Aging Hippie and I enjoyed Bonnie Raitt's concert at Concord's Capitol Center last night, but we were especially enchanted with the opening act, THE REFUGEES. This is a "supergroup" trio of veteran female singer/songwriters, Deborah Holland, Wendy Waldman and Cindy Bullens, as hilarious as they are talented. They are sure they are the newest "boomer" band in the universe, since as we know, all boomer-era bands have been together for 40 years. They aren't aiming for the cover of Rolling Stone, but AARP.
I knew of Wendy Waldman from the 70s, and she was a member of California folk-rock group Bryndle with Karla Bonoff and Andrew Gold. She has written songs recorded by recordings stars including Kim Carnes, Maria Muldaur, Crystal Gayle, Reba McIntyre, Matraca Berg, Lorrie Morgan, Suzy Bogguss, Alison Kraus, and Vanessa William's huge hit "Save the Best for Last".
Cindy Bullens sang backup for Elton John, sang "It's Raining on Prom Night" and "Freddy My Love" in the Grease soundtrack, and her latest solo album, Dream #29 features piano by Sir Elton, duet with Delbert McClinton, and harmonies by Tim Wakefield (yes THAT Tim Wakefield )
Deborah Holland was the lead singer and songwriter of Animal Logic, a trio rounded out by Stewart Copeland of Police fame and jazz star Stanley Clarke, and has recorded a couple of solo albums.
So glad to hear you had fun seeing DA BOMB Bonnie just her.But I'm even happier that you discovered the The Refugees wow I love them and Cindy Bullens stuff is great also.Thanks for turning me on again to some NEW fantastic tunes. Margaux, Dream 29 is ROCKING my fav too. Whipping out the CC.
Margaux, was hoping you would post about The Refugees - - Bonnie was wonderful but they were an unexpected bonus - - LOVE them. Told them when they were signing my CD that I'd drive the 6 1/2 hours just for their concert - and I meant it.
Stayed in Vermont last night with Duff - has been so nice seeing her again - she says Hi to everyone.
I'm posting from her office before head to Burlington for the weekend for their Waterfront Festival and a concert with Grace Potter & the Nocturnals. The opener is a group I haven't heard before either - Blues and Lasers - maybe I'll find another gem to tell you all about.
Lisa, definitely use that credit card - worth every penny ! ! ! !
AH, have fun in Burlington and give us a report on the Festival !!!!!!!!! It was so much fun to have you stay over. Missing everyone here and hope to get back here & posting more soon.
Finally had time to get The Refugees album ripped and uploaded to my Box account.
Really like the sound they've achieved together - - and like their "attitude" as well. Can't remember the exact line but Wendy (I think) joked about them being the only authentic boomer generation band having only formed in 2007 - all the others are just riding on their laurels
1. Unbound
2. Jellico Highway
3. Fishin' In The Dark
4. (There's A) Spy In The House Of Love
5. You Plant Your Fields
6. Stickin' With My Baby's Love
7. I Gotta Believe In Something
8. The Violin Song
9. All My Angels
10. Box Of Broken Hearts
11. On My Way
12. Save The Best For Last
There's a cool writeup about the Refugees on the Lefsetz Letter..
have a taste..
Quote:
And those in attendance weren’t bitching about TicketMaster fees. That’s not their concern, getting in to see Radiohead at the Bowl. They’re older, more community-oriented, and they just don’t want the hassle. Point is, this concert took place OFF THE GRID!
But now, almost everything is off the grid. It’s hard to get critical mass. The power is in the niche. Assuming you’ve got something special and can grow your niche.
And the Refugees have something special.
They can perform those harmonies that Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young could not nail at Woodstock. They can pick their guitars. Hell, Deborah even played an accordion, Cindy a mandolin. And the material resonates, but what is even more impressive is the PRESENTATION!
Renee introduced them as post-menopausal. Cindy took offense. But that’s what we are, middle-aged. Music rocked our world, drove the culture. But we’ve seen the Stones and the Moody Blues, we no longer get excited about the classic rock tours. We still love music, but we just don’t know where to go for it. No one cares about us.
Looked like Starbucks did for a minute. But they blew their trusted filter status by overloading us with mediocre product. Where do we go to get turned on to new acts?
Not NPR, even though we’re addicted. You see, NPR still worries about hip. And we’re not hip. We wear relaxed fit jeans, some of us get plastic surgery to look young, but we’re not. We’re over the hill. But still alive. And despite having cash galore, no one cares about us.
And that’s what the Refugees talk about. Us. What it’s like to be our age and go on the road and try to rebuild a career when you never had stardom to begin with.
I also love their sound and what they are all about. Admire them and the drive that they have. I do have a question what happened to Cindys daughter I have her cd and she has had a lot of hardships in her days.You can hear them in her songs. I am such a strong believer in humor and trying to keep things "lite" in life because it can be so cruel. Thanks again for finding them and shareing, thats what makes this a wonderful place.
I Love Bob Lefsetz and his writing style - straight up, tell it like it is - or at least how he sees it.
And considering I have maybe 1/1000th of his knowledge - I tend to buy what he's selling most of the time.
Went scrambling to check his newsletter's email folder when saw Margaux's post and found the Refugees' piece came in on Monday - one of 8 I'm behind on since our romp in HB. Thanks for posting the piece - - and the nudge to get caught up
Couldn't be happier with this piece.
The Refugees do have something special and would love to see them succeed on a national scale.
Part of that is selfish and relates to other things BL says - - -
Quote:
You see we love music, and when someone respects us and speaks to us on our level, we REVEL!
Quote:
We want to see live music, we want to be up close, we want to be treated right, and we don't want to be ripped off.
- - and needs to keep saying until people in the music world get that the love and enjoyment of music isn't tied to age.
In fact we boomers are mostly done with things like raising kids and college bills - so may have the flexibility of time and wallet to devote to supporting live music - and we still buy CDs ! Seems like a perfect testament to the inability of the industry to look beyond their "traditional wisdoms" that "the suits" haven't seen the potential market for a group like The Refugees. The only nod they seem to have given to the "older" music lovers is to push cover albums.
Which leads to a couple of BL's most recent newsletters . Think there is a need for a new thread to discuss the "covers" pieces - - the one that came in at 10PM isn't archived yet but when can link to it will start a thread.
) 
her.But I'm even happier that you discovered the The Refugees wow I love them and Cindy Bullens stuff is great also.Thanks for turning me on again to some NEW fantastic tunes. Margaux, Dream 29 is ROCKING my fav too.
