In the fall of 1995, I was in the Hill Country recording live music events with Rolling Tones Mobile Recording. While working with Kathleen Hudson, Director of the Texas Heritage Music Foundation, she told me about a youth ranch that had recently built a fine-arts facility. I tagged along with her to the place with the preconceived notion that it was a summer resort for kids. I met Gary and Carol Priour and they gave me a tour of their fine-arts building which included a recording studio. I thought "what a nice place for kids to learn about music and art." I told them thanks for the tour and wished them good luck in their endeavors. Carol handed me a couple of poetry books written by the children at the Ranch, and I took off for my next gig. While waiting to meet up with my clients I pulled out the poetry books and began reading. It was then that it became clear to me what I should be doing with my life. I felt like a supernatural power was sending me on a mission. I realized then that these kids weren’t your average campers, but unique children speaking to me through their poems. I got on the phone, called the Priours, and told them about my vision. "Let’s share some of these poems with my songwriting friends, create songs derived from them, use the Youth Ranch studio to record them, and send music out to the world." I hoped to touch everyone as they touched me. Now here we are, over a decade later, still working on songs, witnessing the healing power of music, and sharing our love with the many talented musicians, writers and singers who come absorb the spirit of the children. I am so grateful that God sent me down this path eleven years ago.

Producer, Children’s Music Project

Hill Country Youth Ranch

are Dana Cooper – vocals, guitar, harmonica, percussion; Stephen Bruton – guitar; Flaco Jimenez – accordion; Monte Montgomery – guitar; Chris Gage – piano; Mike Cross – vocals, keyboard, guitar; Benita Arterberry-Burns – vocals; Nico – drums; Phil Bass – percussion; Jeff Hogan – percussion; Scott Boland – vocals, guitars, keyboards; Tommy Spurlock – pedal steel guitar; Keith Carper – electric and upright bass; Jodi Carpenter – vocals; Lily Hickman – vocals; Dennis Young – bass; Leo Key – vocals, guitar; Cole El Saleh – keyboards; Maggie Meek – harp; Denny Hardy – saxophone; Mike Kasberg – saxophone; George Eychner – trumpet; Danny Elliott – trombone; Rick Nelson – violin, viola, cello, bass violin; Jeremiah’s Choir – Whitney Wilson, Casey Hubble, Lillian Beaudoin, Jeff Widener and Rachel Hensley – backing vocals; HCYR Children’s Choir – backing vocals; Tony Young – producer, engineer, bass guitar, keyboard, percussion, drum loops.

We gratefully acknowledge Norman and Grace Williams, whose love of children and of music and the arts, led them to provide sponsorship for the 2005-06 Performing Arts Program at Hill Country Youth Ranch, including this CD.