Local singer writes a song to remember

CINDY NELSON'S students: Cora Harris, Katie Felton, Malia Saez, Lauren Perez, Cierra Reed, Gianna Compagno, Shanley Bruscino and Madison Felton rehearse the song "We're not Falling From Grace." Democrat photo by Shelly Thorene

A day after the tragedy of 9-11, singer/songwriter Cindy Nelson was asked by her music producer, Neal James, to write a song about the event. Three days later, Nelson, a Cameron Park resident, drove to Nashville and recorded “We’re Not Falling From Grace” with a group of professional musicians.

Each year since 9-11, Nelson re-releases the song in a different way to help people remember the feelings of togetherness and tolerance the nation experienced afterward.

“I wanted everyone to remember how we all pulled together,” said Nelson.

“We’re Not Falling From Grace” has been featured at the New York City and Paris memorial concerts for three years and has been on the Top 10 on Internet radio stations and on the Top 40 Adult Contemporary. One thousand copies were sent to U.S. troops and the song was used in an El Dorado County political campaign.

This year, the song will make its debut on YouTube, sung by local children, some of whom weren’t yet born when the Twin Towers came down.

Nelson, a voice and piano instructor as well as a professional singer/songwriter, runs a voice studio,”Bach to Basics, and it is her students, 9-15 year-olds, who sing.

“It’s a different kind of song — fun, but challenging,” said 11 year-old Cora Harris.

“It’s about how a person was falling from grace, but in the end, everyone pulls together and helps each other,” said 12-year-old Gianna Compagno.

“Everyone is sad and scared at the beginning of the song because of the towers, but at the end they have hope,” said Katie Felton, 10.

While three of the 11 singers weren’t yet born when the Twin Towers fell, the rest were newborns or toddlers. Only five of them had actually seen the footage of 9/11, but they all have hopes for how their video of the song will affect viewers.

From “We’re not Falling From Grace:”

“Sometimes it takes something real bad to wake us up.

As we look in each others’ eyes in disbelief.

How could anyone carry so much hatred and have no shame.

But let’s pull together, then those lives that were taken  won’t be in vain.

“I think people will remember the men and families who risked their lives to help the others,” said Madison Felton, 12.

“Little kids will know what happened when they watch our video,” said Shanley Bruscino, 12.

“It may help people remember how, not just on 9-11, but any time, there is still hope,” said Gianna.

The girls are practicing the song both individually and as a group. Everyone has a featured part and Cora and Katie, have a duet.

Nelson will record each person individually and then edit the piece before putting it on YouTube. She plans to release the video on YouTube by Sept. 10. The YouTube address for the video recording will be youtube.com/user/CANmusic.

Wendy Schultz

Wendy Schultz has been a columnist for the Mountain Democrat since 2002 and a staff writer since 2005. She covers Placerville city events and City Council meetings, writes feature stories and reports on things of interest in El Dorado County.

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