MUSIC WITH MEANING
"Music with Meaning" is a way to give back through music to organizations doing extrordinary things to help the planet and other people. Every few months, I will feature a different organization on my website and in my e-newsletters. Hopefully, folks will check them out and donate their time or money to helping their mission. During each three month period, I will donate a percentage of all CD sales to the featured organization.
This Month's Featured Organization
Durango Nature Studies has been bringing hands-on, outdoor, nature education to the Four Corners community since 1994. They teach students, adults, and families from  Pagosa Springs to Cortez, CO, and from Silverton, CO, to Farmington, NM – an area of over 12,000 square miles! With a small core staff and a core of dedicated volunteers, interns, and contractors, DNS serves approximately 6,000 people every year, 75% of which are children. Their school programs conform to national, state, and local education standards and their summer camps are an experience that help form kids' relationship with the natural world. Full disclosure - I also happen to be executive director of DNS, so obviously I think it is an organization that is making a difference in the lives of people in the Durango area.
Past Featured Organizations
The Campaign for America's Wilderness is an organization singularly focused on achieving  lasting protection for threatened wild lands, proactively working to preserve some of our last, best wild places for those who will come after us. They provide local wilderness advocates with expertise in campaign planning and implementation, strategically placed resources for opinion research, communications, and public education efforts, and sophisticated advocacy. They involve the American people in the democratic process, helping citizens become more effective in getting the job done for wilderness preservation.
Since the Campaign's inception, Congress has added 36 wilderness areas and over 1 million acres of new wilderness. Through CAW's website, you can sign up for the Wilderness Action Network to find out what you can do to help on wilderness issues in your state.
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The Alaska Wilderness League (AWL) supports legislative and administrative initiatives to protect Alaska's lands and waters, promotes national and local recognition of Alaska's spectacular environment
through public education and grassroots activism on behalf of Alaska's environment.
Currently, AWL is engaged in the Arctic Refuge Campaign to permanently protect the coastal
plain of the Arctic Wildlife Refuge.
In order to raise awareness around this issue, I wrote a song entitled "Alaska Skies," which talks about
this beautiful and irreplacable land, and the special herd of caribou that use it annually as their birthing grounds.
Lyrics to "Alaska Skies." Order a copy of "Alaska Skies."
Musician Friends
Greg Schochet-amazing mandolin/guitar player. Produced all three of my CDs and plays with me when I'm lucky enough to get him.
Danny Schmidt-Former Charlottesville, VA, turned Austin, TX, singer/songwriter. His lyrics will make you weep.
Carrie Elkin-My new friend with such a beautiful voice.
Ed Caner-Violin player extrordinaire. Co-produced my second CD.
Jefferson Hamer-That high lonesome voice, singer songwriter and Single Malt Band. He sang back up vocals on my latest CD.
Larry Murante - Powerfully voiced singer/songwriter I met at FAR West. Check out his stuff
Tom Begich - Wonderful storyteller and friend from Alaska.
Sally Van Meter - One of the best dobro players in the world. Played on my last two CDs.
Celeste Krenz - Colorado turned Nashville singer/songwriter. Has the voice of an angel and sang backup on my second CD.
Pete Wernick - Dr. Banjo. Formerly with Hot Rize and played banjo on my second CD.
Beth Wood - Award winning Texas singer/songwriter. A lovely person with a voice to match.
Eric Moon - Piano, keyboard, accordian, organ - if it has keys, he can play it. Played on my third CD.
KC Groves - One of the members of Uncle Earl who sings backup on the new CD.
Melissa Crabtree - Fellow Durango songwriter. Her songs will make you want to be on the river.
Arlon Bennett - Insightful New Jersey songwriter and all around nice guy.
Danny Shafer - Longtime Boulder songwriter who sang backup on my latest CD.
Laura Cortese - Shared a showcase room with her at Folk Alliance and now her band is my alltime favorite. Check her out!
Jake Schepps - One of the best banjo composers around. Plays with his band, The Expedition.
Tracy Jane Comer - Wisconsin sogwriter and multi-instrumentalist. Sings a mean version of "Clementine."
Badly Bent - Durango bluegrass band that recently won Telluride.
Rachel Nelson - Put out one of the best children's CDs I've heard with an unforgetable story of Julia Butterfly.
Haldon Wafford and the HiBeams - Original Colorado honkeytonk band that just appeared on Prairie Home Companion. Greg Schochet plays lead guitar.
Music Links
Folk Alliance - Organization that promotes folk music and folk artists. Hosts national and regional conferences each year and provides enormous resources for singer/songwriters.
The Americana Music Association - Organization that provides advocacy and support for Americana music and Americana artists.
International Bluegrass Music Association - Organization working for the appreciation and suucess of bluegrass music.
Colorado Music Association - Organization providing resources to Colorado musicians, primarily on the front range.
Intermountain Acoustic Music Association - Organization focused primarily on Utah whose mission is to preserve and spread acoustic music. Put out monthly publication and sponsor concerts and the Founders Title Festival.
Musicians United to Sustain the Environment - Group of musicians that use their music to benefit and promote environmental causes.
Airshow - James Tuttle mixed and David Glasser mastered my last CDs. Just the best in the business.
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