It’s All About the Baby

Check it out!

2011-12-02T17:17:00.000-08:00

http://vixmusic.ecrater.com/

If you don’t have our new CD yet, you really need to go over and pick a few up! Christmas Angel has nine original new songs and two great traditional favorites. If you live in the Southern California area, then you definitely NEED to get to tickets to one of our two nights of live concerts as well. Special guest Marvin Goldstein will be joining us! Don’t miss it!

Christmas Angel!

2011-09-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

Please go over to our new Archangel Records blog and check out the preparations for the upcoming “Christmas Angel” CD, coming out in two months. Sneak peeks and other goodies are happening there every couple of days. If you enjoyed “It’s All About the Baby,” you are going to LOVE this CD!

Click here!

Archangel Records

2011-01-18T10:03:00.000-08:00

We are excited to announce our NEW WEBSITE!!! Archangel Records is a new music production company which we (Garry and Victoria) have just formed. Our current project is a new Christmas CD for 2011, as well as some great concerts featuring all of the performers from the CD in December. We are very excited about the great music we can create through this venture, and we hope that you will want to be part of it. Feel free to continue to enjoy all the posts on this site, but for all the current events please visit us at Archangel Records. All of the music found on this site is available at Archangel, either to listen to individual songs, or click on the playlist at the bottom of the website to enjoy a stream of all the music. Please be sure to enter your e-mail there on the website so that we can keep you up-to-date on our new CD due out later this year, as well as the opportunity to receive free concert tickets. As always, you may comment here, but for fastest response use the contact form on Archangel Records. We hope you love the new website and visit often.

It is NOT too late!

2010-12-15T19:01:00.000-08:00

I have a new shipment of CDs in, and I am shipping the same day orders are received, so PLEASE, if you want CDs, order them quickly. You can go here to order online using a credit card or Paypal, or you are welcome to contact me directly. Thank you!!!

Oh, and guess what! If you check back here regularly, within the week there will be a link to a new blog for the NEW PROJECT!!! Woohoo! Wow... that is a lot of exclamation points.

As Long as You're in the Neighborhood Anyway...

2010-11-15T19:15:00.000-08:00

First an invitation, and then a little story. Follow the Star is a live nativity, and if you are here in the Orange County, California area the first weekend in December, it really is not to be missed. This will be the 13th year that the production will go on. I can describe Follow the Star... live animals (courtesy of some very dear friends of mine that own a nearby ranch), live actors, and very short and sweet. I didn’t attend Follow the Star for the first few years it was playing, mostly because it happens right after Sing Noel, which is a musical production I always seem to find myself playing for. The first time I went, I wasn’t sure quite what to expect. It was threatening rain that night, and as I wiped a few stray raindrops off my chair and sat down, the lights went down, and then slowly came back up... this part defies description... it was just so beautiful and full of the spirit that it seemed like it was over too quickly, and I ended up watching the next two shows as well.

Seven years ago, when my youngest son was a baby of about five months, they asked me if he could play the baby Jesus on one of the nights. I dressed him in a simple soft white outfit, and the mother who played Mary swaddled him for the show. There was another baby waiting in the wings, but because it was sprinkling outside a little bit, his mother wouldn’t let him outside. It was actually super funny, because the mother of the other baby came up to me and said, “It is raining outside. You’re not going to let him go out there, are you?” I said, “Sure, I know they will keep him safe and dry.” She kind of sniffed at me and said, “Is he your sixth child?” “Seventh, actually,” I replied. “Well, that explains it,” she said. “This is our first, and we are very careful with him.” I actually laughed a little. I wanted to say, “You’re absolutely right. We don’t even put ours in a car seat. We just strap him up on top of the car with some bungee cords.” Haha! Good times.

So that night he got to be the baby Jesus about six times. He never cried, although sometimes the baby does cry, and it doesn’t detract at all from the presentation. At one point during the first show, Mary had the baby Jesus (my baby Jesus) all swaddled, and one of his hands came free, and he waved his little arm in the air. I heard a little girl in the row ahead of me catch her breath, and say, “Oh, look! The baby Jesus is real!” She was so right: the baby Jesus was real, and he grew to be the Savior of all the world. I love him! That is why I write the songs that I do. That night I felt a moment of awe and wonder, and it happens each year just the same. If you have a chance to attend, don’t let it pass you by.

December 3-5, 6:00-9:30 p.m. each night
At The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - Altisma Building

29441 Altisma Road

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA

Christmas Comes Early... Again.

2010-10-29T17:05:00.000-07:00

Well, last year I sold out all my Christmas CDs, and promised that I would make them available again this year. I have ordered a limited quantity, so get your orders in quickly! And you should really check back here over the next couple of weeks, because I am about to announce a brand-new project for 2011. I am sooo excited about it! I also have a few updates on your favorite people on the CD, as well as a contest.

If anyone has any stories to share, or things to say about the CD, please contact me at the e-mail link here. You could end up in a blog post.

Now, just as a little surprise for stopping by, I am adding an mp3 of one of my favorite songs from the album... a surprise that I held back last year. It’s called “Will You Hold Me On Christmas Eve?” sung by Garry and Rachel (Read about it here). Now you can listen to almost every song on the album right here on the blog. But I have to tell you that if you have only listened to the songs on the blog, BUY THE CD! I have had so many people tell me that they were blown away by the CD quality... much better than listening here. And it makes a great Christmas gift as well. So enjoy reading the posts here... enjoy listening to the songs... and order your CDs early before they sell out again. Until then.... merry merry merry merry merry!

Note: this is a large song file, and may take a few moments to buffer. Be patient...

The Little Drummer Boy

2009-12-29T17:00:00.000-08:00

So Tandy turned 21 yesterday. Guess where she had her birthday party... no, never mind. You will never guess. She took a bunch of friends to a soup kitchen where they worked all day! It was pretty funny because my son Casey went, and all the people who ran the soup kitchen thought he and his friend Edo were there to get community service hours (they should both have shaved before they went!) and kept getting on their case for slacking off whenever they stopped for a minute to try to get a drink... haha! Awesome. The other thing Tandy wanted to do for her birthday was to have some friends come over to my place to record a song they sang for a young adult fireside last week.

I wasn’t really sure how my microphone would pick up ten people at once... overall, I was pleasantly surprised. So now, a bonus for you: direct from my house to yours, The Little Drummer Boy. Happy birthday, Miss Tandy!

Merry Christmas

2009-12-21T22:42:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everyone! I just wanted to give you a little present to thank you for being my friend and supporting my album. It is nothing fancy... only me and the keys. In fact, this is pretty much what I play for fun when it is just me and the headphones. But you can still think of it as a little bonus track you won’t find on the album. I put my heart into it. Enjoy.

It’s All About Me

2009-12-16T17:51:00.000-08:00

Just kidding with the title… a little inside joke ☺. Anyway, who says Garry doesn’t read the blog? I love this album, and I am happy to answer some questions.

Garry, what are your thoughts about the songs you recorded?

