The Kitchen Musician ~ August 2007

Hello Friends,

Welcome to the August 2007 issue of The Kitchen Musician, my occasional newsletter. Contents:

• Upcoming Shows
• Some Recent News
• “Dream of Butterflies”, © Billy Walsh

Upcoming Shows

I am the feature performer at the Rose Room Review @Rose Garden, Upton, MA on Thursday, September 20. Open mic music starts at 7:30 pm and my feature set will begin about 9:00 pm. The Rose Room is a pleasant place to hear music, and you will find the food and bar very reasonably priced. Click for directions. Not far from the first exit on I-495, south of the Mass. Pike. For all currently scheduled upcoming shows, click here. I also expect to schedule a feature set at the Sit ‘n Bull Pub in Maynard in October. Details will be posted on my web site when I know them.

Recent News

My little sermonette of Willie Nelson’s song, “A Peaceful Solution” was recently published on the Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute web site.

In other news, my song “Talking Post Trauma Blues” is currently ranked #5 on Neil Young’s Living With War Today list of anti-war videos, and #19 on the song list. Thanks to my friends for clicking to vote! Video or Audio

Dream of Butterflies

This month my family and I are taking it easy in New Hampshire, where we are very fortunate to have a cabin in the woods. The only down side is that this part of the world has only dialup Internet access so uploading this month’s song requires two latte’s and lots of time. Fortunately, I have both on hand.

On our property is a small building that I have taken over as a recording studio. Usually it is very quiet here, making this an ideal location to record, but yesterday while recording this month’s song, a howling coyote sang a couple verses of his own — a beautiful, but awesome sound.

Coyote (Click to play audio)

Two weeks ago, I had an interesting experience when Billy Walsh, a good friend, fellow teacher and great musician, told me he was thinking of me when he wrote a song. “This could be either very good, or very bad” I thought, as Billy knows me very well and I wondered what of his knowledge he chose to share in this song. With a little apprehension, I asked him to play it for me. I was immediately relieved when “Dream of Butterflies” emerged.

Billy has this romantic notion that I gave up a high paying corporate job to work with children and to sing old folk songs. While this is true, my professional move was not completely altruistic. I figure I broke even financially with all of the money I saved on therapy bills.

I never told Billy this before he wrote the song, but I do have a persistent dream about one particular butterfly (making the song that much more special to me). Several years ago I learned how to sail my sunfish boat on “our” lake here in NH. I felt pretty good about my sailing prowess as I recently won the local regatta (a flotilla of 4 Sunfish and 1 Laser, captained by the “very best” Jaffrey sailors). So on one very blustery day, I decided to test myself in particularly heavy weather. Struggling to stay upright, I beat up wind towards the opposite shore. With considerable struggles and water spraying in my face, my eyes caught a small white butterfly on a parallel course, equalling my pace and surpassing my ease at the task. My mind returns to that sight frequently, as I ponder how a tiny being, weighing only grams, could navigate a course so true and deliberate in such a storm. Perhaps it is a metaphor for how I feel in these troubled times, giving me hope that we tiny, almost weightless beings can make headway if only we can set the proper course.

Dream of Butterflies (Click to play audio)
© 2007 Billy Walsh

Here are the lyrics to “Dream of Butterflies” (changed slightly from Billy’s version). On the recording, I play guitar, banjo and harmonica. If you like this song, I suggest you buy one of Billy’s excellent CD’s. He is a wonderful songwriter and his beautiful Irish tenor voice will carry you away to good places.

Dream of Butterflies
© 2007 Billy Walsh

I am a pilgrim on this road
I am only passing through
Though I remember where I came from
Don’t know what I’m headed to
Sun and moon upon my shoulders
Give me every reason why
I’m content with getting older
With a dream of butterflies

I have a habit of careening
Through the rain and wind and snow
And I’ve always learned by going
Where it is I had to go
Some cocoon and cling together
Hiding from the cloudy skies
Me I like the stormy weather
And this dream of butterflies

I am a pilgrim on this road
I am only moving on
Don’t give a whit about the good life
I’ve traded riches for a song
And the company of children
They are always so surprised
By shooting stars and rainbows
And their dreams of butterflies

I met God one brilliant morning
She stood smiling through her pain
And I asked about creation
And the dance of yin and yang
Did she plan on such a big bang
Or did it all just go awry
She said something ’bout the darkness
And a dream of butterflies

I am a pilgrim on this road
I am only passing through
And to everyone who loves me
Let me say I love you too
When I think of all the good times
Don’t the tears come to my eyes
Thanks for true and tender feelings
And this dream of butterflies

After all the only real thing
Is just a dream of butterflies

My New Hampshire Studio