While her mother underwent treatments for terminal cancer, Calee Reed wrote the songs that would become her debut album The Waiting Place, releasing May 8th. The effort helped buoy Reed up during that painful time. It was her way of finding hope in the devastation of the disease.
Now, a year after her mother’s passing, Reed hopes the finished album will help others who are dealing with similar struggles.
“All the advice and well wishes in the world couldn’t help me at certain points during my mother’s illness, but music always could” Reed says. “Hopefully some part of my experience can help someone else through their trial.”
During the month of May, all proceeds from the download of Reed’s original song “She Put the Music in Me” (on iTunes) will be donated to the Huntsman Cancer Foundation.A music video for the song was made in tribute to Reed’s mother and will debut before Mother’s Day.
The album is distributed by Shadow Mountain Records. Bob Ahlander, director of music at Deseret Book expects The Waiting Place to cross genres and be embraced by many people. “Calee’s current sound and meaningful songs will make her an instant favorite” Ahlander says. “We are lucky to be working with her.”
There will be two concerts to celebrate the release of the album.
May 11th 7pm – CD Release Concert at Sammy’s Café in Provo
May 12th 8pm – Summer Back 2 School Block Party at The Ivy Apartments in Rexburg, ID
The tracks on The Waiting Place include many original songs with contemporary arrangements:
Les Miserables Broadway star Sandra Turley released her debut album featuring a collection of popular musical hits. She teamed up with Shadow Mountain Records to produce the self-titled album Sandra Turley: On Broadway.
With a sound straight from the stage, Turley’s voice brings a new life to favorite Broadway hits including “Popular“ from Wicked, “Think of Me” from Phantom of the Opera and “On My Own” from Les Miserables.
Turley feels that show tunes are the ultimate way to tell a story, “The melodies in this album tell tales of their own, but coupled with masterful lyrics and poetic imagery, these songs become stories that can capture our hearts,” Turley said.
Turley’s love for music and Broadway can be heard in each song she sings. “Each of these songs reflects my passion for living and my hope for us is to feel deeply and learn clearly the lessons found in our own stories,” Turley said. “These are the stories that make my heart sing.”
Sandra Turley: On Broadway tracks:
Spark of Creation (Children of Eden)
Astonishing (Little Women)
On My Own (Les Miserables)
For Good (Wicked)
The Girl in 14G (Thoroughly Modern Millie)
Gimme Gimme (Thoroughly Modern Millie)
Popular (Wicked)
The Sound of Music (The Sound of Music)
Think of Me (Phantom of the Opera)
Les Miserables Medley (Les Miserables)
Bonus Track: Christmas Lullaby
Sandra Turley performed the role of Cosette in Les Miserables on Broadway in New York City and was part of the original closing cast. Sandra was invited to perform the role of Cosette in the Shanghai, China premiere of Les Miserables alongside Broadway star, Colm Wilkinson. She received her BFA from Brigham Young University with a major in Music, Dance and Theater. She performed as Ariel in Disney World’s stage production of The Little Mermaid. Among her favorite performances were singing for Steve Young’s Forever Young Foundation events and also singing for the 2004 Republican National Convention. Sandra performs concerts and enjoys motivational speaking and singing across the country. For more information, please visit www.sandraturley.com
With thirteen kids between them, the three moms who form the singing group Mercy River undoubtedly have full plates. Even with the demands of motherhood, they refuse to slow down. Their third album, HIGHER, hits stores and iTunes February 29th.
Mercy River is breaking ground with a new concept: they are going on an ALBUM BLOG TOUR. They will visit dozens of blogs throughout the month of March. At each stop, Mercy River will create a tailored post or video about anything from motherhood to fashion. To allow their fans to follow along, they will post a list of the blog stops on their website MercyRiverMusic.com and Facebook page.
Brooke Stone, Whitney Permann and Soni Muller make up the vivacious trio. They formed the group in 2008 with a hope to share the joy they find in life with others.
Stone says the new album carries a different feel than their previous projects. “Our sound is becoming more about who we are now, it’s a reflection of our personalities and our outlook on life,” she said.
Beautiful Life (attached in the email)
It Might Be Hope
With Him We Can
Change in the Making
Love Never Fails
Let Go
Blessings
Beautiful For Me
Surrender
Just Like a Father
The track list for HIGHER includes a mix of popular contemporary-inspirational tracks as well as original songs.
Mercy River will perform three free concerts in March:
Downtown Salt Lake Deseret Book store March 2nd at 11:30am
Fort Union Deseret Book March 3rd at 2:00pm.
Downtown Salt Lake Deseret Book store March 31st at 6pm (as part of ‘ladies night’ in conjunction with LDS General Conference.)
