Comments on: Brother Blue, Cambridge’s Street Storyteller, Dead At 88

By: Ravenhammer

Ravenhammer — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 04:27:00 +0000

My heart bleeds, this loss can not be measured, the world is a sadder darker place without him. Good journey Brother.

By: Piano Man Larry Hunt

Piano Man Larry Hunt — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 17:45:00 +0000

Part 1. Brother Blue was a spiritually advanced person. A unique performance artist full of Love and compassion which radiated from him. Here’s my story of Blue: I moved to Boston in 1976 when I was 21. For a few months I experienced seeing a diverse group of street performers in Harvard Square in Cambridge: acrobats, musicians, actors, clowns – you name it. One afternoon I saw Brother Blue and thought “now this is the strangest person I’ve seen out here yet”. As a listened to him and watched him I realized how he profound, unique and beautiful he was. Soon I was mezmerized by him and so was everyone else there. His semi-spomtaneous and improvised stories captivated people of ALL ages.

By: phyllis taub greenleaf

phyllis taub greenleaf — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:53:47 +0000

When I became a clown, a 4 year old boy gave me the name Sister Green. Then I met brother blue telling stories in Harvard Square……Later still Sister Green clowned at Brother Blue’s story gatherings……Blue and Ruth became personal friends of mine….At my 41st birthday party Blue improvised a magical tale about Sister Green the Rainbow woman…..Im crying now realizing that Blue is no longer alive…..and Im remembering being in Blue’s Story telling class at the Harvard Divinity School…Before class, Blue would wash all of our feet with warm water…
He blessed us with his enormous heart and deep universal inclusive human spirit….I treasure all the times I got to be with Brother Blue and Ruth.

By: Ralph Palasek, Arlington, Virginia

Ralph Palasek, Arlington, Virginia — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 01:49:47 +0000

Decades ago in Denver, Colorado I was astounded and captivated by a street-wise hipster tellling a fairy tale version of MacBeth on Public Radio. Just recently, in the weeks before Thanksgiving I was searching the web unsuccessfully for “Mister Blue” or “Father Blue” to reconnect with the man who brought me such a profound human experience of Shakespeare’s bloody warrior king. This morning on Public Radio, during a program on Kwanza, I was informed of “Brother Blue’s” recent passing. Wow! When he told you a story, you were sure to keep it–always.

By: Bill Wraith

Bill Wraith — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:13:46 +0000

Around 1976 or so, I was on a bus crossing the Harvard Bridge from Cambridge to Boston late at night, around 1AM, with my girlfriend at the time, Debbie. I was a student at MIT, and my girlfriend was a student at Wellesley. We just happened to sit next to Brother Blue and Ruth. He immediately engaged us in a conversation. Somehow, it came out I played classical guitar, and he wanted me to play a piece, Estrellita, by Manuel Ponce, on his radio show, while he made up a story. We did exactly that. I can’t remember exactly when, but somewhere along the way before or after the show, he visited my fraternity house, where he had a dozen of my fellow fraternity brothers fully engaged listening to a story or two, his storytelling philosophy, ideas about oral history, examining his “Rainbow Book” of empty colored pages. Engineering people we were, but we enjoyed his visit, his stories, and his momentary but heartfelt friendship. I’ve never forgotten him or Ruth after all this time. He was a wonderful entertainer and storyteller, and he exuded intelligence, warmth, and friendship.

By: Karen L

Karen L — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:10:09 +0000

I met Brother Blue in a small library in Cambridge, MA. He had a direct impact on my life. By making going to the library on days he was there, he showed all of us (children) that reading could really be fun. The stories he told were always interesting, thought provoking and often funny. He was loved by many and his legacy lives through all of those who knew him and those yet to know him. I know I will carry his spirit with me and pass it on as I can. I am in Arizona and work in a school. Story time is important to the special ed kids I work with.
Bless Brother Blue and deepest sympathy to Mrs Hill.

