THE PAST DIDN'T GO ANYWHERE

5/19/2009

SINGER, SONGWRITER, PUNDIT!? ANI ON AC360

CNN’s Anderson Cooper spoke with Ani this past Friday on AC360 about the ongoing struggles for democracy in Burma, and specifically about the status of Aung San Suu Kyi, the democratic opposition leader currently under house arrest. You can watch the interview on the AC360 Daily Podcast here, Ani’s segment is about 18 minutes in.
Aung San Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize recipient, is currently on trial for allegedly breaking the terms of her detention which was scheduled to end this month. If convicted she can face five years in jail. To learn more about what’s happening in Burma, and how you can help, visit the US Campaign for Burma.
In 2004 the US Campaign for Burma arranged for Ani to visit refugee camps there and learn first hand of the countries struggles. Learn more about Ani’s trip to Burma in her photo gallery here.

5/14/2009

RIGHTEOUS BABE DECLARES JULY ‘JON STEWART’ MONTH

Last night on the Daily Show, Jon Stewart let the world know his lack of love for poetry…despite having a knack for rhyme himself. But after shaking his fist at White House Poetry Jams he mentioned how much he was looking forward to June which he declared is now Ani DiFranco month! (ok, he said Annie DiFranco but we’ll overlook the mispronunciation) You can check out the Daily Show clip here.
Since we love a good rant (even at our expense), and, well, cause we think he’s damn funny, us folks at Righteous Babe Records are calling for July to be declared Jon Stewart month.

5/13/2009

ROCK STARS’ CARS & GUITARS 2 AT THE HENRY FORD

Looking for a dose of culture in your life? Starting May 16, the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan appeals to the rockers in all of us with their new exhibit “Rock Stars’ Cars & Guitars 2.” Featuring more than 20 cars and over 50 guitars, the show includes one of Ani’s own acoustics on display along side axes from Jimi Hendrix, Gene Simmons and Alice Cooper and cars from Elvis Presley, Sheryl Crowe and Soundgarden.
“Rock Stars’ Cars & Guitars 2” is on display through September 7, tickets and more information are available online here.
And if you can’t make it to Dearborn, then why not give your local history or art museum a second look…a lot has changed since that fourth grade field trip.

5/6/2009

NEW OFFICIAL BOOTLEG RELEASE – SARATOGA, CA 9.18.06

The latest release in the Official Bootleg Series takes you to the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California. On September 18, 2006 the Little Folksinger took the stage with Todd Sickafoose (upright bass) and Mike Dillon (percussion and vibes) and spirits were high. Now you can relive the joy with 19 tracks of pure live bliss including the first Official Bootleg recordings of “Studying Stones,” “Coming Up,” “Red Letter Year,” and “Star Matter.” Reserve your copy now, only available in the Righteous Babe Store!

4/30/2009

NEW ANI SHOW ADDED IN PITTSBURGH JULY 8 – TICKETS ON SALE TOMORROW!

The spring tour is winding down but there are still plenty of chances to catch Ani and the band this summer! A new date has just been added to in Pittsburgh, PA at the Rex Theatre on July 8. Tickets go on sale through Ticketmaster.com tomorrow morning (May 1) at 10 am through ticketmaster.com. Check out the tour page to catch an Ani show near by you!

4/21/2009

MORE LIVE ANI FOOTAGE ONLINE! NATGEO GEO SESSIONS POSTED!

Still can’t get enough live Ani to see you through to the next concert? No worries - National Geographic recently posted Ani’s exclusive Geo Sessions performance on the web here. Recorded at a private taping in DC last May and posted in two parts, stream over 20 minutes of concert footage (including “Smiling Underneath,” “Subdivision” and “As Is”) and interview footage with the Little Folksinger herself.

4/20/2009

ANI LIVE FROM ARTISTS DEN ON MSN.COM

Looking for something to check out online to kill a little time? Hulu’d out? Tired of sifting through countless amateur YouTube vids? On Sunday MSN.com posted segments of Ani’s Live from the Artist Den, here. Watch live performances of “Present/Infant,” “32 Flavors,” and “Red Letter Year” along with some great interview clips and more (with limited commercial interruption). Enjoy!

4/15/2009

ANI’S ROCKIN’ THE RECORD STORE (IN MAINE)

For all of you in the New England area (more specifically, in southern Maine), there will be a rare in-store appearance with Ani this Friday, April 17 in Scarborough, Maine! Prior to her show that evening at Merrill Auditorium in Portland – and in honor of Record Store Day (which is the following day) - Ani is taking time out for a performance and interview with WCLZ, recorded in front of a studio audience at Bull Moose Music. This historic event starts at 1pm; Bull Moose’s Scarborough store is at 456 Payne Road. If you can’t make it out on Friday, tune in or log on to hear the interview and performance on WCLZ a little past 3pm Eastern Time.

Just a reminder – Saturday, April 18 is Record Store Day – support your local independent record store. To search for a store and events near you, click on the following link: Record Store Day

4/2/2009

WIN TICKETS TO AN ANI SHOW NEAR YOU – NEW DATES ANNOUNCED

Feeling Crafty? Head on over to the Righteous Babe Store and put your creative energies to work for you! We’re holding a Righteous Babe Egg Dyeing contest and the grand prize is a pair of tickets to an Ani show near you! (Some restrictions apply, free tickets are not available for festivals or special events). That’s right, just for expressing your inner most righteous babe in egg form you could win a free pair of tickets to see the Little Folksinger, what do you have to lose? But hurry, contest ends April 10th!
Think Ani’s not coming near you? Don’t be so sure! We’ve added lots of new Summer dates, from California to Baltimore, so check the tour page for the latest presale information and we’ll see you at the shows!

3/20/2009

ROTHBURY FESTIVAL TICKETS ON SALE TODAY

It’s the first day of spring…which means it the perfect time to start planning for the summer music festival season!
Ani will be performing at the Rothbury Festival at the JJ Ranch in Rothbury, MI on July 5, tickets go on sale today (click here). In addition to the little folksinger, the weekend fest (July 2 – 5) includes performances by The Dead, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, The String Cheese Incident and tons more performers to get your body moving in the sun! Check out the line up here.

Keep your eyes on the tour page in the coming weeks for more summer tour date announcements (including some more festivals and west coast dates) and hang in there…summer’s coming.

3/19/2009

ANI TO PERFORM AT PETE SEEGER’S 90TH BIRTHDAY AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

Sunday, May 3rd folk legend Pete Seeger turns 90 years old and there’s gonna be a huge sing-a-long at Madison Square Garden to celebrate!
Ani will be there, along with over 40 other great musicians including Pete Seeger (of course), Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder, John Mellencamp, Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Ben Harper, Emmylou Harris…well you get the idea, so just head on over to seeger90.com to get the whole line up. This may not be a full Ani DiFranco live set (if it was this would be a 40 hour show…), but it’s bound to be a once in a lifetime music event that you won’t want to miss!
Tickets go on sale Monday, March 30 at Ticketmaster.com ticketmaster.com, all proceeds raised will go directly to The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, an environmental organization that Pete started back in 1966 to help clean up the Hudson River.

3/16/2009

ANI DIFRANCO’S ARTIST’S DEN PREMIER ON NYC PUBLIC TELEVISION

As we’ve previously reported, last July Ani and her band transformed the oldest art museum in America into a once in a lifetime concert venue - the setting was beautiful, the small, lucky crowd was exuberant and cameras were there to document the energy.
Tune in to the public television series “Live from the Artists Den” in March to see the private concert recorded in Philadelphia at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Folks in the Big Apple can catch the premier on Thursday, March 19 at 10pm.
To watch a sneak peek and check local listings, visit
TheArtistsDen.com.

3/5/2009

LISTEN TO ANI ON WNRN

Before hitting the stage in Charlottesville yesterday, Ani visited WNRN studios for an interview and performance. Burning questions are answered: Do we hear wedding bells? What’s going on in the lobby of Ani shows? What’s life like in New Orleans? Check out the latest news in the little folksinger’s life, not to mention an acoustic performance of Red Letter Year’s “Alla This”, and a brand new unrecorded song (which was banned in Singapore?) “Promiscuity”, by tuning tuning in here. And keep your eyes on YouTube for video from the interview to come.

2/27/2009

TOSHI REAGON JOINS ANI ON MARCH TOUR

Toshi Reagon is jumping on the March Tour bus in Asheville, NC as a special guest for the last half of Ani’s March tour! We just can’t say enough about Toshi’s incredible talent so instead of trying check out her videos on the Righteous Babe Records YouTube channel. Click here for tour dates and tickets.
This follows an appearance at Carnegie Hall (yup, THE Carnegie Hall) on March 4 for “Honor: Blues, Jazz Rhythm and Blues, Soul and Beyond” with Ashford & Simpson, Doug E. Fresh, MC Lyte, Terence Blanchard, Vernon Reid and more. Tickets are available for the special event by clicking here.
On top of that, Toshi recently wrote original music and text for the all-female dance troupe, LAVA's latest show “we become” (you can still catch the end of their three weeks of performances by March 1 at the Brooklyn Lyceum).

2/20/2009

LIVE ANI TRACK ON ARTISTS DEN CD COMPILATION

Live from the Artists Den: 1 hit stores last Tuesday, featuring exclusive live tracks from the folks who will appear on the new public television series…this includes Ani, whose performance of “Present/Infant” was taken from the intimate concert filmed at the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts last May. The CD also features Alanis Morissette, Aimee Mann and Ingrid Michaelson – check it out exclusively at Barnes & Noble and iTunes. For more information on ‘Live From the Artists Den’ public television series visit TheArtistsDen.com.

2/10/2009

SINGING THROUGH THE HARD TIMES: A TRIBUTE TO UTAH PHILLIPS

Who can’t relate to “Singing Through the Hard Times” these days? That is folk music, the passion of our friend Bruce “U. Utah” Phillips life, and we’re happy to bring this tribute, celebrating the songs that Utah sang and loved, to the people.
Artists including Emmylou Harris & Mary Black, Ani DiFranco, Pete Seeger and Rosalie Sorrels lend their voice to the two-disc collection – folksingers whose music springs from the same rich vein of the people’s history that Phillips chronicled throughout his life. Learn more, get a sneak preview and reserve your copy before it hits the stores February 24 by clicking here.
All proceeds from the sale of the album go directly to Utah’s family.

2/6/2009

NEW SHOW IN INDY, SECOND SHOW ADDED IN DC!

We just can’t keep those tour horses in the stables; Ani and the band have added two more dates in March and April!
Due to popular demand a second show has been added at the 9:30 Club in Washington DC on Saturday, March 7. This show will feature special guest Chad Stokes (State Radio, Dispatch).
The tour bus will move on down the line to Indianapolis on April 29 for a performance at the Murat Egyptian Room. Special guest in Indy will be the always rockin’, always hilarious, hardest workin’ man in show biz; Hamell on Trial.
Tickets for both shows are on sale now so
click here to get your seats.

1/30/2009

PASTE EXPOSES THE OBJECT OF ANI'S AFFECTION

Paste Magazine starts the February 2009 feature story “Object of Their Affection” by recalling the 2006 Golden Globe speech of novelist Larry McMurtry (Brokeback Mountain):
“Instead of acknowledging the usual suspects—mom, dad, husband, wife, agent, stylist, Jesus, etc.—McMurtry made the following statement: ‘Most heartfelt, I thank my typewriter. My typewriter is a Hermes 3000, surely one of the noblest instruments of European genius.’"

Following this theme the story goes on to feature musicians and the loves of their lives – their favorite instruments.
Although Ani has a virtual army of guitars, she tells us about one of her favorites named "Smoky"—a gift from our very own fearless leader, Scot Fisher.

Be sure to check it out on newsstands—or on
Paste's Official Site.

1/29/2009

STATE RADIO’S CHAD STOKES JOINS ANI’S MARCH TOUR

Chad Stokes (State Radio, Dispatch) is joining the first half of Ani DiFranco’s March US tour as a special guest. Reading Chad’s bio seems to be giving me a bit of deja vu…let’s see; independently releasing albums, endless touring, building a grass roots following, socially conscious music, registering voters at shows…Welcome to the bus! Chad will be performing solo but be sure to check out his band, State Radio, here.

1/21/2009

ANI’S LETTER TO OBAMA IN MS. MAGAZINE

As we celebrate the changing of the guard in DC, Ms. Magazine prepares to release its Winter 2009 issue featuring President Obama on the cover, with letters to our 44th President from dozens of feminist icons across the country. Ani’s voice is included in this list along side such influential women as actress Kathy Najimy, Kim Gandy (President, NOW), and Margaret Cho. Check it out on a news stand near you January 27.

1/9/2009

NEW MARCH & APRIL ANI TOUR DATES!

In the spirit of partying like its 2009, Ani is taking her band up and down the eastern United States this March and April (don’t worry west coast, she’ll get there) – and as part of our ‘don’t forget to have a good time’ resolution we invite you to get your tickets before the general public! Check out the tour page for the complete list of dates and pre-sales!

1/6/2009

PBS IN SAN FRAN, NASHVILLE AND WV TO AIR LIVE AT BABEVILLE!

More PBS Stations across the country are adding Ani’s Live at Babeville concert to their schedule for the New Year. On Jan 7 fans in San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose area can catch the show on KRCB; Charleston/Huntington, WV on WPBY; Bluefield/Beckley/Oak Hill, WV on WSWP; and Clarksburg/Weston, WV on WNPB. Fans in Nashville should tune into WCTE on Jan 14. Check your local listings for details!

12/5/2008

ANI PERFORMS AT WALL STREET JOURNAL

During Ani’s stop in New York City this November she visited the Wall Street Journal café to sing a few songs, now you can see the performances on their website here. Check out live versions of “Present/Infant” and her new song “November 4, 2008” for your viewing pleasure!
In these times, Wall Street could use a few more folksingers.

12/4/2008

"NOVEMBER 4, 2008"

On November 4, 2008 the nation celebrated the election of President Obama, including Ani who did what she does best; put her feelings into song. Those of you who caught one of her November concerts have heard her joyfully sing the new song, and we couldn’t wait to invite the rest of you to hear it. Watch "November 4, 2008" live from her sold out concert at Babeville on 11/29/08, or check out the solo version captured on video by Animal in her dressing room. Either way it’s a winner!

11/25/2008

LIVE AT BABEVILLE PBS BROADCAST - MORE CITIES ADDED!

The PBS broadcast of Ani DiFranco's Live at Babeville DVD has expanded to include upcoming broadcasts on KTPS in Wichita, KS (Saturday, November 29 at 8pm Central Time) and on WNED in Ani's own hometown of Buffalo, NY (Monday, December 1 at 8pm Eastern Time).

Sit down with those Thanksgiving leftovers and enjoy a musical feast!

11/20/2008

ANI DIFRANCO ITUNES ORIGINALS

An exclusive, career-spanning Ani compilation is now available on iTunes, featuring six new live versions of tunes like “Every State Line” and “Smiling Underneath,” a pile of insightful interview snippets and several classic cuts. Click here to get 'em.
You can download individual songs, or get the whole kit and kaboodle for $9.99, which is about the price of a movie ticket these days. So let’s weigh your options. On the one hand, you’ve got Ani DiFranco iTunes Originals. On the other, you’ve got Beverly Hills Chihuahua.

11/19/2008

LIVE AT BABEVILLE ON PBS

In September 2007, Ani celebrated the grand opening of Babeville – her completely renovated performance space in Buffalo, NY – with a pair of spirited, sold-out shows. Now the resulting DVD of those performances, Live At Babeville, is scheduled to air on PBS stations across the country, including Cincinnati, OH; Lexington, KY; and Eureka, CA (check your local listings).

Also, the PBS/Channel Thirteen On Demand Service will air the concert November 15 through December 14, through iO Digital for Cablevision in New York City. Viewers can access the program on channel 502 or on the main menu.

Watch Ani and her band firing on all cylinders, and see why home is where the art is.

11/15/2008

AUSTRALIAN DATES ANNOUNCED!

A cluster of down-under Ani shows have been announced! See the tour page for details.
Like the 1983 TV miniseries The Thorn Birds, Ani’s tour will be set against a wild Australian backdrop, and will focus on the forbidden love between a young girl and her family’s priest. Well, maybe not that last part.

These shows are only a portion of the full Aussie tour; additional dates will be announced soon.

11/13/2008

NOVEMBER SPECIAL GUEST CHANGES

You may have noticed some changes to the special guests on the upcoming November tour... Unfortunately, due to personal reasons, Pieta Brown had to cancel a few of the shows she was opening for on Ani’s November tour. Luckily we have our favorite one-man-punk band, Hamell on Trial, warming up the crowd in Syracuse, Red Bank and Poughkeepsie and Erin McKeown in Wilkes-Barre and Boston. Pieta is scheduled to jump back on the tour as scheduled in New York City. For the latest tour news, visit the tour page here.

10/24/2008

LIVE FROM AMSTERDAM - ANI AND FRIENDS AT PARADISO

If you’re a fan of Righteous Babe artists and are hungry for some live performances, get ready to gorge yourself on a triple-decker club sandwich of goodness, courtesy of Amsterdam’s Fab Channel.

Monday, October 27’s triple bill of Ani, Hamell On Trial and Anais Mitchell will be streaming live from Amsterdam’s Paradiso stage on the channel’s website:

Click here to watch Anais Mitchell (around 2:40pm EST): www.fabchannel.com/en/aniais_mitchell_concert/2008-10-27/

Click here to watch Hamell on Trial (around 3:05pm EST):
www.fabchannel.com/hamell_on_trial_concert/2008-10-27/


Click here to watch Ani (around 3:45pm EST):
www.fabchannel.com/ani_difranco_concert/2008-10-27/

Our stomach’s already growling.

10/21/2008

PIETA BROWN ON TOUR WITH ANI IN NOVEMBER

When Star Trek: The Next Generation first aired, there was some skepticism from the Trekkie faithful. How could this new show compare to the original? And what is Whoopi Goldberg doing there?

Singer/songwriter Pieta Brown has something in common with Jean-Luc Picard and crew. The daughter of folk legend Greg Brown has silenced the skeptics since the release of her debut album in 2002, carving out a delightful niche of her own. When she opens for Ani on her November tour (check out the tour schedule here), you’ll see why the BBC called her, “a self-styled poetess, folk goddess and country waif.”

Music fans, engage.

10/7/2008

ANI ON NPR’S “ETOWN” THIS WEEK

If you’re a regular, workaday Joe Six-Pack, nothing makes you happier than an evening curled up in front of the radio, mug of Ovaltine in hand, polar bearskin rug at your feet, listening to some great American music. So you don’t want to miss "Etown" on NPR, airing from October 8-14. This broadcast will be Part II of a concert taped at the Temple Buell Theater in downtown Denver, in conjunction with the Democratic National Convention.

The concert features performances by Ani, David Crosby & Graham Nash, James Taylor, Irma Thomas and Tom Morello – dare we say a roster of musical mavericks. You can find a participating station near you right here.

9/30/2008

ANI VIDEO ON BILLBOARD.COM

It’s Red Letter Year release day, kids! And what better way to celebrate than checking out an exclusive Ani interview/performance originally recorded for billboard.com? In the four-minute clip our fearless leader discusses her latest collection of songs, and plays a solo version of one of RLY’s most tender cuts – “Way Tight.” Like the experience of hearing a new Ani album for the first time, this clip is way rad. Watch for a second clip to be posted on billboard.com soon.

9/25/2008

COME TO THE NINTH WARD FOR A RED LETTER YEAR LISTENING PARTY!

For folks in the Buffalo area (or those of you inclined to visit) – RBR will be hosting a very special listening party for Red Letter Year on Tuesday, September 30 from 6:30 – 9:00pm. Come on down to Babeville, listen to the new Ani release and check out the newly-opened Ninth Ward! We’ll have refreshments and a cash bar, contests and free stuff for all of our friends of RBR. In addition, we will be selling copies of Red Letter Year as well as tickets to Ani’s performance in Asbury Hall on November 29.

Hope to see you at our place! The Ninth Ward is located in the basement of Babeville at 341 Delaware Avenue at the corner of West Tupper Street in downtown Buffalo, NY.

9/22/2008

CHECK OUT ANI'S DAYTROTTER SESSION, LISTEN FOR FREE.

Ani recently stopped by the recording studio run by DayTrotter.com, a website dedicated to sharing indie rock performances that you can’t find anywhere else. During her session, Ani cut versions of two tracks from her forthcoming record, Red Letter Year, as well as the Imperfectly chestnut “Coming Up” and the Revelling/Reckoning anthem “Subdivision.”

You can download all of these performances here, and don't forget Red Letter Year hits your favorite indie store on September 30, and it is cooler than the love child of James Dean and Miles Davis.

9/11/2008

SNEAK PREVIEW OF ANI’S RED LETTER YEAR

iMeem is featuring Ani’s new studio album Red Letter Year! Stream the full album at www.imeem.com and hear what it sounds like when Ani takes two years to let an album develop! Once you hear it we know you’re going to want to reserve your copy – and we’d love to send one along to you, starting Friday, September 12 you will have your chance to pre-order the CD at the Righteous Babe Store(and get 20% off everything else in the store when you do!).
So make this a Red Letter Year and enjoy!

8/26/2008

ANAÏS MITCHELL/RACHEL RIES EP COMING OUT ON SEPT 2

If you ever want to make somebody your super-BFF times infinity, touring across the U.S. together is a good way to go about it. That’s what happened to like-minded singer/songwriters Anaïs Mitchell and Rachel Ries, who would often perform on stage together during their joint tour, adding harmonies and instrumental accents to each other’s tunes.

So it comes as little surprise that country e.p., a five-song collection of Mitchell/Ries songs, will be released on 7" vinyl and CD come September 2. According to Mitchell, “It’s a snapshot of our friendship – a chance to make music together and to honor some of our friends while we’re at it.”