I will start with “The Gate.” This song is magic to me. It was written at a time in my mission when I needed a boost. I didn’t feel I was successful and I was really discouraged. Victoria wrote this song and I still remember coming home and having her call me over to the piano to hear the recording of the piano accompaniment. I sat on the floor by the piano and listened and remember crying as the music played. I don’t normally get emotional over music that has no words but there was something different about this one. As soon as I heard the words I knew that this song was a gift from Heavenly Father sent through a righteous mother and friend to help a weary missionary. Recording it was a process. It went from a bright cheery sound to a quieter breathy sound. The change was new to me. I didn’t normally sing breathy but I am really pleased with the way it turned out and Victoria made the right choice to change the style.

Then there is “Did You Know?” Victoria first introduced this song to me when I was serving in Oceanside, California. She was nice enough to come down and play for me at a ward Christmas party, along with the whole family. She brought this song along to see if I would like it. She played and I did my best to follow along. I loved it instantly. I loved the simplicity of it, but more importantly I loved the spirit of it. We recorded it this summer and after I left I listened to it a couple of times and realized that I wanted to change a few things to make it sound more professional and fun. When I returned in October I wasn’t planning on us rerecording that song but with some time left over we decided to try it. I made a few changes and Victoria helped me add some things and correct some things that made the song come more alive. I know this song has a deep heritage, having been sung long before anyone ever knew me. I just hope that those people who knew it before are satisfied with how it turned out.

Lastly, “Will You Hold Me on Christmas Eve?” I love love love this song. I didn’t think I was going to get the opportunity to sing it. For the longest time I wanted to do a duet with Rachel and the chance never came up. Well, when Victoria told me that she was looking for a different sound than what she had heard and asked if I was interested in doing it I had to say yes. I listened to the song because I wanted to make sure I could actually do it justice and not just say yes to be selfish so I could sing a stellar song with a superior vocalist. Well, I got those things anyway and decided to tell Victoria that I would love to do it. Recording it without Rachel there was a trick, but a necessary one. I’m grateful that I was given that chance.

What was recording like? Were there any surprises?

Recording was a mixed experience. I always said that if I got the chance to record some music I would do it. Never did I realize the amount of time and commitment it would require. I wouldn’t change it though. During the process I realized that my voice is very untrained. Only after a couple of hours my throat would start to hurt and I would have to rest. Suddenly it hit me that professional vocalists spend tons of time singing to keep up that stamina. Overall, however, it was fun. It was fun to hear the end result. It was fun to hear the outtakes from all the recordings.. Victoria and I would go back and listen to the outtakes and just laugh because of our conversations. That was a blast.

What is your favorite song on the CD, and why?

I know I might be a bit biased but I really do like “Will You Hold Me on Christmas Eve?” I like how it has a country element. I love the power of Rachel’s voice. I love the jazzy piano. The writing on this song is ingenious. It should be on the radio being sung by someone like Tim McGraw and Faith Hill. It has a special feeling.

Would you record again, if you had the opportunity?

Hands down I would, and hopefully will record again!

Tell us something about Victoria that we might not know.

Vic really is a jokester. We had so many inside jokes that they seemed to come up every single hour. From Harry Potter jokes, to jokes about missionary work, to pokes at my personality. I love that about her.

This whole experience has been very surreal for me. I am so appreciative to the McDaniel family for letting me live with them for upwards of eight months now, collectively. They are wonderful people who will do anything for anyone. Victoria doesn’t even realize fully that she fulfilled a dream for me by inviting me to record. I would never have gotten this opportunity anywhere else. My hope is that everyone who listens to the CD will enjoy the music, get into the Christmas spirit, and feel closer to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know he is the Son of God and it is truly an honor to sing about his birth and life. I love him with all my heart.

Singing in the Rain (Tandy Talks)

2009-12-11T21:11:00.000-08:00

Hi, it’s me, Tandy. I am heading out the door for a program called Follow the Star, which is an amazing live nativity with animals and I get to be Mary! Not only that, but I get to sing “Mary, the Mother.” If you are going to be in the neighborhood, you should come and check it out. And yes, it is raining. But the show will go on, and I will still be singing.

But first, I wanted to talk about “It’s All About the Baby,” from my point of view. To answer some questions...

When did you start singing, and do you want to do it professionally?

Since elementary school I loved being in Chorus (which definitely was not the highlight of my “singing career,” looking back at the concert tapes…ahh!) and I took voice lessons for a short while... but truthfully I thought I was supposed to grow up to be an artist. That is, until I fell in love with music when I started singing in treble choir with Mr. Elg at Mission Viejo High School (if you have children of friends that enjoy singing that either go or will go to Mission, make them join choir! It’s such an awesome experience… not the typical cheesy choir you might imagine, as I did beforehand.

I am still trying to figure out what I want to do with music. There are many things I love and could possibly pursue... I definitely want to incorporate music, but am not wishing to pursue any path of “making it big.” I want to be able to raise a family. ☺

What was your experience like, recording for Victoria?

Haha… she’s totally chill to work with and would never make me cry! ;) ...except for moments I have had, deeply confiding in her about my worries and desires, and feeling true love, concern, and understanding from her thoughtful words and advice given in return. What made me emotional was how she would defend what she felt were my needs and desires and strengths, while I argued otherwise, worrying about everything and everyone else. I have very much valued the time spent with her during these past few months; she has become a dear friend in whom I feel I can confide when at times I may feel no one else would understand. Thank you so much. ♥

What is your favorite song on the CD, and why?

Track #5- “About the Baby.”
The first time I listened to this song, I was looking at the picture Victoria has on her blog of Jesus holding His mother, Mary. {This Liz Lemon Swindle painting} As I listened, I contemplated the life of my Savior Jesus Christ and what He has done for me...visualizing myself, or others that I loved, as the one He had encircled in His arms of mercy and compassion. I just pictured that moment, when each of us would come face to face with Him, and falling at His feet as the tears flowed, overwhelmed by the love one could feel in His presence. His sacrifice and love and mercy is real. Our loved ones will be taken care of. Whenever I wish to ponder the glory of our Redeemer, this is a song that will set the tone for the Spirit to be present.

Would you record again, if you got the chance?

I would do it in a second! Victoria mentioned wanting to write a duet, in which I would record my part before going on my mission, and one of my best friends Kevin Anthony recording the second part after he got back from his mission; then they could send it to me while I was out in the field! :D (That’d be sweet!)

I just want to say one more thing. We should show more gratitude to Victoria McDaniel and her musical ability. I am forever in debt for all the musical numbers she has accompanied for me. I’ll sing whatever and whenever she wants…haha! plus anything else I could do for her ;). Love you!

An Italian's Point of View

2009-12-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

Okay, okay. You want some answers from the vocalists??? Here is Rachel's point of view.....

Q: Do you read her blog?

A: I have known Victoria for years and when I found out she had a blog I knew I would have to become one of her blog stalkers. Her witty humor and adventurous cooking skills are something I admire so of course I read her blog :)

Q: What was it really like for you? How do you feel about such a unique experience?

These two questions are difficult to respond to. I don’t know if I can explain the array of feelings that I felt this time around while recording.

