We established Bright Lights music to write songs that touch our home and hearts...our beautiful state of Connecticut and the great people that live here. We wanted to write what is personal and real and to help others in the process. We hope these are songs that can be listened to all year long. We will always be grateful to the team of wonderful, giving people at WRCH Radio for their support and encouragement last year. Our resident professional and children's charity advocate Allison Demers of WRCH Lite 100.5 (who sang on last year's CD) planned to sing on Christmas In Connecticut II. We wrote a song as a tribute to those families that have members serving in the military because fellow DJ Joan Dylan's daughter was finishing boot camp in North Carolina. A week before recording, Allison's doctor put her on voice rest due to swollen vocal chords and she had to decline. We put the word out for a singer that could step in quickly and a demo came in from a young woman, Nichelle Rollins. Upon calling Nichelle, she asked what the song was and we told her it was called "A State Of Gratitude", dedicated to all the troops and their families. She was silent for a moment. Then she told us that she had sung at the funeral of Sergeant Richard Ford 40, killed in Iraq in Feb 2007. He had been her high school sweetheart growing up together. In that moment all the words to the song came to life and Nichelle said that she wanted to sing the song to honor Richard and his wonderful family. A miracle...
Then came miracle number two...Kara Sundlun's great idea. We wrote a song about Mystic, CT and who better to sing it than the "town by town" hometown hero himself Scot Haney the WFSB Channel 3 morning Meteorologist and co-Host of "Better Connecticut". Scot has been recognized for his numerous contributions to charity. His infectious enthusiasm as well as professional vocals were a total joy for everyone involved. We are so grateful to him for his beautiful rendition of "The Mystic Christmas Moon". Wow... Scot you are the best!
Follow this link to see the VIDEO OF SCOT HANEY at the Green St Arts Center on October 17th with expert engineer John Bergeron along with our producer Jared Lamenzo. Hear Scot sing and discuss his recording experienced featured on "Better Connecticut" !!!. Then on November 21st, see a video of Kara Sundlun bringing the "Christmas In Connecticut singers" into the studio to SURPRISE SCOT HANEY to hear his newly released song "The Mystic Christmas Moon" for the first time!
Visit our new ON-LINE STOREto help us to support our charity the "Will Santa Find Me?" foundation, and also help donate money and establish a scholarship fund in Sergeant Richard Ford's name. We thank all the amazing artists from CT that shared their incredible talent with us...we will always be in a State of Gratitude for every one of them. Judy Lemay
Christmas In Connecticut II - A State Of Gratitude
Christmas In Connecticut II - A State Of Gratitude is new CD just released for this holiday season. We were inspired by all the wonderful people that wrote to us and talked about Connecticut. It was so wonderful to get such personal accounts of their Christmas experiences. We took some of what we heard and made it our inspiration for this years CD. The title song is called "A State Of Gratitude" and we wrote it for our troops and their families or anyone missing someone this holiday season. We hope the song and words honor everyone that is pursuing a higher calling...college... military... missionary work...moms...dads, and the many things each us work toward in our own special way to make a difference in the world. We are especially honored to have celebrity guest, Scot Haney the morning Meteorologist for WFSB Channel 3 and co-host of "Better Connecticut" singing our new song "The Mystic Christmas Moon". This song celebrates the dreamer in all of us, set in the beauty of the tall ships and village of Mystic, Connecticut.
Christmas In Connecticut I
Christmas In Connecticut I - is a holiday CD made up of extremely gifted local Connecticut artists joining together to celebrate the season in song. Traditional carols combined with new holiday songs written by local talent bring to light a song about Connecticut and a season that will hopefully express a sentiment of joy and love to all. Every ounce of effort that went in to this project is from Connecticut... from choral direction to instructors, photography, engineering, arrangements, and so much more. Many thanks to Allison Demers of WRCH Lite 100.5 for the gift of her beautiful vocals on the title song "Christmas in Connecticut". It is every artist's wish that this CD will bring many blessings to all those who live in and love Connecticut and the New England area.
Here are the back sides of our CDs... Click on the pictures below to enlarge the image For more information on the Songs Click this link
Thank you for helping us support The Will Santa Find Me? Foundation, Inc. The "Will Santa Find Me?" Foundation grants wishes for children who are orphaned/living in homeless or domestic violence shelters, or who are in hospitals with chronic life-threatening, and or terminal illness. It is dedicated to keep the hopes and dreams alive for these children and their families by granting them their EXACT WISHES each holiday season. It is our extreme honor to be part of this mission.
In the words of Vanessa Miglore, Richard's sister, Richard was an awesome brother and loved music. This is Vanessa's Press Release regarding setting up her brother's Scholarship fund... it is our honor and privileged to be part of it.
On February 20, 2007 Sgt. Richard L. Ford was killed by sniper fire during his third tour of duty in Iraq. Rich is remembered as a kind and gentle man who often used humor to guide and encourage others. To honor him, four childhood friends, Troy Anderson, Roland Goodell, Krista Colletta, Lenore Beebe and Rich's sister Vanessa Migliore have established the Sgt. Richard L. Ford Memorial Scholarship Fund to benefit future students at Bacon Academy High School in Colchester where he was a member of the Class of 1985. Anyone wishing to contribute to the fund may send donations to: Sgt. Richard L. Ford Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Lenore Beebe, 44 Whapley Road, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Also the New England Cable News Network (NECN) has produced a documentary memorializing the service members who made the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan. Sgt. Richard Ford is one of the solders featured in this documentary. Follow this link to watch the video and select Part 7 for the video that covers Sgt. Ford's tribute.
