| Special Photo from Tipperary Concert - Thursday, July 01, 2010Orla shares a picture of a very special visit with cousins Ellen,Nora and Paddy after the Tipperary Concert last Saturday evening. Enjoy~
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| NO-STRINGS CHILDHOOD - Wednesday, June 09, 2010
The harpist and singer Orla Fallon, 38, recalls the freedom of
growing up in Co Wicklow, with animals her biggest passion.
I grew up in Co Wicklow in Knockananna, a tiny village in the southern foothills of the Wicklow Mountains, close to the Carlow border. I lived there until I was 14, when I went to boarding school at Mount Sackville, in Castleknock, Dublin. It was a small, close-knit community and mother was the principal of the local school. Our house was a bungalow just outside the village, built in 1970, a year or so before I was born. Mum is from Co Kerry and Dad is from Aughavanna, but they met while she was teaching in Hacketstown, not too far from Tinahely.
The village had two pubs, the school, two shops and a post office, which is still exactly the same today as it was then.
The house is a typical Irish bungalow and the kitchen, which had an Aga, was at the heart of it. Mum used to teach us and drove us to school every morning too. She was definitely stricter on us than she was on the other children.
Ours was really two families within one. Eva and Tom were closer to me in age and then there were Una and Aiveen, who were younger than us, although Una is 27 now.
Our favorite spot to play as children was in a field belong to Jack O’Neill, in a place called “the Forties”. There was a river running through it and in summer we would spend our time damming it to create a swimming pool and building rafts.
Children are still doing the same thing today. Recently, I met the writer Sebastian Barry, who lives locally, at a function last year and he said his children play at the exact same spot now and do exactly the same things we used to do there.
Ponies were my other passion and I spent so much time riding I became known locally as “the girl on the pony”. I would be up early every day to feed the ponies and muck them out. It gave me a great sense of responsibility as a child. Tom and I used to race each other across the fields, although Eva didn’t get on with horses at all.
Winters were great for children there, too, as in that part of the country there is always a good chance of plenty of snow. When my Granny came to visit from Co Kerry, she would always leave when she saw the first few flakes of snow as she was afraid she would get stuck there.
Dad had a farm up the lane and he also set up a meat-processing factory in the village, where lambs and cattle would be slaughtered. Mum used to make breakfast for a while bunch of butchers before they went off to work in the morning, and before she went to work too. She used to do the books for the meat factory as well.
I was singing from an early age. From about four years old, I was constantly singing in the church and at school concerts. Later, when I started to take music lessons, I would occasionally bring a leg of lamb to the teacher.
I didn’t start playing the harp until I went to secondary school and, when I was 16, I entered the talent contest in the Knockananna Festival, which took place every July.
The festival was a big deal and even used to attract tourists from other parts of the country. There were field days, dances at the crossroads and lots of events involving animals. Our three-legged sheep dog, Tango, even took part in the dog races.
Anyhow, the talent contest was taken very seriously. The X Factor had nothing on it. There would be heats, then quarter-finals, then semis and then a final. It was very competitive. It was my first public performance and I did Spinning Wheel, accompanying myself on the harp.
Thankfully, they didn’t ask me to do another song, as I didn’t know any others. I won the competition and part of the prize was a cheque for IRE100, the first money I ever earned from music.
It wasn’t always certain I would go on to do music for a living, though, and I even went on to study law, but I came back to it. Then, one night I was singing in the National Concert hall when David Agnew asked me for a demo tape.
I heard nothing for two years until he rang me out of the blue when he was putting together Celtic Woman. Before long, I was in America playing all these big venues and I remember playing in New York one night and thinking: “It’s a long way from Knockananna to Carnegie Hall.”
I still love going back there, and I find the drive from there up to Dublin through Lugnaquilla really inspirational. Whenever I make a new piece of music, I always test it out by driving up to Dublin and putting it on the stereo in the car. If it works with that landscape, then it works.
*Interview by Niall Toner
**Article Courtesy of The Sunday Times ~ http://www.timesonline.ie
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| Orla ~ That Was Then... - Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Article Courtesy of Irish Independent Weekend Magazine |
| Celtic Woman Flying Solo... - Tuesday, May 18, 2010She's performed for popes and presidents with Celtic Woman, but farmer's daughter and singer Órla Fallon is now flying solo, writes Maria Moynihan.
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| It's Been A Busy Spring! - Thursday, April 29, 2010Hello everyone,
It feels like an absolute eternity since I've last sat down to say hello. I've been doing a lot of running around lately so apologies to everyone for the lack of contact.
It seems like I've covered a lot of miles over the past few months, both air miles and road miles. March 5 saw the release of "Distant Shore" here in Ireland and I clocked up a lot of miles in my car driving to radio stations up and down the country promoting the album.
In mid March I headed back to the States for my concert in Maryland. Before the show, I had the great privilege of being presented with my four Irish music Awards. Many thanks to Mike – aka Mr. Peabody – who took photos of the presentation and which Kelli very kindly forwarded on to me. Thanks so much again to everyone who took the time to vote for me. It really was a great honor to have been awarded four awards.
The end of March saw me returning to Nashville again to do some more recording. Me being ever practical, I filled my suitcase with lots of sweaters and heavy clothes only to arrive to glorious sunshine and very warm temperatures! The unfortunate thing was that I was so busy I didn't have time to hit any shops so I must have stuck out like a sore thumb in all the winter gear!
There was quite emotional scenes at the airport as my arrival coincided with the return home of a fleet of troops from Iraq. There were lovely scenes as these amazing men and women were greeted by loved ones. I had a lump in my throat as I watched them from the sidelines. That's the thing about airports, you see all the highs and lows, the exhilaration and the desperation of loved ones coming and going.
I worked hard in the studio for my week in Nashville but I'm really pleased with the results. We were working on my forthcoming Christmas album and once again it was great to work with Dan Shea, producer extraordinaire, and Billy Whittington, the brilliant engineer. We covered a lot of tracks and I had the great privilege of recording a track with a musical hero of mine but I will tell you more about that at a later date........