See the two artists perform together on their upcoming tour, including a September 12 in-store gig at the brand-new Newbury Comics in Boston (North Market Place building at Faneuil Hall).

Making beautiful, DIY music together – that’s what friends are for.

8/15/2008

LISTEN TO ANI’S CITY ARTS & LECTURES INTERVIEW TODAY!

Today (Friday, August 15) at 1pm EST, WNED-AM 970 will air Ani’s conversation with Rolling Stone’s Michael Azerrad. Michael interviewed Ani in front of a live audience on April 9, 2008, as a part of the City Arts & Lectures series in San Francisco, CA in celebration of the recent release of her collected book of poetry and artwork entitled Verses. Our local Buffalo, NY friends can listen live on WNED 970AM, or anybody, anywhere can stream the interview by clicking here!

8/8/2008

ANI PERFORMS AT ETOWN DURING DNC

Ani DiFranco will perform four songs solo at a special Etown show on August 26 at the Buell Theater in Denver, CO as part of the Democratic National Convention. James Taylor, David Crosby & Graham Nash and more will also be performing. Etown is taped in front of a live audience, then rebroadcast nationally on NPR, community and commercial stations around the globe (date to be determined). Tickets go on sale Tuesday, August 12, check etown.org for details.
Ani returns with her band to Denver for a full concert on Saturday, September 27. Tickets for the Paramount show are available at tickethorse.com.

8/5/2008

ED HAMELL GOES BLOG-WILD

He’s a fearless, award-winning performer, perpetual road warrior and the bleeding heart Godzilla to Ann Coulter’s Mothra. Now you can add “prolific blogger” to Ed Hamell’s magnificently unconventional resume. The always-incisive, ever-hilarious commentary from the man behind Hamell on Trial can be seen on three different blogs – for the online magazine Blurt, CMJ's website and his own site, hamellontrial.com. You can subscribe to the latter site, and get the latest Ed-umacated observations via e-mail.

Ed’s new DVD / CD deluxe package, Rant & Roll, is out now, making some folks laugh and sing, while others feel very, very uncomfortable.

7/30/2008

AN ANI CONTEST JUST FOR MOMS

Interested in an all-expense-paid trip to see Ani in New York City this November? Feel like sharing your thoughts on parenting in an essay, photo or work of art? Hate it when people write everything in the form of a question?

Well, you’re an ideal contestant for Mindful Mama magazine’s “What does it mean to be a mindful mama?” contest.

Click here for info on the contest and an exclusive video interview with Ani, in which she shares her thoughts on motherhood, the birth of her daughter and the presidential election.

7/21/2008

ANI’S NEW STUDIO ALBUM, RED LETTER YEAR, COMING OUT IN SEPTEMBER

Ani’s last album was released in 2006, which kinda feels like a decade ago, given her tendency to spoil us with an album (or two) a year. But never fear, DiFrancolytes, for a brand new Ani record will be released on September 30, 2008. It’s called Red Letter Year, and it’s more than worth the wait. These 12 songs have benefited from a couple years of tender loving care, under the watchful eye of Ani and her co-producer/partner Mike Napolitano. If you’ve caught an Ani show recently, chances are you’ve been treated to a couple of ‘em. This is focused, layered, joyful music, starring the Little Folksinger, her inventive three-piece band and a cavalcade of guest musicians.

“I feel like I’m back again,” Ani shares. “I’m out in the world and back in my happy self, ready to have a party.” Come September, she’ll be passing out the ultimate party favor.

6/24/2008

ED HAMELL’S RANT & ROLL THREAT LEVEL: RED

If you’re late to the raving-mad-anti-establishment-comedy-storytelling-guitar-string-punishing-folk party that is Ed Hamell – or his nom de plume Hamell On Trial – have we got a package for you. On July 8, RBR releases Ed’s deluxe CD/DVD Rant & Roll, which captures his incomparable one-man show “The Terrorism of Everyday Life” and takes you on the road with the provocative, hysterical, potty-mouthed troubadour.

The CD captures Ed’s Herald Award-winning “Terrorism of Everyday Life” show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, including a story about how he pissed off John Lennon, an advertisement for a glutton-friendly restaurant called “The Trough,” the tale of his near-fatal car accident, and explorations of what happens when parents who did drugs have inquisitive kids.

The DVD mixes footage from the Edinburgh show and a gig at Babeville, along with interviews, off-the-cuff road segments, DIY animation and Hamell’s own cartoons.

Reserve your copy ofRant & Roll today. It would be un-American to do otherwise.

6/18/2008

GET A FREE PASS TO ANI’S “GEO SESSIONS”

You might think it would be totally tubular to see three Ani shows in a month. Well, we’ve got a proposition that’s even tubular-er – when you buy tickets to three Ani gigs on the July 7-16 leg of her summer tour through Righteous Babe Records, we’ll hook you up with a free pass to Ani’s July 8 “Geo Sessions” in Washington, DC (a limited number of passes are available - first come, first served).

The intimate show will air on Nat Geo Music, National Geographic’s 24-hour music channel, which is devoted to exploring all forms of music and examining the different cultures that inspire them.

On top of this once-in-a-lifetime event, you’ll also receive a free tour t-shirt and a commemorative laminate (that’s right, a laminated piece of paper, just for you).

“This seems too good to be true!” you might exclaim. Well, there is one downside. The National Geographic folks require that you wear shoes in their studio – clearly a result of Big Shoe’s stranglehold on the mainstream media.

For details on this limited time offer, move your concert-going arse [here].

6/10/2008

ANI GUESTS ON NEW DR. JOHN RECORD

On Dr. John’s new album, City That Care Forgot released June 3, the pen is mightier than the sword, and the piano is royally pissed at FEMA. Ani contributes to this New Orleans rock legend’s star-studded ode to his hometown – listen for her guitar and backing vocals on the title track, along with guest appearances from Eric Clapton, Willie Nelson and Terence Blanchard.

6/3/2008

KIMYA DAWSON SET TO OPEN FIVE SHOWS FOR ANI

As of this writing, the pharmaceutical industry has yet to create a drug that treats post-Independence Day depression (if they did, we recommend calling it “Freederol” or “Ameritrex”). In the meantime, Kimya Dawson should work just fine.

See the co-founder of The Moldy Peaches open for Ani on part of the July leg of her tour including July 11 in Richmond, VA, July 12 in Florence, MA, July 13 in Hyannis, MA, July 15 in Danbury, CT and July 16 in New York City.

Her sweet, homemade “anti-folk” songs were the heart and soul of the movie Juno – they should help you get that sour Lee Greenwood taste out of your mouth.

Visit the Ani tour page for more info.

5/28/2008

REGINA SPEKTOR TO PLAY WITH ANI IN PHILLY

Regina Spektor is to Ani DiFranco as Martin Van Buren is to _____________?

A. John Tyler
B. James K. Polk
C. William Henry Harrison
D. Millard Fillmore

Answer: C
Spektor, a Russian-born, NYC-based singer/songwriter, is opening for Ani at her July 9 show at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia – just like President Van Buren warmed up the nation for William Henry Harrison from 1837-1841.

For tickets to see Ani and Regina kick out the jams, Whig Party-style, visit ticketphiladelphia.org.

5/28/2008

ANI TAKES OVER THE WORLD (CAFÉ).

On Friday, May 30, you can hear Ani perform a 45-minute set, live on NPR’s World Café. If there was ever a time for her to brainwash our children with satanic subliminal messages, this is it.

The show is broadcast live on WXPN 88.5 FM, starting at 7:00 p.m. Ani will perform from 8:00-8:45 p.m.

The full line-up:
Newton Faulkner: 7:30-7:50 p.m.
Ani: 8:00-8:45 p.m.
The Hold Steady: 9:15-10 p.m.
Dr. John: 10:30-11:30 p.m.

The show is archived at worldcafe.npr.org, so you’ll be able to play it backwards and decipher Ani’s attempts to raise the Dark Lord from his eternal slumber.

5/27/2008

BRUCE “U. UTAH” PHILLIPS (1935-2008)

We are deeply saddened to report the passing of a close friend & fellow worker. Utah Phillips, a storyteller in the grand tradition of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, died in his sleep on May 23, 2008. Over the course of his career, Phillips was an inexhaustible performer, stressing the values of oral tradition more than the permanence of the recording studio. Each time he collaborated with Ani on an album (1996’s The Past Didn’t Go Anywhere and 1999’s Fellow Workers), it was a rare, absorbing treat.

Utah’s musical legacy supports the argument that life experience makes for the best art. His songs are informed by his Steinbeck novel-esque past, including a stint in the Korean War, a resulting period that found him riding the rails, trying to make sense of the devastation he had witnessed, a discovery of causes he believed in (pacifism and workers’ rights) and a bid for the U.S. Senate.

Utah Phillips will always be known as “The golden voice of the great American Southwest.” And like the precious metal in his nickname, Utah’s legacy will only become more valuable as time carries on.

His family requests memorial donations to Hospitality House, the homeless shelter Phillips started in 2005:

Hospitality House
P.O. Box 3223
Grass Valley, CA 95945
(530) 271-7144
hospitalityhouseshelter.org

For more information on Utah click here.

5/19/2008

SPECIAL ANI PHILADELPHIA PROMOTION ANNOUNCED

Buy a ticket this week for the July 9 Mann Center show and you might get a chance to attend a Super Secret Ani DiFranco Show.

Purchase tickets to Ani's July 9 show at the Mann Center before 11:59pm EST on Monday, May 26 and enter a drawing to attend an intimate, invitation-only performance by Ani at a super secret location in Philadelphia. The performance will be taped for the Ovation TV series, “Live from the Artists Den,” presented by Grey Goose Entertainment. Twenty lucky people will be invited to the private show, which will take place Thursday, May 29, and you can even bring a friend! We will email the winners details the week of the taping, and they will be added to the guest list.

Rules:
Promotion is limited to one invitation per person, plus one guest. You and your guest must be 18 or older to attend. Travel and accommodations are not included. To enter simply purchase a ticket for the July 9 Ani DiFranco show at the Mann Center at any authorized ticketing outlet. Your email address will be collected upon purchase. Then send an email with your name, age, street address, daytime phone and email address to contest@righteousbabe.com before 11:59pm EST on Monday, May 26. If you have already purchased a ticket you are still eligible – simply email the same information to us at contest@righteousbabe.com. One entry per email address.

5/13/2008

ANI ON MOUNTAIN STAGE

All the folks who made it to the March 3 Mountain Stage concert witnessed a rare combination of Ani and her band, moe., Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Paul Kelly, and George Stanford each playing a handful of songs for an enthusiastic Athens, OH crowd. Now listeners across the country can hear what transpired on that stage during the Mountain Stage radio show! The show will air between Friday, May 30 and Friday, June 6 (depending on the station). To see if it will be broadcast on a radio station near you click here. Once you know the radio station, make sure you don’t miss the show by calling to get exact air date and time.

5/9/2008

“PRESENT/INFANT” VIDEO POSTED FOR MOTHER’S DAY

Something for all the Righteous Baby Mama’s on Mother’s Day!
Ani DiFranco’s new DVD, Live at Babeville, features this previously unreleased track "Present/Infant." Inspired by her daughter, Petah Lucia, this song is sure to be included on her new studio album release, Red Letter Year, coming this fall. In the meantime enjoy the motherly glow of Ani with her band on the stage of Babeville in Buffalo, NY.

5/8/2008

ANI AND FAMILY GRACE THE COVER OF MOTHERING MAGAZINE

Time to hit up your local newsstand, the May – June issue of the “natural family living” magazine, Mothering, features an in depth interview with Ani. Find out about Petah’s birth and the changes she has made in Ani’s life. With beautiful family photos taken especially for the story, this is your introduction to Ani the mom - who just happens to be one heck of a little folksinger!

5/8/2008

SING OUT! MAGAZINE COVER GIRL, ANI DIFRANCO

Folk music magazine, Sing Out!, features a cover story about Ani in their Spring 2008 issue. Focusing on the release of her 2-disc retrospective Canon and her poetry book Verses, this story shows the many faces of Ani throughout the years, her independent journey and her current bliss. Just for fun there’s some talk about her previous collaboration with the purple one too (that’s Prince, not Barney). As an added bonus, Sing Out! includes the sheet music to “Studying Stones” so break out your guitars and capos!

4/22/2008

ANI’S JUNE TOUR DATES

The April tour is winding down, but come June the party starts back up again bringing Ani and the band (Todd Sickafoose on bass, Allison Miller on drums, and Mike Dillon on Vibes/Percussion) back to the West Coast including Salt Lake City, Flagstaff, Las Vegas and Anaheim. With special guest Martyn Joseph starting the shows off with his unique brand of passionate acoustic songwriting from the UK, these shows are sure to folkdafy your summer. Check out the tour page to find out how to get your tickets!

4/15/2008

CELEBRATE RECORD STORE DAY APRIL 19

On Saturday, April 19 independently owned music stores across the US and Canada will celebrate Record Store Day. Over 350 indie music stores will participate in a celebration of the culture and unique place indie record stores occupy in their local communities and nationally with special sales and events including in store performances, signings, contests and more. We love our indie record stores, they’re still one of the best places to learn about new music, and to show our support a bunch of stores have some Righteous Babe goodies for their customers. To see who’s celebrating near you check out RecordStoreDay.com and support your indie record store!

4/11/2008

TOSHI FEATURED ON LIZZ WRIGHT’S THE ORCHARD

Toshi Reagon has been keeping busy, recently collaborating with Lizz Wright on her latest release, The Orchard. This album has received rave reviews from a sundry of entertainment outlets including the LA Times and the NY Times. Together Reagon and Wright co-wrote 6 out of the 12 tracks. Variety Magazine wrote "The Wright-Reagon works have a distinct pliability to them: Some could be easily beefed up for Beyonce or Alicia Keys to interpret and others could be shrunk and sound like John Lee Hooker in the early '60s." For more information on The Orchard click here, and stay tuned for Toshi's new studio album coming soon on Righteous Babe.

4/9/2008

WATCH ANI LIVE ON RBR WEBCAST FROM RENO 4/10

That’s right, if you can’t catch Ani’s show in Reno at the Lawler Event Center in person (which is the best way to experience Ani), then park yourself in front of your computer screen and tune in to our first exclusive live webcast! All you have to do is click here, on Thursday, April 10 at 9pm PST (that’s 12 midnight EST) and enjoy the show! Remember this is LIVE so set your alarms so you don’t miss a note!

4/8/2008

ANI FEATURED IN CITY ARTS & LECTURES SERIES

The Palace of Fine Arts will host an interview of Ani DiFranco by Michael Azzerad (author of critically acclaimed best sellers Come As You Are: The Story of Nirvana and Our Band Can Be Your Life, writer for Rolling Stone, Spin) tomorrow, Wednesday, April 9 in San Francisco. Tickets for the event have officially sold out but don’t hesitate to call the box office (415) 392-4400, or show up tomorrow in case there are any last minute openings or no-shows. Although there is nothing like being there in person, the interview will be taped for broadcast, one time only on August 3, on over 170 Public Radio Affiliates. Click here to learn more about City Arts & Lectures and find out if the interview will be aired in your town.

4/1/2008

ANI IN CONVERSATION W/ SUSAN FALUDI IN L.A.

Folks living in the city of angels have a unique opportunity to watch Ani chat with Pulitzer Prize award winning author Susan Faludi (The Terror Dream: Fear and Fantasy in Post 9/11 America, Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women) as part of the Hammer Forum Series on Thursday, April 3. Moderated by journalist Laura Flanders (author and host of RadioNation on Air America Radio), the women will discuss current social and political issues at the Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum. Tickets are free, first come first served, available only at the box office at 6pm (one hour before event start time). It’s the perfect prelude to Ani’s performances at the Orpheum Theatre on Friday and Saturday! For more tour information, keep your eyes on the tour page.

3/25/2008

THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH ANI DIFRANCO

Tune into NBC on Wednesday, April 2 to catch Ani and her band on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno! Just a day before the April West Coast tour kicks off, the band warms up with this late night performance. Check out the Tonight Show website for your local times and channels.

3/18/2008

PREORDER LIVE AT BABEVILLE

On September 11 and 12 of 2007, Ani DiFranco took the stage for the first time at her very own venue, Babeville. Now highlights from both nights are captured on one DVD, including bonus footage! This is Ani in action: backed by her new touring band (Todd Sickafoose on bass, Allison Miller on drums and Mike Dillon on vibes and percussion), playing new arrangements of songs from every phase of her career, including a couple so new they haven’t appeared on studio albums yet, and blowing the roof off the place in the process.
Preorder your copy of Live at Babeville at the Righteous Babe Store for $16 and receive 20% everything else in the store (same order only - sale ends March 31). Live at Babeville hits an indie record store near you on April 1.

3/14/2008

ANI SIGNS ON FOR WORTHY CAUSES

Fans attending Ani’s Birmingham, AL performance this Saturday will have a chance to enter a raffle for an autographed copy of Verses to benefit the Alabama Birth Coalition. The Alabama Birth Coalition is trying to get legislation passed that would legalize Certified Professional Midwifes in Alabama. Right now, women who want home birth in Alabama have to do one of three things: drive to a neighboring state that offers legal recognition, hire a midwife who risks prosecution and whose training may be questionable, or birth unassisted. So before you stand in the long line for beer before the show, visit the Alabama Birth Coalition table and buy a raffle ticket for your chance to win and support a great cause.
Not going to the show in Birmingham? You can still support a great organization and place your bid on a beautiful Alvarez guitar autographed by Ani and a personalized copy of Verses. The Institute for the Musical Arts (IMA) in Goshen, MA was co-founded 20 years ago by June Millington, the guitarist for the all-female band Fanny, to ensure that girls and women have access to all aspects the music business, especially performance. IMA is raising funds to complete their new recording studio with special auctions on eBay. The auctions began March 8 (International Women's Day), and new items will be added periodically throughout March and into April. Ani’s Alvarez acoustic/electric guitar is scheduled for auction between March 20 and 29. The personalized copy of Verses is scheduled for auction between March 28 and April 6.

3/13/2008

ANI SPEAKS IN NASHVILLE

Citizens of Music City, (Nashville, TN that is), not only can you get your ticket to see Ani DiFranco and her band perform at the Ryman Auditorium this Friday, March 14, but now you can enjoy an interview with Ani earlier that day.
At 1pm Ani will be at the Davis-Kidd Bookstore (2121 Green Hills Village Dr.) for an on stage interview with Rebecca Bain of NPR News Nashville. The event is free and open to the public, up to 400 people, first come first served. Ani’s poetry book, Verses, will be available for purchase, including a limited number of autographed copies.
Keep your eyes on the tour page for the latest tour dates and interviews for your chance to spend some time with the little folksinger.

1/22/2008

ANI'S WINTER TOUR BACK ON TRACK

After a couple of days rest Ani and her band are ready to hit the stage again starting tonight in Providence, RI at Lupos Heartbreak Hotel. The rest of the Winter Tour will continued as scheduled, check out the tour page for upcoming shows. There is no news on the make-up dates for Asbury Park and Concord yet, but we’ll keep you posted. Thanks for all the well wishes!

1/21/2008

CONCORD, NH 1/21 PERFORMANCE POSTPONED

We regret to report that the performance tonight, Monday, January 21, at Capitol Center has been postponed. Ani is still feeling under the weather, and although we hoped she would feel well enough to perform tonight, unfortunately we were wrong. Please join us in wishing Ani a speedy recovery, and continue to stay tuned or check the Capitol Center website for details on a make-up date. Once again, sorry for the inconvenience.

1/19/2008

ASBURY PARK PERFORMANCE 1/19 POSTPONED

Ani DiFranco's performance at the Paramount Theatre tonight, Saturday, January 19, has been postponed due to illness (acute laryngitis) on doctor's orders. Ani should be ready to continue the Winter tour as scheduled on Monday, January 21, in Concord, NH after a few days rest. Stay tuned for details on a make up date in Asbury Park, NJ or check Concerts East for additional information. Sorry for the inconvenience!

1/8/2008

NEW BOOTLEG FROM HAMBURG, GERMANY RELEASED!

You may not know it, but Ani has been playing schnell and hast for quite some time now. Of course, the words schnell and hast are German for “quick” and “fast,” a tempo that is certainly embodied in Ani’s brand-new Official Bootleg, Hamburg, Germany- 10.18.07. The release of this double-disc marks the second overseas bootleg we’ve released and boy, Europe has never sounded so good.

Featuring Todd Sickafoose on bass and Allison Miller on drums, Hamburg, Germany- 10.18.07 brings you two unreleased tracks (“Landing Gear” and “Alla This”), rare live performances of old classics (including “Grey”, “Independence Day”, and “Little Plastic Castle”), and of course, the ever-hilarious, irreverent commentary between songs from the Little Folksinger.

This particular bootleg contains so much goodness that it needed two discs to hold it all. The album is available starting 1/8, and like all of the Official Bootlegs, it is only available through our very own Righteous Babe Store. Check it all out here.

1/7/2008

THE ANSWER IS IN THE INTENTION THAT LIES BEHIND THE QUESTION

Have you ever wished that you could ask Ani a question and get the real response, right from the Little Folksinger’s mouth? Well, thanks to the good folks over at Venus Zine, you can! Venus Zine, a fabulous magazine that focuses on the wonderful works of women in “music, art, film, fashion, and DIY culture” is featuring a call and response piece where Ani will answer YOUR questions in both the March issue of the magazine and on the magazine’s website.

So send your questions over to feedback@venuszine.com by January 10, and maybe you’ll see your own question answered by Ani.

1/4/2008

A VERY TOSHI JANUARY

We’ve got some great news for all of you Toshi-starved Babes in the Big Apple. The new year brings a bunch of great things to look forward to, such as a presidential election, the ever-exciting Olympic games, and a cavalcade of very special performances by our very own Toshi Reagon.

