After crisscossing much of the country from April through June…

… sharing music and stories with old friends and new, I’m very glad to be home!  

(Here is a photo from my concert at Mt. Zwingli UCC Church in Wadsworth, Ohio, taken by Jan Hammond.)

      The frightening part of the journey was the last few days that were undertaken as the High Park Fire in Colorado was extending its reach toward Fort Collins. Anxiously checking the internet when the local radio station lost its transmission tower; providing news to my loved ones; It was a very surreal experience to drive into town, toward a burning fire with 9 different fingers of smoky plume working their way down the foothills toward the western edge of town, while my brain was trying to turn on the “flight” module.

      Thankfully, our town has been spared (so far) and we continue to give thanks, moment by moment, to all of the local, county, state and federal government people whose training and commitment guide the bravery and steadfastness of those whose boots are on the ground digging, trimming, cutting, dropping water and fire retardant, guarding and evacuating people.

     And this fire is only one of many in our extremely DRY state.   The Red Cross welcomes all contributions to help those displaced by these disasters.  The harder work comes next as families rebuild or decide to re-locate.  

     My song, Rock on Rock, was originally inspired by people I met in Mexico City who rebuilt their homes after a massive earthquake in the early 1980s.  It continues to find relevance for many people in different settings.  This link takes you to my website where you can hear it, read the lyrics (and download it, if you wish.)  I’m continuing to give a donation to Peace Lutheran Church in Joplin, Missouri from all sales of this song and its related CD and DVD to help in their rebuilding efforts

following the April 2011 tornado that devastated their town.

Someone reminded me of the words

of an old bluesman:  

“You can’t make depression go away, but singing can send it to the far corners of the room.”