Monday 23 June 2008

Laurie Solheim: From her grief came a reason to sing

It took years of searching, but it was song that helped Laurie Solheim reconcile her brother's 2005 fatal highway accident.



"I'm a Christian and have faith he's in heaven," she said of her brother, Daniel J. Johnson. "But when you're depressed, it's hard to visualize heaven."



Solheim, 43, began writing her feelings in a journal at the suggestion of a grief counselor, and she found that her words and thoughts began reading like poetry. She has sung all her life — ironically, often at funerals — and with her lyrical words, she decided to record an album: "Offerings."



Johnson, a 46-year-old University of Puget Sound professor, and Tony Qamar, 62, a fellow scientist from the University of Washington, were driving toward a seismology mission north of Hoquiam in October 2005. A northbound Kenworth truck lost its load of logs, causing the accident that killed the two men. The driver of the truck was convicted of vehicular homicide.



Last spring, Solheim began writing "You're in Heaven," or what she refers to as "the Dan song."



"When I first began singing the Dan song, it was mournful," Solheim said, "but after singing it over and over for six months, it became a pop song. It has given me a springboard. I hope it will help others to get out of that fetal position of grief."



She began recording the four songs on her album last fall, and she'll perform songs from "Offerings" at a free concert at the Wedgwood Presbyterian Church in Seattle on June 14.



Solheim called the process of creating music from her grief cathartic, and she hopes others can use the songs to find peace, too.



Learn more about her story and work at Solheim's MySpace: www.myspace.com/lauriesolheim.



Richard Seven: 206-464-2241



or rseven@seattletimes.com








See Also

Monday 9 June 2008

Spears Pulls Out Of Danish Furniture Deal

Britney Spears has pulled out of a deal to become the face of a Danish furniture brand, according to reports. The pop superstar had planned to endorse a range by Danish designer Claus Hjelmback, of the Scandinavian Style Mansion in Los Angeles. The owner of the California establishment reportedly paid the star an estimated $1 million (?500,000) to celebrate her 26th birthday at his private residence last December . And the Toxic hitmaker was allegedly going to create her own signature piece called Woofy, which was to be priced at $200 (?100). A source tells the New York Post: "It was a plastic dog that retails for over $200 and hides electrical wires in your home. "Britney wanted to do a pink-and-blue Woofy." But the troubled star's father Jamie - who is currently managing her legal and financial affairs - is said to have vetoed the idea altogether.


See Also

Saturday 7 June 2008

Zeta-Jones to play the older woman

Catherine Zeta-Jones is to star in a new, as-yet-untitled, romantic comedy.
Variety reports that the film is set in New York and tells the story of a 25-year-old man who falls for his new neighbour, an older single mother.
Variety reports that the film will start shooting on 17 April.
It will be directed by Bart Freundlich, whose credits include 'Trust the Man' and 'The Myth of Fingerprints'.

Timberlake agrees new film deal

Justin Timberlake is to star opposite Jeff Bridges and Mary Steenburgen in a new drama called 'The Open Road'.
Variety reports that the film tells the story of a young man trying to repair his relationship with his legendary athlete father as he tries to make his way home to see his seriously ill mother.
The Michael Meredith-directed and written film is due to begin shooting in Louisiana and other southern US states this month.

Grey's Anatomy star Chambers hospitalised

'Grey's Anatomy' star Justin Chambers reportedly checked into a psychiatric ward at a hospital in Los Angeles earlier this week.
The actor's representative told celebrity website TMZ.com that he "was exhausted and suffers from a sleeping disorder".
Chambers, who plays Dr Alex Karev in the medical show, went in to hospital "voluntarily to get some help".
The actor was treated at the same hospital where singer Britney Spears is currently under a psychiatric hold.

Rihanna Wants To Form Trio With Winehouse And Duffy

R+B star RIHANNA wants to record a "feminist anthem" for her next album with fellow chart-toppers AMY WINEHOUSE and DUFFY.
The Umbrella hitmaker has drawn up a wishlist of musicians and producers she wants to work with when she next hits the studio, with Winehouse, Duffy, and Winehouse-collaborator Mark Ronson right at the top.
She tells the BBC, "I love Mark Ronson. We've talked about doing something together on my next album".
Rihanna adds of a 'dream team' with Brits Winehouse and Duffy: "How amazing would that be? We've all got three different voices, it would be brilliant. Now that would be a feminist anthem.
"I love Amy. I think she's great, so unique. I love her album. And I also love what Duffy is doing, she's brilliant, as well."

Westlife postpone more shows on 'Back Home' tour

Westlife have postponed the rest of this week's scheduled shows on their 'Back Home' tour due to ill health.

Shane Filan and Nicky Byrne's conditions led to the cancellation of dates earlier this week, but now the band have been forced to postpone their gigs in Birmingham and Manchester.

Westlife were due to perform at Birmingham's NEC on May 22 and at Manchester's MEN Arena on May 23, but have now rescheduled these, alongside other postponed dates.

Tickets from the original concert dates are still valid for the shows and organisers are urging those who can't make the rescheduled dates to contact their place of purchase.

The group are now set to play the following shows, all of which apart from Sheffield are rescheduled:

Sheffield Arena (May 25)
Birmingham NEC (June 3)
Manchester MEN Arena (4)
Nottingham Arena (24)
Cardiff CIA (25)

To check the availability of Westlife tickets and get all the latest listings, go to NME.COM/GIGS now, or call 0871 230 1094.




May 27, 2008 at Odyssey, Belfast -
Jun 1, 2008 at Croke Park, Dublin -
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