IN THE BIG ROUND with Tracy Newman, Art Podell, Severin Browne, Ken Holme, Melinda Gibson, and John Zipperer

Back long before the pandemic started, a group of top-notch professional singer-songwriter friends in Southern California decided to start meeting weekly to critique and inspire each other’s performances. These live meetings were forced to use Zoom during Lockdown but have continued throughout this whole time. Despite the clamoring by their friends who have tried to convince them to invite an audience, these meetings have always been totally private! But not anymore!

Featuring:
Tracy Newman is a TV writer/producer and a singer/songwriter. In 1997, she won an Emmy and a Peabody Award for co-writing the “coming out” episode of Ellen. Tracy has played guitar since she was 14. Her CDs with her band Tracy Newman and the Reinforcements are “A Place in the Sun,” “I Just See You,” and “That’s What Love Can Do to Your Heart.” She also has CDs for kids through her company called RunAlongHome.

Art Podell has been a professional performer since the early sixties. He debuted on Columbia Records in 1959 in Greenwich Village, NY with his then singing partner Paul Potash (The acclaimed “Art and Paul”. Once Art was in California as a solo act, he became one of the original members of The New Christy Minstrels where he wrote many of their songs. Art’s songs have been recorded by The Smothers Brothers, Ann Murray and Rod McKuen among many others.

Severin Browne was raised in a musical family as evidenced by his older brother Jackson, a talented singer/songwriter with many albums for the Asylum/Elektra and Inside Recordings labels. A former Motown recording artist and staff songwriter, Severin continues to enchant audiences with his clear voice, masterful guitar playing and finely crafted songs. Since leaving Motown in the mid-seventies, Severin has had songs recorded by Thelma Houston, Patti Dahlstrom, Colin Blunstone, Twiggy, The Dillards, and Pamela Stanley, as well as recording four solo albums and five with The Tall Men Group.

John Zipperer has long been recognized as one of the top Americana performers in all of SoCal. In fact, John’s repertoire of first-class original tunes along with selected classic covers serves as a definition of the Americana moniker, ranging from sweet folk and country ballads, through bluegrass-flavored rave-ups, swinging jazz dance numbers, soulful gospel and blues inspirations, and even some flat-out rockers! Since the 2014 release of his debut CD “Full Circle”, John and the Current Band have been amazing enthusiastic crowds at venues throughout the Southwest.

Ken Holme writes songs inhabited by large cats, yappy dogs, future newlyweds, ex-lovers, and the temporarily confused.

Melinda Gibson —At first glance one might expect soul-baring, acoustic-guitar based, introspection…Nope. Melinda prefers guitars that generate voltage, and displays an enviable, natural talent for writing infectious hooks and songs that rock. Every once and awhile she digs out her acoustic guitar for a special solo performance…Tonight she’s doing that with her friends.
Though she credits Tom Petty, Green Day, Weezer and Led Zeppelin as inspiration, Melinda’s sound is all her own… Fun, catchy, and accessible.

http://www.tracynewman.com.

http://www.severinbrowne.com

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