Nightlight Daylight

One of Guitar Player’s top 10 CDs of the decade, and top winner of 11 other national awards. Listen below and check out the cover that lights up on the video to the right.

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BONUS TRACKAWARDSSTORIES BEHIND THE SONGS  • EMAIL us here. • BACK to MAIN PAGE for concert schedule, etc.

An unique gift for the special people in your life. It started as a gift for my best friend’s first baby, and turned into one CD to awaken to, one to go to sleep to, with the first-ever interactive lighted CD cover. I had so much fun recording these tunes with my friends, including Mark Kibble (Take 6), Victor Wooten, Phil Keaggy, Stanley Jordan, Earl Klugh, Howard Levy, Tommy Emmanuel, Jeff Coffin, Futureman, Danny Gottlieb, and members of the Nashville Symphony. (There’s lots of music on this page for you to check out, please give it a moment to load):



Top Honors in 12 Awards

  • IN TOP 10 CDs OF THE DECADE: Guitar Player Magazine’s Oct 2017 50th Anniversary issue.
  • IAMA, INTERNATIONAL ACOUSTIC MUSIC AWARDS: Baker’s Dozen wins first place in the Instrumental category.
  • GLOBAL MUSIC AWARD GOLD: ALBUM, ARTWORK, CONCEPT
  • NAPPA AWARD

Every detail, from the packaging to the performances, is accomplished with skill and grace.–PARENTS’ CHOICE, GOLD AWARD

We can’t say enough good things about this unique double album.–TILLYWIG MEDIA AWARDS: BRAINCHILD

Flawlessly produced with world class musicians. ..intellectually stimulating experience for child and parent alike–MOMS’ CHOICE, GOLD AWARD

This is a top notch work of art. Two big thumbs up!–ACADEMICS CHOICE

‘Mozart Effect’ taken to a new level. CD OF THE YEAR AWARD (Creative Child)

After I finished pushing the moon for about half an hour I delved into the treasures within. The quality is amazing across the board. I cannot express how much the performances and production quality resonates. –KIDS FIRST! ENDORSEMENT

Press Reviews

A beautifully produced song cycle of slumber and awakening to a new day – all informed by Anderson’s wondrous acoustic chops and sensitive compositional approach. –Guitar Player

A double cd containing her biggest and boldest statements yet…this is first class adult music for anyone that needs something with some blood to it to ping their soul back to life. –Midwest Record Review

This is a beautiful, bold, and brilliant offering from a master musician. –Fretboard Journal


More Reviews

Fan Reviews

First and foremost, I continue to be blown away with it. Simply brilliant. I frequently listen to it as I travel, and find it remarkably peaceful and relaxing, and not much makes me feel that way on airplanes anymore.
My grandsons, ages 5 months and 8 months, were both introduced to Daylight Nightlight this afternoon, and to describe them as “blissed out” would be an understatement. Both went from a bit agitated to supremely content moments after I put it on. I love the listenability, the rhythms, the harmonies, and of course the flawless musicianship. I would heartily recommend it to anyone, but particularly those with infants and young children. I really do believe it will make a difference in their development. …Jeb McIntyre

The Most Impressive Gift for Holiday Giving …S. W. Zing


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The Players

Mark Kibble (Take 6) co-producer/vocals; Victor Wooten, bass; Danny Gottlieb, drums; Beth Gottlieb, percussion; Phil Keaggy, steel string & electric guitar, Stanley Jordan, electric guitar; Earl Klugh, guitar; Howard Levy, harmonica; Roy (Futureman) Wooten, electric drums; Tommy Emmanuel, guitar; Raughi Ebert and Leo Henrichs (Tierra Negra), flamenco guitars; Beth Nielsen Chapman, harmony vocal; Jack Pearson, mandolin; Jeff Coffin, soprano sax; Tom Shinness, cello; Karlton Taylor, piano, Adam Wooten, drums; Mary Gilmore, harmony vocal; Cathy Chalmers, African drum and udu; FirstString, Endless Road Strings, Lovesponge, and Carl Marsh, orchestrator.

