Mike Laureanno - Dreaming of Hassan Playing

“One of the remarkable features of the Bible is how often it tells the story of the other, or the outsider," notes Mike Laureanno about his new call for compassion for the children of war, "Dreaming of Hassan Playing." "It gives a voice to the voiceless, and makes us see through different eyes. Each side has its own story, and we do not betray either side by listening to the story of the other. The narrator of this story or song is a Palestinian child but it could well be an Israeli child, a Ukrainian child, your child or mine. Children don't start wars. Children are a sacred group of the civilian population. In the interest of time and simplicity I decided to record the song using just my voice and my guitar. I was going for the FAST FOLK approach."

Laureanno served twelve years as the bass player for the legendary New York City FAST FOLK Musical Magazine founder, Jack Hardy. The skilled recording engineer, producer, and veteran sideman hails from Fall River, MA, an old mill-town infamous for its axe wielding resident Lizzie Borden and famous for its chow mein sandwiches and pork pies. A passionate performer, Mike's songs are visceral and evocative. He is proud of his roots, and many of his songs deal with his gritty blue collar hometown and the lives of his family and friends. A 2016 Kerrville New Folk finalist, he is a winner of the 2017 Wildflower, TX songwriting contest and the 2016 Woody Guthrie songwriting contest. ​Mike has released four albums to date: Pushing Back Wintertime (2013), Road Signs (2015), Tightrope (2017), and I Come from Fall River (2021).