In 2009, William Stevens of Winston-Salem and daughter Becca Stevens gave of their talents to a noble cause.
They sang their settings of poems written by children with life-threatening illnesses at a fundraiser for Arts for Life, which provides educational art programs designed to enrich the lives of young patients and their families. Arts for Life serves more than 4,700 children annually in four North Carolina hospitals, including Brenner Children's Hospital in Winston-Salem.
The response to the Stevens songs at the fundraiser was so strong that they decided to make a CD of similar material that involved not only their talents but those of professional composers, performers and recording-studio personnel in the Triad and New York. The result, a CD benefiting Arts for Life, is "My Life is Bold." It came out in November to mark the 10th anniversary of Arts for Life, which updated its website last month to allow for online sales of the CD.
It was produced, mixed and mastered by Becca's brother Bill. Evan Richey of Ovation Sound made that Winston-Salem studio available, at no cost, for recording some of the CD's material. All of the artists volunteered their services as well.
Becca Stevens, 27, grew up in Winston-Salem, where she attended UNC School of the Arts. She is a singer of jazz and other styles in New York. She has been recommended in The New York Times.
"We left feeling inspired to do more," she said by email. "There was never a doubt in my mind as to whether or not I would want to be part of the project. My heart was in it from the beginning."
"My Life is Bold" takes its name from a line in one of the songs. It consists of 14 stylistically eclectic songs along with liner notes that include poems and visual art by Arts for Life children. It can be purchased for $15 at www.aflnc.org; all sale proceeds will support Arts for Life programs.
"This CD is a testament to what a community of dedicated people can accomplish when they work together to overcome adversity and celebrate life," said Shea Godwin, the executive director of Arts for Life.
Most of the liner art was created by children at hospitals in Durham, Asheville and Charlotte.
All of the recording's poems were written by children at Brenner. The poems celebrate aspirations: "I want to be a teacher of art/cause to me, that is the best part/Showing the kids how to draw the world/Full of people with boys and girls."
They describe the debilitating effects of illness: "Weakness is a snail in your brain, trying to control you. /It smells like nasty sweat. It feels tingly, like ants in your pants." And they imagine life after a cure: "I want to live happy/like a turtle in the ocean."
Laurelyn Dossett, a singer from Greensboro, performs "Life is Happy," in which pianist Ken Frazelle plays his setting of a 12-year-old's poem.
"I am moved by the power and the artfulness of the language in the kids' poems," Dossett said by email. "And (I'm) further impressed by the sensitivity and professionalism brought by each of the songwriters/arrangers. It's a beautiful record and it is for real."
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