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Chris Marks and me at Mad City Coffee 11-17-18
6/30/2019 Just completed another wonderful week at the CGOTH Big Song Swap. From day 1 Caleb Stine did an awesome job of bringing the group together. Day by day everyone got to pick/lead/sing a song, and it was Caleb's assistance, participation and encouragement that made it all happen. Songs ranged from classic folk songs like "If I had a Hammer", "Blowin' in the Wind" and "This Land is Your Land" to a Baltimore Christmas classic: "Crabs for Christmas" to show tunes to originals to……. The video is of Joe Meerdter leading the class in "Yonder Come Day". This is the first time we sang it and Joe only spent between 5 and 10 minutes teaching us the 3 parts. Great teaching on his part, a great desire by everyone to be part of the Common Ground experience and Caleb's ability to make everyone feel comfortable and of fostering an atmosphere of comradery. Thanks to Caleb and everyone of my classmates for being a part of another cherished Common Ground memory.
7/7/18 A little over 20 years ago Cari encouraged me to take a String Band Class at Carroll Community College. And ever since Common Ground on the Hill (CGOTH) has changed my life for the better. This year at the Big Song Swap on July 3rd Bill Vanaver, one of our instructors, said we should have an 'Immigrant Day' and that it should be on the day the Statue of Liberty was dedicated. I was inspired to check out Wikipedia and learned a few things including that the dedication date was October 28, 1886. And then I was inspired to write 'Immigrant Day' (first song on the music player). I played it on the 5th for the class and got a very positive response. And I just recorded it and copyrighted it today. Thank You Bill. And thanks to the other instructors, my awesome classmates and all the other members of the CGOTH Family for inspiring me to not only to write this Song and several others, but for lifting my Spirit.
Please join the first 'Immigrant Day' Celebration on October 28, 2018.
Immigrant Day video with lyrics
click on 'Lyrics' for lyrics to Immigrant Day and other songs
click here for your free Immigrant Day mp3 - limited time offer
The Making of Cari's new One Eye Art Studio
6/28/18 I just finished up my 'Enjoy Every Sandwich' album which includes 15 original tunes. Thanks to my Soulmate/Wife Cari for all of her encouragement and support, and thanks to Josh Hisle, Susan Boyer, Bill and Livia Vanaver and Caleb Stine for your inspiration and encouragement. As well as title cut (my tribute to Warren Zevon) I've included "the Ballad of 2 Kids" (the first song I ever wrote back in 1975 - after getting arrested) and "Rainbow Bridge" (which was written about a month ago based on the Rainbow Bridge Poem). "Party Time" and "Pearl's Lullubaye" first appeared on my 'Road of Life' album, but the other 13 tunes were recorded in June 2018 in the Tune Room in Eldersburg MD. Hope you Enjoy. If you like what you hear the songs are available for FREE Download for a limited time.
Enjoy Every Sandwich album cover