A music video for their single, Beautiful Life, is planned to be released in March. They also tour as part of Time Out For Women– more info at www.tofw.com.
Utah native Jenny Oaks Baker received her first GRAMMY nomination last night.
Her newest album, Wish upon a Star: A Tribute To The Music of Walt Disney is among five finalists in the Best Pop Instrumental Album category.
The songs on the album were produced and arranged by Emmy-Award-winning composer Kurt Bestor. The Grammy nomination is a first for Baker, who is on the Shadow Mountain Records label (the record label of Deseret Book).
Deseret Book CEO Sheri Dew gives credit to many individuals for this nomination.
“Jenny Oaks Baker is an extraordinary talent. She makes the violin sing,” Dew said. “Her talent, combined with the superb touch of producer Kurt Bestor and our Music Team’s skillful handling of this product have proven a winning combination. We are honored to have a CD showcasing such sheer talent on the Shadow Mountain label.”
Baker issued a statement this morning about her nomination:
“I am absolutely thrilled about this Grammy nomination! I’m grateful to Shadow
Mountain Records for everything they’ve done to secure this nomination and to
help my music be heard around the world. I’m also grateful to Kurt for his amazing
arrangements and superb artistry. I feel so blessed.”
The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards will take place February 12, 2012 and will air on CBS.
This is the second Grammy Nomination for Shadow Mountain Records. Gladys Knight won a GRAMMY under the label in 2005 in the category of Best Gospel Choir Or Chorus Album.
The homeless population in Utah will get a boost this winter from an unlikely source: Christmas Music.
FM 100.3 and Deseret Book partnered to create Home For Christmas, a collaborative Christmas album. All sales of the album will go straight to benefit the homeless. The Road Home, who operates the largest homeless shelter in Utah, was chosen as the recipient for the proceeds.
Home For Christmas features favorite LDS singers and songwriters like Hilary Weeks, Jon Schmidt, and Alex Boyé. It can be purchased at Deseret Book and other retail locations. It can also be downloaded at Deseretbook.com for $9.99.
The track list delivers a mix of popular Christmas favorites:
Come, All Ye Faithful– Eclipse
Bring a Torch, Jeanette Isabella– Jon Schmidt
With Wondering Awe– Debra Fotheringham
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer– Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband
In the Bleak Midwinter– Mindy Gledhill
I Saw Three Ships– David Tolk
Mary’s Lullaby– Cherie Call
Jingle Bell Rock– Voice Male
Winter– April Meservy
Go Tell it on the Mountain– Alex Boyé
I’ll be Home for Christmas– Hilary Weeks
Silent Night– Paul Cardall
The Road Home is a private non-profit social service agency that assists individuals and families experiencing homelessness in Salt Lake County and along the Wasatch Front. Their mission is to help people step out of homelessness and back into our community. More info at www.theroadhome.org
FM 100.3 and Deseret Book are both part of the family of Deseret Media Companies. More info at www.deseretmediacompanies.com
Local singer/songwriter Hilary Weeks was at her home Wednesday morning when she got the call from Bob Ahlander, Director of Music and Film at Deseret Book.
He had great news for her: Every Step, the week-old album by Hilary Weeks, had just landed on several Billboard charts, including #6 on the Contemporary Christian Billboard Chart and #1 on the Top New Artist Albums Indie Chart.
This is the first time a solo artist from Shadow Mountain Records has hit the Christian Billboard charts. The genre is competitive, packed with industry leaders like Casting Crowns, who were the overall second best selling album in the country last week (Adele’s 21 was the top album).
Ahlander says that the achievement of Every Step is monumental in several ways. “This is by far the biggest success story we’ve had at our label,” said Ahlander. “Not only did Hilary crack the top 10 on the Christian Charts, but she cracked the Billboard 200 landing at #102. That is just amazing, and totally highlights her strength as an amazing performer and outstanding songwriter. We are lucky to have her on our roster.”
Laurel Christensen, Vice President of Product Development at Deseret Book, hoped all along to get Every Step charted on Billboard, though the goal seemed daunting at first.
“This album with this artist created the perfect storm to chart on the Christian Billboard charts” said Christensen. “This is Hilary’s finest work. And so we knew our team and, more importantly, her fans would be able to get behind this effort in a huge way because the music would deliver.”
The album, which released Tuesday, October 25th, experienced several other impressive feats in its first week.
Just two days after its release, Every Step was the #2 selling album on iTunes in the Christian/Gospel category.
The album already has a standout song, “Beautiful Heartbreak”. The label released a music video for the song and it exploded on YouTube getting 100,000 views in one week. Within three days the video was featured on YouTube’s music page. “That song speaks volumes and people are really connecting with the message of the video,” said Ahlander.
