Quaker Musicians G to L
Doug Gwyn is a best known as a Quaker minister, peace educator & writer of Quaker history & theology. He began writing & recording songs in 1977 & has had more time to devote to his musical pursuits since his retirement in 2018. "The Brothers Doug" is his recording persona, since all the voices & instrumental tracks are his own. The story of the Brothers Doug is told (in a mythical fashion) in “The Legend of the Brothers Doug” on A Musical Personality Disorder included on his site. He is based in Richmond, Indiana. You can listen to lots of his songs on his website brothersdoug.me
Bill Harley is a well-known children's musician and storyteller and a member of Providence (RI) Meeting along with his wife Debbie Block (who is also his manager). Bill has three songs in Rise Again including "It's a Long Way" (above) about the freedom movement and Martin Luther King Jr. billharley.com
Mark (Judkins) Helpsmeet of Eau Claire (WI) Mtg has been recording & broadcasting amazing interviews with a wide variety of Quaker musicians and other activists and musicians of similar values. Their best known programs are "Song of the Soul" and “Spirit and Action”. Northern Spirit Radio can be found at northernspiritradio.org.
Kody Hersh is a Young Adult Friend living in Orlando FL. You can find out more about his music on his myspace page: www.myspace.com/kodygabriel. Follow Kody on twitter
Mark Holdaway, a member of Pima Friends Meeting in Tucson AZ is a master on the Kalimba or African thumb piano. He has organized 2 sing-along benefit concerts using Rise Up Singing in Tucson. www.markholdaway.com. Also check out his Kalimba Shop www.kalimbamagic.com.
Lisa Hubbell of Strawberry Creek Meeting (Berkeley CA) is author of "Rooted & Grounded in Love", a song based on Paul's epistles that is in Worship in Song (the Quaker hymnal, available from Quaker Books) as well as Rise Again. She founded the Quaker trio Sacred Ground with Rolene Walker of San Francisco Mtg. Their motto is "weaving harmonies for peace, spirit and the environment." You can listen to some of Lisa's songs on her myspace page or email her. She is responsible for many of the great listings on this Quaker musicians' webpage. Thanks Lisa & keep sending us more names!
William Jolliff, an English professor at George Fox University is a songwriter, poet, Quaker peace activist, and gospel bluegrass performer. He has written close to 40 songs and produced seven recordings. Folk singer Tracy Grammer's album "Flower of Avalon" includes a song Jolliff wrote. Laughlin Boy is a re-written traditional piece about a Civil War conscientious objector. (The song is in Rise Again.) See George Fox U. news item" on Bill's music & how Grammer found out about his song. Contact William Joliff.
David LaMotte is a singer-songwriter Swannanoa Valley Friends Meeting in Black Mountain, NC and a Rotary World Peace Fellow. Dirty Linen has called him a "folk poet of elegant simplicity". His website davidlamotte.com includes tips for aspiring songwriters.
Derek Lamson - see Derek & Friends under group listings below.
Elizabeth LaPrelle writes that Haverford (PA) Meeting "has meant a lot to me over the years even though I usually only get there a couple of times a year." Her grandparents Bill & (the late) Lois Ann Newlin have been active members there for many years and her mom Sandy grew up in that meeting. She sings ballads & old-timey songs in the style of Appalachian traditional singers. "I try to sing ballads the way these folks & their ancestors might have sung when they were my age." She performed frequently on Prairie Home Companion. You can hear additional audio clips on Elizabeth's website elizabethlaprelle.com. She now often performs as the duo Anna & Elizabeth: annaandelizabeth.com