Let me begin by saying that recording is DIFFICULT, especially when you have a deadline. There is no time for messing around. There were days when I would start singing at 8 AM and not finish until 4 PM. It sometimes felt like I was performing two concerts back to back! Singing takes a lot out of you.

Victoria wrote about an experience we had while I was in High School. I will NEVER forget that experience for as long as I live. It’s a memory that’s very private and special because only those who were there really understand the magnitude of the spirit. I can’t describe it. I wish I could have been a poet. I felt that same spirit while recording “In the Bleak Midwinter” which happens to be my favorite song on the CD. I recognize how grateful and lucky I was to be a part of Victoria’s very first Christmas CD. She could have chosen a plethora of different singer, but she chose me and that means a lot.

Q: Did she really make you cry?

A: I wish I could admit to the fact that Victoria’s the wicked witch of the west, however, she is far from that. If anything, I made her cry out of frustration because I couldn’t decide on what take I preferred more for the CD! You can thank the perfectionist part in me :)

Q: If you had the chance, would you record more of Victoria’s songs in the future?

A: I don’t think I had to even think twice about this. It’s just been something I have always done. She is a woman of many talents so why wouldn’t I accept such an amazing offer? Plus, once we’re done recording songs, I have the song as a keepsake for the future. It’s funny to listen to how my voice has changed since I was 16.

Q: Tell us something about Victoria that we don’t know!!!

I’m the last person to tell you something about her that you don’t know! This woman is an amazing chef. Amazing you say? How about this for something you don’t know….she picked me up from my house, drove to her house, did some recording, and then she says, “I’ll be right back” and in about an hour, she made me homemade whole wheat bread from scratch. Were talking, ground her own wheat into flour. What a sweetie right? All that for me, and then I even got to take a loaf home for the family to devour in a couple of hours. WHO DOES THAT? She is definitely the homemaker/cook/chef/extraordinaire I want to be like!

Just the countryside in Italy....no big deal.

I hope I answered these questions to your liking! If not, visit Italiana Signorina to get a little piece of heaven from an Italiana.

AMORE

Going, Going...

2009-12-07T00:09:00.000-08:00

I hate to rush you, but if you still haven’t ordered CDs, or you need five or ten more for gifts, you are about to run out of time... because I am about to run out of CDs. The response to the CD has exceeded my expectations. I will order some more if I have orders for them, but if you want CDs from this initial run, you better call, e-mail, or order online NOW. Thank you to all of you who have kindly ordered, re-ordered, and then re-ordered again because you love the CD so much and want to give it to all of your friends and neighbors. I love you! xoxo

What the…What’s What? More Questions...

2009-12-03T00:45:00.000-08:00

Tandy, Rachel and Garry were fired some questions in the comments from the last post. I really can’t answer for them, except to point out that none of them have stepped forward to dispute the fact that they were tortured… made to work under duress, and that I did my best to make them all cry. Beyond that, I can’t speak for them, and honestly, I don’t know that they really look at the blog all that often, if at all.

I can answer the questions that were addressed to me.

Q. Can I sing on your next CD?

A. Not a chance. ☺ Haha!

Q. Will there be a next CD?

A. Let me consult my Magic 8 Ball… it says try again later.

Q. How did you soundproof your “studio?”

A. I didn’t. My nod to acoustics was to throw a rug on the floor and add a shelf with books opposite the recording area to break up sound.

Q. What is your favorite song on the CD?

A. That is actually a complicated question, because many of the songs have great meaning for me, either because of how they came about (The Gate), or experiences performing them (Evening Lullaby, Hush, Joseph’s Song). Some of them I love just because they were fun to play (O Holy Night)… but just for sheer listening satisfaction I love the last track, Will You Hold Me on Christmas Eve? As far as meaning goes, that song has a lot attached to it as well. I originally wrote it to be performed at a Christmas concert by Ric Starnes and Casey Vongsawad Stolze. I loved Casey with her big beautiful voice and her loving, humble personality, and she passed away quite suddenly earlier this year from cancer. I can still remember her singing that song, and how many people begged for a recording of it. She was as great a performer as she was a lovely person, and we miss her. I was not at all sure I would be able to translate that amazing experience into a suitable recording.

I think that the great job Rachel did on that song would have made Casey very happy, and it certainly made me happy. Then, as you can read in earlier posts, Garry swept in to the rescue at a very crucial time to help finish the song. I thought several times along the way that it would probably not be on the album, because it was a very difficult song to perform and record well. I think the way it came together a single week before the CDs had to be duplicated was no accident, and it made me realize once again that I was being watched over in so many ways.

What’s What

2009-11-30T11:01:00.000-08:00

I promised some Q and A. I don’t want to bore you to tears, but here are some questions I get all the time.

Q. Can I have the sheet music to your songs?

A. Not right now. I’m sorry, but I didn’t have time to write them all down. I need to be careful how I talk about this one, because I definitely don’t see eye-to-eye with y’all on it. Some people think that if I put out sheet music, I would get super rich from all the people buying the sheet music. I am afraid there is not a lot of money in sheet music. For one person that buys it, all her friends will then copy it. Secondly, it has never been my dream for everyone in the world to be able to play my music. It has been my dream to hear my music performed by people that I love to listen to. That doesn’t mean that I don’t love you, or that you don’t sound great. Someone asked me last night, “Isn’t there just a program where you play it in, and it just prints out sheet music?” The simple answer is yes, but the real answer is no… it is not that easy, and it takes me about ten hours to transcribe a song in a way that I think looks good. I am exploring avenues to get some of the music transcribed, but it is just not my top priority at this time.

Q. Is that you singing on the CD?

A. Haha! Did it sound like me? Okay… there are no stupid questions. A lot of people have even asked me if there is any singing on the CD. The best way to know for yourself, is... listen to the CD. If you read down through the posts here, I feature all the people who performed for me. I am not sure why the confusion, but the CD is made up of thirteen tracks. Ten of the songs are original songs that I have written. One of those is just piano. The other nine are songs with vocals. I asked some of my favorite singers to sing the songs. I played all the instrumental parts, with the exception of Shelley Johnson’s lovely cello. I sang with the background singers on two of the songs, but I am quite positive you will not be able to pick out my voice. In fact, I made really really really sure of that.

Q. Did you actually write Did You Know? or did you just arrange it? Because I already have it on another CD I purchased. (Strangely, I get this question about several of the songs that I wrote on the CD).

A. I am glad the song sounds familiar to you, but I am afraid you must be mistaken. I did indeed write the words and the music. “Did You Know?” did not start out as a Christmas song. I wrote verses two and three for one of my boys to sing for my son Dillon’s baptism when he was eight years old. The first verse I added a couple of years later so that a children’s choir could sing the song for a Christmas concert. All of the songs on the CD, with the exception of “Silent Night,” “O Holy Night,” and “In the Bleak Midwinter” are written entirely by me. For those three traditional carols, I wrote the arrangements that you hear on the CD.

