David LaMotte

Speaker • Author • Musician

David LaMotte

Citizen-Times Article

Jul 15, 2011
Asheville Citizen-Times, July 15, 2011 BLACK MOUNTAIN — Acclaimed singer-songwriter David LaMotte is finding his groove again. The 20-year touring veteran, who’s released 10 albums of melodic folk pop, took a break in 2008 to study international relations, peace and conflict resolution at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Upon returning to the states […]

Citizen-Times Article

by David LaMotte

Asheville Citizen-Times, July 15, 2011 BLACK MOUNTAIN — Acclaimed singer-songwriter David LaMotte is finding his groove again. The 20-year touring veteran, who’s released 10 albums of melodic folk pop, took a break in 2008 to study international relations, peace and conflict resolution at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. Upon returning to the states […]

Interdependence Day

Jul 3, 2011
9AM, Indianapolis, IN This weekend the nation celebrates Independence Day, and Deanna and I celebrate Interdependence Day. I asked her to marry me on the Fourth of July in 2003, late at night on a nearly empty stretch of sand in St. Augustine, Florida. Fireworks were going off north and south down the beach, but […]

Interdependence Day

by David LaMotte

9AM, Indianapolis, IN This weekend the nation celebrates Independence Day, and Deanna and I celebrate Interdependence Day. I asked her to marry me on the Fourth of July in 2003, late at night on a nearly empty stretch of sand in St. Augustine, Florida. Fireworks were going off north and south down the beach, but […]

A Bend in the Path

Jun 17, 2011
As I write, the window is open, letting the sticky summer air of Carolina drift in, disturbed by a ceiling fan stirring it around to keep me comfortable.  Sounds fall in that window as well — birds chirping and the low swell of the occasional car passing by. I took Mason to the diner across […]

A Bend in the Path

by David LaMotte

As I write, the window is open, letting the sticky summer air of Carolina drift in, disturbed by a ceiling fan stirring it around to keep me comfortable.  Sounds fall in that window as well — birds chirping and the low swell of the occasional car passing by. I took Mason to the diner across […]

My friend Edward

Apr 2, 2011
I was honored to play at a benefit concert for my buddy Edward Chapman Thursday night in Asheville, and it’s strange to see myself on Fox News… Edward was exonerated three years ago for a double murder. He spent fifteen years in prison, including thirteen on death row. He was the victim of suppression on […]

My friend Edward

by David LaMotte

I was honored to play at a benefit concert for my buddy Edward Chapman Thursday night in Asheville, and it’s strange to see myself on Fox News… Edward was exonerated three years ago for a double murder. He spent fifteen years in prison, including thirteen on death row. He was the victim of suppression on […]

Nobel Peace Prize – any ideas?

Mar 31, 2011
I am about to have my third meeting with the Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Committee of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).  What a privilege to spend time with these Quakers, twelve people from three continents. They are knowledgeable, committed and fascinating people, and our conversations are consistently compelling. The list of people and organizations […]

Nobel Peace Prize – any ideas?

by David LaMotte

I am about to have my third meeting with the Nobel Peace Prize Nomination Committee of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC).  What a privilege to spend time with these Quakers, twelve people from three continents. They are knowledgeable, committed and fascinating people, and our conversations are consistently compelling. The list of people and organizations […]

new web site!

Feb 10, 2011
Hi friends, I’m thrilled to announce that three months of work is finally done, and there is a new davidlamotte.com. You’ll notice quite a few new and different things on this site, and I hope you’ll enjoy poking around (please drop a note in the Guestbook to let us know what you think).  There’s an […]

new web site!

by David LaMotte

Hi friends, I’m thrilled to announce that three months of work is finally done, and there is a new davidlamotte.com. You’ll notice quite a few new and different things on this site, and I hope you’ll enjoy poking around (please drop a note in the Guestbook to let us know what you think).  There’s an […]

More pictures and news from Guatemala

Feb 1, 2011
More photos and stories from Guatemala, where I will be for the next few days, visiting schools and libraries which are supported by PEG Partners, the non-profit Deanna and I founded in 2004.... Read More →

