Amie Penwell

Good Afternoon Everyone!

I offer you the video for my latest release Dogfight On The Moon Alex Wong Remix. I hope you enjoy it! Please share with others. It will be available for download in a few weeks!

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Cheers!
Amie

The day after my father died in 1985 I turned my will and life over to the care of the only God I would be able to trust for the next 20 years of my life. The God of music. My deity that morning was Prince, my chant, his song Purple Rain.

The strike of the first guitar chord hit like a flash flood. The progression guiding the flow of acute grief that had been deeply injected. A grief I still feel at times like the ache of growing bones. For that morning it gave me a path to follow. The melody, the build, the chord changes designated a place for me to realize what was happening. It gave me permission to fall apart. It allowed me to get lost, to hide and much later-resurface. The eight-minute opus wrapped up everything I was feeling. It was something I could bring into the blistering waiting room with me. When it was over, and the last cello note played out, I pressed rewind, rewind, rewind. I listened again, again, again.

I can see now, life was preparing me. Teaching me about different types of transitions, powerlessness, separations, side steps, leaps into the abyss. Though there is no preparation for the sudden death of a parent, ready or not came radical change, the power of loss, the demanding call of acceptance, and the tumorous weight of self-protection, and ultimately a choice. I could accept life on life’s terms- heal and grow, or self destruct, and die on the vine.
I was learning Music was trustworthy, consistent, it allowed me to grab on with a vice grip. It never complained, or asked me to let it go. It never asked me to stop eating donuts or Devil Dogs, or clean out the ash bowls from the incense I was so allergic to in the meditation room. It offered me a safe place to surrender and chant it’s many verses and chorus’s. Like Hinduism it had many faces and personalities to worship, and allowed me to explore my own. It was radical, rowdy, rebellious, rambling, raunchy, reminding, reuniting, renovating, and the greatest remedy for my troubled little soul. Song creates an instant temple, what ever occurs, where ever I am.

I learned something invaluable from Prince that morning. That being authentic and unguarded with in your craft is essential. He indirectly instilled some sort of future permission for me to draw upon the power of raw emotion without abandon, or shame and to use it creatively, match it with passion, honesty and experience, and interweave into a composition. He gave me a space to transition from darkness to light through transforming pain into art. I learned that through all of this, I could carry my faith in music with me, inside me where no one could touch it. It was mine. Prince did this in a song so beautiful, and pressing, that I still put on Purple Rain whenever I have a hard time remembering what my fathers hands looked like, or begin to doubt that he was ever really here. I will do the same thing now for Prince Rogers Nelson.

Hello From San Francisco California!

I appreciate those of you who wrote back with all your postive feedback about how you use my music in your days. That means SO much to me. Thank you!

It has been a creatively charged few weeks-in a great way. I am THRILLED we have made it to the $3,901 mark 72 Backers generousity. Thank you!! I trust the rest is on it's way from sources I can't see yet, but will arrive to get us to the $5,000 finishing line in the next 21 days and get going on this record with Ruslan Sirota, Todd Boston and Jeff Oster..

AHHHHHH I can't wait!!

I am on a very large momentum wave at the moment. I spent ALL DAY Sunday with one of my favorite collaborators Director/dear friend Matt Palazzolo. He licensed my entire last EP Under City Lights for his Web Series Bloomers, and created my last video for Somewhere The Sky Is Blue.

During our last video shoot Matt suggested I do a remix of my song Dogfight On The Moon, so I did with Producer Alex Wong. Dogfight is as dark as Sky Blue is light, but danceable and fun at the same time. We shot the video last Sunday all over San Francisco. He directed, I danced, lip synced, jumped up and down, and shot all sorts of scenerios in front of hundreds if not thousands of on lookers. We drank too many shots of espresso, talked about Justin Bieber, ate fresh pasta, and ended the day danceing at Baker Beach with a random kid from The Middle East.

My main call to action is your support in helping me get back into the studio. ANYTHING helps! I ask that you PLEASE share this Indie GOGO Campaign with at least 2 friends you think would like to contribute, and PLEASE share the link on you FB or Twitter pages.

(expired link) (This website won't let me make the link live) Please copy and paste..I know, a drag!

I need your help with keeping this momentum going for another couple weeks. You can't know how much I need appreciate YOUR support.

Love Amie

PS. It would have been my father Robert Dale Hosmers 77th Birthday on April 2nd. He died in 1985 at 46. In honor of him I planted a rose bush in my new yard. The first bloom came on his birthday- the same day as my Dogfight shoot. I'll took it as a loving wink..

