Hey, thanks for taking a minute to stop by today.

Gonna be a shaky weekend weather-wise for playing in Central Park. But, I really can't wait to get out there with you... share some music, a few stories, a few laughs. Like we always do. (More on that a little further down.)

"The Hill" in Central Park

Y'know, I started asking you this summer, if you take digital photos out there at "The Hill" to go ahead and email them to this website... maybe we can post some of them.

Well, I got one the other day of our friend, one of the most recognizable faces out there, the guy who I met in the park a few summers ago who helps me throw granola bars at you all, helps me pass around the email book, and likes to help me pack up at the end of the day... Walter.

I received a few shots of Walter the other day so I thought I'd post one here on the homepage... (although, I'm not sure who the other guy is with Walter.)

Funny, though... I thought Walter was taller than Mike.

But, all of the shots I'm receiving made me think again, as I have for the past few years... we gotta create a new photo section here. I mean, how many shots can one person see of a guy playing a guitar. I'd like to create a whole section with "The People on the Hill", you guys, and all the photos you send me of each other. That would be very cool. In this day and age, every other person is walkin' around with a digital camera. I'm getting all kinds of photos sent to me every day. We really oughta share 'em with all of you. Y'know... pictures of the people who get up and sing with me, pictures of the uniquely New York things that happen out there, pictures of the passers-by that sometimes make us double-take... that kinda thing.

Y'know what? I'll see if I can post a few more shots here on the homepage a little later today. Check back, okay?

It's just us.

Okay, this weekend... I guess you're gonna hafta check back this afternoon as well about exactly when I'll head out to "The Hill" in Central Park. Right now, I'm thinking it's probably gonna be Sunday afternoon. Just a guess. Depends on the weather and if this gig at the US Tennis Center gets rained out tomorrow morning.

Okay, on a much more serious note...

I receive a ton of email every day. I could never answer all of it. But, I read every one... I promise. Some people just send me articles to read. Others send me photos of themselves, and of things that are going on in the world around us. I received an article this morning with some very upsetting images... that I am NOT going to share with you. Suffice it to say...

There is a war raging in another part of the world. And, as you are sitting in front of your computer reading this, innocent people... civilians, ordinary men and women, children are living through a nightmare.

No matter how you feel about the war in Iraq, politically... I don't really care if you feel it is an affront to basic human decency, or a noble and just cause... it's still a war.

(I feel in my heart that the war in Iraq is an principally unAmerican, arrogant, shortsighted, and tragic blunder of historic proportions.) But, so much more than that, it is criminal that the innocent civilians, especially the children who are being so horribly wounded are being largely ignored by this country and the world.

They are ordinary people, just like you and me. Their lives are being torn apart every day by the fear and violence in that part of the world... by the civil war that was unleashed as the result of the US invasion. There were other ways to change the plight of the people in that part of the world.

Look... even if you supported this war for whatever reasons you might have... these children and civilians are still your responsibility... as feeling, thinking, caring human beings. Leave your mind at the door, and listen to your heart. You know what I'm saying is true. If you ever think starting a war is a good thing, the innocents lost in it are yours especially.

These people neeed help... period.

Therefore, a small group of my friends... good-hearted and committed people, have been working like crazy to put together the VOICES TOGETHER Concert in January.

Now... we are trying to get a very special artist to join us in this effort. If we do... this powerful and beautiful evening will become even more powerful. Close your eyes and hope that he says, "Yes."

In the meantime, please email me and let me know if you really do want to help out with producing this gig. I will meet you for coffee, and sit down, and listen to what you think you can bring to the party. Right now, we need to raise about another 10 to 15 thousand dollars. It's so cool... already, the "People on the Hill"... you guys... have raised over $10,000. Maybe we'll find that one or two angels among us who can afford to give $1,000 or $5,000 or more. IT'S ALL TAX-DEDUCTIBLE so that oughta help!

If you don't know what I'm talking about... this concert is part of a sincere effort to get as much help as we possibly can directly to the innocent civilian families, especially the children, who are living through the war in Iraq.Voices Together website as a concert "producer". Because that's exactly what you are!

This is gonna be a very special night, sometime in January here in New York City. And, like I said, you are welcome to be a real part of it. Help us produce this concert so that we can help some very special people who are doing some very remarkable work in that part of the world, okay?

And, it'll feel good to help. And... it'll actually be fun.

Y'know what!? Click on this logo and visit the new website...

...and, find out how you can be a real part of the VOICES TOGETHER concert. Really make a difference for the better in this world, when ordinary people here reach out to help the ordinary people of Iraq. Please help make a very real and direct difference. Don't you think it would be so much harder to hate someone if they were bandaging your child's head? Don't you think we'd create one less enemy if we flew somone's wife or brother to the United States to get medical treatment for that leg that was blown off, or those eyes that were so badly burned? It is just the right thing... no... the Good thing to do. There are children being hurt and horribly injured every day in Iraq with nearly no one to help them. Ordinary people... civilians, every day, whose lives are being torn apart by this war.

They need help... period.

We need to raise $50,000 in the next week or so.

Can you help?

Hope so.

Anyway... okay listen. Maybe I'll stop in and see you in the "Forum" later. I might even update this homepage again a little later.

If you see me out in the streets of Manahattan today... say "Hey".

And, check back here everyday. Pass this link onto a friend or two, okay?

From the bottom of my heart...

..thanks again.

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