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Join the Slugs' Email List Email:   LETTERS & NEWS... July 2011 It has been a FUN summer for the Slugs...High Sierra Music Fest, Oregon Country Fair, Calif Worldfest. Not only do we get to play, but we get to hear some of our favorite musicians, and ask them to play with us! At almost every show now, someone comes up, and says they saw us when they were in 2nd or 3rd grade, and now they are adults, and they want to tell us how much they appreciate us. It feels really good, and does NOT make me feel OLD! It was an honor to open the 'Midnight Circus" show at the Oregon Country Fair. Doug and I, plus special guests, also had some memorable shows at this renowned Hippee Festival. Thanks to SambaDá for sitting in with us at Calif Worldfest, and to Dan and Christine for bringing us back for the 3rd straight year. And Big Ups to the kids that came to all 4 of our shows at Worldfest! Of course we will be playing Strawberry Fest, Labor Day weekend for the 20th year in a a row! Also we are playing a new Fest in the Sierras, Sept 23-25, called GuitarFish Festival. Come check us out at these Festivals, it is so much FUN to camp together, play for you and listen to all these great musicians! Till then, Share the Love and let your Soul Shine! Airy Larry February 2011 Hi Loves, Tis Doug Dirt here, wishing you all a Happy New Minute (a year is such a long time to consider). I am grateful for all the blessings I have in our Slug family life. The band's 26th year looks to be filled with much song & merriment. Come catch us in February on tour in Hawaii (Oahu & Maui). Then it's March in Iowa, April in New Orleans, and May in Ohio. All that is followed by a fun-filled festival touring summer (still being formulated). As you probably know, our new CD has made its national release and the feedback is soo heart-warming and inspiring. I can't wait to take its Ocean Loving Messages out to school theaters, camps, museums and science centers all across the country. Know that we thank you all for the continued support and networking as we go grassroots (and I do mean a Slug Music label truly grassroots effort) to promote the Only One Ocean CD. Together, we can spread these songs that help educate on this important topic. Ocean Lovers, it's time for "all hands on deck." We will need all the help we can gather to teach sustainable & careful practices to protect our precious One Ocean! Thank-you for all that you do! All the Best, Doug Dirt   September 2010 The “Doug Dirt”, “Solar Steve” families along with their other rafting friends the Thomas family took a 6-day 5-night trip down the Rogue River in Oregon. We nicknamed the trip the NSR trip (No Stress Rafting). We had the unprecedented two-time layover days and on the last day we were rigged and on the water by 9:30 shedding our previous nickname “never before noon rafting.” We watched a sow and her two baby black bear eating berries and then walk from the riverbank up the steep canyon walls. We saw eagles and osprey, herons, mergansers and dippers and every night looked for our friends, Cygnus, Delphinus and Cassiopeia. Best of all we gained the perspective we call “river time.” We realized how much all of our kids have grown to take responsibility for the trip. For the Solar Steve crew it was a family reunion to have all three of his college boys together. These trips have made our kids more confident in themselves and have given them experiences unique to being immersed in nature. It has been a chance to develop keen observation skills and pique their sense of wonder. They have all grown passionate about outdoor activities and able to be meaningful contributors to the community process. I would encourage everyone to spend family time in the outdoors. It doesn’t have to be complicated. Go camping, go hiking and keep it stress free. It may be the best thing one can do for their kids and ultimately, the planet. Happy fall, “Solar” & “Dirt” PS Here’s a little song spawned from last year's river trip THE PEOPLE WITH THE PADDLE by S. Van Zandt G Listen to the songs          C                          G The stories and the wind Through the people with the paddle                 D                             G And the places they have been Try to define the distance Of the highest copper wall Inspired by descending With a canyon wren’s call This timelessness in rhythm The dip of every oar Into cool forgiving eddies And the white lion’s roar There is rock hard tolerance When power’s rushing in The squeezing and releasing Bearing witness wing and fin                 C                                                                                      G Chorus; Sometimes it might be better to give in and just let go D                   G              Ask the people with the paddle bout the livin’ that they know                      C                                                                          