By: Covalence2

Covalence2 — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 21:02:26 +0000

Blue and Ruth were the sunshine in any day. I was going through difficult times at one point, and he somehow knew and started one of his “just for you” stories, in the middle of the Square, that lanced the pain and brought both tears and smiles after.

We both had “street IDs” and he would always smile when he saw me otherwise attired, as if we shared a secret.

I have always thought of Ruth as “St. Ruth” for her sure hand on the tiller of their shared lives. Bless them both.

By: Cynthia Cohen

Cynthia Cohen — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:27:49 +0000

During the decade of the 80′s I directed the Oral History Center based in Cambridge. Ruth Hill was the chair of our board, and she and Brother Blue faithfully attended monthly meetings for the whole ten years I worked there. Brother Blue’s contributions, if sometimes quirky, were always poetic, and always nudged us back toward the highest purposes of our project. His loving and gentle philosophical flights were balanced by Ruth’s patient and steadfast groundedness. They were bedrocks of the Center’s work in Cambridge communities and schools. I’m sure all those who participated in The Center over those many years would join me in holding Blue’s spirit in the light of our gratitude, and in sending Ruth our love.
Cindy Cohen

By: Chandu Shah

Chandu Shah — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:12:26 +0000

Brother Blue was an integral part of Harvard University Sanskrit Department Outreach activities and lecture series as well as annual Indian poetry reading sessions conducted by Prof. Bijoy Misra; He was a family to all of us. We will miss his presence and blessings at all our future meets.- Chandu Shah_poet.

By: Tony Toledo

Tony Toledo — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 20:54:19 +0000

Requiem for Blue by Tony Toledo

He was the original Blue man.
He was the Street Poet.
He was the Holy Fool.
Story made flesh.
A heart open to the world.

A timeless minstrel.
Finder of the one true note.
A happy accident.
A knee jerk flirt.
Nonlinear in a funny sort of linear way.

Born a grown man fully clothed.
Ageless and energetic.
In love with his lady, his angel.
Way way beyond beyond a free spirit.

Once upon a time ago, once upon a rhyme ago…
Harmonica’s mournful wail ago
Degrees in his pocket
stories on his tongue

Arms open wide
Hugging the world
How the world hugs him.

Now he lives in the wind.
Now he travels in the shade.
Romeo, Romeo where art thou?

Now his stories echo, echo, echo.
A bit of Blue in every word.
Fly on, Blue, fly on.

A butterfly on the breeze.
Such a kiss lasts forever.

By: Guy Davis

Guy Davis — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:36:23 +0000

BROTHER BLUE 7 November 2009

I first saw Brother Blue in 1979 at the Cambridge River Arts Festival. I was playing an acoustic guitar atop the kiosk in Harvard Square, when I saw, on the street below me, a peculiarly dressed fellow. He was dressed in Blue from head to foot, with ribbons and balloons tied to his arms and legs. He was an older man but not like others. He had a lean, youthful muscularity and a smile that shone like the sun. The word “charisma”, comes to mind. In his hand was a tamborine which he began to tap as I played. Something about him made me want to be near him. The next thing I knew, he was up on top of the kiosk with me. That’s when I noticed his feet were bare. We became fast friends. I met his darling wife Ruth later.
Sometimes, his voice sounded like Louie Armstrong. His stories enchanted me. My favorite story was “Muddy Duddy”. Many years later I got to tell that story to a group of folks at the United Nations.
Godspeed, my mentor, my master, my friend Brother Blue. Bittersweet tears fall from the middle of the middle of my heart. Oceans of love traveling through my fingers go to Blue’s Missus; Ruth, my ma.

Love always,
“Muddy Duddy”
Guy Davis

By: Jeanne Marie Penvenne

Jeanne Marie Penvenne — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:54:54 +0000

Hugh Hill, Brother Blue, and his beloved wife Ruth Hill brought color, warmth, art and word play to many generations in Pittsfield, Cambridge and well beyond. I was blessed to know them both since the mid-1960s.