I have to tell you that the world has truly become a very small place as on the day that I was returning home to Ireland, I bumped into two girls from Carlow at the airport in Nashville. Now how mad is that!!!!
I returned to Dublin and spent two days recording harp and some more vocals with my good friend Brian Masterson. Brian is always a joy to work with so all in all I had a lovely time recording Christmas music on both sides of the Atlantic.
I'm in the process of putting together some concert dates here in Ireland and also in the States, so hopefully some of you will be able to come along.
The highlight of the last few months has had to be my most recent news that I have become an aunt for the first time. Annabel Curran was born on Thursday morning last and she is the first grandchild on the Fallon side so you can imagine the exhilaration in our household! She is absolutely gorgeous and we are all totally smitten. Praise The Lord for her safe arrival!
Once again, my sincere apologies for being so remiss with my correspondence of late. I promise it won't be as long 'till next time ..........
Lots of love,
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| Orla LIVE on the Pat Kenny Show! - Wednesday, March 10, 2010 |
| Orla Live on Pat Kenny's Radio Show March 10th... - Tuesday, March 09, 2010Orla will be appearing on RTE's 'Today With Pat Kenny' radio show Wednesday, March 10th. Orla will be singing 2 songs from her hit CD 'Distant Shore' live in studio!
Click HERE for more details. |
| Distant Shore ~ Ireland Release Date - Friday, February 26, 2010
Orla's hit CD 'Distant Shore' will be released in Ireland on March 5th! Be sure to visit a major record store near you to pick up your copy! |
| I'm excited to announce an exciting new project I'm working on~ - Thursday, February 25, 2010
'MUSIC OF IRELAND – Welcome Home' is a two-part music television special celebrating 50 years of contemporary Irish music. Part One – as seen on Public Television during the month of March – features intimate performances and exclusive interviews from many of the greatest Irish artists of our time including: The Chieftains, The Clancy Brothers, U2, The Dubliners, Riverdance, Bob Geldof, Ronan Tynan, Sinead O’Connor and many others. The full-length companion CD release features newly recorded material by Sinead O’Connor, The Chieftains, Moya Brennan, Damien Rice, Anuna, Liam Clancy, Glen Hansard, Shane MacGowan, myself and others.
For more information please visit http://www.musicofireland.com
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| Orla joins U2, Pete Seeger and many more in 'Music of Ireland - Welcome Home'... - Thursday, February 25, 2010 U2, Pete Seeger, Sinead O'Connor In PBS 'Music of Ireland' Doc
The Music of Ireland - Welcome Home," a documentary featuring interviews and performances from U2, Pete Seeger, Sinead O'Connor and the Chieftans will debut on New York public television station WLIW on Feb. 17, then rollout to other PBS affiliates throughout March.
"Music of Ireland" will be available as a CD and DVD in a number of outlets: Barnes & Noble is the exclusive brick and mortar retail partner and will debut an in-store promotional campaign on March 2; Amazon.com will feature all the CD tracks digitally on a 45-day exclusive starting that same day. In addition, the CD and DVD will be bundled as a bonus for those who donate to public television during pledge drives.
The CD was produced by John Reynolds, and features new material by Clannad's Moya Brennan - who also hosts the documentary - O'Connor, the Chieftans, former Irish Tenor Ronan Tyanan and Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, among others.
The documentary "Music of Ireland" opens in 1960 with the success of the pioneering Clancy Brothers, and includes Liam Clancy's final U.S. television interview before his death. Other interviews include "Riverdance's" Michael Flatley, Bob Geldof and Academy Award-nominated director Jim Sheridan.
A sequel to the "Music of Ireland" is planned for later this year, and will focus on U2, Celtic Woman, The Cranberries, The Corrs, the Irish Tenors and songwriters Glen Hansard and Damien Rice.
The documentary was executive produced by The Elevation Group's Denny Young, who previously produced "Bonefish Grill's Notes From The Road" for Ovation, and is presented by WLIW in association with WNET.org and Tourism Ireland.
"For such a small country to produce such amazing talent and the way their music defines the people is just extraordinary," Young says. "It has fascinated me for most of my life and is something I wanted more people to be in tune with."
Article Courtesy of Billboard.com
By Ann Donahue, L.A. |
| MUSIC OF IRELAND – WELCOME HOME - Wednesday, February 24, 2010
March Nationwide Premiere on Public Television (check local listings)
Barnes & Noble Exclusive CD and DVD Release; Amazon.com Digital Partner
New Public Television Special Chronicles Irish Music’s Global Impact
Grammy Award-winner Moya Brennan hosts, exclusive interviews and performances by The Chieftains, Riverdance’s Michael Flatley, U2, Pete Seeger, Sinéad O’Conner, the late Liam Clancy, and others
Exclusive New York metro area sneak preview Wednesday, February 17 at
9:30 p.m. on WLIW21
Companion CD & DVD features major Irish artists
Music of Ireland – Welcome Home tells the definitive story of contemporary Irish music, focusing on the Emerald Isle’s greatest musical exports, their influence on America and the music’s global impact. Hosted by Clannad’s Grammy Award-winning Moya Brennan, the performance documentary features six Grammy Award winners, Academy Award and Golden Globe winners, and three Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees. Produced by the Elevation Group’s Denny Young – an American music and television production veteran who has produced special concert events for Duran Duran, Seal, LeAnn Rimes, Counting Crows, and many others, Music of Ireland – Welcome Home premieres nationwide March 2010 on public television (check local listings).
New York metro area viewers will get a sneak preview of the program during WLIW21’s exclusive broadcast premiere Wednesday, February 17 at 9:30 p.m. The program is a presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG and is sponsored in part by Tourism Ireland.