G              It’s all about the journey and not the journey’s end              D                               G             Ask the people with the paddle bout the places they have been Listen to the story each Floating by will sing The leather skinned lizard What thunder sky will bring Listen to the stillness That spawns the will to row Ask the people with the paddle About these things that they know January 2010 Happy 2010 Everyone! It is going to be a fantastic year, especially because 2010 is the Banana Slugs’ 25th anniversary! I want to thank my partners Doug Dirt, Marine Mark, and Solar Steve, for being my brothers in Peace for all this time, and continuing to put out vibrant, fun and important Eco Music. I Love it! This year we will also be releasing our new CD, "Only One Ocean," co-produced by NOAA, COSEE and NMEA, an amazing project dedicated to our beautiful Oceans. I have a new appreciation for the ocean, having just spent 4 months, living near a beach in tropical Costa Rica, and I know how important it is to take care of it! So many talented people have contributed to this project, including Will Kahn, George Winston, BeauSoleil, Victor Wooten, Brett Dennen, and MORE to be announced. WOW, I am excited to hear this CD!! We will be touring extensively in 2010, so I hope we see you on the road somewhere, in this great World of ours...We will be in touch soon, to tell you more about "Only One Ocean." For now…Happy New Year...Feliz Ano Nuevo!! Somewhere in the tropics....Airy Larry October 2009 The Slugs are thrilled and honored to have George Winston (of the Windham Hill label) return to recording with us, this time on our upcoming CD "Only One Ocean." photo by Joel delTufo As many of you will recall, George played a beautiful improvisational piano piece to the song, "Swimming with Whales," on our Grammy-nominated CD, Wings of Slumber. While best known for his piano artistry, on the upcoming album track, George shares his long love affair and stunning skill on slack-key guitar. This newest Slug recording (due out in summer of 2010) focuses on learning about, loving, and keeping clean our precious One Worldwide Ocean. We are forever grateful to George Winston's love of music and of the Earth and to his dedication in sharing his artistry with the band. Once again, by lending a hand to the Slugs, he is helping further our mission and purpose. Thank you, George! Doug Dirt and the Banana Slugs August 2009 Doug Dirt is thrilled to announce that his bass-playing hero, and ecological musical “edu-tainer,” Victor Wooten (check out his website at http://www.victorwooten.com/) has just laid down some very funky bass tracks for the soon-to-be-released Only One Ocean CD. The track "Down, Down, Down" is a content-rich exploration of the magical natural wonders of the deep ocean habitat. The Only One Ocean CD itself is a musical curriculum composed of 14 all-original Banana Slugs’ compositions which integrate key concepts from the National Ocean Education Project called “Ocean Literacy.” Victor befriended the Slugs several years ago when he learned of our mutual life focus and priority to teach and inspire earth stewardship through music and nature exploration. For our part, the Slugs plan to go in the near future and be instructor/facilitators in one of Victor’s youth Bass/Nature Camps (http://www.victorwooten.com/basscamp/index.html). More About Victor Wooten Victor Wooten has been quite rightly regaled as the most influential bassist since Jaco Pastorius. A member of the Grammy-winning group, Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, Victor is also renowned for his fine solo recordings and concerts. He is an innovator on the bass guitar, as well as a talented composer, arranger, producer, vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. A native of Tennessee, Victor is a loving husband and the devoted father of four. He is the youngest sibling of the amazing Wooten brothers (Regi, Roy, Rudy and Joseph), and the bassist in their famed family band. Victor’s many passions and talents include the martial art of Wing Chun, the nature survival skill of tracking, and a love of teaching bass players each year at his acclaimed Bass/ Nature Camp (http://www.victorwooten.com/basscamp/index.html). Wed 9 AM PT on The Green Talk Network Moir’s Environmental Dialogues: Ocean River Shields of Achilles Ocean Literacy with the Banana Slug String Band and Craig Strang The ocean has its stories to tell – as anyone who has ridden its waves or walked its shores knows. The stories are as simple as beauty and as complex as… well, say, watershed ecosystems or estuary ecology. Understanding the complexities help us appreciate Learn More >> Missed the Live Shows? Past Episodes are available On Demand and Podcast Ready. Listen Live to The Green Talk Network Be sure to tune into Moir’s Environmental Dialogues: Ocean River Shields of Achilles with Rob Moir Wed 9 AM PT on The Green