There was a Storyteller that I met one day while playing music on the streets of Cambridge, MA, in the early 1990s. He was dressed in blue from top to toe, had blue butterflies painted on each palm, held a blue staff with blue scarves dangling from it. There were bells on his blue shoes, and he danced a soft-shoe in front of me while I played. When the song was over he hugged me and said his name was Brother Blue. I saw him a lot after that day. I would listen while he performed Shakespeare for passers-by in Harvard Square. He made a lot of people happy, including me. He changed the way I approached literature. He changed the way I viewed Life. He was like a beautiful Blue Angel. He was like Love Incarnate.
Many things have changed for me since my days as a street performer, but I’ve kept Brother Blue in the back of my mind since then. I still remember the things he used to say, and I’ve tried to channel his spirit in my work as an English teacher. And I will never forget that first day when he danced for me and the streets of Cambridge, MA. Long Live Brother Blue. Long Live Love. Long Live Life.
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The following is his full obituary:
Brother Blue, aka Hugh Morgan Hill, died peacefully at home on November 3, 2009 at the age of 88. An internationally renowned storyteller, mentor to hundreds, inspiration to thousands and beloved husband of Ruth Edmonds Hill, Brother Blue’s life exemplified his passionate belief that telling and listening to stories changes the world. His stories have changed the worlds of everyone who heard him.
Brother Blue was born in Cleveland, Ohio on July 12, 1921. An exceptional student, he served in the US Military from 1943-1946 in both theaters during World War Two; he was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant. He obtained an AB from Harvard College, an MFA from Yale School of Drama and his PhD from Union Graduate School.
By the late-1960s Brother Blue, always accompanied by his wife Ruth, was telling stories on the streets, in prisons, in classrooms and more. His stories always allowed the listener to imagine bigger worlds, see themselves in the heart of the tale and believe that they, too, were storytellers. Brother Blue said that he told stories, “from the middle of the middle of me to the middle of the middle of you,” and that if you heard another person’s story you could never harm them, so stories could save the world. He never stopped telling stories. Brother Blue ran a storytelling series in Cambridge for over 20 years, where many storytellers found their own voices. Brother Blue and his wife Ruth always listened with uncritical and loving ears, encouraging everyone. He received multiple international awards for his art and was the official storyteller of both Cambridge and Boston.
Brother Blue is survived by his wife Ruth Edmonds Hill, his sister Beatrice Hill, his niece Lynda Hill, his nephew Thomas Hill and hundreds of storytellers, poets, musicians, street performers, beatniks, and loveniks. Visiting hours are on Sunday, November 8, 2009 from 2-4pm and 6-8pm at Keefe Funeral Home, 2175 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA. The internment will be on Monday, November 9, 2009 at 1pm at the Pittsfield Cemetery, Pittsfield MA.
