Recession fuels CD

Astoria resident Annie Dinerman, a contemporary folk singer and songwriter, has released her second CD, “Broken Cookies,” which has material inspired by the country’s recession.

            Originally from Ohio, Dinerman’s involvement in music began when she was taking piano lessons as a child. She eventually learned to play the guitar as well.

            It was also back home in Ohio that Dinerman became interested in folk music. Around the same time someone loaned her a guitar, another person loaned her the book The New Song Fest. She said she remembers spending hours lying on her living room floor and reading the lyrics.

            Dinerman said that although the songs were anonymous they survived and were adapted, making them part of a living tradition. She described it as a self-satisfying form of expression – writing something personal and having it continue to live and have meaning for others.

            While at college, Dinerman said that she was just writing songs and playing in her dorm room, eventually booking a date to perform in the student union. She said it was a huge hit, and that she was booked every quarter during her junior and senior year, although typically the college only booked someone once a year.

            “By the time I was graduating, my shows were standing room only,” she said.

            The success of the performances made Dinerman think that she had something a larger audience would like.

            Dinerman, a resident of Astoria for about 10 years, released her first CD in 2006. Her second and most recent CD was released September 1 of this year.

            One major source of inspiration for the CD “Broken Cookies” was the recession. During the two years prior to the CD’s release, she wrote about what she had been living through, which included being unemployed.

            Dinerman said that had she been successful and wealthy, she would not have been able to cover the recession in the same way. Instead, she was able to write about situations that others could identify with.

            “People in the business are telling me it’s a record to be proud of,” Dinerman said of “Broken Cookies.”

            People who have come to her shows have also been touched, Dinerman said, adding that real connections have been made between listeners and the music.

            One track off of the album, the environmental song “One Planet at a Time,” was recently selected for the Newsweek On Air podcast.

            Dinerman said that one of her future goals for her music career is to have some established artists record her songs. She also said that she’d like to collaborate with some established artists, including being an opening act for their shows.

            Dinerman has several upcoming performances scheduled. She will be at Recoup at 9 p.m. on October 10, at Gizzie’s at 8 p.m. on October 17 and November 7, and at Sidewalk Café at 9 p.m. on November 22.

            For more information on Dinerman, her music and details about her performances, visit www.anniedinerman.com.