Music from Brian Dyer Stewart

The song this cycle is Holding on for Dear Life, recorded close to 25 years ago, written in the thick of family life when so many days were a blur with work and kids and making ends meet.  'Tis a happy tune.  There are so many darker, harder times that also find us Holding on for Dear Life, barely holding on or feeling ourselves flung into the roar and chaos of life and these times, with little to hold onto.  The joy and ease of the song is how wrapped up it is in the underlying connections and strength of love and family.  Hopefully we can give that connection to each other in the darker times when we might feel alone.  Time only tells us how much more we rely on and need each other.

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

    The song this cycle is Night Prayer, written some years ago at song writer's retreat - one of those middle-of-the-night songs when so much is on the table, uncertain, doubt and sorrow so near.

    Here's a playlist of all the songs from the newsletters.

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

    I'm changing the frequency of the newsletter to once a month on the last Friday of the month.

    The song this cycle is Hymnal, written some years ago at song writer's retreat after waking from a dream about my dad on the anniversary of his death.  I recorded it at home a couple of years ago and love the blessing at the end...

    Here's a playlist of all the songs from the newsletters.

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

    The song this cycle is Ida's Song, written after the birth of our granddaughter, Ida Mattea, a year ago. Happy Birthday, dearest Ida!

    Here's a playlist of all the songs from the newsletters.

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

    It's been just a year since I started these bi-weekly music offerings.  The pandemic keeps changing, things are slowly opening, and we're re-learning our connections, making new ones.  My intent is to keep on with the bi-weekly publication of a new song.  I've heard from a great many folks over the year and it's helped me remember and cherish these connections and renew some friendships, deepen others.

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

Here in Downeast Maine the season has finally turned toward summer, warmer days and nights bringing a surge of life.  Sunrise is before 5 AM and a little after four, as night dissolves, bird song rises near and far.  The song this cycle is So Much Can Be Observed, which I wrote last year at this time joining in as one of those voices.  I hope you enjoy.

Here's a playlist of all the songs from the newsletters.

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

The song this cycle is Love Will Show You the Way.  Written in the early nineties and recorded by Joyful Noise - Joel Mann on bass, Bruce Cassaday on trumpet, Leonore Hidebrandt on percussion and me on guitar.

Here's a playlist of all the songs from the newsletters.

Dear family, friends, and fellow travelers,

The song this cycle is Spring Returns.  Here in the eastern corner of Maine, spring is slow to release winter's grip - but now, just now, it's beginning to pop in all its glory.  Here's a song to celebrate Spring and the seasons turning.

Here's a playlist of all the songs from the newsletters.