My healing journey led me to write the songs on this CD. I kept a digital mini recorder with me to catch my melodies and lyrics as they came to me during this very creative yet challenging time. The inspiration came from many places; as I took walks that connected me to nature, after a meditation deepening my connection to God, after learning and then practicing what I took home from teachers, workshops, books and CDs deepening my awareness of living mindfully. They came from a place of truth, from the heart and beyond, from a place of quiet, inner peace, gratitude and joy.
The present moment is where I find inner peace and I am always in the present moment when I sing, connecting to the breath, breathing in and breathing out. Singing puts me in a place of deep love and gratitude.
I so happy to share this CD with you.
Music and Meditation Open Hearts
Heart & Soul Concerts
Frannie Southworth with “Heart & Soul”
A joyful and uplifting concert, with something for everyone! Includes music from the 1920s to current songs, brought to you by Frannie and her band Heart & Soul. The band includes her husband Jeff Southworth (former Hall and Oates guitarist), her son Alan Southworth (former Princeton Nassoon), Chris Coogan (Good News Gospel Choir director and local jazz superstar), Sharon Bryant (former Atlantic Starr lead singer), Journi Gallwey (Sharon’s talented daughter). Tyger MacNeal (percussionist via Jose Feliciano), and Robin Batteau (Emmy, Clio, and Gold Record-winning writer). Surprise guests are often invited to take the stage. This versatile concert for all ages makes everyone in the audience feel like a guest in the Southworth family home!
Heart & Soul has performed benefit concerts for numerous charities including:
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Circle of Care
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National Sawdust
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The Caron Center
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Support Our Troops
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American Cancer Society
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Norwalk Hadassah
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Project ALS
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Triple Gem Society Humanitarian Fund
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Long Island League to Abolish Cancer
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World Hunger Year
Frannie Faith Southworth is a singer/songwriter, actress, and meditation teacher. She has sung on numerous television and radio commercials including background vocals for Whitney Houston. In the early 1980s, Frannie worked as an actress and singer on “As The World Turns” soap opera where she performed over 40 original songs. She also co-wrote "Good in Love" for singer Patti Austin. Since 1997, Frannie has been organizing and performing in benefit concerts to raise money for various charities with her band Heart & Soul. Her own life experience led her to record and release three CDs of original healing music and two CDs of guided meditations; one is a download with tools to help kids deal with stress. A certified meditation teacher and Reiki Level 2, she teaches privately and in workshops. www.franniefaith.com
Frannie Faith
Jeff Southworth’s musical career has encompassed all aspects of performance: composing, arranging, producing, songwriting and singing. He played guitar for two years with Hall & Oates, and many others including Laura Branigan, Graham Nash & Dan Hartman. His Clio winning television and radio work includes writing, arranging and producing for Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Leann Rimes, Graham Nash, Whitney Houston and others. Jeff wrote and produced music for the hit PBS children’s show Dragontales, and arranged and co-produced Frannie’s CDs, as well as CDs for three Princeton University acapella groups.
Jeff Southworth
Sharon Bryant, a singer/songwriter/producer had her 1st record deal on CBS Records at the age of 12. As the lead singer in the group ATLANTIC STARR, and then as a solo artist, she had multiple #1 records. Sharon has appeared on shows including, Between The Lions, Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Letterman, and the Grammy Awards. She has recorded and/or performed with Sting, Elton John, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Alicia Keyes, Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, Justin Timberlake, Luther Vandross, Mary J. Blige, and Harry Connick Jr. to name a few! Recently she was on Broadway and toured with The Rascals, and as one of “The Lovely Ladies” on tour with The Dave Matthews Band.
Sharon Bryant
Chris Coogan on keyboards and vocals is a jazz and gospel musician who has played with:Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, Phoebe Show, José Feliciano,Bette Midler, Donna Summer, Take 6 and many others.Chris founded and directs the Good News Gospel Choir, which features his compositions.At events, he has entertained the likes of Bill and Hillary Clinton, Paul Newman, Martha Stewart and Whoopi Goldberg.Chris is a winner of the John Lennon Songwriting competition for jazz.He also has his own jazz quintet and teaches piano to an ever-growing student base.
Chris Coogan
Alan Southworth, singer/songwriter, has performed with Heart & Soul, playing bass, mandolin, piano and singing since he was nine years old. While in college, Alan sang with The Princeton Nassoons, including performances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, and toured in many parts of the world with them, performing and teaching children music. He appeared in the movie “Admission” with Tina Fey and on the Joan Rivers show, “Joan & Melissa”. When he lived in NYC, Alan performed his original songs in clubs and worked as a business analyst at a renewable energy/trading company. He is now playing clubs in CA while getting his MBA, running marathons and constructing NYTimes crossword puzzles!
Alan Southworth
Journi Gallwey Is 21 years old and is a seasoned performer who at six years old appeared on the PBS show, “Between The Lions, and at nine years old performed a Quincy Jones song for him at The Nokia Center in NYC. Journi sang a duet of "Foolish Heart" with her mom, Sharon Bryant at an Atlantic Starr reunion concert in England to rave reviews. She has sung on numerous albums, & radio / television commercials. She's also starred in multiple off Broadway productions. Journi speaks three languages including Korean & Spanish that she taught herself. She will be debuting her solo career this coming Spring.
Journi Gallwey
Grammy, Emmy, Clio and Gold Record-winning singer/songwriter/soloist (violin) Robin Batteau's an ex- Columbia recording artist and Harvard biochemistry major. He's performed everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Parisian streets, playingwith YoYo Ma, Bruce Springsteen, Bonnie Raitt, Josh White Jr., Judy Collins, Ladysmith, Nile Rodgers, and others. Whitney Houston, Aretha Franklin and James Brown performed his songs. He co-produced and and sang lead on generations of jingles for cars, soda, burgers, etc. for campaigns that won close to 1,000 advertising awards. He's worked tirelessly for World Hunger Year, The Ocean Alliance, and The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp
Robin Batteau
Tyger MacNeal has been an in demand session and touring drummer for the last 30 years and his resume includes working with the Four Tops, the Fifth Demension, Rosemary Clooney, Little Anthony, Average White Band, and José Feliciano to name a few.