Here’s a fun song written by Guy Clark about a fruit (yep- that’s its classification) that everyone likes to use as a vegetable. If you listen to the song, you can really see how Guy was able to share his love for tomatoes (homegrown that is!). Read more

The kids are already having loads of fun learning When I First Came to This Land by Oscar Brand! It’s going to be great fun seeing how they incorporate all of their ideas into this song for our two concerts in April! Read more

Deportee (Plane wreck at Los Gatos) by Woody Guthrie (1912-1967)

This song was chosen as part of our spring concert as a call to be aware of the implications of food industry choices and the impact these choices have on our society. Deportee has been covered many times and shows the appeal of the powerful imagery that Woody Guthrie was able to express. Read more

Anyone who is a gardener will tell you that the best way to produce a bountiful, tasty garden is to start with the nutrient-rich soil. So we couldn’t have our April Blooming Where You’re Planted concerts without including one of the most important components of gardening – compost! Read more

Here we are still in the midst of winter, just waiting for spring to arrive – and we are continuing to work on our songs for our spring Blooming Where You’re Planted concerts (April 12th and 19th)! This song, written by Linda Ugelow and put to music by her daughter Lexi, beautifully portrays this spring emergence. Read more

Here’s an article I wrote for the Community Music feature in the Press-Citizen. It ran Saturday, February 14, 2015:

GROUP GETS READY TO GARDEN BY SINGING ABOUT IT

“Let the wild winter winds bellow and blow; I’m as warm as a July to-ma-to.” Read more

Another great song for our two Blooming Where You’re Planted concerts in April! Get transported back to Grandma’s house with this nostalgic song written by Iowa native, Greg Brown. Read more

To get you ready for a couple of great events that we are doing in April (Blooming Where You’re Planted: songs from farm to table) at the Senior Center and the U of I Old Capitol Museum Senate Chamber, I thought I would share with you our spring songs! Read more

Join us February 14th from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. for an all-request sing-along! Bring instruments, friends, neighbors, and children. We can make good use of the Love section in the provided Rise Up Singing song books for Valentine’s Day – in the warm and cozy atmosphere found at Uptown Bill’s. Read more

Join us this Saturday from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. for an all-request sing-along! Bring instruments, friends, neighbors, and children. We’ll have Rise Up Singing books, and Uptown Bill’s will provide the warm and cozy atmosphere.
There’s free parking evenings and weekends in the UI lot across from Uptown Bill’s. Read more