Good Morning From San Francisco,

It is raining here. It is the first day of Spring. Spring is the time to move forward.

As some of you know, I am an independent musician, who works with 5 year olds. I base my own music success on the supportive listeners, possitve feedback from those who let me know how they use my songs in their day to day. I base my success by the work I create with talented musicians from all over the globe, but most importantly I base my musical success by where the process of writing and composing takes me. My whole life is in some way about my relationship with music.

Most of you may also know that there is no money in music anymore. Downloading and streaming have dried up any way sustainable way of supporting the music making process. Integrity is everything to me, so putting our half baked worked is not something i'm willing to do.

To give you a perspective- it cost me $3500 for each song recorded on my last EP Under City Lights. That doesn't even touch the design, manufacturing, or marketing, which adds up to another $10,000. It has taken me 4 years to pay off my credit card. Essentially I am paying you to listen to my music right now on this site, or Spotify, or Pandora. I got a check for $0.07 last month. $0.07!! It's a little humiliating and needless to say it is unsustainable.

That is why I am reaching out to my listeners for support.

Please consider supporting my Indie GOGO Campaign "Amie Penwel - On The Radar".
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If the 3000 listeners on this list simply pre-ordered a download, or a signed CD of the record, or for those with willingness and ability to contribute more- a skype session with me, a house concert, a song written especially for you, or dinner at my house cooked by yours truly, I would be able to get into the studio next month with Grammy Award Winning Producer Ruslan Sirota. I have a whole team of people who are contributing talents, time, marketing help, but what I need the most right now is backing. Backing from my listeners from all over the globe. That is you. This is the only way you will hear new music from Amie Penwell. Please consider. Please act.

With Love and Gratitude,

Amie

PS. If you got my email a few days ago, I am sorry for the repeat, but these are the outlets I have to reach out.

Hello!
Happy Autumn from San Francisco California. I hope you are wonderful!

I have an announcement- a request really...ok a pitch.. here goes.

Calling all listeners and fans of THIS independent musician. I have entered Guitar Center Singer Songwriter 5 (expired link) need YOUR support to make it happen! PLEASE..

(expired link) out the channel (follow link below)
2. Follow me
3. Share with your own social networks.
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THANKYOU!!!!!

On another note. I am finishing up the final touches of a remix of Dogfight On The Moon with producer ALex Wong. It is a MUCH harder version. I needed to explore further my desire to rock. I will be going to LA next month to shoot a video for it, I believe there will be drag queens involved, and If all goes well I will release it just after the new year.

On a possiblility of touring note..
If anyone would have any interest in hosting a house concert in your home, art space, outside area with electricity, invite 20-50 of your closest friends and family, and pass a suggested donations basket -we just may be able to come to you in the summer of 2016. Please write me if you are interested.

Again, I thank you for your continued listening, support, and sharing with everyone who may need this music.

amie

Hey Everyone!

A couple weeks ago I released a remix version of my song Somewhere The Sky Is Blue with Grammy Winning Producer Ricky Kej. It is still exclusively available for download and limited physical copy on CDBaby (expired link).

To support the release I flew to NYC to do my first US Television appearance on Ask BonBon. Here is the interview... I hope you enjoy!

If you missed my email last month, here is the link for video for Somewhere The Sky Is Blue.
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Thank you all for your continued listening, sharing support!!

AP

I am thrilled announce that my new single Somewhere The Sky Is Blue (remix) is exclusively available for digital download on CD Baby TODAY!!! Please take a listen, write a review, share with those who need it. Music is medicine.

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"Haunting, meditative, cinematic, eclectic, textured, epic. Somewhere The Sky Is Blue sounds like Florence and the Machine covering Peter Gabriel for a soundtrack to a film that opens with an aerial shot of Big Sur on a foggy morning. Like the best of Cat Power, Feist or David Gray, Penwell’s songs don’t pounce, they pull you in and stay with you long after you are done listening."
-Drew Pearce - New Music Weekly

Part 1 of a two part release Penwell starts us of with a Alternative Soul meets a New Age remix of her song Somwhere The Sky Is Blue. With a transformative production of East meets West, Amie Penwell has re-imagined and produced two new versions of her 2012 song Somewhere The Sky Is Blue, with Arrangements and Keyboards by Bangalore, India's Grammy Winning Producer Ricky Kej, Flute Master Butto, and Vanil Veigas on Santoor, along with an intimate live B side version featuring Bay Area Flugelhorn player Jeff Oster. Penwell is currently finishing up Part 2 with Producer Alex Wong (Vienna Teng, Amber Rubarth) on a Dark Dance Remix for her song Dogfight On The Moon.

