Hilltown Families 
Archives
Join Guest DJ, National Parks Service Ranger Jeff Wolin (aka Ranger Jeff) from his ranger station in the mountains of Colorado for a musical tour of our National Parks. While families are dancing and singing, everyone will get a musical exploration of our country’s great natural and cultural treasures. From a polka about a revolutionary war hero to sea turtles in the Gulf Islands, this national park themed show will keep you moving and perhaps inspire you and your family to visit a park near you!
This week on the Hilltown Family Variety Show, Amelia Robinson of Mil’s Trills celebrates family, friends, and being a part of the community with a show themed, “Everyone Together Now!” Joined by co-hosts Lorenzo and her nephew Gilad, this show is packed with hits from your favorite artists from around the world, even as far as the Australian outback! Listen now or any time to our podcast!
On HFVS this week travel through music with Guest DJs The Dream Jam Band & explore Shape Note Singing to Scat to Doo Wop, Country, Rock and Roll, Folk and even Throat singing. Discover how silly words can make serious music!
Join Hilltown Family Variety Show guest DJ Andy Z, as he spins a special selection of “Classic American Songs & Traditional Tunes.” Enjoy listening to family favorites and classic recordings, and find out more about the artists who created them.
This week’s HFVS episode features The Earthworm Ensemble bringing some raw pre-show build-up in addition to a rich and fruitful weekly installment. The group is known for their songs advocating the earth and green living. Their playlist makes for some eclectic listening. Make sure to tune-in.
Use music as a lens for learning about history – Lloyd Miller (of The Deedle Deedle Dees fame) has just released a new Civil War-themed album filled with traditional and original music. Using a curriculum created by Miller, as well as a wealth of other resources, families can use music as an entry point for learning about an important time period in American history.
There are a lot of animals on the playlist for the HFVS this week… just in time for spring! Guest DJ Jacob Stein of The Pop Ups is our guest DJ in this archived show. Tune in and tap your foot to the sounds of the animal kingdom!
This week on the HFVS, bilingual children’s artist Nathalia takes listeners on a musical journey playing a wide range of song selections. From jazz legends to contemporary kindie artists, this playful podcast that is sure to put a smile on your face. Nathalia also features songs from her latest album Dream a Little / Sueña un Poquito.
Mike Whitla from the band Rock’n’Rainbow is your guide into the world of Funk this week on the Hilltown Family Variety Show, exploring the roots history of funk music. What’s the history of funk music? What makes funky music sound the way it does?Tune in to the Hilltown Family Variety Show and get ready to find out… and boogie! Listen to the podcast any time!
This month in “Under the Hat,” Hilltown Families Contributing Writer, Ben Gundersheimer (aka Mister G) spotlights the universal language of music. He shares a recent conversation he and a Brazilian musician he is currently collaborating had, noting how dogs all over the world understand each other, instantly! This universal language can be found in music too, crossing cultures and facilitating communication without barriers. Knowing how to play music can cultivate a sense of cultural appreciation and connection, building a bridge of cooperation and joy between people without the need for spoken language.
Randy Kaplan returns to the Hilltown airwaves as HFVS Guest DJ with a set of twofers and threefers: short mini-segments of two or three related songs——songs by the same group, in the same style, or whose themes or subject matter connect in some way. You’ll hear blues, folk, country, calypso, a few off-the-beaten-path numbers, and even a show tune lullaby sung by Randy’s wife, Julie May Kaplan…and, of course, a few trademark Randy songs as well!
Suzanne Jamieson Selmo celebrates the SKY and everything in it this week as our Guest DJ on the Hilltown Family Variety Show. She takes us through a whole day, from waking up with the sun to going to bed with the stars and the moon…and lots of fun stuff in between. She threads through poetry, history, and science into the hour and showcases a variety of music… from old classics to modern pop, jazz standards to popular children’s music. It’s a celebration of the sky with great tunes!
Spring returns next week on March 20. Celebrate it’s arrival with our guest DJ, Charity Kahn, sharing music and insights that lift the spirits as spring begins to emerge.
HFVS Guest DJ, Julianna Bright, the Portland based artist and musician and mom with the kids’ music moniker Cat Doorman gathers together a passel of tunes from her family’s record collection, dotting the playlist with a few tunes from her recent release Cat Doorman Songbook. Other songs hop from Andalusia to Paris, from the 1930’s through today with a common thread of playfulness and joy.
