Joe made sure we savored each moment on our 6,550 mile trek across the US.  Here are the theme songs he played (via iPhone) while we were on the road.

Alabama/Mississippi/Louisiana/Texas

Sweet Home Alabama
Oprah youtube clip about MS being the fattest state (ouch!)
Callin’ Baton Rouge by Garth Brooks
On the Road Again by Willie Nelson

Colorado/Wyoming/Utah

Rocky Mountain High by John Denver
I’d Give it All For You by Jason Robert Brown from Songs from A New World (“… I drove across the county and stopped at lots of diners…”)
Sal Tlay Ka Siti from the musical – The Book of Mormon
Nothing Left to Lose by Mat Kearney (song about driving)

California

Are You Going to San Francisco by Scott McKenzie
Hooray For Hollywood from the classic film
All I Wanna Do by Sheryl Crow
Rockabye by Shawn Mullins
Under the Bridge by Red Hot Chili Peppers
I Will Buy You A New Life by Everclear

Nevada/Arizona/New Mexico

Leaving Las Vegas by Sheryl Crow
Route 66 by Nat King Cole
Santa Fe from the Musical: Rent

Oklahoma/Arkansas/Tennessee

Oklahoma from the musical Oklahoma
Arkansas from the musical Big River
I Miss the Mountains from the musical Next to Normal
Memphis Lives in Me from the musical Memphis
Home by Daughtry

Back to Cali in July!

It’s 25 days and counting to the launch of my summer west coast tour.  I’m excited to announce 12 dates so far, the first in Birmingham (due south on the way to TX).  Other dates to follow near Houston, Dallas, Boulder, Taos, Albuquerque and many stops in southern and northern CA, including a sunset concert on a yacht in the Bay Area – music, art and a beautiful boat!  Who could ask for more?

Please spread the word to all your peeps out west.  I am so grateful to each and every one of you – this is a dream come true to champion such a wonderful group of artists and to be able to help the charity PeaceTones in the process (see video below).  I got a nice boost with a recent radio interview on WBHM (NPR affiliate in Birmingham).

A big BIG thank you to those who have already stepped up for the 50-in-50 challenge.  We’re halfway there!  If you’ve been meaning to buy a book to support the project, it’s not too late.  The “2 for 50” deal is still available, with proceeds going to PeaceTones.  Buy a special gift for someone and put a big smile on my face!

Peace Or Drama, A Journey Through Music and Art will be headed to the Northeast this fall. What an amazing journey thus far – again, I couldn’t have made it without you!

Peace or Drama,

Eve

Upcoming Shows:

June 30 @ 7:30 pm – Moonlight on The Mountain Concert Series – Birmingham, AL
July 2 @ 6 pm –  First Saturday Arts Market in Houston Heights – Houston, TX
July 3 @ 3 pm – In The Music Room radio interview – Waxahachie, TX
July 5 @ 8 pm – Mojo’s Music Academy – Longmont, CO
July 7 @ 7 pm – The Tin House Studio – Grass Valley, CA
July 9 @ 7:30 pm – ArtSpace 4500 –  San Francisco, CA
July 10 @ 4:30 pm – Yacht Barkissimo, the floating oasis – Emeryville, CA
July 15 @ 7 pm – The Mint – Los Angeles, CA
July 16 @ 7 pm – A Work of Heart Gallery – Frazier Park, CA
July 17 @ 2 pm – Academy at Artist Lofts – Lancaster, CA
July 19 @ 7:30 pm – Metta Theatre – Taos, NM
July 20 @ 6 pm – Berks House Concert – Santa Fe, NM
July 21 @ 9 am – Art of the Song radio interview – Albuquerque, NM

Full show details available at www.EveFleishman.com

13 has been my lucky number lately. Since last fall I have been peddling Peace Or Drama, A Journey Through Music and Art: 13 songs, 13 paintings. The shows have been fabulous so far, and many more are on the horizon. Which brings me to my new lucky number….

Today begins my 50-in-50 Challenge! In July I embark on my first west coast tour, and I’m calling on you for support. My goal is to sell 50 books in 50 days to kick off this grand adventure. With your contribution, you’ll be helping me spread the word about PeaceTones, a charity that helps artists in developing nations to build stronger communities. And you’ll be helping me bring my one-of-a-kind music and art project to a whole slew of new fans!

Contribute $28 and you will receive the beautiful exhibition book (with full-color images and accompanying CD). Treat yourself to this unique gift, or buy it for the music/art lovers in your life. Spread the love and know that you are helping to inspire creativity all over the world!

As an added incentive, for the next 50 days, you’ll get 2 for $50!

Every amount counts: $12, $28, $40, $50 – you choose.

And remember, you can still bid on the paintings throughout the year. Proceeds from paintings/books/postcards go to PeaceTones.

Thanks for your support and stay tuned for news about the west coast tour!

Each week I will feature one song and accompanying painting from my project, Peace or Drama, A Journey Through Music And Art.

In the spotlight this week is Simply Be.

