The most recent entry is listed first.
Sept. 18th., Bill wrote:
I love PP&M and could only wish that our Old Hippie Reunion could track in their footsteps, as we drift on our way.
RIP Mary Travers.
Willie
June 7th., Kay wrote:
I've been thinking alot about OHR and how much it means to me to be a part of this project. On Friday, when we were playing at the Elsewhere cafe in Albion, I was looking around at the people there listening and watching. I had this awesome moment, I felt this sense of one, complete and balanced connection with everyone in that place. OHR was performing Lanslide, but the feeling I got was that everyone was a part of that song in some way or form. Maybe through the words, a connection from the past, maybe just a good feeling, or nastalgic emotion. I've played and sang that song for almost 30 years, and never have I felt this sense of universal balance fully connecting my friends, Bill, Keith and Jim and the audience. If this is what the music of OHR is all about, I'm down with that for the duration of my life... ...K
May 4th., Jim wrote:
We old hipsters are looking forward to the upcoming weekend with a couple of dates on the calender. Friday we will be joining our friends in The Buffalo Road Show for a night of music and frolic...a pre-Ramble show. OHR will kick it off at 8pm followed by The Road show and friends at around 9pm in what should be a great time for all. Come early, stay late.
Saturday we will be doing a video shoot at Hungerford Hall in Rochester, beginning at around 7pm, or as soon as everything is in place. From what I understand, it is sort of an informal thing; the public tends to wonder in and out as they make their rounds around Hungerford...kind of an artist's mozaic...just wonder about until you hear the music...see you there.
Jim
April 19th., Bill wrote:
The hippie-elder has something to say...........
What a fun concert we were a part of, what a palace the Western New York Performing Arts Center (the Stage) is! It was OHR's home on Friday night past, we were so pleased with the theatre, sound, personnel, revelers and fans in attendance, who made us feel welcome... I feel I can speak for us all when I say, what a wonderful time we experienced and look forward to returning to this great spot.
Willie
April 17th., Kay wrote:
I had a blast tonight at the Stage with OHR. I love you guys!! I never thought I'd see the day where I was sooo comfortable with and so psyched about every SONG and everyONE in this band. We all seem to have our added WOW moments ....what a support for each other. Like the song says-- We are one person, we are two alone, we are three together, we are for.....each other, and all about the music, thanks guys, looking forward to much more of this cool OHR stuff.
Kay
April 13th, Jim wrote:
Hope all had a nice holiday weekend...spring has sprung at last. As Willie mentioned, we had fine little get-together at The Elsewhere Cafe in Albion this past Friday...very nice folks, very nice patrons. On to Warsaw this coming Friday at The Stage. Now this is concert setting, so we old hippies will have to be on our best behavior. We are so looking forward to having you come out to hear us in that fine venue. The folks there are a non-profit organization intent on revitalizing the theater in Warsaw as a cultural gathering place for the region. Please come support them in their efforts; if not for our upcoming concert, then for others that will follow. Peace!
April 11th, Bill wrote:
Bill McDonald checkin' -in..................., and a Happy Easter to
all.....
Us Old Hippies had a wonderful time playing and singing our songs this past Good Friday at Elsewhere cafe, Albion, NY. Elsewhere's owners were filled with genuine hospitality, along with enthusiastic listeners, new and old friends in attendance. This is a place with good Juju... Here is what a long haired reveler asked me. " Is it ok to be a young hippie at this show?" I said "sure kid we're all in this thang together!"
March 29th, Bill wrote:
Ramblin’ with Bill-Willie:::::::::::::::
Us old and not so old hippies with our lust of more is better, needed a bit of a fix; so, we have reeled in Keith ‘KW” Worthington on-to the OHR ship. Keith was a choice for our purpose all along but needed to fit him into the
mix. The deal is done! KW brings a musical acoustic guitar addition we have needed, a 4th harmony and a real cool attitude. Welcome aboard KW…..
March 11th, Kay wrote:
Wow, I can't believe this much time has gone by. Our first gig is Saturday, when we get to give to our friends a sample of the creative works of old hippie reunion. I'd like to share with you how this came to be. It was near Christmas, when I recieved a very special "gift" from my dear friend Bill McDonald. Just an email, he asked me if I might be interested in this OHR adventure with Jim Sweet and him. My response? "When can I start!" I have always loved the old hippie music, I consider myself a "hippie wanna be". Being a bit too young (said my mom) at 13 to go to the concerts and gatherings, my friends and I would gather round the turntable and listen to the latest albums. We would then pick up our guitars and learn just about every song we could. What a fun time, and now I have a chance to do it all over again, in a new era. I'd say I've come full circle, and LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
March 7th, Jim wrote:
Imagine
As mentioned earlier, Bill and I have been involved in this OHR project for nearly two years; but "twas the night before Christmas" past, or somewhere around that time, that we knew we had it surrounded. That was when we asked Kay to consider joining the project. I knew she was the one the first time I heard her sing Imagine...whew! ...goosebumps or what? No doubt we knew she could sing lead and play solid rhythm guitar, but her ear for, and understanding of, vocal harmony is incredible. Welcome Kay. ...and here's an added bonus: Kay got us our first gig...this Saturday, the 14th, at My Saloon in Darien. Way to go Kay
March 5th, Jim wrote:Bill's definition of a healthy breakfast is one that someone else buys.!
March 5th, Bill wrote:Hi,
Welcome to our new OHR web site. Please let me introduce myself:
I’m Bill McDonald, and it’s a pleasure to meet you. If our paths have not crossed during my 50 years on the road in the USA and Canada playing music in concerts, honky tonks, festivals, churches, fund raisers we believe in and gatherings of all sorts, then I look forward to catching up with you in the future; I plan on doing this forever and so far, so good. When we meet, we will know each other as friends, young or old, and we’ll take a look in each others eyes and smile, because music in one way or another has brought us together. Along the way I will tell you a little more about how long it’s taken to discover me (I’ll give you a hint, 60 years) and how I became involved with this exciting OHR venture. But for now, It’s time for some exercise and a healthy breakfast.
Bill
March 4th, Jim wrote:
A Picture and a Song
I've been pestering Bill and Kay to write something for the journal for our new website, so I thought I would practice what I preach. Of course we've all heard that a picture is worth a thousand words. Any truth to that? Maybe, maybe not, but I do know that a picture can inspire. I came across a picture of a bunch of local musicians and friends taken in the early seventies. You know the drill: long hair, overalls, probably showed up in a VW bus. As I looked at the photo I thought of how much time had passed and how unlikely it would be for all of those remaining photo participants getting together for another go at it? A reunion...hmmm...well, yeah, a reunion of all the old hippies...some with hair some without, but hippies still. I wrote a song for the fictitious occasion called Old Hippie Reunion. Bill, a photo participant, and, certainly, one of the oldest hippies I know, has always maintained a connection and interest in the era. We decided at that point to begin work on a musical project: The Old Hippie Reunion. That was in the summer of 2007. We've been hard at it since, working on acoustical renditions of some of that great music while writing and recording songs about the era...the hippie era.
