Lauren Frost's New Album

Dear Barbra Fans...

I just HAD to email you all about Lauren Frost's debut album -- 'Words for the Birds'. Lauren was kind enough to send me a copy of her album, and I LOVE it! How can someone's debut album be so great?

I sort of have a one track mind when it comes to music. BARBRA! As much as I want to like other artists, I often find myself comparing everything about the album to Barbra. Not just the singing, but the arrangements, liner notes... etc.

How would I describe Lauren's album?? Well -- I listened to the whole album on a Sunday afternoon (and even repeated some of the tracks). It was great to chill out, and listen Lauren's voice... it's very soulful. World's apart from Lauren dueting with Barbra on 'You'll Never Know' or 'A Piece Of Sky'.

Her voice glides effortlessly from one track to the next. If you like jazz... you'll love this album. Each song tells a story... Lauren is clearly talking about past memories and experiences. From a teenager, into an adult.

I don't want to spoil the surprise any further -- so please, log on to iTunes now. You can listen to song samples + and also download the album.

Watch out for my second interview with the wonderful Lauren Frost - very soon.

Fan Report from Obama Evening...

Song Choices...

When The Sun Comes Out
Make Someone Happy
What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life?
My Shining Hour

The event started at 7:30, but no performances until 9:00 when Raul Esparza (He starred in the recent "Company" revival) came out and sang America accapella. Then a singer named Ben Harper sang two songs.

Then 5 musicians came out, (piano, guitar, drums, base guitar and electronic keyboard that was used as a horn section). At 9:30 came a voice over introduction, and Barbra came out. Very blonde, in black pants and blouse with a sparkly black cardigan-type top, with a diamond necklace and a large square cut emerald.

She launched into When The Sun Comes Out. Her voice was a little husky in the midrange, but she was in good voice and hit the high notes. She talked about being a little girl in Hebrew school and learning that if you can help save one person, you can save the world.

Then into "Make Someone Happy". During the second half of the song she changed the lyrics to be about Obama: "We'll rally 'round him." She seemed happy with it and the pianist gave her a positive nod.

She then said she wasn't here to make speeches, but if you check her website in a couple days, you can see her vent.

She then sang What Are You Doing The Rest Of Your Life. Great job again.

She was next scheduled to sing Smile (I saw a technician's set list) but she dropped it and went on to the last song of the evening...

My Shining Hour. Big ovation and then she introduced Obama.

When he came out they hugged and whispered to each other for 20 seconds or so. Then he shook the musician's hands and started his speech.

A couple of other things, after the first or second song she had noticed all the flashes and said, "Are those cell phones or cameras? I was told that there wouldn't be reporters here. Or are you YouTube junkies?"

Her set was only about 20 minutes.

It wasn't reserved seating, although the first two rows were reserved for special guests. I was 7th row center. Very close and close to the end of the last song I went up the aisle to the front and was 15 feet from her.

Lots of celebs: Pierce Brosnan, Jamie Foxx, Sara Silverman, Laura Dern are the ones I saw.

Streisand at Clinton Initiative (New York)?

From New York Times
McCain at Bill Clinton Event

By Katharine Q. Seelye

Former President Bill Clinton is welcoming a galaxy of international stars to the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative later this month, including Senator John McCain, the Republican presidential nominee, whom Mr. Clinton has vowed to help Senator Barack Obama defeat in November.

The event, scheduled to run Sept. 23-26 in New York, is nonpolitical and has featured prominent Republicans in the past, including Laura Bush in 2006. Mr. McCain is to deliver the opening remarks; Mr. Obama, the Democratic nominee, is to address the participants by satellite.

"C.G.I. isn't about politics," said Matt McKenna, a spokesman for Mr. Clinton. "It's about improving lives and solving some of the world's most pressing problems. President Clinton is grateful that both candidates for president are taking time away from the trail to join in that effort."

Mr. Clinton began the initiative in 2005 to bring together influential people to help solve problems in areas like health, energy and poverty around the world. The members have made nearly 1,000 commitments valued at more than $30 billion to provide help in more than 150 countries.

Others scheduled to attend this year include Al Gore, Bono, Lance Armstrong, Barbra Streisand, Muhammad Ali, T. Boone Pickens and Tom Brokaw. Several heads of state are also coming, including Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, Gordon Brown of Britain and Silvio Berlusconi of Italy.

BarbraNews.com note: Barbra last attended in 2006.

Barbra on John McCain.

Click here to read a new statement from Barbra.

Diane Lane Talks Barbra!

Diane Lane may have the world's most intimidating stepmother-in-law, but the star has nothing but good things to say about Barbra Streisand.

"[She] is an amazing woman," Lane tells Redbook magazine in its October issue. "I especially admire her gift for listening to people. If you go out for dinner with her, she'll interview everyone in the restaurant."

Kennedy Center Honors...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Barbra Streisand, actor Morgan Freeman and country singer George Jones will be awarded the Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime achievement in the arts, along with choreographer Twyla Tharp and musicians Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey of The Who.
The performing arts center in Washington announced the 2008 honorees Tuesday.

Performers from New York, Hollywood and Nashville will salute the honorees at a Dec. 7 gala. President Bush and first lady Laura Bush will host the honorees at the White House before the performance.

The honors are awarded the night before at a State Department dinner hosted by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Barbra To Sing For Obama...

Barbra Streisand will be among the headliners at a fund-raiser for Barack Obama on Sept. 16, where she will perform for the presidential candidate at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The plans for the event were outlined this morning and Streisand confirmed that she would take the stage. The hotel ballroom holds an estimated 700 people. Obama's fund-raiser is expected to be his final visit to raise money here before the general election. Obama will start the evening with a 5 p.m. dinner event for about 250 people at Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills, the historic estate once owned by the legendary Doheny family. Tickets for the event are $28,500. Later, he will attend a reception at the Beverly Wilshire, followed by Streisand's special performance. Tickets for the event are $2,500 per person.

Co-hosts for event include the DreamWorks team of Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen, as well as political consultant Andy Spahn. It's also being organized with Obama's Southern California finance team. Streisand endorsed Obama after he secured the nomination in June. She had endorsed Hillary Clinton in the primary, and appeared and spoke at a fund-raiser for her in January. She also sang at a concert for John Kerry in 2004 and Al Gore in 2000. The timing of this Obama visit is giving new meaning to the words, "quick turnaround," as organizers have just eight days to put the fetes together.

Lauren Frost Releases DEBUT album...

Remember Lauren Frost? She starred in all of Barbra's 2000 Timeless Shows. You can catch her on Barbra's Timeless DVD Special, in which she sings alongside Barbra on songs such as 'Something's Coming', 'Papa, Can You Hear Me?' and 'Somewhere'.

Well -- Lauren just released her debut album, and here's what Barbra had to say about it...

"She's the sweetest person, with the most beautiful voice. She's a very spiritual human being and very pure. She's a real person with a real gift…She's the Glorious-Voiced, Lauren Frost!"
- BARBRA STREISAND

To view the track listing and cover art and to order the album, follow this link: http://www.laurenfrost.com/music.html