The Music of Ireland – Welcome Home CD and a DVD of the program bundled with an exclusive public television bonus CD will be available during the public television broadcasts to viewers who make a donation in support of their local station. The CD bonus tracks include additional songs by Órla Fallon (formerly of Celtic Woman), Ronan Tynan (formerly of The Irish Tenors) and others.
Barnes & Noble, Music of Ireland’s exclusive retail partner, will feature a nationwide, in-store promotional campaign starting March 2 that will promote the TV show and feature a special, exclusive deluxe edition combo pack of the CD and DVD. The exclusive deluxe edition will be available both in Barnes & Noble stores and online at Barnes & Noble.com (www.bn.com).
Amazon.com is Music of Ireland’s digital music partner and will feature all CD tracks digitally, on a 45-day exclusive basis starting March 2nd.
Beginning in 1960 with the Clancy Brothers, Music of Ireland – Welcome Home traces the origins of Irish music, and features exclusive interviews with U2’s Bono and Adam Clayton, Michael Flatley and Bill Whelan of Riverdance, Live Aid and Band Aid founder Bob Geldof of The Boomtown Rats, Sinéad O’Connor, Pete Seeger, The Chieftains’ Paddy Moloney, former Celtic Woman Órla Fallon, Black 47’s Larry Kirwan, six-time Academy Award-nominated director Jim Sheridan, the late Liam Clancy in his final U.S. television interview, and many other Irish musicians, scholars, journalists, and producers. Brennan, Enya’s eldest sister, conducts intimate interviews that weave a thread of connections and themes, both past and present, that link Ireland’s unique and sizeable contribution to both the music world and the creative arts – from rock to folk, country to classical, dance, film, and literature. Revealing stories include Seeger’s discovery of Irish music, Bob Dylan educating Bono on the Clancy Brothers and the McPeake family, the inspiration behind Van Morrison’s music and lyrics, Riverdance’s beginnings, and The Chieftains’ early days.
Never-before-seen performances by U2 and Friends, Clannad, The Dubliners’ John Sheahan, Paddy Moloney and Moya Brennan, the McPeake Family, and an authentic Dublin pub session combine with vintage clips of The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem and The Dubliners on The Ed Sullivan Show, Judy Collins playing music from the ‘old country,’ The Pogues and Van Morrison with The Chieftains on RTE’s Late, Late Show, and Riverdance’s debut at Eurovision to illustrate the full breadth of the Irish musical spectrum. Music of Ireland – Welcome Home is directed by four-time Emmy Award-winner Philip Marshall, a former senior producer and director at THIRTEEN/WNET and current executive producer of national productions for Maryland Public Television.
“This is about a country, its people, their undeniable spirit and the amazing music that has transcended generations. There is no place like Ireland,” stated Executive Producer Denny Young. “For such a small country to produce such amazing talent and the way their music defines the people, is just extraordinary. It has fascinated me for most of my life and is something I wanted more people to be in tune with.”
“This has been an amazing journey so far,” commented Moya Brennan. “Never in my 40 years of working in the Irish music community had I totally recognized the impact we have all had on the world generally and in America specifically. And I must say, it has been a real treat to be on the other side of the camera talking to Glen, Damien, Paddy, Sinéad, Bono, Adam, and so many others.”
Music of Ireland – Welcome Home’s companion CD is sure to provide the soundtrack for generations of Irish music, collaboration and spirit. Produced by acclaimed producer John Reynolds (U2, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Björk, Dido), the companion CD features new material by Grammy Award-winners Moya Brennan, Sinéad O’Connor and The Chieftains, Academy Award-winner Glen Hansard (The Swell Season), Damien Rice, former Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan, Andrea Corr, Damien Dempsey, Shane MacGowan (The Pogues), The Hothouse Flowers, Órla Fallon, the late Liam Clancy, Paul Brady, John Sheahan, Donal Lunny and Andy Irvine, and a special track by Anúna featuring Moya Brennan and Afro Celt Sound System’s Iarla Ó Lionáird.
“We’ve made a great CD,” enthused John Reynolds. “We have several Grammy Award-winning and Academy Award-winning artists collaborating with each other to make a totally diverse and an extraordinarily special collection of musical tracks. I am honored to be involved with the project.”
“Public television audiences have had a long love affair with Irish music,” said Gillian Rose, Head of Distribution for WNET.ORG. “Music of Ireland – Welcome Home brings traditional artists like The Chieftains together with contemporary phenomena like Celtic Woman, Riverdance and U2 – one of the world’s biggest rock bands – to celebrate this country’s incredible contribution to music. Educating audiences while entertaining, that’s what we do best.”
A sequel to Music of Ireland – Welcome Home is planned for late 2010 spotlighting more recent artists including U2, Celtic Woman, The Cranberries, The Corrs, The Irish Tenors, and singer/songwriters like Glen Hansard and Damien Rice, as well as the rise of Irish music festivals and the use of Irish music in film and television. For more information, visit musicofireland.com.
A production of the Elevation Group. Executive Producer: Denny Young. Director: Philip Marshall. A presentation of WLIW21 in association with WNET.ORG. Funded in part by Tourism Ireland.
The Elevation Group is one of the nation’s leading Sports & Music marketing, event and TV production firms. Founded in 2002 by industry veterans and former senior executives at IMG – Denny Young and Steve Lindecke – Elevation has been named one of the top production companies in the United States by Event Marketer magazine the past four years (2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009). Elevation works alongside some of the world’s most recognizable corporate brands and personalities in the following areas: Sponsorship Consultation & Activation, Event Management, Live & Televised Productions and Communications & Marketing. Elevation has produced music specials for Public Television, Cable Networks and a number of major corporate sponsors.
Elevation offices are located in Cleveland, Charlotte, Detroit and New York. For more information, log onto www.elevationgrp.com.
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| Photos from Orla... - Tuesday, February 23, 2010Here are some photos that Orla wanted to share with you. Enjoy~
Orla chatting with Moya Brennan
Orla, Denny Young and Moya Brennan
Moya Brennan with Orla |
| Congratulations Orla! - Monday, February 08, 2010
After nominations, polling and voting were made and completed Orla is the recipient of a 2009 IRISH MUSIC AWARD by the Irish Music Association. Please join us in congratulating Orla for this wonderful achievement!
