Word Usage: Left-Fielder or Left Fielder?

Here's another good one.  When writing a sports story, most newspapers (which follow AP style) use the words "left fielder" as a title/description for a baseball player.  However, a hyphen is used for "left-hander".

Word Usage: Playoffs or Play-offs?

Some of my students at Middle Tennessee State University raised a question this week about whether to use "playoffs" or "play-offs" in a sports story.  After researching the web, I discovered that most newspapers (which follow the AP Stylebook) use "playoffs".  Some sports organizations still use the word "play-offs".

Publicity Tip of the Week: Use the AP Stylebook

Nashville -- Every time I lead a publicity workshop, I encourage artists and entrepreneurs to buy the Associated Press Stylebook. The reasons for this are obvious:

* Newspaper editors and reporters follow AP rules when writing and editing their stories.

* Providing a press release that follows these rules makes it easier for journalists, who are strapped for time.

* Reporting like the journalists do adds credibility and consistency to our profession.

You can find the AP Stylebook at most major bookstores and online booksellers. The cost is very reasonable for this invaluable resource for wordsmiths.

Happy writing and editing!

Chuck Whiting

Gail McDaniel Raises $6,009 for Nashville Schools

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (February 2012) – With a little help from her friends, artist/instructor Gail McDaniel has raised $6,009 for arts education and the PENCIL FOUNDATION in Middle Tennessee.

The Franklin watercolorist will present approximately $4,000 in award grants to art teachers of Williamson and Davidson county public schools during an awards reception at her Franklin, Tenn., studio at 4:30 a.m. on Feb. 22 (Wednesday). Approximately $2,000 will be donated to the PENCIL Foundation’s LP PENCIL Box, a store that provides free educational supplies to area schools.

The funds were raised during a year-long campaign that ended with the 12th annual "January Chase-Away-The-Blahs Party" on Jan. 21. The live auction and lunch drew bidders from across Middle Tennessee. The Saucy Sisters (Barbara Nowak and Beverly Pittman) served as co-chairs of the event.

"Since 2001, we have raised more than $87,000 – the support has been overwhelming," said McDaniel.

"Students and Friends of Gail McDaniel Award" grants will be issued through the PENCIL Foundation and FirstBank Cool Springs. The funds were raised through individual, business and foundation donations and the "Blahs Party". More than 100 items were donated for the live auction, including a private musical performance by multi-platinum songwriter Kenny Durham; admission for two to The Juggs' NashTrash Tour; handmade knitted items; artisan-made fine jewelry; a large collection of coffee table art books; and an appearance by Santa Claus.

Fundraising for the "Students and Friends of Gail McDaniel Award" will continue on March 23 when The Saucy Sisters host a wine tasting at O Gallery at Marathon Village in Nashville.

For more information about the "Students and Friends of Gail McDaniel Award" grants or to make a donation, call (615) 599-5115, send an e-mail to gail@gailmcdanielart.com, or visit http://www.gailmcdanielart.com.

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Photo Cutlines:

FRANKLIN, Tenn. (February 2012) – Artist/instructor Gail McDaniel (third from left) welcomes (from left) FirstBank Cool Springs Vice President/Financial Center Manager II Lana Preston and Beverly Pittman and Barbara Nowak of The Saucy Sisters to the 12th annual "Chase-Away-The-Blahs Party". The live auction, which occurred at Gail McDaniel's Franklin studio on Jan. 21, raised $6,009 for the purchase of student art supplies. The Franklin watercolorist will present award grants to art teachers from Williamson and Davidson county public schools during an awards reception at her studio on Feb. 22. A portion of the donations will be given to the PENCIL Foundation’s LP PENCIL Box, a store that provides free educational supplies to area schools. The artist has helped raise $87,131 for arts education since 2001. For more information about the "Students and Friends of Gail McDaniel Award" grants or to make a donation, call (615) 599-5115, send an e-mail to gail@gailmcdanielart.com, or visit http://www.gailmcdanielart.com. (Photo by Chuck Whiting)

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Cool Pepper Disc Releases Never-Before-Heard Recordings by The Impressions

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (January 2012) -- Cool Pepper Disc, a Nashville record label owned by hit songwriter/producer/publisher Jerry Michael, will mark Black History Month by releasing five never-before-heard recordings by R&B/soul recording legends The Impressions.

