Winner - 2004 Kerrville Folk Festival: New Folk Competition
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Animated Video of "Turn Me On"
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The Dreamsicles
- Bio
Buy Luv Songs For Grown Ups / The Dreamsicles

"Cleverly-worded pop confections that swiftly live up to the pair's billing"
Mike Joyce, The Washington Post

"An acoustic Earth, Wind & Fire..."
JA, Sing Out!

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE DREAMSICLES' MYSPACE page!

Introducing The Dreamsicles- the Texas based folk/pop duo featuring Tom Prasada-Rao and Cary Cooper. Two voices and a guitar, intricate harmonies with a little cheerleading thrown in, singing love songs for grown ups. They've been touring together for two years, and have just finished their second CD.

Both Tom and Cary are Kerrville New Folk Competition Winners-accomplished songwriters in their own right. They draw on their experience in classical violin, musical theater, raising kids,and living in the third world to create songs which navigate the territory between Everything ButThe Girl and Leonard Cohen, Lucy Kaplansky and Krishna Das.

"This pop-folk-funk duo has it all sewed up baby, and damn is it fine."
JA, Sing Out!

Tom Prasada-Rao and Cary Cooper fell in love in the spring of 2002. They started writing songs together almost immediately, songs that describe the roller coaster rideof finding love again later in life.They set out to create something different, not for 13 year olds with allowance money, but for parents with mortgages and divorces. Soon their songs started developing a certain motif; celebrating the experience, the fear, the sexuality, and the longing of those who have actually been around the block.

The Dreamsicles second album "Luv Songs For Grownups" picks up where their self-titled debut left off. Like their live shows, it's honest, vulnerable, and sassy. They aren't afraid to laugh at themselves or to wear their hearts on their sleeves, and they open thedoor for their audiences to do the same. They were nominated for three 2004 Just Plain Folks awards including Contemporary Album of the Year, and again in 2006 for New Folk Album of the Year and New Folk Song of the Year.

"Stealing the show was theDreamsicles' Cary Cooper whose duets with Tom Prasada-Rao were some of the best I've ever heard. It's as if their voices were destined to meet, two people connecting soul to soul."
Bryn Benson, On The Map Concerts

 
FANS SPEAK OUT!