More pictures and news from Guatemala

by David LaMotte

More photos and stories from Guatemala, where I will be for the next few days, visiting schools and libraries which are supported by PEG Partners, the non-profit Deanna and I founded in 2004…. Read More →

Back in Guatemala, Day 1

Jan 27, 2011
11:00 AM, January 26, 2011 In spite of dire warnings of another ice storm, the heavy weather did not materialize, and I woke at 3:15 this morning to find nothing more threatening than a light drizzle falling from the sky. I made it to the airport by 4:15, and left on time at 6 for […]

Back in Guatemala, Day 1

by David LaMotte

11:00 AM, January 26, 2011 In spite of dire warnings of another ice storm, the heavy weather did not materialize, and I woke at 3:15 this morning to find nothing more threatening than a light drizzle falling from the sky. I made it to the airport by 4:15, and left on time at 6 for […]

Some really old news…

Jan 19, 2011
While digging around for some content for this spiffy new web site, I came across a collection of some of my oldest blogs.   I discovered recently that I started blogging just a few weeks before the word “weblog,” from which “blog” is derived, was ever used.  Apparently, I was a proto-blogger. If you’re really stuck […]

Some really old news…

by David LaMotte

While digging around for some content for this spiffy new web site, I came across a collection of some of my oldest blogs.   I discovered recently that I started blogging just a few weeks before the word “weblog,” from which “blog” is derived, was ever used.  Apparently, I was a proto-blogger. If you’re really stuck […]

Down Under in March

Dec 22, 2010
I’m very much looking forward to getting back down to Australia in mid-March.  I’ve been invited to speak at a Rotary conference in the nation’s capitol, Canberra, and will go down a few days early in order to get back to Brisbane for a visit there, and possibly a concert as well.  It will be […]

Down Under in March

by David LaMotte

I’m very much looking forward to getting back down to Australia in mid-March.  I’ve been invited to speak at a Rotary conference in the nation’s capitol, Canberra, and will go down a few days early in order to get back to Brisbane for a visit there, and possibly a concert as well.  It will be […]

UQ graduate helps nominate Nobel Peace Prize candidates

Dec 21, 2010
This from the University of Queensland News: Recent UQ graduate and former Rotary World Peace Fellow David LaMotte has been appointed to a prestigious committee that selects Nobel Peace Prize nominees. Mr LaMotte graduated from UQ in June 2010 with a Master of International Studies (Peace and Conflict Resolution) and returned to the United States […]

UQ graduate helps nominate Nobel Peace Prize candidates

by David LaMotte

This from the University of Queensland News: Recent UQ graduate and former Rotary World Peace Fellow David LaMotte has been appointed to a prestigious committee that selects Nobel Peace Prize nominees. Mr LaMotte graduated from UQ in June 2010 with a Master of International Studies (Peace and Conflict Resolution) and returned to the United States […]

David LaMotte Visits O’Neal

Dec 20, 2010
The Pilot, Southern Pines, NC David LaMotte, folk artist and humanitarian, visited O’Neal on Thursday, Dec. 2. He spoke to the Upper School students in the afternoon about his life experience from being a professional folk singer to founding a nonprofit in Guatemala and furthering his humanitarian efforts as a recipient of the Rotary World […]

David LaMotte Visits O’Neal

by David LaMotte

The Pilot, Southern Pines, NC David LaMotte, folk artist and humanitarian, visited O’Neal on Thursday, Dec. 2. He spoke to the Upper School students in the afternoon about his life experience from being a professional folk singer to founding a nonprofit in Guatemala and furthering his humanitarian efforts as a recipient of the Rotary World […]

Back to Guatemala

Dec 18, 2010
I woke up early this morning — very early. I think it was due to too much caffeine yesterday. 4 AM was a good time to work on a few things with no chance of interruption, though, so I spent some time looking for plane tickets to Guatemala. I’ll be going back down to visit […]

