1 00:00:01,770 --> 00:00:07,403 Earlier this summer Green Shoe Studio launched it's singer-songwriter contest 2 00:00:07,403 --> 00:00:11,570 It's a contest that someone can upload a video on to Youtube and send us the link 3 00:00:11,570 --> 00:00:16,035 We felt it was a good way that we could really tie into the local community 4 00:00:16,035 --> 00:00:19,175 and really get a feel for the music that's going on around here 5 00:00:19,175 --> 00:00:38,300 But we didn't quite expect an entry like Fred's. 6 00:00:38,300 --> 00:00:51,273 " A Letter From Fred" 7 00:00:51,273 --> 00:00:52,905 How did I meet Lorraine? 8 00:00:52,905 --> 00:00:55,701 She was a car hop at the A&W root beer stand 9 00:00:55,701 --> 00:01:01,169 She brought the trays to the car and that 10 00:01:01,169 --> 00:01:05,803 That was in 1938 11 00:01:05,803 --> 00:01:09,940 We dated for two years than we married 12 00:01:09,940 --> 00:01:13,475 June 26 have been our 73rd anniversary 13 00:01:13,475 --> 00:01:18,908 She gave me 75 years of her life 14 00:01:18,908 --> 00:01:21,406 Well, she was... 15 00:01:21,406 --> 00:01:24,139 just prettiest girl ever saw 16 00:01:24,139 --> 00:01:30,903 She was real timid like and 17 00:01:30,903 --> 00:01:37,471 I just fell inlove with her right there 18 00:01:37,471 --> 00:01:41,203 What made Fred's entry so special to us 19 00:01:41,203 --> 00:01:46,890 Was, for number one, it's an online singer-songwriter contest people are supposed to upload their videos 20 00:01:46,890 --> 00:01:50,566 but instead of a video, we've received a very large manila envelope 21 00:01:50,566 --> 00:01:54,737 titled Green Shoes Studio Singer Songwriter Contest 22 00:01:54,737 --> 00:01:57,269 Well I was excited to see what it was and opened it up 23 00:01:57,269 --> 00:02:02,336 and behold it was a letter from a 96 years old man who said "I've written a song for my wife" 24 00:02:02,336 --> 00:02:06,057 He said on the, you know, in the letter that he was not a musician 25 00:02:06,057 --> 00:02:08,904 and that he was not actually a very good singer, in fact, on the actual envelope itself 26 00:02:08,904 --> 00:02:14,870 it says 27 00:02:14,870 --> 00:02:18,503 "PS - I don't sing, I would scare people, ahah" 28 00:02:18,503 --> 00:02:22,537 So its a letter from this 96 years old man, he sounds like a sweet guy 29 00:02:22,537 --> 00:02:25,334 But as I'm reading through the letter 30 00:02:25,334 --> 00:02:29,172 I begin to realize that his wife just passed away 31 00:02:29,172 --> 00:02:32,235 A month earlier and so 32 00:02:32,235 --> 00:02:35,133 Having known that I started reading through the song and he titled it "Sweet Lorraine" 33 00:02:35,133 --> 00:02:42,606 And listening to the lyrics and passion behind the lyrics ant the letter he sent us 34 00:02:42,606 --> 00:02:46,007 It was just so heartwarming 35 00:02:46,007 --> 00:02:47,875 Well, 36 00:02:47,875 --> 00:02:51,539 After she passed away 37 00:02:51,539 --> 00:02:55,137 I was just sitting in the front room one evening all by myself 38 00:02:55,137 --> 00:02:58,544 And it just come right to me almost 39 00:02:58,544 --> 00:03:01,104 and I just kept humming it and singing it and that 40 00:03:01,104 --> 00:03:05,501 and that's how I came to write it, just seemed like it just fit her 41 00:03:05,501 --> 00:03:07,868 Green Shoe Studio decided to take Fred's lyrics 42 00:03:07,868 --> 00:03:10,073 and bring them to life 43 00:03:10,073 --> 00:03:12,764 We decided to put it to professional music 44 00:03:12,764 --> 00:03:14,439 professionally record it. 45 00:03:14,439 --> 00:03:18,074 We wanted to have a professional singer sing on the song. 46 00:03:18,074 --> 00:03:22,207 You know, our mission here at Green Shoe Studio is to change our community one dream at a time 47 00:03:22,207 --> 00:03:24,603 and what a better way to do it? 48 00:03:24,603 --> 00:03:31,205 Well, I saw Jacob's add in the paper 49 00:03:31,205 --> 00:03:34,679 About the contest he was going to put on 50 00:03:34,679 --> 00:03:37,537 So I just thought "Oh shoot, I'll just 51 00:03:37,537 --> 00:03:42,741 write a letter and send it all in, you know, never thinking