If you have questions you would like to ask about the music or the CD, please feel free to ask in the comments section. I have a little sarcasm problem, for which I am seeking help, but I promise to control it and respond with a nice friendly answer.

Who’s Who?

2009-11-22T18:50:00.001-08:00

I wish I had room to print all the lyrics in the CD insert. I wish I could have told all about the artists that sing and play the music. Space was limited... and yes, I am wordy. But it is all here. The following three posts are about the singers that spent the most time being tortured in my virtual studio. They were battered and beaten, and I made them all cry... but they came out the other side, and they remain some of my best friends and favorite people. Check back in a few days for some Q and A... I have had a lot of questions about the CD and about the recording process. I know they say there are no stupid questions... but, well, you will have to judge for yourself on that one. So anyway, read about my friends. They are brilliant.

Who’s Who? The Moment of Silence

2009-11-22T13:22:00.000-08:00

Rachel has been singing for me since she was barely sixteen years old. I think that her voice is one of the purest, most beautiful sounds I know. There is something childlike about it, even while it sounds so mature. I played one of her songs for someone in the music industry over the summer, and he remarked about how beautiful her voice was. He called it a “story-telling voice.”

Rachel has such a great love of music, and is such a perfectionist, that I think she can barely listen to herself sing, because it is never quite right. But we have certainly had our moments. One of those happened four or five years ago, when the high school music director asked her to sing my song “Evening Lullaby” for the annual high school Holiday concert. I went that night to play for her, and we went out onto the stage and performed the song. It was simple. Just piano and voice. There was an amazing spirit in the auditorium. I felt it. It brought tears to my eyes as she finished the last little lullaby section of the song, but I wasn’t sure if anyone else felt it.

The last chord faded away, and I braced for the applause… but it didn’t come. There were over 300 people in the darkened room, but all there was, was this moment of pure, awed silence. Then suddenly, the place went wild. They clapped and clapped. They gave a standing ovation. We finally left the stage, and just looked at each other in surprise. But the audience would not settle down until we both went back out on the stage. I realized something that night… that most people go through their lives without feeling that spirit that we felt there that night.

A couple of years later the music director called me. He said that they had completed their new music auditorium and that they were having an inaugural concert. He wanted to know if Rachel might be able to come and sing again, because he said that night when she sang was pretty magical. He was right. It was.

Rachel took countless hours out of a completely hectic work and nursing school schedule to help out with this CD, and I could not be more grateful. There is this line in Bleak Midwinter, where she sings, “Yet what I can, I can give him… give my heart.” And that is exactly what she does when she sings. Thanks, Rachel. Love!

Who’s Who? The Six-Month Houseguest

2009-11-22T13:21:00.000-08:00

I met Garry in a pretty unique way. He just showed up at my house one night, with luggage… and then stayed for six months! Garry is from Montana, and he served an LDS church mission here in Southern California from 2007 to 2009, based out of Carlsbad, California. We were hosting the missionaries in Rancho Santa Margarita, and in April of 2009 he transferred to our area, and moved into our home. We knew immediately that he was a great missionary and leader, and quickly learned that he had a love of music, and a unique and special voice that touches people when they hear it. Many evenings after family prayer we would enjoy a few minutes of men’s choir music around the piano, as my husband and boys loved to sing as much as Elder Pfile, and they sounded so awesome together.

When Elder Pfile transferred to Oceanside after six months, he assured us he would be back, and even left a box of his belongings in an upstairs closet to prove it. I was sure I would be mailing that box to Montana, but when Elder Pfile was released from his mission this last July, he made good on that promise and came out to record music during the summer. Unfortunately, I had lost my direction for the CD, and I wasted so much of his time that he was here. I regretted that mistake in September, when I committed again to make my CD of Christmas music, and realized that it had to be completed by the first part of November.

Maybe my favorite song on the CD is the last track… Will You Hold Me on Christmas Eve? As I have explained in a previous post, Rachel had already recorded the song, and I tried three other male vocalists to sing the other half of the duet, with no good match-ups. I was fast coming to the realization that the song would have to be left off the CD. I called Garry one morning, very discouraged, and told him about my dilemma. He asked if there was a way for him to sing it. I only had about two weeks left to finish the CD, so I couldn’t really imagine a way that could happen, but I sent him the music and told him to try it, and to give me his honest opinion of whether he could pull it off. I don’t know why, but it actually made me feel better just that he wanted to try it, after the time he had in the summer. I just had such a peaceful, unworried feeling after we talked. Three days later he called and told me he knew he could rock that song. You have to understand that Garry is a music critic… especially of himself. So when he told me that he could really do it, I believed him. Then he dropped everything to come out from Montana to do the recording. It gave me the boost I needed to push through and finish the CD. And when he sang the song, he just blew me away… it completely exceeded my expectations. It took us about eight hours to record his part of that song, because he had to work one part at a time to match everything that Rachel had already recorded. I love the way the song turned out, and even more, I love that Garry went to so much trouble to do it.

Meeting Garry is proof that God works in mysterious ways. The thought that this 21-year-old guy from Montana was sent right to our house… well, certainly there are no coincidences. I don’t know how else I would ever have met him, and if I hadn’t, I’m not sure how I would have figured out I needed to make a CD this year. This music experience has been made up of a thousand different miracles, and Garry is not only one of those, but also a true friend.

Who’s Who? The Ninja Tag Expert

2009-11-22T13:18:00.000-08:00

If you read what I said about Tandy inside the CD cover, you might be a little puzzled about “Ninja Tag Expert.” So, just a few words about Tandy. I have known Tandy for every one of her almost 21 years. She grew up alongside my son Casey, who is about to return from his mission. He found her frequently annoying, as he thought of her as somewhat of a sister. I always thought she was cute and fun, but in her teen years when she started singing, I have to admit I did not love her voice.

Her diction was not the best… and I have never been a big fan of style over quality. But then Tandy grew up. Okay, maybe not very far. She is a little on the miniature side. But I have to say… I am a devoted fan. I love her voice. She has an amazing retro quality, and a gentleness when she sings that is almost heartbreaking. I trust her musical taste implicitly, and she came through for me on this Christmas music in a very big way. I am in awe of her talent. I knew that no one else could sing “Mary, the Mother” for me, and I am still sure that I was right.

But Tandy’s musical talent is only the least of why I am a fan. She is just one of the most exemplary women I know. She is always putting the needs of others ahead of her own, and I have seldom seen someone who cares more for her younger brothers and sister. I remember once my son Dillon told me that Tandy was taking all the boys out to play ninja tag. She makes sure they are safe and doing what they are supposed to do. How can you help but be impressed by a girl who would look out for a mob of 15- and 16-year-old boys? She already has a mother’s heart. I love Tandy for so many reasons.

She is completing her paperwork this week to serve an eighteen-month volunteer mission for our church. I will miss her, and I know there will be times when I will be very annoyed that she is not here to sing a song for me. But it is a wonderful, selfless thing that she wants to do, and I know that somewhere in the world, there are some people waiting to feel the spirit that she brings, and the music that surrounds her wherever she goes. Love you, Tandy!

