Mom It Forward & BowlHer ‘09 Present Lifetime’s Summer Giveaway Sweepstakes!
July 19, 2009 by jyl johnson pattee · 244 Comments
Lifetime is excited to help you have a stylin’ and rockin’ rest of your summer. Enter here for a chance to win a sleek purple Lifetime edition 8 GB iPod Nano with Lifetime Digital engraved on the back. See The Fine Print section below for official Lifetime’s Summer Giveaway Sweepstakes rules.
Entry Requirements
To enter, you are required to do two things:
- Leave a comment, including your e-mail address.
- Post these messages on Facebook and on Twitter:
Going 2 @BlogHer in Chicago? RSVP 4 @BowlHer ‘09 party—Sat 7/25, 8 pm @ http://bowlher.com. PLS RT
Enter to Win @lifetimetv’s Summer GIVEAWAY Sweepstakes @ http://bit.ly/LcXKd PLS RT
Extra Entries
Take advantage of all the many fun ways to earn extra entries this week. Leave an additional comment for each.
- Join the BowlHer ‘09 Facebook Fan Page!
- Subscribe to the Mom It Forward Newsletter.
- Join the Mom It Forward Friend Connect (in right sidebar).
- Join the Mom It Forward Flickr Group.
- Join the Mom It Forward Facebook Group!
- Click here to join the Mom It Forward Facebook Page. (This is different than the group!)
- Request an Invite to the Mom It Forward Linkedin Group.
- Take the Summer of Service Challenge this week and comment on that post.
The Fine Print
Photo used with permission from Flickr. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. Void where prohibited. Lifetime’s Summer Giveaway is sponsored by Lifetime Entertainment Services. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. states & D.C. who are 18 or older. Sweepstakes begins 7/19/09 at 8:00 AM PST and ends 7/26/09 at 11:59:59 PM PST. All entries received after 7/26/09 at 11:59:59 PM PST will not be accepted. For full official rules and prize details, go to http://www.mylifetime.com/fun-games/sweeps/lifetimes-summer-giveaway-sweepstakes.Diane Birch Supports SOS Children’s Villages Through Her Music
June 5, 2009 by Diane Birch · Leave a Comment
I spent part of my childhood in Zimbabwe and feel a great affinity for the country, its culture and its people. SOS Children’s Villages is a remarkable charity that supports children who have been abandoned or orphaned (often through AIDS) and integrates them into a loving family environment. They are nurtured and supported by an SOS ‘Mother’ and other children in their SOS home, who become their SOS brothers and sisters. SOS Children’s Villages has expanded to almost 500 villages in 132 countries. It’s now the world’s largest orphan and abandoned children’s charity; in Zimbabwe alone, there are three villages that are helping children to build their own future.
When it came time to release my album I wanted to try and involve this wonderful charity somehow in our plans. By allowing people to host a widget on their own page or blog, every time someone buys the album, $1 is donated by my record label, S-Curve, in the host’s name to SOS (or one of the other charities on my website). I feel very privileged to have my songs released, but most importantly it has allowed me an opportunity to try and support children in a country that holds so many wonderful childhood memories for me and has served as inspiration for some of my music. I cannot thank you enough for your time and support. Oh, and I hope you enjoy the album too!
(If you’d like to support the Discover & Donate program, click “share” on the widget below, and click to publicize it to your online friends.)
Steve Greenberg on Producing Diane Birch’s Bible Belt Album
June 3, 2009 by Steve Greenberg · 1 Comment
Lots of people dream of writing the Great American Novel. When I first heard demos of Diane Birch’s songs, I realized she had the potential to record the Great American Album—and I signed her immediately. There was something simultaneously intimate and epic about Diane’s songs; something completely fresh and contemporary, yet utterly timeless. These songs mined so many of the richest veins of America’s popular musical heritage: from New Orleans R&B to Brooklyn doowop; from the Brill Building to 70’s Southern California singer-songwriters; from southern gospel to Philly soul; from the Velvet Underground to the Carpenters.
