Town Around the Bend

• Track Listing

"Bill Harley has the uncanny ability to reaffirm life for listeners, be they five or fifty. Humor, empathy, intelligence and reality all radiate from his work and from him." Penguin Books A Grammy award winning artist, Bill uses song and story paint a vibrant and hilarious picture of growing up, schooling and family life. His work spans the generation gap, reminds us of our common humanity and challenges us to be our very best selves. A prolific author and recording artist, Bill is also a regular commentator for NPR's All Things Considered and featured on PBS. Harley joined the National Storytelling Network's Circle of Excellence in 2001 and tours nationwide as an author and performing artist. With these considerable talents, Bill considers his real work to be using these skills to encourage his audience to see the world anew and to experience "live art", to honor the emotional lives of children and adults and finally, to pass along a love of language and music. "Bill Harley takes his life and turns it into art. Sounds simple until you actually try to do it. That Harley's art seems so effortless only underscore his mastery." Nuvo Newsweekly Praise for Town Around the Bend: We were stuck in a two hour traffic jam driving home from Thanksgiving and were saved by Bill's stories from The Town Around the Bend which mesmerized my children (and me)! We're still talking about PigWhistle and the strawberries and peaches in the sky... It was like Prairie Home Companion for kids! Thanks for your wonderful material.'-From a mom in Decatur, GA 'An exceptional CD from an exceptional songsmith and storyteller!' Chicago Parent 'My son, Noah, fully endorses Bill Harley's new CD, The Town Around the Bend. Noah says of the CD 'I really like it. I want to drive through the night, today and tomorrow to get to the Town Around the Bend.' In fact, Noah wants to know if he can go to the Harley's house. I think he wants to swap his storytelling dad for another.' Bill Lepp, storyteller 'Wise and witty Bill Harley is one of the most inventive storyteller-singers your children are likely to encounter. Here, Harley presents a collection of go-to-sleep fare that's restful, but sill brimming with his unconventional humor and uncommon empathy for kids. Check out his tour de force 'Bucket of Beans, Clarisse, and the Bubble Machine,' which manages to deal with disobedience and it's aftermath in a manner both fantastical and down-to-earth. Family Fun Magazine.

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