What the Musicians Say

This is some seriously powerful, deeply emotional music that will stay in your head and your heart forever..Muriel plays all styles with such ease and command that it’s easy to forget how good she really is! I love these recordings and I am honored to be asked to be a part of such a stellar project! Now let me run and play! …Tommy Emmanuel, cgp

Her artistry is groundbreaking, breathtaking, and it touches the soul. …Victor Wooten

Muriel has the unique ability to capture the essence of beauty, melody and friendship all within the tracks of this project. In a time when there is much chaos and distraction in our world, she brings her gifted friends together along side to bring light and joy to the world through song… beauty can help save our world, nourish our souls and bring the best out of us all. Her efforts in doing so shows that we all long to be one in humanity-which is being loving, caring and giving through the gifts we are given. …Phil Keaggy

I was pulled like a strong current into the center of this exquisite instrumental that was written by Muriel Anderson.  We were both at Oceanway studio having strings added to different songs…but her “Prayer Without Ceasing” captivated me with it’s stunning string arrangement by Carl Marsh and the deep power of Muriel’s guitar.   I went home possessed and spent 12 hours birthing these lyrics and alternate melody into the middle of her composition.  I’ve never co-written a song in this way. I was so in love with this piece of music.  What a thrill it was to me that she loved it!   “Pray” is one of those songs that I feel can heal people who are unable to reach and release sadness within themselves.  This song is like a spiritual can opener for the sealed up heart. …Beth Nielsen Chapman

As parents Tracy and I are trying to raise our kids in an inspiring environment with different choices. The CDs both of my children received from Muriel as their individual welcoming presents right after they were born were the early prototypes for “Nightlight Daylight” Muriel’s music has always been a part of our ideal and music we enjoy as well. At the age of nearly 2 years Louise was able to sing the melody of nearly 70 different songs with perfect intonation, and at the age of 10 months Leon crawled in front of the stereo system while making dance movements to tell us that it was time to put his Muriel “Good Morning” CD on. …Leo Henrichs, Tierra Negra

Muriel is an incredible musician, wonderful friend, and a beautiful person. This awesome new CD for morning and evening allows us to use our percussion to full dynamic potential. We are thrilled to be included in this amazing project! …Danny Gottlieb and Beth Gottlieb

I love the breadth of the musical choices, as well as the depth of the music on this project. it’s easy to get lost in it.  It’s virtuosic without being cold or detached and it’s soulful without being pretentious. I find surprises at every corner. I think it’s an awesome recording and I’m honored to be a small part of it…Jeff Coffin (soprano sax with Dave Matthews Band, Flecktones)

Muriel has put together a stunningly beautiful and unique collection of music comprised of some real world class musicians, and I am grateful to be a part of it all! …Tom Shinness

Muriel Anderson – the fearless phenom of frets! Prepare to be transported thru a journey of the joys of night and day …incredible!  …Mark Kibble (Take 6)

STORIES BEHIND THE SONGS

DIGITAL BOOKLETGive it a minute to load, it’s high res

Nightlight (50 min)

1. FERRYBOAT CROSSING 4:05 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Phil Keaggy, guitar; Mark Kibble

On a busy tour from Italy to Estonia to Finland, I was so looking forward to the relaxing ferryboat ride from Estonia over to Finland. I composed a tune to capture the mood and played it to the gentle tugging of the ferryboat. Phil Keaggy joins on electric guitar, and Mark Kibble on vocals.

2. NIGHT LIGHTS 4:24 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Victor Wooten, bass; Raughi Ebert, flamenco guitar; Leo Henrichs, guitar.

I had Leo and Raughi of Tierra Negra in mind when I wrote Night Lights. They play the melody and beautiful improvisation.  The sparkly texture underneath is a combination of harmonics and natural notes played together on the guitar, a variation I developed to a technique used by Chet Atkins and Lenny Breau.

3. LULLABY FOR LEO 4:34 (©2013 Muriel Anderson, Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Victor Wooten, bass; The Endless Road string quartet

It seems that sometimes the parents need lullabies as much as the children. This one was written for the father of the baby.

