Welcome to 2006...

As you are reading this, I am wishing you more Love... Reason... Peace... and Truth.

Adventure. Courage. Candor.

Creativity. Compassion. Kindness.

And, music.

Y'know? We never know what is around the corner. That's why, for me, life is not a problem to be "solved"... but, an amazing mystery to be "lived".

Who knows if I'll be in Central Park again this summer. If this past summer was the last time I ever get to be "That Guitar Man from Central Park", if I never play music on "The Hill" again.... this year was another great one.... thanks to all of you.

Thank you.

.

.

Hey listen. I plan to head back to "The Hill" as soon as the Spring gets here. (But, if you wanna find out if the Universe has a sense of humor, let it know your plans!)

Maybe this year will see a "Best of..." collection CD of my songs. (There's actually an independent label who's kickin' that idea around.) Maybe I'll finally record that "unplugged" acoustic album that people have been at me to do. Maybe I'll just hit the road and start making music around the country or in a different part of the world. Maybe I'll finally write that book that friends have been asking me to write... about life in New York City as an independent musician, a street musician in the greatest city in the world at a remarkable and unsettling time in American history. Who knows?

I'm wide open this year.

.

.

The first thing up for this year, though?

The VOICES TOGETHER CONCERT. You are gonna wanna be a part of this extraordinary event and it's coming up fast. If you're gonna be in or around New York City on Saturday, January 28th, get tickets soon. Click on this logo and visit the Voices Together website. Okay?

For a brief retrospective of a few of the "FUN" things we did here at the "Guitar Man" site in 2005... just hit the "Archive" button and check out yesterday's update.

But, right now... on a more serious note.

Y'know, Bob Dylan wrote, in the timeless song "Blowin' in the Wind"...

How may times can a man turn his head,
And, pretend that he just doesn't see?

Well, for some people, the number of times might just be countless. But, for some the answer is... no more.

I mean... in 2004, 848 American were killed in the war in Iraq.

In 2005... another 844 lost their lives. That's what some people call "progress". (2,178 have died in this war so far... creeping up on the number of Americans that were killed by Saudi Arabian Osama Bin Laden on Septemer 11, 2001.)

But by far the greatest suffering, the largest number of people killed and horribly injured, the most lives that are being torn apart are among the innocent civilians.... the ordinary people in that part of the world.

So, a small group of my good friends and colleagues decided to get together... Voices Together... to try to make a difference in the lives of the people who are suffering terribly as the result of the war in Iraq, and are being largely ignored by our country and the world.

Yeah... there is a real war going on on the other side of the planet. And, the greatest number of deaths, injuries and heartaches are being inflicted on the civilian population.

How may times can a man turn his head,
And, pretend that he just doesn't see?

Join us in getting direct help to the ordinary people of Iraq who are living through the daily fear and violence.

We can make a difference. YOU can help in a very real and direct way. There is a remarkable woman in Staten Island who has made 4 trips to Iraq already to get children who are in desperate need of help, and has brought them back to the States for the medical treatment they need. And, she's goin'again! She is Elissa Montanti and she calls herself the Global Medical Relief Fund.

We want to make her work easier. Pleeeeez help us... to help her... help them.

We're also helping a remarkable group of people who have people on the ground in Iraq and can get help and services to the ordinary people in places that Americans can't get to. They are called LIFE and they are doing important humanitarian work... getting help to people who desperately need it.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS BUY TICKETS TO A GREAT CONCERT!

It's gonna be a night of smiles, purpose, laughter, some tears.... but mostly an evening of music.All you hafta do to be a real hero and maake a real difference for the better is buy tickets tickets. You can get tickets, right now... today... at the Peter Norton SYMPHONY SPACE website.

We also have a very limited number of VIP tickets available. But, if you want to order those and be invited to the reception after the show, you have to contact the Voices Together Group at:

Get VIP Tickets

The VIP section will get all kinds of goodies, and the artists will all hang out at the reception after the gig.

Calling all good people of reason with beating hearts! Because...

How may times can a man turn his head,
And, pretend that he just doesn't see?

We... we will help the injured civilians in Iraq. Join us.

HERE'S THE LINEUP OF ARTISTS SO FAR!

Christine Lavin
Roger Bartlett
George Wurzbach, Dave Buskin, Rob Carlson (aka Modern Man)
Karlus Trapp
Sam Leopold
And ...me.

(AND... we're trying to get a couple of VERY, VERY SPECIAL GUESTS TO SHOW UP FOR THIS EFFORT.) I'll let you know, okay?

Okay... that's it for me today. Gotta hit the sidewalk for the first time 2006! If you happen to see me on the streets of Manhattan today, say "Hey".

And, if you feel like emailing me personally about anything at all, just hit the "Contact" button. (There's no way I have time to answer all the email I get. But, I promise I eventually read every single one.)

Thanks again.