Tag: out musicians

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Holiday Playlist To Keep Your Christmas Day Merry & Bright

Bringing you 10 holiday songs for your uber-gay Christmas Day. All of these artists are proudly LGBTQ and celebrated for their artistry in their respective genres. 1. George Michael (back in his Wham! days) delivered unto us this now-required listening holiday pop gem, “Last Christmas,” in 1986.

2. Out country hunk Ty Herndon takes the iconic “O Come All Ye Faithful” into African rhythm territory here, and it totes works.

3. It doesn’t get any more camp than this: the first true bear band, Bearforce1, with their holiday mashup, “Christmas is here!”

4. Two-time Out Music Award winner Matt Zarley covered Mariah Carey’s “Miss You Most At Christmastime” to spectacular result as part of his ‘UnCOVERED’ cover song series.

5. Award-winning cabaret star Ann Hampton Callaway offers this uber-jazzy “Jingle Bells.”

6. Before winning an Emmy Award as an insane murderer on American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace, Darren Criss’ “Blaine” was singing and dancing the holiday classic “Baby, It’s Cold Outside” in high style with out actor Chris Colfer’s “Kurt” on GLEE.

7. Tony Award winner Levi Kreis (Million Dollar Quartet) gives you a little bit gospel, a little bit rockabilly on his new cover of “Santa Claus Is Coming To Town.”

8. Elton John released his “Step Into Christmas” in 1973 and it raced all the way to #1 on the Billboard Christmas Singles chart that year.

9. Handsome out smooth jazz saxophonist Dave Koz shared this cover of “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire)” on his 1997 release, December Makes Me Feel This Way.

10. Bright Light Bright Light gifted us with this synth-pop version of the classic “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas”

 

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Podcast: AGT’s Branden James Chats On His Memoir ‘Lyrics Of My Life’

Branden James (right) with his husband James Clark
Branden James (right) with his husband, cellist James Clark
Musician and now-author Branden James first captivated millions as a finalist on Season 8 of America’s Got Talent in 2013 where he received high praise from the judges for his emotional, operatic vocals. During his time in the national spotlight, he hit more than one perfect note as he shared details of his coming out story and his broken ties with his religious family with the TV audience. In his recently released memoir, Lyrics of My Life: My Journey with Family, HIV, and Reality TV, Branden highlights the conflicts of growing up gay in a world that looked upon his true self and beliefs as an impractical, sinful way of life. The cover of Branden James's new memoir 'Lyrics of My Life: My Journey with Family, HIV, and Reality TV' Through it all, he was surprised by one startling realization: how vital it is to be completely authentic in order to help others, as well as continue to heal himself. Lyrics of My Life is authentically Branden sparing no details about his lack of stability as a young adult, estrangement from his close-knit family, and, despite it all, his unbreakable will to overcome adversity. Searching for his own personal freedom, Branden finds reconciliation with his family, rediscovers his faith, and realizes that affliction and hardship are not what define us as human beings. The response to Lyrics of My Life has been awesome. Among many to praise the memoir were the readers of POZ who voted the book ‘Best in Literature’ for 2020.

Since his time on America’s Got Talent, Branden has performed for Pope Benedict and The Mandela Family in South Africa. He has also performed at The Metropolitan Opera, Los Angeles Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago. He currently tours internationally with his husband, Australian cellist, James Clark in a cello and vocal duo called Branden & James. If you travel to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico in the near future, the terrific twosome are in residence at The Palm Cabaret through February 2021 with their new show, The Lady Gaga Songbook. But, for now, join me as I chat with the oh-so-talented talented Branden James. Lyrics of my Life: My Journey with Family, HIV, and Reality TV is available at all major booksellers including Amazon.

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News Round-Up: December 22, 2020

Dan Levy accepting his trophy at the 2020 Emmy Awards (screen capture)
Some news items you might have missed: • Instinct Magazine: Emmy Award-winner Dan Levy (above) is working on a number of new projects including a new romantic comedy that he may star in. • WeHoVille: West Hollywood’s City Council unanimously approved creating a crosswalk painted in the colors of the transgender flag on Monday night and also updating the rainbow crosswalks to add the colors brown and black to symbolize greater inclusivity. • Out Music: Out Norwegian musician Marie Ulven (aka girl in red) drops this lovely melancholy pop bop, “two queens in a king-sized bed.” Since being discovered on Soundcloud five years ago, Ulven has impressed music fans with her ethereal sound as well as her choosing to lean into her queerness.

