Harrison Hot Springs singer-songwriter, Todd Richard, has donated something much more valuable than money to a B.C. charity that helps children with special needs.
Richard recently wrote and recorded a new song, Follow Your Heart, specifically for the Variety Children’s Charity for them to use whenever and for whatever they wish. And they’re already taking advantage of it.
A year ago, Richard had just finished watching Variety’s Show of Hearts Telethon on Global TV.
Two friends of his, Nicole and Ron McIntosh, said they wanted to come to his performances to raise money and awareness for Variety. The McIntoshes ended up selling popcorn, ice cream, T-shirts, hoodies and 50/50 tickets with proceeds going to Variety.
Their goal was to raise $5,000 in one year.
Richard loved that they were supporting Variety, but he wanted to do more. He wanted to use his musical talents to help.
In the spring of last year, he contacted Jeff Johnson with Bailey Way Entertainment saying that he wanted to use his song If I Could Change the World with Just a Song to help raise funds for Variety. Richard’s plan was to rerecord it with a We Are The World type feel featuring a large group of talented, mostly B.C. singers, then sell it on iTunes as a fundraiser for Variety.
Johnson suggested, instead, Richard write a completely new song specifically with Variety in mind.
They met within two weeks and, together, they wrote and played a rough demo. They recorded it on a smartphone.
“The song basically wrote itself,” says Richard. “It felt like 20 minutes and it was done. We recorded it, listened to it on the iPhone, and after I went ‘wow!’ It was just meant to be.”
Next step was to contact Variety. Richard and Johnson set up a meeting with some representatives, pitched their idea, and played Follow Your Heart live.
“There were, for sure, some people there on the verge of tears,” says Richard.
Variety thought only partial proceeds from the song would be donated, but they were wrong.
“No, no, this song is yours,” Richard replied to them in the meeting. “We want you to take it, and run with it, and market the heck out of it.”
“They said there are people who need Variety’s help who can totally relate to this song,” he adds.
Richard’s and Johnson’s focus then switched to raising money to produce the song.
In one day, thanks to super fans, Diane Whitham and Sally Dubois, $8,000 was donated.
While the instrumental portion of the song was produced in Abbotsford at Studio Down Under in August, the vocals were recorded at Armoury Studios in Vancouver in the fall.
About 20 people gathered at Armoury Studios to sing with Richard, including George Canyon, Wes Mack, Emily Chambers, Rick Tippe, and Grammy-nominated 10-year-old Ty Waters.
“I honestly will never forget that whole afternoon. I was like a kid at Christmas. Everybody there knew what it was for, and they all knew it was for one main cause,” says Richard.
The studio recording was filmed by Global and will be aired this Sunday during Variety’s Show of Hearts Telethon. But before that, Richard will kick off the annual telethon by performing Follow Your Heart live.
“I’ve been counting the days. I just can’t wait to perform this. To be kicking it off will be pretty neat.”
The song was engineered by Sheldon Zaharko and Jordan Oorebeek.
It was released through Royalty Records on iTunes in mid January, and since then Variety has been playing the song regularly, and Country 107.1 in Abbotsford “is playing it like crazy,” he says.
“The potential this can do for Variety is amazing.”
The charity, which has branches throughout the country, has expressed interest in using Follow Your Heart internationally.
“There was no better feeling,” he says about recording the song. “If I could ever have a chance to do it again I would.”
Follow Your Heart is available to buy from iTunes for 99 cents.
“It’s cheaper than a coffee and way tastier,” says Richard.
Variety’s Show of Hearts Telethon airs on Global TV on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 9:30 a.m. You can catch Todd Richard right at the beginning when he kicks off the fundraiser.
To buy the song, go to itunes.apple.com/ca/album/follow-your-heart/id1187335128
jenna.hauck@theprogress.com@PhotoJennalism