Hello Tom and Cary,
I attended your house concert last month in Longmont with my husband, Eric. Eric and I have been living separately since June. Your concert was a "first date" of sorts for us. How lucky we are! Your music is now sustaining us and we are working hard at loving each other again. "Nobody said it would be easy!" We are the folks whose wedding song was "Let's Stay Together". Thank you for your beautiful, unique, fun, and inspirational music.
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Hey Cary and Tom
Saw you at the Ottawa Folk Festival and fell head over heels in amazement! What a great team you are! I am so glad a "40 year old white woman from Texas" graced us with your beauty, your soul, and your amazing lyrics! You rock. I hope to see you at the Black Sheep tonight! I'm also a mother to two boys, 12 and 9 and I am so proud that you get out there and tell us your stories and open up your heart and let us listen in! I also have had a battle with a grade 3 teacher and that song touched me. Especially the line about her "velvet heart"! You and Tom look/are great together, of all the acts there, your Cd's are the only ones I came home with. I love them! Thanks for letting us share your magic! Keep the music ringing! All the best!
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Subject: Tom Prasada-Rao fan is now a Cary Cooper and Dreamsicles fan!
Tom,
I first met you in Manhattan, Kansas a couple of years ago and was highly impressed... You can put the funk into folk and did so that night. I was blown away. A couple of years later, I came across the Dreamsicles website and thought WTF. Who is this Cary Cooper?? Well, I played "In My Life." Once...Twice...over and over, until I said, "Holy Smokes, this version is better than the original." (No insult to John and Paul but one can feel the love between you and Cary as you sing your version.) After that, I decided I had to see the duo perform live. From Kansas to Chicago, yeah, it was worth it. The Dreamsicles are great!!! You and Cary are a perfect match!!!
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Hi Cary and Tom,
Just wanted to thank you both again for gracing our house the other night. I've been getting a pile of email from the concertgoers in the past few days, all happily spouting off about what a great night they had. A typical response: "What a wonderful experience!! We were so excited after the concert, jabbered about it all the way home. The talent of The Dreamsicles was far above what I had expected. It just reinforces my beliefs that all good music today is going virtually unplayed." Take care!
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Hi Tom and Cary-
Thanks for a great evening at the house concert and a great afternoon at Folk at One. I'd love to sit down and talk to both of you for several hours. The last time I heard "Last Night I had the Strangest Dream" performed live was by The Kingston Trio. Thanks for renewing a wonderful memory! Thanks again for being so damn talented and being so nice. Thank you again for blowing away my friends. I always tell them if they hang around with me that they will hear some of the best music they've probably never heard before. Thanks to performers like you and to Mad Folk, I can make that happen for them.
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Hi Cary and Tom --
I saw you at Fox Run and came up to say hi and thank you afterwards -- I adored your set most of all and my friend bought me Cary's CD with "Yellow" on it, but then I bought myself a copy of Luv Songs for the "Let's Stay Together" cover. Well! After weeks and weeks of listening over and over I have to say that you are my favorite new artists -- my boyfriend and I squeak "yel-low!" to each other as we're singing along (or, sometimes, it just pops out spontaneously out of nowhere), and we both really love "Really Good at Loving You" and "He's All That" and "Turn Me On" -- we sing right along to those too, with the CD, or just on our own, acapella. Your Web sites are charming -- Cary's effusiveness and Tom's short-but-sweet-ness. And the video is fantastic! I don't know when our paths might cross again, but please know that you planted some fan-seeds here in Boston that have taken deep root! Thanks for the great, great, great music.
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Dear Dreamsicles,
Two friends and I attended your house concert at Jeff & Andrea's in Felton on Sunday night, and I am writing to thank you for that luminous evening. Your songs have been animating my hours ever since--and not only because I bought a couple of CDs and can't stop listening to them. Your music-making is so full of love, intelligence, inventiveness, warmth, humor, candor, and wisdom--my friends and I came away from your show with lifted spirits. We were struck by the way your love for each other lights up your faces, your songwriting, and your performing--yet without a hint of exclusivity. Your affection and passion saturated your stories, riffs, lyrics and melodies, spilled over the whole living-room full of people, and enveloped us all. What a gift. Wishing you joy--and hoping you'll return to Santa Cruz soon (we'll bring lots of friends)
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Tom / Cary,
Thanks so much for doing your best to overcome this weird flu that's going around and giving us such a nice evening. I always love going to Christopher and Sabrina's gatherings because they sure do love music and musicians. You two have such a nice way with a tune and with each other that comes across loud and clear. I've been enjoying the CDs. My only regret is that my wife was too ill to join me. Hopefully we can catch you the next time you're in the Bay Area.
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Hi there --
I just wanted to say thank you again for your show last night. You are *amazing*! In addition to the wonderful music, we all enjoyed meeting you and Tom. We have already put Kerrville on our schedule -- hope to see you there.