Some Thoughts on Crossing the Finish Line

2009-11-18T23:39:00.000-08:00

If this was a race, then I won. I know, that sounds vain and boastful. I don’t mean it that way. But here is the thing. Today I crossed the finish line. It wasn’t a marathon, although it often felt that way. Putting together a CD in a matter of two months is not a marathon… it is a sprint. Or at the very least a highly competitive 400 meters. And today I held CDs in my hands. I spent several hours packaging them to mail to everyone who purchased one. If you have been following along and you bought a CD, it is only a matter of a very few days before you will be holding one, too.

I would like to tell you some things, and then, after you listen to the CD, I would like you to tell me some things. I want to know… did you like it? How did it make you feel? What was your favorite thing? It would leave me gratified beyond words to get a few dozen comments on this post, just answering those questions.

I want to say that I am more than happy with the way the CD turned out. I will admit to being a little bit of a perfectionist… not for other people usually, but for myself, and so when I listen, I unavoidably hear things that I would’ve/could’ve/should’ve fixed if I had another month. But I put in about 60 hours the last week of production alone, and ninety percent of that time was spent just fixing little things and making everything sound as clean and pure as possible. And when I was finished, at 6:00 a.m. on the morning that the master had to be delivered, I was blessed with a feeling that I had accomplished what I set out to do, which was to make some music that would help people feel closer to Jesus Christ. Even after all the hundreds of times I have listened with a critical ear to each song, I still have a burning in my heart when I listen to the songs, and that helps me turn a deaf ear to any small defects there. I can only hope that the same will be true when you listen.

I look back at a December 30, 2008 post from The Welcome Mat (which is my other blog… the one where I rant and rave about completely random things). I basically threw my hat into the ring and boldly said that I was going to make a Christmas CD, and that I was going to do it my own way, with my own equipment, in my own home. I was excited. Scared, but inspired. And then what did I do? I proceeded to second-guess my declaration for months on end, spend about a hundred hours trying to figure out what equipment I needed to buy from a dizzying array of possibilities and almost make decisions and purchases that would have been fatal to the project.

Then I spent some more months thinking that I needed to “go a different direction,” and wrote songs that were not Christmas-themed. Then I spent some months driving my best friends crazy with my indecision, unrealistic expectations and with some very uncharacteristically passive aggressive behavior. Then I attended a music workshop in Utah where I learned that I was doing things very differently than normal people, and so a) there would be no help or advice for what I was doing, b) there would likely be no monetary compensation at the end of the project, and c) the song I submitted for critique was not even in the top 20 out of 100, and therefore would probably not appeal to the general public. I came out of that workshop and out of my summer recording efforts with the firm and rather spiteful decision that not only was I not going to make a Christmas CD… I was not ever going to make a CD of anything.

I spent an entire month wallowing in a uneasy mixture of self-pity and relief that I didn’t have to worry about it anymore. And then one morning at the end of August, while I was cooking something over my stove that I have probably done a hundred times, I had an accident and splattered my hands liberally with 500-degree molten sugar. I plunged my hands into cold water within two seconds, but the damage was done. I had second- and third-degree burns all over both hands. The burns were initially all white and waxy looking. Within a week they were covered with angry red blisters, and after two weeks they just looked like raw meat. It was then, that suddenly I had the overwhelming desire to just play the piano. Just sit down and play. I hadn’t even touched the piano in over a month.

As soon as I could plunk out some notes holding bandaged fingers in the air, I sat down to make some music, and I realized that after all of my ridiculously uninspired activities of the summer, after the shameful way I had treated friends, and after the deep discouragement that I had allowed myself to feel (that is so unlike me!), I still had to make the Christmas CD. And guess what… now I only had two months to do it, because I wasted the first ten. I felt chastened, excited and completely overwhelmed.

In the category of blessings: the equipment I felt inspired to purchase was exactly what I needed, performed beautifully and made everything sound warm and rich. My friends immediately rallied around, and vocalists made themselves available, even when I had previously subjected them to demoralizing recording sessions. They came from near and far. They practiced until they sounded amazing. They sometimes worked into the early morning hours with me, until we got what we needed. My family picked up the slack when I started to spend between 40 and 60 hours a week for that two-month period of time. I learned how to survive on about five to six hours of sleep a night (I am an eight-to-nine-hour girl). I was blessed with ideas of how to work around problems, and how to make certain sounds happen, and how to make everything about the CD sound better and better. There was certainly a shepherd, guiding me through the task. Not only that, but all kinds of people purchased the CD without even knowing what it is they would be getting. If they could take a leap of faith, then certainly I could. After the way I spent my year, I certainly did not deserve all of those blessings, so I have to figure that the CD was supposed to get done.

And so, here I cross the finish line… with a couple hundred pounds of CDs in the back of my Suburban, and orders that look like they might sell out the entire batch by the end of the month… and yes, I won: It turns out I was just competing with myself. I can only be grateful that I got to be part of it, and that in the process I learned important lessons about friendship and inspiration and determination that you would think I would already have learned (I am slow), and grateful that I got to spend so much time with my favorite people in the whole world.

I also look occasionally at my Stat Counter that tells me about the visits to my blog, and I see that today I have had visits from over one hundred people, from fifteen different states and four different countries. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t know how some of you found your way here, but I am grateful, and if you listen to the music, I hope it makes you smile, and that you feel a peaceful spirit. I know it is only November 18th, but Merry Christmas, everyone. It’s all about the baby.

Finish Line photo by Andrew Mo, paintings by Joseph Brickey

A Not-So-Silent Night

2009-11-11T23:20:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite songs on the CD: Silent Night. It is maybe a little more upbeat than your traditional Silent Night. Shelley Johnson plays cello on two of the songs: O Holy Night, and Silent Night. I love both of those. It was interesting, though… O Holy Night took me about eight hours to put together my idea into a song. Silent Night took one take. Yes, one take. The difference is that Rachel was here for the idea phase of Silent Night. Basically, we just improvised. I played what came to me, and Rachel sang along. At one point at the end, I was coming back around for the tag at the end, and I called out, okay, last line again! She sang it, and then we looked at each other and said, “Okay, that was kind of cool… let’s hear it back!” We listened, and apart from a couple sour notes on my part, it was kind of cool, and we decided to go with it… exactly as it was. Well, minus the couple of sour notes. Then I went back and added the cello part, and Shelley made it sing. When I started playing around with O Holy Night, I had an idea what I wanted, but I knew that I wanted it to be just piano and cello, and the improvising was ever so much more difficult, since I would play what I heard, but then I had to play the cello with it, and it wouldn’t work the way I wanted, so I would have to try again… over and over and over and… you get the idea.

Anyway, you have no idea how tempted I am to put Silent Night up for you to hear. But I am resisting the urge. You have bought a CD, and you deserve some fun surprises. Which surprises, by the way, arrive on Wednesday the 18th! I can hardly believe it.

The painting is Liz Lemon Swindle’s beautiful Silent Night.

Mary, may I hold your little baby?

