Irish and Nashville musicians hit right note for Cork charity
Some of the Irish and Nashville musicians involved in the lockdown recording of a cover version of the classic Garth Brooks hit 'Callin’ Baton Rouge' to raise funds for Down Syndrome Cork.
Two pals from Cork have pulled off a transatlantic country music fundraiser featuring top Irish and Nashville stars to help kids with Down syndrome.
Lifelong music lovers and part-time musicians from Youghal, Richie Foley and Karl Prendergast took the trip of a lifetime to Nashville, Tennessee, with some friends last January.
Karl, whose daughter Grace, 10, has Down syndrome, said they met many talented musicians and singers and stayed in touch with some on their return to Ireland.
However, by mid-March, when Covid-19 hit and lockdown was introduced and the people of Ireland were asked to isolate and stay indoors where possible, it was clear that the world as we knew it was changed forever, said Karl.
“This meant an immediate cessation of all fundraising activities for countless charities across the country, who had no choice but to stop all essential one-to-one supports for its members and their families,” said Karl.
Live music was one of the first industries affected by the lockdown, and many of the musicians that Karl and Richie know found themselves at home with no work.
The pals then reached out to their Nashville friends and called in some favours from their friends back home to arrange a lockdown fundraiser for Down Syndrome Cork, the charity which works with families of children with Down syndrome across Cork City and county.
They have now recorded a socially distanced cover version of the classic Garth Brooks hit 'Callin’ Baton Rouge' to help support the 400 or so families with which the charity works.
The lockdown track features lead vocals from Irish country stars Johnny Brady and Mike Denver along with East Cork native Caroline Fraher and Nashville’s rising star KC Johns.
They also used Zoom to record a music video to promote Down Syndrome Awareness Month with performances from many talented singers, dancers, and musicians from the Down syndrome community, including Grace.
The video is dedicated to the memory of Laura Brazel, 39, from Carrick-on-Suir, who features in the video with her father Gay, but who passed away since the video was recorded.
“We are so thankful to everyone who gave their amazing talents to this track to help raise some money for this wonderful cause," said Karl. "We are appealing to everyone to donate as little or as much as they can. It will all help greatly.”
It is not the first time Down Syndrome Cork has benefited from a well-known song.
Around this time last year, legendary 1980s band Madness gave the thumbs up to a new music video which used one of their biggest hits to showcase the charity's Field of Dreams project in Curraheen, on the western outskirts of Cork City.
The iconic ska band said they are delighted to see how their massive 1982 hit 'Our House' had been adapted by ska and punk band Pontious Pilate and The Naildrivers to shine a light on the Field of Dreams work and vision.
Meanwhile, the charity is selling chemical-free pumpkins which have been grown by its own team at the Field of Dreams from a pop-up shop every day next week and right across next weekend.
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