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“If Woody Guthrie had hung out with Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King, he would have written songs just like these.†--Stephen John Dilks, co-author of Cultural Conversations and Director of the Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching, UMKC “Through the voice of Elihue, Guy Larry Osborne has a lot to say -- and he says it really well. In a first time out CD he has pulled together a rich assortment of musicians to accompany him on his personally crafted songs. These songs are about peace and justice and real historical figures. Rarely have we heard such a thoughtful collection of songs so well produced. There is a rich arrangement of voices and instruments and they really rock. Take a listen and you will be both entertained and enlightened.†--Guy & Candie Carawan, folk singers and cultural workers for justice, the Highlander Center I use the musical name Elihue (pronounced “E-LIE-hewâ€) in remembrance of Elihue Embree, a 19th century Quaker from east Tennessee whose family hid escaping slaves and who published the nation's first abolitionist newspaper called, THE EMANCIPATOR. I was born and raised in the Piedmont region of South Carolina. When I wasn’t in school or working in textile mills, I spent much of my time in the woods and around creeks, lakes, and rivers. Woods and water continue to serve as places of refuge and mystery for me, and regularly show up in my music. I cut my musical teeth listening to gospel, blues, rock, and especially folk. The first song I learned to play from a songbook was “Sinner Man†as sung by Guy Carawan, who along with his life partner and co-singer Candie, continues to inspire and encourage me. As a teenager, I hung out at the local AM radio station to hear local, live music, worked as a substitute DJ, and played in a rock band. About this time, I started writing songs. As an adult I put aside performing to raise a family and to work. I have lived for many years in Elihue’s home place, east Tennessee, where I teach at a small church-related, liberal arts college. In my 40’s I returned to playing in public with a faculty band called the AMPS (for Absent Minded Professors!). In my 50’s I decided to get mindful about songwriting and began attending workshops and groups dedicated to the craft of songwriting. In 2005, I released my first CD of original music. Some of the proceeds from its sale are going to support a group I admire that works against nuclear weapons production, the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance--real nice folks who do really important work. My political and spiritual education that shapes my music has come from living in this diverse bioregion of awesome environmental beauty and despair; from an inspiring circle of friends and activists committed to peace and social justice who are dug in here, as Pete Seeger would say; and from my journey to nonviolence as a Quaker. Songwriters in addition to Pete whose influences can be heard in my music include Woody Guthrie, Leadbelly, Joni Mitchell, Tracy Chapman, and Steve Earle, among others. I pursue my music as a means of self-expression, as part of my calling as a teacher, and as a tool for making the world a better place. I'd be most interested in hearing from you if you find it helpful in any way. --Guy Larry Osborne (a.k.a., Elihue) Track List: 1. Domination Stroll 2. Columbine 3. Sinner Man 4. Born Again 5. Yes There's a God (but She Don't Live in Heaven) 6. For Martin 7. Claude Williams 8. American Music 9. Beautiful 10. Dissident Other Genres:
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