ROCK CHICKS LEGEND:  On January 19, 2012, the snow industry lost an icon. Sarah Burke, freeskiing pioneer, six-time X Games gold medalist, beloved wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend passed away. Sarah was truly a legendary athlete, role model and an inspiration. She was everything so many of us aspire to be. Female athletes everywhere owe a debt of gratitude to Sarah’s passionate trailblazing efforts over the last 15 years. As the first competitive female freeskier, she successfully lobbied the Winter X Games to include women in freeskiing events on equal standing. It is because of Sarah’s efforts that female winter athletes are some of the only athletes in the world to receive equal prize purses to that of men. Sarah brought worldwide recognition and validation to the sport she so loved. Every ski athlete chosen to represent his or her country at the 2014 Sochi Olympics will feel her influence. Without her, the sport of freeskiing would not be included Sarah is a pioneer of her generation. Her life and legacy embody the true spirit of action sports; a movement of individuals driven to innovate, master and explore the frontier of physical possibility. Sarah’s love of skiing took her life to amazing places. Her accomplishments on skis continue to inspire girls everywhere to believe in themselves and follow their hearts. Her passing is not a cause to pack up our skis, but rather a reason to step-in and ski for Sarah and the dreams that inspired her star to shine. In accordance with Sarah’s wishes, her organs and tissues were donated to help save the lives of others. Sarah did so much for females and winter sports during her time with us. Sarah leaves behind her beloved husband Rory, loving parents Jan and Gordon and her supportive sister Anna. If you would like to pay tribute to Sarah and honor her memory, donations may be made in her name. We encourage you to share this link with others who have been touched by Sarah. www.giveforward.com/sarahburke If you have a memory of Sarah or a message you want to share, please do so here.

ROCK CHICKS SPOTLIGHT ARTIST: Hailee Araya is a 22 year old Ethiopian Swedish singer songwriter born and raised in Lund. She was attracted to music from a very early age and quickly learned the piano, which she played for several years and still uses to composes her songs. Hailee then began guitar lessons and is now taking on the drums and completely dove into music the moment she was in a position to do so. ’Music is a source of inspiration and strength and comfort. It’s such a wonderful journey when you hear a track and the….entire song forms in your head and that rush gets very addictive. I don’t always write something I personally see fit to voice myself because of maybe the nature of the song, or the beat isn’t the vibe I’m in for my particular journey at this moment but that’s what makes me very proud. This inspiration I get from listening to a track is not limited to what is my preference for myself as a singer personally which is why I enjoy writing for people in all genres of music as well. Words form when I hear music without them.” Hailee also started a charity group called Project Abel, named after her little brother, where she takes 10 dollars and turns it into a cooked and packaged meal for those in need. Hailee has also wants Project Abel to expand into helping people to get off the streets, and helping to run domestic violence shelters.n Hailee has performed in several festivals since early teens, including the Uppsala Reggae Festival in 2009.  Her first official single ‘rid you of my love’ (written and performed by Hailee Araya, produced by Paul Kastick) is set to be released 20 December 2011. (Hailee Araya’s Info. courtesy of CYBER PR, https://www.facebook.com/cyberpr?sk=info)

ROCK CHICKS SPOTLIGHT ARTIST: Susan Picking is a piano playing, ukulele strumming, award winning singer/ songwriter. Picking originally hales from the midwest, and now lives in Long Beach, CA. She released her CD Down in Your Soul in February of 2008. Her songs are soulful and cajole the listener to see the quirky underbelly of life. The songs on Picking’s 2nd release Take Three have garnered some attention. Picking’s song “Why” won the Adult Contemporary Category in the Independent Singer Songwriter’s Association (ISSA) 2009 Songwriting Contest. It was also released on SongsAlive! 10 an internationally released compilation CD. Her song “Wonder in the Wander”, also on Take Three, placed 2nd at the Riverfolk Music Festival Songwriting Contest, in Manchester Michigan. This song is about the “Wonder” found in every day life. Picking is hosting a “Wonder in the Wander” promotion from her website, where she invites people to submit stories about the Wonder in their Wander for prizes and publication. Follow Susan Picking’s ‘WONDER IN THE WANDER’ Tour at http://susanleighpicking.com/ (SUSAN PICKING INFO. Courtesy of CYBER PR,https://www.facebook.com/cyberpr?ref=ts)

TODAY’S ROCK CHICKS SPOTLIGHT ARTISTS: As she took her place in the family, April, a Toms River NJ native, developed a muscular, mellifluous voice and high-flying showmanship. Her mom adored Queen (”If you didn’t know a Brian May solo in the first few notes, you weren’t her child”) and her dad gave her his old 8-track tape player, letting her buy Elvis and Led Zeppelin tapes at yard sales. During summer vacations with Aunt Cricket and Uncle Fred, April discovered songwriters like Tom Waits and Kinky Friedman, stealing Fred’s cassettes and absorbing observational story-songs in a backyard tent. Waits so impressed April that she felt compelled to dress up – using Fred’s hat, pipe and Junior Mints (she placed them on her teeth) each time she played his music.When she began to write songs, she incorporated elements musical and otherwise, some contradictory in theme or vibe – to anyone but April. Because she’d been so diversely inspired, it was a cinch to stitch together Queen’s majesty, big band’s sunny optimism, the terror and despair of horror flicks and Edgar Allan Poe writings, and the cottonmouthed wit and poignancy of Wes Anderson films. From this influential primordial stew came April’s new album Songs for a Sinking Ship. The album’s sound was informed by the ’30s and ’40s, juke joints and cabaret, the Andrews Sisters and, of course, Waits. Smith covers a wide range as a singer and songwriter, from the heartbroken ballad “Beloved” to the cheeky tell-off “Stop Wondering” and the sexy swagger of “Wow and Flutter.” Her voice swoons and seduces, and then escalates to breathtaking peaks, backed by piano, upright bass, drums, guitar, horns, ukulele, accordion and even, when the occasion warrants, a suitcase used as a bass drum. Her songs and her playful, confident performances – in which she’ll wear a tutu and impishly tease her band, The Great Picture Show – now win her fans everywhere. In 2008, she opened a national tour for singer-songwriter J.D. Souther (the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt). This summer, Rolling Stone branded April and the GPS one of “30 Bands to Watch” at Lollapalooza, while Showtime’s Californication featured “Terrible Things” in its season three promo and BBC 6 played “Colors” on Introducing: Fresh On the Net. She also appeared on the syndicated TV show Fearless Music and did sessions with WRXP-FM’s Matt Pinfield and WFUV-FM’s Rita Houston. It’s a helluva start for an unsigned artist who was, at the time, without a current release. For more APRIL SMITH AND THE GREAT PICTURE SHOW UPDATES, please visit http://www.aprilsmithmusic.com/

ROCK CHICKS EXTREME SPOTLIGHT: Presently, there isn’t much information available on the Brooklyn weightlifter, Liz Messina, but that doesn’t mean anything! When someone is good—they’re good! Well, Liz is EXTRAORDINARY! Not only did she kill’em on the Cross Country Track @ Brooklyn College, but just take a look @ the video below. One day, Liz Messina will be a USA Olympian! Get’em! (Happy Birthday, Liz!)