Songpainter CDs are now ready for USA orders at this time. We have 50 copies ready to ship right now! And once those are gone, we will have some money to get the next 100 made, then, ...well, you get the picture. We have to take baby steps because there is no money in the kitty to do a big time production.

See below for ordering information.

For those new to the Letterville Bullboard:

Songpainter is a music CD of original music about the sign industry, written and recorded by sign professionals. This is a first. This is history in the making. It has taken a little over 1 year to organize this effort. Many said we could never do it...we did it! The songs are great! The songs sound great, as they have all been professionally recorded and tweeked to perfection in a real recording studio! (That whould be "Makin' Tracks Recording Studio" run by one of Letterville's own...Pierre, in Montana.

The artists contributed the songs to this collection so this collection could be sold to raise money for a charity, a cause YOU will get to vote on. All proceeds after the expenses have been subtracted, will go to benefit someone, somewhere, somehow.

At first this project was to be a fund raiser for this web site, but the owners of this web site turned down the offer because they felt a greater good could come of this effort.

Then the idea was to give the money to the Red Cross to help families of the September 11 World Trade Center attack. The bad news about this is that of the millions and millions of dollars already collected for these families...they haven't got much money, if any, out of the deal!

Maybe we can use the money for something sign related, something that helps a fellow Letterhead. Later, when some money is in the kitty, you can all be a part of the process to suggest a cause and then vote on it.

Joe Rees informs me there is a place on the internet somewhere where little sounds bites of the songs are available for preview. Joe recorded 6 of the 12 songs on the CD. This guy is just incredible. He even added a vocal to one of my instrumentals songs and it really rocks!

ORDERING INFORMATION: (ONLY USA ORDERS ACCEPTED)

Send a check or money order for $16.99 (USA) payable to:
Draper The Signmaker
PO Box 3005
Bloomington IL 61702-3005

Sorry, VISA and Mastercard and other cards can not be processed at this time. Just send a check.

MAKE SURE WE CAN READ THE RETURN ADDRESS...Please print or include a self addressed sticky label.

All CDs have label printed by the Gerber Edge. They are in a THIN jewel case with a printed insert that features John Deaton's Songpainter artwork on the front, and the story behind how Songpainter came into being.

The CD costs break down this way:
$13.99 pays for the CD, the other $3.00 pays for the postage and the insulated shipping package.

FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE. The first 50 CDs go out as soon as the check arrives! The next batch of CDs will go out mid-January.

You can only order just 1 CD at this time, later you can order as many copies as you want.

(Canada and Australia and the rest of the world, sit tight...we are taking baby steps here. You will be able to order soon enough. Arangements are being made so you can order from a site with-in your own country or region.)

Thank you all for making Songpainter a dream come true!

[ December 26, 2001: Message edited by: Dave Draper ]

I'm posting a link to a page I created with sound clips. The jewel case and label are are not the final versions, but they give you the idea. I look forward to getting this effort into the hands (and ears) of our extened Letterville family. Enjoy!

CLICK HERE FOR: Songpainter Sound Clips and Order Form.

[ December 26, 2001: Message edited by: Joe Rees ]

[ December 26, 2001: Message edited by: FranCisco Vargas ]

My younger cousin is producing his own CD's and he gets them pressed and packaged at a place right here in St Louis.

I couldnt believe the price he told me after he showed me these professional looking CD's he had produced this past Christmas. That's cheaper than an inkjet print on a CD-R with a jewel case!

Thanks Mike for the imput on the production burns. If we can sell a couple hundred of these CDs, then there will be enough money in the kitty to order 1000.

Joe sort of has the look right. Since we Edge printed the lables, whe used forrest green foil on metalic gold itermediate vinyl. The vinyl will protect the top of the CD from a scratch which would destroy the music in that spot.

The original Songpainter logo was used for the CD lable as we had to get 12 song titles and names on the CD. And we used 1 color print to save some money. ( I don't use forrest green much, so I was just using up my excess foils. We really think you will enjoy the music way more than the enjoyment of looking at the lable...but I could be wrong.

I made a correction above in the above post...send the money to (B)Draper the Signmaker(/B) instead of Songpainter...because the bank may have a problem with it.

In other news, Cheryl Nordby / Draper song is going on the next CD. I didn't get things together as quick as I wanted...my bad, sorry. Cheryl did write a fun little piece we were trying to set those lyric to music. She would have to give the final O.K. anyway before it is released.