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| Greetings From Orla... - Monday, February 01, 2010
Happy St Brigid’s Day to one and all! Today, February 1, heralds the first day of spring and is also the feast day of St Brigid. It’s really a celebration of spring, new life and in the ancient Celtic Calender was a huge day of celebration. During my teaching days in a Brigidine School, we always marked the occasion with a school celebration. I love February 1 as for me it marks the beginning of all sorts of possibilities. In fact, my garden is starting to wake up after the long winter and the bulbs are starting to peep. I seriously have to get out and do some work though!
Before I fill you in on what is happening this spring, I must thank you all so much for your lovely comments about the IMA Awards. I was thrilled with the results and am still on a high about the awards. Thanks to all of you who voted and made it all possible!
I am delighted to announce that I am releasing "Distant Shore" here in Ireland on March 5! I really wanted to release the album at home and am excited that it's finally coming to fruition.
I'm also heading back to the US for my show on in Maryland on March 14 and it'll be great to get back! I'm really looking forward to getting back on stage again with Dan and Mary.
It may sound very strange after all my talk about spring, but I'm getting into the Christmas mood! I'm putting together the track list for my forthcoming Christmas album and I’m going to start recording very soon. I love Christmas music, so I'm going to find it hard keeping the list to 13 or 14 tracks. It should be fun and I'll be recording again in Nashville, my new home-away-from-home.
Enjoy this first day of spring and I'll leave you with a few lines form a great song “Don't Be Afraid Of The Light That Shines” by Luka Bloom.
Out of the cold, dark winter space
We come together, looking for Brigid's grace
We dip our open hands deep into the well
Where our rivers run to,
Who can tell, who can tell?
Don't be afraid of the light that shines within you
Lots of love,
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| Four Irish Music Awards! - Friday, January 29, 2010Congratulations to Orla for winning four Irish Music Awards!
We are delighted to announce that Orla won four Irish Music Awards, taking the prize in all four categories in which she was nominated. Orla sends a special thank you to everyone who voted and made the awards possible!
Orla won awards in the following categories:
· Top Solo Performer in Concert (US, IRE, EU, UK)
· Best Female Vocalist
· Top Harpist (US, IRE & EU, UK)
· Tommy Makem Award
The Irish Music Awards is an annual awards presentation hosted by the Irish Music Association to honor the best of the best in Irish Music. The Irish Music Awards promote and support Irish Music, and musicians worldwide. The second annual 2009 Irish Music Awards were presented January 27, 2010 at O'Malley's Pub in Weston, Missouri.
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| Pictures and Video from Orla... - Tuesday, January 12, 2010Orla recently visited Green Hill’s booth at The Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market and wanted to share photos and a video from her visit with you. Enjoy~
Orla was “Thinking Happy Stuff” with THS brand creator Christine Fekete of Nashville, TN
Orla and the sales staff for Green Hill Productions
Orla performs in the Green Hill booth
Orla sends her good wishes to a fan who wasn’t able to attend the show
Orla promoted Distant Shore on January 9, 2010 in the Green Hill Productions booth at the Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market |
| Photo's From Orla... - Wednesday, December 23, 2009Here are some photo's from Orla's recent performances. Enjoy!
Orla at WVIZ in Cleveland
Orla performing for WLIW members at St. Patrick’s Church of Bay Shore on Long Island
Orla’s live television performance in Roanoke, VA
Orla in Minneapolis at John Trones’ Christmas In The City concert (with John Trones & Jim Brickman; with two fans at the meet and greet following the show)
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| Christmas Greetings From Orla... - Wednesday, December 23, 2009
It's a beautiful crisp frosty morning as I look back on a year that has been pretty exciting. It's hard to believe that a full year has passed since I embarked on my solo adventure and what an adventure it's been!
I've had so many lovely experiences over the year from recording in Nashville with Dan Shea, finally releasing the album, heading back to visit some old friends at PBS, taping the "Beautiful World" PBS special with Jim Brickman in Niagara Falls, touring with Jim, doing some solo shows with Dan and Many and recording "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" for the troops overseas.
I really didn't realize how much I missed being on stage until I was back there singing my songs and telling my stories. To all of you who came along to the shows, I extend a huge thank you. None of this is possible without the huge support and goodwill of you all. Thank you so much for being behind me every step of the way over the past few months.
I'm looking forward to chilling out here at home over the holidays and re-charging the old batteries before I getting back to work in the New Year. We have lots of exciting projects in the pipeline for 2010!
I wish you all a very happy Christmas and in my wish for The New Year I'm borrowing a few lines from a song that I've been listening to a lot since I've returned home from The States:
"Many hearts to keep you warm
Many guides to speed you through the storm
And may the saints and angels watch over you"
-- Mike Scott, Saints And Angels
Love Always,
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| Command Performance Presents: A Holiday Special for the Troops! - Monday, December 21, 2009
 The Holiday Special, the third in a series of specials, marks the first featuring full length
performances. This holiday edition includes music performed for the troops by various artists including: Aaron Lewis, Dave Koz, Flyleaf, Kellie Pickler, Orla Fallon, Papa Roach, Saving Abel, Straight No Chaser and switchfoot.
Over the last few months the Pentagon Channel has gone on location to record special holiday song performances and greetings to air for the troops stateside and overseas. Featured songs range from original pieces to a cover of Elvis’ Blue Christmas, a jazzy Santa Baby and more!
One of the first artists to participate, Jazz artist David Koz was honored to provide music for this special. "Especially at holiday time, our minds and hearts go out to the men and women of our armed services dedicating their lives selflessly so that we may enjoy the comforts and safety of home,” he said.