that I'd get 52 00:03:42,741 --> 00:03:45,172 an answer or something but then he 53 00:03:45,172 --> 00:03:50,239 called one day and I was surprised 54 00:03:50,239 --> 00:03:54,534 We decided we were going to do this just by reading a letter without even meeting Fred. 55 00:03:54,534 --> 00:04:00,434 So I called him one day and said "Fred, we were touched by your story 56 00:04:00,434 --> 00:04:06,103 Now, it didn't meet the criteria of our singer-songwriter contest but we're going to do something even better for you 57 00:04:06,103 --> 00:04:11,269 So we're going to record your song, we're going to have professionals do this 58 00:04:11,269 --> 00:04:13,370 We're going to have a professional take so that, you know 59 00:04:13,370 --> 00:04:16,272 It's not just the lyrics anymore, it's bringing it to life 60 00:04:16,272 --> 00:04:19,803 and he goes "ah, it's just so great, but you know, how much is that going to cos?" 61 00:04:19,803 --> 00:04:21,341 "Now I don't have any money" 62 00:04:21,341 --> 00:04:25,032 And I said "Fred, you misunderstand me, we are going to do all this for free" 63 00:04:25,032 --> 00:04:29,736 And he began to cry on the phone and said "why would you do this for me?" 64 00:04:29,736 --> 00:04:35,701 And I said to Fred "it's not we're doing this for you, we're doing this together 65 00:04:35,701 --> 00:04:40,638 because music means so much to so many people and your song has touched us 66 00:04:40,638 --> 00:04:45,301 and we feel this is the best way to do this 67 00:04:45,301 --> 00:05:21,674 (singing "Sweet Lorraine") 68 00:05:21,674 --> 00:05:27,072 I Probably spent more time with his song than I have with other peoples songs 69 00:05:27,072 --> 00:05:30,273 To be honest, I was a little nervous taking it to him 70 00:05:30,273 --> 00:05:33,675 I've been a singer and a songwriter for years 71 00:05:33,675 --> 00:05:38,103 But, this was about the first time in probably ten years I've actually been nervous 72 00:05:38,103 --> 00:05:39,403 giving someone a song 73 00:05:39,403 --> 00:05:45,977 we've taken the time because it meant so much to him it meant so much to me 74 00:05:45,977 --> 00:05:48,874 I hope you like it 75 00:05:48,874 --> 00:05:52,648 and like I said it's not done yet, but I will let you hear it, okay? 76 00:05:52,648 --> 00:05:54,075 Tell me when you're ready 77 00:05:54,075 --> 00:06:05,738 Yeah, okay 78 00:06:05,738 --> 00:06:14,409 Oh, sweet Lorraine I wish we could do all the good times over again 79 00:06:14,409 --> 00:06:22,798 Oh, sweet Lorraine life only goes around Once but never again 80 00:06:22,798 --> 00:06:31,076 Oh, sweet Lorraine I wish we could do All the good times over again 81 00:06:31,076 --> 00:06:39,471 The good times, the good times The good times, all over again 82 00:06:39,471 --> 00:06:51,174 The good times, the good times The good times, all over again 83 00:06:51,174 --> 00:06:59,068 But the memories always linger on Oh, sweet Lorraine no, I don't wanna move on 84 00:06:59,068 --> 00:07:11,703 Oh, the memories always linger on My sweet Lorraine That's why I wrote you this song 85 00:07:11,703 --> 00:07:20,241 Oh, sweet Lorraine I wish we could do all The good times over again 86 00:07:20,241 --> 00:07:28,504 Oh, sweet Lorraine Life only goes around Once but never again 87 00:07:28,504 --> 00:07:37,868 Oh, sweet Lorraine I wish we could do All the good times over again 88 00:07:37,868 --> 00:07:54,535 The good times, the good times All the good times, all over again 89 00:07:54,535 --> 00:07:56,443 It's wonderful! 90 00:07:56,443 --> 00:07:58,003 Just wonderful, Jacob 91 00:07:58,003 --> 00:07:59,803 I'm glad you like it. 92 00:07:59,803 --> 00:08:00,942 I0m so glad you like it! 93 00:08:00,942 --> 00:08:04,569 Wonderful. 94 00:08:04,569 --> 00:08:12,309 They were a wonderful 75 years, I just often think, kind of unreal 95 00:08:12,309 --> 00:08:22,473 Like a dream or something but, it was real, that's all I can say, real 96 00:08:22,473 --> 00:08:27,900 Yeah.. 97 00:08:27,900 --> 00:08:32,797 I really, really miss her, just don't seem right, like a dream 98 00:08:32,797 --> 00:08:36,797 Yeah, yeap...