And so we set out to construct an album that would be worthy of such ambitious architecture, that would bring these songs to life in the manner they so richly deserved. Diane, co-producer Mike Mangini and I headed down to New Orleans and did some sessions with the great George Porter Jr. of the Meters on bass and the mind-blowing Stanton Moore on drums and percussion. That clanky rhythmic sound you hear on “Valentino”? That’s Stanton banging his drumsticks against a metal police barrier we dragged in from Piety Street. Back in New York, we enlisted the Patti Smith Group’s legendary guitarist Lenny Kaye, whose playing skills are rivaled only by his encyclopedic knowledge of all things pop, and bassist Adam Blackstone of the Roots, who brought on the funk. Miami soul queen Betty Wright was enlisted to produce Diane’s vocals, reuniting Mike, Betty and I as producers on our first album together since the first two Joss Stone albums.
Having laid down the foundation, we added glorious touches, such as the great tenor background vocals of Eugene Pitt, of the long-ago doowop group the Jive Five, and falsetto master Michael Longoria, who played the Frankie Valli role in Jersey Boys. We recorded a string quartet led by former Klezmatics violinist Alicia Svigals; and for horns, we brought in our old friend Tom “Bones” Malone, who showed up with Lenny Pickett and several other great players, alternately channeling the grit of southern soul and the sophistication of Bacharach-esque pop. For good measure, we even threw in a 30-piece orchestra on a couple of songs. And—why not?—a gospel choir.
But at the heart of it all were Diane’s brilliant songs, her incredible lead and background vocals and her virtuouso keyboard skills. She played everything from piano to Rhodes to Farfisa, and even played guitar on a song called “Forgiveness.” Among such esteemed company as her storied sidemen, it’s Diane who commands your attention for every moment of “Bible Belt”—an album title that reflects the intellectual struggles and theological evolution experienced by this daughter of a traveling preacher.
The “Bible Belt” album to me also functions on another level: As a love letter to the very idea of the record album itself—a form that has become, in recent years, an endangered species. And yet, that’s how Bible Belt is intended to be heard: Straight through, as an album with a beginning, middle and end. We hope that’s how we hope you’ll listen to it.
Regarding the Discover & Donate campaign, we put this together for several reasons. We wanted to offer something special to the people who committed to discover Diane’s music early on. But rather than doing something typical, we thought it would be nice to make a widget to help people easily spread the word about Diane’s music via their blogs or social network pages and have an added incentive to give a little something back. That’s why for anyone who makes purchase through the Discover & Donate widget, we’ll donate $1 to that charity.
Diane spent part of her life growing up in Zimbabwe and was drawn to support SOS Children’s charity. With so many issues in our world today, we thought that adding other additional charity involvement would allow those who want to spread the word, be able to promote a cause they also feel strongly about, too. We know that it’s just a small sampling of all the many great causes but hopefully, there’s something relatable to most people in the charitable choices.
Just $6.99 for 13 spectacular songs, and an opportunity to help a good cause while you’re at it. I’d call that a win-win.
Steve Greenberg is Founder and CEO of NY-based S-Curve Records as well as Chairman of social media platform Nabbr. Having held many posts throughout his music career, including President of Columbia Records, Steve’s achievements include producing Joss Stone’s first two platinum albums, discovering teen sensation Hanson and wing a Grammy Award in 2001 for “Best Dance Recording” for the mega-hit “Who Let The Dogs Out”
Steve is currently promoting his latest musical talent, soul-stirring songstress Diane Birch whose debut album Bible Belt he produced.
Make Some Music & Make a Difference This Week
May 31, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 6 Comments
Make a meaningful difference this summer by taking the Summer of Service (SOS) Challenge. Here’s how:
- Commit to do one act of kindness each week based on the week’s challenge.
- Leave a comment with ideas relating to the week’s challenge as well as your experience(s) performing it.
- Grab the SOS button at the bottom of this post and put it on your blog or social networking site.