2009-11-10T02:25:00.000-08:00

Mary, may I hold your little baby?
Let me rock him while you sleep awhile...
I will keep him safe from harm.
Wrap my poor cloak around your shoulders
I know that it is worn and old
But at least you will be warm.

Rest now
When you wake I will still be here
Kneeling at the manger bed
Watching o'er your little baby dear
Mary, I heard you sing to your little one.
Even angels and shepherds wept
At your lullaby to God’s holy son.
Mary, may I hold your little baby?
I believe that when he fills my arms
My heart will be full too.

I know that you must be so weary
There was not an inn in Bethlehem
That would take you for the night.
I came to see the little Savior.
I felt the Spirit whispering
To come and feel his light.

Rest now
When you wake I will still be here
Kneeling at the manger bed
Watching o'er your little baby dear
Mary, I heard you sing to your little one.
Even angels and shepherds wept
At your lullaby to God’s holy son.
Mary, may I hold your little baby?
I believe that when he fills my arms
My heart will be full too.

Prophets have waited for a new star
To shine up in the heavens
To guide them to their king.
Look how it shines upon the stable
Bringing rich and poor to worship him.
See the wondrous gifts they bring.

Rest now
When you wake I will still be here
Kneeling at the manger bed
Watching o'er your little baby dear
Mary, I heard you sing to your little one.
Even angels and shepherds wept
At your lullaby to God’s holy son.
Mary, may I hold your little baby?
I believe that when he fills my arms
My heart will be full too.

On the album, this song is sung by my friend Michelle Noval.

A Father’s Heart

2009-11-09T19:24:00.000-08:00

Don’t you love Joseph? He took care of Mary, he saved the day... and I like to imagine how he loved the baby Jesus. I love this Brickey painting of Joseph. It is what I think of when I read the lyric’s for “Joseph’s Song.”

My dear friend Ric Starnes, who has a father’s heart himself, came out from Utah to record this one. I’m not putting up the whole song... like I said, there have to be some surprises for the CD. But maybe later I’ll put up a little piece of it. Hmm...

Joseph’s Song

In a thousand anxious moments
I have seen this very night
I’ve imagined how I’d feel now
And I’ve wished with all my might
That I’d know you when I saw you
And I’d love you as my own
Though you’re God’s son born to save us
You’ll be mine until you’re grown.

In this city full of strangers
There is no place left to stay
But a stable meant for cattle
And a manger full of hay.
Not a place I would have chosen
For your long awaited birth,
But it’s quiet and it’s safe here
As we welcome you to earth.

Lay your soft head on my shoulder
Sleep until the night is done.
Hear my song and feel my heart beat,
You’re my little baby son.

I have seen how in an instant
Things can change like night to day.
From the moment you arrived
Life transformed for me that way.
When I held you for the first time,
Angels sang and shouted praise.
Then a new star burst from heaven
Bathing earth with silver rays.

When I gazed then at your mother
My heart swelled; tears filled my eyes
For her beauty burned like fire
As she smiled and soothed your cries.
In the glory of that evening
I fell on my knees to pray
Thanks to God for my sweet family
And this Savior come to stay.

Lay your soft head on my shoulder
Sleep until the night is done.
Hear my song and feel my heart beat,
You’re my little baby son.

Lay your soft head on my shoulder
Sleep until the night is done.
Hear my song and feel my heart beat,
You’re my little Jesus son.

Done, and Done.

2009-11-07T00:15:00.000-08:00

Or maybe done... and done in. This has been a hard, no-fun week for me, and lonely, in an odd sort of way. There are always a jillion people around, but not to help me do this job. And certainly not in the middle of the night. Lonely is the right word, I think.

I made a breakthrough today when I “mastered” the CD for duplication. I have been worried about this, because I have burned CDs of things I have recorded before, and the quality has always been disappointing to me. I wondered if the problem was with Logic Studio, but for heaven’s sake, it is a professional program, and it is supposed to turn out a top-quality product. But when I would play back CDs, I would get sort of a thin, tinny piano sound, and the strings and voices would sound a little shrill to me. Certainly not the rich sound that comes from my speakers or headphones. But I felt inspired to research the mastering process a little before I made the CD... I don’t even know why, because I knew I just had to burn the CD.

The first thing I found is that Logic Studio has a setting for making mp3 format files that uses a higher resolution than standard. Then I found out that the default disc-burning speed is 24x... and apparently the faster you burn a CD, the lower the quality! Who even knew that??? Not even DK, and he knows all kinds of useless facts. Apparently for the good quality CDs, the maximum burn speed should be 4x! And best would be 1x. So I burned one at the slower speed, and then took a spin in the car for a good listen... I like to drive over by the elementary school for this purpose. Don’t even know why. It only took about two minutes before I was ready to do a happy dance... it worked. The quality is awesome.

And DK helped me work on the album art today. I love it. I am looking forward to a less difficult, less lonely week. I may not post any more full-length songs here, because I don’t want to spoil your enjoyment of the CD, but I am going to eventually get all the words, and stories behind songs up here on the blog... there is not room in the CD insert for all the lyrics, so I will put them up here instead. Have a great weekend...

On Traveling Far

2009-11-05T11:27:00.000-08:00

This has really been a journey. Many of the songs I am producing were written over the last ten years. My taste in music has changed... is constantly changing. I know more about song structure than I did, and I cringe a little when I look at some of the older songs. I have changed and updated many of them... but one of the challenges is, I care more about the accompaniment now. Many times when I was writing a song for the children or a soloist to sing, there was a deadline, and being the world-class procrastinator that I am, I would wait until the day it was due, before I would start to think about the song. I cared the most about the words, I think, and the accompaniment suffered. Now that I am recording the songs, in many cases the accompaniment is ruining my enjoyment of the song. I realized when I rewrote the accompaniment for The Gate, that I can breathe new life into the music, by coming up with a concept for the accompaniment that really speaks to me.

I record the vocalist while playing the old-style accompaniment. But then when I begin to work on the finished product, I simply throw that accompaniment in the trash and start new. I rewrote three accompaniment parts this week! This is one. I kept it very, very simple. In most of the cases, the new accompaniment is not fancier, but simpler... in line with my new tastes, perhaps? Maybe you liked it better the old way... I kept a little of that, in the middle. So many of my friends have listened to this song for the last five years, and there may be a rebellion when they hear what I have done. Just remember, we have traveled far...

Evening Lullaby

They traveled far along the dusty way
To reach Bethlehem by close of day.
Come Joseph, hasten down the winding road.
Bring your donkey with its precious load.

As they entered through the city gate
Shadows fell; the hour was growing late
Then in the purple of a falling night
Shown a brand-new star in glory bright.

Who will share a room, a loaf of bread?
Where will Mary lay her weary head?
A tiny manger in a stable bare
Will be the cradle for her baby fair.

Come, shepherds, watch and wonder at the sight.
Find the stable bathed in holy light.
Enter softly; see the babe foretold
By prophets far and near since days of old.

Baby Jesus, now it’s time to sleep.
Close your eyes; angels their watch will keep.
And when you wake the night will fade to gray
Then you will smile upon a brand-new day.