The thaw is coming folks…no avoiding it!!! And with the thaw comes maple syrup season with Spring is on its coattails- and then there sheep shearing and all kinds of Spring filled delights! To prepare, tune into our Sheep Shearing & Maple Syrup Episode on the Hilltown Family Variety Show. Turn it up, learn a little and dance a lot!
Grammy winning artist, Danny Weinkauf (once of They Might Be Giants) joins us again about our Guest DJ for the HIlltown Family Variety Show, exploring themes of friendship. And in keeping with that, Danny brings along life long friend Francis X. Busso as his guest. Originally aired on WXOJ-LP 103.3FM on Sat., Feb 21. Listen to the podcast anytime on Hilltown Families!
“Take Pause to Celebrate your Flaws!” Guest DJ Billy Jonas (from the Billy Jonas Band) presents a collection of artists and songs that recognize challenges, mistakes, accidents, and flaws to be gifts and opportunities. Personally and globally, these tunes offer a chance to look at unexpected and undesired circumstances in a brand new way.
Arrrrr, Hilltown Family Variety Show makes you walk the plank with its very special pirate episode, hosted by Guest DJs Don, Lex & Stephanie of Nutshell Playhouse whose mantra is “spread the joy.” They will take you on a treasure hunt punctuated by songs from the likes of The Kingston Trio, The Beatles and also introduce you to a genuine pirate parrot! Dust off your pirate lingo dictionary and turn the dial to Hilltown Family Variety Show!
Give peace a chance for the New Year…What does peace sound like? Tune into the Hilltown Family Variety Show and hear songs with a theme of peace from Ellis Paul, Cat Stevens, Mr. Ray and much much more.
This week Nick Deysher from the Pionner Valley’s own In The Nick of Time is our Guest DJ with a Kickin’ It Old School Episode featuring songs from way back when (and modern artists with a vintage vibe). Nick features an eclectic collection of various musical styles including, big band jazz, bluegrass, Americana, funk, folk, and classic rock and roll. Take a trip on a musical time machine this week on the Hilltown Family Variety Show!
Traditional holiday carols have been worked over by so many different musicians and singers! This month in “Under the Hat: Independent Music Education” with Mister G, Ben has a look at the renditions of holiday classics, especially the magic of ‘Feliz Navidad,’ made globally accessible by the mastery of bilingual songster José Feliciano. Ben’s insights are always a treat into the creative process that results in terrific music by great musicians across the spectrum.
As the holiday season starts to wind down, we have one more holiday episode for your enjoyment this weekend… Charity Kahn of Charity and the JAMband Guest DJs the Hilltown Family Variety Show, playing delightful music for the Holidays from the likes of Simon and Garfunkel, Jerry Garcia, and Charity and the JAMband. This episode also include a story segment as Charity reads Jane Yolen’s “Owl Moon.”
It’s Christmas time on the Hilltown Family Variety Show! With Guest DJs Key Wilde & Mr Clarke, sweeping us into their warm festive embrace spinning songs of Yuletide cheer. If you want to get your ‘Holidays on’ tune in and let holiday classics from the likes of Bob Dylan, The Who and much more fill the air!
“Mary Had a Little Lamb” is a very familiar tune for most of us. But can you imagine what it might sound like being played on an electric guitar, bass clarinet, or the bagpipes? MuseScore, a free software program, allows users to experiment with the sounds of a wide range of instruments, while also providing the tools necessary to compose original music! Best for use with kids 10 and older, MuseScore offers a unique experimental and semi-experiential way to learn about music composition.
Dar Williams Honesty Room 20th Anniversary Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA Saturday, December 13th, 2014 at 8pm Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets! Continuing our fall promotions, we are pleased to offer a chance to win one… Read More
Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets!
Continuing our fall promotions, we are pleased to offer a chance to win one of two pairs of tickets to see Dark Star Orchestra, at the Calvin Theatre in Northampton, MA at 8pm on Friday, December 5th, 2014.
Win tickets and take your spouse, partner or good friend for a night out!
Cultural Itineraries
- Season: January & February
- Season: March & April
- Season: May & June
- Season: July & August
- Season: September & October
- Season: November & December
