One of the strongest and finest voices in folk music."
— The Boston Globe
His powerful and inspirational lyrics shout out his humanity and soulfulness."
— Acoustic Music Scene
Here is the Music Player. You need to installl flash player to show this cool thing!
Today, as I write this post, it is September 11th. The TV today is all about anger and it is all about telling the story of September 11th – again and again – the images that I don’t want to see – again and again. And yet, I do want to remember. We lost our amazing nephew, Adam, that bright blue morning nine years ago – so I will always remember.
After leaving the TV behind, I went online and found that a friend had sent me a new video of a song by Greg Greenway. It was just what I needed on this morning nine years later. It offered me a way to connect, a way to remember. In the song Greg sings, “Hate is too strong a weight to bear.” I believe this with all my heart. This is the lesson we need to take forward.
So today I want to share the music of Greg Greenway with you and thank him for his beautiful new song, Jericho Road. (It is the first video below)
Greg is a poet and a man with a mission. I have always loved his passion and commitment to his music. Originally from Richmond, VA, Greg moved to Boston right after college to be in the middle of that rich folk music tradition. He is a rare combination of instrumental expertise, soulful singer, powerful poet, and sparkling entertainer.
A Road Worth Walking Down is about the desire to live a life with purpose. It is an older song of Greg’s that I have always loved. My feeling this morning is that Greg is right smack dab in the middle of a road worth walking down. Walk on.
Every Little Day was inspired by a day that Greg calls a crossroad – a day where someone he loved died and someone else he loved had a baby. Once again, the lesson he takes away from this experience is what I want to hear today.
Sun comes up and the clouds roll through
Everything else is just up to you
Every little day the world’s brand new
The last song on the player is Greg’s song In the Name of Love. Years ago at the first Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, a group of us took some time away from the convention to visit the Civil Rights Museum. Greg’s way of honoring his experience at the Lorraine Motel was to finish up his showcase that night with U2′s song In the Name of Love (Pride). I was one of the lucky people in the room and it was a powerful, powerful moment with all of us singing along. Greg’s song, which weaves in and out of parts of the U2 song, is a way for him to tell that story and share that experience with all of his listeners.
He walked into the heart of darkness – into the streets of Birmingham
He made a way out of no way – One by one we saw the truth
He was already on the mountaintop when they said
Memphis chooses you
The first video is the one I started this post writing about, and in the midst of so much anger in this world it is not to be missed. The second video is Standing on the Side of Love. I think Greg’s introduction at the beginning sets the tone for this song beautifully. Don’t Make Me Sing is always an audience favorite. Greg takes his audience to some intense places, so it’s wonderful that he also knows how to help us laugh. The last video is a live version of In the Name of Love. I wanted you to hear the recorded version, but I also wanted you to hear him perform it live.
Thank you, Greg for your passion and for the songs you write. You are much appreciated here.
Jericho Road
Standing on the Side of Love
Don’t Make Me Sing
In the Name of Love