I’m a yoga teacher. I learn a lot from watching how people hold their bodies. I say “hold” because we often get stuck in fixed positions, reflecting fixed patterns in our lives.

I have a graphic designer friend who spends so much time on the computer – sometimes even getting up at 4 am to work on freelance projects before going into the office. This takes its toll. How many of us are getting quality sleep out there? Or quality rest time when we’re awake? Do we even know how to rest without being plugged in? Can we slow down without feeling guilty?

It is quiet in my house this morning. There’s a bird chirping outside. I hear the ticking of the clock as the cats fix their gaze out the window. May we find moments of sweet solitude every day. And may we value each other’s company without being in a rush, without thinking of what comes next. Let’s remember that balance makes us stronger, redeems us, makes us whole.

“Maybe I could be with you awhile
Without all the effort of a smile
There’s nothing we must do
But share what’s pure and true
And simply be, simply be”

(verse from Simply Be)

Song by Eve Fleishman. Image by Carla Gauthier(Houston TX). Read more about Simply Be in the exhibition book. You can also bid on the painting, with proceeds to benefit PeaceTones.

Here’s a video from one of my recent shows:

Eve sings Simply Be at Triad Stage

Each week I will feature one song and accompanying painting from my project, Peace or Drama, A Journey Through Music And Art.

In the spotlight this week is What’s Inside.

Did anyone see the movie, Little Children? People usually tell me they didn’t like it too much. I guess because the adult characters act, well, like children.

I’m drawn to this sort of dark comedy, though; the unsavoriness is what makes it seem more real, more human. Just like in my favorite show, Mad Men. Each character is both despicable and lovable. This is how we’d all be seen if the movie camera was allowed inside our heads.

So for some reason Little Children is entwined in my song, even though there’s no direct correlation. When I sing What’s Inside, it inevitably brings me back to that final scene in the park late at night. This is where empathy kicks into high gear. It’s heartbreaking and grotesque, and yet amidst the ugliness there is salvation.

We all deserve love, despite our darkest flaws. And most of all we deserve to love ourselves, which at times can be the hardest thing to do.

“There’s a ticker-tape parade
Waiting for me in the park
Here’s the kicker, I can’t stay
I’m afraid of getting dark
Mood swings coming down
I’m alive
But I can’t see you now
‘Cause I afraid of what’s inside”

(verse from What’s Inside)

Song by Eve Fleishman. Image by Rich Gallego (Palmdale CA). Read more about What’s Inside in the exhibition book. You can also bid on the painting, with proceeds to benefit PeaceTones.

Here’s a video from one of my recent shows:

Eve sings What’s Inside

Each week I will feature one song and accompanying painting from my project, Peace or Drama, A Journey Through Music And Art.

In the spotlight this week is You Never Know.

The Curse of the Flat Tire!!!

I took my show on the road last week. Didn’t make much money, but sometimes the value of work is measured in different ways. Every year I volunteer to sing at the STOP Children’s Cancer Fantasy Event in Gainesville, Florida (my hometown). This fundraiser is dear to my heart, as the charity was formed over 25 years ago when my best friend Bonnie was diagnosed with leukemia. This year’s theme was Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy, so I added some rock tunes to my repetoire. I can’t tell you how fun it was to do “Hound Dog” and “Hard Day’s Night” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” while wearing a floor-length sequined gown!

Taylor (my accompanist) got stranded in Georgia with a flat tire, so we performed with no rehearsal and it went off without a hitch. The next night, we were to meet in Orlando for a music/art show at Timucua White House. Guess who got the flat tire this time? (Must be contagious.) I got it fixed and made it to the show, and once more we played “on the fly.”

I guess I have learned to always be ready to punt. You never know what adventures life has in store. I’m amazed at how often that phrase comes up: You Never Know! Now that I have a song with that title, I notice it all the time.

“You never know what may come
You never know who’s undone
You never know when they’ll run
Before I give up I might
Consider what’s going right
It’s not about all or none
Just goes to show
You never know”

(chorus from You Never Know)

Song by Eve Fleishman. Image by Sue Johnson (Gainesville FL). Read more about You Never Know in the exhibition book. You can also bid on the painting, with proceeds to benefit PeaceTones.

Here’s a video from one of my recent shows:

Eve sings You Never Know at Bellamy Road

Each week I will feature one song and accompanying painting from my project, Peace or Drama, A Journey Through Music And Art.

In the spotlight this week is Wounded By You.

There’s a nod to Shakespeare in the first verse – something about the slings and arrows of life in Hamlet’s soliloquy (which I had to memorize in the 7th grade).   I notice I’m more likely to succumb to the pain of bad habits and experiences if I spend too much time alone. When I get out in the world, those negative patterns tend to subside.

I’m in Florida right now visiting my parents, and today we took a sunset pontoon ride on the lake. My mom said, “What is it about water that is so soothing?” Then I looked over and saw a small frog taking a nap next to me on the ledge of the boat. I watched his leathery green skin as he breathed steadily. What was he dreaming about? The sounds of his froggy friends around the lake soon perked him up. Time to go be out in the world!