Back to Guatemala

by David LaMotte

I woke up early this morning — very early. I think it was due to too much caffeine yesterday. 4 AM was a good time to work on a few things with no chance of interruption, though, so I spent some time looking for plane tickets to Guatemala. I’ll be going back down to visit […]

The Tortured Truth

Dec 10, 2010
The following article of mine first appeared on NCPolicyWatch.org, and has since been published in the and on Patheos. In recent days, the Internet has been abuzz with revelations brought to us by the latest “Wikileaks” disclosure. Thousands of leaked communiqués reveal various officials’ comments publicly, though they were originally intended to be private. Apologies, […]

The Tortured Truth

by David LaMotte

The following article of mine first appeared on NCPolicyWatch.org, and has since been published in the and on Patheos. In recent days, the Internet has been abuzz with revelations brought to us by the latest “Wikileaks” disclosure. Thousands of leaked communiqués reveal various officials’ comments publicly, though they were originally intended to be private. Apologies, […]

Rosa Parks and me (and you)

Dec 3, 2010
Wednesday was the fifty-fifth anniversary of Rosa Parks’ arrest.  That event is a powerful reminder for me, not of the power of heroism, but of the power of day in and day out activism. For most of us, Rosa Parks’ life was one day long. Her real story is usually edited to fit our prevailing […]

Rosa Parks and me (and you)

by David LaMotte

Wednesday was the fifty-fifth anniversary of Rosa Parks’ arrest.  That event is a powerful reminder for me, not of the power of heroism, but of the power of day in and day out activism. For most of us, Rosa Parks’ life was one day long. Her real story is usually edited to fit our prevailing […]

The biggest myth of Democracy

Oct 31, 2010
My first shot at a video weblog, or vlog, as the kids say... a few thoughts on misconceptions of what democracy means and the importance of voting - or not voting - in mid-term elections.... Read More →

The biggest myth of Democracy

by David LaMotte

My first shot at a video weblog, or vlog, as the kids say… a few thoughts on misconceptions of what democracy means and the importance of voting – or not voting – in mid-term elections…. Read More →

International Burn a Koran Day – cancel/clear

Sep 9, 2010
At the time of this writing, Thursday afternoon, the minister in Florida who had planned to burn Korans two days from now has called off the event, or “stunt,” as President Obama rightly referred to it. That’s good news.... Read More →

International Burn a Koran Day – cancel/clear

by David LaMotte

At the time of this writing, Thursday afternoon, the minister in Florida who had planned to burn Korans two days from now has called off the event, or “stunt,” as President Obama rightly referred to it. That’s good news…. Read More →

Settling in and looking forward

Aug 7, 2010
I suppose there is a continuum with “stability” on one side and “adventure” on the other, and most people find themselves most comfortable somewhere along it. It’s a good thing that I have more need for adventure than stability in my life, as it seems like that is my lot. My time in Australia came […]

Settling in and looking forward

by David LaMotte

I suppose there is a continuum with “stability” on one side and “adventure” on the other, and most people find themselves most comfortable somewhere along it. It’s a good thing that I have more need for adventure than stability in my life, as it seems like that is my lot. My time in Australia came […]

Where To From Here

Apr 25, 2010
“What is it you plan to do with your one wild precious life?” – Mary Oliver 17 April, 2010 train from Brisbane, QLD to Grafton, NSW As I write this I am riding through the Australian countryside on a train, headed to a conference where I’ll be speaking about the Rotary World Peace Fellowship and […]

Where To From Here

by David LaMotte

“What is it you plan to do with your one wild precious life?” – Mary Oliver 17 April, 2010 train from Brisbane, QLD to Grafton, NSW As I write this I am riding through the Australian countryside on a train, headed to a conference where I’ll be speaking about the Rotary World Peace Fellowship and […]

In the Margins

Feb 4, 2010
Lately For the past six weeks I have been living in eastern Andhra Pradesh, India, dividing my time between the city of Vijayawada and a small village an hour and a half away, Srikakulam. I’m working with a grass-roots non-profit agency called Arthik Samata Mandal (ASM), which began as a disaster relief organization, and now […]