What we really hope will happen more than anything, is that sign people will realize they can contribute to this ongoing project, even if they can just help with the vocals, or even if they just write the song, we have talented people right here who can get the recording made.

Someday, I'm sure there will be a Letterhead meet where all the "Songpainters" can get together and help each other record their songs. (That is a hint for Pierre to hold a meet at his recording studio in Montanna....

I sent off free copies today to Joe Rees, Dave Grinley, John Deaton and to Jeff Wooten who is the editor of Sign Builder Illustrated. The first three mentioned contributed the songs and artwork for the Songpainter collection. SBI magazine has already given Songpainter a plug and is going to do a "dispatch" article on our efforts. SBI is the only magazine that has shown any interest in this project and we deeply appreciate that.

Please help keep this post to the top of the pile.
We hope the regulars on the BB will get to see the post as they trickle back to reality after the holidays are over.

During the long, slow months of January and February, you will be glad to have Songpainter playing in the background at your shop. It will make you smile. It will get you fired up. It might make you get so perky you actually go out and make "cold sales calls."

Jack Murry was invited to be a part of the Songpainter collection by a personal telephone call last spring. He is still welcome to be a part of the next Songpaint collection.

There are many fine sign folk who could share in this project. I hope they will be able to hear our CD and realize the wonderful contribution they could make to future Songpainter collections.

It takes time for people to warm up to what we are doing. It takes a great amount courage to overcome the fear of whatever criticism may come from others by sharing someting so dear to their hearts. Songpainters need some coaxing to break through the barriers that hold their creations in that very private, personal space. It took me 28 years until I realized that time was running out.
I no longer care if my music falls on deaf ears or is analized by critics in a negative way.

I simply don't want to take that personal part of me to the grave. I want to leave something behind that someone, in some future time may find delightful. I believe the other songpainters out there may feel the same way, but don't know how to proceed. Now there is a way! Now there is a vehicle for them to take the roller coaster ride of thier life on.

i hope to contribute other than the title to the next one.

you guys did a great job!!!!!

pierre, what can i say buddy? you did a wonderful job on the mix.

i listened to all the cuts and the one that really grabbed me was "Going to a Letterhead Meet".

nice production and musicianship.

who wrote that one and who is singing it?

again, great job songpainters!

another "SongPainter",

http://www.markfair.com/music/mbound.html

mark

(the title "Song Painter " copyright 1995 by mark fair, all rights reserved.)
used with permission.

[ December 27, 2001: Message edited by: Mark Fair Signs ]

"Going to a Letterhead Meet" was written and recorded by me, but I could never find a male vocalist. Then I asked Joe Rees if he could upload this song on his computer and add a vocal.
He said "Yup, sure can!" So I e-mailed him the words and he figured the rest out on his own.

When I heard it for the first time, it wasn't quite like I wrote it. Its actually much better!
Joe added some very funny stuff in the middle of the song.

For the rest of you who haven't heard it, in the middle of the song "ole Fred" ( a letterhead ) falls asleep at a letterhead meet. While he is asleep, his bald head is pinstriped by meet attendees. While he is still sleeping, they place him in the project room with all the other finished signs and he wins first prize! When he wakes up and realize what they done to him...well its funnier than you can imagine!

This is the only comedy song on the CD.

Dave Grinley has two songs in which I would describe as "folk songs". Very simple guitar, harmonica and vocal that will touch your hearts.
I can picture Dave sitting at a campfire singing this song with loved ones gathered round.

His song entitled "3 below" ( meaning 3 degrees below zero)is a true story about his grandfather, a sign painter who had to paint outdoors in horrible winter conditions. He also had to paint the names of his buddies killed in WW2 on the airplane hanger doors in Europe.
This song will touch your heart and bring tears to your eyes.

One song of mine is called "Where have the Walldogs gone?" Currently it is an instrumental. When I find the right male vocalist, words will be included. When you listen to this, reflect on how things have changed in our industry in recent years and how many talented sign folk have lost thier jobs due to the ink jet printed billboard banners we see today.

And then there are the songs Joe Rees contributed.
Joe is solid "Rock" Yet he has some very sensitive instrumentals you will enjoy as well.

I like to compare Joe to Jim Croche (sorry if I spelled the name wrong) I expect to hear a song sort of like "Bad Bad LeRoy Brown" come from Joe.
The song "152 Blues" will expalin what I'm trying to convey.

1 Shot Lettering Enamels will probably want that song for their advertising. If they do, they will have to cut a deal with Joe for the useage.

Not to worry, we are working on a Canadian release as I type. It wont be a long wait.