“I keep getting wounded by you
I can’t seem to avoid the arrows
Please leave me forever more
Close this open door
And let me go”

(verse from Wounded By You)

Song by Eve Fleishman. Image by Cathy Martin (Apex NC). Read more about Wounded By You in the exhibition book. You can also bid on the painting, with proceeds to benefit PeaceTones.

Here’s a video from one of my recent shows:

Eve sings Wounded By You at REV

Each week I will feature one song and accompanying painting from my project, Peace or Drama, A Journey Through Music And Art.

In the spotlight this week is I Only Cry at the Movies Now.

This song always makes me feel nostalgic. It’s one of the first I ever wrote. I was living in Houston at the time, having a strong desire to sing and not knowing what to do about it. My friend Tim proclaimed himself my manager and carted me down to the Mucky Duck open mic to perform poorly-executed a cappella renditions of Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” and The Sundays’ “Wild Horses” (does this bring anyone else back to 1997?).

I was just feeling my way here, realizing at age 26 that no talent scout was going to come knocking at my door. If I wanted to sing, I’d have to find a way to do it on my own. I didn’t have much self-awareness back then – didn’t realize how deep my connection to music was, even though I’d drive around town making up melodies and lyrics just for the fun of it. I never thought that anyone else would care to listen.

This song is about movies and it kinda feels like a movie itself. There’s plenty of drama, but the song is somewhat playful, too (maybe it’s the long-as-your-arm title). I got to perform this on the historic Ryman stage here in Nashville, and I reckon it doesn’t get any better than that.

“Now sometimes when I’m there at the picture show
Staring silently up at the stars
I imagine that maybe somewhere you
Are watching that same lonesome part
At the last of the credits
I always regret it
I want them to go on and on
‘Cause when they turn on the lights
It’s so hard to hide
Just how much I been carrying on”

(verse from I Only Cry at the Movies Now)

Song by Eve Fleishman. Image by Hilary Williams (San Francisco CA). Read more about I Only Cry at the Movies Now in the exhibition book. You can also bid on the painting, with proceeds to benefit PeaceTones.

Here’s a video from one of my recent shows:

Eve sings I Only Cry at the Movies Now with Wendy and Josh

Each week I will feature one song and accompanying painting from my project, Peace or Drama, A Journey Through Music And Art.

In the spotlight this week is Do You Remember.

I woke up this morning thinking about an old friend of mine who I haven’t connected with in quite awhile. It happens. We get busy in our day-to-day lives and don’t always have time to reach out. Sometimes we feel too tired to pick up the phone, even if it’s what we really need to revive us. I’ve had friends call in a state of distress, and by the end of the conversation we’re both laughing and feeling better. This is the beauty of friendship.

I’ve moved a lot in my adult life, and I’d like to believe I’ve got friends far and wide who think of me occasionally and smile. I can feel their good vibes across the miles and I hope they feel the same from me, even if we don’t get to talk all that often.

So here’s a song for the love of old friends!

“Do you remember when we first spoke
Was I a prophet or a joke
All I remember is your smile
The way that it warmed me all the while
But that was long ago
How was I to know
I would whisper in your ear today”

(verse from Do You Remember)

Song by Eve Fleishman. Image by Lori Putnam (Nashville TN). Read more about Do You Remember in the exhibition book. You can also bid on the painting, with proceeds to benefit PeaceTones.

Here’s a video from one of my recent shows:

Eve sings Do You Remember

Each week I will feature one song and accompanying painting from my project, Peace or Drama, A Journey Through Music And Art.

In the spotlight this week is I Know.

I’ve been waiting impatiently to talk about this tune. It’s such a happy love song and fits in perfectly with the emergence of Spring! And now I have such a wonderful story to tell about two love birds who came to my show last month – Jon and Jenny.

A week before my show at Triad Stage in Greensboro, I got an email from Jon with a special request: could he propose to his girlfriend at my show? Though we had never met, I immediately started concocting a plan.

On the night of the show, I asked Jon and Jenny to come up onstage (as if I had randomly selected them from the audience) to lead a sing-along on I Know.  Jenny had no idea what was coming – she was a great sport and had a lovely singing voice.  I then asked Jon if he wanted to dedicate this love song to anyone.  He got down on one knee and proposed. The crowd gasped! Jenny said yes and burst into tears!  They hugged, we cheered, then we sang this song in their honor.

Now if only I could figure out how to get them to go on tour with me and propose at every show….

“I Know, I know now what it means to be loved by you
I Know, I know now what it means to be loved so true
And I know when the birds sing in the sky up above
That they’re singing for me and my love”

(verse from I Know)

Song by Eve Fleishman. Image by Elizabeth Foster (Nashville, TN). Read more about I Know in the exhibition book. You can also bid on the painting, with proceeds to benefit PeaceTones.

Here’s a video of the proposal and song at my show:

Eve sings I Know with marriage proposal intro