For more information about Amie Penwell please visit
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State what you want. Dream big. Say it out loud. Ask for it. Let it go. Let it happen.. This is my story of Grammy weekend 2015, and the win of my friends Wouter Kellerman and Ricky Kej for Best New Age Album- Winds Of Samsara.

Over the past year, after reluctantly joining my SF Grammy Chapter, I began showing up to events, and meeting new, wonderful people in the music industry. Considerate people. Supportive people. It was the place I least expected to find that support. I know that sounds odd, but I expected pretension, attention deficit disorder, bloated egos, self-seeking and hustling. There is certainly some of that, but more of what I found was welcoming, interest, kindness, and a number of collaborative spirits. Ricky Kej was one of the first to welcome me online from India. Before long he was producing some of my material. Both Ricky and Wouter traveled to the US for meet and greets, while Grammy campaigning. We shared meals, music and became friends.

Ricky and Wouter released thier collaboration Winds of Samsara in October of 2014, hit number one on Billboard for several weeks, and got the Grammy Nomination for Best New Age Record. Wow! This was happening to my friends! I HAVE to go to the Grammy’s! But I was broke! BROKE!!

Grammy tickets sold out fast, but I resolved to at LEAST go to LA for the nomination party the Friday before the Grammy’s. I would give them both hugs and take a snap shot for the scrap-book, show up and support my friends. That was enough for me.

An online friend, and last years Grammy Winner Jennifer Gasoi reached out and suggested I simply ask the Grammy community if anyone had an extra ticket. In my mind I couldn’t afford it anyway, so I probably shouldn’t ask..but my gut said ASK!! So I asked!

I repeat! State what you want. Dream big. Say it out loud. Ask for it. Let it go. Let it happen!

I let it go and began the planning, scraping up of funds, I prayed, I freaked out, I kept planning. I booked a room, I trusted, I relaxed. I began a new job, gave notice on my home. A couple weeks later, Jennifer contacted me telling me she found me a ticket. It would be $400.00 and I had to act fast. I ended up being invited to share the day with Jennifer and her friend Jordan Buetow, who also contributed to the Winds of Samsara project. Life was showing off..

I got my weary ass ready on a Thursday, drove the 400 miles alone to Hollywood, slept in a cheap hotel, ate pizza and crashed by 9:00 pm, before making my way to the air B&B in downtown LA. I settled in, I glammed up, fought an hour of traffic on the 2 mile trek down skid row on 7th Street, before arriving to Jennifer and Jordan on a hectic, city street corner. Meeting for the first time in person, I felt immediately connected and comfortable, relieved, and giddy. I told them how sorry I was, that I needed to swear a lot and breathe for a bit to decompress from the traffic. Jennifer looked at me with a straight face and began spouting profanity “fuck, fuck, fuck, penis, fuck, bitch, fuck”. I loved her instantly. I was with my people.

We headed over to Ricky and Wouter’s party, arriving to a line of 600 people, where we quickly saw the loving, exited, anticipating, familiar faces of El Cerrito Studio owners Kenya and Oscar Autie. They were in matching red outfits. They have the most wonderful Cuban accents and are some of the loveliest people I know. We followed Jennifer’s lead to the front of the line and slid past the bouncers and through the side door.

Walking in to a crowded, SWANK, frenzy we were greeted by Wouter’s manager Tholsi Pillay and Ricky’s stunning and funny wife Varsha Kej, both good friends of all of ours. All faces overwhelmed, bodies dressed to the gills, lot’s of adrenaline, all of us had VERY little sleep. Wouter and Ricky in the corner, lights and cameras shining upon them for 4 hours straight. This kind of success is a marathon..let me repeat this kind of success is a MARATHON!!! Wouter took a photo with every single person in that room. All 600 of us. He never broke his smile..He was in his element.

Greetings, hugs, loud chatter, open bar, photo flashes, face recognition from Facebook, compliments, awkward exchanges, photos, photos, and more photos…Glam, glam and more glam. EVERYONE trying to get to Wouter and Ricky. I slid into the little VIP section to sit and watch. Sitting and watching is always my favorite thing to do. Jennifer, Jordan and I all drinking bottles of extra spicy ginger beer, and plotted the next leg of the night, which ended up being a slow jammed up trip to Hollywood for a surprise meeting with Scott Healey (Conan O’Brien’s keyboard player and over all cool guy) for late night french toast at Mel’s diner, where we listened to the jukebox and talked about marriage.

