Our beloved dog Paco died suddenly in July. He was old and had an amazing life. He was a dear friend. It’s always hard when you take in an older dog, as we have done twice. They grow to love you, and you them, but their time is shorter. Paco used his well, and we …
Anna Dewdney wrote “Llama, Llama, Red Pajama” and a host of other fantastic children’s books. She died a few days ago. You can read about her life and work in this New York Times article. Although she was clearly an exceptional, gifted, and beloved author, her final wish captivated my imagination and inspired this song. …
My friend Jack Pearson, a great musician and songwriter, introduced me to this idea in a song of his own. I took the inspiration and wrote this song. Willy Wonka (the fantastic and sorely missed Gene Wilder) used the phrase, which you can watch here. My wife Heather is the executive director of the Innovative …
On our most recent visit to Tanzania I was reminded of what I had heard about the importance of educating girls (as stated so well in the above quote.) We visited several educational settings which eventually inspired this song. It’s an advertisement, really, urging people who want to give money to consider this route to create …
I was in Austin at the Cenote Cafe I was searching for the best chai in Austin, which so far I’d say Cenote Cafe wins. But, as I parked behind the cafe, I saw this sign spray painted on a wall. It called for a song, and here it is. The Only Magic I watched a …
For over five years I’ve worked occasionally with the Oakwood Retirement Community to create intergenerational programs. I began by working with Sarah Sprague who started a wonderful project called Treasured Times designed to bring seniors and pre-school aged children together to engage in meaningful activities. Sarah asked me to work with her on some musical …
The first thing I learned is that Rotorua, a town that is at the center of Maori culture and is also the site of the training I am doing, smells. The seismic activity that New Zealand is known for has created thermal springs. Maori people used them to cook over, and tourists come here for …