Songs with Heart and Soul

Here is “Brothers.” And my big bro Gene is still my hero. This song was recorded circa 1972 on a portable reel-to-reel in my bathroom in my family home in Portales NM.

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Here is “Domino Dad,” about my granddad, Eugene Washington “Dad” Harrell, from Anson and Munday Texas, who loved to play dominoes. This was also recorded circa 1973 at Mickey Bear Studios in ABQ . You can barely hear my grandad reminiscing at the beginning of the songs about “scrub baseball.”

Domino Dad (1973)

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Here is “She’s Still a Friend to Me” for my sweet wife of 35 years, Lisa. We met in the Azores Portugal and we “were just friends” back then! Lisa was a civilian teacher at the base school there and we lived in the same dorm.

She’s Still A Friend to Me (1984)

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“Where’s My Voice?” begs the question….just how “original” can a song be? – with all my great intentions to create original tunes, I recognize the same basic chord progressions and licks.

Where’s My Voice? (2017)

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I have had 5 dogs in my life – Binky, Happy, Lobo, Happy2, and Abbey. Not sure if I can go thru losing another one. Abbey was with us around 15 years and we still miss her so much. Dogs have taught me about present moment awareness – and simple happiness. Here is “Happy as a Dog.”

Happy as a Dog (2016)

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Here is a rewrite of an old standard, customized to fit the marriage of my son Phil to his sweet bride Emma. Phil+Emma=”Phlem”

Sunrise Sunset (for Phlem) (2017)

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The String The Plucked Itself (2017)

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I do not consider myself very “spiritual” anymore, but I do ponder the big questions in life and am still a seeker of sorts. There are many sincere paths we can follow if we choose to be lead, and here is a conglomeration. Click here for “Gurus and Reverends.”

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“Half of Heaven” was written in 1979 just after my #2 son, Ben, was born. Poor kid….getting all the leftovers from Ryan, my #1!

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Here is one about my #3 son Michael, Mike’s House written around 2005.

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Here is one about our #3 son Phil. I shot and edited this little clip, but Phil is actually playing the soundtrack.

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Here is “My Boys,” about my oldest two sons, Ryan and Ben, when they were very young. I wrote this as a musical way of introducing them to my new bride, Lisa, who lovingly became their stepmom in 1985.

My Boys (1984)