FROM ADVERSITY COMES
INSPIRATION
Joined together by fate, The
Alliance Singers came into being from the aftermath of September 11, 2001.
Forty-eight hours after that tragic day, local residents gathered and formed The Alliance
of Neighbors, an all-volunteer organization to establish emotional and financial support
for the families and the community.
It was decided that a benefit
concert would be the best vehicle, yet there were only 5 weeks to prepare. Music icons
Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi were the first to sign up, followed by Felix Cavalieri,
John Eddy, Joan Jett, and Kevin Smith—-to name a few. One of the many challenges
that faced, Co-Producer, Corinda Carford was to find backup singers for the artists.,
Carford ran to the first place she thought of: The Pilgrim Baptist Church, where she
pleaded with musical director Jesse Moorer to “gather some voices and be at my house
tomorrow night at 7:00. This was to be the first meeting of many, of the group
now known as The Alliance Singers.
Weeks after the successful concert madness, Corinda received another phone call.
This time it was Terry Magovern, Springsteen’s Tour Director—aka “The Dark
Side”—requesting some of the singers to appear for a week of holiday concerts at
Asbury Park Convention Hall. Calling upon Moorer again, Carford arrived with
Antonio Lawrence, Michelle Moore, and Antoinette Moore to join in the festivities.
Months later, another call
came from Magovern asking if the singers wouldn’t mind working on some rough new
material with Bruce. That “new” material would later become the Grammy Award winning
record, The Rising—where the singers offered their voices on Mary’s
Place, My City of Ruins,
Let’s Be Friends, and The Rising.
More
concerts with Bruce followed, including an acoustic version of City of Ruins for The Today Show,
where Matt Lauer exclaimed: “they lit up the room!”
Prior to 9/11, these five people had never worked together as a group.
Complete strangers—-yet allies in a time of turmoil—-the united efforts of the
community galvanized our resolve to “rise up” above the adversity and create true
harmony in spirit and song.
* * * * * * * *
About Wayfaring Stranger:
At age 8, Corinda chose a Spiritual to sing at her Third Grade Assembly. The
next time she would perform that song would not come until 40 years later at her
Mother’s memorial service when —unexpectedly—she began to sing . Eighteen
months later, facing another devastating loss—this time of her father—Corinda asked The
Alliance Singers to join her in a personal tribute to her parents. This is their first
Jazz-Blues recording.
“The Alliance Singers...we love ‘em.”
—-Bruce Springsteen
* * * *
For more information please contact:
Wildcat Music 1-732-872-6297
email: corinda@msn.com
____________________________________ |
