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October 2007
I just came out of an exciting summer, performing at many new places across Michigan and Wisconsin. I made many new friends on Garden Peninsula where I performed with my good friend Tom Johnson for their summer music series. The good folks at the Manistique Folk Festival asked me back and I also performed at Festival Ironwood.
I made a return visit to Bay Furnace State Park and the Lumberman's Monument in Oscoda. It's always a good experience visiting these two great historical attractions. Several libraries asked me back to perform, including the Traverse City, Battle Creek and Glen Lake Library. I also visited several libraries in Wisconsin including Land O' Lakes and Neenah Public Library.
In July and August, I performed five times on the American Caribbean Cruise ship Grand Mariner, which moored at Mackinaw Island during its two-week fourteen-city Great Lakes tour. The travelers on board came from places like Arizona and Texas, they enjoyed learning about the history of the Upper Peninsula and the songs I sang about iron miners, ski jumpers and the Finnish culture.
I made two visits to Oscoda, the first to speak at their historical society annual banquet and then later to perform at their Paul Bunyan festival. I made a return visit to Historic White Pines Village on Labor Day to do programs on Lumberjack and CCC history.
Now, that school is back in session, I'm busy visiting elementary schools for my multi-media presentation It's Daylight n the Swamps! The big news is that after three years of labor, my new book BIG SHOULDERS is finished and fresh off the printing press! My hope is that high schools will use the book as a teaching tool for both English and Michigan history. If you can't buy a copy, go to your local library and ask them to order one! A big thank you to everyone that hosted me this past summer, I look forward to seeing many of you again next year!
Happy Trails,
Bill
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