Talk Network Log on to Listen: http://www.voiceamerica.com Questions? Comments? Call: 1-866-472-5788 May 2009 Dear Friends, In April, the great Cajun Band BeauSoleil was in Santa Cruz performing. Through a lot of work and networking with our friend John Henry (who is friend of one the members), we convinced the Band to come to the studio, to record on our new Ocean CD. Well we never thought that FIVE of them would come! As they settled in our small studio, our producer Will and I nervously prepared the tracks. They took their instruments out, and started to listen to the song that they were going to play on...Instantly they started jamming, like only a Cajun band can, FIDDLES FLYING, ACCORDIAN ROCKING, RUB-BOARD SCRATCHING ...... After one listen, they were ready for a try at it! They instantly got the groove, and by the second pass they nailed it. We now have a song that sounds like it was recorded in Lafayette, Louisiana... by a bunch of Cajun Slugs. The only problem is that in Louisiana ... ...they eat slugs - Escargot! ~"Airy" Larry Who is BeauSoleil? Since forming in 1975, BeauSoleil has taken the tasty Louisiana Cajun traditions and artfully blend in dashes of zydeco, Tex-Mex, and New Orleans jazz. They've toured the U.S. and internationally, including stops at the Newport Folk Festival and the Kennedy Center. This year fiddler Michael Doucet with BeauSoleil won the 2009 Grammy for Best Zydeco or Cajun Music Album. NOTE: BeauSoleil is the first of several special guests that will be performing on the One Ocean CD. Stay tuned! Doug Dirt tells it like it is on TV While the Banana Slugs were on their 2009 Ohio tour in May, WHIO TV did a piece on the band. http://www.whiotv.com/video/19443667/index.html   Meeting Up With Jack Johnson! Click on pic for larger image Also in April, the Banana Slugs had the opportunity to join Jack Johnson at the 2009 Keiki Kokua Day on Oahu. Fellow musician Zach Gill (of ALO) also took part. As you probably know, Jack made the smash hit soundtrack for the CURIOUS GEORGE movie. In addition to putting out his beautiful music, Jack is dedicated to teaching youngsters about caring for the earth. He co-founded the Kokua Hawai'i Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting environmental education in the schools. Not surprisingly, the Banana Slugs and Jack found a lot in common. At this year’s Keiki Kokua Day, the artists honored the achievements of students in environmental education this year. Over 800 students, parents and teachers from 13 school groups attended the event which took place at the Polynesian Cultural Center. For more info on the day, check out Jack's website. Mahalo! From the Monterey Jazz Festival Notebook 2007 (http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=27429) The colorful Mr. Dirt (nee Greenfield) is part of the Banana Slug String Band, and he's getting his audience primed to help out in a song about decomposition—that's right, rot. Or more to the point, the process by which dirt is made. Soon the entire audience is hidden by a waving, snapping mess of arms—their movements a rhythmic simulation of organic decay—as the funky Slugs clomp through lyrics about bugs, bacteria and chemical breakdown. This is what the Slugs do, promoting environmental education through jazz, blues and rock-based ditties aimed primarily at kids. Plenty of tykes are on hand, but more than a few adults have joined the party too. …it's hard to leave the silly Banana Slugs, even if they are singing about rot.   2/2/2010 Love the free song [download] - thank you! I went to my first ever Kindergarten conference, and was so happy to see you there at lunch. When my own kids were little, we loved B.S.S.B., and all of us still remember great lines like the "estuary, salty and fresh", and other songs. The youngest, now 20, is a marine bio. major at Humboldt, and that's gotta reflect on your band's influence! Glad you're still out there, singing the good songs with as much energy as ever. The world is a better place because of the Banana Slug String Band. Melissa Holcomb Knights Ferry, CA     11/9/09 Hoys to all members of the band ... I used to work at UCSC up at the farm for Robbie Jaffe and the LASERS/Monterey Bay Science Project and even brought Doug and Larry down to Palm Springs in 2001 to headline Science Night at the California Science Teachers Association Conference that featured music (Slugs), forensic science via the Lawrence Hall of Science, and wonderful snacks. Now I am retired and live outside of Portland. At age 61, I am now raising my first child(ren): two to be exact. Foster kids, a brother and sister aged one and two. The first things I thought of after playing Mozart and Jerry Garcia for them on the stereo for two consecutive weeks were Slug tunes. So I came to the site to order a couple of CDs. Pass on my hellos and well-wishes. Scott Hays Oregon City, OR July 6, 2009 Dear Doug, Mark, Steve, and Larry, I thought I