4. THE LOOKING GLASS 3:31 (©2013 Muriel Anderson, Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI, based on trad lyrics) Muriel Anderson, lead vocal, with Mark Kibble, harmony vocals; Lovesponge String Quintet

Based on the traditional lyrics “Hush Little Baby,” this original melody and chord progression comes around to a less materialistic and purely symbolic version of the lyrics towards the end. Members of the Nashville Chamber Orchestra fill out the string section, and Mark Kibble layers twelve vocal parts to create the impressive harmonies.

5. PRAYER WITHOUT CEASING 4:12 (©2013 Muriel Anderson, Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Phil Keaggy, guitar; FirstString Orchestra

It seems every faith recommends prayers of gratitude, so one day I let my guitar do it for me. I call it “Prayer Without Ceasing.”  I remember after being in the Northridge earthquake, I was so genuinely thankful for life and for my friends around me that for about a year after, I knew what it was like to pray without ceasing. I brought it to Phil Keaggy and we improvised on it together. Later, Carl Marsh orchestrated our improvisation for Leadership Music Nashville at Oceanway studio,. We told the FirstString musicians the story behind the music, they put their hearts into it and played what you hear here.

6. DANDELIONS 3:14 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) Solo guitar

I didn’t realize the depth of what can go into photo art until I started working with Bryan Allen. We went on a quest to look for just the right dandelions for the Daylight side of the cover. I remembered when I was a child, before I was told that dandelions were a weed, and I thought they were a precious yellow flower that came up right in the yard! On the first of May, I made a little paper basket with glue and masking tape, and filled it with dandelions. There was an old lady who lived alone on our street, so I left it at her front step, knocked on the door and ran away so she wouldn’t know what secret admirer brought her the flowers. I did that every year, and each year the paper baskets got a little nicer. I wonder if she had a little collection of faded paper baskets on her mantle and if that one day of the year dandelions aren’t a weed for her either.
See a video of me playing this tune for a fawn standing on one leg

7. IT TAKES A LITTLE TIME 2:51 (Muriel Anderson/Lisa Aschmann, © 2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI/Nashville Geographic, ASCAP) Muriel Anderson, lead vocal, with Mark Kibble, harmony vocals; Victor Wooten, bass; Karlton Taylor, piano.

I started writing a sort of waltz in 5/4 time, so that there was a little stumble in the rhythm. It reminded me of a child just learning to walk. In the lyrics, I put a little pause before “it takes a little… time” until the child finally starts to get it, and then it is all in time on the line “you’ll get it all in time.”

8. FAINT OF HEART 4:05 (Vince Gill/Al Anderson) © 2006 Vinny Mae Music, Mommy A Monster Music, admin by Songs Of Windswept Pacific BMI) With Stanley Jordan, electric guitar; Earl Klugh, nylon string guitar; Victor Wooten, bass; Mark Kibble, vocals.

I heard Time Jumpers sing what seemed to be an old jazz classic, yet with a unique melody and harmonies, and found that it was actually written by Vince Gill and Al Anderson. It’s a beautiful tune, and I could think of no better set of changes to let Stanley Jordan and Earl Klugh play over as an instrumental. Mark Kibble and I also recorded a vocal version that we plan to make available as a download.

9. THE WINTER SHORES 1:58 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) ) Solo harp guitar

The original title was “Jasmine,” and then I set the melody to a poem I wrote called “The Winter Shores.”

The Winter Shores

I wasn’t there to know the winter shores,
Yet I can sense the cold wind carving the dune
And with the first leaf uncurling from the stem
I see the flower fully bloom

I wasn’t there to feel the fury of the storm,
Yet the last few drops of rain fall upon my face
While children laugh and play in puddles
Bags of sand are packed higher yet …just in case.

Can you see above them to the bursting color of the spring,
And my hand extended out to cradle a sprouting seed
The road is lighter with a friend
Whichever way the road should lead

And should we walk the winter shores hand upon shoulder one day
Each a support for those in our lives, we’ll lean into the wind and the spray
We’ll lean into the stormy wind, should we walk the winter shores some day

by Muriel Anderson


10. HAWAIIAN LULLABY 4:05 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI. Lyrics by Queen Lili’uokalani. Additional melody and chorus by Makana, ASCAP/BMI). With Victor Wooten, bass; Muriel Anderson and Mark Kibble, vocals.

