MARCH UPDATE

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The Welcome Home Project will be headlining for Texas Music Magazine at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas. Please don't forget to confirm your schedule for the Texas Music Magazines SXSW Showcase March 20th at Sholtz Beer Garden located 1607 San Jacinto Austin, Texas 78701. We have an hour and half set of songs from 8pm to 9:30pm.  ....

THE DAYS LINEUP....

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12:30 Doors open
1-2 Brandon Jenkins
2-3 Sarah Jarosz
3-4 Gurf Morlix 
4-5 Future Clouds & Radar
5-6 Slaid Cleaves
6-7 Micky & the Motorcars ....

7-8 Shawn Sahm's Tex Mex Experience (a tribute to Doug Sahm)
8-9:30 Voices of a Grateful Nation....

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THE “VOICES” STAGE BAND....

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JAMIE OLDAKER- DRUMS....

JEFF PLANKENHORN -DOBRO/SLIDE/RYTHEM GUITAR....

BUKKA ALLEN -KEYBOARDS....

JOHN INMAN - GUITAR....

GLEN SHUTZE - BASS....

TRISHA KEEFER AND GENE ELDERS- FIDDLE!....

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VOICES OF A GRATEFUL NATION PERFORMERS - Del Castillo, Carolyn Wonderland, Shelley King, Jesse Dayton, Mark Jungers,  Sally Allen, Lisa Hayes, Lavelle White, Michael O'Conner, Project Oryon.....

SONG List:....

1) Fences - Mark Jungers and Selley King, full Voices band.....

2) Welcome Home - Carolyn Wonderland, Shelly King, Lavelle White and Voices band.....

3) Home Again - Plank and Michael O'Conner, Trisha Keefer and Voices band.....

4) Shipping Out to Iraq Blues - Jesse Dayton and Voices band.....

5) I'm Comin" Home - Jesse Dayton and Carolyn Wonderland with Voices band.....

6) Everyone Has Faded -Sally Allen, Bukka and Jeff Plankenhorn & Voices band.....

7) For the Weight of the World - Project Oryon with Trisha and Voices band.....

8) We'll have Peace Some Day- Lavelle White, Carolyn Wonderland, Shelly King, Dell Castillo   and the Voices band (with all other artists performing chorus)!....

9)  Letter Home/ La Letra - Del Castillo and maybe Shawn Sahm with Voices band and ....

Del Castillo rolls right into their short set Approx. three songs. This will be a night the audience will talk about for a long time!....

BE SURE TO LOOK FOR UP COMING PERFORMANCES AT THE KERRVILLE FOLK FESTIVAL AND AT LUKENBACH, TEXAS!....

VOICES OF A GRATEFUL NATION

In an attempt to publicize contemporary veteran's challenges and to sound a call for action from the populace and the private sector, we have produced two audio CDs in our "Voices of a Grateful Nation" music series that feature top-tier Texas artists singing songs of gratitude, support, and understanding.  These discs, the first two in the ongoing series, were released on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2008.  Our team is reaching out to other musicians and songwriters in different parts of the county to create new songs and CDs that highlight the artists and genres popular in their particular region. 

The Voices Team believes that combining "specialized stars" with established icons and young up and coming artists will yield an effective marketing model for the Texas versions of Voices and for the forthcoming trans-American regional CDs.  There is nothing new about the idea of selling CDs to raise money for charities.  There are numerous "troop support" CDs in the marketplace that are essentially "licensing deals."  With the licensing arrangements, an
organization will secure the rights for the use certain of pre-recorded tracks
that they in turn package and market to raise money.  Such releases might feature high-profile artists, they might feature popular tunes, but they never present songs written for and relevant to pressing veteran's issues and, characteristically, only a
small portion of the proceeds finds its way to qualified support groups.  Our methodology is different:  The Voices Production Team has called upon artists to write songs about the efficacy of military service for example, or the trials of
combat deployment, the emotional impact it has on the troops and their
families, or a range of related topics relating to foreign conflicts past and
present.  A number of our contributors are military veterans, some are combat veterans, and many have family and friends who have been or currently are deployed.  Further, our financial design insures that a large and meaningful segment of CD revenues goes to veteran's organizations and veterans in need through our Veterans Endowment for Traumatic Injuries, VETI fund managed by the non-profit Board of Directors.

Phase One:  The Texas
Template

           As mentioned, our CD Series, Voices of a Grateful Nation, is on the charts and selling in Texas markets. We're rolling out a series of promotional programs to give away Gibson Les Paul guitars on Texas Radio stations and our website trying to stir up awareness for the “Voices” CDs and we are developing a line of "Welcome Home" and “Voices” merchandise to sell this spring at festivals and concert venues around Texas. We are working on “Voices” live performances, the first is with Texas Music Magazine at the  international South by Southwest SXSW, music conference in Austin, Texas in mid March, the Kerrville Folk Festival in May and early summer we are hoping to do something unique in Luckenbach, Texas. We hope to keep the performance surprises and “Voices” buzz going with some new music videos, song releases and sponsor publicity campaigns to keep building momentum.

