Hoodwinked from Heaven

Elisa Brown, known internationally for her “eloquent voice,” and her “incredible vocal talents with a heartfelt take on life,” takes us back to her Texas roots in Hoodwinked from Heaven – an original, down-home show she wrote for her late father Bill. Although he always supported her international talent in classical music, Bill used to jokingly call the classics “long-haired music”– preferring the works of Hank Williams or Patsy Cline. But when Elisa’s father began to slip further and further into heartbreaking cognitive decline, he asked her to write some country and Americana songs just for him. Hearing them helped refresh the memory of his and her Texas adventures – not to mention their colorful cast of family characters. This delightful country cabaret is a smorgasbord of family yore that spans over a century of history served up alongside an array of musical styles and genres to complement each story Elisa dishes out! The title song, Hoodwinked from Heaven, is an homage to Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys, portioned out a bit at a time to set the stage for what’s to come. Gulf & Western fans will eat up Too Many Yeses & Not Enough Noes – a story of love gone haywire. The kid in everyone will get a kick out of I’m Gonna Kiss & Sing, a/k/a a “you done me wrong, so I’m gonna do you in’ little ditty. Hee-Haw enthusiasts will chuckle at the hillbilly musical rebuke of an offer too good to be true in Go Build a Bridge & Get Over Yourself. And the seductive The Russian Cowgirl serves up a frothy concoction of klezmer music with a dollop of country music on top. The scintillating chanson You’re the Best, Worst Idea Ever will quench the thirst for folks who fancy torch songs. I Said I Do is a tiny morsel about a marital mishap. He Sold Me Down the River for A Pizza & Some Beer is a knee-slapping, epic tale of betrayal and revenge that will get toes to tapping. The Bar Fly King demands razor-like attention to the colorful lyrics that will require yet another round of something sudsy to wash down all those words. The closing, heart-melting ballad Now That You’re in Heaven is a poignant message from Elisa to her late father.

Originally trained as a classical singer, Elisa’s “melodious, soulful singing” has been thrilling audiences around the globe for decades. Her ability to sing a wide range of vocal styles – from country to pop to Spanish musical theater and opera – have taken her to solo performances on Off-Broadway, The Bitter End, and Carnegie Hall, as well as to concert venues in South America, Spain, and China, and onwards to her own show on PBS, The Heart of Art with Elisa Brown. Her CDs, The Ave Maria Experience and New World, co-written and co-arranged with GRAMMY winning producer Barry Goldstein, have garnered worldwide praise.

“Romantic” … “wistful in tone” … “inspirational” …

~~ Steve Smith/New York Times, December 1, 2011

“This is truly an amazing CD! When you’re feeling down, need a little healing and connection with the Divine, or just needing energy quietly close your eyes and let Elisa’s voice … inspire.”

~~ Shirley MacLaine

“There are many talented singers, songwriters and performers. That’s not rare. Elisa possesses those talents and one more: charisma in spades. She is unique and someone you will remember.”

~~ Mel Howard, Tony and Molière Award Winning Producer