Bill Harley to release new album

Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter, storyteller, author and playwright Bill Harley will release The Best Candy in the Whole World on September 14th. With this new collection of stories and a little music, Harley reminds us of how a little kindness can bring magic to everyday life.

Harley’s trademark wit and wisdom shine in stories that take listeners on a journey filled with teachers who would rather eat candy than read, a boy who walks to the moon, another who hides in a peanut, a bird who talks and a girl who realizes that home is best after all. Each story begins with an average kid in an everyday situation. Pretty soon, strange and magical things start happening, usually after an act of kindness.

"While these stories are fantasy," says Harley, "I think what they say about the world is true; taking the time to help someone or enjoy the moment often leads to a magic we hadn't counted on.”

Two of the stories are Bill Harley originals, and the others are adapted from folktales from the British Isles, Africa and Appalachia.

Harley has earned international acclaim and numerous awards for his storytelling, music and books. Entertainment Weekly called him “the Mark Twain of contemporary children’s music,” but he’s just as accomplished as a storyteller and author. Two of his previous story recordings (Blah Blah Blah: Stories about Clams, Swamp Monsters, Pirates & Dogs and Yes to Running: Bill Harley Live) have won Grammy awards, and his novel Night of the Spadefoot Toads (Peachtree) was the recipient of the Green Earth Book Award.

This fall he will publish a new book called Between Home and School, a story told through the correspondence between a mother and her son's various teachers during his school career. Syndicated relationships columnist Amy Dickinson recommends the book to parents and educators, saying “All parents and teachers should let this book guide them toward the ideal way of talking to and about kids.”

Harley is a frequent keynote speaker at educational conferences and is currently writing another book about school culture.

Harley, whom the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities will honor with a Lifetime Achievement Award in October, is also a long-time contributor to NPR’s “All Things Considered.” Harley tours nationally, performing at venues ranging from vast concert halls to tiny classrooms.

Harley spent his formative years in Indianapolis before moving to Connecticut as a teenager. Today, the father of two grown sons resides with his wife, Debbie, near Providence, Rhode Island.

For the latest Bill Harley news, visit http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=30960543&msgid=432838&act=XHH0&c=277010&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.billharley.com%2F and his Facebook page.

The Best Candy in the Whole World … And Other Stories by Bill Harley
Track list
The Best Candy in the Whole World (20:42)
A Walk around the Block (5:20)
The Boy Who Hid in a Peanut (5:35)
Sillier Than You (10:44)
Jack and the Singing Leaves (25:40)

Details
Release date: September 14, 2010
Label: Round River Records
Suggested retail price: $14.99
Run time: 67 minutes
Availability: http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=30960543&msgid=432838&act=XHH0&c=277010&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.billharley.com%2F and various retailers nationwide