• CNN: Donald Trump has begun issuing presidential pardons and among the recipients are former Reps. Chris Collins and Duncan Hunter. Both are Republicans, and both were the first in Congress to endorse Trump for president. • Philly Inquirer: Looks like we found that ‘voter fraud’ folks have been talking about. A man in Delaware county registered his dead mother and mother-in-law to vote using their IDs, and he then cast a mail-in ballot…..for Donald Trump. The 70-year-old admitted to casting the illegal ballot to “further the campaign of Donald Trump.” • The Herald: A wedding venue in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, – the Warehouse on Ivy – denied a same-sex couple the opportunity to hold their wedding there citing its ‘Christian values.’ North Carolina is one of 27 states with no statewide laws offering protection from discrimination against the LGBTQ community.

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Christmas Music: Tom Goss ‘Christmas 2020’

Singer/songwriter Tom Goss ‘Christmas 2020’
Randy Report favorite Tom Goss shares his new holiday tune, Christmas 2020. It’s light, it’s fun, it’s silly – and three minutes of what we need right now. Tom shares via Facebook:

Friday night Mike went for a walk, I picked up the guitar and wrote a song. It was so fun to me that I immediately got on the phone and roped Ned Douglas into production, Mike Lovins into bass and Liz DeRoche into harmony arrangement. I told them everything had to be done immediately!

The next day I had an awesome song and then roped Michael Briggs into making a video with me. This project has made me smile so much, I hope it makes you smile as well.

Moral of the story… there are so many people around you that love you!!!!! Including me. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, love you lots!

You can find my numerous posts about Tom and his music here.

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Out Music: Tom Goss ‘Irreplaceable’

Tom Goss (image via screen capture)
Out singer/songwriter Tom Goss shares this haunting new synth-pop single, “Irreplaceable.” Set in a frozen, bare landscape, Goss sings of tender devotion to the listener:

I know you fear, I know you doubt Your place, our love, tomorrow’s light You are irreplaceable You are irreplaceable

Throughout, Goss trades places with a diverse set of friends and even his husband, Michael, in an exercise underscoring all of our individuality and uniqueness. Lovely.

On the other end of the emotional spectrum, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that Tom has announced his 2021 calendar is now available. If the cover is any indication, you can check out Tom every day in the new year (roller skates, 70s shorts and all).

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News Round-Up: December 15, 2020

Riotron releases surprise holiday single, ‘Silent Night Angel’ (promo photo)
Some news items you might have missed: • Instinct Magazine: Hungary’s parliament has voted to amend the country’s constitution defining families as ‘the mother is a woman, the father is a man.’ This effectively bans LGBTQ people from adopting since queer people cannot marry in the conservative nation. • NY Times: A day after the U.S. surpassed 300,000 deaths due to the coronavirus, the FDA has confirmed Moderna’s assessment that its vaccine had an efficacy rate of 94.1 percent in a trial of 30,000 people. With expected approval on Friday, six million doses could begin shipping across the country. • Christmas Music: Canadian retrowave pop artist Riotron (above photo) returns with a surprise holiday single titled “Silent Night Angel.” Riotron’s Jeff Fettes says, “For me, the holiday season is magical, but also intense and full of surprises. This is my version of a carol.”

• Ipsos Polling: New polling shows more than one in four Americans (27%) say they plan to get the vaccine as soon as it’s available, more than double the number that said the same in mid-September (13%). Nearly two-thirds of Americans (64%) trust the FDA to look out for the best interests of their family. • USA Today: A judge in Phoenix jettisoned a lawsuit claiming widespread election fraud in Arizona, saying the plaintiff had no standing to challenge the state’s election results because she was not registered to vote. • The Advocate: Mike Pence is being mocked for his exuberant entrance to a campaign event where he “prance-clapped” across a tarmac in order to stump for Georgia Republican Sens. Kelly Loeffler and David Perdue. It’s like he was just called down on The Price Is Right.