Cool Pepper's latest recordings will be available for digital download beginning Feb. 1 through http://www.CoolPepperDisc.com and other online retailers. The project features the Mayfield-penned song, "Never Too Much Love", as well as soulful renditions of "Caught In The Middle", "I Found You", "Can't Wait Till Tomorrow", and "I Can Make It Go Away". Michael produced the recordings in the mid-'80s at his Suite 900 recording studio in the former United Artists Tower on Music Row. He re-mastered them just in time for Black History Month.

"The Impressions' popularity took a meteoric rise during the Civil Rights Movement, using their songs to preach a perpetually consistent message of equality for all," said Michael, who garnered success as a tunesmith and publisher with the hit "Play the Game Tonight" (Kansas) and other cuts by acts such as Pure Prairie League, Aretha Franklin, The Oak Ridge Boys and Shirley Ceasar. "With Black History Month upon us, I felt it was time to make these wonderful treasures available for the first time. They've been in the music vault for more than 25 years."

Cool Pepper 's "Never Too Much Love" will be the first single from the "Refreshing The Soul" EP. Orchard Music Group is handling worldwide digital distribution. The EP follows the 2011 release of "The Impressions' 50th Anniversary Salute to Curtis Mayfield", a CD featuring 17 Mayfield-penned hits, including "Keep on Pushin'", "Amen", "People Get Ready", "It's All Right", "Woman's Got Soul", and "Talking About My Baby". The label has also released a rare extended recording of the 1960s smash "Gypsy Woman". All selections are downloadable at http://www.CoolPepperDisc.com.

"Black History Month is the time of year when we honor, reflect on, and ultimately remember our African-American heroes and all they have valiantly stood for throughout the years," Michael added. "From Montgomery to Chicago, known activists to anonymous citizens, the push for racial equality has been a long and arduous journey, featuring some of the most distinctive and essential humanitarians of our time. Of these indispensable leaders, there is perhaps no group, artist, or band that did more for the movement than Curtis Mayfield and The Impressions."

At age 16, Mayfield quit school, leaving to form a five-piece group called The Roosters. Later, the name would change to The Impressions. The lead singer was Jerry Butler, fellow member of Mayfield’s grandmother’s congregation. In 1958, a year after Mayfield left school, The Impressions scored a national hit with “For Your Precious Love” – one of the songs heralding the emergence of "Chicago Soul of the Sixties". Butler (and his lead voice) went solo after “For Your Precious Love”, leaving most of the responsibilities for The Impressions to Mayfield.

Mayfield was now in charge of a group that had morphed from five to three pieces, a vocal rarity in the R&B/soul field at that time. But he turned it to his advantage, taking over as lead singer and putting together arrangements and harmonies for three voices that worked to set the group apart. As a result, The Impressions became a powerhouse group of the "Soulful Sixties", with a consistent string of chart hits. The group even managed to take a stand against the arrival of The Beatles as chart dominators. When the British Invasion started in 1964, The Impressions racked up no less than five Top 20 hits that year, all crafted and tailored by Mayfield. The legendary songwriter/performer died in 1999 after racking up numerous hits with The Impressions and as a solo artist.

Michael has achieved success as a recording artist for Capitol and Mercury/Smash Records; a music publisher; a songwriter; a record producer; and a studio owner. He also has served as the owner of a booking agency and concert promotion company. His songs have been featured on gold, platinum and/or multi-platinum albums by top recording acts in pop, rock, R&B, country, adult contemporary and gospel, including Aretha Franklin, The Four Tops, Kansas, Pure Prarie League, Paul Overstreet, The Oak Ridge Boys, Rita Coolidge, Dobie Gray, Exile and Shirley Ceasar, among others. As a former member of the popular 10-piece soul band The Entertainers, he performed on concert stages in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and top venue circuits across the nation. For many years, he owned a state-of-the-art recording studio called Suite 900 on Nashville's Music Row. His Cool Pepper Disc record label spotlights artists in various musical formats.

For more information about the new Cool Pepper Disc recordings, visit http://www.CoolPepperDisc.com or send an e-mail message to michael.ent@comcast.net.

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