First up, Toshi will be making an appearance at the New York Guitar Festival on January 12. The main purpose of the Guitar Festival is to “explore the universal significance of the guitar” by featuring over 25 performances by over 60 fantastic guitarists, all with their own unique styles of guitar-playing. This free event seeks to honor the legendary Bob Dylan and will rock out under the glass atrium of the World Financial Center’s Winter Garden. Toshi will be performing at this event alongside other prolific artists such as Belle & Sebastian, Marshall Crenshaw, Oakley Hall, and Jesse Harris. Click here for more information on what promises to be an awesome event.

And if that’s not enough to satiate your need for Toshi, you can catch her at her annual birthday celebration at Joe’s Pub in NYC. Boasting an ambitious four-night show schedule, you’ll have plenty of chances to catch this Babe live. Starting Thursday, January 24 and playing through Sunday, January 27, this is an event that should not be missed. For tickets, call (212) 967-7555, and for more information, check Toshi's official site.

So start the new year off on the right foot and treat yourself to any of these very special Toshi Reagon performances. We’ll see you at the shows!

12/21/2007

SPEND NEW YEAR'S EVE WITH DENNIS KUCINICH, HAMELL ON TRIAL, TODD SICKAFOOSE AND SPECIAL GUESTS!

Start your new year off right with Righteous Babe’s very own Hamell on Trial, Ani’s bass playing comrade Todd Sickafoose and other special guests as they join Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich’s “Resolution for Peace: A New Year’s Concert for the Community” on Monday night, December 31 at the MCAM TV-23 Studios in Manchester, New Hampshire. This special event is open to the public, will be televised live on TV-23 and will stream live on www.kucinichtv.com. Both Dennis and Elizabeth Kucinich will speak at the concert, which is being held in Manchester, NH to emphasize the plight of the homeless in the area. Click here to learn more and get your tickets. Space is limited, so don’t miss your chance to bring in 2008 feeling inspired!

12/13/2007

EVEN MORE ANI TOUR DATES FOR 2008

You keep asking for more shows, and in the spirit of the holiday we can’t help but keep giving! We’ve added a ton of dates in March and April; all you have to do is click here to get the latest information! If you don’t see your city on the latest list of stops don’t despair, there are sure to be more stops to come; check back to the tour page for the most up to date information.

12/8/2007

SEE ANI IN CONVERSATION IN NEW YORK CITY

For folks in the New York City area, take a break from your holiday run around to enjoy a rare opportunity to see Ani DiFranco in conversation with Anthony DeCurtis (think “Live From the Actor’s Studio” but about music…). Anthony DeCurtis is a contributing writer for Rolling Stone, The New York Times and other publications, and the author of In Other Words: Artists Talk About Life and Work and Rocking My Life Away: Writing About Music and Other Matters. Catch it at Kaufmann Concert Hall (1395 Lexington Ave) on Sunday, December 16 at 7:30p – click here for tickets and more information. Student Discount: Get $10 tickets by entering the code "UNIV" during check out. All proceeds go to benefit 92nd Street Y.

11/29/2007

PLAY IT AGAIN SAM – ANI’S CONAN APPEARANCE RE-AIRS TOMORROW!

The writers are still on strike, but never fear, some reruns are worth watching. This Friday, November 30, you can catch Ani’s most recent appearance on Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Originally aired on October 3, 2007, Ani performs “Both Hands” with her band; Todd Sickafoose on bass and Allison Miller on drums. Late Night with Conan O’Brien airs on NBC; check their website here for your local schedule.

11/21/2007

NEW ENGLAND TREATED TO ANAÏS’ FOLK OPERA

Anaïs Mitchell is one busy woman; touring in support of The Brightness, putting the finishing touches on an upcoming country EP with Rachel Reis, she even performs in an '80’s cover band called Sputnik. Somehow she has still found time to put together another run of her acclaimed folk opera Hadestown (to get a sneak peek listen to “Hades & Persephone” on The Brightness). Based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, last winter’s Hadestown performances sold out, so don’t wait to get your tickets – just click here for more information.
Hadestown schedule:
11/29 Barre Opera House, Barre, VT; 11/30 Paramount Theater, Rutland, VT; 12/1 Bellows Falls Opera House, Bellows Falls, VT; 12/2 Somerville Theatre, Somerville, MA; 12/6 Dibden Center for the Arts, Johnson, VT; 12/7 McCullough Student Center, Middlebury, VT; 12/8 & 12/9 Higher Ground, S. Burlington, VT

11/20/2007

LETTING THE CELL PHONE RING – ANI RINGTONES NOW AVAILABLE

Sprint, AT&T and T-Mobile Networks are now carrying Ani DiFranco ringtones. Choose from portions of “Slide,” “Shameless,” “Evolve,” “The Diner,” and the new recordings of “Both Hands,” and “Overlap” from Canon. To purchase a ringtone all you have to do is text message the keyword: Ani to 32852. So take that phone off vibrate, change that factory installed midi-style ringer, and make getting calls on your cell phone a musical experience.

11/15/2007

KUCINICH JOINS ANI IN NYC SUNDAY

On Sunday, November 18, lucky ticket holders to Ani’s sold out performance at Town Hall in New York City will be treated to a presentation by Democratic Presidential Candidate and Ohio Congressman Dennis Kucinich. And we can’t make any promises, but maybe he’ll shake his stuff on stage with Ani again; apparently Boston audiences learned the presidential candidate plays a mean shaker.
If you don’t have your tickets for this Sunday, or to get a sneak preview, you can check out Rep. Kucinich from Ani's Boston performance last Friday here.

11/13/2007

ATTENTION CANADIANS: ANI’S ON THE HOUR

To all our friends in the great white north (specifically Canada and some lucky folks in the northern US, such as Buffalo) – set your TiVo’s. This Wednesday, November 14 Ani DiFranco is interviewed on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos (don’t ask me how to pronounce it…) on the CBC at 11pm. The Hour is a national current affairs show on the CBC; George dissects timely issues one-on-one with some of the most influential and popular figures from politicians to musicians and actors, and more. Click here for more information.

11/13/2007

ANI’S 2008 WINTER TOUR

Can you believe that 2008 is just around the corner?! We can; as a matter of fact we just got a whole lot of reasons to get excited for the New Year and want to share them with you:

Ani and the crew is hitting the road again, including Todd Sickafoose on bass, Allison Miller on drums and some vibes and percussion from Mike Dillon. You can get your tickets before the holiday rush, just click over to the tour page to see where, when and how to get your tickets!

Bring on the New Year!

11/7/2007

ANI’S BOOK TOUR

Now that ‘poet’ is officially added to the long list of hats that Ani wears on any given day (singer/songwriter/guitarist/preservationist/mom…) she’s making a little time on her November tour to focus on her book, Verses:

Tuesday, November 13 at 1pm
Wordsmith Bookstore
141 East Trinity Place, Decatur, GA
Free and open to the public--250 spaces, first come-first served.
Ani will read and be interviewed by Dr. Rebecca Hyman, professor of English and Feminist Studies at Oglethorpe University in Atlanta.

Friday, November 16 at 1pm
Busboys & Poets Bookstore at All Souls Church
1500 Harvard St. NW, Washington, D.C.
Free and open to the public--400 spaces, first come-first served.
Ani will read and be interviewed by Louise Green, the social justice minister of All Souls Church.

Sunday, November 18, 3pm
Bluestockings Bookstore at Judson Memorial Church
55 Washington Square South, New York, NY
$10 Click here for tickets: —350 spaces, first come-first served. All proceeds benefit Bluestockings Bookstore.
Ani will read and be interviewed by. T. Cooper.

All readings/interviews will last approximately one hour.

11/6/2007

ANI JOINED BY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE DENNIS KUCINICH AT HER BOSTON & ASHEVILLE SHOWS!

Ani’s performances November 9 in Boston and November 11 in Asheville will feature a presentation by Democratic Presidential Candidate Dennis Kucinich. Ani’s November tour is dedicated to promoting clean, sustainable energy solutions to the climate change crisis and opposing the construction of new nuclear power reactors. Rep. Kucinich will address these issues and announce his new proposal to launch the Works Green Administration, which will put millions of Americans to work developing and implementing “green strategies” for alternative fuels development, energy conservation, research and technology, and the retro-fitting of homes, businesses, and government facilities to make them more energy efficient.

Partial proceeds from Ani’s November tour dates benefit Nuclear Information Resource Service (NIRS) and their work to ensure a nuclear free and carbon emissions free future. To join in the effort to prevent the legislation of $50 billion of taxpayer subsidies for the construction of new nuclear power reactors in the US, please visit nirs.org
You can also visit NIRS information tables at all of Ani’s November shows.

For tickets and show information visit the tour page here.

10/23/2007

ANI'S THE ARTIST OF THE DAY ON MANIATV’S DAILY INDIE

Tonight at 7pm EST get in front of a computer and tune in to ManiaTV's Daily Indie. Ani DiFranco is the Artist of the Day which means you’ll catch her ManiaTV interview and the video for “Both Hands”. ManiaTV is the first Internet television network and runs programs focusing on music, comedy and Hollywood…kinda like MTV but they actually play music videos! If your internet connection is down tonight, or you simply have other plans, don’t fret, you can catch Ani DiFranco on Daily Indie reruns October 25 and 27, and November 2 and 4 at 7pm EST.

10/18/2007

EXCLUSIVE ANI AOL SPINNER PERFORMANCE

On Friday, October 19 Spinner.com’s “The Interface” will start running an exclusive Ani performance and interview recently recorded in the AOL studios in New York. Check out Ani, Todd Sickafoose (bass) and Allison Miller (drums) performing “Both Hands,” “You Had Time,” “Shameless” and a brand-spakin’ new, unreleased song “Present/Infant.” The performance starts whenever you are ready – simply click here and enjoy the show!

10/15/2007

BUDDY WAKEFIELD JOINS NOVEMBER TOUR

Slam poet Buddy Wakefield joins Ani and her band as the special guest for the upcoming US November tour. Buddy’s a two-time Individual World Poetry Slam Champion (2004 & 2005); he’s been featured on NPR, the BBC, HBO’s Def Poetry Jam, and won over the crowds on Ani’s West Coast tour last September – this guy packs a powerful poetic punch that you don’t want to miss! Check out more on Buddy Wakefield here; then hurry to get your tickets here ‘cause they are going fast!

10/12/2007

“BOTH HANDS” VIDEO PREMIERS ON LOGO

MTV’s lesbian and gay network, LOGO, will be premiering Ani DiFranco’s video “Both Hands” tomorrow, Saturday, October 13 during NewNowNext Music. To find out the details, including the time in your neck of the woods, check out the LOGO website here. You can see the video with exclusive extended footage on our website here.

9/28/2007

ANI ON CONAN O’BRIEN

Next Wednesday, October 3, set your TiVo’s; Ani will be performing on Late Night with Conan O’Brien! With her touring partners in crime, Todd Sickafoose on bass and Allison Miller on drums, the little folksinger will play the new version of “Both Hands” from her career retrospective, Canon, for our favorite redheaded late night host and his millions of insomniac viewers. Late Night with Conan O’Brien airs on NBC; check their website here for your local schedule.

9/25/2007

BALTIMORE DATE ADDED!

A new November tour date has just been added to Ani’s busy schedule. On Saturday, November 10 Ani will make a stop in Baltimore, MD at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Tickets go on presale tomorrow (check out the tour page for details and password), the general public will have their chance to purchase tickets starting Friday, September 28 at 10am.

If you are closer to the DC area the 9:30 Club performance on Friday, November 16 goes on presale October 7, and tickets for the rest of the November performances are on sale now…but going fast so don’t miss out; check out the tour page for all the latest!

9/19/2007

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

Ani is performing two very special poetry readings this week! Reading selections from Verses, her brand new book of poetry, she may even have time to field a few questions from the audience. The first reading is at 5:30p on Thursday, September 20 at The Parkway Theater (across from the Amazon Bookstore co-op, the oldest feminist bookstore in the country) at 4814 Chicago Ave. in Minneapolis, MN. The second reading is Sunday, September 23 from 1-2pm at Border’s flagship store at 612 East Liberty St. in Ann Arbor, MI. For Ann Arbor only the first 200 people with wristbands will be let in (which start being passed out at 9am).

Even if you can’t attend one of the readings, you can still catch Ani’s live performance in both cities with Allison Miller on drums, Todd Sickafoose on bass, and Mike Dillon on vibes and percussion and featuring special guest Melissa Ferrick kicking off the festivities. Tickets are still available; Friday, September 21 at the State Theater in Minneapolis and Sunday, September 23 at the Michigan Theater in Ann Arbor. For more tour dates just check out the tour page here.

9/12/2007

ANI’S ON IMEEM

Yesterday marked the release of Canon, Ani's ultimate career retrospective. Many of you were so excited for the release that you preordered the album through the Righteous Babe Store.

But if you didn’t order, or if you have broken legs or are otherwise incapacitated and can't get to your local record store (we know that's the only reason why you don’t have a brand-spankin' new copy of Canon in both of your
hands- get it? “BOTH HANDS”), you're in luck.

You can stream the entire album via iMeem for FREE. Check it out here because we know once you hear it, you’ll want to own it!

And while you're at it, mosey on over to our official Ani iMeem page and check it out.

Happy listening!

9/6/2007

“BOTH HANDS” THE VIDEO

Just can’t see enough of Ani? Check out the new "Both Hands" video on MySpace. Filmed at her home studio in New Orleans by Susan Alzner, this video gives you a peek at the process of re-recording the classic tune for her upcoming release Canon, stocked with footage of Ani, Todd Sickafoose and Allison Miller, with Mike Napolitano at the board and a guest appearance by baby Petah. Enjoy!

9/5/2007

ANI’S NOVEMBER TOUR PLANS

We know you're thinking about how you wish summer wouldn't end rather than eagerly looking forward to fall (and all of the subsequent leaves you'll have to rake), but there are a few things to make you want to usher in the autumn winds.
Pumpkin pie, hayrides, and Ani DiFranco, of course! That's right, Ani will not only be making her long-awaited return to Toronto in early November, she'll also be making her way through Boston, Atlanta, Washington, New York, and many more!
So take a look at the tour page to find out if the traveling circus is coming to a town near you!

8/30/2007

ANAÏS TRAVELS TO SHENANDOAH

As a part of her fall tour singer/songwriter Anaïs Mitchell will be making a stop to perform at West Virginia Public Radio’s Mountain Stage at the Cultural Center Theater in Charleston, WV. The live performance will be recorded for broadcast later this fall. For more information regarding the evening’s show, click here. For a complete list of Anaïs’ fall tour dates, click here.

8/29/2007

THE VIBE IS BACK

You thought you were lucky when you heard you'd be seeing the fabulous touring trio of Ani, Todd, and Allison. Well, folks with tickets to shows in September will be able to count themselves among the luckiest as the ever-amazing vibraphonist and percussionist Mike Dillon will be joining the mix for the month, hitting places like Louisville, Milwaukee, Chicago and many more. So check the tour page for a complete listing.

8/24/2007

HAMELL GETS HIS WINGS

8/15/2007

PUT SOME HAMELL IN YOUR INBOX

Does this situation sound familiar? You check your email, and all you see in your inbox is a bunch of SPAM, a chain letter from your super-conservative relative about how you're going to hell, and an email from your boss telling you that it'd be great if you could have that report in by the end of the day? You're not alone. So why not spice it up a bit with some Hamell? You can have Hamell's hilarious blog sent directly to your inbox every time he writes!

To sign up, go here, select "blog,"� and then click on "subscribe by email."

8/12/2007

CANON AND VERSES NOW AVAILABLE FOR PRESALE

As you may know, Canon, Ani’s ultimate career retrospective is hitting the shelves on September 11. Featuring songs the Little Folksinger picked herself from her expansive catalog of albums, along with five new re-recorded tracks of old favorites, and beautiful album art, Canon is one album that nobody should be without.

And if that isn’t enough to satisfy your Babe craving, we’ve got Verses, Ani’s very first poetry book published in the United States, featuring Ani’s very own original artwork and poetry.

Canon and Verses are available for pre-sale at the Righteous Babe Store starting today (Sunday, August 12). And after you place your pre-order, you might find yourself rooting around in our virtual drawers and finding other Babe stuff that you’d like to get your hands on. You’re in luck! We’re so excited about the release of Canon and Verses that we’re offering you some deals, so head on down to the Righteous Babe Store for all the details.

8/10/2007

ANI'S IN A NEW STATE OF MIND

If you don’t think shrinks have problems, you’re crazy. That’s the tagline for Lifetime’s new show, State of Mind, a snappy little show starring Lili Taylor as a psychiatrist with problems of her own. What does this have to do with Righteous Babe, you may ask? Well, the Little Folksinger wrote the theme song for the show that airs every Sunday, at 9PM EST on Lifetime. You can even watch full episodes of the show at Lifetime’s official website, check ‘em out here. Ani’s “Sorry I Am” is featured in episode 1 and her lil’ theme song makes it’s debut in episode 2.

8/9/2007

THE LITTLE FOLKSINGER GOES AUTHOR ON US

As fans have seen the evolution of Ani’s writing and artwork splashed throughout the liner notes of her 19 albums, they’ve listened, sang, screamed, laughed, and cried along with her. On September 11, fans will be re-introduced to Ani in a whole different way. Ani’s first book of poetry published in the United States, Verses, is a collection of her poetry and paintings that captures her essential artistry that has encouraged us all to open our faces up and sing.

For more information on the release of Verses, click here. Starting on August 11 you can reserve your copy at the Righteous Babe Store.

8/6/2007

ANI TAKES YET ANOTHER BITE OUT OF THE BIG APPLE

We’ve got some good news for all of you folks in the city that never sleeps! Ani will be heading your way this November, with two, count ‘em, two performances just days before Thanksgiving. And I know there’s nothing in the world that I’m more grateful for than double chances to hear some righteous folk music. Except maybe pumpkin pie. Mmmm... I’ve got a sweet tooth today...well, you know how the song goes.

The shows are November 17 and 18 at The Town Hall, tickets go on pre-sale TODAY, Monday, August 6. Check out our tour page for more information.

8/2/2007

SEKOU SUNDIATA: 1948-2007

from the Apollo - March 13, 2005

7/16/2007

HAMELL ON TRIAL ROCKS UP SCOTLAND

Not only have the folks up in his hometown of Syracuse recognized the musical genius of Hamell on Trial by inducting him into the Syracuse Area Music Award's Hall of Fame this May, music lovers all the way out in Scotland are taking notice as well.

This August, Hamell on Trial will perform at the venerable Festival Fringe in Edinburgh, Scotland. Started in 1947, the Festival Fringe has become the world's largest arts festival, and is well-known as a showcase for experimental works. Because there is no selection committee that approves show entries, any type of event is possible, and Hamell's popular one-man show "The Terrorism of the Everyday Life" will surely grab some attention. So put on your kilt, head on down to the Festival Fringe, and see a man who's been hailed by Philadelphia Weekly as "scabrously, filthily, and twistedly funny."

And if you can't make it all the way to Scotland, you're in luck, because you can catch Hamell tomorrow night in New York City at Comix. Check Hamell's tour page for more information.

7/13/2007

CURVE MAGAZINE HEARTS TOSHI REAGON

Toshi Reagon has been very busy lately, being featured on the small screen (guest starring on the season four finale of The L Word), the web (chatting on Afterellen.com’s She Said What?), and now in print. Toshi graces the pages of Curve magazine in their 11th annual music issue. In the article aptly titled “I Heart Toshi R.,” our girl discusses everything from her music to her outfit for the Curve photoshoot. And if you want to know her answer for the ever-salacious question, “Now that you’re famous, do more girls hit on you?” you’ll have to pick up a copy.

And if that wasn’t enough to satisfy your Toshi craving, there’s more! Not only does Curve magazine's official site have exclusive music interviews, videos, and outtakes from the cover shoot that features Toshi, Queer Film Review is also featuring a recent interview with Toshi along with a clip of her guest appearance on The L Word Season 4 finale.

Still hungry? Even with the massive amounts of interviews and appearances she’s been doing, Toshi still found time to start working on her new album. The Righteous Babe MySpace has an exclusive track for you to feast your ears on. Check it out here and enjoy!

7/11/2007

SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW? ANI TRIVIA CONTEST!

With Canon, Ani’s ultimate career retrospective coming out in just nine short weeks, all of us over here in Babeville decided that we needed to do something in honor of its arrival on the shelves. So what better way to celebrate than with a contest that tests your knowledge on The Little Folksinger and give you bunches of prizes for the massive amounts of Babe knowledge you’ve got crammed in your noggin? Nothin’, that’s what.

The contest will start Monday, July 16 and run every week through our Ani DiFranco MySpace page, lasting for nine weeks total. Each week day, we’ll post a new trivia question at 10am EST on our MySpace blog. For all additional rules, regulations, and information head on over to our MySpace and check out the blog entry titled “ANI TRIVIA CONTEST.”

Each week’s winner will receive two CDs from Ani’s catalog, starting with Ani DiFranco and Not So Soft and progressing with each week. Along with the CDs, you’ll receive assorted RBR merch, which COULD (but may not) include, t-shirts, posters, stickers, magnets, and some other fun stuff we have.

So starting Monday, make sure that your 10am is reserved for Righteous Babe.

7/10/2007

ANI’S PERFORMANCE AT JOE’S PUB RE-AIRED ON WFUV

In anticipation of Ani’s big return to New York City (more specifically, Brooklyn’s Prospect Park) on July 18, WFUV is re-airing some Ani goodness. Back in October, Ani performed an intimate set live at Joe’s Pub in NYC, and the recorded performance will air at 9pm on July 11, both on-air and online at WFUV's official website. So tune in on a lazy Wednesday night and be prepared to be folked up.

