Congrats to Anais Mitchell & Grace Potter

I mentioned "Purple Cows" in Vermont in my previous blog. Two more "Purple Cows" (meaning remarkable artists) are Anais Mitchell and Grace Potter. Both have had the good fortune (if being on a record label today is good fortune?) of being signed to their respective labels (Grace on Hollywood Records and Anais on Righteous Babe Records). Anais just came out with a new record and Grace will release her new record in June. I have had the opportunity to hear the first track off Grace's record, "Tiny Light", and watch the video for it. Totally awesome! She hits a high E in chest voice. And to think that once upon a time the industry thought no one could hit a high E in chest voice except Christina A. Not so. I saw Grace in the role of Sally Bowles in Cabaret as a senior in high school. Even then (which was not that long ago) she took command of the stage. I can't help but think her choral work and her theatrical work in high school propelled her forward. I can't wait to hear the entire album. Anais Mitchell's new release, Hadestown (a folk opera based on the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice) is an ambitious and exciting project. I love the track, "Why We Build The Wall". And--she has great guests that include Ani Difranco, Greg Brown, and Bon Iver to name a few. Speaking of guest artists, both young ladies made a vocal appearance on Gregory Douglass' (another Purple Cow in my opinion) last release, "Battler". Gregory will open for Anais at the Hooker Durham Theatre in Brattleboro, VT, May 7, 2010. Congratulations to Anais & Grace!!

Purple Cows in Vermont

OK. So it took me awhile to get to this point. Here is my first real blog--

I live in the Green Mountain State of Vermont where there were once more cows than people. Not any more. But you can still see a few Holsteins or Jerseys out in the fields. I actually grew up on a small dairy farm in Vermont. I only milked the cows once but I threw bales of hay every summer. I had muscles back then. Now that I am building a new biz, I have been reading lots of books. I recently read Seth Godin's book "Purple Cow". The book is about transforming your business or your product by being "remarkable". He even notes Vermont's own Ben & Jerry's as an example of a "Purple Cow". And I have to agree. I find it hard to eat any other ice cream now, although Island Ice Cream is a close second. Vermont has many Purple Cow products, businesses, authors, and artists--both visual and musical. I like to think the Vermont-based singer/songwriters that I work with are Purple Cows. And Bella Voce Women's Chorus of Vermont. Please take time to check them out. I think Chris Bohjalian is a Purple Cow author. Take time to read his books! And Flatbread Pizza!! Yummy. There are many more Purple Cows in Vermont. I'm just drawing a blank right now. But they will come to me. More later.