24 hours later I am in my little air b&b vintage trailer that was placed inside a 6000 sq ft loft, NOT sleeping due to the huge loud raging party going on above me. 2:30 in the morning, Radiohead blaring I resigned to look blacked eyed, and puffy for my big Grammy day beginning in 5 hours. Yes, Grammy day is also a marathon. I was up at 8, in full makeup by 9, seated for the pre telecast ceremony, where 79 awards are given by 12 noon.

Regardless of my lack of sleep, the flow was with us all day. The transitions were easy, the vibe was simple, fun, buoyant, light. I felt great in my outfit. Fake lashes and smokey eye makeup helped my “up all night” look. The shoes were uncomfortable, but fabulous. The dress was deep red and just stretchy enough. The company I was with was perfect. We ran into Ricky and Wouter 2 minutes before the ceremony began, and went on to sit down with Dave Gross, who had graciously saved us seats. We took photos, marveled at the lights and stage, THIS MOMENT! I took a breath and allowed myself to be, to feel, to see and take in where I was. I was at the Grammy’s, and wierd AL had just walked by me. My friends from India and (expired link) were about to take the trophy. The New Age category was the first to be announced. “And the Grammy goes to …..Winds of Samsara!!!!”

“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY”!!!!!

We all leapt up, howled, rejoiced and listened to our friends express gratitude and joy. We in THAT moment watched their whole lives change. We were there to bear witness to this magical, deliriously happy occasion. I was there, REALLY there! and I felt my own life shift with them.

After the long ceremony, we opted for a quick bite before the big concert at Staples Center. I scarfed down a bowl of meatballs, before we went to find our seats. We settled in, and enjoyed the behind the scenes of the show. LL Cool J telling us to go crazy when the cameras came on, to keep our cell phones off, 5, 4, 3, 2 , and we’re live! AC/DC, pyro technics, contrived moments, the embarrassing, dis-respectful bullshit of Kanye Meow- Meow, The mediocre country performances, the many glitches and bad production mistakes, the great performances of Annie Lennox, Jeff Lynne, Beck and Chris Martin. The

sheer joy of taking off my 6 inch heals, the drama, the lights, the spectacle!

We left a few performances early to get food at the after party before anyone else, the magic of walking into one ethereal environment after another. We gorged, danced to Jessie J for a few. Ate more, rested. One by one, my friends from all over the globe collected on the side of the room, Jordan Buetow, Jennifer Gasoi, Ricky and Varsha Kej, Wouter Kellerman, Tholsi Pillay, Grant Malloy and his wife among others, in our now tattered Grammy finest, danced in a circle to the live performances of Gloria Gaynor and celebrated this INCREDIBLE community. This OUTSTANDING victory. This moment..this MONUMENTAL moment.

State what you want. Dream big. Say it out loud. Ask for it. Let it go. Let it happen..

Hello, and Happy New Year!

Let me begin by thanking you for subscribing, welcome, and I hope where ever you are reading this from on the planet, you are doing okay-more than okay..I hope you feel safe, fulfilled and happy.


2014-for me was a frustrating year of clearing out a lot of garbage from my life-almost giving up on music entirely, and coming back round to what is absolutly essential for me...writing, and music. A few months back I filmed this video for other artists. Former morning DJ @ MVY Radio Laurel Redington Whitaker had the idea of doing a monthly talk about difficult parts of the creative process, and how to walk through them. The site called Positive Underground. The talk in the video below is about reinstating a sense of creative purpose. I humbly offer up my state of uncertainty and willingness not to know the how and when of it all- in hopes of making way for clarity..which is now beginning to make it’s arrival these few months later…It takes what it takes.

for some brighter news, I am off to LA for Grammy week in early February. I recorded a new version of my song Somewhere The Sky Is Blue with New Age/ World Music Producer Ricky Kej, who is nominated for Best New Age Album with Wouter Kellerman for their collaboration Winds of Samsara. I am blessed to call these two men my friends. I look forward to seeing them get the award they deserve. I am finishing up the video edit and will release the track in March. Ricky and I are working on new genre bending material- and hopefully being of service through music...

Let's just make a decision right now, that 2015 is going to bring us all what we need..and what we want..I love it when the two meet.

amie

Hello!!

Welcome! Thank you for swirling in my pool of sounds!!

How is everyone? I want to hear ALL about it! Really, I do!

I come to you from my living room rocking chair, on a semi cloudy day in San Francisco. I have a cold, some hot tea and a mellow soundtrack going in the background (Native American Flute) to be exact. Truth be told..i'm a bit stir crazy, and feeling a little disconnected from my creativity. I logged onto N1M and see that people are not only listening from the far reaches of my own world-Moscow, Aukland, NYC, Liverpool, Texas, Berlin, Montreal (just to name a few) and feel....more connected. Thank you. You really have no idea how much that means to me.