6/29/2007

PETAH POSES FOR THE CAMERA

You asked for it…we finally deliver. Photos of the elusive Petah Lucia can now be seen in the photo section of Ani's website. Sure, we could have tried to hold out for a Suri–style Vanity Fair cover story, but we just couldn’t wait to share this cute little face (even if these particular photos were taken a couple of months ago). Enjoy!

6/26/2007

ANI’S TOUR PLANS

Summer has finally arrived! Ani, bassist Todd Sickafoose and drummer Allison Miller are warming up for the “Handful of Dates” tour that kicks off July 11 in San Diego. As a bonus to your summer concert experience, Righteous Babe Anaïs Mitchell joins the tour (fresh from a wildly successful European tour) as a special guest in San Diego, San Francisco (7/14), and Santa Cruz (7/18). Melissa Ferrick and Anaïs will be kicking off the festivities in Brooklyn, NY (7/18), and in Littleton, CO (7/22) Melissa Ferrick, Nina Storey and The Freight will all play a set before the Little Folksinger takes the stage! Tickets are going fast for the July dates so click here to get your seats while you can.

We’ve also just announced Ani’s September tour dates, which kicks off with two shows at our very own Asbury Hall at The Church (link to www.thechurchbuffalo.com) in Buffalo, NY. The first Buffalo performance on September 11 features our favorite one-man-punk-band Hamell on Trial opening the show. After that, Melissa Ferrick jumps on the bill for the remaining September dates. Presales start the second week in July so check out the
Righteous Babe tour page for your chance to get tickets before the general public!

5/24/2007

WIN TICKETS TO SEE “THE TERRORISM OF EVERYDAY LIFE” IN VIENNA, VA

After years spent crossing the country on tour, anti-folk hero Ed Hamell emerges as the Kerouac of folk-rock, bringing forth both the heroism and decay of American culture in a one-man show of frantic guitar meets poetry and social critique. You don’t want to miss Hamell on Trial’s, “The Terrorism of Everyday Life.” We have an opportunity to give away a pair of tickets to each of Hamell on Trial’s performances at Jammin' Java (227 Maple Ave East, Vienna, VA) on Tuesday, June 5 and Tuesday, June 12 at 8pm.
Send an e-mail to contest@righteousbabe.com before May 31, with your e-mail, address, phone number, and shirt size. Runners up will receive a Righteous Babe Records prize pack.
Winners will be notified on Friday, June 1. Limit one entry per person please.
For more Hamell on Trial tour dates, click here.

5/14/2007

ANI’S GOT RHYTHM

Come July when Ani’s tour truck is being packed with the usual assortment of guitars and monitors the crew will be adding something to the truck that hasn’t been there since 2002…a drum kit. That’s right, drummer Allison Miller has just joined the touring family and will be providing rhythm for Ani and upright bassist Todd Sickafoose. Chosen as "Rising Star Drummer" in Downbeat's 53rd Annual Critics Poll, Allison has lent her talents to a long list of great musicians including Natalie Merchant, Erin McKeown, Melissa Ferrick, and Toshi Reagon. Check out the latest tour date information (including the just added Santa Cruz performance on July 16) on the Righteous Babe tour page!

5/3/2007

ANAÏS MITCHELL PERFORMS WOODSONGS

Break out the bourbon. Anaïs Mitchell is packing her bags for Kentucky to perform on Michael Johnathon's WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour on Monday, May 14. The WoodSongs organization introduces audiences to new folk and bluegrass music across the country. As the show gets closer, lucky folks in the Lexington area will be able to purchase tickets to the performance on the WoodSongs website. The rest of us can catch the show webcast live from 6:55pm to 8:15pm EST here. The show will be broadcast on XM Satellite Radio and a number of traditional radio stations; for a complete list and air times click here, or catch the WoodSongs Old Time TV Hour on select television stations listed here.

4/25/2007

ANI’S JOINED BY JEFF KLEIN IN NEW ORLEANS

Last week we announced Ani’s performance this Sunday, April 29 at One Eyed Jacks in the heart of the French Quarter. On this rare small club appearance she’ll be sharing the stage with touring partners Todd Sickafoose on bass and Mike Dillon on percussion. We’re also happy to report Austin native Jeff Klein will kick off this very special evening. Klein’s smooth whiskey-and-nicotine rasp are a perfect complement to his dark and stylistic songwriting voice. Recorded in New Orleans, his latest album, The Hustler, is receiving rave reviews and features a guest appearance by the Little Folksinger herself, who lends her talents to three tracks.
Tickets are currently available at Ticketweb.com but don’t wait; this is sure to be a packed house!

4/23/2007

THAT 1 GUY AND A TUBA

That 1 Guy seems to live on the road, wowing audiences and making their bodies move with his homemade instrument, the Magic Pipe. Drums & Tuba have a similar lifestyle, that is until recently when Tony Nozero and Neal McKeeby decided to take some time to pursue separate artistic pursuits…which leaves Brian Wolff who just can’t seem to sit still. Brian’s solo electronic rock tuba project called “Wolff” joins That 1 Guy in May on his west coast tour. Come on, two one-man-bands in one night, throw in a tuba, some PCV pipe, and a smoke machine – this is bound to be an evening you aren’t going to soon forget! Check out more on Wolff here, or go to That 1 Guy's site here.

4/17/2007

ANI'S NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATION

Can’t wait until July to catch the Little Folksinger live? That’s okay, she just can’t wait to take the stage. On Sunday, April 29 lucky folks in New Orleans can catch a rare club performance at One Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse Street. Tickets are on sale now at Ticketweb.com. Can’t make it to the Big Easy? Keep your eyes on the Righteous Babe tour page for the latest information.

4/3/2007

BRIAN GRUNERT; PIANO DESTRUCTION IS AN ART

Grammy Award nominated art director Brian Grunert does so much more than design amazing CD packages for Ani DiFranco (Evolve, Educated Guess, Knuckle Down, and Reprieve among others)…He also helps facilitate the destruction of pianos in the name of art and music.

Catch this one of a kind performance! Hallwalls presents MONSTERS OF NATURE AND DESIGN this Wednesday, April 4 at 8pm at Asbury Hall at The Church (341 Delaware Ave. Buffalo, NY).

A duet of ritualized violence and stifled catharsis emerging from the dying shrieks of two sacrificial pianos, set againast a starkly jagged swirl of throbbing guitar feedback and pulsing percussion. This destructivist performance features Gary Nickard and Reinhard Reitzenstein with sound support from Buffalo’s legendary 1970’s era Post Punk band, The Vores, featuring Biff Henrich with friends Catherine Carfagna, Dave Meinzer, Joe Bompczyk, Scot Ryan, Guillermo Izquerdo, Tyrone Georgiou, Patty Wallace, Brian Grunert, Patrick Heyden, Thom Furtado and Phil Aguglia.

For safety purposes—and a Roman Coliseum ambience—audience members will only be seated in the balcony.

3/26/2007

ANAÏS RIDES THE RADIO AIR WAVES

WFUV 90.7 in New York City features Anaïs Mitchell in an upcoming edition of City Folk Sunday Breakfast hosted by John Platt. Airing Sunday morning, April 8 from 8 – 11am, you’ll wake up to live acoustic performances and an interview from the newest Righteous Babe while you sip your coffee. For non-city dwellers, you can tune in online here. If you just can’t wait to catch the sweet sounds of Anaïs on the air, check out her MVY interview recorded in Austin during SXSW last week, online here with bonus cuts of “The Wall” from her folk-opera Hadestown and a cover of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time.”

3/15/2007

ANI RETURNS TO THE BIG APPLE…AND MORE!

Ani has been taking a reprieve from the road to revel in the joys of motherhood, but lucky New Yorkers can catch one of her few live performances this summer during Celebrate Brooklyn! at the Prospect Park Bandshell on July 18. Righteous Babe and WFUV want to make sure that you are able to get your tickets before anybody else, so be sure to check out the tour page for details on the presale Tuesday, March 20 through Thursday, March 22. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Friday, March 23 at 10am so act fast!
California folks will be happy to see a couple of performances out their way as well, and there will be a few more additions to the schedule before we are done…But don’t expect Ani to tour as much as she has in the past, after all Petah needs to learn how to crawl before we start putting her to work as a roadie!

3/8/2007

ANAÏS MITCHELL PLAYS SXSW

The newest Righteous Babe, Anaïs Mitchell, is packing her bags (and her guitar) for Austin, TX to wow the party-goers* at SXSW. Anaïs joins Anna Egge, Stars of Track and Field, The Winterpills, Sean Hayes and Takka Takka at Momo’s (618 W 6th St.), on Thursday, March 15 at 8pm during the Utne Reader Showcase. Folks without a SXSW badge can still enjoy Anaïs during in-store performances on Thursday, March 15 at Cheapo Records (914 N Lamar) at 5pm or Saturday, March 17 at Bella Blue (2213 S 1st St) at 12 noon.
*(To be fair, apparently, rumor has it that some folks actually do some work while they are at SXSW too…)

2/22/2007

TOSHI REAGON’S MARCH MADNESS

Big things are happening this March for Toshi Reagon! The National Women’s History Project has chosen Toshi as an honoree for National Women’s History Month (which is March, if you didn’t already know). The theme this year is Generations of Women Moving History Forward; “honorees represent many generations of women who with their amazing intelligence, talent, courage and tenacity testify to the myriad ways that generations of women have moved history forward.” To see the complete list of honorees and learn more about the National Women’s History Project click here.
Also in March, on Sunday the 25, Showtime will finally be airing the L-Word episode with Toshi Reagon making a guest appearance (here’s a clue, look for her as a street musician).

2/13/2007

ANAÏS MITCHELL ON THE POINT - LISTEN ONLINE

Anaïs Mitchell, is being interviewed on WNCS, The Point at 3pm today, February 13! Don’t miss a chance to get to know the newest Righteous Babe from the comfort of your computer as they chat about her new album, The Brightness, arriving at your favorite record store today!

1/22/2007

ANI’S BUNDLE OF JOY ARRIVES…

We’re happy to report that Ani gave birth to a 7 pound, 8 ounce little girl, Petah Lucia, at her Buffalo home early Saturday morning, January 20. Mother and baby are both healthy and happy. Welcome to the world, Petah!

12/28/2006

CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH ANI DIFRANCO ON WBFO!

WBFO 88.7 in Buffalo, NY will be airing Ani’s performance from Joe’s Pub in New York City on Sunday, December 31 at 4pm and again on Monday, January 1 at 7pm. Originally recorded on October 10, 2006 in front of a small audience of 100 lucky fans, Ani and touring bassist Todd Sickafoose performed songs from her new album Reprieve in between interview segments. If you aren’t in the Buffalo area you can stream the station from the comfort of your computer at www.wbfo.org.

12/15/2006

CATALOG-O-STUFF FEATURES NEW MUSIC AND NEW MERCH

If you haven’t received your Catalog-o-Stuff in your mailbox yet, don’t despair! You can check out the latest in Righteous Babe Wear (including new stuff for the baby in your life) at the Righteous Babe Store. New designs and styles are available for all the Righteous people on your holiday list. While you’re there you can stock up on some music: pre-order the newest Righteous Babe, Anais Mitchell, or catch up on Ani’s albums from the latest, Reprieve, to her self-titled debut. Get 10% off and free shipping when you purchase five or more Righteous Babe Records CDs. If you are looking to expand your musical horizons, check out one of the friends of RBR. Finally, once you’ve finished all your online shopping, take the time to enjoy the holidays!

12/13/2006

REPRIEVE NOMINATED FOR GRAMMY

They have done it again! Ani DiFranco and Brian Grunert have wowed the Grammy Board with their package design skills, receiving their fourth nomination in a row for Best Recording Package for Ani’s latest album, Reprieve. The tree gracing the cover of the beautiful package is based on a photograph taken in Nagasaki on August 10, 1945, the story of which is available here. Each Ani DiFranco CD for the last three years has been nominated; Knuckle Down (2006), Educated Guess (2005) and Evolve which won the award in 2004. Tune into the 49th Annual Grammy Awards on February 11, 2007 at 8pm EST on CBS to see who takes home the trophy this year. Now if they would just listen to the music…

12/4/2006

MICHAEL MELDRUM INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME

The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame inducted ten new members this year, including Michael Meldrum. The Buffalo Music Hall of Fame recognizes groups and individuals who have had a significant impact on the WNY music scene and/or achieved success in the music industry on a national and often an international scale. Meldrum joins the ranks of musicians including Spyro Gyra, Billy Sheehan, 10,000 Maniacs and, of course, Ani DiFranco. As a side note, Jim Whitford was also inducted this year. Jim is one of the many musicians on Meldrum’s Righteous Babe Records release Open Ended Question.

11/30/2006

U. UTAH PHILLIPS – THE BEST OF THE WEST

Congratulations to U. Utah Phillips on receiving the “Best of the West Performer” award at this year’s Folk Alliance Region West Conference. The “Best of the West” Awards honor musicians within the folk community whose talents and efforts have established them as true leaders. The judges look at excellence in one’s craft, enduring presence in the western Folk community for a decade or more, and embodiment or building upon Folk values and traditions. We couldn’t agree with their choice more!

11/13/2006

ANI ON THE LAKE IN BUFFALO

Ani fans in her home town of Buffalo, NY can catch her live on WLKK 107.7 FM The Lake tomorrow, November 14. DJ Tina Peel will interview Ani in-between a few live songs at 1pm. For those of you who can’t tune in, visit the website and sign up for the Lake Community (sorry, you must be 18 or over) to stream the radio station live.

11/3/2006

MEET THE NEWEST RIGHTEOUS BABE, ANAÏS MITCHELL!

Anaïs Mitchell's next CD, The Brightness, will be coming out on Righteous Babe Records in early 2007! A bright, young singer/songwriter from Vermont, she has been captivating audiences at clubs, festivals and house concerts for the last few years, slowly making a name for herself. She even received the prestigious New Folk award at the Kerrville Folk Festival in 2003. The Burlington Free Press broke the news to the northern Vermonters yesterday; check out the story by clicking here. We couldn’t be more excited about signing Anais’, so stay tuned for more news on the new CD.

10/26/2006

TOSHI REAGON APPEARING ON THE L-WORD

Toshi Reagon will make an appearance on the Showtime hit series The L-Word next season. Shooting has begun in Vancouver and Los Angeles for season four, to be aired early 2007. The airdate of the episode with Toshi has not been set yet but we’ll keep you posted. In the meantime check out Toshi’s tour schedule here and her latest album, Have You Heard, by clicking here.

10/18/2006

BUDDY WAKEFIELD JOINS THE REMAINING OCTOBER TOUR DATES

For those of you who missed the slam poetry of Buddy Wakefield during Ani’s shows on the West coast, you can catch him on one of the last three October performances! Buddy has been added as a special guest for Ani’s performances tonight in Austin, TX, 10/20 in Lafayette, LA, and 10/22 in New Orleans. For more information on Ani’s upcoming tour dates click here.

10/17/2006

ANI SPEAKS TO PROGRESSIVE RADIO

Ani’s recent interview on The Progressive Radio show is available online. Stream the audio online or download the MP3 to hear Ani talk about politics, feminism, New Orleans, being pregnant and her new album Reprieve. The Progressive Radio Show is a weekly half-hour radio show hosted by Matthew Rothschild, Editor of The Progressive magazine and former host of “Second Opinion.” While you are at the website you can also check out Rothschild’s two-minute commentary about “Ani DiFranco, Defiance Personified.”

10/9/2006

LISTEN TO ANI’S ‘SECRET’ NYC PERFORMANCE LIVE!

You may not have won tickets to see Ani’s secret show in New York City but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out! Tomorrow, (Tuesday, October 10) at 1pm EST fans in New York City can tune in to WFUV 90.7 FM, everybody else can stream the live audio performance at wfuv.org. The show will also be re-broadcast on NPR.org at a later date, we’ll post more details once we have them.

Congratulations to our winner, Sarah Puls from Baltimore, MD – Enjoy the show!

10/4/2006

KATRINA'S PIANO FUND - ONE YEAR GONE

Hurricane Katrina was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history, devastating the cities of Mobile, Waveland, Biloxi, Slidell, and New Orleans. The resulting flood has permanently changed the face of New Orleans. One-year later, criticism of federal, state, and local governments' reaction is widespread. However, we want to offer up a bit of good news.
Katrina's Piano Fund was founded to provide instruments for New Orleans musicians who lost their own. We here at Righteous Babe have been privileged enough to act as a vessel between this great cause and many of you looking to help. And did you ever!
Over this past year, customers of the Righteous Babe Store have donated over $35,000 towards Katrina's Piano Fund!!! (too many to list here . . . but not here)
In total the Fund has provided over $180,000 in instruments, making it a testament to the power a grassroots effort can have, even garnering coverage from National Geographic and International Piano Magazine. Katrina's Piano Fund aims to close its doors soon, but not until the very last instrument has been bought.
So from all of us here at Righteous Babe, thank you for not biding your time with the decision to help others.

10/3/2006

ANI’S OCTOBER SHOWS FEATURE SPECIAL GUEST JESSE HARRIS

Ani returns to the road this October, kicking off on Thursday, October 12 in Madison, WI, with a very special guest, Jesse Harris. Jesse Harris is a singer/songwriter from New York City who recently released his latest album Mineral on his own label, Secret Sun Recordings. He also won the Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2003 for Norah Jones’ rendition of “Don’t Know Why” (he wrote four other songs on her breakthrough album, Come Away With Me, in addition to appearing as a guitarist). Norah isn’t the only recording artist taken by Harris’ talent; Madeleine Peyroux, Lizz Wright and Pat Metheny have all recorded songs written by Harris and he has appeared as a guitarist on Bright Eyes' I’m Wide Awake, Its Morning and Tristan Pettyman’s Twentythree. Check out the Righteous Babe tour page for ticket information.

9/29/2006

WIN TICKETS TO A ‘SECRET’ ANI PERFOMANCE IN NEW YORK CITY!

Win a chance to see Ani DiFranco perform a secret show in New York City with 100 other lucky fans! This unique, intimate experience will be recorded for a public radio special and you could be a part of the audience. The show takes place at a venue to be announced, on Tuesday, October 10 at 1pm in New York City. Ani will perform a set from her extensive catalog including songs from her latest album, Reprieve. (Sorry folks, the contest is over.)
(Please note: you must provide your own lodging and transportation to the show; the winner will be notified by phone and e-mail on Thursday, October 5).

9/25/2006

EXTRA, EXTRA READ ALL ABOUT REPRIEVE

By now, you’ve been listening to Reprieve for the last month. The press has been listening, too. And writing. See what the folks at Paste magazine (in the September issue, with Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint on the cover) and No Depression (featuring Old Crow Medicine Show on the cover) had to say about Reprieve by clicking here. Not only has the US press been gushing over Reprieve, but you can check out reviews from overseas in the Independent from England and the Winnipeg Sun in Canada.

9/20/2006

WHO’S THAT GUY? ANI’S TOURING DUO BECOMES A TRIO

If you’ve been to an Ani show recently you may be wondering who’s playing the vibes, tabla, and a variety of other crazy percussion instruments…he’s Mike Dillon, and he will accompany the little folksinger and upright bassist Todd Sickafoose for the rest of Ani's tour dates in 2006. Mike has also performed with Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe and Les Claypool, among others. To get a feel for the trio’s sound, you can stream “78% H20,” recorded live in Nashville, Tennessee, here (with Windows Media Player) or check out the live songs available on iTunes as bonus tracks for Reprieve.
Catch Ani on the road while you can, because after November the Righteous Babe will be taking a little break from the road to have her own Righteous Baby.

9/19/2006

WORLD CHAMPION SLAM POET OPENS ANI’S SEPTEMBER SHOWS

The lucky folks with tickets to Ani’s west coast tour this September are being treated to the slam poetry of Buddy Wakefield. Buddy is the two-time Individual World Poetry Slam Champion (2004 and 2005), and has been featured on NPR, the BBC, and HBO’s Def Poetry Jam. Check out Ani’s tour schedule for more information on the remaining September performances for your chance to experience Buddy Wakefield live.

8/10/2006

TUNE INTO ITUNES!

A few months back, Ani played a show at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville. If you couldn’t strap on your cowboy boots and make it there, you’re in luck, because some exclusive live tracks from that very performance are now available on iTunes for your musical consumption. Accompanied by Todd Sickafoose on bass and Mike Dillon on percussion, Ani performs “Manhole,” “78% H2O,” and the brand-new unreleased tune, “Red Letter Year.” So head on over to iTunes and check 'em out!

8/1/2006

TOSHI REAGON: OUTSIDE THE LINES

Toshi Reagon has been featured in an article on Afterellen.com, a popular website dedicated to promoting the visibility of lesbian and bisexual women in the media at large. Opening the article describing the mixed bag of attendees that make up a typical Toshi concert, columnist Linda Villarosa goes on to speak with Toshi about her music, her background, and her family. You can read the entire article on Afterellen.com

7/27/2006

ANI UNCUT ON THE HENRY ROLLINS SHOW

Ani will be appearing on the Henry Rollins Show on the Independent Film Channel on August 5th along with Stephen Gaghan, the writer and director of the Academy Award-winning film Syriana. The main goal of the Henry Rollins Show is to “take an uncensored approach to talk show programming with a voice that strikes a balance of humor, angst, art and intellect.” Ani will be performing “Millennium Theater” from her new studio album, Reprieve. The show will air at 10pm EST, and after the show, check IFC’s website for an exclusive video of Ani performing “Hypnotized,” also from Reprieve.


For more information about the show and photos of Henry Rollins looking particularly stern, click here!

7/13/2006

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE LITTLE FOLKSINGER!

Ani will be receiving a "Woman of Courage" Award at the annual convention of the National Organization for Women (NOW) in Albany on July 21. The award is given to women who are described as "courageous and bold" and have worked diligently for women's rights. Past recipients include playwright Eve Ensler, Jane Goodall, and Senator Barbara Boxer. Ani is the first musician to receive this award. Check out the NOW site for more information.