would share with you what my son did yesterday. He is 2, and until yesterday he has not reacted with any background music. He handed me a remote control (he wanted the TV on, but it was the control for the sound system), so I turned on disk #3 which happened to be a Banana Slug CD. I don't think he has heard any of your songs since the festival in May (no offense). But the album starts out with the dirt monologue which says "...and pour yourself a glass of milk, which by the way did you know, it comes from..." and, out of the blue, he shouts "DIRT"! Right on cue. During that song, he pointed to his cup and exclaimed "Juice. Dirt." And if that wasn't fun enough to watch, the next song Banana Slug, he would shout "slug." Then he danced with the animals, saying "hawk." And song after song, even when I thought he was playing and not listening any longer would raise his arms in the air, with a cute smile on his face blurt out "lizards!" just like we do at the festival. Then today, he gave me the remote control again, this time knowing it went to the radio and asked for his Slugs. Hope your Fourth of July was enjoyable. A Friend in Ohio   June 18, 2009 Hi, I just saw an advertisement for your band on the SF Library website. It brought back fond memories of taking my kids to your shows when the band was fairly new. My youngest truly grew up with your music - in fact his first recognizable song, sung at Thanksgiving dinner when he was 16 months old was "na na na na" which we immediately recognized as the Banana Slug song! We have many of your early releases (on cassette, no less) plus song books and coloring books (somewhere) and great memories of seeing you perform up in the foothills, in Santa Cruz, and at Brittan Acres School in San Carlos (I was the one who arranged your visit). We were quite the BSSB groupies as all three of my kids loved those albums. Haven't thought of your band in years so it was fun to see that you are still out there performing. That child who sang your song at such an early age turned 21 yesterday! Best wishes, Cathy May 19, 2009 Thank you so much for the fun concert last week! The kids really enjoyed the concert (so did the adults). The principal played the "Water Cycle Boogie" over the PA the day after the concert (before announcements and the pledge). Some of my students looked at me like I lost my mind as I danced around the room singing. Diane Cooke Circleville City Schools Circleville, Ohio April 2, 2009 I love the music [Wings of Slumber] – so creative and beautiful. A great alternative to the overdone typical lullabyes. Katie Clancy March 2009 Hey Banana Slug String Band, I'm now a college student and far away, but I vividly remember going to a few of your concerts in Santa Cruz when I was 5 or 6. I recently was talking to a friend about eco-bands and brought up your name; I was delighted to be able to find you on YouTube! The giant water-drop suit brings back great memories of dancing around singing at the top of my lungs when I was little. Thanks so much for existing with such exuberance! Erica February 2009 "I work at the Memphis Pink Palace Museum in Memphis, TN.  I am researching water conservation for an upcoming exhibit that will coincide with our showing the movie Grand Canyon: River At Risk on our giant IMAX screen.  What I do is curate a room called the Discovery Room that teaches concepts from the movie for schoolchildren. (We are the big destination for field trips here in West Tennessee.)  I saw your video for the Water Cycle song on YouTube and loved it!  It is great!  It is very catchy and fun. As an amateur musician, I was up out of my chair in my office doing the dance. I wondered if I can get that on a DVD to play in our Discovery Room?  We like to incorporate video/audio elements as well as our hands on activities." Cathleen Triplett    Education Department    Memphis Pink Palace Museum    3050 Central Avenue    Memphis, TN. 38111 June 2008  I really enjoy the message this CD (Dirt Made My Lunch) conveys. It's excellent for teaching children about the environment and the things living in it. We sing these songs at camp and the children, age 3-14, all join in. If you are looking for a slly, fun, catchy, educational CD then this is it. ITunes customer review February 15, 2008 My daughter (17 months) loves, loves, loves this DVD. It is the only video we feel good about letting her watch. As a science teacher myself, I am thrilled to provide her the opportunity to learn such valuable information at such a young age, while being entertained! And to support such an inspirational and talented group as the Banana Slugs! Taletha February 11, 2008 Hey, you guys are awesome. I used a couple of your songs when I was working as a Nature Camp counselor this past summer. The kids especially loved "Dirt Made My Lunch"! They sang it all the time, and the concept really stuck in their heads – they talked about it as they ate their lunches! Keep