Ortonville- Music has the power to do many things, including inspire, uplift and give hope.
Amy Guirey and Perry Rouse hope the song they wrote does all of that, but most of all, they hope it makes wishes comes true.
Rouse and Guirey, who are married and owners of the Village Pub, 411 Mill St., were inspired to write a song after hearing a customer tell how she lost her 4-year-old son to leukemia. Before the boy died, however, the family was able to go to Disney World, courtesy of a non-profit organization that grants wishes for ill children.
‘I told her I would make a song,? said Rouse. ‘I wanted a song where the kids are thanking people for granting their wishes.?
Rouse, 57, has been composing music for 35 years and plays guitar.
Rouse began writing the music, and Guirey wrote a poem, from which she gleaned the lyrics for the song, ‘We Saw the Rainbow.?
‘I was thinking about what the parents and the kids were going through and how they wanted to thank people,? Guirey said. ‘I think it turned out incredible… It’s an upbeat, inspirational song in which the kids are talking to people that helped them and the people are talking back.?
‘It really does tell a story and it’s a great story,? Rouse said. ‘It took an hour to write the music and lyrics, and a year to get it to production.?
The song is credited as by ‘Perry Rouse and Friends? and those ‘friends? include the Holly High School Choir and 2XL, a Clarkston band.
Mike Gaylord of Angels Among Us Productions is marketing the CD. The host of ‘Everything Classic Antique and Collectible Show? which airs every Saturday from 9-11 a.m. on stations including 1470 AM in Flint, said he heard the song one time and told Rouse it had to go someplace. Gaylord then contacted the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Michigan.
‘They listened to the song and took it to their CEO,? he said. ‘They loved it and said, ‘It’s a go.? We hope eventually to make it their theme song nationwide. They’re letting us market it as a Make-A-Wish song and nothing else. It is pure and will continue to be.?
Kedrin Gall, manager of community development with the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Michigan, said, ‘It’s a unique way to raise funds with the current state of the economy and they’ve gotten a great response… It’s a very nice song with powerful lyrics… We are going to benefit from 50 percent of the sale of their CDs. They will help our mission, which is to grant wishes to children between the ages of 2-and-a-half to 18-years-old living with a life-threatening medical condition. We really appreciate their support.?
Rouse and Guirey have ordered a first run of 5,000 cds of ‘We Saw the Rainbow,? with the song being sold for $10 per CD. All profits benefit Make-A-Wish. The CD is available by mail for a cost of $11.50 (the extra pays for postage). Make checks payable to ‘We Saw a Rainbow? and mail to ‘We Saw a Rainbow,? P.O. Box 341, 15 S. Church St., Ortonville, MI 48462.
The CD will also be available at upcoming fundraising events, watch The Citizen for details.
‘I won’t ever know who I helped, but just knowing you helped someone is incredible,? Rouse said. ‘The song is heart-made, heart-sent, and heartfelt… The cause is magnificent.?
Details: 810-730-4900 or 248-627-2333.