7/7/2006

HAMELL WAS A ROLLING STONE...

Hamell on Trial’s new release, Songs for Parents Who Enjoy Drugs, has been mentioned in the June issue of Rolling Stone. Citing Hamell’s penchant for lying to children about the sordid details of his youth, the folks over at Rolling Stone gave Hamell a big thumbs up. And keep in mind, the only reason Hamell wasn’t on the cover was because of the glaring ray of stardom being reflected off of his head.

6/14/2006

DON’T DELAY—GET YOUR REPRIEVE TODAY!

You wanted Ani back on the road, you got her back on the road. You wanted a new studio album, you’re gonna get a new studio album. Ready or not, here comes Reprieve: 12 new songs and spoken-word selections performed by the Little Folksinger with a bit o’ help from tour buddy Todd S. They started work on the album in New Orleans in early 2005, then Katrina forced them to finish up in Buffalo. You’ll find the CD in stores on August 8, but why wait? Order it here anytime before that date and save two bucks off the list price. Get the details here. And keep watching this space for more info on the album in the weeks ahead: we’re talkin’ sample tracks, cover art, lyrics, background info, and other good stuff, all of which is sure to whet your appetite for the real deal.

6/13/2006

AND THE WINNER IS… TOSHI REAGON!

Congratulations to Toshi Reagon, who’s latest album, Have You Heard, took home the 2006 Outmusic Award for Outstanding Songwriter this past Sunday. Have You Heard was also nominated for Best New Recording. The Outmusic Awards were handed out in a ceremony June 11 at the Knitting Factory in New York City. Between the awards and a feature segment in the May episode of In The Life (the Gay and Lesbian Newsmagazine on Public Television), more and more folks are hearing Toshi for the first time. If you haven’t heard her yet, check out Toshi’s tour dates (including a highly anticipated return to the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival on August 11, with special guest Bernice Johnson Reagon) and find out what all the buzz is about – you won’t be sorry!

4/27/2006

NEW ORLEANS JAZZ FEST IS ON THE AIR

Ani is wrapping up her sold-out April tour this week and those of us not lucky enough to be there in person can catch the show from the comfort of our computer chair. New Orleans’ Jazz and Heritage station, WWOZ 90.7 FM, will be airing performances through out the Jazz Fest. Ani, joined by bassist Todd Sickafoose and percussionist Mike Dillon, are scheduled to take to the Blues Stage this Friday, April 28, around 5:30pm CST. WWOZ will be airing some performances as they happen, others they will capture and air at a later time, at this time they do not know exactly when Ani’s performance will air.

4/14/2006

BIRD RACKS UP THE FREQUENT FLIER MILES

After touring relentlessly over the past year, Andrew Bird has earned a slot on some of the biggest summer festivals in the US. Bird helps kick off the festivities at Bonnaroo on Friday, June 16. On July 5, Bird joins the eleven-day-long “world’s largest music festival,” Milwaukee Summerfest. Later this summer, Lollapalooza returns as a three day festival in Chicago with Andrew Bird scheduled to take the stage on Sunday, August 6. For more on Andrew Bird’s tour dates click here.

3/29/2006

HAMELL SPEAKS TO AIR AMERICA

On Thursday, March 30, Hamell on Trial (a.k.a. Ed Hamell) shares his scathing wit with Marc Maron on Air America Radio. For all the fans and parents who enjoy drugs in the Los Angeles area you can tune in to KTLK 1150am from 10pm to midnight PST, Hamell’s segment is scheduled to be on around 11:15pm PST. Everybody outside of LA can stream it live on AirAmericaRadio.com.

3/10/2006

ANI’S BACK ON THE ROAD

The rumors are true, after a short hiatus from touring Ani DiFranco is easing back onto the road with select festival and theater dates. This year, the touring will be a little different, with Ani focusing on smaller, more intimate venues in general. April finds the Little Folksinger at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival on Friday the 28, after shows in Columbia, MO; Nashville, TN; and Atlanta, GA. Last June Ani announced she would be taking a break from touring after 15 continuous years of performing. She’s not likely to revert back to her previous schedule of over 100 gigs a year, so be sure to catch her while you can. Click here for tour dates and ticketing information.

2/10/2006

HAMELL SERVES UP AN EVENING OF POLITICS, POLEMIC AND PILLS

In celebration of his new release, Songs For Parents Who Enjoy Drugs, Hamell on Trial takes his biting wit and acoustic guitar thrashing to the Knitting Factory in New York City for several intoxicating performances. Over six nights, February 21, 22, 23 and March 2, 3, and 4, the one-man show, titled Politics, Polemic and Pills, will integrate Hamell’s fatherly wisdom, brilliant sense of humor and comedic storytelling with songs from the new CD. The new album and upcoming stage show are a gift to “all those liberal-minded people who can’t fathom raising a child in this world of non-tolerance.” If you are in the New York City area get your tickets now. For more Hamell on Trial tour dates visit his website www.hamellontrial.com.

2/2/2006

BOB FELDMAN (1950-2006)

We are saddened to pass along the news that our dear friend Bob Feldman, president of Red House Records, passed away after a brief illness on January 11, 2006. Bob was known across North America as a dedicated music promoter, record producer and label president – a man who had the respect and admiration of both musicians and business partners.

Bob restarted Red House Records, Greg Brown’s dormant record label, in 1983, while teaching business classes at a Minnesota high school. Over the years, Red House received numerous nominations and industry awards, including a Grammy for Best Traditional Folk Album in 1996 (Ramblin’ Jack Elliott’s South Coast). Bob worked with both traditional and contemporary folk artists throughout his career and contributed to the development of such musicians as Rosalie Sorrels, Utah Phillips, John Gorka, Greg Brown, Lucy Kaplansky, Eliza Gilkyson, and most recently, The Wailin’ Jennys, Jimmy LaFave and Lynn Miles. In the late 80’s and early 90’s, he was also a folk DJ at WFAI in Minneapolis, and helped to organize Summerfolk, a Twin Cities folk-music festival.

For us at Righteous Babe, Bob was someone we could call for advice or to exchange ideas. He was a friendly voice on the phone, always willing to make suggestions or just listen. He appreciated both the challenges and rewards of running an artist-driven label. And Bob’s knowledge of music was immense. We will miss him and our deepest sympathies go out to his wife, Beth, and his son, Ari, as well as his co-workers at Red House Records.

12/23/2005

MOVE OVER KATIE COURIC! ANI TO HOST IN THE LIFE

Singer, Songwriter, and Television Personality (?) Ani DiFranco will host an upcoming episode of In The Life, The Gay and Lesbian Newsmagazine on Public Television. The January episode, “Principles of Youth", focuses on being young and gay in America, giving voice to an often unheard and overlooked population. A three-time Emmy Award nominee, In the Life has blended journalism, entertainment reports, and commentary for an entertaining and educational look at gay and lesbian life since 1992. Click here for local air dates and times.

12/23/2005

ANI JOINS CYNDI ON VH1 NEW YEAR’S EVE - SORT OF

At midnight on January 1, while all those folks in Time Square are jumping up and down to try and keep warm, VH-1 Classic will be airing a sneak preview of a live concert of Cyndi Lauper and Friends on Decades Rock Live. Together, Ani and Cyndi perform Cyndi’s “Sisters of Avalon." As previously reported, the show was recorded on November 11, 2005, when Ani joined Scott Weiland, Pat Monahan of Train, Shaggy and The Hooters to honor Cyndi Lauper in a live concert in Atlantic City. Live from Trump Taj Mahal, Cyndi Lauper and Friends will air again on January 27 at 8am and 8pm (just in case you had other plans).

12/14/2005

VENUS THINKS BIRD IS HOTTT

The 2005 Venus Hottt List is out and Andrew Bird has ranked third in the Best [Male] Solo Artist category. Voted on by readers and listed in the Winter 2005 issue, Andrew Bird joins the ranks of Beck, Sufjan Stevens and ties with Bright Eyes. Other categories included Best Feature-Length Film, Best DIY Company, Pop Star You Secretly Love But Won’t Tell Your Friends About, and Best Activists.

12/8/2005

ANI RECEIVES THE PACKAGING TRIUMVIRATE OF GRAMMY NOMINATIONS

11/22/2005

TOSHI PAYS TRIBUTE TO DELTA BLUES LEGEND

Toshi Reagon joins John Hammond, Rory Block and Dave Tronzo in a concert tribute to delta country blues legend Charley Patton on February 1. Patton (1887-1934) was an acknowledged celebrity and seminal influence on musicians throughout the Delta from Howlin’ Wolf to Robert Johnson. “Blues Fallin’ Down Like Rain” - Tribute to Charley Patton will be part of the New York Guitar Festival at the Merkin Concert Hall running January 14 through February 8. Tickets are available online at Kaufman-center.org or by calling 212-501-3330.

11/17/2005

RETURN OF DEAD MAN WALKING

On February 7, Columbia/Legacy will release an expanded edition of the soundtrack for Dead Man Walking, including a live DVD that features a few songs from the Little Folksinger. Filmed in Los Angeles at Not In Our Name: Dead Man Walking – The Concert in March 1998, the event featured performances by Ani, Tom Waits, Lyle Lovett, Steve Earle and Eddie Vedder among others. The DVD includes Ani performing “Fuel,” “Crime for a Crime,” and “Up Up Up Up Up Up.” Hosted by Tim Robbins, the concert benefitted in part Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation, which seeks alternatives to capital punishment.

10/20/2005

ANI JUST WANTS TO HAVE FUN ON VH-1

Ani DiFranco joins Scott Weiland, Pat Monahan of Train, Shaggy and The Hooters to honor Cyndi Lauper on VH-1 Classic’s Decades Rock Live. Each hour long episode of this new series features celebrated artists who have influenced popular music over the past 50 years, as well as performances from the biggest names of today that have been inspired by them. As previously reported, Ani appears on Cyndi’s latest album The Body Acoustic. Tickets for the November 11 taping of Decades Rock Live at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City are on sale now at Ticketmaster

10/19/2005

HAVE YOU HEARD TOSHI REAGON LIVE? WELL, TUNE IN!

Our newest Righteous Babe, Toshi Reagon, tapes a Woodsongs radio show this Monday, October 24 at 7:30pm at the Kentucky Theatre in Lexington, KY. Those of you close by can purchase tickets for a mere $5 by calling 859-252-8888 or online at woodsongs.com. For the rest of us who can’t make the trip, sit on down at your computer and tune in to the live taping at woodsongs.com/webcast.htm. The radio show will air a few weeks after the taping, click here for local listings. For more information on Toshi’s tour schedule click here.

10/14/2005

ANI INFLUENCES CMJ

CMJ named Ani one of the 25 most influential artists since CMJ’s inception 25 years ago. Joining the ranks of U2, Nirvana, and the Pixies, Ani comes in at number 22 (just before Radiohead) in issue #930 of the New Music Report. Dubbing her the “sultress of staccato” CMJ says “Iconoclastic and recklessly driven people like her are far more dangerous to the recording industry than some straw man like ‘downloading’.” Thanks CMJ.

9/23/2005

ANI LENDS A LITTLE HELP TO HER FRIENDS

So this isn’t exactly late breaking…BUT the little folk singer has lent her voice to a few friends’ albums this year. Dar Williams latest, My Better Self, includes a haunting duet with Ani on Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb.” Cyndi Lauper’s The Body Acoustic (which hits stores November 8) includes an updated version of “Sisters of Avalon” with Ani and Vivian Green. Also, this summer the Indigo Girls released a collection of demos, rare versions and duets entitled Rarities. They included their duet with Ani on Guthrie’s classic “Ramblin’ Round,” which oringinally appeared on the Righteous Babe Records release 'Til We Outnumber 'Em, a tribute to Woody Guthrie.

9/14/2005

ANI SPEAKS AT NEW YORKER FEST

Ani is taking part in the New Yorker Festival September 23 through 25 in New York City. She joins a panel on Saturday afternoon at Time Square Studios titled “Stage to Studio: When Performers Produce.” Other panelists include RZA (aka Robert Diggs, a founding member of Wu-Tang Clan, and film composer with credits for Kill Bill: Vol 1 and 2), Rick Ocasek (front man of the Cars), Steve Albini (guitarist, recording engineer, music writer who has worked on Nirvana’s In Utero and The Pixies’ Surfer Rosa), and moderator Sasha Frere-Jones (pop critic for the NewYorker). Unfortunately tickets for the panel are sold out.

9/9/2005

MEET DRUMS & TUBA IN NYC

In celebration of their new release Battles Olé Drums & Tuba will be signing autographs and saying hi to the folks at Mondo Kim’s (6 St. Marks Place in the Village, New York City ) this Sunday, September 11 at 6:30p. Come on down, enter to win prizes, check out their new album and save yourself from one more boring Sunday night. For more on Drums & Tuba click here.

9/9/2005

HELP VICTIMS OF HURRICANE KATRINA

The Righteous Babe Foundation, a private not-for-profit organization, is collecting donations for the victims of Hurricane Katrina through the Righteous Babe store. People have suffered terribly in the wake of this disaster, including many of the musicians who give New Orleans it’s soul. No amount is too small. We realize that a dollar or two may not seem like much but when we combine the dollars of each person visiting our store it can really make a difference. When you place an order the amount you enter during checkout in the donation box provided will be added onto your total order. All donations will be distributed to Katrina's Piano Fund, a not-for-profit organization getting instruments and musical equipment to New Orleans musicians who have lost everything. One of the founders of Katrina’s Piano Fund is John “Klondike” Koehler, owner of Klondike Sound, the company that provides sound for Ani’s tours.

9/1/2005

ANI SURVIVES KATRINA

In case you were wondering Ani is OK. She evacuated her home-away-from-home in New Orleans the day before Katrina hit. Despite the article in Rolling Stone she is not too distraught to speak, but understandably a bit distracted. In fact we are happy to report that all of our extended Righteous Babe Records family and friends from the area are safe and healthy. Our hearts are with all those affected by the storm.

7/22/2005

JULY 25: SENATE CALL-IN DAY! ANI & FRIENDS LOBBY CONGRESS TO STOP NUCLEAR WASTE DUMP ON SKULL VALLEY

On July 25, Ani DiFranco, Indigo Girls, actor James Cromwell, Winona LaDuke and Skull Valley Goshute tribal members will spearhead a national lobby day against the federal energy bill and a nuclear industry plan to dump 44,000 tons of highly radioactive waste on Goshute land in Utah. Ani and friends will hold a congressional briefing and then meet with several Senate offices in an effort to bring out the truth about the billions of dollars of nuclear funding contained in the energy bill and the environmental racism of the Skull Valley dump proposal.

Please call or e-mail your Senators on Monday July 25 to support this effort.
Flood the Senate with your calls! Keep calling all week!
Find the contact info for your senators here:
www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Tell them:
1. Vote against the energy bill. No taxpayer funding of the nuclear power industry.

2. Urge their colleagues on the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to hold hearings and investigate wrongdoing by the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs in its approval of the Private Fuel Storage / Skull Valley Goshutes lease agreement.

For more information go here:
www.nirs.org/nukerelapse/nukerelapse.htm
and here:
www.citizen.org/cmep/energy_enviro_nuclear/nuclear_waste/hi-level/fuel/

7/21/2005

THE LITTLE FOLKSINGER TAKES A BREAK FROM THE ROAD…

After 15 years of non-stop touring, often performing over 100 gigs per year, Ani DiFranco will take a hiatus from live performance, after the current July tour ends, until summer 2006.

Over the past few months, Ani has suffered from an inflammation of the nerves and tendons in both her wrists and hands. After having received a diagnosis of tendonitis in late spring, Ani’s doctor instructed her to follow a regimen of relative rest, restriction of hand use to critical times, non-steroidal medications, and splinting. Unfortunately, after having taken almost three months off from touring earlier this year to treat her condition, Ani’s problems have not decreased in severity. If she were to continue to perform at this time, she would risk permanent nerve damage to her hands. Therefore, the decision was made to cancel upcoming tours, starting with the West Coast tour planned for late August and early September 2005, and provide Ani with a sufficient amount of time to make a full recovery.

For those who already have tickets to one of the cancelled performances, please check with the people you purchased the tickets from for instructions on receiving a refund.

Although the Little Folksinger will be off the road, naturally she will not be quiet. Several new recording projects with longtime friends are in the works, along with a new album from Ani anticipated for 2006. She will also still participate as a featured speaker in the New Yorker Festival on September 24 in New York City.

We are deeply grateful for the understanding and concern from all of you who have supported Ani’s touring career over these many years. We know that great things are coming on the horizon, and we look forward to sharing them with you in the coming months.

6/22/2005

MOBILIZE! JOIN THE RBR STREET TEAM

6/9/2005

ANI ON WXPN'S WORLD CAFE FRIDAY, JUNE 10

Friday, June 10 tune in for a late lunch at the World Café where Ani treats host David Dye to a little conversation and musical morsels to whet the appetite. World Café airs on more than 180 stations nationwide including WXPN in Philadelphia at 2pm EST and on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 108 'Public Radio International' at 9pm EST. Check the World Café website at http://worldcafe.org for a station near you or to listen online.

5/25/2005

RIGHTEOUS COVER GIRL

5/11/2005

JUNE EUROPEAN TOUR CANCELLED

Righteous Babe Records regrets that Ani DiFranco has been forced to cancel her June 2005 European tour. A current medical condition prevents her from touring and doctors have prescribed a two-month hiatus from all performing as mandatory to her recovery. Ani plans to get back on the road in the US in mid-July, as previously scheduled.

5/10/2005

CAMPAIGN FOR BURMA ORGANIZES GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION

In anticipation of June 19th, the 60th birthday of the world's only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient, the US Campaign for Burma is asking leaders around the world to take action to free Aung San Suu Kyi. Modeled on the "Mandela at 70" campaign in 1988, scores of events around the world including demonstrations, self-inflicted house 'arrests', and a US Congress event hope to bring an end to the nearly ten year imprisonment of Aung San Suu Kyi. As you may know, Ani traveled to Thailand and Burma last July to visit refugee camps and meet with pro-democracy activists in an effort to help raise awareness of Burma's struggle for freedom. Click here to read the US Campaign for Burma's official press release.

4/14/2005

IT'S LATE NIGHT WITH ANI DIFRANCO!

Drink your coffee, take some No Doze, tape open your eyelids...or just set your VCR's and TiVo's 'cause our favorite Little Folksinger's DEBUTING A BRAND NEW SONG on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien on Tuesday, May 3 (technically Wednesday morning since it doesn't start until after 12:30am). This is the first chance to hear Ani perform the previously unreleased song "Decree" so be sure to Click here to confirm your local stations and start times.

4/13/2005

ANDREW BIRD TALKS ABOUT EGGS ON NPR

Bright and early this Sunday morning, April 17, host Liane Hansen discusses The Mysterious Production of Eggs with Andrew Bird on NPR's Weekend Edition - Sunday. Scheduled to start around 8:40 am EST, late risers can catch the segment when it re-airs at 10:40 am EST. For more information on Weekend Edition - Sunday or to find a station near you click here.

3/31/2005

ANDREW BIRD RIDES THE RADIO AIRWAVES IN APRIL

For all you folks with satellite radio Andrew Bird's interview on The Bob Edwards Show, originally scheduled for March 15th, has been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 5th at 8:00 a.m. EST on XM Channel 133. Can't drag yourself out of bed? Click here for encore information.

Don't have satellite radio? Don't despair - Andrew Bird and his drummer extraordinaire Kevin O’Donnell will be performing live on KCRW’s “Morning Becomes Eclectic," on Wednesday, April 6th at 11:15 a.m. PST or you can Click here to listen online.

3/25/2005

ANDREW BIRD FEATURED ON STUDIO 360 IN APRIL!

Andrew Bird will be on Studio 360 during the weekend of April 15th! The new syndicated arts and culture radio program will feature Andrew playing a bit of his music, and he’ll also shed a little light on his creative process. Check out Studio 360’s website to get information on Bird’s appearance as it nears, as well as your local station listing.

3/10/2005

ANI TO PERFORM ON CBS’ SECOND CUP CAFÉ SATURDAY, MARCH 12TH!

While she’s in New York City this weekend for the Gift of Life Concert that we mentioned a few days ago, Ani will be appearing on the Second Cup Café, which is part of CBS’ The Saturday Early Show. She and her partner in crime, upright bassist Todd Sickafoose, will perform a few songs live, including “Studying Stones” from Knuckle Down. The Saturday Early Show airs from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. EST (yes, that’s a.m.!), so if you’re not pulling an all-nighter, be sure to set either your alarm clock or your VCR…or one of those TiVo things!

3/9/2005

ANDREW BIRD TO APPEAR ON THE BOB EDWARDS SHOW ON MARCH 15TH!

Andrew Bird takes his turn on XM Satellite Radio next Tuesday, March 15th, as he visits The Bob Edwards Show to talk about his latest release, The Mysterious Production of Eggs. The interview will air on XM Channel 133 at 8:00 a.m. EST, and you can find the encore information right here, just in case you hit the snooze button.

3/2/2005

ANI TO APPEAR AT SEKOU SUNDIATA’S GIFT OF LIFE CONCERT ON MARCH 13TH!

Righteous Babe artist Sekou Sundiata is kicking off a new run of his powerful one-man show, Blessing the Boats, with the Gift of Life Concert, featuring our favorite folksinger as one of the guest performers. The Black Rock Coalition Orchestra, Carla Cook, Nona Hendryx, Vernon Reid, Danny Glover, and Ani all join this special concert, dedicated to building public awareness about the high risk of kidney disease, on the historic Apollo Theater stage on Sunday, March 13th. Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster. Click here to read more about this important cause, and head on down to the show if you’re in New York City!