             Our website is up and running (voicesofagratefulnation.org),
we’re processing on-line CD orders, and our trans-Texas non-traditional template, point-of-purchase retail displays are stocked and selling product. We're
providing Texas veteran's organizations with CDs through a simple consignment
arrangement. We're providing Texas veteran's organizations with CDs through a
simple consignment arrangement.  We provide the organizations CDs at a $10.00 wholesale price whereby $5.00 covers the production and manufacturing costs of the CD, $5.00 goes to our parent Welcome Home 501(c)(3) organization, and at least $5.00 goes to the designated veteran's organization for their specific programs. Additionally, we are reaching out to AAFES (Army Air Force Exchange Service) to get our products onto military bases and will maintain a high-profile Internet presence to facilitate Web sales and down-loads. As we proceed with regional studio recording around the country we will be releasing single songs building the “Voices” catalogue and keeping the artists and songs coming!

Phase Two:  Mobilizing
America

         As Phase One progresses, we will engage other states, geographical regions, and like-minded organizations to join the effort by embracing the Texas Template to create additional single releases and signature Voices CDs and mobilize their particular regional fund-raising efforts.  The notion of national inclusion is essential to our strategic vision.  By embracing the same logos, look,
and marketing approaches and by affiliating with the parent 501(c)(3), all of
the Voices production participants will enjoy a significant boost in market
recognition, CD sales, and fundraising capabilities.  Further, the series of popular songs and CDs and the regional and national star-power associated with these releases will serve as enticements for corporate funding, in-kind donations, and corporate brand enhancement.  The essential goal of Phase Two is a unified national effort powered by an infusion of regional aesthetic autonomy.

            Examples of other states and regions and their signature CDs might include a New York or Los Angeles version that reflects their musical identity or a Nashville CD with a commercial country sound.  Examples of other genres that might appear on the Voices CD Series include Indie, Tejano, Hip Hop,Alternative Rock, or Rap, Rhythm & Blues. The most important prerequisite is the professional quality of the music and power of the lyrics that continue to touch the hearts and minds of Americans!

Phase Three:  The National
Tour .

           With a collection of regional Voices CDs active in the national market, we will instigate a nationwide concert tour to Welcome Home the troops returning from Iraq, start our national grass roots fundraising and to enhance CD and
merchandise sales. The mission of our national tour will be to highlight the
need for a concerted public and private-sector fund-raising effort to address
the issues of our homecoming vets.  Our team will coordinate the touring effort with our affiliate, Exhibit Works International, sponsors and partners.  EWI is a live communications company, best described as a storyteller's toolbox, with an impeccable reputation for transforming marketing visions into tangible realities.  EWI will design and fabricate the logistical components of the National Tour. 
The Tour will be a self-contained effort with custom tractor-trailers for staging, audio-video reinforcement, retail components and related logistical support systems.  The tour directors will bring together the recording artists who have contributed to the CDs, engage popular regional acts to participate, and invite other national celebrities who share our vision to develop market-specific concert packages for the tour. 

            The Voices Team and EWI will work closely with our corporate sponsors to maximize their brand exposure by taking our momentum
to large urban markets, rural markets, and military installations.  The tour will enable local businesses to feature their brand in support of the effort, it will motivate private citizens to get involved in their respective neighborhoods, and encourage entire communities to reach out to their hometown veterans through personalized homecoming events.  The tour is designed for a one-year run that will culminate with a gala concert and fund-raising effort that we intend to
establish as an annual event.

  JANRUARY 2009 UPDATE: The Welcome Home Project has spent the last sixty days finalizing short term plans and has organized programs for 2009 that can change how America supports our active military and veterans in a cool and unique way. Just as our new President Obama started a new administration in January 2009, we have established the Welcome Home Project, a 501(c)(3) Public Charity, and in the spirit of the new Presidents call for Americans Volunteering, we are assembling a first-class board of directors to expand our fundraising and veteran’s support efforts with a very cutting edge approach through music and popular culture.

Our charitable mission utilizes the power of the popular song as an excellent way to highlight veteran’s issues and a great way to thank our young men and women for their service.  Additionally, we saw the “Voices” music CD Series as a powerful fundraising tool and a national spring board for raising donations, goods and services for the establishment of the Veterans Endowment for Traumatic Injuries (VETI)Fund. The WHP Board of Directors has targeted the research and treatment of Traumatic Brain Injuries, the “signature injury” of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, and the tragic frequency of post-combat suicides. 

