Richard Hoehler’s ‘Songs of Love and Outrage’ Combines Folk, Justice, and Heart

This Valentine’s Day, Richard Hoehler takes the stage at Kraus Recital Hall in Narrowsburg with Songs of Love and Outrage, a concert that blends personal reflection with social awareness. Inspired by folk icons like Woody Guthrie, Phil Ochs, and Pete Seeger, Hoehler explores how music can carry powerful messages without alienating audiences.From Prison Workshops to Original MusicFor more than 30 years, Hoehler has created theater with at-risk youth and incarcerated New Yorkers. He founded a professional acting company for formerly incarcerated actors and recently published Acting Out: How a Prison Theater Workshop Broke Free, chronicling 15 years of workshops and productions inside prisons.“It was one of the men in prison who nudged me to write my own songs,” Hoehler recalls. “‘You always sing covers—why don’t you sing your own?’ That challenge reopened a creative door for me.” His first audience for these songs was the men inside the prison, whose encouragement helped him bring his music to wider stages.Love, Outrage, and ConnectionThe concert moves from intimate family songs to raw love songs, and then into music inspired by his work with incarcerated communities and broader social justice themes. “The title says it all,” Hoehler explains. “Sometimes the best response to outrage is love—thinking about how we connect with each other rather than stoking the fire.”Hoehler hopes his music also challenges misconceptions about incarceration. “You don’t see the incredible ability of people to rise above, to rebuild their lives. My work is about sharing those stories honestly and respectfully.”