History of American Zen as Told by The Hippy Coyote

The Hippy Coyote
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American Zen was created in 1991 when The Hippy Coyote became stranded in Utah with his daughter. Acting in the roles of all four musicians, he thought it was temporary and his bandmates would eventually return. The Coyote lived the lives of all four American Zen musicians through the eight level spiritual journey of Shaolin Zen Buddhism including his Vision Quest with the Lakota Sioux on the Pineridge Reservation and battling with the Mormons of Utah. This 8-LEVEL spiritual journey of American Zen ended with the Memorial Day Album with stories of WWII, Vietnam and the Middle East War.

Episodes

  1. 02/24/2025

    011-History Of American Zen: “I’m Certain I’m Not Sure” by Richard Del Connor

    I love this song. I love jamming flute to this song. Somehow, I never recorded the flute part. So I used this song as a 'TEMPO TRACK' for Chinatown performances. I would play flute as this song played through the PA system.  This is a nasty sexy fun song. I'll explain later. "Love Is Power" I wrote this song “But I Got” while singing to a bunch of kids at a birthday party.  I ran home across the dirt lot and finished the lyrics and chords to this song.    Then I ran back and performed some more for the kids.           “Love Is Power.” American Zen OFFICIAL WEBSITE LEVEL 4: ⁠https://www.americanzen.org/LEVEL_4/index.html⁠  Richard Del Connor RECORD PRODUCER website:  ⁠https://RichardDelConnor.com⁠  Oboy at SHAOLIN RECORDS website:  ⁠ShaolinRecords.com/RecordStore/RichardDelConnor/Oboy.html⁠  Richard Del Connor BLOG: ⁠CoyoteRadio.TV/blog ⁠ Distributor: ⁠https://store.payloadz.com/details/2697935-movies-and-videos-music-video-oboy-music-movie-by-richard-del-connor.html⁠ American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind https://opensea.io/collection/american-zen-level-1  22 NFTs = 11 songs + 11 poems  Shaolin Communications ⁠https://opensea.io/shaolincommunications⁠ Kent State Murder Day NFTs Fistula of Fury NFTs Unstoppable Domains: SHAOLINCOMMUNICATIONS.DAO Unstoppable Domains: SHAOLINCOM.CRYPTO  Shaolin Records ⁠https://opensea.io/shaolinrecords⁠ The Pauper NFTs American Zen: LEVEL 2 = Christ Killer NFTs Unstoppable Domain: SHAOLINRECORDS.CRYPTO  Kung Fu Cowboy Spiritual Rock Opera Metaverse Kung Fu Cowboy Rock Opera 1 of 36 ⁠https://opensea.io/collection/kfc1⁠ 403 unique NFTs of LEVEL 1 of KFC Metaverse LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind is the FIRST ALBUM by American Zen. Written and recorded 1992.  Richard Del Connor “The Hippy Coyote” was led astray by a cute blonde girl from Utah.  This is the MUSICAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY ROCK OPERA of American Zen when Richard became a Mr. Mom to raise his daughter while realizing he’d lost everything he’d built in Los Angeles evaporate.  With no way of working Union Carpentry, or as a cinematographer and lighting director for movies.  No professional photography shoots of local Hollywood rock bands.  No bass session work performing or recording for other artists.  No nightclub performances as a soloist or with his band, Coyote Graveyard. AmericanZen.ORG website page URL in THIS podcast:  https://AmericanZen.org/___________________ LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind is about how Richard had to throw his UCLA FILM DEGREE in the trash and become a Mr. Mom in Utah to change diapers and care for his daughter 24/7. I see so many movies of people wishing they could “…just have a normal life and raise children.”  I DIDN’T WANT A NORMAL LIFE.  I wanted to be a rock star.  Actually, I just love songwriting, singing and playing music and performing on stage and making records.  Somehow I’ve never stopped doing that despite rarely being paid. In this LEVEL 1 I thought my wife was going to keep working for my record company, SHAOLIN RECORDS, just like she was before we got married.  She was my booking agent, and photography assistant on concert shoots.  She promised to be everything I wanted to be and she said she would make me successful.  She agreed that if we had a baby she would work a DAY JOB and I would ALWAYS be able to stay home, take care of our daughter, and work my independent record label SHAOLIN RECORDS.  We had great sex and she called me her “Soul Mate.”  What more can a man ask for? THE BOOK:  Autumn Flavours by Richard Del Connor was written during the mid 1970s.  It is part of this LEVEL 1 story because Richard trained his wife Michelle to do his printing, color printing, book printing, and she had a computer at work.  So she helped print out and create dozens of hardcover poetry books at Kinkos in Salt Lake City.  Autumn Flavours is the FIRST book published AND SOLD by Richard Del Connor and his book publishing company Shaolin Communications.