Some Nights are Just Holier than Others

2009-11-04T12:36:00.000-08:00

So everyone teases that I bought this Christmas painting (by Liz Lemon Swindle) because Mary looks like me. First of all, you can only see her from mid-nose up, so she could look like any number of people. Judge for yourself.

And by the way, may I say that it is eighty degrees here in lovely Southern California, and I just finished recording cello with Shelley Johnson, and basically, it rocked. I’m putting up “O Holy Night” so you can hear it. This is the one song where I got to just totally have fun on the piano. Happy happy happy

About a Mother

2009-11-03T15:57:00.000-08:00

Mary, the Mother

Mary, the mother
Rocked her tiny baby
And kissed his tender little lips.
What will his lips speak
When he’s the Savior?
What will he say when he is grown?
As I have loved you, love one another.
That’s what he’ll say when he is grown.

Mary, the mother
Rocked her tiny baby
And held one perfect little hand.
What will his hands touch
When he’s the Savior?
What will he do when he is grown?
He’ll bless the weary, lift them and comfort them.
That’s what he’ll do when he is grown.

Mary, the mother
Rocked her tiny baby
And wrapped a blanket ‘round his feet.
Where will his feet tread
When he’s the Savior?
Where will he go when he is grown?

He’ll climb dusty mountains,
And walk on glassy seas.
Rough nails will tear his flesh
As Mary falls upon her knees.
He’ll leave behind an empty tomb
To soothe the ones who grieve.
His feet… bathed by grateful tears
Of all those who believe.

Mary, the mother
Rocked her tiny baby
And listened to his beating heart.
Who will he care for
When he’s the Savior?
Who will he love when he is grown?
He’ll love the children
We are all his children.
That’s who he’ll love when he is grown.

He’ll love the children
We are all his children.
That’s who he’ll love when he is grown.

The gorgeous painting of Mary and Jesus is by Liz Lemon Swindle.

Duet... by Remote Access?

2009-10-31T09:19:00.000-07:00

Rachel came out two weeks ago, and recorded “Will You Hold Me On Christmas Eve?” (not a love song, despite the title). The only problem is, it is a duet. I tried a couple of different guys to sing the other part, and while they were great singers, it is hard to match the brightness and power of Rachel’s voice. I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.

But then... Garry came down from Montana this week. He had listened to the song, and told me that he could pull this off. I trust Garry’s ears like I trust my own, so of course I believed him. But the finished product was... wow! So much better than I expected! It was a lot of hard work on Garry’s part to match everything up. Don’t you think that is pretty crazy? Singing across time and space? Remember... these two have never even met! I was slightly tempted to put the song up for you to listen to. It is my favorite. I have listened to it now about a hundred times, I think. But there have to be a few surprises, and this is going to be one of them. As the old saying goes, we have to save a little something for the honeymoon. So please enjoy the other songs that are posted below, and wish me luck... in the next six days I will be finished!

Will you hold me on Christmas Eve?
Can we sit by the fire, underneath our big tree?
Will you tell me the story of baby Jesus in the manger?
Will you hold me on Christmas Eve?

Wise men and shepherds; angels so fair
Don’t leave out anything... make me feel like I’m there.
I know I’m getting older, but I still believe
When you hold me on Christmas Eve.

Try It Now...

2009-10-27T08:08:00.001-07:00

My mp3 host apparently went out of business? So I have figured out a temporary fix to get the players to work. Hopefully all five work now. If you have any problems, please leave me a comment so that I know that I need to fix it. Scroll down and listen to ALL the songs! Enjoy...

It Really IS All About the Baby

2009-10-25T22:19:00.001-07:00

I have actually tried to write some secular Christmas songs. Apparently, I am not very good at it, because no matter what, they always come right back around to the baby Jesus. That is why it is called “It’s All About the Baby.” This one is about the magic of Christmas Eve, and it is called “Christmas Dream.” I hope you like it.

Christmas Dream

The stockings are hung now and it’s getting late
Tomorrow is Christmas and I just can’t wait
The presents are wrapped and tucked under the tree.
Soon I get to find out which ones are for me.

But now that I’m older I know what Christmas is for
It’s not just presents and candy; no, it’s oh, so much more
So I go to sleep now that in my dreams I may go
To a faraway place and a time long ago.

I close my eyes and I am there
Following that bright star
The shepherds hasten ‘round me
Drawing me forward
Into the stable
Pushing me closer
Until I kneel upon the straw.

And there he lies, the baby king
Snug in his manger bed
And all I want to do is
Stay there forever,
Lost in the feeling,
Be with my Savior
Warmed by the love he has for me.

Soon I am touched by the first morning light
And I can’t get the dream back now, try as I might
But the feeling still lingers, and then I know deep inside
The baby Jesus is with me
For Christmas
And every day of my life.

Did You Know?

2009-10-21T02:44:00.000-07:00

He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
~Matthew 16:15-16

“…He was the Great Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Messiah of the New. Under the direction of His Father, He was the creator of the earth. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). Though sinless, He was baptized to fulfill all righteousness. He “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38), yet was despised for it. His gospel was a message of peace and goodwill. He entreated all to follow His example. He walked the roads of Palestine, healing the sick, causing the blind to see, and raising the dead. He taught the truths of eternity, the reality of our premortal existence, the purpose of our life on earth, and the potential for the sons and daughters of God in the life to come….”

From “The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints”

Did you know when Jesus was a baby

That his mother laid him in the hay?

Did you know he slept among the oxen

Safe and warm until the break of day?

Did you know he was the promised Savior,

Born to bring us love and show the way?

Did you know that Jesus was a shepherd?

That his lambs were people just like me?

Did you know that Jesus blessed the children?

Did you know he held them one by one?

Did you know that Jesus came to save us?

Did you know that he was God’s own son?

Did you know that Jesus healed the blind man?

Did you know he made the lame to walk?

Did you know he walked upon the water?

Did you know he calmed the troubled sea?

Did you know that Jesus loves the children?

That is how I know that he loves me.

Why I Didn’t Get Any Singing Talent

2009-10-18T21:41:00.000-07:00

It’s obvious. Rachel hogged it all. The singing talent, that is. I don’t know that I am going to put up anymore full-length songs after this... I don’t want to ruin all the surprises on the CD. But I thought you would like to hear a work in progress. This is the recording with just piano and voice we did on Friday. This is a traditional Christmas carol called “In the Bleak Midwinter,” based on a poem by Christina Rossetti. I love love love it, and even without editing, I think you will, too. Enjoy it, and then scroll down and listen to the other songs I have on here, and leave a comment or two, so that I know you were here!

Painting “Silent Night” by Joseph Brickey

Hush! There's a Baby in the Manger

2009-10-15T12:45:00.000-07:00

So I wrote this little song, “Hush,” a few years ago for an 80-voice children’s choir to sing. They belted it out, and they loved it. When it came time to make this cd, I was not planning to include it. I couldn’t think of a way to do it that would work. Then I thought, well, I could have a small group of children sing it, and mix in some of my young adult singers… and yesterday Tandy came over to do some recording. This is Tandy… isn’t she beautiful?