up the awesome work. Eileen Patrick From the California Kindergarten Association 2009 Conference (January 17, 2008): I just love music, nature and animals. You're great! Geronima Carino Belvedere-Tiburon Child Care Center I love you guys! I've been enjoying your songs since Strawberry Blue Grass years ago. Michelle Frost Our Savior Lutheran Preschool, Fremont, CA June 9, 2008 Dear Banana Slug Band, Thank you very much for coming to our school to sing us songs. My favorite song was "Dirt Made My Lunch" because I had no idea all foods came from dirt. The other song that I liked was "The 6 Plant Parts that Plants and People Need," which is because I really like nature; so I learned something new. I also liked the big Banana Slug dance (but I knew that it was Mr. James) so it was even more funny to see a teacher jumping up and down because teachers don't usually do that. Thanks, Rohith Treeview Elementary School, Hayward,CA. October 2007 Dear Slugs, My son Quinn, now age 5, recently adopted "Slumber" [Wings of Slumber] as his favorite lullaby CD. He turns it on in the night when he gets scared or needs comfort. Last night, he needed lots of comfort. I had to climb into bed with him and we heard it 3 times in a row from 4 a.m. on... Now, that's not normally how I like to be immersed in music -- a bit on the Guatanamo side of things -- but I just wanted to give a shout out for wonderful melodies, and the feel of the album. Your melodies are really sublime, and varied enough to keep the whole CD afloat, listen after listen. Thanks for the good work! Kind regards, Gunnar Madsen Berkeley, CA June, 2006 - Dear Slugs, I guess it was to be expected that I am about to graduate with a university degree in Environmental Education. When I think back to my childhood, the soundtrack is filled with your music and the Grateful Dead's! There was no escaping my destiny. Thanks for being such a positive influence. Love, Jenna Amberg-Johnson. April, 2006 - Hello Slugs! I teach Kindergarten at Overfield Early Childhood Program in Troy, OH, and we just returned from spending the day with you at Garbary's Big Woods in Piqua. Thank you, thank you for an incredible day. We all had so much fun and you gave usmany provocations for further investigation and conversation at school. Last week after finishing our tree costumes, we had a conversation about trees, and one of the chidlren asked, "Why do trees grow so tall?" and another child answered, "Because they have to be taller than people and taller than buildings. People and buildings can't be the tallest things." They understand. Thank you for the work you do. Thank you formentioningthat your salads were made from organic vegetables. Thank you for getting kids and adults excited to sing about nature. Thank you for making it cool to love dirt. Thank you fortalking about the ways that the earth gives to us and the ways that we can give to the earth. It really touched me see the kids singing things like, "Everything needs a home," and "...I give shade to the people of the world." Let's hope that they continue to remember the words to these songs and keep their convictions alive as they grow older. With great appreciation, Jenny Sammons April, 2006 - Dear Doug, Larry, Steve & Mark, On behalf of the entire Monarch Community, I wish to thank you all for your help in putting on a fund raiser for Monarch last weekend. Your concert, as always, was filled with brilliantly written and performed songs of great educational value to children. It is so inspiring to see them learn so much in such a fun, engaging and developmentally appropriate fashion. Your music is irresistible to adults as well, and your performances are thoroughly enjoyed by people of all ages. All of you are masters at bringing the essential messages to young people of learning to care for the earth, themselves, and each other. You also teach them to recognize the cycles of nature, and the qualities and roles of plants and animals in our ecosystems, in such a playful and inclusive way! -- Thank you all for being shining example of what we can be and teach when our imaginations and hearts are set free. Warmly yours, Gail Swain, Monarch Community School Development Coordinator

 

