Album Notes

At the end of April 2008, my sister Karen, who is involved with the Autism movement, sent me an email about an event she would be attending in Washington, DC. The focus of the event is on childhood vaccines and their link to Autism. She ended the email with a challenge for me to write a song that would give hope and encouragement to those touched by Autism. I had written a song about the Katrina tragedy in New Orleans and genocide in Darfur, Sudan so I was touched by this opportunity.

I knew the frustration my sister endured with her son and the victories won with some very intense medical therapy. I prayed that they would be strong and that her son would eventually fully recover. That evening, I sat in my recording studio at the piano and started playing a simple melody. Words began to cascade onto the page along with chords and a strong melodic line. I wept every time I put my hands to the piano and sang the lyrics. Two days later I sent her an Mp3 file of the song. Right from the beginning, I knew it would be called “Silent Tears.” I hope this song touches your heart as it did mine