Each year, I post this special recording of “Star Bright” in honor of my Mother, who passed away unexpectedly in her sleep on December 14, 2007. My family asked that I sing at her Memorial Service, but that was just not going to be a possibility… you see, between the shock of her death, and being the person who was handling getting all of her gifts to the family organized and wrapped… I was pretty much an emotional train wreck.

I knew there was no way I’d get through a live performance.  I also knew that I wouldn’t be able to provide an original piece, due to Church rules, so I decided to record a duet that my Mother and I performed together many times at Christmas over the years. Sometimes, she would accompany us on guitar.  Others, I would accompany us on piano.  We performed this in both the English and Spanish versions, and some of my most revered memories are of our time together working on this song.

This was recorded the night before her funeral and is, hands down, the most difficult recording for me (emotionally) to date.  I had not played or sung this song in a very long time, had no sheet music to go from, and was in tears during the piano tracking.  Even though it’s not perfect, this is my Dad’s favorite recording, and one of mine. My gift to you – Merry Christmas.

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“Star Bright” Words and Music by Lorin F. Wheelwright

I recently saw a short video piece put together by talk show host and political commentator Laura Ingraham.  It was brilliant in its simple, direct, in-their-own-words approach.  And, frankly, it gave me some serious heebie-jeebies.

It wasn’t about impending financial doom, or nuclear attack – it was an audio side-by-side of Presidents Carter and Obama. It was political Déjà vu - and we should all be concerned with the similarities.

The Carter Administration ran this country into the ground, but we recovered.  The Obama Administration seems hell bent on spending us into oblivion in order to fix a spending problem. The Administrations in-between kept kicking the economic can down the road until here we are.   And we keep voting them in…

“WTF” as campaign slogan initials right about now…  so incredibly appropriate.

I was a young girl when Jimmy Carter entered the White House.  He’s the first President I remember hearing speak as a child.  We tied yellow ribbons around trees in my home town during the Iran hostage crisis, and celebrated their release (20 minutes after Reagan’s inaugural address)  while taking them down.  Memories of my brothers and me, trying to keep ourselves occupied (and out of our parents’ anger zone), waiting in line for hours to get gas, are firmly etched in my mind.  We knew our parents were struggling to pay the bills, even resorting to food assistance from our church at times.  They were not just on edge… they were angry and scared for our future. [...]

This is one of my more short and simple songs… but it still packs a punch. These pilot tracks were some of my very first multi-track recordings (as you can hear in the unrefined sound quality). Compare how this one sounds next to “Where Now?”…lol! I have many to thank for the improvement in my production abilities. Thank you! Enjoy!

Watch the leaves, child, fall to the ground
See them change from red to brown
Seasons change, dear, like you and I
–Remember

Watch the sun, child, move ‘cross the sky
See the daylight turn to night
Time can change, dear, like you and I
–Remember

If you wish upon a star tonight
Think of love and may your dreams burn bright
Time can change, dear, change you and I
–Remember

Written, performed, produced and arranged by Colleen Gray
© 2003 Colleen Gray – All Rights Reserved

This is a teaser of pilot track recordings of a song I originally wrote when I was much younger… it’s been refined a bit since then. Enjoy!

I lie awake staring into darkness
Feeling what it’s like without you by my side
I can still hear the softness in your whisper
I can still feel your lips as they kissed mine

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