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Hey Cary -
I have really been enjoying the CDs I bought!! The gigs were wonder-full, as usual! You and Tom have such a centered stage presence, individually and together. God bless ya'll, and best of luck!
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Hello ...
I have become a big fan of your music and just wanted to say so. I met you briefly in Columbia, SC after you and Tom performed at a Sunday service at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (I missed the Coffee House concert the night before, unfortunately) and bought three CDs that day ... they're basically all I listen to in my car these days. Thanks for sharing your gift! I'm eager for the release of your next CD. Peace to you and yours!
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Hi Tom and Cary,
We are new fans! Just wanted to say how much we loved seeing you all at the Block House Concert in Austin (Texas, Tom!) Anyway, you rocked, and we are listening to your CD's today. I cry half the time. Smile the rest of the time. Gotta say Cary, that cheer-leading thing makes me glad I kissed you, girl. Pretty damn cute! You are an awesome, beautiful couple. I dig your style, your music and the way you love each other. Deep regards to you both. Hope to see you again, soon.
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Hi Cary,
Thanks so much for sending that quote to me. It definitely spoke to me as did your music, as you know. I was driving around today listening to your CD, and It was so much fun to relive the other night. I think having the opportunity to talk to you both prior to your performance, made it that much more special. Most of the time, when I wasn't crying, I was smiling watching the two of you relate to each other, and sing words that showed how much you care about each other, as well as how much fun you have together. I do hope our paths cross again sooner than later. It was really a pleasure to meet you both.
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Cary and Tom -
I was at the show last night and I thoroughly enjoyed watching you both make beautiful music together. I feel drawn to share my experience of you while I was there. I only wish that I had mentioned this in person last night. I don't know how correct I am in what I am about to say - but I know this is what I felt as I watched you guys sing and tell your stories. I sensed that you guys share a connection that few ever find in life. I could see a twinkle in both of your eyes when you made eye contact during and after each song. What a joy for me to see two people loving life and each other in way that can't help but spill out to others. I am sure that you will touch and inspire many people's lives as you continue your journey, especially your girls. I hope to be privileged to see you both again @ Uncle Calvin's or elsewhere. Have a fabulous weekend!
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We saw you at the Celebration for the Umstead last year and have listened to your CD so much that it is starting to skip. We'd love to see you again!
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OK, I know there is a slim line between a rabid stalker and a truly dedicated fan, but here goes ... Your concert on Friday evening at Uncle Calvin's was amazing. I'd never heard you guys (or heard about you for that matter), but I'm now a real fan. I bought four of your CD's and I'm sure it won't be long until I have them all in my collection. One of the things I really connected with (after reading your website) is your searching and finding your authentic self, your core and then moving to make that a reality in your life. And, I love how you and Tom both express that in your lyrics and music. I was so in love with your songs and your style that I came by to see you at the Prairie Festival in Plano on Sunday. The quote you gave on Sunday from Marianne Williamson was great ... I'd never heard it before, but I have it hanging above my computer now. I really do intend to "take yes for an answer" now. Thanks for being a light. Anyway, what I said then holds true ... I would travel miles to see you guys again… I would come see you in Virginia this summer, but I'll be in Italy. (OK, I'll do a lot to come see you, but cancel a trip to Italy is not in the cards). I just wanted you guys to know that I think you are great ... as a couple as a songwriting team, as a song singing team..... Your new fan.... (please don't get a restraining order ....)
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Good morning, Cary and Tom!
My friend and I saw you at Gravity (I was the one that bought the wad o' CDs), and I just had to tell you what a wonderful time we had, listening to Tom's incredible guitar playing and your beautiful voices and clever lyrics. I love it when you have to pay attention to the lyric, and it's even better when the music is equally catchy! I admit that I've been wearing out "Yellow" on Cary's CD -- it makes me smile every single time I hear it. I drive a new Jetta TDI, but it morphs into my old red Bug as I sing along. How cool is that? My friend and I divvied up the CDs that evening for listening purposes, so we're swapping soon and I'll get to hear Tom's early albums. Of course the Quad is great on the new CD, especially since we know the stories behind the songs, another bonus to seeing you earlier this month. Can't wait to hear you again; we're spreading the word about you both! Safe travels, and good karma to you all.
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Tom and Cary,
It was so nice hanging out with you guys last night after your show. My wife and I were both very moved by your songwriting and musical style. A couple of your songs brought up emotions in both of us that needed to surface. We look forward to getting to know you both better in the days ahead. May God continue to bless both of you, your children and your careers.