Dear Friends,
Hope this finds you well. As time goes on and takes its toll (funky hips, ankle, shoulder, brain, etc.) that greeting takes on more and more meaning. So I do mean it.
New Video: The Emperor's New Clothes Talking Blues
What to do about our threatened democracy? Anything we can. This past summer my friend, storyteller extraordinaire Laura Simms, asked me to perform at the Hans Christian Anderson statue in Central Park, NYC, and asked if I had an Anderson story to tell. Well, I do, but haven’t performed it for years – a version of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” I wrote about seventeen years ago. I was afraid it needed rewriting for our current dilemma, but no, it works just fine. I barely changed a word. Some stories are timeless! I performed it at the statue, and also at the National Storytelling Network’s annual conference to a standing ovation. Go figure! So, I’ve re-recorded it with the help of my old friend and engineer David Correia and new friend and videographer, Edgar Cruz.
The structure of the piece is the talking blues – several couplets followed by off-hand commentary— which I learned from the work of Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan. All of those singers in this piece, somehow. The talking blues form has also served me well for many of my other works, like “The Great Sled Race” and “Zanzibar” Why mess with something that works? We’re posting it on all the available social media, and you can also download it from our website and on BandCamp as name your price. Spread the word.
An Iliad Returns
This November I will do a short reprise run of “An Iliad” by Lisa Peterson and Dennis O’Hare, at the Burbage Theater in Pawtucket, RI, November 13-23. Last year’s performances were all sold out and the Boston Globe named it one of the best theater pieces of the year.
In many ways, all my years of performance and living in the world have pointed to this piece. The Burbage is a wonderful, small theater, so seating is limited. I would love to have you there.
Books
I am wading through a great history book America, América: A New History of the New World by George Grandin, which offers a different perspective of the “Americas”. To see our history more through the lens of our neighbors to the south and the indigenous people who were here to begin with is to see the world through new eyes.
I’m also reading the Mick Herron “Slow Horses” series, on which the television series is based. They are great reads – it’s easy to see why the TV series is so good. The plots are wonderful and the characters incredibly well drawn – Gary Oldman’s character Jackson Lamb is just as ornery (even more so) in the book. Highly recommended – especially if you like the show.
Finally, I’m enjoying Deliver Me to Nowhere about Bruce Springsteen’s “Nebraska” recording. I’m a Bruce fan from the early seventies, pre-Born to Run, and the book by Warren Zanes of the Del Fuegos is a great read. If you like Bruce. Actually, Michele Eaton, our office manager who is NOT a Springsteen fan read it first, liked it and gave it to me. So there!
Note from Michele: Actually I am an old school Springsteen fan; I just don’t like “Nebraska”. LOL. But the book is an interesting look at how the music industry worked in the late 70’s early 80’s and why “Nebraska” was not the album that was supposed to happen. It was a series of happy accidents.
I’ve got more to talk to you about, but it can wait for a couple of weeks. Let us know what you’re thinking (email Michele@billharley.com). We’ll get through this together.
Best,
