Bill's Letter

Dear friends

 

I hope you are all well. I'm home for a couple of days in the middle of my fall performing schedule. Today was one of those clear, bright days that makes me happy to live in New England. I stopped and visited with my old pal, storyteller Len Cabral, and we told jokes and talked about life.

Some of you know I started keeping bees this year. Although I didn't expect it, I got two frames of honey. They told me not to run when I took the frames, but I did – the bees were not happy. Now I'm feeding them sugar syrup so they make it through the winter. So far, so good!

 

Another highlight for me this fall was going with my father to his WWII destroyer reunion. It's hard to know how to talk about it – I heard a lot of stories, and it made me think a lot about eighteen year old boys halfway around the world at war. I felt lucky to be there with those men.

 

Our older son, Noah, is in Bonn, Germany studying German and art. As a writer and performing artist, what can I say? Well, nothing in German, that's for sure. We're all going to go see him for Christmas. Dylan, our younger son, is in his second year at Earlham College in Indiana. He's in two bands and an improv troupe and planning on being an English major. Again, what can I say? What have I been teaching them? Oh well. All those years of training at the dinner table are now being acted out on stage. AS long as he doesn't talk about me. Fat chance – it would only be fair after what I've done to them.

 

Thanks for your reviews

Thanks to all of you who have given reviews of my cds and books on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, and anywhere else they let you write. It really does help, and we appreciate it. Please keep it up. True confession: when I should be writing at my desk, I go look at what you wrote.

 
 

 

Darius

My new chapter book, The Amazing Flight of Darius Frobisher, is officially out and available wherever (ahem) fine books are sold. It's a gorgeous looking book, and is beginning to get some good reviews. We've heard from teachers who are reading aloud to their classes, parents reading aloud at bedtime and from kids – the feedback makes my day – I love this story. If you buy one from us, you'll get a signed copy – find out more at the store.

 
 

 

New recording – I Wanna Play

My newest recording of music for families, I Wanna Play, is finally finished. I can actually bear to listen to it, which is a pretty good sign - it's very hard for me to listen to myself. Twelve songs, every one of them different, with great musicians and kids on it. My wife Debbie says it's my best yet. What do I know? It will be out in early JANUARY , with an official release date in February. This one includes the long-awaited Barbie's Head is Missing and a song written for the American Library Association and their "Kids! @ Your Library®" Campaign. I'll look forward to hearing what you think of the recording. You can pre-order it through our website and we'll send it along as soon as we see them or, wait until we send you the announcement that they are here and order then…your choice.

Silk Road Project

I recently had the opportunity to do some work for classical cellist Yo Yo Ma and his Silk Road Project. The Silk Road Project(see web page) introduces and combines the music of many different cultures, highlighting our commonality and celebrating our differences. I wrote a story that will be included in a “passport” given to families who visit the different museums in Chicago. I'm delighted to be associated with this great program, and hope to do more work with them down the road (so to speak!).

  

 

Books

The one good thing about traveling through airports and on airplanes is I get to read. I am just finishing a fascinating book about music, This is Your Brain on Music: The Science of a Human Obsession by Daniel Levitin, about how music affects mental processes. It's a pretty amazing book, and confirmation for why I do what I do. I was absolutely astounded by the wonderful epic poem Omeros by Derek Walcott. A book for the ages, I think. Along with Debbie, I loved Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

 

Debbie is reading and recommends (in her own words): "The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is an amazingly powerful, funny and horrifying memoir. I couldn't put it down – the power of our survival instincts and capacity to overcome and to love despite overwhelming circumstances astounds me. Water for Elephants is a novel written as a memoir that flips back and forth between the life of a man in his youth and his old age – I loved the story, I loved the circus (awful as much of that life was) and felt transported to another time while reading it. The Girls by Lori Lansens is also a memoir-like novel (hmmmm, what’s with the memoirs?) about conjoined twins.  While it’s almost impossible for me to wrap my mind around their reality, the love they share, the different lives they lead (despite their physical connection) is remarkable. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón– a great great story that made me want to travel to Barcelona immediately."

Next newsletter I'll focus more on some kid's books I like.

 
 

Music-

Currently on my favorites list:

Vicente Amigo – flamenco guitarist and his album Ciudad de las ideas

Bobby “Blue” Bland's Greatest Hits

Maria Rita (great Brazilian singer)

David Francey – the Waking Hour – great songwriter

Mitsuko Uchida – her Schubert Piano Sonatas (love that Bb sonata!)

Suzzy and Maggie Roach – Why the Long Face?

 
 

Plans this spring
On May 26 and 27, 2007, I will be shooting a concert video with Montana Public Television in Missoula. It's about time I did one, since it's how I spend most of my time. They hope to broadcast it on the PBS network, and we'll have it for sale, for those of you who need to see my mug and hear my voice. We're currently trying to figure out what material to include. It's just me, my mouth, and a guitar for an hour of songs and stories. Pretty terrifying. What do you think I should do? Those of you who are in that area and want to be part of the concert, e-mail us and we'll let you know the details.  We're hoping to open ticket sales to our fans in advance of general ticket sales – let us know and put the date on your calendar – it will be a blast!

               

 
     
 

From the Office:

 

Tee Shirt Contest:

We want to thank everyone who took the time to draw a picture and send it to us. They were all great. We hope to get the Tee shirt winners up and available for sale soon. Keep checking back.

 

Holiday Sales Special:

In addition to having a brand new Bill Harley recording for the upcoming gift giving season, we have some sale specials (don:

 

School Stories by Bill Harley:

Relive your school days vicariously through Bill's stories of homework, first loves, science fair projects, riding the bus, having to see the vice-principal and discovering the mystery of the teachers' lounge. Click here to purchase The Teachers' Lounge, Cool in School and From the Back of the Bus regularly priced $45, on sale for $40.

Songbook and songs:

For those who want to learn to play Bill's songs and play along with him, this gift is perfect. Get Bill's songbook Do It Together and 2 CDs (Down in the Backpack and Play It Again) and you can jam with Bill anytime you want! Regularly priced $50, on sale for $45. Click here

Website updates:

We are doing some sprucing to the website and wanted to ask for your input. What do we absolutely positively have to keep just the way it is? What do you think we should add? What could go and you wouldn't miss it at all? Let us know what you think.

 

Online Calendar:

Wondering if Bill is going to be in your area soon? Check our online calendar for all of Bill's public appearances.