In the Margins

by David LaMotte

Lately For the past six weeks I have been living in eastern Andhra Pradesh, India, dividing my time between the city of Vijayawada and a small village an hour and a half away, Srikakulam. I’m working with a grass-roots non-profit agency called Arthik Samata Mandal (ASM), which began as a disaster relief organization, and now […]

In the Margins

Jan 5, 2010
Lately For the past six weeks I have been living in eastern Andhra Pradesh, India, dividing my time between the city of Vijayawada and a small village an hour and a half away, Srikakulam. I’m working with a grass-roots non-profit agency called Arthik Samata Mandal (ASM), which began as a disaster relief organization, and now […]

In the Margins

by David LaMotte

Lately For the past six weeks I have been living in eastern Andhra Pradesh, India, dividing my time between the city of Vijayawada and a small village an hour and a half away, Srikakulam. I’m working with a grass-roots non-profit agency called Arthik Samata Mandal (ASM), which began as a disaster relief organization, and now […]

More pictures from India

Dec 29, 2009
Here are forty+ more pictures from India. This batch focuses a bit more on the work done by the organization I’m working with, Arthik Samata Mandal. There are some cute Mason pictures as well, though. India is an incredible place to shoot pictures. I visited another village today and I took 243 pictures. That’s with […]

More pictures from India

by David LaMotte

Here are forty+ more pictures from India. This batch focuses a bit more on the work done by the organization I’m working with, Arthik Samata Mandal. There are some cute Mason pictures as well, though. India is an incredible place to shoot pictures. I visited another village today and I took 243 pictures. That’s with […]

A Brief Article on Heroes

Dec 27, 2009
I was asked to write a short piece for the Eagle, a quarterly magazine published by the Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane, on Desmond Tutu. Here it is… From Tutu Desmond Tutu speaking at the Rotary World Peace Symposium Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu is a hero of mine. I make that statement with full awareness that […]

A Brief Article on Heroes

by David LaMotte

I was asked to write a short piece for the Eagle, a quarterly magazine published by the Anglican Cathedral in Brisbane, on Desmond Tutu. Here it is… From Tutu Desmond Tutu speaking at the Rotary World Peace Symposium Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu is a hero of mine. I make that statement with full awareness that […]

Pictures and captions from India

Dec 14, 2009
Here are fifty+ pictures and captions showing our first couple of weeks in India and some of the work that ASM is doing. It’s been quite an adventure thus far. Click on the picture below to go to the photo album: India One

Pictures and captions from India

by David LaMotte

Here are fifty+ pictures and captions showing our first couple of weeks in India and some of the work that ASM is doing. It’s been quite an adventure thus far. Click on the picture below to go to the photo album: India One

Of AIDS education and office space

Dec 8, 2009
Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India Our first full day in Srikakulam is drawing to a close and Deanna’s taking her turn going down to dinner. There are two volunteers from a non-profit in the U.K., Becky and Hannah, who are teaching English here, and we all usually have meals together. Since Mason goes to sleep before […]

Of AIDS education and office space

by David LaMotte

Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, India Our first full day in Srikakulam is drawing to a close and Deanna’s taking her turn going down to dinner. There are two volunteers from a non-profit in the U.K., Becky and Hannah, who are teaching English here, and we all usually have meals together. Since Mason goes to sleep before […]

Arthik Samata Mandal

Dec 8, 2009
Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India From India One As I write this note I am sitting under a ceiling fan in a simple room with concrete walls and screenless windows on a bed that is covered by a mosquito net. Mason is sleeping in his little tent/crib just beside the bed. The room is on the […]

Arthik Samata Mandal

by David LaMotte

Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India From India One As I write this note I am sitting under a ceiling fan in a simple room with concrete walls and screenless windows on a bed that is covered by a mosquito net. Mason is sleeping in his little tent/crib just beside the bed. The room is on the […]

An Interview

Nov 29, 2009
From blog pix About a week ago I received an interview request from Rebekah Tucker, the Editor of Longwood University’s newspaper, the Rotunda. She sent a few questions along and I thought it would be appropriate to post the answers here. They are good and important questions, and I’m glad that people like Rebekah are […]