Not all featured artists are American but still wanted to show how much they appreciate the service and sacrifice of the troops. Irish born Orla Fallon, former Celtic Woman member, said "It was such an honor and a privilege to be asked to perform at this special Command Performance. It was a very small way of saying thanks to the very special people who give so much to us all to protect our freedom."
An artist familiar with the military, Jon Foreman, lead singer of Switchfoot said, “Coming from a military town like San Diego, we're well acquainted with the sacrifices that enlisted men and women make for their country. We're honored to be able to play a few tunes for them.”
The Pentagon Channel is excited to provide this special to the troops to provide a unique taste of home for the holidays while they are deployed. “Having previously been deployed to Afghanistan, I know what it’s like to be away from family during the holidays,” remarks Pentagon Channel host SSgt Brian Buckwalter. “I know this piece will bring some joy to the men and women serving over there now. We hope this shows them that they are not forgotten about during this holiday season.”
In keeping with the holiday spirit, Command Performance is also happy to bring a little something extra...stocking stuffers! Command Performance had many more original musical performances that couldn’t fit into the holiday special and we decided those performances were too great to miss.
Located on the Pentagon Channel website at www.pentagonchannel.com/stockingstuffer, our special gift performances are headlined by the acapella group "Straight, No Chaser" with their unique version of the "Twelve Days of Christmas". You'll also hear more songs from Fly Leaf, Papa Roach, Deer Tick...and more!
The Command Performance Holiday Special will debut on Dec. 16th and run through New Year’s Day for troops around the world. Please check www.pentagonchannel.mil for times.
Command Performance is a weekly program designed to take a sneak-peek into the world of music and entertainment from a military perspective. It takes servicemembers backstage with their favorite performers by giving them the opportunity to pose questions in interviews aimed exclusively at members of the military.
You can find all the Command Performance episodes at:
www.pentagonchannel.mil/commandperformance or at the iTunes music store.
About the Pentagon Channel
The Pentagon Channel, the Department of Defense’s satellite television channel, broadcasts military news and information for and about the 2.6 million members of the U.S. Armed Forces -- Active Duty, National Guard and Reserve. Broadcasting 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the Pentagon Channel helps ensure that U.S. forces remain the best informed in the world.
Today, the Pentagon Channel is available on-base to more than 1.3 million service members who live and work on over 370 military bases, camps and installations in the U.S. The channel is also available to the 800,000 service members and their families serving overseas in 178 countries via the American Forces Radio and Television Service (AFRTS).
The Pentagon Channel reaches more than 18 million households through commercial
distribution on satellite and cable systems nationwide. DISH Network, Verizon FiOS and divisions of Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, Charter, Mediacom, RCN, Armstrong, Midcontinent, Knology, GCI, and a number of smaller cable companies and local access channels in communities around the country carry the Pentagon Channel. In addition, Pentagon Channel programming is streamed live 24/7 at http://www.pentagonchannel.mil, is available via video-on-demand, and podcast – both audio and video - from this website.
For more information, please contact:
Karen Nowowieski
Executive Producer
Pentagon Channel
Karen.Nowowieski@pentagonchannel.mil
703-428-0483
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| "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" - Wednesday, December 09, 2009
Orla's radio hit version of 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas' is now available on iTunes!
Click HERE to download your copy today!
Be sure to call your local radio station and request Orla's "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas".
Radio stations nationwide are playing Orla's version of "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas." In fact, the song was the #1 most added song at adult contemporary radio stations nationwide for the past three weeks. So if you haven't heard Orla on your local radio station, call and make a request!
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| Free Download from Orla... - Monday, December 07, 2009
Receive a free download of Órla Fallon's exclusive version of “Silent Night by clicking the icon below...
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| Orla's 'The Water is Wide' used on 'The Bold and the Beautiful'... - Tuesday, December 01, 2009Orla’s recording of "The Water is Wide" was used on the November 23rd episode of The Bold and the Beautiful on CBS.
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| Greetings From Orla... - Tuesday, November 24, 2009
After 12 busy days in the U.S., I touched down in Dublin on Saturday morning to incredibly wet and windy weather. The inclement weather seems to be following me (or I'm following it!) as I ran into the tail end of Hurricane Ida for the first few days of my travels in The US. Thank you to those of you who sent e-mails asking if we were affected by the flooding here at home. Thankfully our home escaped the awful flooding that has hit a lot of the country. Many people were not so lucky however and my thoughts go out to all those people whose homes and businesses were affected.
It was really wonderful to be back on stage in the U.S. again after over a year. It was only when I was on stage that I realized just how much I missed the buzz and sheer joy of performing live. Jim Brickman and all his team really went out of their way to make me feel at home. Jim puts on a great show and it was wonderful for me to make music with Jim, Anne, Tracy and Garrett.
It was almost surreal to head back on to the tour bus again and it's funny how after a short time it’s easy to get back into the whole routine of touring again. Jim has wonderfully supportive fans and it was lovely to meet some of them after the show. I was also thrilled to meet some old friends . Thank you so much to those of you who came along to offer your support. You have no idea how much your presence meant to me!
I didn't get a lot of sleep over the past 12 days as my schedule was pretty full. Every morning I was up for TV appearances and I also had the privilege of recording "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" for The pentagon Channel. It wasn't long until my 6 shows with Jim and all the gang had come to an end.
I had a day off in Boston last Tuesday. I love Boston and it was almost a year ago since I had been there. It was lovely to walk around this delightful city and just chill out for the day. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I was too tired to hit the shops so I had a lovely lunch and dinner and just crashed out before leaving my hotel the following morning at 4 a.m. to catch my flight to the west coast.
The Seattle airport was my next port of call and it was great to meet Dan and Mary at the baggage claim. We drove to Tacoma and got settled into the hotel for a short time and it was soon time to head to the venue for a sound-check and rehearsal for our show that evening.
This was my first solo show in America for many years and I have to say that I loved every minute of it! Ed and all the team at KBTC couldn't have been more welcoming and the evening went by all too quickly. Thank you so much to all of you who came along that evening. I loved meeting and chatting to you all after the show and you really made the evening for me.