I am sitting on 6 new songs, ready to record, but I am trying to come up with ideas on how to raise the money to do it. I'm thinking of an Indigogo campaign to raise eonough for a modest project..modest being around Fifteen thousand bucks, (video included) which for me as a woman who works with children feels like a million right now...

So as fans, subscribers, listeners and supporters...I am asking...do you have any ideas? Would any of you support in any way me making more music? Without the support of the friends and listeners the best I can do are simple piano/vocal versions with no production and home made videos like this one. I am in $17,000 in debt to making Under City Lights via my record company...(my Visa credit card) I can't do that again..Marriages suffer the making of indie records.

I need ideas. I need help. I need your support.. I'm ALL ears!!

Here is a video of my last performance for Letting Go Is How To Keep in Martha's Vinyard at a Teen Center called Alex's Place.

I hope you enjoy!

Love and Joy to you All,
amie

Penwell wins Best Performance award from West Coast Songwriters for a solo rendition of her song Dogfight On The Moon June 2014.

Hello Everyone!

It's been a while since I checked in-I kind of check out over the holidays and finally feel like I have something to report to you all. Thank you for signing my email list. I promise not to send you too much.

I want to start off by saying thank you for helping my music chart here on Number One Music. Last Decembers Dance is at #14 and Dogfight On The Moon is #20, with something like 40,000 listens. Thank you!

I went on a solo investigative mission to LA this weekend to do research on the Grammy’s, to meet my new producer Ricky Kej live and in person. I needed to see for myself from an objective distance what the whole thing was about, and who I was committing to make a record with over the next year. I was overwhelmed and on the fly, with no real plan other than a strong gut instinct and to find my way to some much needed clarity. To find out if it was worth the process of entering the popularity contest with my next record.

Greeted by a new friend from South Africa-a Flute player named Wouter Kellerman. Lovely, kind and generous with his time and connections. He invited me to join he and a few friends at an intimate dinner party at the family home of guitarist Ciro Hurtado, where we joined artists from four continents. Composer/Pianist Catherine Marie Charlton, Peruvian band Union Cinema, Producer Rupam Sarmah, and Producer Ricky Kej both from India. It was an exceptional evening of conversation, and food, where by the end of the night each person shared a piece of their music. We all sat with quiet respect to each artist around the table. No selling, just sharing. To be an artist at this table was a pivotal moment for me when Ricky played our newly produced version of my song Somewhere the Sky is Blue. The best way for me to gauge my success has been the mirror of other artists. I was with my people. This was worth the trip alone.

The Grammy hoopla was what I expected. A sort of preaching- to -the -choir- style payed to participate parties, meals, and concerts designed to help networking-though most of the real communication and business happens in cars, hotel hallways, and small meals shared in the quiet homes of generous hosts. It was hype, hype and more hype. My new friends from all over the world were in a constant state of running from one loud party to the next on their Grammy marathon, running at a sprinters pace, trying to eat well enough, get a few minutes of sleep here and there, and find their way through the maze of the LA facade and taking pictures to prove to you all it happened. By the time the actual concert happens everyone is pretty wiped out and ready to go home, the spectacle another endurance test.

My dear friend percussionist Alberto Lopez won a Grammy last year with his band Quetzal. I inquired over dinner what the perks were in the year following his win. He explained he received more respect, better paying gigs, opportunities to teach at prestigious schools, and when someone is on the fence about hiring him to record a project-the Grammy title seals the deal more times than not. Ok. That’s real.


The following day I arranged to spend some time with Ricky Kej to discuss our project. Ricky is a busy Mother Fucker. BUSY! The kind of person who has two cell phones going at one time and 9 plates spinning. He is funny, smart, VERY tall, and always in a beautifully tailored suit. He is an exquisite producer, a good conversationalist, honest about his experience, free with his thoughts and laughs a lot. We drove around LA for hours discussing the differences of our countries, outmoded systems, the second class nature of how women are treated, his deep love of Metallica and fast food. By the end of our time together I felt the clarity I came for. I dropped him off in studio city, got a latte, put Rage Against the Machine on 10, and drove the 8 hours up the 101 to my beloved husband in my city by bay….

To see Photos go to (expired link)

Happy New Year to you all. Please pass along the tunes to those you think could use them. Thanks again for your time and listening! As always feel free to write me. I don't believe in artists being any less accessible than your local plumber.

amie

Other places to find my music on the web.

Website: (expired link)
WATCH: Youtube (expired link)
LIKE: Facebook (expired link)
FOLLOW: Twitter (expired link)