And I asked her to lay down a track of “Hush.” And there it was. The answer… of course she had to sing this song. And then these cool people stopped by to add some harmony to the mix. This is Stephanie (gorgeous, right?)...

And then Michael and Drew…

And now it sounds like this. Enjoy the sneak preview.

Hush! There’s a baby in the manger.
Hush! If you wake him he will cry.
Hush! He’s our tiny Lord and Savior,
Sleeping in a stable here in Bethlehem.

Hush! Hush! Hush!

Don’t cry now, sweet baby Jesus…
Your mama’s holding you all through the night.
Joseph’s watching over the manger.
Everything’s gonna be alright.

Look! In heaven there’s a new star.
Look! It’s bringin’ shepherds from afar.
Look! Now the wise men are a comin’
Come to see the baby here in Bethlehem.

Look! Look! Look!

I love you, sweet baby Jesus…
All I want is to feel your light.
I know if I just try to be like you,
Everything’s gonna be alright.

Hush! There’s a baby in the manger.
Hush! If you wake him will cry.
Hush! He’s our tiny Lord and Savior,
Sleeping in a stable here in Bethlehem.

Hush! There’s a baby in the manger.
Hush! If you wake him will cry.
Hush! He’s our tiny Lord and Savior,
Sleeping in a stable
Sleeping in a stable
Sleeping in a stable here in Bethlehem.

...And Now For Something a Little Different

2009-10-13T13:47:00.000-07:00

Some things are never finished, it seems. I thought I put “The Gate” to bed weeks and weeks ago. But it was not quite right somehow. So this week I have taken it apart and changed the accompaniment entirely. If you want to listen to the original version, you will find it in the playlist over at the Welcome Mat. But this is how I wanted to hear this song. No… it is not, strictly speaking, a Christmas song. But it will be on the Christmas CD just the same.

The painting is “Gardens Beyond Autumn Gate” by Thomas Kinkade. It is what I picture when I listen.

Following are the words, inspired by Matt. 7:13-14 in the New Testament, as well as this beautiful chapter in the Book of Mormon: 2 Nephi 31.

The Gate

I am just a wayward child
I wander in winding paths
Through dark and danger.
There is one who calls me
To walk in the way of truth and love.

Lost,
But I am not alone.
The Savior lights my way,
Leads me through the narrow gate
To everlasting day.

I am not the only one
To struggle in unbelief,
To blindly roam.
Jesus bids me find his sheep
And to bring them safely back home.

Lost, but we are not alone
The Savior lights our way.
Leads us through the narrow gate
To everlasting day.

Few there be that find the gate;
For narrow is the road.
I will walk the path that’s straight,
Then he’ll welcome me into his fold.

Lost, but I am not alone.
The Savior lights my way.
Leads me through the narrow gate
To everlasting day.

I am found,
I’m freed from worldly cares,
The Savior lights my way.
Leads me through the narrow gate
To everlasting day.

Turning Simple Beauty Into Pure Magic

2009-10-11T23:03:00.000-07:00

Friday I held a rehearsal for my “choir.” It is actually six people: Dillon, Drew, Michael, Tandy, Stephanie and Cambria. They are singing on three of the songs, and it was so, so fun! Love those guys, and they sound amazing. So I am recording them this week. I am also recording Ric, who is coming out from Utah, Rachel, and possibly Michelle. Crazy, crazy week.

I just wanted to tell you a little story. One of the songs my “choir” is recording is backups for “Did You Know?” You can listen to it over on my other blog, The Welcome Mat. When Garry was here last summer, he recorded it in between some other numbers that we were working very hard on. It was almost an afterthought, but somehow he made it so pure and beautiful that it is my favorite thing he recorded. I have listened to it practically every day since then.

But I have had a special vision for that song ever since last December. I was asked to put together a musical number for a baptism for a very dear friend, Ruth. She was a young mother who found the true gospel of Jesus Christ and wanted to be baptized. I had originally written “Did You Know” for my son Dillon’s baptism, and then a year later added the first verse to make it a Christmas song. So I got my “choir” together (pretty much the same people a year ago, except that Ethan was still here, and he sang, too) and we rehearsed “Did You Know?”

It came time for that musical number, and the small group stood in front of Ruth, who was all dressed in her white clothes and holding her little baby, and they began to sing. By the third verse, several of them were singing in harmony. It built from a very tender beginning to a very powerful third verse, and I don’t even know how to describe the spirit there… it truly felt magical. Everyone shed tears that day. The next day in church was the Christmas program. Bishop Gregson stood up right before the last song, and asked that in place of the closing congregational number, that we perform that musical number again. I figured that in that much-larger setting it would not be the same, but they all stood around the microphone in the chapel, and gave it their best. And by the time we got to the third verse, it felt like an electrical current was going through my body. The spirit was so strong there, that I looked out at the congregation, and again, they were all moved to tears. So what we are doing this week is recapturing the magic. We are adding vocals and strings to the already breathtaking performance that Garry laid down two months ago. And I promise I will give you a sneak preview by the end of the week. Meanwhile, you can read the words here, and enjoy Garry’s performance on the Welcome Mat. Merry Christmas! Are you feeling the love? I’m sending it out there…

Photos are 1:Garry recording and 2:Ruth; gorgeous painting by Joseph Brickey.

Why I’ve Been Eating Peppermint Ice Cream

2009-10-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

I almost skipped over Halloween entirely… zoomed past Thanksgiving and on into the Christmas season. I have been reading Christmas stories… and, yes... eating peppermint ice cream. Why? Because of my project I have been hinting about. So… you probably guessed. It is a brand-new Christmas CD! I didn’t want to announce it until I was sure I could complete it in time. I figured out it is going to take 40-50 hour weeks for the next four weeks, but I can do it. I have been making good progress. Within the next week, I will have a way to take pre-orders, and I will be ready to ship CDs in the second week of November.

The CD will include four traditional Christmas songs, which at the moment, I believe will be “O Holy Night,” “Still, Still, Still,” “In the Bleak Midwinter” and “Silent Night,” with a possible bonus surprise. In addition to those, I will be including nine (yes, count them… NINE) original songs that I have written. I have to tell you that what I have so far is better than anything you have heard here on the blog. It is not a solo effort… there are over a dozen musicians singing and playing, including some of my favorites: Rachel, Tandy, Michael, Garry, Ric, Shelley... and the list goes on! This is work that I am very proud of, and I am super excited about it. I hope you are, too, because I am counting on you to help me spread the word. I promise you will not be disappointed! I will be putting up a few samples in the coming weeks, so that my loyal bloggy friends will have a sneak preview. Please consider purchasing multiples, as this will be a fun and uniquely Christ-centered gift.

Stop back here when you need a little Christmas... I will try to oblige with some great Christmas stories, recipes and music. Now, do me a favor, and click on the “Follow” button over there on the left. That way you will know when I post new content about the CD. Invite your friends to follow, as well. Thank you:)