/PRNewswire/ -- As part of the continuing Choice Hotels Music program that introduces original songs to benefit a range of charities, "Sweetest Dreams" performed by Holly Montgomery will be launched on the Choice Hotels Music website. "Sweetest Dreams" was made available on January 11, 2011, and consumers who visit ChoiceHotelsMusic.com and download the free song will sponsor a $1 donation from Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH) to the non-profit organization ServiceSource Foundation. Choice Hotels will donate one dollar for every free download of the song by consumers, up to $10,000.
"Sweetest Dreams" is the latest song to be introduced by Choice Hotels Music and it's one that strikes a particularly emotional chord for the company. In May of 2010, Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International and Vice-Chairman of the ServiceSource Foundation, visited ServiceSource in Alexandria, Virginia where he met a remarkable young woman named Kai Croft. Kai is a 26 year old client of ServiceSource, who, despite having Arthrogryposis -- a severe physical disability which affects a person's joints, is a prolific and eloquent poet. After reading Kai's poetry blog, Steve asked Kai if she would like some of her poems put to music. Kai loved the idea.
"I have been writing poetry for as long as I can remember. I think I was about 12 years old when I wrote my first poem called 'Poems' and it made me think that I could express myself with the words that readily came to mind," said Kai. "It's so exciting that my writing has inspired others to create this song and give back to ServiceSource."
Representatives of Choice Hotels contacted Holly Montgomery (local musician) and Tom Nichols (local musician & producer) and asked them to review some of Kai's poems to see if they might create a song from her poetry. Montgomery and Nichols got right to work, pulling lines and words from her poems to assemble what ultimately became the lyrics to "Sweetest Dreams."
"As soon as Tom and I started reading Kai's blog we fell in love with her words. Using her poetry, it was so easy to create a beautiful song. We started arranging and composing music and in only a few days were able to record a demo," said Holly Montgomery, Sweetest Dreams singer and songwriter. "But what really made the experience amazing was the fact that not only did we get to create this music, but every time somebody downloads the song a donation (up to $10,000) is made back to the organization that means so much to Kai -- ServiceSource Foundation. We are able to make music and make a difference!"
"I was so inspired by meeting Kai, reading her poems and learning what ServiceSource Foundation does to help people. It all just fit so perfectly with the Choice Hotels Music program which was able to combine all of these amazing elements to create 'Sweetest Dreams,'" said Steve Joyce, Choice Hotels President and CEO, and Vice-Chairman of the ServiceSource Foundation.
The song was professionally recorded on May 26, 2010. With Kai in attendance, she was able to hear exactly how the words in her poems came to life in a song. Nichols produced the recording and sang backup vocals while Montgomery played bass and sang lead vocals. A host of famous and talented musicians also played on the song including Drummer Aynsley Dunbar, and Guitarists Randall Hall and Paul Bell.
Since the launch of Choice Hotels Music in August 2010, the company has released three original songs that have generated over 30,000 downloads, which resulted in donations from Choice Hotels to three worthy charities -- Rebuilding Together, SOME (So Others Might Eat) and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Washington and Greater Baltimore.
Visit ChoiceHotelsMusic.com today to download the free song "Sweetest Dreams" by Holly Montgomery and inspire a $1 donation (up to $10,000) for the ServiceSource Foundation.
For more of Kai's poetry, visit her blog at www.kaiswriting.blogspot.com.
Showing posts with label downloads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label downloads. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Friday, December 18, 2009
Contemporary Christian Recording Artist Melissa Pierre-Louis Releases Free Christmas e-Album, Launches Operation Touch Web Site for Free Downloads
/PRNewswire/ -- Looking for ways to celebrate the Christmas season without adding to your credit card bill? Tired of listening to six versions of "Winter Wonderland" on the radio? Contemporary Christian singer Melissa Pierre-Louis is offering free downloads of original Christmas songs on her newly launched Web site Operation Touch (www.operationtouch.org).
On Operation Touch, the 22-year-old recording artist performs three new songs: "Touch Someone," "Thank You Emmanuel," and "Sing We Noel." The songs and lyrics are available in English, as well as French and Kreyol, a tribute to Pierre-Louis' Haitian background.
"We live in difficult times in which a lot of people are struggling, but part of the beauty of Christmas is renewed hope," said Pierre-Louis. "'Touch Someone' encourages everyone - regardless of background - to reach out to others and share the gifts we each have to offer. Hopefully Operation Touch will inspire people to do just that."
The songs on Operation Touch were penned by Pierre-Louis' father, award-winning songwriter Marc-Arthur Pierre-Louis. Mr. Pierre-Louis emigrated from Haiti to the U.S. in 1981 to study mathematics and computer science at Florida Atlantic University and earned a master's degree from Southern Evangelical Seminary. His song "Bless the Memories" recently won the American Bible Society's Scripture Song Award at the Gospel Music Association's IMMERSE event.
"The joy and hope of the Christmas season shouldn't come with a price tag. I think music can reach people at such a basic level and connect them with that hope and feeling of renewal," adds Ms. Pierre-Louis. "We wanted to make that accessible to as many people as possible, whether they themselves need some inspiration, or they want to share the music with others."
Pierre-Louis' music can also be heard on radio stations in the US, Haiti and Canada.
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On Operation Touch, the 22-year-old recording artist performs three new songs: "Touch Someone," "Thank You Emmanuel," and "Sing We Noel." The songs and lyrics are available in English, as well as French and Kreyol, a tribute to Pierre-Louis' Haitian background.
"We live in difficult times in which a lot of people are struggling, but part of the beauty of Christmas is renewed hope," said Pierre-Louis. "'Touch Someone' encourages everyone - regardless of background - to reach out to others and share the gifts we each have to offer. Hopefully Operation Touch will inspire people to do just that."
The songs on Operation Touch were penned by Pierre-Louis' father, award-winning songwriter Marc-Arthur Pierre-Louis. Mr. Pierre-Louis emigrated from Haiti to the U.S. in 1981 to study mathematics and computer science at Florida Atlantic University and earned a master's degree from Southern Evangelical Seminary. His song "Bless the Memories" recently won the American Bible Society's Scripture Song Award at the Gospel Music Association's IMMERSE event.
"The joy and hope of the Christmas season shouldn't come with a price tag. I think music can reach people at such a basic level and connect them with that hope and feeling of renewal," adds Ms. Pierre-Louis. "We wanted to make that accessible to as many people as possible, whether they themselves need some inspiration, or they want to share the music with others."
Pierre-Louis' music can also be heard on radio stations in the US, Haiti and Canada.
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www.fayettefrontpage.com
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www.georgiafrontpage.com
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