The VETI Fund is the key component to our program commitment to assist veterans with Traumatic Brain Injuries, TBI, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD and by provide immediate access to therapy to stop veteran suicides. Our programs are designed to supplement the worthy efforts of the Veteran’s Administration.  We realize that the VA and related government agencies are stretched dangerously thin through no fault of their own.  With this in mind, we’re enlisting the private sector to help create and maintain specific programs to compliment their existing efforts.  As has been the case throughout our country’s history, dedicated citizens and companies have been a driving force for innovation and progress in America. Over the holidays this became part of our story as two corporate underwriters funded 8000 CDs with the song “Soldiers Poem” by Michael Murphy as a Christmas Greeting. These CDs had a special audio message from the company president and also had song samples from the “Voices” Volume One and Two. The net profit from this sale and all the “Voices of a Grateful Nation music series CDs and online sales are just the beginning of our fund raising grass roots campaign.

The tools for growing the endowment fund are many; grants, sponsorships and individual contributions which we will be soliciting through the 501(c) 3 organization. The endowment fund will represent and become a symbol of Americans aiding our veterans through our grass roots efforts. The “Voices” music series will be releasing new singles to be recorded in the winter and spring 2009 and some cool music videos from our live recording from our Antone’s CD release party of songs performed from Volume One and Two.

          The Music CD Series, Voices of a Grateful Nation, Volumes One and Two, are now a reality and selling across Texas and soon around the country.  Together, with your support purchasing CDs and spreading the word, we will establish these programs designed to make a positive and enduring contribution to veterans and their families in the 21st century.

Later in 2009 and 2010 our goal is to complete sponsorship underwriting for the “The Voices United Tour” that will enable us to spread the grass roots fundraising nationally:  with the Voices of a Grateful Nation CDs active in the marketplace and Homecoming Cards ready for distribution we will launch a national concert tour designed to enhance CD and merchandise sales, to publicly highlight veteran's issues with a special focus on the Endowment and its goals, and to give our fellow citizens the opportunity to thank our troops publicly for their service as they return from Iraq. 

The Tour will be a self-sufficient effort with custom vehicles designed for logistical support  and will feature acts from the Voices Music CD Series. Our team will work closely with our sponsors to maximize their interests by taking the momentum to large urban markets, smaller rural markets, and over seventy-five military base installations.  The tour is designed for a one-year run that will culminate with a gala concert that we plan to establish as an annual fundraising event. 

          Our production team and our board of directors are asking you to join us by becoming our friend by signing into our website , donate to these programs at our online store at voicesofagratefulnation.org and to help align other friends to help fulfill these underwriting initiatives.  We are inviting you to volunteer, to play a seminal role in developing a new trend of patriotism, that places folks like you on the front lines in the creation of a highly efficient, compassionate, und unparalleled veteran’s support system.  Only by taking care of our own, only through Americans taking care of Americans can we maintain the finest all-volunteer military force in the world.  Our volunteers are helping us find retail locations and troop support organizations that are willing to help sell CDs to friends and family. Non-profit organizations are helping to sell the “Voices” CDs we consign to them, keeping five dollars for their own charity and giving back the remaining ten dollars to the Welcome Home Project. Our 2009 goal is to raise five million dollars for the VETI Fund and to help those men and women who have sacrificed so much for our nation....

Voices of a Grateful Nation  -  Volume I & Volume II now on iTunes

Voices of A Grateful Nation, a 2-Disc compilation, is part of the Welcome Home Project that is designed to raise money for our military veterans through the power of music. Support a great cause and buy it on



To learn more about this organization visit:
www.VoicesofaGratefulNation.org
www.myspace.com/icehousewelcomehomeproject

WHAT: BENEFIT PERFORMANCE for "VOICES OF A GRATEFUL NATION"

WHERE: ANTONE'S • 213 W. 5th St., Austin, Texas 78701 512-320-8424

WHEN: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10th (on the Eve of Veteran's Day, 2008) • 7:00 PM

"VOICES" ARTISTS"

W.C. CLARK • RAY BENSON • JIMMY LAFAVE • GARY P. NUNN • RUSTY WIER 

JESSE DAYTON • LAVELLE WHITE • MARK JUNGERS • SUSAN GIBSON • BRANDON RHYDER

LISA HAYES • JAMES HAND • BRENNEN LEIGH • DUSTIN WELCH • KEVIN WELCH • WALT WILKINS • TINA  MITCHEL WILKINS • GUTHRIE KENNARD • BILL CARTER • CHRIS LAYTON • CHARLIE SEXTON • WILL SEXTON • MARC BENNO • WILL OWEN GAGE • DAVIN JAMES • GREEN MOUNTAIN GRASS • STEPHEN TWIGGER OF GAELIC STORM • MALFORD MILLIGAN • MIKE CROSS • JEFF PLANKENHORN • MICHAEL O'CONNOR • SALLY ALLEN • WILL CALLERY • SHELLEY KING • ROBYN LUDWICK • TOM FAULKNER

