It's almost been one year since the first of two major fires in Lake County. An impassioned newly released grassroots Valley Fire Song is the Valley community's way of thanking the firefighters, police and workers who fought to save their homes, schools and businesses. It really does share the spirit and tenacity of Valley residents.
Click here for the YouTube Video that drives listeners to the group's website - valleyfiresong.org to donate funds directly to local groups to help repair the lives of those impacted.
"I think of the video as Les Misérables meets We Are the World," says writer/producer Robert Battaile. "It's real life drama and current events. We're raising morale and hopefully some funds as well." Special Thanks to video provided by Kim Ringeisen (Flying Monkey Photography) and the amazing 'dash cam' footage from the Lake County Sheriff's Dept.
The song itself can be downloaded from cdbaby.com and soon on iTunes, GooglePlay, amazon and numerous other music sites. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/valleyfiresongcrew
"Fortunately, we got a great group with excellent voices and attitudes all working for the cause," says Robert. "Calpine Visitor Center in Middletown was the place. After a night of rehearsal and recording, the dozen singers returned for even more precise vocal dramatizations and then, a couple of hours of "greenscreen" video shooting. A couple of the singers lost everything in the fire. Wardrobe was ‘wear what you were wearing on the day of the event.’ Everyone was heavily impacted."
The music tracks were previously recorded at City of Light Recording Studio in Lakeport with some top local musicians. Robert (acoustic guitars) and his group tank Keith Gaudete, Rich Elliott on drums, Rich Reading on bass, Tom Aiken on keyboard. Later, RB (Calexas Multimedia Prods) did the final mix adding synth guitars, Paul Stambaugh's wiley harmonica, sirens and the SFX sound design for the video. Justin Weis from trakworx undertook the mastering.
"You should listen to the music first," says songwriter Robert. "when you watch the video - the visual images smack you in the face so hard that you'll barely notice the song at all. As I write these notes close to the one-year date, many of us on this record are impacted by the nearby Clayton Fire in Lower Lake just minutes from Middletown, Cobb Mountain and the path of the Valley Fire."
The song once again reminds us of the ever-present danger of fire. Donate if you're able. Middletown Relief Fund (FamilyFire Foundation), Team Lake County, and Lake County Hospice have donate buttons on the song's web site.
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