The music video illustrates stories of people overcoming adversity, and features Christian and Stephanie Nielsen, who gained national attention for their inspirational story of surviving a plane crash in 2008.
In total, Every Step landed on five Billboard Charts:
TOP CURRENT CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN: #6
CURRENT CHRISTIAN OVERALL: #8 (combines the Current Contemporary Christian and Gospel charts)
TOP ALBUMS – BILLBOARD TOP 200: #102 (top selling albums, includes every genre)
TOP NEW ARTIST ALBUMS – INDIE CHART: #1 (top selling albums for independent labels)
The much anticipated album from beloved singer/songwriter Hilary Weeks hits stores October 25th.
Every step features ten new songs written by Weeks, as well as an updated arrangement of her classic song, “All My Days.”
The contemporary sound of this album can partly be attributed to an all-star group of Nashville musicians. Weeks and her producer, Tyler Castleton, traveled to Tennessee to record at The Sound Kitchen, a recording studio that has hosted artists such as Rascal Flatts, Jewel, and Wynonna Judd.
Shadow Mountain Records will host an album Release Concert for Every Step on October 25th at the Covey Center for the Arts in Provo at 7pm. Tickets are available at www.CoveyCenter.org.
Every Step is the ninth album for Weeks. The track list includes:
That’s Who I Am
Find Me
Right Here
Beautiful Heartbreak
Living Proof
Stand Still
I Will
This Is Not Your Home
Dancing in the Rain
Past The Point
All My Days
For a biography of Hilary Weeks, please visit hilaryweeks.com.
Bestselling artist Jenny Oaks Baker will delight fans young and old with her newest album, Wish upon a Star: A Tribute To The Music of Walt Disney. The album features songs produced and arranged by Emmy-award-winning composer Kurt Bestor.
This project comes one year after her Billboard #1 hit, Then Sings My Soul. “We are expecting a great response to this album,” says Bob Ahlander, head of Shadow Mountain Records, the label that produces Baker’s albums. “These are the songs we all know and love, but in this case they are performed by a virtuoso who takes them to a whole new level. Her fans will love it, and I predict she will win over a whole new bunch of people with this amazing project.”
Baker delivers a mix of popular favorites and lesser-known melodies on this highly anticipated track list:
Colors of the Wind
When You Wish Upon a Star
Beauty and the Beast
A Whole New World
God Help the Outcasts
A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
Mary Poppins Fantasia
Part of Your World
Once Upon a Dream
Can You Feel the Love Tonight?
Baby Mine
Baker will perform in conjunction with Education Week August 16-19 at 8pm. All performances will be in the Madsen Recital Hall. At the concert, she will perform songs from Wish Upon a Star.
Jenny Oaks Baker: Ms. Baker is one of America’s most accomplished classical violinists. She began playing the violin at age four, and received her Master of Music degree from the renowned Juilliard School in New York City and her bachelor’s degree in violin performance from the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Strathmore Hall, the Library of Congress and as a guest soloist with the Jerusalem Symphony, the San Diego Symphony, the Utah Symphony, the Orchestra at Temple Square, and the internationally acclaimed Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Ms. Baker performed as a first violinist with the National Symphony Orchestra for seven years before resigning in 2007 to devote more time to her young family. She has released ten albums since 1998. They have sold more than 150,000 copies and charted on the National Billboard Charts multiple times, with her last album, “Then Sings my Soul” hitting No. 1 on Billboard. Ms. Baker, her husband Matthew, and their four children reside outside of Washington D.C.
On the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Young Women Values program, Shadow Mountain Records releases a Young Women values-themed album for a new generation. “Live What I Know: Honoring the Values of Young Women”, is filled with original songs from singers/songwriters like Hilary Weeks, Julie de Azevedo, Cherie Call, and more.
In conjunction with the album, Deseret Book is hosting a FREE concert for young women and their leaders. The event will be Wednesday, August 24th at 7:15pm at Cottonwood High School. Songs from the album will be performed by the original artists, and the performers will share their thoughts about each of the Young Women Values in their own unique way.
Tickets are required, and can be found at deseretbook.com/tix.
Deseret Book will also carry a book of sheet music and accompaniment tracks for the entire album. These products will provide Young Women the opportunity to present the album as a musical program within their individual communities.
Each of the original songs highlights the Young Women values, including the newly added value virtue. The hope of the album is to help inspire young women to live a virtuous life and stand firm in the faith through everyday trials. The Young Women Values are: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue.
While her mother underwent treatments for terminal cancer, Calee Reed wrote the songs that would become her debut album The Waiting Place, releasing May 8th. The effort helped buoy Reed up during that painful time. It was her way of finding hope in the devastation of the disease.