Album Notes

This City Anthem has been one of Chicago's best kept secrets. The original lyrics/melody of "Hail to Thee, Chicago" were composed in 1982 by its lyric author Esta (aka "Cookie") on her home piano, specifically for entry into an Official Chicago Theme Song contest sponsored by former Mayor Byrne. Her brother Ty had seen this contest announced in a community newspaper and informed Cookie about it. This Anthem project was tabled under subsequent mayors, but Cookie continued her mission for her composition to become the City's official anthem. Later Ty introduced her to a professional music arranger, John King, who fine tuned the melody and music arrangement to this contemporary pop/rock style. John also introduced her to velvety voiced Jeff Felton, who was selected to record the Anthem. So Cookie's Estarion company then published and first released a cassingle of this Anthem in 1994 and with the help of her field reps, lobbied it to Mayor Daley's office and City Council aldermen resulting in this Anthem receiving an Adopted Consideration Resolution to be Chicago's Official Anthem in 1996, pending a public hearing by the Special Events Committee. There is also a choral version on sheet music that can be ordered from the publisher website. The choral version was also previously performed by the Chicago Children's Choir at various Citywide venues. We pray this ageless Chicago Anthem someday receives the same degree of recognition citywide as our National Anthem does nationwide.