  2. 02/17/2025

    010-History Of American Zen: "But I Got" by Richard Del Connor

    I wrote this song “But I Got” while singing to a bunch of kids at a birthday party.  I ran home across the dirt lot and finished the lyrics and chords to this song.    Then I ran back and performed some more for the kids.  “Love Is Power.” American Zen OFFICIAL WEBSITE LEVEL 4 ⁠https://www.americanzen.org/LEVEL_4/index.html⁠  Richard Del Connor RECORD PRODUCER website:  ⁠https://RichardDelConnor.com⁠  Oboy at SHAOLIN RECORDS website:  ⁠ShaolinRecords.com/RecordStore/RichardDelConnor/Oboy.html⁠  Richard Del Connor BLOG: ⁠CoyoteRadio.TV/blog ⁠ Distributor: ⁠https://store.payloadz.com/details/2697935-movies-and-videos-music-video-oboy-music-movie-by-richard-del-connor.html⁠ American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind https://opensea.io/collection/american-zen-level-1  22 NFTs = 11 songs + 11 poems Shaolin Communications ⁠https://opensea.io/shaolincommunications⁠ Kent State Murder Day NFTs Fistula of Fury NFTs Unstoppable Domains: SHAOLINCOMMUNICATIONS.DAO Unstoppable Domains: SHAOLINCOM.CRYPTO Shaolin Records ⁠https://opensea.io/shaolinrecords⁠ The Pauper NFTs American Zen: LEVEL 2 = Christ Killer NFTs Unstoppable Domain: SHAOLINRECORDS.CRYPTO Kung Fu Cowboy Spiritual Rock Opera Metaverse Kung Fu Cowboy Rock Opera 1 of 36 ⁠https://opensea.io/collection/kfc1⁠ 403 unique NFTs of LEVEL 1 of KFC Metaverse

  3. 02/02/2025

    009-History Of American Zen: "3rd Degree Master Mason" by Richard Del Connor

    I was a Freemason for 8 years.  Actually, I am a Freemason.  I am a rogue mason.  Every Freemason is assigned a "Lodge" to register and participate in meetings and ceremonies.  When you move to a new city, you register at a local lodge.  Some cities have many to choose from.  If you move to another state you must have proper papers and recommendation from the previous state's 'GRAND SECRETARY' and not have been kicked out of any lodge. There is quality control in modern Freemasonry.  But this 21st Century is not like the 20th Century Freemasonry.  Although the ceremonies, oaths and graduations remain the same per each state of the USA, it's the members who create the identity of Freemasonry.  Just like any corporation or even our own government.  The laws don't define the government as much as the people running the government create it's identity. This picture was taken after I completed and passed the infamous "3rd Degree" ritual.  I had been blindfolded for an hour.  You will also notice that I'm wearing a black bandana.  I made a "Hippy Vow" in 1984 when I was working as a Union Carpentry Job at the LAX airport for a year.  I vowed to 'never wear a watch or suit necktie' ever again.  So when I joined the Masons and had to wear a tie, and formal suits... I wore a bandana.  Since I am the "Kung Fu Cowboy" I was comfortable with that compromise.   It took me several years to get to the 3rd Degree.   “Love Is Power.” American Zen OFFICIAL WEBSITE LEVEL 4 https://www.americanzen.org/LEVEL_4/index.html  Richard Del Connor RECORD PRODUCER website:  https://RichardDelConnor.com  Oboy at SHAOLIN RECORDS website:  ShaolinRecords.com/RecordStore/RichardDelConnor/Oboy.html  Richard Del Connor BLOG: CoyoteRadio.TV/blog  Distributor: https://store.payloadz.com/details/2697935-movies-and-videos-music-video-oboy-music-movie-by-richard-del-connor.html #Freemason #Masonry #RichardDelConnor #KungFuCowboy

