Last Thanksgiving weekend, a group of Top 40 recording artists gathered to record songs benefitting Oxford House Inc. The two Christmas songs are being released this season on Pat Barber"s Happy Handyman Tribute CD.
Oxford has opened over 1200 men and women's transitional living homes nationwide. They just opened a home in Sedona, AZ. For fundraising efforts, Pat Barber, Horizon award winning songwriter and part time Sedona resident, gave the publishing profits for two Christmas Songs to Oxford.
"I was camping south of Sedona," says Pat. "It was snowing. Ranchers had brought their cattle down from the high country. The sky was lit up. The words just came, "Cactus Christmas tree, mighty prickly." Sedona gave me the song. I thought I'd give it back and throw in another one hoping Oxford could someday open both a men"s and women"s halfway house."
The songs are co-produced by Jack Sundrud (Poco bassist and hit songwriter) and the legendary Bill Halverson (Cream, Clapton, Hendrix, Déjà vu). They set up a recording session and invited a few other legends to sit in. There"s Billy Sanford (guitarist on the original Roy Orbison recording, Pretty Woman), Russ Pahl (Country Diva Gretchen Wilson"s steel player, you can hear him every Monday night football game on the song I"m here for the Party!). Other artists featured on the CD are from classic rock bands, Poco, Orleans, Pure Prairie League and Black Crows.
Co-producer Jack Sundrud was asked how he could round up such a great cast of players on a Holiday weekend. He said "They"re great songs for a good cause. It was easy. Cactus Christmas and Wrapped in You could easily become Christmas standards."
Contact info, photos and songs are available immediately at HappyHandyman.net. They will be on major online music sites shortly.
Pat Barber, 970-708-1261. Patbarber@happyhandyman.net. To purchase the $20 CD click here:
LISTEN TO CACTUS CHRISTMAS WRITTEN BY PAT BARBER:
LISTEN TO WRAPPED IN YOU WRITTEN BY PAT BARBER:
