manager Nanda leaves tomorrow to go back to Singapore. We will really miss her. She is just a beautiful person inside and out. I am so glad we will see her again in Capetown. On August 25, we will go to Capetown, South Africa for the World Congress for People with disabilities. I don't know how on earth my body will endure a 15 hour flight but this is a realization of several years of hard work. It has been a dream of mine and Joris Wijngaarden to bring the United by Music project all over the world. It will be a chance for us to explain to caregivers and educators why we specifically use blues music to inspire special needs people to overcome adversity. Because the blues was partly born from the oppression of African Americans, I feel it is uniquely suited to inspire people who are challenged by physical and intellectual disabilities in their every day lives. Some of our artists have already written their own blues compositions. Mirielle wrote a song called "I'm not that special. I am just like you." When she performs that song, she demonstrates the honesty and heart that the blues is all about. It is my sincere hope that the United by Music project can someday be as big as the Special Olympics. By using blues as a metaphor, we can inspire others to create and enjoy music to pull them through their daily challenges. I will be doing a slide show and verbal presentation. The slide show will have photos of blues artists such as Big Bill Broonzy and Memphis Minnie alongside plantation pictures and photos of our special needs artists. If any of you can give me suggestions on where I can find archives for my slide show, please contact me at candyekanetour@aol.com I am feeling okay but sometimes food does a number on me. Food I used to eat without event has suddenly become indigestable. I got really sick the other night after eating some pad thai. The next day, I took a chance and I ate a salad with some bleu cheese. I thought I would get really sick since I have been virtually dairy free except for acidophulus and yogurt and yet, I felt fine after the cheesy salad. Then I ate a little tiny bit of ice cream and was up all night crying with pain. Its really weird and unpredictable. Everyday is a new gastronomical experiment. I also get really tired very quickly. On this show, I only have to emcee and do a couple of songs nightly. It wears me out! I do give a lot of energy to the singers and musicians in the show and lots of hugs, kisses and a shoulder to cry on sometimes. But still, it has been draining at times, and I have had to take a few nights off. Its really great to have wonderful musicians to rely on to carry me thru. I am also grateful for the kind understanding of the united by music crew and Joris Wijngaarden. They have been so kind when I have had to cancel and their gracious understanding really makes it easier. And of course, it really helps to have my friend and caregiver Heather here with me. She gives me massages once a week and makes fresh juices for me when she is staying with me. I should have probably stayed at home to convalesce longer but Joris and the UBM volunteers have made the tour so easy for me, I had to come and do my best. I didn't think my special needs artists would understand if I didn't make it. I took the liberty of canceling a few of my Midwest shows. I just had such a full schedule that I couldnt imagine having to help drive for four or five hours a day and then performing several shows a night. I still havent purchased a small RV because they are so expensive and my budget is limited; (and I simply haven't had the time!) So I am really sorry to those of you who were looking forward to seeing me in Omaha, Lincoln, Ann Arbor, Navarre, Des Moines, Indianapolis, Columbus and New York City. We will still be flying out to the festivals in Los Alamos, Wausau, Wis and Marshfield, Mass and will resume normal touring schedules in September. I really hated to cancel anything and let people down. I know how much my agents at piedmont talent and the wonderful promoters and club owners depend on me so I hope people will forgive and realize that I am still healing and figuring myself out. With the Capetown trip looming, I just didn't feel physically ready to do all of my dates and I had to make a difficult decision. I really hope my fans and blues friends can forgive me and understand that the United by Music Capetown trip can do so much more good for the blues in the long run. I will have another round of cancer tests on September 6 to find out if all the cancer was removed in the surgery. 14 out of 20 lymph nodes were cancerous so there is a slight chance that some lymph nodes were missed. I am really hoping that my cancer is completely gone, that my strict diet is working and that I wont have to endure more surgery and treatments. In the meantime, I am trying to get as much work done as possible and enjoy the time I have here on earth NOW. I know I live a charmed life and I am so blessed to do this amazing work with these wonderful people. I met an M.D. the other day and she was amazed at how good I look and how well I am doing since having the Whipple surgery less than three months ago (April 18th!). Comments like hers give me courage especially since I am faced with more fragility than usual. I am not used to feeling feeble and it has been hard to accept. But I am just so grateful to be alive and to be back here in Europe with both of my sons. And even though I look pretty good and feel good most of the time, I am still trying to take things one day at a time. The understanding and kind hearts of those around me really means so much. xo candye
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
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