No Kings 2025

Remember Who We Are (2026)

I wrote Remember Who We Are in early 2018 in response to students of Stonebrook Douglas demanding to be heard and protected. The message, was we can't vote yet, but you better remember who we are.The song also focused on vulnerable people everywhere and their bravery to stand up to injustice and refusal to be marginalized. Woodyfest 2018 The song won…

The American Spirit (Is Trapped in the Ice)

The story The American Spirit is a Lake Erie ore boat that had one more trip in January 2026 before docking for the winter. As it made it's voyage west to Toledo, the lake began to freeze with 40 knot gales spraying lake water that would soon freeze to the side of the boat causing instability.Meanwhile a little further north in…
Hold Me Close

Hold Me Close

Hold Me Close- Performed by Becca Rhoades and Charlie Mosbrook Something I have been doing a lot of lately is to open old recording projects and give them a fresh mix to reflect my current knowledge of mixing and the tools available to me. This song Hold Me Close was written by Avin Baird. I asked Becca Rhodes to share the…
The American Courage Lake Freighter in the Cuyahoga

The American Spirit is trapped in the Ice

The American Spirit is a great lakes freighter that had to make one last run before returning to Toledo to layup for the winter. The boat got caught in the ice. It struggled for some time, but eventually got free of the ice. Perseverance. Steady on. We will break through. Earlier Mixes With Mandolin, Accordion and second vocal Original recording without…
Sillouette In Blue

Sillouette In Blue

I boarded my first sleeper car tonight. Union Station in Chicago. It was about  seven degrees when we left. I was bundled up knowing the wheelchair often has to wait. Well, no waiting on a sleeper. I was onboard and in my room in minutes. The room at first sight looked like a bathroom but I turned around and there was…
The Circus

The Circus

After Bob Weir died I took some moments to look back. I traveled around with a lot of close friends through the years to go listen to the Grateful Dead. We would look for a few shows and take in a week or more of concerts. When I was in high school our parents let us run off to Philly for…
This Little Light of Mine

This Little Light of Mine

This song is a gospel hymn from the early 2oth century. It is attributed to Harry Dixon Loes. Written as a children's song. I like to play it for the students I work with. Young or old they all smile and sing along. This song has a magical ability to bring us all back to our childhood and smile. I had…
I will be coming home to you

I will be coming home to you

I Will Be coming Home to You is on the Something to Believe CD with Avin Baird and Steve Inglish (Mr Downchild). It was written from the road when I was trying to reassure my wife (Future wife at the time) that I would be returning home soon. We were a new couple at the time, soon had different interpretations. I…
Howlin’ at My Door

Howlin’ at My Door

I wrote Howlin' At My Door during the Polar Vortex. It was a cold winter. I was newly disabled. I wasn't going anywhere. I stumbled upon a songwriting contest for the John Hartford Memorial Festival in Bean Blossom Indiana. The rule was your song had to include a lyric from a Hartford tune. When I saw the title, I thought about…
January Skies

January Skies

January Skies was written in 2012 in response to a friends concern that everything as going to end soon at the solstice. This song suggests that it is all cyclical and the end is always another beginning. The version on Something to Believe is amazing with the collaborations with Avin Baird, Cindy Langmack, J Scott Franklin. This one is simple solo…