An Interview With Country Music Artist Hunter Hayes About Song ‘Here’s Hope’

May 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

He is young and clearly at the beginning of what will be a brilliant career.

Just when Country Music artist Hunter Hayes finishes knocking you over with his musical talents – he sings, he writes and plays every instrument on his self-titled album, you learn he is also a well-spoken advocate for causes like Child Hunger Ends Here, a campaign that motivated him to write Here’s Hope, a song performed at the Academy of Country Music Awards by Little Big Town.

I had the opportunity to sit down with Hunter at the ACM awards in Las Vegas, the day before his song was first heard by millions of people.

The song is part of Con Agra Food’s initiative to fight Child Hunger right here in the United States and can be downloaded from the Child Hunger Ends Here website with the purchase of participating Con Agra Food items.  You have the option to choose versions by Jewel, Owl City and Jay Sean. Each download donates the equivalent of one meal to Feeding America.

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Academy of Country Music Awards: Interview with Gwen Sebastian (The Voice

April 4, 2012 By 6 Comments

Three weeks ago, I received a phone call: How would I feel about covering the Red Carpet at the Academy of Country Music Awards on behalf of Con Agra Foods and their Child Hunger Ends Here program?

A song, “Here’s Hope”, written just for the campaign was going to be performed at the ACMs, spreading the message: Child Hunger is an epidemic, but there is Hope.

I might have said ‘YES!” before the question was done being asked.

This opportunity was extraordinary for a few reasons:

  • Covering a Red Carpet event has been a dream of mine for years (since I was in traditional TV)
  • I would be covering it on behalf of Child Hunger Ends Here – a cause I care deeply about
  • I LOVE Country Music.

So, for me?  A perfect fit.  I have the opportunity to do something I have always dreamed about and for a good cause.

On the Red Carpet, I interviewed more than a dozen Country Artists….one of them was Gwen Sebastian, who recently left The Voice, but has some BIG news to share:

Isn’t she phenomenal? There is so much more video to come…. interviews with Hunter Hays, Coy Bowles from the Zac Brown Band…. and SO MUCH Red Carpet Coverage.  I cannot wait to share.

 

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Interviewing Joe Jonas At BlissDom

March 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Four days straight of interviews, of video… of pure BLISS.  My head is still swirling from the high of dragging stories from so many amazing people at the BlissDom Conference in Nashville.

Photo Credit: Casey Mullins

This picture, taken by the delightful Casey Mullins, caputures one of the highlights of the weekend.  We sat backstage with Joe Jonas for about 10 minutes, chatting with him about performing at BlissDom and how he uses Social Media to connect with his fans (constantly). He was so incredibly gracious and simply overwhelmed the crowed when he took the stage.

We are still working on all the video and will be putting together a fabulous interview – can’t wait to share it.

Filed Under: Featured, Social & Media, What's Your Story?

Complaining About Media Hype Around Hurricane Irene? Put a sock in it….

September 1, 2011 By 4 Comments

People.  If you live on the East Coast and your home and streets didn’t flood, you are LUCKY.

If you live in New York City and had to evacuate and you came back to a home or business FREE of flooding and damage, you are LUCKY.

If you DON’T live on the East Coast and you are blathering on about the media over-hyping Hurricane Irene (or if you are frustrated you evacuated for ‘nothing’), I respectfully ask you to put a sock in it.

It is easy to find commentary condemning the media’s (and many politician’s) representation of what became Tropical Storm Irene…like Daily Beast author, Howard Katz claimed, in a scathing review, “Cable News was utterly swept away by the notion that Irene would turn out to be Armageddon”.

I’m confused… isn’t Hurricane Irene now in the Top 10 most expensive natural disasters in U.S. History?

Isn’t it possible, likely even… that the death toll was LESS as a result of the hyped would-be ‘Armaggedon’?

Is it REALLY considered ‘over-hype’ because New York CITY didn’t suffer the predicted wrath of Irene?

Just what is your complaint?  That you had to LISTEN to the media talk about Hurricane Irene?  If it doesn’t effect you, AND you are so bothered by the ‘over-hype’, TURN IT OFF. Maybe you are frustrated you were forced to evacuate. How about embracing the blessing of coming back to a home? Because there are THOUSANDS of people sleeping on cots right now….and their homes are gone.

It is incredibly easy to Monday morning quarterback this disaster from the comfort of your own couch, with your fingers on your laptop – because THAT’S RIGHT, you have POWER, oh…. and you can leave your home because the streets aren’t closed.

And?  You aren’t one of the 45 families who lost a loved one during the storm.

Have you actually seen the pictures of the Hurricane Irene damage?

Let me help you out. (click twice to enlarge to full screen) This is what you get when you search Google images for Vermont Hurricane Irene damage:


Or…. how about this:  A google seach for Catskills Hurricane Irene Damage:

As of this writing, there are more than a million  people still without power and the cost is estimated to be in the Billions.  Yes, billions.  Considering the state of New York alone is $1 billion.

I find it hard to believe  that the people yapping about the media hype have seen these pictures.  There are people who lost everything. Everything.  Their homes, their pictures, their furniture and clothes….even their cars.  And yet, the complaints of ‘over-hype’ persist.

The media did their job.  They warned the public. Sure, Irene wasn’t as bad as predicted.

THIS IS A GOOD THING.

She was still horrific.  Still fatal.  Still dream-shattering.

Perspective, friends.  Let’s find some.

Photo Credit: Screenshot of the BayNews9.com story.

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An adventure with the Motorola XOOM

August 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I used to be afraid of new technology.  Now?  It feels like an adventure.  Because  I recognize within every trial, the potential for my life to be better, faster, stronger and yes…easier.  As a business owner, as a mother…. these are important to me.

A few weeks ago, I was given the Motorola XOOM tablet to see if it would fit into my life.  I began by playing with it in my home and then took it with me on a ten day trip to San Diego and Los Angeles.  I used it for work and play.  I adored its portability….  I was able to work on it in the car and carry it easily in my purse.  Because I am a video girl – the dual facing video made me giddy.  And knowing that I will be able to use Google Chat to connect with my family when I am away?  You had me at XOOM.

if you are thinking a XOOM is in your future: — Motorola XOOM price has dropped. The XOOM is now available for $499 with a 2 year contract. That makes it the lowest priced tablet on the market.

Disclosure: I partnered with Motorola XOOM for BlogHer11 and my trip to San Diego.

 

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Kids and Online Safety: I let My Daughter Start a Blog

June 14, 2011 By 7 Comments

Yes – you read that right…  I let my daughter, my SIX year old (almost SEVEN) start a blog today.  She had had more than 400 hits to the site on her first day.  She has dozens of comments.  She?  Is in heaven.  She is reading, writing, (typing), spelling, laughing and thinking creatively.  I’ve heard great feedback:  ’what a big girl’, ‘how fabulous for her creativity’, ‘is she really writing it on her own?’  Yes – she does seem so big to me, yes, her joy and creativity went through the roof today and YES – she really is writing and responding on her own.  With me right next to her.  But I’ve also been asked about the not-so-pretty-side of children being online. These are my thoughts….  I’d love for you to chime in.

(P.S. your volume will NOT need to be loud – the audio is strong)

 

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