Local bands lend songs to benefit CD

Most of the time, a CD comes out to promote a band, further one musician's career or make a name for a new artist, but not this time.

Alex Beaird, lead singer and guitarist with Bull Mountain Revelry, recruited bands in Southeast Missouri to lend a song to a compilation CD, the proceeds from which will be donated to the American Red Cross Southeast Missouri chapter to help with flood relief in the area.

"I personally am a farmer," Beaird said. "I just started imagining what it would be like if I were in that position."

Ten bands contributed a song to the album, titled "The Sun Will Shine Again." Beaird said every artist he contacted automatically agreed to help. Within five or six days, they had all the music they needed to start mixing the CD, which will cost $10.

"We were excited that that many people wanted to get involved," said Coty Walker, co-owner of The Walker Bros. Top Shelf Audio in Bernie, Mo. Walker has been arranging "The Sun Will Shine Again" in the studio he owns with his twin brother Clinton Walker.

Beaird along with the Walker brothers wrote and recorded "The Sun Also Rises" especially for the CD.

"It's going to be probably the first track on there and just kind of the general theme of the album," Beaird said.

Beaird's band Bull Mountain Revelry lent "Ecstasy Blues" to the album. He didn't specify which tracks the other bands should submit, but told them to try to "make it something relevant to the situation."

Powder Mill sent "The Devil in New Orleans," which talks about Memphis, Tenn., and New Orleans. Headley Grange is giving "My Advice" and Nowhere Fast submitted "The Enemy in Me."

Walker said the CD doesn't have a certain sound because of the different groups. The songs cover acoustic, rock, southern rock and blues.

"Everybody who listens to it is going to find two or three tracks that they're going to love," he said.

Walker's band, Sense the Fall, put a song on the CD, and he, Clinton Walker and Beaird created High Water Fellowship to record "The Sun Also Rises."

Walker said most of the time musicians spend their careers trying to get their names out and their music into people's hands, but not this time.

"This effort wasn't about promoting music, it was something we felt we could do as artists to try to raise some money to help people who are obviously in an unfortunate scenario right now."

The CDs should arrive in early June. Beaird said they plan on making them available through each band and are working on getting them in bars. Beaird said he hopes to plan a release party/benefit in June. The album also includes Rockface Barband, Richie Darling, Doug Johnson and Owen Pye.

charris@semissourian.com

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