Adventures with Heather

Saturday, October 5, 2013

Wrapping up "Songs For Healing"- Songs for Grieving Parents

Last night was an emotional, magical experience wrapping up the vocals for the "Songs For Healing" CD I've been working on with amazingly talented producer/musician Chris Gatton. We've been working on the CD off and on over the summer and it was sad/happy to finish the songs last night.

We worked on an anthemic song called "Heaven Come Soon" first. When Chris played the song for me to hear with just the instrumentation, I had goose bumps and felt moved & inspired! I dove into the vocals and we kept the 1st vocal take because it sounded as it should, raw and emotion filled. I felt my throat tighten up while singing the 2nd verse "I saw you once in my dreams, hand in hand with Jesus you turned and waved to me.." the way it does when I'm about ready to cry, but it translated well into the feeling of the song. Toward the end of the song, we added a cool spontaneous vocal part that goes "This is not our home" that me and Chris sang together at the end of the song and doubled that sounds like a bunch of people singing together at a house show. Chris added some awesome harmonies on some key parts of the song too. It was seriously magical!

We also worked on an instrumental song with just oo's and ah's. Chris said when he recorded it, it reminded him of a balloon floating away. I was inspired by what he said and came up with the only lyrics in the song that is sort of a repeat that me and Chris alternate..Me:"Let it go.." Chris:"Time to let it go.." It's a hopeful piece that will hopefully give listeners a time to think and even blank out for a second.

My hope for this CD was to be able to GIVE it away to parents and families who have lost babies. I wasn't sure how it was going to happen, but I prayed and I just started making the CD and hoped the opportunity would present itself. Sure enough, I am helping put together a Memorial Service at Vineyard Sawmill Campus on November 3rd at 3pm for families that have lost children and we will be able to hand out the CD to each family to hopefully help the grieving process! So amazing to see this come about.. And obviously it has helped me work through a lot of my own grief of losing our first babe and process through a lot of the emotions again.

Though it is hard, I am thankful I get to do this and that I get to give away something meaningful that will be a support to people going through similar things.