WHILE ON THE WATER CYCLE BOOGIE TRAIL at Charleston Falls Preserve, Bethel elementary third-graders found a slug with a water droplet. Casey Seale, 8, (left) and Leigh Anne Alexander get a closer look. Park district board salutes educator honored by state Also approves grant applications By NANCY BOWMAN Miami County Bureau TROY — The Miami County Park District board recognized an award-winning environmental educator Monday, while agreeing to seek grants for more educational programs. The board saluted Cinda Hanbuch-Pinkerton, who recently won the Environmental Education Council of Ohio's award for Out- standing Environmental Educator in a Non-Formal Setting for her Hug The Earth with the Banana Slug String Band project. The program combines class- room learning, including songs about the environment and making costumes, along with the Slug band concerts. Hanbuch-Pinkerton said the award "is the entire park staff's honor" because of their cooperation and willingness to try programs. The park board looked favorably on two applications for grants to help pay for proposed educational programs focusing on watersheds and gardens. A request for around $200,000 over three years will be filed with the National Science Foundation for a schools gardens project. An application for $50,000 will be filed with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for use as start-up money for a community watershed environmental education effort. The watershed project proposal is being done in conjunction with the Honeycreek Watershed committee. The land drained by Honey Creek — much of eastern Miami County including parts of Bethel, Elizabeth, Lostcreek and Staunton townships as well as portions of western Clark and Champaign counties — make up the watershed. "I guess my attitude is if you don't ask, you don't get," board President John Wannemacher said of the grant applications. Hanbuch-Pinkerton told the board that additional program will require the hiring of another environmental educator. Board member Terry Netzley said an expanded environmental education program was among goals in the district's successful campaign last year for more tax dollars. Cinda Hanbuch-Pinkerton (right) teaches a group of Bethel elementary third-graders a lesson on water cycles. They are trying to stand on a small pallet to form a water droplet (oxygen and hydrogen), while on the Water Cycle Boogie Trail at Charleston Falls Preserve. Hanbuch-Pinkerton recently won the Outstanding Environmental Educator in a Non-Formal Setting award.

Fan Mail... August 8, 2002 Dear Slugs, Well, What can I say? After all these years, you simply must already know how terrific you all are! Our ocean-themed summer reading program sure got off to a rollicking start with you guys on board! Great music, great message, silliness, humor, surprises and more! You are a dream program for any school or library. You have our heartfelt gratitude for visiting Pleasanton. Hope your tour was a huge success. You deserve it! - Sue Jones, Library Assistant, Children's Services, City of Pleasanton, CA Irie greetings from sunny Jamaica to all you Slugs. Your vibes are powerful and uplifting. Thanks for touching me and many others as you have so profoundly done. Please come again and as soon as possible... I can't tell you how fast your music is finding a place in the hearts and life of all the children and adults alike who I have shared them with. No other song have I ever played for children has the power of ANIMAL PARTY. Now everytime I walk into school everyone wants to know if I have your CDs with me, so now I have them with me at all time... I am at Prep and Kindergarten for three days per week and two days at the high school. The high schoolers keep asking me about "Dirt made my lunch". I get high on singing all the slugs songs but none moves me like "Walking in the Grand Tetons" It is just so uplifting. Thanks for that beautiful rendition. As always.........ONE LOVE..... Esther Norman, Jamaica

March 2003. Dear Slugs, You are right up there with Paul Simon and the Beatles as far as I am concerned! Your music is inspiring and I use it to drive everything that I teach. As I teach, I think "geez, they must have a song about this somewhere and sure enough you do! From myself and my current and future classes: Thank you for being wonderful! - Jennifer Gaylord Dear Slugs-WAAAAAAYYYYYY back in 1993 I attended an environmental ed conference in Stevens Point, WI. On the last day, we were allowed to bring our children along to hike the nature trails and attend a performance of The Banana Slugs. It has become one of the most treasured experienced my daughter Rhyannon and I have shared. We bought your "Dancing with the Earth" video. I teach second grade and show the video for Earth Day every year. At home, we also view it every Earth Day AND whenever it is Mom's turn to pick a video! While we will never be as awesome as the Slugs, we sure can do a mean "Water Cycle Boogie" when we get going! In our school viewings, "Dirt Made My Lunch" amuses the kids and is second only to "Butts Up" which is THE favorite. Keep up the good work-you will continue to touch us through your video as long as the tide keeps pooling-twice a day! In the Spirit of feeling the rhythm of the earth, dancing the song of life,Brenda Werner (Rhyannon, Noah, Reese, and Nehemiah, too) P.S. It is said that most people leave this world with their music still inside of them-Thank you for helping our family get their music out! We would like to thank Live Earth Farms for providing our families beautiful, organic produce. If you would like to receive a weekly box of this earthy delights call 831-763-2448.

