The Summer Song

It's been a beautiful start to summer on the plains of Kansas. Alice and I have been enjoying early mornings with our water garden giggling in the background and evening sunset photography walks in the many wonderful outdoor spaces there are to enjoy in Topeka.  A fitting soundtrack to all this peaceful summer fun is Alice's wonderful Summer Song, one of my favorites of the many she has written.

Bill Roy, Kansas Congressman and True Public Servant

William Robert Roy, also known as Bill Roy, was a United States Representative from Kansas, a physician, and a columnist for The Topeka Capital-Journal. Dr. Roy passed away last week and his memorial service is being held later this morning at First United Methodist Church here in Topeka.

The death of Bill Roy stirs memories. Years ago I was singing at a big gathering where our Congressman was speaking. I hadn't met him, had voted for him, and was looking forward to hearing him. I started carrying in my huge P.A., and a fellow jumped up to help, and that is how I met this great public servant! Years later we were both in the Keystone Sunday School class at First United Methodist Church. We will miss Dr. Roy and his column in the Topeka Capital Journal.



For Further Reading:

Former Congressman, Topeka physician Bill Roy dead at 88
In Memory of DR. WILLIAM R. "BILL" ROY  1926 - 2014

Sister Wendy Brings Her Love of Art to KTWU 11

Sister Wendy Beckett aka "The Art Nun"

Im excited to announce that Sister Wendy, the world famous "art nun" comes back to KTWU this week with two new shows.
  
Sister Wendy and the Art of the Gospel  has her talking for the first time about her personal faith. She uses great old master paintings in the National Gallery, the Louvre and in the Fitzwilliam and some modern paintings, to tell us the gospel stories that were once universally familiar, but are now often disregarded. These are the stories that inspired her life of devotion; stories that she feels with absolute certainty, have relevance today. It airs at 7 & 10:30 PM Sunday July 28, and 7 PM Tuesday July 30.

Then July 30 at 8 PM in Sister Wendy at the Norton Simon Museum she will offer her unique and personal guide through the Norton Simon Museum, one of the most amazing collections in America

Alice's iPhone Photography Adventures

Sunset Drama ©Alice Eberhart-Wright

My wife Alice and I share so many interests, and one constant is photography. We use cameras to illustrate our songs, articles for publication, and now Facebook. Lots of the photographs go on the KTWU Facebook page covering station events like the incredible Downton Abby Tea last December and Peter Yarrow's visit to KTWU.

 Lately, Alice is getting more and more creative with her iPhone and the Instagram app, sharing with our personal Facebook friends. Instagram offers 20 different possible looks, it's like carrying 20 filters for your old film cameras, only it’s all right there at your fingertips. She is using the combination of a marvelous ability to see remarkable images, with an “instant” way to make them even more dramatic. I am usually the very first to hit the like button.

Our pond has turned into Monet's Garden under Alice's skillful eye ©Alice Eberhart-Wright

Wherever we go, cameras usually go along, like a recent adventure at the garden show at Dale and Maggie Warren’s, where she dressed for the visit...

The Artist at work... photo ©Lee Wright

We will be featuring more of our photography on the blog from time to time, so please stay tuned.  In the meantime, you can follow AliceSusie on Instagram ~tell her Lee sent you!

Happy Father's Day Dad

Me, my sister Dorothy, dad Merritt and brother Ray

                                   

And dad would work the land, and mom would fry the chicken, 

we’d gather at the table at the close of the day. 

We’d laugh and talk, and share our special closeness. 

You know that love we’d share back there can still touch me today.

~from Mom & Dad's Song by Lee Wright 

What can I say about Merritt G. Wright, my dad, who still seems with me at times 23 years after his death?
 He and mom provided the solid foundation of faith, hope and love my life is based on.

It occurred to me one day that I couldn't remember ever seeing him exhibit any sort of fear. He had survived dust bowl, tornadoes, the Great Depression and family tragedy, but fear did not seem to be a part of his life. I decided to ask him: "Dad, I cant remember ever seeing you afraid- have you ever been?"  He paused and thought for awhile and answered in his calm, matter of fact way "You know, I dont believe I have".  There was a hint of a surprised chuckle in his voice, but no bravado or pride.

He was just stating a fact, pure and simple. 

Merritt G Wright, Kansas Farmer photo ©Lee Wright

The 8th of June (1966)

I started singing solos at 12, but had never thought of writing songs until one night in June 1966 when I picked up my guitar after a few days of cleaning up from the Topeka tornado. I was working on learning a song with some minor chords, but suddenly I was playing and singing a new song, which took all of a few minutes to complete. The 8th of June has been heard and seen by many since that night. Currently, it is a music video on the DVD of the KTWU award winning documentary "June 8,the Topeka Tornado". This track is the 1970's recording of the song.

Listen to and purchase this track from leewright.bandcamp.com

Folk Music in June on Public Television KTWU Topeka

Great days are ahead on KTWU 11 for fans of folk music:

The Peter, Paul and Mary 25th Anniversary Concert will be on Saturday, June 1st at 7pm and Sunday, June 2nd at 4pm.  I will be personally underwriting this memorable re-broadcast. It will bring back many great personal memories, including getting to sing with Peter during pledge breaks when he came to Topeka to help KTWU.

Lee chats with Peter Yarrow live on KTWU 2012 ©Alice Eberhart-Wright

Other Don't Miss programs this month:

• Don McClean: American Troubadour is set for Monday, June 3rd at 8:30pm.
• Woody Guthrie at 100! will be on at 8pm Friday, June 7th.
• Tommy Emmanuel Center Stage at 6:30pm Sunday, June 9th.

Wow.