SONiA and disappear fear to play in Johnson City Mega-talent on Birthday Tour
by Beth Maples-Bays - Editor and Publisher
Bringing her global goodwill and award-winning talent, SONiA, a proven stellar musician, is coming to East Tennessee to perform at Down Home – The Eclectic Music Room in Johnson City. The performance is slated for Saturday, February 17.
In our recent conversation, I was struck by the easy warmth and keen insights that add depth to her art. SONiA definitely comes across as a “regular” down-to-earth woman who has a deep passion for her work. The clarity of her sweet spirit and the passion of her message are only surpassed by her ability to reach out via song to the soul of the people who hear her. Identifying her style as a mixture of Americana, country, blues, reggae, and Latin, this eclectic approach eaves wide latitude for this amazing woman to promote her musical message with a freedom originating from her comfort in a variety of genres. Her push for a global appeal is grounded in reality as she actively addresses issues such as world hunger and peace in her lyrics and in her life.
“I give my life to the idea of living disappear fear,” explains SONiA referring not only to the name of her band, but also to the very real need for courage in our lives. Alluding to a previous trip to Israel during a cease-fire, she notes, "I have people that I love there. I did a concert in a miklat, a bomb shelter. Some shoot bullets and missiles; what I put into the air is music. When I named the band disappear fear, it wasn't a whim."
Her passion has taken her around the world both physically and figuratively. “La Tormenta Santa,” her upcoming album, will feature thirteen songs: seven sung in Spanish, three in Hebrew and three in Arabic and English. The release is set for September 2007. The music will match the words in poetry about love, peace and equality, familiar themes to those who have followed this amazing artist over the course of her career. Her twelve previous albums reflect her values and reach out to the world in her voice for peace and justice. In another recent effort, SONiA wrote the soundtrack for a film short about an HIV+ migrant worker. Directed by Dave Marshall, “Autumn’s Harvest” is currently making the rounds of worldwide film festivals.
Her current “Birthday Tour” kicks off 2007 beginning in her native Maryland at Baldwin’s Station in Sykesville and including stops at Gravity Lounge in Charlottesville, Virginia; and The Purple Fiddle in Thomas, West Virginia before heading to Down Home. You can also catch her show at this tour’s final venue, the Lipstick Lounge, in Nashville.
The lengthy list of her previous venues includes performances at a number of clubs in the U.S., but her prior festival venues will knock your sock off. From the Michigan Womyn’s Music Festival and Stonewall 25-Central Park NY to EuroPride - Stockholm's 50th Anniversary of Gay Rights, the International Conference on Women - Helsinki, and WorldPride in Jerusalem, SONiA has serenaded audiences across the globe.
The award-winning musician, SONiA (Sonia Rutstein,) has deservedly received a great deal of recognition from her peers and the music industry in general. Her endorsements list, impressive enough by itself, includes such companies JEEP Chrysler who named SONiA for a national ad and tour to launch the new Jeep Compass Santa Cruz. She has also received endorsements from Guitar SONiA Model and Parker Guitar- Concert Fly, AUDIX Microphones, SHUBB Capos, D'Addario Strings, ORBITZ Travel, and Fishman & LR Baggs pickups.
In addition to her Grammy nomination, SONiA has received numerous awards including a GLAMA for Female Artist of the Year: "Stereo Review" Best Album, GLAMA- Best band for Seed in the Sahara, Women's Radio Playlist Top 50, GLAAD Media Award- Best Album, Mix Magazine-Top 20 disappear fear self titled, City Paper- Best Single for Break A Mirror (exhibit A), Best Singer/Songwriter, for Me, Too; WAMA Winner for Best Female Vocalist; nominations for Top Songwriter, Baltimore Magazine- Baltimore's Best for disappear fear; Mid Atlantic Musician - Best Folk Act, Best Acoustic Act, Best Acoustic Guitarist and Regional Act; and CMJ’s Top Ten Pick Song for Deep Soul Diver.
Even more impressive than her experience and awards are her commitment to peace, love and equality. SONiA donates 18% of all downloads of her music to end world hunger, so you have your tunes and feed the masses all in one fell swoop.
You can hear SONiA and disappear fear live on WETS radio in Johnson City at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. They will interview for Studio One with Dave Carter. Hear the broadcast live online at www.wets.org. Locate The Down online at www.downhome.com. The venue is located at 300 W. Main St., Johnson City, Tenn. Phone – (423) 929-9822.
Check out SONiA's Web site at www.soniadf.com where you can find her schedule of appearance, tunes, and more information about SONiA and disappear fear.