Neighbours International
  • home
  • about us
    • our team
    • It's Never Too Late To Dream
  • catalysts for change
    • communities of practice
    • graphic facilitation gallery
  • ideas blog
  • resources
    • our videos >
      • Ideas that influence
      • stories in community
      • learning communities
    • our books
    • stuff that inspires >
      • kindred spirits
    • other good reads
  • contact us

kindred spirits ...the poetry of bob williams and music of gregory hoskins

Kindred Spirits joined the poetry of Bob Williams with the music of Gregory Hoskins in 1989. It was a joyful collaboration, for those who participated in the creation, and those who had the opportunity to hear. The results were introduced to a wider audience at the TASH Conference in San Francisco, December 1989, 25 years ago! The poems and songs have a timeless relevance  to them so we offer them to you here. We encourage you to purchase Bob's poetry, and Gregory's music by following the links for the publications and recording at the bottom of the page.

You can download the text of the poems and lyrics by clicking on the titles. You can download recordings of the poems by right-clicking (control-click on mac) on the mp3 icon! Due to copyright restrictions, the Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople recordings can be purchased via iTunes, and you can access them by clicking on the link of the band's name.

Picture
Dick and Jane
Words: Bob Williams  Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick
Read by Dave Hasbury


Picture
Justice's Back Door
Words: Bob WIlliams   Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick
Read by: John McCormick


Picture
Steadying Hands
Words: Bob Williams  Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick
Read by: Gregory Hoskins


Picture
Sure Voice
Words: Bob WIlliams   Music: Gregory Hoskins and Lynn Simmons
Read by: Sherry Cummings


Picture
The Canal Street Trilogy
Words: Bob Williams  Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick
Read by: Dave Hasbury


Picture
Crack
Words: Bob Williams   Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick
Read by: Gregory Hoskins


Picture
The Parable of Steve Biko
Words: Bob WIlliams   Music: Gregory Hoskins
Read by: Dave Hasbury

Picture
Bob Williams is not so easily defined. He is an activist, a brilliant political thinker, a writer, a sharp wit, a policy wonk, a friend, a husband, and a poignant poet. 
Bob's views on life have been shaped by (among many things): being the youngest of 5 children in a working class family in Connecticut;  having a mother who worked as  "homemaker", a job that included weekly trekking with Bob back and forth to therapy at the "crippled kids hospital" ; growing up during the dynamic era of the 1960's and 70's; living with the physical effects of cerebral palsy, including speech in his "native tongue"  that is not always readily recognized and understood by those who hear it; having people who listened well and grasped the brilliance behind his native speech, raising expectations and introducing him at 9 years of age  to a book about the life of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, FDR, who became, and remains "a mentor" to him, someone who "steadfastly refused to let the disability biases define him or what he contributed to the common good".
Bob has served as Commissioner of the Developmental Disabilities Administration during the Clinton Presidency, more recently as Associate Commissioner of Employment Support Programs in the Social Security Administration, and now as Senior Policy Advisor (SSA). 
Bob has published two collections of poetry:
  • In A Struggling Voice: The Selected Poems of Robert R. Williams (1989)
  • Stories to be Told: Selected Poems of Robert R. Williams (2003)

Marathon Man
Words: Bob WIlliams  Music: Gregory Hoskins
Performed by Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople

Anonymous
Words and Music: Gregory Hoskins
Performed by: Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople

Moon Come Up
Words and Music: Gregory Hoskins
Performed by: Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople

Neighbourhood
Words and Music: Gregory Hoskins
Performed by: Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople

Labeling Blues
Words and Music: Gregory Hoskins
Performed by: Gregory Hoskins and the Stick people

(Where Do the) Souls Go
Words and Music: Gregory Hoskins
Performed by: Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople
Picture
Gregory Hoskins is a gifted singer,  song writer, and musician  who channels the life that comes his way into moving musical beauty. Love, relationships, daily living with children, people met along the way, and the joys and suffering that come with being human, all serve as source for creation.
Perhaps the "kindred" part of this collaboration with Bob is influenced by the fact Gregory is also the youngest of 5 children. Born in Quebec, growing up in Ontario, Canada, Greg began playing music at the age of 6, and has remained single minded in the pursuit and embodiment of living music.
Like Bob, Gregory lives the truth that there are "stories to be told", and for Greg they are mined from his own life, those he loves, and the space that is found between the two.
After collaborating with Bob on a home studio Kindred Spirits recording, Gregory went on to recorded 8 collections of song receiving widespread critical acclaim:
  • Moon Come Up, Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople (1991 True North Records) 
  • Raids on the Unspeakable, Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople (1993)
  • Surgery, Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople (1999)
  • The King of Good Intentions, Gregory Hoskins (2005)
  • The Beggar Heart, Gregory Hoskins (2007)
  • Pleasure and Relief :Live Concert Recording (2007)
  • Alone in the Mayor's House...almost, Gregory Hoskins (2008)
  • The Map of Above. The Map of Below., Gregory Hoskins and Gary Craig (2013)


MENU
home
about us
     our team
     it's never too late to dream
change initiatives
idea blog
resources
     our videos
     our books
     stuff that inspires us
              good reads
contact us
Neighbours International facilitates change in collaboration with people with disabilities, their families, the agencies that support them, the government that funds them, and the communities where they live. We all need people to dream, imagine the future, direct their own lives and support, and make contributions to as valued citizens and community members who belong.
Visit our sister organization:
Picture

stay connected with us ...

Picture
facebook
Picture
twitter
Picture
youtube
Tweet
Neighbours International, 49 Woodbridge Ave., Highland Park, NJ USA 08904
Proudly powered by Weebly
Design by DivTag Templates