M U S T W A T C H ! A tornado and a global pandemic can’t dim the light that’s shining from MNPS Dodson Elementary. It’s my joy to present “BRIGHT BRIGHT LIGHT,” the BRAND NEW SONG and MUSIC VIDEO that I co-wrote with 360 students as an artist-in-residence.
This footage captures the exciting classroom atmosphere as we crafted the song, showcases student artwork, and shows the hard work and fun that went into this special project. The students were SO excited that this song would eventually be recorded and shared… Let’s shed some light today! Thank you for sharing far and wide!
Read on for full story…
R E S I L I E N C E : On March 2nd, I began a 2-week songwriting residency at Dodson Elementary in Nashville, TN. We set out to create a brand new song with the entire school. The students and I wrote the chorus on day one: “I’ll Be the Bright, Bright Light,” a song about courage, kindness, joy, and strength.
That night, the #NashvilleTornado hit the Dodson community hard. Dozens of families lost their homes or were displaced. School was closed for the remainder of the week. The following week, we picked up where we left off, knowing that we had important work to do: we had to finish this song. Three days later, due to COVID-19, schools were closed indefinitely.
For the past several weeks, I have been coordinating with the music teacher, Tracy Roberts, and working to complete the song that these students poured their hearts into.
**Thank you to the community of special sponsors that made this completed project possible.**