New Single Out Today - Potluck: A Recipe For Empathy
What I've Been Reading And Listening To This Week + Touring & New Video
Monday August 28, 2023 I’m releasing my second single, “Potluck”. The song was co-written with one of my favorite young writers, Siri Undlin of Humbird. Siri and I had both recently read Ross Gay’s luminous book “Incitements To Joy” and loved his description of a potluck gathering where people brought their sorrows as well as their joys. We started talking about how potlucks are such a beautiful metaphor for a truly welcoming community — people are appreciated and accepted just as they are, bringing their joys, their sorrows and sometimes a hot dish. The song is a celebration of the grace we give one another, the blessing of empathy and simple kindness and knowing it all for the miracle it is.
Many thanks to the musicians on this song; Jim Brock, Brittany Haas, Paul Kowert, Jordan Tice, Siri Undlin & Gary Walters, who are all amazing musicians with many projects of their own you can check out as well! And special thanks to David Weber and Krista Detor at Airtime Studios and The Hundredth Hill Artist Retreat. Gathering at you beautiful artist retreat for this recording felt like a musical potluck of the best kind!
Follow me as an artist on Spotify to get notifications as soon as new songs are released Monday! Here’s the link to my Spotify page.
Here is a link to Siri Undlin & Humbird’s Spotify Page
Just put it on the table Next to the wine and beer. Don’t mind the mess, Glad you’re here. Come in from the cold dark, Pull up a chair. Whatever you’ve brought on in, Its welcome here. From "Potluck" by Carrie Newcomer & Siri Undlin
This is a song about the power of loving welcome and celebrating what we all bring to the table...I hope you SHARE it with others and welcome even more of us to the table.
Question and Practice
So today I’m asking our wonderful Gathering of Spirits Community to write their own recipe for empathy. What are the ingredients, how are the put together? Do you boil them or bake it?
Here’s mine…I’m looking forward to reading your recipe. I did it in a graphic…but feel free to just list your ingredients!
Watch The Video
You can watch the video now on YouTube! It features images and videos from the recording of the song at Airtime Studios!
Pre-Save A Great Wild Mercy
If you haven’t followed me as an artist or pre-saved yet just click the button below! Again, thank you for following and for pre-saving my new album.
Books and Music I’ve Enjoyed Recently
Listening
Some wonderful music in this collection….check them out if any of the names are new to you!
Some of these albums have been out for a little while, but they’ve been on my playlist this week :-)
World on the Ground by Sarah Jarosz
Sleeping Operator by The Barr Brother
Carrie & Lowell by Sufjian Stevens
Meet Me At The Edge World by Over The Rhine
How Long Do You Think Its Going To Last by Big Red Machine
Reading
Four Letters of Love Niall Williams
I’m working my way through all of Niall Williams’ books. I’m totally in love with his writing! I’m working my way through everything Mr. Williams has written. I fell in love with his stories and writing this year. This is another beautifully written, poetic and profound work. If you haven’t read any Niall Williams, start with “This is Happiness” but you’ll most likely want to pick up more :-)
Thank you to Jody Picoult for writing this sensitive story about people who are so often misrepresented and misunderstood. In our current political climate, when transgendered people are becoming a focus for discriminatory and devastating laws, this is a book that has opened many eyes…and hearts.
I’ve been reading some classics that I missed in high school and college :-). This story about what it means to be a “monster” totally holds up in such an amazing way.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
A bit more on my reading the classics I missed in high school and college. Its an intense but beautifully written coming of age and immigrant experience story.
A Year With Rilke Edited and Forword by Anita Barrows & Joanna Macy
I have been checking in with book for several years, but had gotten out of the habit. I started it up again, reading a daily excerpt. It been interesting to see what I underlined and the notes I wrote in the margins at other times in my life :-)
Upcoming Tour Schedule
For details and to purchase tickets visit www.carrienewcomer.com/tour
Two Special String Quartet Shows This Fall
(Tickets are going fast for these very special events - get your tickets soon)
This is a YouTube Clip of my last performance with the Gathering of Spirits String Quartet!
Today's post reminded me of Gwen and David Clayborne, some friends from the Baha'i faith who would hold monthly potluck dinners at their home in the Chicago suburbs and invite people of different backgrounds and races, often people they had just met or didn't know very well yet, to come and get to know one another, read poems, sing songs and converse. Sometimes there was a topic to discuss, sometimes there wasn't. It was a lovely gesture of hospitality. I write about Gwen and David in my book "How To Live: What The Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning and Community." Here also is my recipe for empathy:
Take out a big bowl, the biggest, most spacious one you have
Spread silence along the insides of the bowl
Add in a listening heart
Mix in a willingness to learn, to be surprised
Add a dash of humility to recognize when we have been wrong
Blend until mutual respect rises
Top with understanding
Garnish with compassion
Store at room temperature
Then sit and enjoy listening to "Potluck"
I love the new song, Carrie. I have much going on inwardly and outwardly today, so I don’t have the heart energy to write a recipe just now. But my first observation of the song is that it sounds exactly like how it would be if Miranda invited all the regulars from the diner to her house for a potluck.
I continue to send you best of luck with the new album.