We were all up early again the next morning to fly to Sacramento and it was nice to (finally )hit some milder weather. Once again we received a warm welcome from the good people at KVIE. Kevin and all his team couldn't have done more to make us feel at home. I was thrilled to meet so many dear friends after the concert! I am most grateful to all of you who came to my solo shows. Some of you drove long distances and made huge efforts to come along. Your presence really meant so much to me and I thank you all.
I want to wish all my American friends a very happy Thanksgiving. As American families all over the globe celebrate this wonderful day it warms my heart to see that the true meaning of pride in one's country and heritage is very much alive and well. It inspires me very time I visit your shores.
Blessings,
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| Photos From Orla... - Friday, November 20, 2009
Orla and KVIE PBS team at donor concert in Sacramento November 19, 2009
Orla on stage at KVIE PBS
Orla on stage at KVIE PBS with Dan Shea and Mary Pitchford
Orla at fan meet and greet
Backstage with Orla, Dan Shea and Mary Pitchford |
| Orla Fallon - Most Added Single in America at Adult Contemporary Radio this week - Thursday, November 19, 2009
Join us in congratulating Orla! Her Christmas single "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" was the #1 most added single at AC Radio this week!
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| Orla's Home Life... - Monday, November 16, 2009 |
| Video Blog From Orla - Monday, November 09, 2009 |
| Orla's Trip to the States... - Monday, November 02, 2009Oct. 30
I can scarcely believe that a week has passed since I returned home from my whirlwind trip to the States! What a trip it was- I certainly covered a lot of air miles in the week!
My first port of call was Cleveland and I paid a visit to WVIZ. I was given a warm welcome by presenters Kent and Peg. We had a great time chatting about Ireland and places to visit over here. I also sang “Innisfree” and “Bean An Tí” from the new album. I really enjoyed being on the show and am looking forward to my concert there on December 4.
From Cleveland, I headed for the west coast and Sacramento was my next stop. I received a wonderful surprise when I arrived at KVIE to discover that Sgt Kasey Schmidt who is just home from Iraq had left a yummy box of See's Candies for me! It was so thoughtful of Kasey and I was so touched by his lovely gesture. I had trouble not opening the chocolates and devouring them before the show but I resisted the temptation (almost) and we all tucked into the chocolates once I had finished singing.
It was lovely to see Kevin Smith-Fagan. I had met him at several Celtic Woman concerts so it was great to meet an old friend again. Cheryl Watson was lovely and I really had fun.
My final destination on this whistle -stop tour was Seattle/Tacoma and once again I was given a wonderful welcome by everyone. I also met my old friend George Thornhill and it was wonderful to see him and have a chat. Ed, the show's presenter, was in flying form and we had a ball !
I'd really like to thank everyone at all the PBS Stations for their warm welcome and encouragement. I'd also like to thank everyone who picked up the phone and pledged to buy tickets for my concerts and CD's.
I'm really looking forward to my solo concerts and my concerts with Jim Brickman. Thank you so much for your support and I'm looking forward to seeing you at the shows.
I'd also like to say a huge thank you to Kelli Johnson for putting together a gorgeous new fan-site, www.OrlasGarden.com , so please check it out. Thanks so much Kells for your hard work and dedication. You're the best!
See you all very soon!
Grá agus sonas,
Orla at WVIZ
Orla KVIE Sacramento
Orla KBTC Tacoma
Orla and KBTC crew
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| CD Contest News... - Wednesday, October 28, 2009Congratulations to the most recent winners of the Distant Shore Free CD contest! Tim Bilak, Richard Mitchell and Hope Pittman!
If you haven't entered yet, its not too late! The promotion runs until October 31.
Enter here:
Free CD Contest http://apps.facebook.com/orlafalloncontest/ |
| Orla Fallon on Playing the Harp... - Monday, October 26, 2009 |
| "Distant Shore" Video Blog... - Tuesday, October 20, 2009Orla Fallon performs "Distant Shore" with Jim Brickman during his 'Christmas Celebration' concert.
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| New Orla PBS Dates and Tour Dates... - Monday, October 12, 2009
As the time approaches for Orla to hit the road on tour, new dates are being added both for her solo shows as well as the Beautiful World Christmas Tour with Jim Brickman. You can also see Orla live on PBS between now and the end of the year. Check your local listings and please support your local PBS stations by calling in during the show and pledging to help your community!
Here is a list of Orla's upcoming performances and TV appearances:
10/15/09 Cleveland, OH
WVIZ @ 8:00 pm and @10:30 pm (PBS TV appearance)
10/17/09 New York, NY
WLIW @ 10:30 am and @ 8:00 pm(PBS TV appearance)
10/17/09 Sacramento, CA
KVIE @ 7:00 pm (PBS TV appearance)
10/18/09 New York, NY
WLIW @ 9:30 am, @ 2:00 pm and @ 7:00 pm (PBS TV appearance)
10/18/09 Seattle/Tacoma, WA
KBTC @ 6:30 pm (PBS TV appearance)
11/11/09 Newport News, VA
Ferguson Center for the Arts (w/ Jim Brickman)
11/12/09 Baltimore, MD
Lyric Opera House (w/ Jim Brickman)
11/13/09 Providence, RI
Providence Performing Arts Center (w/ Jim Brickman)
11/14/09 Lowell, MA
Memorial Auditorium (w/ Jim Brickman)
11/15/09 Worcester, MA
Hanover Theatre (w/ Jim Brickman)
11/16/09 Portland, ME
Merrill Auditorium (w/Jim Brickman)
11/18/09 Tacoma, WA
Broadway Center @ 7:00 pm (PBS concert appearance)
11/19/09 Sacramento, CA
KVIE Studios @ TBA (PBS concert appearance)
12/04/09 Cleveland, OH
WVIZ Studios @ 7:00 pm (PBS concert appearance)
12/06/09 Roanoke, VA
Roanoke Civic Center (w/ Jim Brickman)
12/07/09 Minneapolis, MN
Pantages Theatre (w/ Jim Brickman & John Trones)
12/08/09 Augusta, GA
Bell Auditorium (w/ Jim Brickman)
12/09/09 West Palm Beach, FL
Kravis Center (w/ Jim Brickman)
12/10/09 Clearwater, FL
Ruth Eckerd Hall (w/ Jim Brickman)
12/11/09 Savannah, GA
Savannah Civic Center (w/ Jim Brickman)
12/12/09 Atlanta, GA
Cobb Energy Centre (w/ Jim Brickman)
12/13/09 Atlanta, GA
Atlanta Botanical Garden @ 3:00 pm (PBS concert appearance)
12/14/09 New York , NY
St. Patrick's Church of Bayshore @ 7:00 pm (PBS concert appearance)
For a complete list of Orla's performances, both on TV and live in concert, info on tickets, venues, concert times and more, check out Orla's Calendar section located on this site. There are many PBS TV dates as well as the Beautiful World Christmas Tour coming up and we hope to see you there!