THE BAND OF HEATHENS • DEL CASTILLO • porterdavis INTRODUCING:  INNOCENT W/ MARYBETH CAROLAN • PROJECT ORYON

The Voices Stage Band

Jamie Oldaker – Music Director

John Inmon • Gene Elders • Bukka Allen • Brian Standefer • Rick Richards •

Glen Schuetz  • Jeff Plankenhorn

Voices of a Grateful Nation is a nationwide project dedicated to aiding and assisting our returning troops who have served in post 9/11 military conflicts all over the world.  This project declares a national debt of gratitude to these valiant men and women and to assist and support them upon their homecoming. The song writing and music reflects the insight and depth of feelings from songwriters all over Texas. This event launches the first in a series of musical tools to help secure and distribute funds, goods and services to our homecoming troops and to help create a positive public awareness for these American heroes. These discs, the first two in the ongoing series, feature Texas artists and will be released on Veteran's Day, November 11, 2008. All proceeds will benefit the United States Entertainment Force a 501(c) 3 organization whose purpose is to raise funding for this project and veterans programs throughout America.

This Event is Sponsored By:

Gibson Guitars • ReMax of Texas • Rudy's Bar-B-Q    

• Pictoric Media Group • Coffey Graphic Arts

Live Guitar Auction Featuring a Gibson Les Paul Guitar

Doors Open @ 6:00 PM • $15.00 Cover • $10.00 w/ Military I.D.

For Information:  Charlie Gallagher 830-708-5666

                                The June WHP Update Bulletin ..:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The heat in Texas really warms things up this time of year, and one of the hottest spots in the state is The Zone Recording Studio just west of Austin where we continue to cook up some incredible sounds for the Welcome Home Project.  We are finishing up the tracks on the second album and the temperature hovers the sizzling side of "smokin'.  We recently recorded Gaelic Storm, a great group of artists from all around the world that came thousands of miles to the live music capital in Austin to record for the troops.  They spent two days crafting a song titled "Mother of Mercy" which presents a delicate story about life, death and war.  The outstanding instrumental power of the Gaelic folk tradition sets this song apart from the other Texas-flavored tracks in the project, and more importantly, it tells a story that draws from the power of forever and the emotional immediacy of the moment.

This tale began many months ago as Gaelic Storm toured around the country and were discovered by a young, active-duty soldier who became one of their biggest fans.  When not serving in Iraq, Sgt. Tom made as many Gaelic Storm shows as possible.  Before he shipped out on his last tour he was backstage with the band celebrating his birthday and having a grand 'ole time with his musical friends.  It was during this final tour in Iraq that we lost Sgt. Tom.  As soon as the band heard the news they began dedicating all their shows to him and to all those men and women who are making these tremendous sacrifices for our country.

Some months later while in the studio, our production team learned this story about Sgt. Tom, so we suggested that Gaelic Storm ask his family if we could place his name in the lyrics of the song that the group was recording that day.  Patrick Murphy did just that and called the family asking if they might mention him in their recording of "Mother of Mercy."  I don't think anyone was prepared for the outcome of that call . . . As it turned out, Sgt. Tom was being memorialized and honored that very day at The National Cemetery in suburban Chicago, and Patrick's call came in only minutes before some of the family members left for the service.  Shortly thereafter, once everyone assembled at the gravesite, the request was voiced and the entire family was overjoyed at the prospect of having their fallen hero memorialized by his favorite musical group.  The family concurred saying that Sgt. Tom would not have had it any other way!

So it's with great pride and no small degree of wonder that the magic, the spirit in the songs, and music just keep getting better and better.  This project has been continually blessed with the special gifts that artists bring in to the effort.  I have been asked by friends and family which song is my favorite.  All I can tell you is that every song we record is the best song yet!  This has held true from the very first song we recorded last year when Walt and Tina Wilkins came in to kick off the project to the latest contribution recorded last weekend by Guitar legend Marc Benno and young guitar wiz Will Owen Gage who cranked out a searing Texas shuffle called written for the project called "Homesick Soldier!"  These and all in between give me chills!

The Welcome Home Project is moving forward with plans to work with the USO to tour bases and hospitals to bring these special songs to the men and women that we honor by our efforts.  I am beginning to believe that it is us who are the lucky ones to be on the giving end of the project . . . The more I learn and see regarding the sacrifices made by our military the more I'm convinced that we're fueled by larger powers in this very complex universe.  Each and every American is truly fortunate to have so many fine, dedicated patriots who are prepared to sacrifice their lives in defense of our country and our freedoms.  Through this wonderful gift of music from the heart, we hope to become a more grateful nation, so please join us in paying tribute to these selfless young warriors.

CG