WWWD Artists

Meet the What Would Woody Do Artists, and find links to their other locations on the web.

Bill Peet

Bill started performing 48 years ago at the 10 o'clock Scholar in Dinkytown next to the University of Minnesota. Starting with folk tunes and three-finger picking styles, his music has evolved to five-finger right hand neo-classical stylings on the guitar, with beats ranging from pop to Hawaiian to folk-rock and country. His original songs deal with love, family, social commentary and a hunger for a better world. Having played in the 70s on the Windjammer Cruises off Waikiki, he also covers a number of other artists' tunes. For What Would Woody Do?, the feature is his activist songs, like "Paris Hilton Justice, Lifeboat, We'll Find a Way, Common Ground."

Checkered Past

Checkered Past is a band of five songwriters whose distinct voices rise separately and blended in vivid harmonies. Checkered Past will serve up our usual plate of humor, biting political commentary and a slice of human kindness accompanied by guitars, bass, flute, fiddle and mandolin.

http://CheckeredPastMusic.com

We want to create a world that works for all, and we can only write so many songs, so we created the Checkered Past Book Club where we recommend books that have inspired us. At most concerts we give away a book to an audience member who promises to read the book and pass it on. See our website for a list of books we’ve featured.

Checkered Past is:

Kerry Stanley: Kerry has been very prolific lately, producing songs like: Fiddle and Bow, Hope in Time, Long Day Short Pay, Change That Thing!, and The Hummer and the Hybrid. Kerry plays lead guitar and bass.

Martha Haehl: Martha often plays fiddle, flute and mandolin, but don’t be surprised when she steps up to the guitar or bass as well. And then there’s harmonica and dobro, too. Martha’s songs include Choices, Yo’ Mama Did, Baby Boomer Bifocal Blues, My Scariest Dream, and The Preacher and the Judge.

Lynn Snyder: Lynn’s songwriting activity virtually stopped when she promised herself to only write happy songs. I Went to the Pub is the only song from that period. Then the war started and all bets were off. She wrote I Never Wanted To Sing These Songs Again with Martha Haehl, and Ski Dubai. Lynn plays guitar and bass.

K.C. Compton: K.C. is a writer who can show you the workings of the soul. She wrote Backwater Blues about a family dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. K.C. also keeps us dancing at our revolution with songs like Wilie’s Jitterbug Boogie. K.C.’s voice is her instrument.

Bill Langsdorf: Bill started with Checkered Past as our sound man, but he’s too good a songwriter and performer to be allowed to sit silently behind the board. Bill wrote Why Don’t I Believe You? Bill plays guitar and sings bass. He is also the official band luthier.

See our website for lyrics and an extensive list of the songs we do.

David Hakan

www.DavidHakan.com for complete song clips, lyrics, videos and more.

Sometimes the winds of change blow hard on a C harp, wail at the corporate towers and shake the roots of rock ’n’ roll.

Hakan gives us a voice like John Denver's, wit like John Prine's and the subtle poetry of John Gorka.

The guitar sound is clear and luscious. The melodies will have you whistling in the shower and the stories will get you wondering about the world in new ways.

Erik Karlsson

Official Website: http://www.erikkarlsson.com

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/erikkarlsson

Erik Karlsson’s songs are stories about worlds that could be inhabited by you or by me, by the person sitting beside you or the neighbor across the street. They are people with honest issues dealing with things in honest ways - some are happy, some at the end of their rope - but all are treated with respect at the hands of this engaging songwriter and performer.

A transplant from Houston, Texas to the heartland of Kansas City, Erik quickly found his way into the Kansas City singer/songwriter scene using his positive outlook and dynamic stage presence. A musician since he was old enough to reach the piano keys, Erik has played hundreds of shows through the years.

Erik’s first CD release was as a member of a band in Houston named The Plastic Yardbirds in 2001. He has since been performing his brand of music at any number of venues, from coffee shops and opening for national artists (like Dana Cooper) to local open-mic venues. With this kind of dedication to his music, Erik has made an impact on the Kansas City original songwriter scene in a very short time.

Forrest Whitlow

Under Construction

Holly Taylor

Holly Taylor is an instrumentalist/songwriter from the KC area. She sings and plays guitar, percussion, and piano. Ms. Taylor graduated in 2000 from the UMKC Conservatory of Music with a Bachelors Degree in Music Therapy. She has taught piano and percussion lessons in the area as well as provided music therapy services to many populations. She is actively involved in Earth Peace Systems as the Gypsy Tribe Director, promoting sustainability through the arts. Holly has released her first album this year entitled, "Lifescapes in Catharcity". Her songwriting style varies from fluid ballads, to the blues, with lyrics that are honest, hopeful, and challenge the listener to be proactive in life.

Check out more audio tracks on www.myspace.com/hollytaylor432

Coming soon, the Gypsy Tribe online: www.earthpeacesystems.net

Jim Abel

Check out my websites:

wordsandmusic.us - This is my primary website, where I introduce myself, post new songs, describe my CDs and invite feedback.

myspace.com/jimabel - This is where my 'friends' hang out. My gigs are posted here and there are lots of songs to download for a modest price. Stop by and sign up to be a 'friend'.

Jim Herrmann

Jim Herrmann is the president of Democracy For the Heart of America, and is the creator of the WWWD events. Jim has been writing songs since 1984, but only recently started writing political songs. You can find Jim on the web at several places.

First off is his main personal music site: http://jim.musicalprogress.org

There's his band, The Herrmannators: http://www.herrmannators.com

Then there is a My Space Page: http://www.myspace.com/musicalprogress

And don't forget his favorite political organization: http://dfha.org

Joe Carr

Get info on Joe Carr's music and activism at www.lovinrevolution.org/beta/

Get free downloads of his songs at http://lovinrevolution.org/beta/?q=music

Friend him on myspace at www.myspace.com/lovinrevolution

Joe Carr is an anti-oppression activist and performance artist from Kansas City, Missouri. He graduated with a BA from the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington in 2004, having organized with direct-action movements such as Earth First, Food Not Bombs, and Arts in Activism. He spent January-April of 2003 coordinating for the International Solidarity Movement in Rafah, Palestine, and witnessed Israeli soldiers murder international activists Rachel Corrie and Tom Hurndall. He spent May-June 2005 with the Christian Peacemaker Teams in Iraq, as well as another two trips in Palestine organizing nonviolent resistance to the Israeli Occupation. He has done three national speaking tours, appeared in several documentaries, has had his writing published in major media outlets. He's produced two albums of his music and poetry, Plant the Olive Branch in 2004, and Resistance to Empire in 2006. He is now living in Lawrence, KS working with Kansas Mutual Aid and the Solidarity Center building local resistance to imperialism and sustainable living. For more a longer biography of Joe, go to www.lovinrevolution.org/beta?q=bio.

John Mitchell

http://www.myspace.com/johnrmitchell

"There's something funny about that guy . . . "

Matt Powell

Under construction

Vigalantee

Under Construction

ZZ Rose

ZZRose~

I have found it wonderful to be part of the political process in the midwest... my biggest cry is "taxation without representation"... I have trouble getting my needs met, and I have pretty much given up on the health system here. But, I put on my guitar and play, just like yesterday, then I get on my knees and pray, that everything will be alright someday...

Woody wrote songs to activate and solidify people toward causes of the times. I wish that the words I can sing would stimulate minds and create a movement... I am just one voice

I appreciate Jim for keeping things going and look forward to an opportunity to participate in future dfha progressive activities...

www.myspace.com/zzrose

peace to all, especially the middle east.