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| First Winner for Distant Shore Contest! - Friday, October 09, 2009Congratulations to Emily Dyche, our first winner of an autographed Distant Shore CD! We will pick a winner every week until October 31st, so don't worry if you didn't win, you still have 3 more chances!
Click HERE to enter the sweepstakes for your chance to win a FREE autographed copy of Distant Shore! The contest is easy to join and there is no purchase necessary. Just fill out the entry form before October 31, 2009 and the winner will be selected by random drawing of entries. Good luck!
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| New Photos and Message from Orla... - Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Orla with Salvi Harp representative Peter Speziale of the Virginia Harp Center following her performance on WLIW21 in New York City.
Orla with Alicia Steele of WPBA Atlanta
I returned home to Ireland on Thursday last after a whirlwind few days in the US. Thank-you all so much for your lovely messages of support for the album in the run up to its release and post-release. It's always very daunting releasing your new work into the world, so to speak . It's like letting your baby loose into the wild and wonderful world, but I have been delighted the feedback that I have received for "Distant Shore" and all is going very well.
My big regret with the album, however, is that "Fix You" didn't make the final cut. My manager, Denny Young, who is doing a wonderful job, felt it didn't fit on the album. In any relationship, there are disagreements and this was one of ours :-). I feel it's a great song with a very powerful message and I wish I had listened to my gut! Sorry Denny.
The good news is that “Fix You” is available as an iTunes exclusive. It’s the bonus track on iTunes and I am so happy that it is available to everyone.
I have always loved the track and have huge respect for Coldplay. A few years ago I was getting ready to go out for New Year's Eve and Songs Of Praise was on TV. A choir was singing "Fix You" and I was totally stopped in my tracks. I never really listened to the words before and was immediately drawn to their spirituality. I immediately thought this would be a great album track.
I gave the track to Des Moore when we were on tour with Celtic Woman and he loved it. It was so funny though as he wouldn't allow Eoghan to hear the Coldplay version as the bass line is very distinctive on their version. Eoghan, Des, Feargal and I were determined to come up with our own version that would do the song justice but allow its lovely message to come through.
I love the imagery in the song – of a guiding light, guiding you home. This imagery comes up in a few other songs on the album, namely "Shooting Star" and "Voices On The Wind," and we had a really special time in Windmill Lane recording the track. We were also joined by the amazing drummer Liam Bradley and the vocal is the original vocal that I sang with the guys. There we were all five of us lost in the moment and lost in the incredible message of the song.
I am so delighted that the good guys at EMI Nashville decided to put the track out exclusively on iTunes. It was very important to me that it wouldn't be confined to a memory of that lovely time in Dublin on a January day. It was one of those moments that you never forget and I'm glad that I got the chance to share it with you all.
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| Orla To Be Interviewed Today... - Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Orla will be interviewed today on the following stations and locations:
WTVC 9 ABC - Chattanooga, TN
WCPO 9 ABC - Cincinnati, OH
1000 Universal Studios - Orlando, FL
KUSA-NBC - Denver, CO
WBFF-FOX - Baltimore, MD
AP-TV - Los Angeles, Ca
KING-NBC - Seattle, WA
Check your local listings for more information.
Remember - TODAY is the official release date of Orla’s ‘Distant Shore’ CD!
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| 'Distant Shore' Inspirations... - Tuesday, September 22, 2009Orla shares with us the inspirations behind her NEW CD 'Distant Shore' which was released today!
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| Greetings From Orla! - Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20th
Hello from New York!
It's a beautiful sunny day here and I've just come in from a walk along the Hudson River. It's lovely to be back in New York again. I got in on Tuesday last and have been busy since.
I had a wonderful time Wednesday on WLIW21 in New York. Thank you so much to all of you who made calls. Laura and David, the hosts of the show, were great fun and we all had a ball!
I had a day off yesterday so it was lovely to check out some of New York's shops. I'm staying dangerously close to them so it was great to get in and check out some of the amazing treasures inside!
I also paid a visit to Magnolia Bakery. I had heard so much about the place and I couldn't believe my eyes when I got there only to find a long line of people queuing up to get in! It was worth the wait though as I had a yummy banana cupcake with caramel icing. Pure bliss! Good thing I don't live near it or I'd end up paying visits every day!
I love the buzz and the energy of New York. The weather has been beautiful since I arrived and the city looks great!
It's All-Ireland Football final day at home in Ireland with the great rivals Kerry and Cork in the final. I keep calling home for updates. My Mother is on high doh as she hails from "The Kingdom" Kerry. Exactly today 22 years ago my Grandad passed away just as the national anthem was being played just before The All -Ireland. He's smiling today as Kerry won!! They're all on top of the world at home!
I can't believe that the album release date is just 2 days away! I really can't believe that after all the waiting, it's almost here. Thank you all so much once again for all your wonderful words of encouragement and support.
I hope you all enjoy the album!