- Enter to win each week’s giveaway. Check out this week’s music-related giveaway by clicking here.
- Join #gno to connect with other Mom It Forward moms about the challenge.
10 Ways to Make a Difference This Week
Here are 10 music-related ideas that will make a meaningful difference this week!
- Teach your children your three favorite childhood songs. Perform them for others.
- Play an instrument with your child or sign your child up for music lessons.
- Share your musical talent(s) with others—to friends or family, over the phone or skype to loved ones that live far away, to strangers: at a nursing home or to a homeless person.
- Dedicate a song on the radio, on Twitter, on Facebook, or on your blog to someone you care about.
- Share the gift of music with someone by sending them an iTunes gift card, a CD, etc.
- Find out your dad’s 10 favorite songs, download, and burn them onto a CD for him for Father’s day.
- Send a loved one a letter/message with the words to a song that sums up your feelings for him/her.
- Set a great tone in your home by playing music in the background.
- Make up stories about classical music (or other wordless songs) and tell them to your children as the music is playing.
- Dance with your children!
This week’s SOS Challenge is sponsored by Diane Birch and S-Curve Records. What else can you do to Make Some Music? How has Making Some Music for others made a meaningful difference this week?
RSVP for #GNO: We’re Talking Music With Diane Birch & S-Curve Records
May 31, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 4 Comments
#GNO is talking music in celebration of singer/songwriter, Diane Birch’s, record release Bible Belt from S-Curve Records. Join Diane and her producer, Steve Greenberg, along with the #gno gang here this Tuesday night.
- What: Girl’s Night Out (What’s GNO? Click here to find out!)
- When: Tuesday, June 2, 9-11 p.m. EDT
- Where: Tweet Grid (use #gno hashtag)
- Topic: Music
- Who: @dianebirch , @steviegpro
- RSVP: Enter your twitter URL/ID in the list below (e.g., http://twitter.com/jyl_momIF). If you would like to include your blog, please enter it next to your name. Make sure to include your twitter URL in the URL line. Please do not enter your blog URL there.
Remember to enter to win this week’s giveaway—an iPhone 8GB, a $50 iTunes gift card, and an autographed Diane Birch CD. Click here for details. Check out the widget here.
Giveaway—Win an iPhone 8GB, $50 iTunes Gift Card, & Autographed Diane Birch CD
May 31, 2009 by Jyl Johnson Pattee · 117 Comments
Mom It Forward has a summer full of fun giveaways planned and is kicking it off with the mother load of all prizes this Tuesday night, June 2. Sponsored by singer/songwriter Diane Birch and S-Curve Records, this giveaway not only gives you the gift of music, but also supports one of five great causes that you can read about here.
Giveaway Prizes
Three winners will be randomly selected to win one of these prizes:
- Grand Prize: iPhone 8GB, 2 Diane Birch concert tickets, an autographed Diane Birch CD
- First Place Prize: $50 iTunes gift card and autographed Diane Birch CD
- Second Place Prize: Autographed Diane Birch CD
Entry Requirements
To enter to win, you are required to do the following two things and leave a comment on this post by Monday, June 8 at midnight EDT, including a link to your blog or social networking site, your e-mail address, and information about your extra entries, if applicable:
- Write a post on your blog or social networking site about the concept behind the Discover and Donate widget.
- Post the Discover and Donate widget on your blog or social networking site.
To receive extra entries (for a total of three extra entries):
- Tweet about this giveaway, including this link: http://www.dianebirch.com/charity/index.php.
- Click here to join the Mom It Forward Facebook group.
- Post about this giveaway on your Facebook wall, including this link: http://www.dianebirch.com/charity/index.php.
The Fine Print
No purchase necessary to enter this giveaway. Winners will be selected randomly through http://random.org. Family members of Diane Birch, S-Curve Records employees, One2One Network, and the Mom It Forward team are ineligible to participate. All entries received after Monday, June 8 at midnight EDT will not be considered. Entries that do not follow all of the entry requirements will not be considered.
