Veteran Cincinnati singer/songwriter Jody Stapleton (formerly of Roots rockers The Stapletons) recently released a special new single. The lovely, acoustic-based track “Shine On” — which has a breezy, heart-swelling Folk Rock vibe similar to that of Jeff Tweedy’s sound on his recent Warm and Warmer solo albums — was released in conjunction with the local Hear the Hope organization and features some VIPs as special guests.
Hear the Hope uses music and creativity to offer what it calls “dream come true” experiences for cancer survivors, vets, young hospital patients, people with special needs and others. One of the project’s founders, Chris Lambert, initially brought Hear the Hope to fruition after he and his wife had a son with Down syndrome who needed surgery when he was born.
The org has been working extensively with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, connecting musicians with kids interested in music who then write and record new songs in a professional studio. Local artists who have participated so far include Kelsey Mira, Kelly Red and Blessid Union of Souls’ Eliot Sloan, who worked with former Cincinnati Reds’ pitcher Bronson Arroyo on the song “Be You,” along with Gianna and Gavin Trebbi, the children of a breast cancer survivor.
For “Shine On,” Stapleton recorded with his kindergarten-bound daughter Beatrice, who was born with Down syndrome and had to have surgery at six months old due to a heart defect. Beatrice is now thriving, as you can hear in her enthusiastic percussion work on “Shine On.” The track’s other special guest is Stapleton’s son and Beatrice’s big brother Abel, who nails his background vocal parts on the song.
Produced and engineered by Lambert (who works behind the scenes on the HTH songs), “Shine On” and the other HTH tracks are available to download for a donation (from $5 and up); 100 percent of the donations (minus credit card transaction fees) go to helping the project continue and assist with medical costs.
Stapleton calls the recording a “beyond words experience” and in a statement about the song he says, “I wrote ‘Shine On’ for our family’s journey with Beatrice now and into the future. ‘Shine On’ represents hope, advocacy and a family that loves to sing and play music together.”
For download and donation details and further info about the project (including the uplifting stories of the participants), visit hearthehope.org.
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This article appears in May 22-29, 2019.