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New Music From Faultlines, Travis Moser & Citizen Queen

 

Faultlines – Ashley Morgan and John Flanagan (photo: Steve Limones)
Something for everyone in this round-up of new music: country/folk, Broadway/cabaret, and diva R&B. Folk duo Faultlines (comprised of Ashley Morgan and out artist John Flanagan) dropped their first original holiday single, Snowfall, this week. The cozy and warm song remembers spending the holidays with the ones you love. The seasonal track takes the band back to its early stripped acoustic sound with minimal instrumentation, consisting of acoustic guitar, light electric guitar tones, and a cello by Artem Litovchenko. “I always swore I wouldn’t write a Christmas song,” Flanagan shares from his Los Angeles home. “With its heavy religious overtones, I feared Christmas might be too heavy a topic for our diverse listeners.  I’ve since softened my opinions. Western culture celebrates Christmas as a season of giving, of geniality, of love.  That’s the feeling we tried to capture in Snowfall: a warm, safe space in a dark, cold season.” The duo also recently released their third EP, Bittersweet Revival. The collection of upbeat songs and ballads draw inspiration from Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young, Joni Mitchell, and Brandi Carlile. “Snowfall” is available on digital streaming sites here.

Cabaret artist Travis Moser recently released a new EP, So Many People: The Sondheim Sessions, which “explores the experience of 2020 and the effects of COVID-19 through the lens of the music and lyrics of Stephen Sondheim.” The five-track EP, a collaboration with music director/pianist Drew Wutke, includes new takes on Sondheim tunes from Merrily We Roll Along, Follies, Dick Tracy, and Saturday Night. “This collection of songs represents my feelings and emotions over the past 6 months through the lens of Stephen Sondheim,” shares Moser. “Family, friends, politics, self-identity, and love…Sondheim says it better than I ever could.” The stripped-down collection of songs, created entirely by queer artists, was done as a homage to the albums of the great Julie Wilson. The EP is available on all digital download/streaming sites.

The all-girl group Citizen Queen drops its first original single, “Call Me Queen.” Gays love talented, strong female singing groups, and this pop/R&B track is wrapped firmly in self-empowerment and swagger. “These brilliant young women are exactly what a girl group should be in 2020,” says songwriter Justin Tranter, who co-wrote the song. “Diverse, inclusive, passionate, loving and truly dedicated to every detail of their craft. They don’t take their extraordinary vocal gifts for granted for one second.” Dressed in stunning outfits embellished with Swarovski crystals, the music video showcases the girls’ powerful vocals and dance skills as they prepare their heist to reclaim their rightful crowns. “Call Me Queen” is available on all digital sites now.

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News Round-Up: December 5, 2020

‘Dashing in December’ star Juan Pablo Di Pace (image via Facebook)
Some news items you might have missed: • ET Canada: Juan Pablo Di Pace (starring in the holiday rom-com Dashing in December) says all gay roles don’t need to be played by gay actors. “We do what we do because we love experiencing other people’s stories and lives and what would be of the Meryl Streep’s of the world if we all had to do the thing that we are. Actors like playing and playing is inhabiting another human being.” • Pink News: Switzerland has taken a major step on the path to equality after its parliament voted overwhelmingly in favor of a law to pass same-sex marriage. The council of states – the upper house of Switzerland’s legislature – voted by 22-15 to approve landmark legislation to make same-sex marriage a reality. • Kenneth-in-the-212: Make sure and check out Kenneth’s weekly round-up of the what’s what in LGBTQ publications like Colombian actor/model Diego Arnary on the cover of DNA Magazine.
Columbian actor/model Diego Arnary covers DNA Magazine
• Instinct Magazine: A TikTok user, who was kicked out of his house when his father found out he was gay, discovered his dad secretly had sex with men for pay. • Gay Star News: Jamaica has been told it is breaching international law and human rights by continuing to persecute LGBT+ people. • The Advocate: Out singer/songwriter Trey Pearson, who rose to fame in the Christian rock band Everyday Sunday, released his latest single, “We Don’t Want Your War,” in order to remind the world that, even as the pandemic rages, social injustice continues to take root.