ECO-MUSICIANS "GOIN' WILD" WITH NATIONAL ACCLAIM Banana Slugs Slither to New Heights! (Santa Cruz, CA - May 24, 2000) The Banana Slug String Band, a talented group of teachers who helped pioneer the art of children's edu-tainment, has wiggled its way to the top with a new album. Their latest of nine recordings, Goin' Wild was recently honored with two prestigious national awards: The Association for Independent Music 2000 (Indie) Award, and the National Parks Service Audio Interpretive Excellence Award. Created to honor the magnificent flora, fauna and geology of Grand Teton and Yellowstone parklands, Goin' Wild quickly caught the attention of the National Park Service. In March, it garnered the N.P.S. Audio Interpretive Excellence Award, with enthusiastic judges declaring: "This (album) is a winner! Environmental stories set to toe-tapping music * Well-produced and provocative * Clear, funny and insightful * Content is great * Well Done!" It wasn't long before the Association for Independent Music took note. In May, the Slugs received the Indie Award for Best Children's Recording of 2000, joining a roster of past winners that include Taj Mahal and Sweet Honey in the Rock. Written on location in Wyoming, Goin' Wild vividly captures the wonders of the Yellowstone and Teton areas. "We owe a lot of our success to the sheer beauty of the land," remarked Slug artist/manager Larry Graff. "It was incredibly inspiring to compose music in the midst of all that grandeur." Although it is aimed at children, Goin' Wild , like all Banana Slugs recordings, is artfully crafted for wide appeal. "Traveling from reggae to western swing, the Slugs exhibit sophistication that will impress even us adult types," writes Music editor Yvette Cadeaux of Pulse! Magazine. Cadeaux awards a four star rating for this "hick and hip album with a Parliament-Funkadelic-meets-Hee-Haw ambience."

Super Stuff!!!!!!! Our Third Grade ordered quite a few of your products with some Title I funds made available recently. We are very impressed!!!!! Kids and we teachers LOVE the video. With all the recent brain research, the music, movement, etc. are just what we needed to help teach the Virginia Standards of Learning!!!!! We plan to share this info at a PAT Parent/Teacher/Child Interaction night that we hold annually. We were wondering if you could send us about 50 or more pamphlets describing your products with price lists, etc. to make available to the parents that night. We plan to share your web site address, but most of our students do NOT have computers at home. We are going to play and show your products too. That video should sell itself!!! Love it!!!!!! The date for the workshop is Mon., March 27, so we'll need them by that date. Thanks so much in advance!!!!!!!! Keep those songs coming!!! Make some more videos!!!!!!!! Andrea Borrell Bessie Weler Elem. School 600 Greenville Ave. Staunton, VA 24401

Your art can be on the web! If you have a drawing about the Slugs or living on the earth you would like to share on this web page, please send them by mail to: The Banana Slug String Band WEB PAGE P.O. Box 2262 Santa Cruz, CA 95063 Sorry, we cannot return drawings.

HELP WANTED!! We Banana Slugs are always open to some help with promoting our band. We are looking for a college student to intern with us for the position of PR person, publicist, or in marketing. Please contact us via email at Slugs@bananaslugstringband.com. Dear Doug, Larry, Steve & Mark,, Thank you for your hard work and dedication to the Goin' Wild project. It was truly a pleasure to work with you! We are looking forward to seeing you back in Jackson sometime soon. Happy Sprint! Fondly, Elaine Partridge Dear Doug   Oct. 30, 1998 The BSSB's performance at the North Bay Family Expo was fabulous! Thank you for such an entertaining, educational and fun show. The BSSB's outstanding reputation clearly helped to make this event our most well-attended and successful fundraisers. In addition to being talented musicians with a sincere commitment to environmental education, the group's collective qualities of reliability, flexibility and cooperation made it a pleasure to work with you. We truly appreciate your support of CPI. Sincerely, Doreen Miller California Parenting Institute Santa Rosa, CA

Resources for families and teachers: SPECTRA California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Family resource for SF Bay area Edu-tainment Acorn Naturalists: Teacher resource for science/gardening Songs For Teaching Website, a Teacher resource for educational music of all sorts: Recycle City Save Our Shores http://saveourshores.org/ The Pumpkin Circle

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The Banana Slug String Band endorses:
Dean Markley strings,
Ernie Ball strings
and proudly plays Vintage Ernie Ball Acoustic Guitar Bass and Santa Cruz Guitar Co. guitars.

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