A special announcement: "The Payoff"

I started studying the life of David (from the book of Psalms) in 2010.

I began writing songs from the lessons I was learning.

I recorded my ideas behind the songs and recorded my first ideas for the song "Nobody Sees" on May 21, 2010.

I spent a co-writing session with Darwin Moody (Embassy Music) in Nashville, TN and walked out with a completed song that I really liked.

I began sharing it with audiences and getting positive feedback.

In 2012 Eric Copeland and Phil Naish decided to collaborate together and come up with a compilation project of Creative Soul Record artists called "We Are Creative Soul".

I submitted "Nobody Sees" as a possibility for one of the songs I would record (out of 3) and they chose "Nobody Sees".

Phil and Frances January 2013

In January 2013 we gathered in Nashville, TN to work on the project.

On August 29, 2013 I received the artwork for the single - the sign of a finished song.

Hours of studying, praying, recording and re-writing have paid off.

Yesterday the song was released on iTunes. (September 5, 20130).

This only fuels my determination and excitement to see the Christmas project through to "The Payoff" - one bite at a time.

Links of interest:

Listen to the story (podcast) behind the song and a conversation with Grammy award-winning producer Phil Naish

Buy song (iTunes)

Embassy Music (Darwin Moody) Co-writer of "Nobody Sees"

"The Elephant Diet" Day # 134 Busy Bee!

I have been a very busy bee.  Buzzing here and there, working hard on a special announcement. It's been driving the elephants nuts.  Such a small insect.

According to sciencemag.org, elephants don't like bees:

"East Africa’s elephants face few threats in their savanna home, aside from humans and lions. But the behemoths are terrified of African bees, and with good reason. An angry swarm can sting elephants around their eyes and inside their trunks and pierce the skin of young calves. Now, a new study shows that the pachyderms utter a distinctive rumble in response to the sound of bees, the first time an alarm call has been identified in elephants." 

I know the buzzing will pay off soon. There will be sweet honey to enjoy!  But alas, those elephants will be back to haunt me with more 'to do' lists so I can't get stuck in the honey very long.  (I think I hear Winnie The Pooh saying 'oh bother').

Here's another "oh bother". A decision has been made about the song with the children, that's not so sweet.  As much as I loved having them sing last week and as wonderful as they did, my team and I have decided not to have a children's choir on the Song of Joy at all.

It has been a difficult decision but the whole point of a producer is to help make these tough decisions.  It is not a reflection on the children.  It is a reflection on what fits the song the best.  Either we had to hire a professional children's choir or let it go.  Phil didn't feel the song was the right type of song for a children's choir and that using children wouldn't 'make or break' the song.

I did learn through this process that there are trained children's choirs in Nashville that work with a coach on diction, pitch, rhythm and other things!  We considered hiring someone like that, but in the end felt that the song had to be the final decision maker and no one felt the song called for their sweet voices enough to go to that expense.

The fun part of this is that the children last week got a great experience in recording that not many children will ever have AND they get their own personal recording of what they did so they can listen as much as they like.  I even created a video for them of their day in the studio so they can enjoy the memories for years to come.

Now back to my beehive.  I have a concert on Sunday to finish rehearsing for.  It's 'biker' Sunday at a Mennonite church and I've been invited to 'ride' with them.  Not sure if I'm creating a beehive or hornet's nest?

Either way - I must get back to the elephants soon!  They won't be dissuaded forever.