2/23/2005

SHOW CANCELLATION - FEBRUARY 24TH IN COLUMBIA

As per doctor’s orders, Ani will not being playing at the Blue Note in Columbia on February 24th. This show will not be rescheduled, and refunds are available at the point of purchase. We truly appreciate your understanding at this time.

2/21/2005

ANI ON LATE LATE SHOW WITH CRAIG FERGUSON

The late late night stars have aligned, and we have final confirmation for the airdate of Ani's performance on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS. She will appear very late late on Monday, February 21st (Tuesday, the 22nd, if you want to get technical) so set your VCR or TiVo when you set your alarm clock - if you can't stay up that late. Late.

1/28/2005

ANDREW BIRD GETS MYSTERIOUS ON NPR’S SUNDAY WEEKEND EDITION!

Righteous Babe recording artist Andrew Bird will be on NPR’s Weekend Edition this Sunday, previewing music from his upcoming February 8th release, The Mysterious Production of Eggs. Click here to get the broadcast schedule for your local station. If you like to sleep in on Sundays, you can also check it out after the fact on NPR’s Weekend Edition – Sunday webpage. We’ll be setting our alarms!

1/24/2005

ANI’S APPEARANCE ON THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO RESCHEDULED.

As many of you may know, longtime Tonight Show host Johnny Carson passed away yesterday. The Tonight Show with Jay Leno will be airing a special tribute to this talented comedian tonight, so Ani’s appearance has been rescheduled to air on Friday, February 11th. We hope you’ll check it out then. We would also like to extend our thoughts and sympathies to Johnny Carson’s loved ones during this time of loss.

1/21/2005

STAY AWAKE FOR THE MUSIC: ANI TO APPEAR ON THE TONIGHT SHOW AND THE LATE LATE SHOW!

We hope everybody out there is having an excellent New Year! We want to be the first to tell you that our favorite folksinger will be on a little late night television near you in the next few weeks. On the eve of the Knuckle Down album release, Monday, January 24th, Ani will appear on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC). She will also play on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS) during the week of January 31st, but we’re not sure of the date. Click the show names to confirm your local stations and air times, and catch some good music before you catch your Z’s...p.s. also appearing with Ani are upright bassist Todd Sickafoose, vocalist Noe Venable, and Righteous Babe recording artist Andrew Bird, whose new album, The Mysterious Production of Eggs, will hit stores on February 8th.

1/17/2005

IT’S CONFIDENTIAL - ANI HITS THE AIRWAVES ON XM RADIO TONIGHT!

Ani visited XM Radio’s brand new Artist Confidential recently to play some guitar and have a sit-down with XM’s George Taylor Morris. If you’ve got satellite radio, you can catch the show tonight, Monday, January 17th, at 6 p.m. ET. Click here to get your station settings and Ani’s encore performance schedule, and turn the dial to 11!

12/10/2004

EDUCATED GUESS IS NOMINATED FOR TWO GRAMMYS!

Ani DiFranco latest solo album, Educated Guess, has just been nominated for two GRAMMYS! The January 2004 release is nominated for an award in the Best Contemporary Folk Album category, and another in the Best Recording Package category. We’re extra excited about these Guess nominations, because Ani not only wrote, sang, played, recorded, engineered, and mixed every song on the release, but she gave as much effort to the packaging as designer, photographer, and sharpie-and-white-out artist - it makes us tired just thinking about it! Ani and longtime artistic collaborator Brian Grunert, no strangers to this second category, both received a GRAMMY last year as Art Directors of Evolve. Educated Guess is a highly personal work of art, from the songs themselves to the case that houses them. Click here to listen to tracks from the album or here to read more about the nominations and see the art from Educated Guess.

12/6/2004

HEY, HEY, HEY FOLKS!

Our winter Catalog o’ Stuff should be hitting most people’s mailboxes right about now, and it’s got our newest “Hey Folks” newsletter giving everyone the wrap up on what’s been going on in Ani’s neck of the woods this year. For those of you who prefer to get your information online, we’ve posted the newsletter here. You can find all the new RBR stuff in our online store, and the newest show dates, as always, are posted on Ani’s tour page. Happy reading, folks!

12/2/2004

HOLIDAY SHOPPIN’ AT THE RIGHTEOUS BABE STORE!

Just in case you aren’t on our mailing list, we want to share the good news - many of you already know that Ani has a new studio album, Knuckle Down, coming out in January 2005, and that you will be able to pre-order it at righteousbabe.com. Here’s what’s different this time around: we’re ushering in our revamped, redesigned, and user friendly online store, chock full of new stuff (Ani’s first poetry book, just to name one), with the first ever Righteous Babe Store sale! Starting Friday (December 3, 2004), when you pre-order Knuckle Down, you can also purchase any Righteous Babe Records audio release for a 20% discount. Mosey on over and check it out – shirt and shoes not required.

11/16/2004

THAT 1 GUY AND ARTO LINDSAY ARE STREAMING TO A COMPUTER NEAR YOU!

Two of our very own Righteous Babe artists are featured in the current Quicktime News as part of their “Tracks to Watch” column. That 1 Guy recently released Songs in the Key of Beotch, and you can listen to the entire album as a Quicktime stream here. Joining the aural party is Arto Lindsay, with his last album Salt, which you can catch a taste of here. Crank up the sound, and enjoy!

11/1/2004

NOVEMBER 2ND, 2004 – PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS!

Many of us are waiting with baited breath and crossed fingers, and tomorrow is the big day! On the way to work, or during our lunch break, we are going to hit the polls on November 2nd and make our voice heard in what has become the most highly debated election in a generation. Ani spent a month touring the swing states, and we posted the slideshow on voting rights’ history that she displayed between sets. Tons of organizations have worked hard to get new voters registered, and now all that’s left is to make sure you protect your rights on Tuesday! To that end, we are posting a very informative email from MoveOnPAC.org which will help you with everything from finding your polling place to knowing what to do if something goes wrong. Click here to be that much more informed tomorrow!

10/26/2004

SNEAK A PEEK AT ANI’S NEW DVD!

To help Buffalo independent retailer New World Record celebrate their 20th anniversary, there will be a special advance screening of Ani’s new concert DVD, Trust, at the Market Arcade Theater at 639 Main Street in Buffalo next Monday, November 8 at 10pm. Advance tickets are available at New World Record, 765 Elmwood Ave. A limited number of tickets will be available at the theater on the night of the screening.

Not only will you be able to view Trust on the big screen in its entirety, you’ll also have a chance to win some Righteous Babe goodies, including an autographed copy of the new live DVD. But never fear: if you don’t win a copy, you can buy one right after the screening. If you can’t wait that long, you can pre-order your copy of Trust now at righteousbabe.com!

Not planning to be in Buffalo any time soon? You can see Ani’s new DVD here:

Burlington, VT: WNCS is screening Trust at the Roxy, 222 College Street at 7pm on November 11.

St. Louis, MO: Vintage Vinyl is hosting a screening at the Halo Bar, 6161 Delmar Blvd on November 8 at 9pm.

Louisville, KY: Ear X-tacy will be holding a screening at the store (1534 Bardstown Road) on Monday, November 8 at 10pm. Midnight sale to follow!

10/25/2004

PHOTOS FROM THE MARCH FOR WOMEN’S LIVES ARE NOW UP ON THE WEBSITE!

As we promised earlier, we’ve put up some photos from the March For Women’s Lives, and you can check them out right here. Over one million women and men marched last April to voice their support of reproductive freedom and justice for all women. The threat to these rights has not been so serious since the original fight to create them, so check out the photos and read more about the issues at http://www.marchforwomen.org/. Above all, don’t forget to vote in your upcoming congressional and presidential elections!

10/15/2004

BURMA BENEFIT CD, INCLUDING ANI’S “IN THE WAY”, TO BE RELEASED OCTOBER 26TH!

As you may know, Ani traveled to Thailand and Burma last July to visit refugee camps and meet with pro-democracy activists. This trip was organized by the United States Campaign for Burma to raise international awareness about the struggle for freedom in Burma and create support for Aung San Suu Kyi, currently the world’s only imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize recipient. For The Lady, a benefit CD including Ani’s “In the Way”, will be released on October 26, 2004, and all proceeds will go to the United States Campaign for Burma. According to the CD press release, singing a freedom song in Burma can result in a seven-year prison sentence. The Democratic Voice of Burma News has also stated that Burma military intelligence just banned For the Lady, searching people at border checkpoints for copies of the album. Get your copy now, and support the Burmese in their fight for democracy.

9/29/2004

NEW VENUE IN MADISON, WISCONSIN TRIES TO CHARGE FOR VOTER REGISTRATION

The new Overture Hall in Madison, where Ani played last night, charged the promoter $125.00 for each voter registration and information table that was set up in their expansive lobby. In over fifteen years of touring, thousands of not-for-profit groups have set up information tables at Ani's shows. This is the first venue that has ever charged a fee for this. Hopefully, it will be the last. Ani was vocally displeased about this turn of events, and told the crowd as much. You can read about it here, in the Capital Times review of the show. While Ani stopped short of giving out theater management's email addresses, we won't. Here they are: rlienau@overturecenter.com (Rudy Lienau, Director of Theatre Operations and Facilities) and president@overturecenter.com (Bob D'Angelo, President and CEO). For more contact information on the Overture Hall, click here. No charge.

9/27/2004

PHOTOS FROM ANI’S TRIP TO BURMA AND THAILAND!

If you are a Late Breaking News aficionado, then you know that Ani went to Burma and Thailand last July to visit refugee camps and meet political prisoners of the military regime. We’ve developed the pictures for you and posted them here. The United States Campaign for Burma sent out a press release about the trip and will be releasing a benefit CD that includes Ani’s song, “In the Way”. Check out the photos and press release, and keep an eye out for pictures from the March for Women’s Lives!

9/24/2004

ANI’S VOTING SLIDESHOW IS ON RIGHTEOUSBABE.COM!

If you’ve been to one of Ani’s shows during the current VOTE DAMMIT! tour, you’ve seen the slideshow that plays before she hits the stage. If she hasn’t come to your city yet, we’ve got the whole thing on our website for your viewing pleasure. The slideshow puts our fight for voting rights into a chronological perspective that will motivate you to exercise your democratic voice. See it online here or get tickets to a show...we hear the music’s pretty good!

9/23/2004

THAT 1 GUY BRINGS OUT THE BEOTCH IN THE BABE

In case you haven’t seen it at your local indie music store, we wanted to tell you that Songs in the Key of Beotch, That 1 Guy’s first release on Righteous Babe Records, is now available in the Righteous Babe online store. That 1 Guy, a.k.a. Mike Silverman, is a one-man band with a homemade Magic Pipe unlike anything you’ve seen before. Click here to read all about that wacky bassist with the funky pipes or click here to buy it now!

9/21/2004

ANI IS ON THE COVER OF RELIX !

9/10/2004

DENNIS KUCINICH TO SPEAK AT ANI'S SHOW TONIGHT

In case you needed one more reason to go to see some live music this evening, former Presidential candidate Congressman Dennis Kucinich will be showing up to say a few words at Ani's Greensburg, Pa. show tonight. He is joining Ani on her Vote Dammit! tour to encourage people to get out and vote. (As if getting to see Ani and Todd Sickafoose, along with Dan Bern ain't enough for one evening!) No word on whether the Congressman will be singing any tunes...

8/31/2004

RIGHTEOUS BABE RECORDS WINS NARM AWARD!

The National Association of Recording Merchandisers awarded Righteous Babe as the “Small Entertainment Software Supplier of the Year” last Tuesday at their annual conference in San Diego. If the meaning doesn’t jump out at you, NARM is saying that we are the best indie label of our size this year. We appreciate this recognition from our industry peers, especially considering the company we kept for nominations! Read NARM’s press release here or the mention in last Friday’s Buffalo News here .

8/30/2004

MARGARET CHO CAPTURED “YOUR NEXT BOLD MOVE” AT THE MARCH FOR WOMEN’S LIVES

On April 25th, Ani joined 1,150,000 people at the March For Women’s Lives in Washington, DC to voice support for women’s rights. Margaret Cho was slated to speak at the event, and her web site has great footage that includes Ani performing “Your Next Bold Move” for the marchers. Click here to check it out. You’ll need Real Player to view it, which you can get for free here. Check back soon to see photos of the historic day!

8/17/2004

ANI DIFRANCO HEADS TO THE SWING STATES ON FALL VOTE DAMMIT! TOUR

Ani is hitting the road on this fall’s VOTE DAMMIT! tour to urge people to take part in the democratic process. She will travel to the “swing states” likely to decide our upcoming presidential election with voter registration organizations at each stop of the tour, in hopes of registering 100% of the audience to vote. Upright bassist Todd Sickafoose continues his onstage collaborations with Ani, and comedian Margaret Cho joins the tour for a few stops at the end of September. Comedian Suzanne Westenhoefer opens four shows earlier in the tour, while musicians Amy Ray and Emily Saliers of the Indigo Girls will make special appearances in New Orleans, Memphis, and Eureka Springs. Political songwriter Dan Bern will open many of the remaining shows. Click here for tour dates or go to our VOTE DAMMIT! page for more details!

8/16/2004

ANI VISITS BURMA, JULY 6 – 13TH

On a trip organized by the United States Campaign for Burma , Ani visited refugee camps in Burma earlier this July. Burma is the site of one of the bloodiest battles for democracy in history, where the military regime running the country, now known as the State Peace and Development Council, responded to democratic protesters with brutal force, gunning down up to 10,000 persons in cold blood. She played impromptu concerts both in the refugee camps and for a group of former political prisoners who had been severely tortured and forced to flee by the ruling regime. Ani was the first American musician to visit these camps and meet with pro democracy activists. To read the press release from USCB, click here. Stay tuned for pictures of the trip and information about a compilation CD, including a track by Ani, to be released to benefit the United States Campaign for Burma.

8/15/2004

"UNCONVENTIONAL HEROES, AN EVENING OF PERFORMANCE TO HONOR COURAGEOUS RESISTERS"

On Thursday, August 26th, the Artists Network of Refuse & Resist! will present "Unconventional Heroes: An Evening of Performance Honoring Courageous Resisters" to recognize people who stood up for their beliefs in the face of extreme resistance and danger to their own well being. The list of honorees includes people like Camilo Mejia, who was the first soldier to go AWOL because of his opposition to the Iraq war, and Aaron Lebowitz, a high school student who led students and adults to fight against a school-board-supported resolution to teach creationism. The event will take place at NYU, so join artists like Dan Bern, Blair Brown, Odetta, and many more in honoring these heroes. If you aren’t going to be in the area that evening, you can also make a donation to ensure that the honorees will be there. To read more about the event, or the honorees themselves, click here.

8/13/2004

ANI TO APPEAR ON RUSSELL SIMMONS PRESENTS DEF POETRY ON AUGUST 29TH.

Don’t miss your chance to see Ani perform her dynamic poetry in a program reserved for the power of the spoken word. Russell Simmons Presents Def Poetry is in its fourth season of bringing amateur talent and seasoned poets to the stage, to inspire, educate, and entertain the poet within each of us. Check out Ani’s compelling contribution on August 29th at 11 P.M. EST! If you don’t get HBO, visit a cable-subscribing friend bearing gifts!

7/26/2004

DANTE A. DIFRANCO 1921 - 2004

We regret to announce that Ani’s father, Dante DiFranco, passed away on July 24, 2004. We would like to extend our sincere condolences to Ani and her family during this time. If you would like to read more about the life of Dante DiFranco, please click here.

7/26/2004

SHOW CANCELLATION – JULY 27TH IN SAN DIEGO

Due to the recent passing of Ani’s father, she will not being playing at the State Open Air Theater on July 27th. Unfortunately, this show cannot be rescheduled, and refunds will be available at the point of purchase. We apologize for any inconvenience this causes those of you who have purchased tickets and truly appreciate your understanding at this time.

5/26/2004

ANI APPEARS ON KCRW MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC ON MAY 27

Catch Ani's live studio performance on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic Thursday May 27, 2004 at 11:15 PST. If you don't live in Los Angeles or don't have a radio, you can stream it at www.kcrw.org. The performance will be rebroadcast online the same day at 6:15pm PST (9:15pm EST) if you missed it the first time around.

5/11/2004

WE'RE MAKING A MOVIE IN WASHINGTON, DC THIS WEEK, AND IT ONLY HAS ONE SPECIAL EFFECT. THE FEELING YOU GET FROM SEEING ANI DIFRANCO LIVE.

Check out The Little Folksinger's upcoming shows in Washington, DC on Tuesday, May 11 and Wednesday, May 12 at the 9:30 Club, and you might be captured on camera by renowned filmmaker Danny Clinch. Both shows are being filmed for a possible live DVD to be released this Fall. It's also your first chance to see Ani perform on stage with upright bass player Todd Sickafoose. Each evening will start with a solo set by the acclaimed singer songwriter Joe Henry, so don't be late! For ticket info, click here

5/11/2004

SHAKE YOUR GROOVE THANG AT ARTO LINDSAY'S CD RELEASE PARTY IN NYC ON MAY 17

To celebrate the release of his new album, Salt, Arto Lindsay will perform at Joe's Pub in New York City on Monday, May 17 at 11pm. Arto will take the stage with long-time collaborators Melvin Gibbs (on bass and computer) and Micah Gaugh (on keyboards, sax and vocals). This is a rare opportunity for you to check out Arto Lindsay's smooth Bahian grooves in a live setting. Tickets are $10 at the door and more info can be found on the Joe's Pub website at www.joespub.com. More info on Salt can be found here

4/23/2004

GET UP, STAND UP ... STAND UP FOR WOMEN'S REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS. ANI TO PERFORM AT THE MARCH FOR WOMEN'S LIVES.

This weekend, Ani heads to Washington, DC to be a part of the March For Women's Lives, a historic event to voice support for the reproductive rights and freedom of women (which includes such issues as choice, abortion, women's health, and access to family planning). The march will take place on Sunday, April 25, 2004 on the National Mall in Washington, with Ani performing on the afternoon stage. For more information on the March For Women's Lives, please click here.

4/16/2004

SPEND SOME TIME AT HOME WITH ANI DIFRANCO ON APRIL 22.

WBFO in Buffalo is showing Ani a little radio love when it airs the special AT HOME WITH ANI DIFRANCO on April 22 at 7:00pm EST. In the special, Ani invites Rita Houston from WFUV into her home studio for an informal chat about music, touring, politics, community and her new CD, Educated Guess. She also picks up her guitar and performs new versions of "Bliss Like This" and "Educated Guess." If you're local, tune into 88.7 FM or, if you're not-so-local, point and click your way to www.wbfo.org to listen via the web. Read about the interview in this Buffalo News article.

This interview is also available from Public Radio Exhcange. Note: You'll need to sign up to listen to the stream.

4/16/2004

COVER GIRL ANI ON (AND IN) HIGH TIMES AND CURVE.

4/1/2004

TALK RADIO GETS HIP WHEN ANI APPEARS ON AIR AMERICA RADIO TONIGHT.

Ani helps inaugurate the new liberal talk radio network, Air America Radio, when an interview with the Little Folksinger airs tonight on Marty Kaplan's show So What Else Is News. Air America Radio, which began broadcasting yesterday, is bringing a much-needed liberal slant to the talk radio world with news, politics and humor brought to you by such notables as Al Franken, Randi Rhodes, Janeane Garofalo and Chuck D of Public Enemy. The network can be heard on stations in a handful of major cities and via the web. So What Else Is News airs from 7pm to 8pm EST on the web and 7pm to 8pm local time on the radio. Click here for more information and to listen live.

3/30/2004

ARTO LINDSAY'S NEW ALBUM, SALT, GROOVES ITS WAY INTO STORES ON MAY 11, 2004.

On Salt, his third release on Righteous Babe Records, pop musician and audio provocateur Arto Lindsay blends elements of bossa nova and samba while continuing to push the boundaries of more recent Brazilian song structures. The album won't be released until May 11, 2004 but you can listen to select tracks and pre-order it now.

3/29/2004

SEKOU SUNDIATA'S BLESSING THE BOATS COMES TO BUFFALO FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Internationally recognized poet and musician (as well as groovy Righteous Babe artist) Sekou Sundiata comes to Buffalo to present his solo performance piece, Blessing The Boats, on Thursday, April 1st at 7:00pm in the Warren Enters Theatre at Buffalo State College. Blessing The Boats is a powerful one-man show that uses both poetry and humor to relate Sekou's experience with a life-threatening illness, and recovery through an organ transplant. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling 716.853.6667 x 121 or visiting www.unyts.org . For more information, click your way on over here.

3/15/2004

THE RBR 2004 SAMPLER IS HERE!

Resolution is a selection of songs put together by Ani to inspire you in 2004. The CD, which features tracks from RBR artists, is free with any purchase of $15 or more from the Righteous Babe Store, or can be purchased on its own for only $1 (to cover those pesky shipping charges). Head on over here or call 1-800-ON-HER-OWN for more details.

3/2/2004

BITCH AND ANIMAL JOIN FORCES WITH INFOMERCIAL GURU SUSAN POWTER TO START THE INSANITY ON THEIR SPRING TOUR.

Bitch and Animal are back in full-touring action, bringing sour juice, rhyme and all sorts of surprises to a stage near you. One of those surprises is exercise guru Susan "Stop the Insanity" Powter, who will be performing excerpts from her one-woman show, "The Politics of Stupid" on select dates. This combo platter of feminism, political awareness and music has been rightly dubbed the Pussy Primary Tour. "No more erection elections...this is pussy primary time," as Animal so eloquently states. To see if the Pussy Primary Tour is rolling through a town near you, point and click yourself on over to www.bitchandanimal.com/tourdates.html.

2/20/2004

LISTEN TO ANI'S VISIT TO THE ACOUSTIC CAFE

Turn up your computer speakers and beef-up your bandwidth, the Little Folksinger paid a visit to the Acoustic Cafe and now you can hear it for yourself. During the visit, Ani answered questions about the making of Educated Guess, her January 2004 release, and discussed plans for her next album. The interview also features live performances of "Educated Guess," "Animal," and two new, unreleased songs. Click here to listen.