Lots of love,
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| Last Chance to PREORDER Orla's 'Distant Shore'... - Tuesday, September 15, 2009Orla shares with us how she selected songs for 'Distant Shore'.
It's your last chance to PREORDER 'Distant Shore'! Click HERE to place your PREORDER TODAY! |
| Orla To Appear On WLIW TV... - Thursday, September 10, 2009
Orla Fallon will appear on WLIW TV Channel 21 in New York on Wednesday, September 16 at 8:00pm. Orla will sing new songs from her upcoming release Distant Shore, which will be available online and in stores on September 22.
Be sure to tune in to see Orla live!
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| Orla Discusses Her Upcoming CD 'Distant Shore'... - Tuesday, September 08, 2009Orla shares her thoughts on the songs and recording of her upcoming CD 'Distant Shore' ...
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| Thank You From Orla... - Wednesday, September 02, 2009I wanted to post a note to thank you all for your lovely birthday gifts, card and wishes. I was totally blown away by your kindness. I had a lovely birthday and am looking forward to getting back to work soon to promote the new album!
Grá agus sonas,
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| Video Blog From Orla - Tuesday, September 01, 2009Orla talks about the musical influences that have helped to shape her life...
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| A Note From Orla... - Tuesday, August 25, 2009Hello to you all,
I made it home safe and sound early Friday morning after a whirlwind trip to Philly.
It was wonderful to catch up with Jim Brickman and Mark Masri again. Even though the weeks are flying by, it feels like ages since we were all filming "A Beautiful World" in Canada. The guys were both in great form and I really enjoyed chatting to them and performing with Jim. We all received a warm welcome from the people at QVC and they made us feel right at home from the moment we walked through the doors.
The wonderful people at Salvi Harps once again provided me with a beautiful harp and I was delighted to have the opportunity to perform my beloved song "Inisfree" on the show.
I was also thrilled to meet the legendary performer Tony Orlando at the studio. I grew up listening to songs such as "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" and "Knock Three Times" as my parents are huge fans. In fact, my mother was excited to tell me that "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" was played on the radio here in Ireland the day I met Tony! A more gracious and gorgeous person you could not meet than Tony. He was so encouraging and friendly and we had such a great time chatting and listening to his stories.
I also had the pleasure of catching up with two special friends, Kelli and Zee. I hadn't seen the girls since my Celtic Woman days and it was wonderful to see them in the audience and to spend time with them afterwards.
As you can see, I had a wonderful trip and really enjoyed my time in Philly.
Thank you all so much for all your wonderful messages of support and encouragement over the past few weeks. I am getting very positive feedback on the extracts of songs from the album and I'm really delighted that you all like what you hear.
I better try and catch up on some sleep now as my sleep patterns are all over the place since I've come home !!
Lots of love to you all,
Orla |
| Orla Video Message on 'Beautiful World' - Monday, August 24, 2009Orla shares her thoughts on playing and performing 'Beautiful World' with Jim Brickman.
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| Billboard Magazine - 'Orla Fallon The Celtic Woman' - Monday, August 24, 2009Singer Orla Fallon charts her own course to 'Shore'
By: Deborah Evans Price.
Printed in Billboard magazine on August 22, 2009
NASHVILLE (Billboard) - Combining her Irish roots with her appreciation for America's heartland, Orla Fallon steps away from a successful career in the group Celtic Woman with her new solo album, "Distant Shore,” set for release Sept. 22 on Nashville-based Green Hill Music.
"As an artist you really have to be true to yourself and your roots, but music is something that you can't put in a box," she says. "I've spent four amazing years traveling all over America and couldn't help but be influenced by what I heard. I have remained true to my Celtic roots, but I'm taking my style and incorporating the sounds and people and the different experiences."
Fallon's first solo album, "The Water Is Wide," was released in 2006 and peaked at No. 9 on Billboard's World Music Albums chart. "It was a very hard decision to make,” Fallon says of leaving Celtic Woman, “because I had an amazing experience with the group. We travelled the world. I played in places that I could only dream about. It would have been a lot easier to stay in Celtic Woman. I loved it, and I was really sad when I left."
An original member of Celtic Woman, Fallon was with the group for four years, recording three albums that held a record-setting 95 consecutive weeks at the No. 1 position on the World Music Albums chart. The act toured worldwide and was featured on three PBS TV specials that have aired more than 13,000 times on 685 PBS stations.
Fallon will continue to work with PBS, appearing as a guest on songwriter/pianist Jim Brickman's concert special airing in August. She will also join Brickman in a QVC promotional appearance Aug. 19, and she's a special guest on Brickman's Christmas album. Fallon will also perform this winter on his holiday tour.
Denny Young, president of production company the Elevation Group, says there are three tracks he plans to triple A and AC radio stations.
“Right now we’re recording a Christmas track – and I can’t reveal yet what song it is – but the first introduction to Orla at radio will be a Christmas track that will go out in October,” Young says. “We feel very confident we’ll have success with the Christmas track and that will pave the way for us, after the first of the year, to go back to AC and triple A radio with [the album track] ‘Dancing in the Moonlight.’”
At retail, Fallon will benefit from Green Hill Music’s dominance in the gift market. “We have over 2,000 interactive listening centers that her project will be on,” Green Hill GM Greg Howard says. “These are mom-and-pop independent gift shops. It’s a ‘play and sell’ market, meaning that the store buyers will be playing it in their store for atmosphere and people will see it and buy it. As far as the general market, we have a distribution deal through EMI here in Nashville and they will be taking the project to the general market, the big stores, digital, Amazon, and they’ve got all that covered.”
Howard is planning in-store visits during the holiday tour with Brickman. “We’re looking at having her perform with her harp at gift-market trade shows when they are in a town that we have accounts in,” he says. “This album will cross a lot of boundaries and might be a bridge from the Celtic Woman world to the adult contemporary pop fan base. It’s going to reach a very broad market.”
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| Video Message and Video E-card from Orla... - Thursday, August 20, 2009 |
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