Rebecca Harper

SAG-AFTRA actor, Composer, Musician, Music Director

header photo

Blog Posts

Mr. Demille . . . I'm ready . . .

So, during the pandemic, my friend Francie called me. She said a producer needed two SAG-AFTRAns to record a Christmas song. We went to Akron Recording Company (ARC) and met Chris Butler, who wrote Christmas Wrapping in his band The Waitresses. Patty Donahue, the wonderful lead singer, passed away i…

Read more

Dining in the Backyard

September  . . . and I'm not giving up on summer quite yet. We are still dining al fresco (weather permitting) on the terrace. (Doesn't that sound more glamorous than having breakfast in the backyard?) Right now, a cool breeze is finding its way through the ravine corridor, the trees are rustling an…

Read more

And here we are

So, it's nearly a year since we've been sheltered-in. I feel lucky that I can still work - both in and out of home - and that I still remember how to drive. Because if you've not driven for a few weeks (like last March, when I had the flu for 2 weeks) it can get sketchy. I now understand how people …

Read more

Nine Months of Quarantine

I would never have imagined - that in a pandemic - I would be the musician still performing live every week, singing and playing. It's slightly surreal. I appreciate the time to hone my craft, the moments we get to spend in a recording studio, more time to compose. We are exploring more virtual perf…

Read more

A Whiff of History


Ok, this sounds strange, but I got to smell George Washington yesterday.

Picture this: You are in Philadelphia in 1787 at a lively party. You’ve had a glass of Madeira, and several glasses of the spiked fruit punch-1. The musicians are playing, the crowd is rowdy and suddenly you find yoursel…

Read more

Who doesn't love a blog?

I love to write. I must thank my dear and beloved friend, Beth Segal, who first convinced me to become a writer. (A good friend is a tremendous blessing - especially one who knows you better than you know yourself!) One of my first published musings was for The Plain Dealer. It was a story about the…

Read more

Confirmation 2023

The Ordination of Bishop Michael G. Woost August 4, 2022

What an exciting day! Jim and I were honored to sing for Bishop Mike's ordination. And I can't help but think that Norine and Carl were standing there, hand in hand, very proud of ALL their boys!

Musings

Mr. Demille . . . I'm ready . . .

So, during the pandemic, my friend Francie called me. She said a producer needed two SAG-AFTRAns to record a Christmas song. We went to Akron Recording Company (ARC) and met Chris Butler, who wrote Christmas Wrapping in his band The Waitresses. Patty Donahue, the wonderful lead singer, passed away in 1996 of cancer.

Chris wanted to make Christmas Wrapping available commercially. We re-recorded the Christmas Wrapping song, and - fast forward - we are in THE TOMORROW WAR with Chris Pratt! Check out scene 2 - the Christmas party.

So exciting.

Dining in the Backyard

September  . . . and I'm not giving up on summer quite yet. We are still dining al fresco (weather permitting) on the terrace. (Doesn't that sound more glamorous than having breakfast in the backyard?) Right now, a cool breeze is finding its way through the ravine corridor, the trees are rustling and waving and dancing like anemones underwater, there's a soft melody from the wind chimes and visiting birds, and we hear the annoying rustle and scurry of many, many chipmunks.

I'm appreciating time at home and fortunate to be able to accomplish much work from home. Writing new music, recording, doing cross stitch, knitting new "Nonna washcloths" for Rachael and listening to podcasts with Jim.

And here we are

So, it's nearly a year since we've been sheltered-in. I feel lucky that I can still work - both in and out of home - and that I still remember how to drive. Because if you've not driven for a few weeks (like last March, when I had the flu for 2 weeks) it can get sketchy. I now understand how people lose their confidence. Practice makes perfect.

I love that my husband can work from home. I told him, "This will be your practice for retirement." Except that retirement will be more fun.

Nine Months of Quarantine

I would never have imagined - that in a pandemic - I would be the musician still performing live every week, singing and playing. It's slightly surreal. I appreciate the time to hone my craft, the moments we get to spend in a recording studio, more time to compose. We are exploring more virtual performances. Another opportunity to use technology in great ways.

Numbers of people testing positive are increasing every day. The number of COVID deaths have sky-rocketed. It's quite scary.

Stay safe, wear a mask, wash your hands. Stay home.

A Whiff of History


Ok, this sounds strange, but I got to smell George Washington yesterday.

Picture this: You are in Philadelphia in 1787 at a lively party. You’ve had a glass of Madeira, and several glasses of the spiked fruit punch-1. The musicians are playing, the crowd is rowdy and suddenly you find yourself standing behind a very tall, imposing man - at 6 feet, two inches he stands head and shoulders above everyone else. It’s General George Washington who will be elected the first President of the United States in just two years. He will most likely have his wife, Martha Custis Washington-2 by his side, and he’ll be tapping his feet, ready to dance a minuet as soon as he hears one.

He’s most probably dressed in brown wool, with matching breeches that end fashionably at the knee and white stockings-3, and suddenly you catch a hint of fragrance wafting away from him. You lean forward, inhale, and smell the fresh scent of a gentleman in the 18th century: lavender with citrus-y orange mingled with other aromatics. How do we know it’s Caswell Massey’s Number Six cologne? Because the cologne first landed on the market in 1780 and George Washington presented a bottle as a gift to the Marquis de Lafayette, his good friend and loyal patriot fighting in the American Revolution-4. Lafayette fought with George at Valley Forge, and even managed to ward off an insurrection among George’s troops-5. Now, that’s a good friend, deserving a special gift just for getting through the war.

I’m a history buff. I love Williamsburg and Monticello. Even our Village is modeled after 19th century Connecticut Western Reserve architecture. How could I resist buying my darling husband a bottle of Number Six? How could I resist buying him TWO bottles of Number Six? This past Valentine’s Day, he spritzed some on, and smelled divine. So, my handsome James, George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette all have something in common.

And I got a whiff of history.


1 http://www.neatorama.com/2014/02/26/George-Washington-Knew-How-to-Party-Hard-Heres-His-Bar-Tab/

2 http://www.mountvernon.org/george-washington/martha-washington/george-marthas-courtship/

3 http://georgewashington.si.edu/portrait/dress.html

4 https://www.caswellmassey.com/products/number-six-cologne-spray-3-oz

5 http://www.ushistory.org/Valleyforge/served/lafayette.html

Who doesn't love a blog?

I love to write. I must thank my dear and beloved friend, Beth Segal, who first convinced me to become a writer. (A good friend is a tremendous blessing - especially one who knows you better than you know yourself!) One of my first published musings was for The Plain Dealer. It was a story about the Foote Family, who came from England to Ohio to farm in the fertile soil a few miles south of Lake Erie.