2/9/2004

POP OPEN THE CHAMPAGNE, EVOLVE WINS A GRAMMY!

All of that finger-crossing has paid off! The votes have been tallied and Evolve, Ani's March 2003 release, has been awarded a Grammy in the Best Recording Package category. The album's embossed digi-pak and metallic blue slip-case covering with custom die-cut impressed Grammy voters just as much as the music on Evolve has impressed fans and music critics. Congratulations to the Little Folksinger and graphic artist Brian Grunert for their award-winning Art Direction! To check out Evolve and other Grammy winners, click here. To take a look at the Grammy-winning Evolve package, click here.

1/19/2004

DAEMON RECORDS TEAMS UP WITH AK PRESS TO RELEASE UTAH PHILLIPS' I'VE GOT TO KNOW AS PART OF A NEW FOLK SERIES

As part of a new series that aims to deliver politically-charged folk music, Daemon Records and AK Press are teaming up to release I've Got To Know by Utah Phillips. I've Got To Know contains songs, poems and rants born out of Utah's frustration with the political climate during the time of the first Gulf War. Ani's fans may be familiar with Utah's work through his collaboration with the Little Folksinger on Fellow Workers, as well as The Past Didn't Go Anywhere, an album that features Utah's words set to Ani's music. For more information on I've Got to Know and our friends at Daemon Records, make your way on over to www.daemonrecords.com.

1/19/2004

HAMELL INVADES THE RADIO AIRWAVES, COURTESY OF KGSR

Hamell will be invading the radio airwaves once again when he visits KGSR in Austin, TX on January 21 at 3:30 pm. Click on the call letters to listen live.

1/19/2004

SAME HAMELL, DIFFERENT NIGHT: HAMELL PLAYS IN HOUSTON TONIGHT, JANUARY 19.

Break out your live music calendar, we've got a last minute update. Hamell On Trial will be playing at McGonigel's Mucky Duck in Houston TONIGHT (Monday, January 19), not tomorrow (Tuesday, January 20), as previously advertised. For more information about the show, click here.

1/9/2004

TURN ON YOUR RADIO, ANI IS ON "ALL THINGS CONSIDERED" TONIGHT!

The radio gods are smiling on us once again with the news that Ani's interview with Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers will air on NPR's "All Things Considered" tonight, January 9, 2004. Tune your radio to your favorite public radio station and, if you happen miss the broadcast, you can always check it out on the web here.

1/9/2004

NOE VENABLE TO OPEN FOR ANI ON JANUARY DATES

San Francisco-based singer/songwriter Noe Venable will open the January dates of Ani's winter 2004 tour. Venable, who is known for fusing her unique voice with combinations of folk, pop, country and jazz, has been nominated for Best Female Vocalist at the California Music Awards two years in a row. For more information on Ani's winter '04 tour, mosey on over to the RBR tour page.

1/7/2004

SEKOU SUNDIATA WILL BRING RHYTHM AND NEWS TO THE BOWERY POETRY CLUB IN NYC ON 1/11/04

That's right folks! Sekou Sundiata and his band will be grooving at the Bowery Poetry Club in New York City for "Poetry on the Bowery" on Sunday, January 11, 2004. Sekou's unique trademark style of spoken word/jazz/funky jam music is filled with political insight, humor and rhythmic speech. For more information on the show, visit www.bowerypoetry.com.

12/8/2003

ROLL OUT THE RED CARPET, BITCH AND ANIMAL HAVE BEEN NOMINATED FOR A GLAAD MEDIA AWARD

Awards season is fast approaching and Bitch and Animal are the latest babes to receive recognition. Nominations for the 15th Annual GLAAD Media Awards are in and the duo have been nominated in the Outstanding Music Artist category for their latest album, Sour Juice and Rhyme. The GLAAD Media Awards recognize the media and arts for their presentation of fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the GLBT community and will be held in the spring of 2004. Click here for more information on Bitch and Animal's nomination.

12/5/2003

SONGWRITER. MUSICMAKER. STORYTELLER ... ART DIRECTOR (?!) -- EVOLVE GARNERS GRAMMY NOD FOR BEST PACKAGING

Another feather has been added to Ani DiFranco’s cap: A grammy nomination for her work as Art Director. Evolve, released in March 2003, has been nominated for a Grammy in the Best Packaging category. Ani, along with graphic designer Brian Grunert, co-Art Directed the album, which has been receiving rave reviews for its unique visual and textural elements, a metallic blue slip-case covering and embossed digi-pak. In our humble opinion, it’s a true work of art. And the music isn’t bad either! So cross your fingers and make sure you're in front of your television on February 8th, 2004! (well, OK, the packaging award is probably given off-camera, and you shouldn’t be watching that thing anyway). To see the full list of nominations for the category, click here. To see the cover art from Evolve, click here.

12/1/2003

CALLING ALL BABES! ANI'S NEW ALBUM, EDUCATED GUESS, LANDS IN STORES ON JANUARY 20, 2004.

Ani DiFranco has been “on her own”—to quote her company’s phone number—for a long time. But not since the release of her second album back in 1991 has she been quite as much a solo act as she is on her latest CD, Educated Guess. On it, Ani not only plays all the instruments and provides the lead and backing vocals, but for the first time in her career she singlehandedly did all the recording and mixing herself. The album will be released on January 20, 2004 but you can pre-order it now. To read all the album lyrics and to hear select tracks, click here.

11/11/2003

RADIO IS A SOUND SALVATION WHEN HAMELL VISITS WRUW, WCBE AND WNKU THIS MONTH.

Radio will suck a little bit less this month when Hamell On Trial visits WRUW in Cleveland, OH on November 13th, WCBE in Columbus, OH on November 14th at 2:00 pm, and WNKU in Cincinnati, OH on November 17th at 9:30 am. Click on the call letters to listen live.

11/7/2003

ANI 11/23/03 TOUR DATE IN W. HARTFORD NOW ON SALE

That's right, folks! The University of Hartford is opening its doors to the general public. Tickets to Ani's upcoming show at the Lincoln Theatre in W. Hartford, CT on November 23rd are now available. Bass-n-groove virtuoso That 1 Guy will open the show. To find out how to get yourself some tickets, make your way to the RBR tour page.

10/17/2003

THAT 1 GUY AND JOE HENRY TO SUPPORT ANI ON NOVEMBER TOUR DATES

That 1 Guy and Joe Henry will both be opening on Ani's November tour. Joe Henry, who will be opening the first half of the month, has been garnering rave reviews for his most recent album, Tiny Voices. That 1 Guy, who will be opening the second half of the month, is known for his sublimely eclectic bass-n-drum grooves. For specific dates, head on over to the RBR tour page.

8/20/2003

KUCINICH BENEFIT CONCERT WITH ANI AND WILLIE NELSON ON SEPTEMBER 6TH CANCELLED

The September 6th concert to benefit the presidential campaign of Dennis Kucinich has been cancelled. The concert was to have taken place at the State Theatre/Placehouse Square Center in Cleveland, OH. To find out more click here.
Kucinich, who is currently a member of the House of Representatives, is running on a peace platform and was one of a handful of politicians vehemently opposed to the recent invasion of Iraq. To learn more about Kucinich and what his campaign is all about, head on over to his official site at www.kucinich.us.

8/20/2003

HAMELL ON TRIAL JOINS ANI ON TOUR DURING THE MONTH OF OCTOBER

The month of October brings Righteous fans two babes for the price of one when RBR new-comer Hamell On Trial joins The Little Folksinger on tour, assaulting stages and illuminating faces with stops in the southwest as well as Atlanta, New Orleans and Nashville. To check out where Ani is continuing on to with That 1 Guy, swing on over here. Find out where to catch the "one-man powerhouse of acoustic ass-kickery", otherwise known as Hamell On Trial on all his dates here.

8/20/2003

ANDREW BIRD TO APPEAR ON WFMU ON AUGUST 24TH

Continuing on his quest to rule the radio airwaves, Andrew Bird will be surfacing on the Stochastic Hit Parade with Bethany Ryker on WFMU this Sunday, August 24th at approximately 8pm. WFMU is broadcast on 91.1 FM in New York City, but for all you wacky non-NYC residents, go to www.wfmu.org to listen live and sing along.

8/8/2003

HAMELL ON TRIAL RELEASES "TOUGH LOVE" ON AUGUST 26TH, WITH GUEST APPEARANCE BY ANI D.

Righteous Babe Records is expanding its roster with the much-anticipated release of "Tough Love" by one-man punk band, Hamell On Trial. "Tough Love" marks Hamell's first studio album following a serious car accident and is loaded with arrangements that confront everything from sex, love, politics, near-death experiences, God, drug dealers and road trips with the frenetic energy of his incomparable live shows. Ani D. flexes her producing muscles and contributes vocals on "95 South," "All That Was Said," "A Little Concerned, That's All," and "Worry Wart." Check out RBR's newest addition here.

8/8/2003

ANDREW BIRD TO PERFORM LIVE ON WFUV ON AUGUST 20TH

Andrew Bird is giving us a reason to turn the radio back on when he performs live on WFUV on Wednesday, August 20th. Bird watchers can find Andrew gracing the airwaves of this public radio station at Fordham University in NYC at approximately 1 p.m. EST. Go to www.wfuv.org to check listings and listen live.

8/8/2003

BITCH & ANIMAL ON THE COVER OF GO NYC AND FEATURED IN VELVET PARK

Bitch & Animal are spreading their Sour Juice and Rhyme to the masses in the upcoming issues of GO NYC and Velvet Park. The dynamic duo are parking themselves on the cover of the August 8th issue of GO NYC and Bitch will be starring in her very own feature in the upcoming issue of Velvet Park.

6/16/2003

ANI ON THE COVER OF PERFORMING SONGWRITER!

Ani graces the cover of Performing Songwriter's June 2003 issue. Inside you will find Ani's exclusive chat with Bruce Cockburn. To read excerpts of the article go to the Performing Songwriter's website: http://www.performingsongwriter.com

5/16/2003

MAKE PEACE NOT WAR

The Peace Not War compilation CD is now available for mail order via Righteous Babe Record’s website. London’s Peace Not War group has assembled a crackling 2 CD compilation of anti-war tracks by artists including Ani, Sleater-Kinney, Public Enemy, Billy Bragg, Yo La Tengo, Ms Dynamite, and many others. Proceeds from the sale of this 2-CD set on the Righteous Babe Records website will be donated to our friends at the Western New York Peace Center. www.peace-not-war.org

Order Now

5/5/2003

ANI APPEARS ON WORLD CAFE MAY 9!

Ani DiFranco recently recorded a radio session in Louisville, KY for World Café. Ani performed 3 songs and spoke with David Dye about her new record, returning to solo performance, her next record, and politics (of course!) Her session will air nationwide on 211 public radio stations on Friday May 9th. A full list of stations is available on the World Cafe site.

4/28/2003

NEW RELEASES COMING IN JUNE FROM BITCH AND ANIMAL & SONGWRITER ANDREW BIRD

2 upcoming RBR releases prove it's a small world after all... June 10 sees the simultaneous release of two vastly different new discs from members of RBR's extended musical family. "Sour Juice and Rhyme" marks the return of much-loved duo Bitch and Animal, and it's packed with their inimitable mix of poetry, performance art, percussion, and pussy - along with the world's first hiphop tribute to croquet. At the same time, critically acclaimed composer, singer and virtuoso violinist Andrew Bird makes his RBR debut with "Weather Systems," a collection of 9 gorgeously subtle, hauntingly intimate songs. And how's this for coincidence: Mr. Bird was Ms. Bitch's violin teacher, back in the day! Ah, sooner or later it all comes together...

4/24/2003

NO VOICE, NO SHOW, NO FUN

A quick note to all the fine folks in Denver, CO: Ani was on the verge of laryngitis on Wednesday, April 23 and was forced to cancel the first of her two shows at the Paramount Theatre, much to her regret. She is currently under doctor's supervision and the performance tonight (on Thursday April 24) will go on as planned. We apologize for the inconvenience.

The April 23 show has been postponed until October 16 at the same venue. All tickets issued for the cancelled show will be honored on that date. If you have questions about refunds for Wednesdays show, you can contact Ticketmaster at 303-830-8497.

Everyone at RBR wishes Ani a speedy recovery.

3/28/2003

FIGHT FOR WOMENS RIGHTS ... WITH GUACAMOLE!

Our friends at The Guacamole Fund will be selling 2 pairs of tickets in each city Ani visits in April to benefit the National Abortion Federation (NAF). The seats will be between the 8th and the 10th rows in the center section and are fully tax deductible. Money raised will assist NAF in its efforts to ensure that women can access the accurate information they need in order to make the reproductive health choices that are right for them. Please call 800-728-6223 to purchase these tickets or for more information.

3/24/2003

NOT IN OUR NAME, NOT IN THEIR VENUE

On Wednesday, March 19, as the United States readied Tomahawk missiles in the direction of Baghdad, audience members gathered in the lobby of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark, New Jersey for the latest Ani performance. The venue management forbade the peace organization Not In Our Name (NION) www.notinourname.net to set up an information table there-the first time in Ani’s 12-year touring career that tabling was not allowed. The venue also refused to allow NION’s literature and posters to be available at the Righteous Babe merchandising table. “Rather than argue,” said Scot Fisher, Ani’s manager, “we offered Miles Solay, the representative from NION, the opportunity to address the audience from the stage.”

However, the administrators of NJPAC threatened to pull the plug on the concert if anyone other than Ani spoke “advocating their cause.” Fisher discussed the situation with Ani and subsequently told the promoter, “If the venue stops the speakers from addressing the audience, Ani will not perform.”

NJPAC administration backed down, and the show went on as scheduled. Solay, who was joined by Amy Goodman, host of Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now! www.democracynow.org program, and Jeremy Scahill, a journalist who had just returned for Baghdad, took the stage and voiced their resistance to the impending war. Along with a call for action, the speakers also expressed outrage at the repression of free speech engaged in by the venue. In defiance, Scahill tossed handfuls of informational leaflets into the cheering crowd. DiFranco then performed her solo concert without interruption. Throughout the rest of the evening, repeated references to the incident were met with waves of loud approval from the audience.

Ani summed up the confrontation score with these words: “In this time of war, when all major media sources are co-opted and controlled by the military-corporate monolith, it is especially important that we disobey any attempts to silence us. They tried to shut us down tonight, but once again we have proven that there is power in numbers. So it’s People - 1, Random Knuckleheads - 0 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.”

3/20/2003

WORK FOR PEACE

As we write, the U.S. is at war with Iraq, and massive
worldwide demonstrations are being planned in response. To find out about rallies in your area and other forms of protest, check here www.unitedforpeace.org.

There are many other places you can turn if youre opposed to the war, and well be listing lots of them in the new ACTION section of our site. We encourage you to join us by working for peace in your own corner of the globe...
Everything you do / make / say / share makes a difference!

3/6/2003

ANI IS ON THE COVER OF WOMEN WHO ROCK

On the cover and inside the April issue of Women Who Rock are photos and an interview with our very own Ani D.
She discusses everything from her new album, Evolve, to womens rights to Carlos the cat.

More info and more Women Who Rock at www.womenwhorockmag.com

2/28/2003

ANI’S TICKETS TO BE AUCTIONED FOR SWEET RELIEF

Buy a pair of tickets to Ani’s upcoming shows in Newark, NJ or Santa Fe, NM and help raise money for the Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.

Sweet Relief will be auctioning off a pair of tickets (in approximately the 10th row) and a signed copy of Ani’s new album “Evolve” in both cities to help in their mission of aiding musicians. The Fund, founded in 1993 by singer-songwriter Victoria Williams, promotes the well being of musicians by providing financial assistance for medical care and other necessities of life.

The online auction will be held at www.ebay.com/sweetrelief, and you can learn more about the good folks at Sweet Relief at www.sweetrelief.org

2/14/2003

NPR’S "ALL THINGS CONSIDERED" FEATURES ANI’S SONG "SERPENTINE"

In a February 10 piece about current anti-war songs, National Public Radio’s program "All Things Considered" played a clip of Ani’s song "Serpentine." The 10-minute opus appears on her upcoming album Evolve, and has been a setlist standard at recent live shows. You can take a listen to the piece by going here. To hear "Serpentine" in its entirety, click here.

2/4/2003

AUTHOR NICK HORNBY INCLUDES ANI IN HIS SONGBOOK

Through the success of his novels About A Boy, High Fidelity and Fever Pitch, author Nick Hornby has garnered a reputation as a passionate music connoisseur. Hornby’s latest work, Songbook, features essays about 31 of his favorite songs. Ani’s “You Had Time” is one of them, along with selections from Aimee Mann, Bob Dylan, The Beatles and many others. In the U.S., the book is accompanied by a CD that contains “You Had Time,” along with 10 other tracks that are featured in the essays.
Proceeds from Songbook will benefit The TreeHouse Trust, a U.K. charity that helps to educate children with autism and related communication disorders, and 826 Valencia, a non-profit writing lab based in San Francisco.
Songbook is now available in independent bookstores across the U.S. and at www.mcsweeneys.net.

1/21/2003

HERE YE, HERE YE! ANI’S NEW STUDIO ALBUM EVOLVE HITS STORES MARCH 11, 2003!

Ani’s latest album, Evolve, will be released on March 11, 2003. The album features 12 new studio tracks, many of which have become staples of her recent live shows. Now that she has returned to performing solo, Evolve represents the definitive musical statement from Ani and her 5-piece band. For more info, sample tracks and lyrics, go here. To pre-order Evolve, go here.

1/8/2003

ANI TO PERFORM AT “NOT IN OUR NAME” BENEFIT CONCERT

On Friday, January 31, 2003, the antiwar organization Not In Our Name will be holding a benefit concert at the Berkeley Community Theater in Berkeley, CA, at 7:30 p.m. The list of performers includes Ani, Ozomatli, Chuck D, Michael Franti and Saul Williams. For tickets to the event, go here. For more on Not In Our Name, go here.

1/8/2003

ANI TO APPEAR ON MUCHMUSIC’S SHOW “THE NEW MUSIC”

An upcoming episode of the Canadian television show “The New Music” will feature an interview with Ani. It will air on MuchMusic on Monday, January 20, at 9:00 p.m. EST. If you live in Toronto or Vancouver, you can see the show on Citytv on Saturday, January 25 and Thursday, January 30. Check local listings or www.citytv.com for times. The episode will also include segments with Beck, Ash and The Vines. For more on “The New Music,” go here.

1/2/2003

ANI APPEARS ON ABC’S "UP CLOSE"!

Ani’s appearance on the nationally televised program “ABC Up Close” aired on Friday, December 27, 2002. “Up Close” is a half-hour program by the producers of “Nightline” that profiles a wide range of cultural figures (everyone from Bishop Desmond Tutu to Bruce Springsteen). They caught up with Ani along her recent solo tour this fall. To watch the interview, go here.

12/23/2002

ANI JOINS BOB DYLAN FOR A TOUR OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND!

In February 2003, Ani will be teaming up with Bob Dylan for a tour of Australia and New Zealand. Over the course of the month, the tour will touch down in several spots down under, including Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland. In keeping with Ani’s recent back-to-basics approach, she’ll be performing solo throughout the tour. It’s the first time the two artists have toured together since 1997. For more info, go here. For more on Bob Dylan, go here.

12/17/2002

ANI’S POEM “SELF EVIDENT” IS A PART OF THE PEACE NOT WAR COMPILATION

A diverse group of artists including Ani, Public Enemy, Billy Bragg and Massive Attack unite to oppose the “War on Terror” on the double-disc benefit compilation Peace Not War. Ani contributes her poem “Self Evident” to the collection. The album is currently in stores, and can also be purchased from local peace groups that are affiliated with the Stop the War Coalition. All proceeds will go to peace groups around the world. For more info on Peace Not War, go here.

12/12/2002

ANI PERFORMS ON DEMOCRACY NOW!

Ani was interviewed and performed on Democracy Now, a grassroots, independent radio show that is syndicated across the USA. The piece aired on Friday, December 13, 2002, but you can still listen to it at www.democracynow.org. (You can also download older Ani performances from the site!) Among the songs Ani performs are “Your Next Bold Move,” “Subdivision” and “Serpentine.” So fire up those fancy computers, and enjoy!

12/6/2002

ANI DONATES GUITAR TO THE METROPOLITAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION, CORETTA SCOTT KING HONORED

On November 22, 2002, the Metropolitan Community Foundation of San Francisco honored civil rights leader Coretta Scott King with the “Circles of Hope” award. The event was quite a success, featuring a rousing speech by King and a performance by Patti LaBelle. A silent auction featured autographed guitars donated by Ani and the Indigo Girls, with profits going to the foundation. For the last five years, the organization has been a leader in the gay rights movement, and has provided invaluable services for the city’s homeless and the victims of the AIDS epidemic.
To read King’s inspiring keynote address, go here. For more on the Metropolitan Community Foundation, go here.

12/5/2002

ANI APPEARS ON THE BENEFIT COMPILATION RESPOND II

The double-disc compilation Respond II features songs from 32 revered female artists, with all proceeds going to Respond, Inc. and the Family Violence Prevention Fund, two organizations working to end domestic violence around the world. Ani contributes her song “So What” to the disc, which features Joan Baez, Indigo Girls, Aimee Mann, Erin McKeown and many others. While the collection won’t be in stores until January 22, 2003, you can purchase it online through the holidays at
www.respondproject.org.