An Interview

by David LaMotte

From blog pix About a week ago I received an interview request from Rebekah Tucker, the Editor of Longwood University’s newspaper, the Rotunda. She sent a few questions along and I thought it would be appropriate to post the answers here. They are good and important questions, and I’m glad that people like Rebekah are […]

Hair Changing 101

Nov 23, 2009
It’s been some time since I’ve checked in, and much has happened in the meantime.  I’ve finished the second semester of my Masters program, Mason turned one, I’ve made trips to Newcastle and Canberra for Rotary, friends have visited from the U.S. and New Zealand, and yesterday Deanna had her thirty-fifth birthday, just to name […]

Hair Changing 101

by David LaMotte

It’s been some time since I’ve checked in, and much has happened in the meantime.  I’ve finished the second semester of my Masters program, Mason turned one, I’ve made trips to Newcastle and Canberra for Rotary, friends have visited from the U.S. and New Zealand, and yesterday Deanna had her thirty-fifth birthday, just to name […]

The answer, my friend…

Aug 24, 2009
A few weeks ago I heard a man speaking about aid work. At one point, in the middle of a litany of problems in the world, he spoke of “countries where the winds of political change are blowing.” I don’t know whether anyone else noticed what was happening through the plate glass windows behind him […]

The answer, my friend…

by David LaMotte

A few weeks ago I heard a man speaking about aid work. At one point, in the middle of a litany of problems in the world, he spoke of “countries where the winds of political change are blowing.” I don’t know whether anyone else noticed what was happening through the plate glass windows behind him […]

Eunice Shriver

Aug 11, 2009
Eunice Kennedy Shriver died yesterday. To call the Kennedy family influential is kind of like calling Coca-Cola a pretty big company, and Ms. Shriver was born into that. She didn’t have choices in whether she had that power or not, she simply did. What she was free to choose was where to point that power, […]

Eunice Shriver

by David LaMotte

Eunice Kennedy Shriver died yesterday. To call the Kennedy family influential is kind of like calling Coca-Cola a pretty big company, and Ms. Shriver was born into that. She didn’t have choices in whether she had that power or not, she simply did. What she was free to choose was where to point that power, […]

Seeing and Being Seen

Jul 29, 2009
“He made us realize that dance is a way of seeing as well as a thing to be seen.” – choreographer Margaret Jenkins, reflecting on the life of Merce Cunningham, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle I came home from campus this evening and, after rolling around on the floor with Mason a bit, […]

Seeing and Being Seen

by David LaMotte

“He made us realize that dance is a way of seeing as well as a thing to be seen.” – choreographer Margaret Jenkins, reflecting on the life of Merce Cunningham, as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle I came home from campus this evening and, after rolling around on the floor with Mason a bit, […]

New Rotary Peace Fellowship video

Jul 11, 2009
Rotary International recently released a new video about the Rotary World Peace Fellowship, of which I am a recipient. I got to see the video in Birmingham, England a couple of weeks ago, and I’m happy to be able to share it with you now. If you’d like to know more about what I’m doing […]

New Rotary Peace Fellowship video

by David LaMotte

Rotary International recently released a new video about the Rotary World Peace Fellowship, of which I am a recipient. I got to see the video in Birmingham, England a couple of weeks ago, and I’m happy to be able to share it with you now. If you’d like to know more about what I’m doing […]

Mason at and approaching eight months

Jul 11, 2009
By popular demand, here are thirty recent Mason pictures. Click here for a slideshow, or on the photo below to peruse the album at your own pace. Mason @ 8 months Deanna and I celebrated our fifth anniversary yesterday— best move I ever made. It’s such a joy to see this little guy who is […]

Mason at and approaching eight months

by David LaMotte

By popular demand, here are thirty recent Mason pictures. Click here for a slideshow, or on the photo below to peruse the album at your own pace. Mason @ 8 months Deanna and I celebrated our fifth anniversary yesterday— best move I ever made. It’s such a joy to see this little guy who is […]