Robbie Parrish
"It was the largest responsibility I have ever felt."
... from a producer's perspective
I simply could not believe what my wife was telling me. As a surprise, I had planned on celebrating our 1st year anniversary in New York. Our honeymoon was spent in Paris, France, Milan and Venice Italy. I have always felt so at home in France and my other home way from home has always been New York City. After that event, I have not wanted to go back or really go anywhere where I may feel any risk or threat of peace. We spent our 1st anniversary in Houston (home sweet home).
Anyway, Anita had written a simply gorgeous, catchy melody for spiritual music, and we recorded it on a jam box and shelved it... and after about two weeks... after tears lifted, she was addicted to terrorist updates... I couldn't get her to stop watching updates... Anita then revisited the song and finished it in a new state of mind.
As producer and musician, and in a similar mindset, I decided to place it in the time and pulse of the planes crashing into buildings and steps of the firefighters, and to use a consistent drum machine type street beat patter... that never changes... that would represent earth as a solid or center, while everything around it would move or change... as people's communication was changing.
I also felt a crucial importance to include all races and spiritual beliefs... the sound of hope I would achieve from children, who to me, are the future... current and past represented by the cry of the adult.
Since everyone was donating time, I needed to be very accepting of all contributions of talent, to record all efforts... and to put all elements together at the time of the mix, as if there were several different bands playing at once, in their preferred style, conversing with each other... for hope and peace through tears.
I started thinking about how to achieve all of this... my first thought was children... self contained... a chorus... and I immediately thought of Tom Jaber, a friend of Anita's who hires me from time to time to play drums.
I then thought we must have gospel, and I wanted more rhythm and blues. I had heard so much about Cleo(Pookie)... his keyboards and his production company... in particular, Thomas Boyce.
I then thought of Robert Woodrich... the first person I ever produced independently. Also Ray Younkin and Tommy Lee Jackson... white soul. Andy Bradley, the engineer at SugarHill Studios, had played a Rick Marcel song for us, and this became my first opportunity to work with Rick.
I booked the studio time after rehearsing... while watching the taped event... playing the song with a very naturally talented young singer, Lauren Wichelhaus. She and Anita are writing partners, and some day I would like to produce their music.
Within a week, we went in and cut the basics... I played drums... Anita on piano... Anita vocals.. and Lauren harmony vocals... what great chemistry... we used the 1st drum take... it all took very little time... called Anita's students... rehearsed with them in our home with Tom Jaber before going into the studio, so that everything would be easy and natural and fun.. like a party with refreshments... we invited all parents to watch.
It was the largest responsibility I have ever felt... not only to Anita, but the world. There will never be a sound great enough... but I gave it 1000%. My neighbor from childhood growing up, wanted to be a sponsor, and suggested getting donations and sponsors from the neighborhood to cover the final costs... so we did...
We used 48 tracks and 100% heart. My greatest influence of course, Quincy Jones, We Are The World.
Everyone was so cooperative, involved, driven, and determined. I Thank you, dearest Anita, for this opportunity...
March 3, 2002 Robbie Parrish, producer