I smile to think I was at first a bit afraid and intimidated by Brother Blue — he helped me laugh, have fun and play. Ruth was the center of his marvelously rich life, may she always be surrounded by love. JmP

By: Curious

Curious — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:50:32 +0000

My mother used to take my sister & me from the ‘burbs to see Brother Blue perform whenever/wherever possible. Later, I got to dance with him at a Sacred Dance Guild conference.
Love for Brother Blue was something that brought diverse people together. Being a Brother Blue fan is like being a member of a magical club.

By: Fred Austere

Fred Austere — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:33:36 +0000

I first encountered Brother Blue in the lobby of Norhteastern’s Blackmun Auditorium before a perfoemance by Sun Ra’s Arkestra. He was performing a retelling of “Romeo and Juliet” with John Gilmore (Sun Ra’s longtime tenor sax player) providing accompaniment. I came in midway through and have no idea how it started, but there were a couple dozen of us standing around in rapt attention. When the doors opened and the audience filed in, Brother Blue was in the seat next to me. I said “that was fantastic” or words to that effect, and he graciously thanked me and we watched the show. It was maybe four or five months later and I saw Brother Blue performing in Harvard Square. I sat down on that big cement bench at the corner of Bratlle Street, joining the maybe four of five other people watching. As he was deciding which story to do next, Brother Blue pointed at me and said “we’ve met before, haven’t we?” I replied “Yes, at the Sun Ra concert” “That’s right” he replied. He started to do Romeo and Juliet but then looked at me and said “Oh, wait, you’ve heard this before” and went into something else. It was always a pleasure to stop and listen for any length of time. Even just passing him and his wife in the street brought a smile.

By: Andrew Phelps

Andrew Phelps — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 16:43:39 +0000

This story’s comments thread made it into our inaugural “Your Voice” segment on Morning Edition: http://www.wbur.org/2009/11/11/your-voice

By: Roseann

Roseann — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:22:32 +0000

Thanks for this great tribute to a great man who I saw often when I passed through Harvard Square on my way home to Arlngton. Thank you Brother Blue and your loving wife Ruth for all the kindness and peace you brought into the world. Rest in Peace.

By: Dora Kalajian Tevan

Dora Kalajian Tevan — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:12:54 +0000

I’ll never forget the car ride with my Dad and you and Ruth, and how you brought lightness, laughter, and respect to a 60 hour a week Harvard Square Meat Cutter, how he was overjoyed to share you with me as I was starting my brotherhood work, how you lived in the moment and spontaneously made up affirming rhymes. Your realness and ability to present heavy topics in the most feather-soft ways opened people’s hearts. Brother Blue, the Ethnic Arts children and I live out your dreams when we are grateful and live in the moment, just as babies do. Bring and receive joy with my Papa in heaven.

By: David D

David D — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:55:08 +0000

I first met Brother Blue outside the WBZ TV studio in the 70s when he had a TV program on Channel 4. I was a child and his Blue clothing and the balloons he tied to himself fascinated me. As I grew older, I would see him in Harvard Square now and then and I would listen to him. I remember one evening that he and a colleague stood in the square and his colleague recited a Shakespeare play verbatim, while Brother Blue Riffed on the play and together the told the whole play.

Many years went by before I met him again. I was attending a healing circle in Bedford and Ruth and Brother Blue also attended. On the birth of my daughter, Brother Blue made a tape of a story for her which is very special to me and my daughter.

You will be missed Brother Blue, but whenever I see a butterfly, or walk through Harvard Square I will be reminded of you and your gift to us all. Thank you.

By: eric

eric — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 12:55:05 +0000

What a great loss. My brother and I remember him standing on a snowbank in the square after the blizzard of ’78, a slender tower of intelligence and humor and humanity. We will miss him.

By: Kathryn Mannyng

Kathryn Mannyng — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:33:33 +0000

Sorry to hear of his passing. I already moved away, and missed seeing him at the Harvard Square Post Office, or on the street, or waiting for the T. Cambridge won’t be the same.