11/20/2002

HEAR SEKOU SUNDIATA ON NPR’S “FRESH AIR”

The November 20, 2002, edition of National Public Radio’s program “Fresh Air” featured a conversation between host Terry Gross and Sekou Sundiata. The renowned poet and performer discussed “blessing the boats,” his new one-man show that recently debuted in New York City. The piece is about the year Sundiata’s kidney failed, he went into dialysis, and got a transplant. Later that year, while on his way to his “comeback” concert to celebrate the release of his Righteous Babe debut longstoryshort, Sekou broke his neck in a car accident. For more info on the show, and to hear it, go
here. To pick up a copy of longstoryshort, go here.

11/15/2002

CATCH ANI ON THE NEW PBS PROGRAM “EGG: THE ARTS SHOW”

PBS has a new program called “EGG: The Arts Show,” which is premiering a piece called “The Voice,” a celebration of what the program calls “the most extraordinary musical instrument” - the human voice. The episode features appearances from Ani, the monks of the Drepung Gomang Monastery, Sam Moore and others. To find out if “Egg” is airing in your local area (because it is not on nationwide yet), go here. You can also see a short stream of the show by going here.

11/15/2002

ADRIAN BELEW OF KING CRIMSON TAKES THE STAGE WITH DRUMS & TUBA!

Drums & Tuba’s performance at 12th and Porter in Nashville, Tennessee, on Wednesday, November 20, 2002, will feature a very special guest appearance by legendary King Crimson guitarist/vocalist Adrian Belew. Belew became a fan of D&T after hearing its latest record Mostly Ape, and expressed a desire to sit in on a couple songs with the adventurous instrumental trio. Adrian’s expansive and obtuse rock explorations with King Crimson have obviously influenced D&T’s equally strange sonic directions, so this collaboration promises to be electrifying. For more on Drums & Tuba’s tour dates, go here.

11/14/2002

THE SHOW MUST GO ON: ANI BEGINS HER TOUR WITH A BROKEN FOOT

It’s pretty safe to say that you’re not going to see Ani DiFranco dancing around the stage at her next few concerts. The Little Folksinger recently slipped and fell, causing a slight break in her right foot. For the first few performances of her U.S. tour, she’ll be forced to play sitting down - definitely a first in her career. We all wish her well, and hope her foot heals quickly, so she can continue punishing stages with those cool chunky shoes of hers.

11/6/2002

ARTO VS. THE VOLCANO!

On October 25, 2002, in San Remo, Italy, Arto Lindsay was awarded the prestigious Tenco Prize for songwriting. Previous winners of the Italian award are Laurie Anderson and Elvis Costello. Two days later, after a performance with his band in Catania, Sicily, the great volcano Mount Etna erupted, raining ash on the city and forcing its residents to carry umbrellas. In a strange coincidence, Etna had last erupted in July of 2001: the same time as Arto’s previous appearance in Catania! For more on Arto’s uncanny knowledge of plate tectonics, go
here.

11/6/2002

ANI IS INTERVIEWED IN PASTE MAGAZINE!

The fourth issue of Paste magazine features a great interview with Ani, and as a nifty bonus, the free CD that comes with the issue includes Ani’s song “Welcome To:.” For more on Paste, which is a national music magazine that actually talks about music, go here. To listen to “Welcome To:” right now, go here.

11/4/2002

ANI CONTRIBUTES A SONG TO GOING DRIFTLESS: AN ARTIST’S TRIBUTE TO GREG BROWN

Ani’s cover of “The Poet Game” is featured on Going Driftless: An Artist’s Tribute To Greg Brown. Ani fans may be familiar with Brown, as he opened for Ani in 2001 at Carnegie Hall in NYC, and in Eugene, Oregon, on her current tour. The tribute to Brown features an all-star cast of female singer/songwriters, including Lucinda Williams, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Shawn Colvin. Royalties generated by Going Driftless will go to The Breast Cancer Fund of San Francisco, California. To learn more about the fund, go here. For more on Going Driftless, go here. Order Now.

10/30/2002

ANI IS A PART OF THE DOCUMENTARY FILM MONEY FOR NOTHING

The documentary film Money For Nothing: Behind The Business Of Pop Music delves into the problems surrounding major label conglomerates and their frightening control over the majority of popular music. Narrated by Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth and featuring interviews with Ani, Chuck D, Michael Franti, Kathleen Hanna and others, the film asks some important questions about the complicated relationship between artists and record labels. For more on Money For Nothing, and to view a preview of the film, go here.

10/29/2002

ANI’S CONCERT IN EUGENE, OR, RAISES MONEY FOR INHARMONY.ORG

Two dollars from the cost of every ticket to Ani’s Nov. 1 concert at the McDonald Theater in Eugene, OR, went to In Harmony, a non-profit organization founded in 1993 to help disadvantaged children and ensure them “a safe journey from foster care to permanent loving homes.” Special guests Greg Brown and Toshi Reagon folked up Eugene in the process. For more on In Harmony, go here.

10/6/2002

NOT IN OUR NAME:A STATEMENT OF CONSCIENCE

Ani is one of the many signers of the “Not In Our Name Statement of Conscience,” which appeared in a full-page ad in the New York Times on September 19. Here’s an excerpt from the statement:

“Let it not be said that people in the United States did nothing when their government declared a war without limit and instituted stark new measures of repression.”
Other signers of the statement include Robert Altman, Oliver Stone, Martin Luther King III and Susan Sarandon.

To read the statement, go here. For more info on Not In Our Name, go here.

9/7/2002

LISTEN TO ANI ON NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO’S “MORNING EDITION”

On Friday, September 6, 2002, Ani was interviewed on the National Public Radio program “Morning Edition.” She discussed her new album So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter, and her recent poem “Self Evident.” To listen to the interview, go here. Happy listening!

8/30/2002

LYRICS TO BRAND NEW ANI SONGS!

If you’ve seen Ani perform recently, you’ve probably heard a few brand new compositions that have yet to appear on an album. We’ve posted the lyrics to 11 of these songs here. Enjoy!

7/25/2002

ANI’S NEW DOUBLE LIVE CD SO MUCH SHOUTING, SO MUCH LAUGHTER HITS STORES SEPTEMBER 10

For five years now, fans have been asking for a follow-up to Ani’s first live album, Living in Clip. This fall, the wait is over: The new double-disc CD So Much Shouting, So Much Laughter offers up 2 hours of music including 3 previously unrecorded songs and 20 more compositions from every phase of Ani’s career, all recorded with the beloved 6-piece band she toured with from 2000-2002.

Like Revelling/Reckoning, this tidy little package is really two records in one. Disc One, subtitled "Stray Cats" is what Ani calls "a feral collection of set list standards and a few anomalies," by which she means (among other things) versions of songs you won’t hear this way anywhere else. Disc Two, "Girls Singing Night," is structured more like one of the shows from her last tours with the band, from walk-on music all the way to the encore, even though the individual tracks come from all over the place.

Heres what the Little Folksinger herself has to say about the project: "I gave up very quickly on the notion of finding perfect versions of any of these songs; there’s no such thing on tape, let alone in my mind. The performances are flawed, certainly, but my mission became simply to find technically passable tapes from nights I remember enjoying, listen to the songs I was interested in representing, and then ask myself the question, Is the spirit here?’"

You can be sure there’s spirit aplenty in the live recordings Ani has chosen to release. And we’ll have much more to say about So Much Shouting as its street date draws near, so check back here soon for more info.

7/3/2002

WATCH ANI'S CONCERT IN AMSTERDAM LIVE ON FABCHANNEL.COM

On Friday, July 12, 2002, around 1,000 folks will attend Ani's performance at Paradiso in Amsterdam, Holland. Now, the rest of the world can see the show, as it will be webcasted live on www.fabchannel.com. The concert will start around 1:30 pm EST (thats 7:30 pm in Amsterdam), so cut out of work early and catch an Ani show!

7/2/2002

DRUMS & TUBA GO MOSTLY APE ON NEW RELEASE

Also in stores on September 10 is Mostly Ape, the latest batch of eccentric instrumental mayhem from the NYC trio Drums & Tuba. The new record takes the already atmospheric sound of the band's past and arms it with groove-based, well-crafted song structures and slippery blips and bleeps. On top of Drums & Tuba's significant rock influence, you'll also hear strains of jazz, electronica, art rock, funk, garage, new wave and the faint echo of your highschool marching band. It's a multi-layered, surprisingly rich sound for a trio. It will also annoy the hell out of folks who organize their CD collection by genre. Mostly Ape is a rhythm-heavy, forward-thinking, wholly original musical document, and is the band's most accomplished effort yet.

6/5/2002

HEAR A TRACK FROM ARTO LINDSAYS NEW ALBUM ON NPRS "ALL SONGS CONSIDERED"

For those of you who just cant wait for Arto Lindsays album Invoke to hit stores on June 25, you can get a sneak peek by going here. National Public Radios acclaimed program "All Songs Considered" featured the record in a recent show. You can listen to the Invoke track "You Decide" on their homepage, and treat yourself to quotes and photos of Lindsay.

4/12/2002

LITTLE FOLKSINGER ISSUES BIG CHALLENGE:GIVE A DAY OF YOUR PAY FOR AN ARTIST TODAY!

Ani has donated her fee from her April 8 concert in her hometown of Buffalo, NY to "the ABC Fund," a new entity established by RBR in conjunction with members of the local community intended to provide much-needed resources for Buffalo's imperiled public school system. She's also challenging you to do the same thing: donate the equivalent of your day's paycheck to the fund, which goes directly to the assistance of art teachers and their students.

2/27/2002

ARTO LINDSAY WINS LATIN GRAMMY; RIGHTEOUS BABE TO RELEASE HIS ALBUM INVOKE IN JUNE 2002

Legendary bossa nova/noise-rock experimentalist and Righteous Babe artist Arto Lindsay was awarded a Latin Grammy for his production work on Marisa Montes album Memorias, Cronicas e Declaracoes de Amor. The record won in the "Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album" category. Congratulations, Arto! Invoke, Lindsays brand new album, will be released on Righteous Babe Records on June 25, 2002. It will be the follow-up to 1999s Prize, which was Artos Righteous Babe debut, and the labels first foray into music other than that of Ani DiFranco. Picking up where Prize left off, Invoke continues Lindsays exploration of guitar-laden, Brazilian pop soundscapes, melding his avant-Eno-noise roots with laid-back Tropicalia rhythms. In other words, its really good. For more info on Invoke, stay tuned to www.righteousbabe.com and www.artolindsay.com.

2/18/2002

NEW HORN PLAYER ADDED TO ANI'S BAND

Ani's Winter 2002 tour will feature a new face: NYC-trumpet player Todd Horton. On top of leading a handful of his own groups, Horton is also a veteran session player, having performed or recorded with the likes of Joan Osborne, Aaron Neville, John Popper, the Spin Doctors, Jane Siberry and countless others. Let's be sure to give him a warm welcome as the newest addition to the RBR-family.

2/13/2002

ANI GUESTS ON RAPPER COREY PARKER'S DEBUT ALBUM

Over the years, Ani has slowly been fusing elements of hip-hop into her sound, most notably on the To The Teeth track "Swing," which featured a standout performance from guest MC Corey Parker. Now, Ani returns the favor, appearing on Corey's debut album, Subliminal Souls. Corey, the son of saxophone legend and James Brown sideman Maceo Parker (who guested on Ani's albums To The Teeth and Revelling/Reckoning), has been developing over the past 6 years as a member of his father's band, where he handles both lead and background vocals. Ani appears on the track "Pump Ya' Fist," described by Parker as a "hard-hitting, socio-political duet." Legendary musician and long-time Ani supporter Prince has already given the song his blessing, personally commending Parker and inviting him to a jam session at Paisley Park. In the footsteps of Ani, Prince, and recently, David Bowie, Parker has decided to record and market his CD without a major record label. "The emphasis should be on the music and allowing the artist to have freedom to create," says Parker. He adds "The freedom that I have had with this project has given me the chance to explore new things musically." The new album is available for online purchase at www.coreyparker.netand www.cdstreet.com . You may also hear audio samples from both sites. See Corey currently touring with The Maceo Parker Band and soon with his own band supporting Subliminal Souls.

1/7/2002

ANI PENS ARTICLE IN NEW ISSUE OF THE NATION

Ani is one of several people who contributed their thoughts to The Nation's recent feature, entitled "Take This Media, Please!" The piece (featured in the January 7, 2002 issue) compiles reactions to an ever-growing problem regarding the media: its concentration of power belongs to a small number of media conglomerates. Al Franken, Phil Donahue and Danny Goldberg join Ani as contributors, along with several other esteemed writers and economists. To read the entire article from the beginning, go here. To jump to Ani's section, go here. Happy reading!

12/21/2001

ANI, BRUCE HORNSBY, JOHN POPPER AND JOE HENRY COME TOGETHER FOR "AN EVENING OF MUSIC FOR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM" CELEBRATING THE 29TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE HISTORIC ROE V. WADE DECISION

Ani DiFranco, Bruce Hornsby, John Popper and Joe Henry will perform at a special benefit concert for the Voters For Choice Action Fund and the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan on Saturday, January 19, at 8:00 PM at the Lisner Auditorium in Washington, D.C. The evening will be hosted by Gloria Steinem. Tickets go on sale Saturday, December 22 at 10:00 AM. Order by phone at 202.432.SEAT, or at www.ticketmaster.com. Reserved seats are $35.00 (convenience fees may apply). Tickets will also be available at the Lisner Box Office, where special student discounted tickets will be sold. For Lisner Auditorium Box Office information, call 202.994.1500. For special Golden and Silver Circle seats, including a post-show artist reception hosted by Gloria Steinem, call 202.944.5080, or visit www.voters4choice.org or www.guacfund.com. Proceeds from the "Evening of Music for Reproductive Freedom" will go to the Voters For Choice Action Fund and the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA). The Voters For Choice Action Fund trains and educates pro-choice candidates and elected officials across the country about the importance of reproductive choice, defending the ongoing threats to our reproductive freedom on the Hill and in the White House. RAWA was established in Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1977 as an independent political/social organization of Afghan women fighting for human rights and for social justice in Afghanistan. Since 1992, the focus of RAWA's political struggle has been against the Taliban's criminal policies and atrocities against the people of Afghanistan. Specifically, RAWA is battling the incredibly chauvinistic and anti-woman orientation of this government. As Afghanistan finds itself strangled within the grip of religious fundamentalism of all shades, human rights across the nation are being grossly violated. RAWA's hope is to see a government in Afghanistan based on democratic values and that ensures freedom of thought, religion and political expression while safeguarding women's rights. "There is no democracy without women's equality," said Steinem. "This concert shows that we stand with our Afghan sisters." For more info on Voters For Choice, head on over to www.voters4choice.com. For more on RAWA, go to www.rawa.org.

10/18/2001

TICKETS FROM CANCELLED ANI SHOW IN SAVANNAH TO BE HONORED IN COLUMBIA, SC

Ani has cancelled her show at the Johnny Mercer Theater in Savannah scheduled for October 16. Patrons holding tickets to this show can use the tickets for admittance to Ani's show in Columbia, SC, at the Township Auditorium on Thursday, October 18 at 8pm. The Township show is general admission. The Township is located at 1703 Taylor Street in downtown Columbia. For directions and additional information call (803) 252-2032. For ticket information please call either (803) 252-6530 or (803) 251-2222.

10/8/2001

ANI'S CONCERTS IN HOUSTON, SAVANNAH CANCELLED

Due to a family emergency, Ani DiFranco has been forced to cancel her concerts at the Aerial Theater in Houston, TX, on Saturday, October 6, and the Johnny Mercer Theatre in Savannah, GA, on Tuesday, October 16, 2001. Ani and everyone at Righteous Babe Records appreciates the continued support of her fans. Tickets can be refunded at point of purchase. In Houston, contact the Aerial Theater Box Office at 713-225-8551 with any questions. In Savannah, contact Ticketmaster at 800-351-7469 or the Johnny Mercer Theatre at 912-651-6556.

9/7/2001

BITCH AND ANIMAL PERFORM ON KBOO RADIO

Catch Righteous Babe's newest artist Bitch and Animal on the Portland, OR, radio station KBOO 90.7 FM. The duo will be pre-recording an hour long segment for the station's "Bread And Roses" program, which will include an interview and performances of songs from their new album, ETERNALLY HARD. It will air Sunday, September 16, at 8pm (5pm EST). For more info on the show, go here. The "tribal chicks" will also be featured on the Poughkeepsie, NY, television show "Poughkeepsie Live." The segment will consist of an interview and a live performance. The air date is still to be announced.

8/20/2001

ANI NOMINATED FOR ONLINE MUSIC AWARD

Ani and HOB.com (House of Blues) have been nominated in the Best Online Live Event category for Yahoo! Internet Life Magazine's 4th Annual Online Music Awards. The nomination is for Ani's performance at the House of Blues in Orlando, FL, on September 15, 2000, which was webcast on HOB.com. To watch the concert, click here. Also garnering nominations in the category are Pete Townshend, Missy Elliott, Madonna and the Voodoo Music Festival. The ceremony will be held on September 20, 2001, at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. For more information on the nominees, go here.

8/13/2001

ANI FEATURED IN ROCKRGRL MAGAZINE

Ani can be seen on the cover of the July/August 2001 issue of Rockrgrl Magazine. In the interview, Ani discusses some of Righteous Babe's newer artists, her responsibilities as a musician, and this response to the criticism that she is "too prolific": "People were saying 'Three albums in one year? They can't be good because that's not how many albums people make. It's just not the right number.' I started wondering where that number comes from - an album a year being the appropriate case. Can a painter have too many paintings? That's not a creative pace. That's a marketing standard based on what's practical in the industry in terms of being able to release and work an album, sell it, and then release another one soon enough to capitalize on the interest you've already generated but not so soon that it cuts into it. An album a year may be the industry pace for selling records, but when it comes to individuals and their muses, there is no standard." For more on the magazine and this specific issue, click here.

8/6/2001

ANI PERFORMS AT THE CAMPUS GREENS SUPER RALLY IN CHICAGO, IL

Ani will be performing a few songs as part of the Campus Greens Super Rally this Friday, August 10, in Chicago, IL. The event will be held at the Congress Theatre, and will feature speakers Ralph Nader, Winona LaDuke, Jello Biafra and many more. Patti Smith will also give a performance. The Campus Greens is a brand new student organization, and this will be their inaugural rally. The whole shindig begins at 7:30, and tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. To learn more about the Campus Greens, head on over to their Founding Convention, at the University of Illinois-Chicago. It will be running from August 9-12, featuring workshops that focus on all Green Party causes: the environment, community-based economics, feminism, campaign finance reform, fighting racism, etc. For more info on the rally, the convention and the Campus Greens in general, click here.

7/17/2001

TV PEOPLE ARE SO SCARED OF FOLKSINGERS: ANI DIFRANCO'S RETURN TO LATE SHOW IS CANCELLED

Ani's previously announced July 19, 2001 performance on Late Show with David Letterman has been cancelled following conflicts between the artist's stated intentions and the program's expectations of her. The appearance was to have been her second on the show. In March, Ani was asked for a list of three songs she might perform. The song she ultimately chose from the list, "Subdivision," has been a staple of her recent concerts and is one of the most-discussed tracks on her latest album, Revelling/Reckoning. The lyrics of the song examine the prevalence of racism in urban America and its devastating impact on the landscape of cities nationwide. The opening line states the matter bluntly yet eloquently: "White people are so scared of black people." A week before the taping, however, representatives of the program insisted that Ani instead perform "Heartbreak Even" because its portrait of a stalled relationship was considered more "upbeat." As viewers of the Late Show are well aware and as the producers have admitted, songs featured on the program in the past have reflected a wide range of tempos, but evidently "Subdivision" was not to be one of them. Requests to reschedule the appearance for a time when its tempo might better fit the show were denied, leaving only one conclusion: that the beat of the music stirred up less trouble than the words of the song. As a matter of principle and a privilege of her hard-earned independence, Ani does not perform songs on demand, whether the demand comes from the producer of a television program, an audience member at one of her concerts, or even her own management. Faced with a choice between playing something "upbeat" yet apolitical or not playing at all, Ani chose the latter. Both Ani and Righteous Babe regret any disappointment this decision causes viewers and fans. CLICK HERE to read the lyrics THE LATE SHOW didn't want you to hear.

6/20/2001

ANI PERFORMS ON KCRW'S "MORNING BECOMES ECLECTIC."

Don't miss an interview with and performance by Ani on KCRW's acclaimed "Morning Becomes Eclectic" show, in which she's joined by her horn section in the studio. Listen live on Tuesday, July 3 at 11 AM Pacific Time at 89.9 FM in Santa Monica, CA, or online at www.kcrw.org. Full info, including an archive of the program, is available HERE.

6/20/2001

HEAR ANI TALK ABOUT HER HOMETOWN OF BUFFALO, NY, ON NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO

Everyone knows Ani is a Buffalo gal. Hear her talk about her hometown when NPR's Weekend Edition Sunday devotes a segment to Buffalo, NY on Sunday, July 1, 2001. CLICK HERE for details on the program (and an archive of the show after it airs).

5/14/2001

LISTEN TO ANI PERFORM SONGS FROM REVELLING/RECKONING ON PACIFICA RADIO & NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO

Pacifica Radio's "Democracy Now!" recently conducted an intensive two-hour, two-part interview with Ani, broadcast on May 4 and 7, 2001. CLICK HERE for Part One and CLICK HERE for Part Two. To hear NPR's review of REVELLING/RECKONING, broadcast on "All Things Considered" on Tuesday, May 1, 2001, CLICK HERE. To hear Ani sing "Your Next Bold Move" in a special segment of NPR's "All Things Considered" broadcast on Thursday, May 3, 2001, CLICK HERE.

4/25/2001

REVELLING/RECKONING'S BURNING UP THE INDEPENDENT ALBUM CHARTS!

Hold onto your hat-shaped hats: Ani's new album REVELLING/RECKONING is the highest-debuting album of the week at #50 in the April 28 edition of BILLBOARD's Top 200! R/R also debuted at #1 on the magazine's Top Independent Albums chart.