  4. 05/05/2021

    008-History of American Zen: Flower Power, Acid, “God Will Protect” 1966-1969

    OPENING SONG: “Peace Of Mind #2” from LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind by American Zen. CLOSING SONG: “God Will Protect” from LEVEL 2 = Christ Killer album produced by Richard Del Connor and released on Shaolin Records independent record label founded in 1984. The Hippy Coyote (Richard Del Connor) tells about his last year at UCLA when he worked for the UCLA Extension Department and was also hired out to the Director’s Guild where he was paid by the hour to inspect their brand new Blue-Ray movie disks before they were put in to the DGA Archive. “I was a psychedelic hero back in those days…” Coyote recollects about his acid popping days in the 1960s. He gets carried away revealing his counter-culture flower power lifestyle from 1966 to 1969. His psychedelic friends were also the musicians he was performing with…. https://www.PsychedelicRockOpera.com Coyote talks about sleeping in the canyons or between school buildings on their weekend acid trips… These are stories he never told his kids. Coyote talks about dodging the police after curfew… Utah Phase 1 is only available as a PDF download from Shaolin Records: https://www.shaolinrecords.com/RecordStore-R/utahphase1-R.html The 8-LEVEL Buddhist journey of “America’s First Buddhist Rock Band™” AMERICAN ZEN: LEVEL 1 is starting a family in Utah. LEVEL 2 is battling the Mormons in Utah. LEVEL 3 is being accepted and loved by everyone… including the Mormons. LEVEL 4 is the THE Kung Fu Cowboy being a Freemason for 7 years. LEVEL 5 is becoming a Pipe Carrier “Medicine Man” of the Lakota Sioux. LEVEL 6 is my “hanblechia” vision quest at the Pineridge Reservation in South Dakota. LEVEL 7 is being a traveling stagehand and “Philosopher Poet” performing poetry and flute. LEVEL 8 is about soldiers telling their war stories. It’s been an amazing adventure unlike any life story you’ve ever heard or known. Impossible for anyone to duplicate, but hopefully inspiring and enlightening. It was for me. The song, “Simple Lady” is produced by Richard Del Connor. LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind album is available directly from Shaolin Records at https://www.shaolinrecords.com/RecordStore-R/americanZenLevel1-R.html - LEVEL 2 = Christ Killer album produced by Richard Del Connor for Shaolin Records: https://www.shaolinrecords.com/RecordStore-R/americanZenLevel2-R.html - American Zen Official website: https://www.AmericanZen.org - Produced by Richard Del Connor for Shaolin Records. https://www.ShaolinRecords.com - Copyright 1984-2021 Shaolin Communications https://www.ShaolinCOM.com - Music used by permission of Shaolin Records and licensed by Shaolin Music. ASCAP https://www.ShaolinMusic.com

    008-History of American Zen: Flower Power, Acid, “God Will Protect” 1966-1969

  5. 04/25/2021

    007-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind - The Customized Fender Stratocaster of Rory G and UTAH PHASE 1 book

