WRITEN BY CHRISTA WELLS
LISA MCCLOWRY-VOCALS
CHRISTA WELLS-VOCALS
MIKE AQUINO-GUITARS
BILL SYNIAR-BASS
ED BRECKENFELD-DRUMS
RICH KOC-PEDAL STEEL GUITAR
SCOTT MAY-PIANO, HAMMOND B3, ORCHESTRATIONS
PRODUCED BY SCOTT MAY for QZQ
ENGINEERED AND MASTERED BY LARRY MILLAS
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER-JIM COVERT
Influences
Song brings sacrifice to mind.
A newly released independent song, “Before the Tree Comes Down”, is causing a strong reaction about America's war effort in those who hear it. Available on the internet at www.beforethetree.com and at iTunes, the song boldly covers the separation felt by many families as Christmas approaches and their loved ones are away in the service of the United States Military. Portions of the proceeds are going to the Armed Forces Foundation in support of wounded troops and their families
Written by Christa Wells, winner of the GMA Songwriter of the Year Award 2006, and recorded by well-known Chicago singer Lisa McClowry, the song has created strong reactions wherever it has been aired. “When I played the song to my husband, at the end there was just one reaction - complete silence,” says Lisa. Her mother was the same.
“After a few tears and some red faces the conversation usually turns to the importance of family, appreciating the people you love and never taking life for granted.” Lisa continues, “I've seen the song raise some powerful debates regarding the war efforts. Good or bad, the song has people talking.” “I played it for my golfing buddies after a game, at their insistence.” Says Executive Producer Jim Covert of Chicago, “I was surprised at the length of the silence and the moist eyes at the end”. “This song deals with some big issues.”
Sounds Like
BEFORE THE TREE COMES DOWN
“Before The Tree Comes Down” is the first studio meeting of hit songwriter CHRISTA WELLS and singer LISA McCLOWRY.
Christa is the gifted writer who was named 2006 Songwriter Of The Year by the Gospel Music Association following her Number One hit “Held” with Natalie Grant. In the past 2 years, Christa has enjoyed chart topping hits with other Christian artists as well, such as Plumb and Point Of Grace .
Lisa is one of the first call artists in the elite world of Chicago session singers. Her voice can be heard on many National Radio and TV spots. She voiced the role of the Princess in “Rugrats In Paris”, among other Hollywood calls, and enjoys a successful career as a featured vocalist on many tours and recordings here and abroad.
The women were brought together under the aegis of Christa’s Uncle, Jim Covert who was working with producer Scott May . Jim, a veteran musician who traded his guitar for the boardroom (very successfully) in the sixties; had recently renewed his interest in music following the sale of his company. Scott, a member of the legendary Chicago group The Ides Of March employed Lisa to sing a song of Jim’s for a recording. The recording went so well that Jim recommended Lisa to Christa following Christa’s desire for a change of pace on her new Christmas song.
Scott, whose career as a writer, musician, and producer in radio, TV and motion pictures enlisted a stellar cast of the country’s finest players to support Lisa. Guitarist Mike Aquino is known on 3 continents as a virtuoso, most notably with Pride Of Lions. Drummer Ed Breckenfeld has dozens of top ten records to his credit, and is also a columnist for “Modern Drummer” magazine. Bassist Bill Syniar, formerly of Survivor, is a hit songwriter himself, and Pedal Steel Guitarist Rich Koc had just enough time between Nashville-based tours to lend his talent to the song. Scott played the piano, Hammond Organ, and digitally realized the orchestration. Audio Engineering Wizard Larry Millas (the founding member of The Ides Of March) has worked with the “Who’s Who” of music in every corner of the entertainment world. One of the early adapters of Digital recording, his mastery of the equipment is only surpassed by his keen ear.
With Jim Covert as Executive Producer, the team made Scott’s arrangement of Christa’s emotional Christmas song soar. Lisa’s vocals were so intense that it was decided that no “background vocals” were necessary. At one point, following a take, the studio was still and eerily silent, until everyone saw that they were all teary-eyed. Powerful stuff, indeed.
The future is bright for the Christa/Lisa/Scott/Larry and Jim team. A natural affinity became immediately apparent, and the new year will see more visits to the studio. The tables will also be turned, and the crew will produce tracks with Christa singing.
CHRISTA:
Christa Wells
The last 10 years have been busy for singer/songwriter Christa Wells. After graduating from Anderson University with a degree in English Education (minor: Music Business), she and her husband, Toby, relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. During the year they spent in Nashville, Christa commuted to and from Anderson where she was lead singer of her college band, Same Rain. Leaving the band and moving to Raleigh, North Carolina, in 1997 to further her husband ’s career, she wondered what God was planning to do with her life and how He would use her love for music way out on the East coast.
Since that time, God has blessed the Wells family with five children, and Christa’s love of songwriting has become a way of life. In autumn 2001, her friend Jeremy Lee, of FlatRock Management, began to talk with her about his vision for some of her songs. Within a few months, he had become her publisher and they began to move forward on producing demos.
With Tiffany Arbuckle Lee, Christa co-wrote two songs ("Real" and "Go") for Plumb’s album, Beautiful Lumps of Coal, as well as "Day by Day" which was a number one single released by Point of Grace on their album "24." More recently, Christa was recognized for her number one hit song, "Held," released by Natalie Grant on her album, "Awakening." In April 2006, she was awarded the honor of being named Songwriter of the Year by the Gospel Music Association.
At this time, Christa continues to live in North Carolina with her family, traveling to Nashville periodically to write or record, and has now released an independent album with her sister, Mandy Rogers, entitled "A Rogers/Wells Project: so much to tell you". Christa is also actively involved with Masterpiece Ministries--based out of Lebanon, Tennessee--whose mission is to provide a creative arts camp for youth centered around faith in Christ.
LISA McCLOWRY
The common thread that runs through the great singers of any genre, is that they “know their way around a tune”. Plenty of folks can sing, but the special ones find the nooks and crannies, the back alleys and corridors, and the sweetest spots of every song; then they show them to us.
Lucky us.
Lisa’s one of those singers. She doesn’t blast through the door, she tempts you through it. She doesn’t burn, she smolders. Lyrics, to her, aren’t just words set to melody; they’re instructions-sent from a heart that wants to be heard. The tunes tell their own story. When they’re put together by Lisa, they become greater than the sum of their parts. Crazy passion channeled by a knockout babe, does it get any better than that?
She made her bones in the clubs around Chicago, singing jazz and rock, while studying classical and Broadway. She started early (age 6), and kept an insane focus. After College, it was six nights a week in a classic Chicago Gin-mill, and marathon writing sessions during the day. The challenge of meeting the requests of the patrons just didn’t mean learning songs, it meant finding out about the songs. Not just who sung them, but how and why they were sung. This wasn’t the path of your typical rock cutie…this was the trajectory of an artist.
Influences, idols, bands, one-nighters and the occasional major motion-picture role. It’s all a dizzying rush. The backstory really isn’t important. When Lisa sings, you learn everything you need to know about her in an instant. She writes (or co-writes) most of her stuff, and she takes that as personal as her singing…Which is saying a lot.
At this point in her life, she wants to share the passion. Today’s world needs a warm voice. A voice that speaks about us.
Lucky Us.
BEFORE THE TREE COMES DOWN's Friend Space (Top 17)
