What a weird year this has been, and on so many fronts. We hope this finds you all healthy and surviving all that we are in the midst of. So much loss, so much chaos - and luckily, so much creativity.

It's Murder Ballads time! One of our sorrows has been the inability to safely gather and play music in person, but through magic (yes, the magic of an app) the gals of Lynch have recorded a tune to be part of the annual (virtual) Murder Ballads bash this Saturday night. We'll be once again in really great company with many of our fantastic Bay Area musician pals joining in for the fun. Huge thanks to the inimitable Paul Pot for working his own magic to make it happen. Here's to supporting the Starry Plough, and for the eventual and magnificent return of live music and togetherness!

In the meantime, mask up, wash your hands, stay home and please, please VOTE!!!

Love, Loretta

From the Plough:

Tune in Halloween night, Saturday Oct 31, for a virtual gathering to benefit the Starry Plough in Berkeley which has been severely impacted by the Covid crisis. For many years when starting out, many of us would not have had any gigs at all were it not for the faithful Starry Plough. Tune in for a collection of Halloween songs about murder, misery, death and despair and consider making a donation to keep them afloat.

The link for the show will be found here on Halloween - this Saturday night:

www.murderballadsbash.com or

http://www.thehappyclams.com/murderballads.htm

Donation link for the Starry Plough: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-starry-plough-stay-open

Virtual Pre-Election, Halloween, Days of the Dead Murder Ballads Bash 2020

(Look for the link at www.murderballadsbash.com on Halloween)

A benefit for the Starry Plough featuring:

Maurice Tani www.mauricetani.com

Penelope Houston www.penelope.net

Loretta Lynch www.lorettalynch.com

Laura Benitez www.LauraBenitezandtheHeartache.com

Joe Rut www.joerut.com

Danny Allen - https://www.dannyallenmusic.com/

Connie Champagne

Three Drink Circus www.facebook.com/ThreeDrinkCircus

Paul Pot www.paulpot.com

Mimi Heft www.facebook.com/fiveleggedmule

Yvette O'Tannenbaum

Jethro Jordan

Hell on Tap (Luther Monday and D.J.G.J. Phetteplace)

Geoff Pond

Amidst all of the chaos and disaster that we are stewing in there is also so much to be thankful for. One of the brightest facets of being in the Bay Area as we embark on 2020? The amazing musical community that exists here. We are lucky enough to play with some truly fine outfits, and this will once again be the case Saturday, January 18th at one of San Francisco's premier new music venues Neck of the Woods with our dear pals Crying Time and The Goat Family. Bonus? It's a new music release celebration for the Goats!

The fun starts at 8, with the Goats opening up the festivities. Loretta will then howl and croon a few in three-part harmony followed by the Honky Tonk revision that is Crying Time.

We will see your fine selves there. Join us for some healing distraction. Remember - hindsight is 20/20!

Love,

The women of Loretta are so happy to be a part of celebrating the late great George Jones. Please come to the Ivy Room this upcoming Friday night, Sept 27th as we join forces with some of the Bay Area's finest musicians, including Joe Rut, Maurice Tani, Danny Allen, Ruby Vixen and Leigh Crow. As well, our own Val Esway will move you with a solo and a couple of duets. As if that weren't enough, providing the backbone for the evening will be Honkytonk Revisionists Crying Time (Jill Rogers, Myles Boisen, Tim Rowe and Smilin' Pete Garellick) joined by pedal steel legend Bobby Black. Not to be missed!

You will definitely want to pick up a copy of the below King George cd to further celebrate. It's phenomenal.

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/king-george--2#/

See you there! (Getting tickets ahead of time strongly suggested!)

Love,

Loretta is pleased as punch to be playing Oakland's famed and fun First Fridays this Friday, Sept. 6th on the outdoor stage at 24th and Telegraph. We play promptly at 6:30, and only til 7, so grab your snacks, join us and then stroll around to visit the galleries and other attractions. The themes for this festival are Korean Culture and Oakland Pride - you can see the amazing drumming of UCB's EGO as well as Korean Fan Dancing from Mesook Ko and Urisawe. We're lucky enough to be sharing the stage with drag king sensations Momma's Boyz as well as LGBTQ Latinx dance troupe Ensamble Folcorico Colibri.

As if that weren't enough, the women of Loretta will be joining forces with our favorite Honky Tonk revisionists Crying Time We'll be singing as part of a supergroup ensemble (Val Esway. Maurice Tani, Danny Allen, Joe Rut and of course Jill Rogers) to pay tribute to the late great George Jones. We'lll be joined by the always amazing Bobby Black, who played with the man himself. But more - there's a recording coming out! You, too, can be part of this amazing project by pre-ordering - check out this Indiegogo King George page. Do mark your calendars for live shows September 21 and 27 at Armandos and the Ivy Room respectively, and check out the promo video here.

Whew! Hope to see your lovely faces soon.

Love,

Join us as we play a set at Oakland's First Friday Festival of art, music and culture Friday, September 6th on the 24th Street Stage (at Telegraph). We'll be sharing the spotlight with other great Oakland musicians. We will be hitting the stage at 6:30 on the dot, and playing a relatively short set, so grab your snacks and meet us there!

This particular First Friday will be celebrating the Korean Culture Fest, and as if that weren't enough, to kick off Oakland Pride Weekend there will be special performances and guests throughout the event, including the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and drag king sensations Momma's Boyz.

Come on down for music, art, performance, food, the Kid Zone (with a special presentation from the Chabot Space & Science Center) and a celebration of our amazing community. Free and fun for everyone!

See you there, love,