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.
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.
Justice's Back Door
Words: Bob WIlliams Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick Read by: John McCormick 
Steadying Hands
Words: Bob Williams Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick Read by: Gregory Hoskins 
Sure Voice
Words: Bob WIlliams Music: Gregory Hoskins and Lynn Simmons Read by: Sherry Cummings 
The Canal Street Trilogy
Words: Bob Williams Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick Read by: Dave Hasbury 
Crack
Words: Bob Williams Music: Gregory Hoskins/John McCormick Read by: Gregory Hoskins 
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: |
Marathon Man
Words: Bob WIlliams Music: Gregory Hoskins Performed by Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople (Where Do the) Souls Go
Words and Music: Gregory Hoskins Performed by: Gregory Hoskins and the Stickpeople 
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:
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