Dear Dar,

Happy Birthday! In honor of your birthday this year I donated money to Oxfam for tsunami relief. Oxfam has people on the ground all over the world giving direct services to people in need, and played a big part in the first-responder help after the tsunami. Hope your birthday is wonderful!

Sally Green Heaven

Well, its that time of year again seems like time has flown by since the last Dar Birthday Project. In honor of you and your birthday, I decided that I would help support by volunteering for the Ringwood Library Music Series.

You played there in June 2004 and seemed taken by the space and Library setting. You also seemed to like the people who ran the Concert Series and as it was one of your first performances with Stephen in tow, you seemed to be able to rehearse balancing motherhood and getting back to shows. So because this space seemed to mean something to you and like all those little not for profit venues and coffeehouses that you played along the way, i decided to help them and have volunteered their shows since then..

Just because I can, i am throwing in a shift at WFUV during April's fund drive. I chose Rits Houston's shift because she was one of the first to recognize your work in the NYC area...and HEY any station that has your parents as members cant be all bad..

So Dar once again, Happy birthday... Make the best of the day and may you get all the gifts that you deserve. May your expectations be surpassed and may all your dreams be realized.

take care of you
sharon

Hello, my name is Vincent Scarpa. I am 14 and live in New Jersey. For your birthday, I did 30 hours of service at the United Way of Greater Cumberland County in your name. Happy Birthday and all the blessings.

Vincent Scarpa

Hey, Dar -

As usual, I wasn't sure exactly how I'd be contributing to your birthday project this year - as has also been the case, the perfect answer came to me just in time... :-)

Many know the story (and I've posted to the Dar-list) of how I came to meet songwriter Rachel Bissex in 1998 during her visit to South Florida - one of our first points of connection was my thrill to hear you did harmony vocals on her song Royal Blues... but we quickly found other similarities which over time led to what I'm honored to call friendship...

Rachel's diagnosis of breast cancer in 2003 and her subsequent recent death (2/20/05) at the age of 48 was devastating to me - I must admit I'm still trying to come to terms with the physical extinguishing of her white-hot flame...

Rachel's final wish was that her children Emma and Matt would complete college - enter the folk community (fans, performers and businesses), with Vic Heyman organizing the steering committee, and a tribute CD project (Remembering Rachel--The Songs of Rachel Bissex) is the result, to be released this July 21.

Dar, thanks to you among many other wonderful performers (Tracy Grammer, The Kennedys, Catie Curtis, Ruthie Foster, Jennifer Kimball, Greg Greenway and Tret Fure... that I know of) for recording Rachel's songs at your own expense for inclusion on the CD - other donated services are Tom Prasada-Rao - producer; Oasis - manufacturing; Airshow - mastering; CD Baby - distribution; Hostbaby - hosting; Ellen Bukstel/Design Workshop Group, Inc. - designing; and SONiA - an original painting for a commemorative poster.

When details were posted, I went to www.rachelbissex.org and immediately preordered one... then went back a few days later to order 6 more to give as gifts - this project not only showcases Rachel's talents as a songwriter/musician but embodies the generosity of spirit for which Rachel was legendary... and which will remain her legacy...

Rachel's impact on me and so many others is timeless, endless and priceless - "she teaches me about the joy and the desperation in music" indeed...

Happy Birthday, Dar! - thanks for all you do for your friends, your fans and your community... <3

Susan Moss