Voices join up for Littleton

Last week as local songwriters David Staton and Jeff Braner were recording their song "Together We Can" in a Nashville studio, the TV images from Colorado kept interfering with their progress.

"CNN was on mute," Staton, a Buford resident and father of a 4-year-old, told us Tuesday. "As the music played with the scenes on TV, I kept thinking, 'Next year, that could be my child.' It suddenly hit us that maybe we could do something to help."

After a quick tweaking of their inspirational tune, which promotes "coming together to solve mutual problems," and a few phone calls, a recording session is set for Thursday. At least 60 Atlanta recording artists will gather at a Gwinnett County studio to cut a version of the tune to benefit victims and families of the Columbine High School shootings. A video will be shot Thursday night.

Among those already confirmed are R&B vocalist Tony Rich, Ed Roland of Collective Soul, Marvelous 3, LaFace singers Gaelle Adaisson and Sam Salter, gospel singer Brian Free, jazz vocalist Teresa Hightower and country singer Alan Baker. Invitations are out to Travis Tritt, Alan Jackson, Usher, the Indigo Girls, Trisha Yearwood, Babyface and others.

Jan Smith, the project's vocal director and president of the Atlanta chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences tells us that Shawn Mullins is on tour in Australia and Elton John is working in Europe and neither will be able to get back to town for the date.

"Together We Can" could be on store shelves as soon as next week.

AJC 4/28/99