    OPENING SONG: “Peace Of Mind" #2 from LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind by American Zen. CLOSING SONG: “Black Of Night” from LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind produced by Richard Del Connor and released on Shaolin Records independent record label founded in 1984. Richard Del Connor explains the American Zen musicians from 1991 to 2014. Richard focuses on Rory G of American Zen. He explains the guitars he played and how they were customized. The history and origins of The Hippy Coyote as a photographer in the 1980s. “Rocktography by The Coyote” were the ads he ran in Hollywood newspapers. The Hippy Coyote reads his book, UTAH - PHASE 1 which contains the poetry not included on the American Zen albums, LEVEL 1 = Peace of Mind and LEVEL 2 = Christ Killer. He starts by explaining the cover picture drawn by artist Damien Hunter. The motorcycle chopper in the photo was designed by Coyote and Damien in 1989 with Michelle riding on the back. “Save The Coyote” is on the billboard in the artwork. “Please don’t read this book if your a Mormon,” he reads on the COPYRIGHT PAGE of the Utah - Phase 1 book. Utah Phase 1 is only available as a PDF download from Shaolin Records: https://www.shaolinrecords.com/RecordStore-R/utahphase1-R.html The 8-LEVEL Buddhist journey of “America’s First Buddhist Rock Band™” AMERICAN ZEN: LEVEL 1 is starting a family in Utah. LEVEL 2 is battling the Mormons in Utah. LEVEL 3 is being accepted and loved by everyone… including the Mormons. LEVEL 4 is the THE Kung Fu Cowboy being a Freemason for 7 years. LEVEL 5 is becoming a Pipe Carrier “Medicine Man” of the Lakota Sioux. LEVEL 6 is my “hanblechia” vision quest at the Pineridge Reservation in South Dakota. LEVEL 7 is being a traveling stagehand and “Philosopher Poet” performing poetry and flute. LEVEL 8 is about soldiers telling their war stories. It’s been an amazing adventure unlike any life story you’ve ever heard or known. Impossible for anyone to duplicate, but hopefully inspiring and enlightening. It was for me. The song, “Simple Lady” is produced by Richard Del Connor. LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind album is available directly from Shaolin Records at https://www.shaolinrecords.com/RecordStore-R/americanZenLevel1-R.html American Zen Official website: https://www.AmericanZen.org Produced by Richard Del Connor for Shaolin Records. https://www.ShaolinRecords.com Copyright 1984-2021 Shaolin Communications https://www.ShaolinCOM.com Music used by permission of Shaolin Records and licensed by Shaolin Music. ASCAP https://www.ShaolinMusic.com

  6. 03/10/2021

    006-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

    The Hippy Coyote returns. I’ve been here, just locked in the closet. I’m going to tell the story of the 8-LEVEL Buddhist journey of “America’s First Buddhist Rock Band™” AMERICAN ZEN. LEVEL 1 is starting a family in Utah. LEVEL 2 is battling the Mormons in Utah. LEVEL 3 is being accepted and loved by everyone… including the Mormons. LEVEL 4 is the THE Kung Fu Cowboy while being a Freemason for 7 years. LEVEL 5 is becoming a Pipe Carrier “Medicine Man” of the Lakota Sioux. LEVEL 6 is my “hanblechia” vision quest at the Pineridge Reservation in South Dakota. LEVEL 7 is being a traveling stagehand and “Philosopher Poet” performing poetry and flute. LEVEL 8 is about soldiers telling their war stories. It’s been an amazing adventure unlike any life story you’ve ever heard or known. Impossible for anyone to duplicate, but hopefully inspiring and enlightening. It was for me. The song, “Simple Lady” is produced by Richard Del Connor. LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind album is available directly from Shaolin Records at https://www.shaolinrecords.com/RecordStore-R/americanZenLevel1-R.html American Zen Official website: https://www.AmericanZen.org Produced by Richard Del Connor for Shaolin Records. https://www.ShaolinRecords.com Copyright 1984-2021 Shaolin Communications https://www.ShaolinCOM.com Music used by permission of Shaolin Records and licensed by Shaolin Music. ASCAP https://www.ShaolinMusic.com Richard Del Connor Official website: https://www.RichardDelConnor.com

