November 17 2003--CHRISTMAS BLUE: THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS SONG THAT COULD

It was a week after Christmas and entertainment publicist/songwriter Stephanie Friedman, sat down at her Knabe grand piano and poured her emotions into what was to become this year’s little Christmas song that could: Christmas Blue. Feeling “blue” after the sudden loss of her father from cancer, she looked at the Christmas tree opposite her piano and a song was born. Transposing it into a lead sheet with her piano teacher, she knew it had potential but where to go with it. Time passed, she played it on the piano for friends and relatives who encouraged her to record it. No newcomer to the music business, she had had several publishing deals in Nashville and some underground dance hits to her credit, but this tune was different, straight from the heart. The muse had struck her hard this time.

Sitting with the song for several months Stephanie happened to be reading her local paper and saw and article on movie soundtrack producer Rick Martinez. Rick one of the major talents, along with Elliot Goldenthal for this year’s Academy Award winning film Frida, had an amazing track record. “I cut out the article and kept looking at it,” she remarked. “I thought, wow, a famous film producer living in my town, if only I could get the song to him. “I was totally driven and my heart was in my mouth when I cold called Rick. To make a long story short, we met, we clicked, he totally loved Christmas Blue, and he produced it, and now I’m his publicist.”
                                                            The song was finished in September, a little late for Christmas albums, most are cut in May and June. But that hasn’t deterred the Friedman/ Martinez team. Stephanie has gotten it to XM Satellite Radio, they love it and plan on putting it into heavy rotation after Thanksgiving on their worldwide pop station UPOP. Radio industry insiders website All Access.com has named it a Christmas pick hit, and Soldier’s Radio plans on broadcasting it to our troops across the world. “Christmas Blue has the perfect mix of romance, melancholy and longing that just seems to touch everyone that hears it, a lot of people are comparing it to Karen Carpenter’s version of “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which really blows me away, cause for me that’s the template for all great Christmas songs.” Friedman remarks.

Fast forward to the present. Christmas Blue was recorded by singer Amanda Homi, who has sung back up for Jackson Brown, Maxwell, and many others and has the perfect voice to make the song her own. Rick Martinez says of the song, “ It’s one of the most beautiful songs I’ve heard and radio seems to love it. We’re going to make it available on my website www.christmasblue.com for downloading and sales soon.” Friedman plans on going after even more radio for the song. “With the music business in such flux, there are no rules anymore so who knows what can happen,” she remarks.

Everyone that’s heard Christmas Blue, from radio programmers to the hair stylists at Xanadu on Central Avenue have been moved to tears by the song, calling it a new Christmas classic. So stay tuned and get out your Kleenex, Christmas Blue may be playing on a station near you this Christmas.




This article is courtesy of http://WinterScreensavers.collegearticles.info.
You may freely reprint this article on your website or in
your newsletter provided this courtesy notice and the author
name and URL remain intact.

Regents say yes to bachelor of music at Snow College
Regents say yes to bachelor of music at Snow College By Brian Maffly The Salt Lake Tribune Published May 18, 2012 02:23PM MDT After nearly a year of scrutiny and debate among education policy leaders, Snow College’s proposed bachelor’s program in music will take flight next fall, opening a door for four-year programs at the small school in Utah’s heartland. The State Board of Regents, meeting on ...

Snow hits Bosnian capital
The Bosnian capital and its surroundings were covered by snow on Monday, the first time in half a century snow has settled in Sarajevo at this time of year, as temperatures plunged to just above freezing.

First 4-year degree at Snow College approved
Snow College's first four-year program was approved by the Board of Regents Friday.

Snow White film 'used real blood'
Director Rupert Sanders reveals that he used his own blood in Snow White and the Huntsman when the fake blood didn't look real enough.

Utah Regents say yes to bachelor of music at Snow College
Utah Regents say yes to bachelor of music at Snow College By Brian Maffly The Salt Lake Tribune Published May 18, 2012 02:23PM MDT After nearly a year of scrutiny and debate, Snow College’s music bachelor’s program will take flight next fall as the first four-year program at the small community college in Utah’s heartland. The State Board of Regents, meeting Friday on the Ephraim campus, voted ...

Snow in south as cold snap continues
Snow fell on high hills in Dunedin overnight as a cold southwest flow spreads over the country.

3A baseball: Pitcher Ovard pushes Snow Canyon to title
3A baseball: Pitcher Ovard pushes Snow Canyon to title By Kyle Goon The Salt Lake Tribune Published May 19, 2012 11:42PM MDT Kearns • As Austin Ovard warmed up, the drain of pitching seven innings only a few hours earlier was evident. He wasn’t hitting the strike zone. His throws looked a bit slower. From the dugout, coach Reed Secrist started to feel grim. “I was asking myself if I had made the ...