I have completed the recording of a song by Sister Miriam Therese Winter called "Let There Be Peace" at Justin Mayer's Bear Creek Studio. There is some beautiful accompaniment by Barry Phillips on Cello, Laurel Thomsen on viola and violin, and Dan Young on flugelhorn. I’ve added voice, guitar and piano.
This song will be included on the upcoming second volume, of a planned 5 volume set.
The first CD is now available and has great performances by Seraphim, Elizabeth Van Trapp, Janis Ian, the Medical Mission Sisters with the Limelighters, and many more. You can order from their website: www.medicalmisionsisters.org.
In the words of the project’s producer, Dan Paulos, a gifted visual artist in his own right. “A year ago I began a project that few thought would succeed. I never knew why, because to me it was something important that needed to be accomplished – to beautify the world through the sharing of sacred folk song sung into existence since the 1960s by contemporary composer Miriam Therese (MT) Winter. Professional singers from across the country and Canada agreed, generously gifting the Sacred Folk Songs project with their time and talent in response to my invitation to sing one – or several- of her songs.
Getting Mt’s songs “out there” was my first priority. At the same time I wanted to ensure that production costs would be covered through grants and donations and that every cent made from the sale of the recordings would be given to her community, the Medical Mission Sisters, to help support their healing ministries to the poorest of the poor and others in need around the world. I am convinced that by sharing in this way, artistically and financially, we too can and do participate in reaching out to those deprived of essential resources. At the same time, we also spread goodness and love far and wide through the medium of sacred song.
MT’s songs celebrate life. They are “sacred” because they are deeply rooted in the Divine Source of all that is, whom many of us call God. This project reflects her vision – which is also her community’s vision – of a united multicultural, multifaith world, for recording artists from various walks of life, representing diverse spiritual traditions, are a part of it. We have come together in mutual respect, friendship, and a shared love for music. It has been and will continue to be an awesome experience. For this we are truly grateful.
The Sacred Folk Songs project, entitled Loving You, will consist of a five-CD set of more than 100 of MT’s songs. Most were originally recorded by the Medical Mission Sisters and have been sung worldwide since the mid-1960s. Several cuts from those earlier tracks, such as “Joy is Like the Rain” (1966) will be included, along with new songs recorded by four of the original singers in Albuquerque this spring (2011). The greater part of the project, however, will be the work of professional singers with international or regional reputations.
We have decided to release Volume One of the five-volume set to generate awareness and support for the full collection. Please join us in getting the news out there to your own loyal following. Remember, every sale helps those who are impoverished, or hungry, or ill, while offering a memorable experience to the listener and to the one who sings along. Together let us invite our friends to join with us in this venture, as we introduce a whole new generation of faith-filled people from every conceivable circumstance to share in the power and the spiritual potential of scared song. With gratitude and warmth.” Dan Paulos