We believe everyone has a voice inside which wants to be discovered and then given the freedom to be heard aloud. We all have stories, histories, hopes, dreams, frustrations, victories, struggles, and a multitude of experiences. The artists featured on this compilation album are sharing their stories from their hearts. Some of the songs are collectively written by people who have never experienced songwriting before. Some of the pieces are contributions by seasoned writers and musicians. However, all represent the voices of the contributors. Ancient Lapis is the first Discovering A Voice project to be published and released. As we grow, we hope that you will grow with us. It's a compilation for the elation of the nation. Discovering A Voice History Discovering A Voice is the brainchild of Cathryn Blue (Blue). She has been a musician since early childhood and started performing as a singer in 1998. She has been a poet most of her life and writes her own songs. Often after performing her original songs, people would say, “Your songs say exactly what I feel.” She began to realize many people, not just artists, have something inside of them waiting to come out. Blue’s fierce belief in independence and quality music production led to the founding of BattleCry of the ButterFly (BOB) Productions in 2007 with the purposes of empowering the artistic community and creating quality art that is accessible to the public. While she was recording albums, writing songs, and performing, she was also in graduate school. In 2011, she received her Doctorate degree in social psychology. With her musical, performance, and educational background, she developed the certainty that people needed an environment in which they could discover and express their distinctive perspectives and voices. She knows that everyone has a story. In 2012 she brought her concept to fruition and established Discovering a Voice to help people share their stories and lives through art… through song to be precise. Her unique combination of talents allows people of all artistic abilities to learn about song construction and actually write a song which weaves their thoughts into the histories of other people in a unified and meaningful manner. Discovering a Voice was founded with the core value that cost should never be a barrier to people experiencing the joy of creating art. Therefore, all workshops are offered on a donation basis. The organization’s goal is to bring people together in order to heal individuals and reunite communities. That goal is accomplished by helping participants realize their voices are important and need to be heard. In addition to working within the community at large, the organization also strives to hold workshops with groups who have particular challenges, such as: chemical addiction/recovery, survivors of abuse, prisoners, parents with extremely ill children, people fighting cancer, sexual minorities, etc. Discovering A Voice was built on a foundation of love and the belief that every person has a gift to contribute to the world. A BattleCry of the ButterFly Production in conjunction with Discovering A Voice. (c) 2013. All Rights Reserved. Producer Notes: This was the most amazing project I've ever been a part of. Each group of student songwriters was different from the last. Every experience with interactive songwriting was as unique as the individuals involved. I had no idea what I was getting into. Sitting down with my guitar, listening to people talking about their most intimate stories and experiences in order to interactively write a song...I don't know who felt more exposed...me or them! Tears were shed. Lips were bitten. In developing each song, I worked very hard to stay true to the voices involved. In some cases, each participant wrote a lyric that was adapted to the finished project. In other cases, folks just talked about their life and it became almost a group counseling session. I am very excited about having completed this project. There were certainly times when the vision seemed too great for my capabilities, but with the help of Molly Ross, the executive director, and all the brilliant voices involved, including the talented musicians, comedians, and poets who contributed to the project, the task became doable. Thank you for everyone who supports the mission of Discovering A Voice by purchasing a copy of Ancient Lapis and telling your friends. There are already more plans in the works toward the next album! Special thanks to Derek (D.) Brown, Orlando Saxton, LaToya Hampton, Shea Brown, and Brother Ting for contributing their art and time.