From birth, Joel Harper was encouraged by his family to express himself through music and writing. Now an accomplished writer, musician and music teacher, Joel supports his love of self expression and discovery by working at the Harper Family owned and operated Folk Music Center and managing his publishing house, Freedom Three Publishing.  Joel’s first title, “Restless Spirit: the Eyes of a Child” sold through its initial print run in its first year of publication and has gone on to become a testament to Joel’s journey of expression and interaction with the world around him. When Joel is not writing and publishing, he is found playing any musical instrument he can get his hands on! Joel believes that everyone should learn to play an instrument, and seeks to inspire people through the use of music and writing to tap into their creative side through an artistic form of expression. "One of the things I enjoy most about working with music is watching someone’s eyes light up the very first time they hit a note on a Native American Flute, make a sound on the Didgeridoo or bang a beat out of a drum.  Because I know their lives will forever be that much more enriched by the experience.”