    006-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

  7. 03/01/2021

    005-History of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

    "Peace Of Mind #1" was the first song on the first album by American Zen.  I wrote this song under sad conditions when everything went wrong after moving to Salt Lake City, Utah.   This "Peace Of Mind #1" song was so sad I pulled it off the first American Zen album and wrote the song "Peace Of Mind #2" to replace it.  Wise decision.  But I performed the song and people liked it, so I put it on the second American Zen album, LEVEL 2 = Christ Killer.   I also included the original "Host Intro" for this podcast because it was kinda cute... cool... I thought you should know...

    005-History of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

  8. 02/18/2021

    004-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

    "Kill The Spider" is from the 4th album by American Zen:  LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy Part 1: King Solomon's Temple. This rock opera song is about the murder of Hiram Abif, the architect of the original Solomon's Temple. Get the album by American Zen:  LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy Part 1: King Solomon's Temple at ShaolinRecords.com The official American Zen website is at www.AmericanZen.org Only the first four albums were detailed on the website before my computer blew up and I became a homeless Freemason 2012. Start traveling the American Zen website by starting at all the songs, stories, poetry, and lyrics in the LEVEL 1 section first. Get the American Zen album at ShaolinRecords.com. LEVEL 4 = Kung Fu Cowboy Part 1: King Solomon's Temple.

    004-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

  9. 08/15/2019

    003-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

    The happy hippie The Hippy Coyote of American Zen begins the spiritual journey. The Professor begins a website tour of the American Zen website at www.americanzen.org. Richard Del Connor gives a brief introduction to recording with microphones in the 1990s in Utah. The end of song is an instrumental from the American Zen album, Christ Killer. 5th South was written by The Hippy Coyote.

    003-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

  10. 07/21/2019

    002-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

    Eugene VP of Marketing is working on improving his podcast hosting. Eugene elaborates more on The Hippie Coyote learning guitar from Bob Coates. The book by Coyote, Utah - Phase 1, may be a source for more material in this podcast. The book Utah - Phase 1 was written during the recording and making of the LEVEL 1 and LEVEL 2 albums in Utah. Richard Del CONNOR joins the podcast to talk about 4-track analog recording using the Tascam 4-track recorder. He also talks about degaussing and demagnetizing recording heads, which was the first part of every day in a recording studio. The Hippie Coyote joins the show to jam along to one of his songs “5th South” from the LEVEL 2 = Christ Killer album by American Zen. He’s not happy with his performance and vows to do better in the next podcast.

    002-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

  11. 07/12/2019

    001-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind

    Eugene is the VP of marketing at Shaolin Records who is learning how to be a broadcaster for the podcast. The Hippy Coyote tells about his guitar lessons from his band mate of The Rich, Vincent Lauria. Mostly he wanted to talk about Bob Coates and his Super Beatle amplifier. This episode contains some flubs as Eugene stumbles through some product ads of Shaolin Records. The music video “Peace Of Mind #2” is featured. A link to the Spotify song, “Black Of Night” from American Zen’s first album, LEVEL 1= Peace Of Mind, is included. www.AmericanZen.org is discussed.

    001-History Of American Zen: LEVEL 1 = Peace Of Mind
  • 11 Episodes

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American Zen was created in 1991 when The Hippy Coyote became stranded in Utah with his daughter. Acting in the roles of all four musicians, he thought it was temporary and his bandmates would eventually return. The Coyote lived the lives of all four American Zen musicians through the eight level spiritual journey of Shaolin Zen Buddhism including his Vision Quest with the Lakota Sioux on the Pineridge Reservation and battling with the Mormons of Utah. This 8-LEVEL spiritual journey of American Zen ended with the Memorial Day Album with stories of WWII, Vietnam and the Middle East War.

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