by Harvey Hagman, The Washington Times

Born  in the shadow of the Bavarian Alps, he loves palm trees, sandy beaches and tropical sun. He doesn't know an E flat from an A minor, but he's composed about 2,000 songs and recorded 500. Although he grew up in German schools and paid little attention as a teenager in U.S. English classes, he's written two books in English.   He's to the Caribbean what Jimmy Buffet is to Key West, but everyone knows him only as "Barefoot." Barefoot is the biggest "B" to hit the island since Blackbeard. No visit to the island is complete without taking in George Nowak and his band (The Barefoot Man and Band).  Mr. Nowak has worked his rhythmic wonders on the island since he sank his toes in the sand here in 1971. He arrived with his guitar and a bag full of belongings after wandering in the Bahamas, St. Thomas and Hawaii. "Anywhere there's a coconut tree and sunshine, that's where you'll find me," he says.  "Caribbean islanders gave me the name Barefoot Man. They love to dress up, and shoes are important. Lack of shoes is a form of poverty.  "But it was natural for me. Why wear shoes? In my early performances in odd bars I played barefoot. So they called me Barefoot Man, No Shoes Man, Barefoot Boy, and I ended up Barefoot or just 'Foot.  "The name has great commercial value. Can you imagine anyone on the island saying, 'Let's go see George Nowak?'"  When islanders and visitors come, they hear Barefoot's music. "It's like an island drink concoction: a mixture of calypso with a bit of reggae and soca, garnished with a little country and plenty of humor...put it in a blender and you dance to the beat."  When many leave the island, some of Barefoot's CDs are stowed away with the suntan lotion. Those who saw the film "The Firm" saw Barefoot. Paramount Pictures asked the composer to write a song for a scene. Director Sidney Pollack set it up: swaying palms, diamond stars, rum punches and tourists moving to the calypso beat... READ MORE