I was invited as a guest to the slack key and ukulele festival in Hawaii. I had no idea how much I would fall in love with beautiful culture of these islands, really experiencing the welcome, the joy and peace of Hawaiian aloha. I wrote Hawaiian Lullaby as an instrumental. Just before going on stage together at a festival in Seattle, Makana found an ancient poem written by Queen Lili’uokalani that fit the feel of the music, and he spontaneously sang a melody over the top while the traditional choir, Hi’ikua, improvised the chorus. Mark Kibble and I sing their parts in this recording, and offer to you the same aloha.

He `ala nei e mâpu mai nei
Nâ ka makani lau aheahe
I lawe mai i ku`u nui kino
Ho`opumehana i ku`u poli

He `ala nei e moani mai nei
Na ka ua noe Lîlîlehua,
I lawe mai i ku`u poli
Ho`opumehana i ke aloha

CHORUS:
E Lili’u E
E aloha e
E Lili’u E
Aloha ‘oe


11. WAIT FOR THE LIGHT 3:20 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) Muriel Anderson, lead vocal, with Mary Gilmore, harmony vocal; Mark Kibble, harmony vocals; Tom Shinness, cello.

I suppose I wrote this for myself as much as for a friend, to help find patience. Sometimes it’s better just to relax and wait for the light.

12. PRELUDE TO JOY 3:04 (Muriel Anderson/Ludwig Van Beethoven, (©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) Solo guitar

When I first came to Nashville, I arranged Beethoven’s ninth symphony for guitar orchestra for the finale of the Dove Awards. In the process, I found a quick interlude played by the horns just before the chorus comes in with “Joyful joyful.” I slowed it down, changed it to ¾ time, and play it as a tremolo piece in dropped G tuning. Yet, I only changed one note of the harmonies, and the melody belongs to my prestigious co-writer, Beethoven.

13. SWEET CHILD 3:04 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) Solo harp guitar

When I set out to write an album’s worth of lullabies as a surprise present for my friend’s first baby, I wanted to write one to express the tenderness for the child. I found the 21-string harp guitar with the high treble strings was a good instrument to capture the feeling, and recorded this in the two days while composing it.

14. THE SIGHT 3:30 (©2013 Muriel Anderson, Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Victor Wooten, bass; Muriel Anderson and Mark Kibble, vocals. Muriel Anderson, guitar/harp guitar/lead vocal.

Some years ago I was gently stretching in the steam room of the local gym, when I found myself slipping into a pleasant meditation. I sat down without expectation and in a moment I could remember all my dreams with the same clarity I remember my waking life. It was no more nor less real than waking life, but the colors were more brilliant and it was not limited by gravity nor consequence. There was a certain chronology, but not linked to time as we know it. After a while I figured it was time to take my shower and go home. I could feel all the memories slipping away, and though I tried to remember the really fun ones, but by the time I got home I couldn’t remember any. In composing music to describe this place between sleep and wake where the dreams live, I tuned down to A432 (a frequency that is said to vibrate more in harmony with nature) and found a rhythm that I feel but don’t count, based on the golden mean that has its own intrinsic balance.

Daylight (59 min)

1. HERE COMES THE SUN 3:28 (George Harrison ©1969 Harrisongs Ltd ASCAP) With Mark Kibble, vocals; Victor Wooten, Danny Gottlieb, drums; Beth Gottlieb, percussion; Karlton Taylor, piano.

When putting together a CD of music to wake to, I thought of no better way to start than this Beatles classic. It was great fun to record together in the studio.

2. TRAIN TO ARNHEM 3:12 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Mark Kibble, vocals; Victor Wooten, Danny Gottlieb, drums; Raughi Ebert, flamenco guitar; Leo Henrichs, guitar.

I composed this on the train from Arnhem, Holland, after a 2-day jam session in Neuss, Germany with Tierra Negra (Leo Henrichs and Raughi Ebert). To capture both joy and the feeling of missing my new friends, I left a beat out of every other measure in the main theme. We have since gone on to record and tour together, and Leo and Raughi play on this tune, together with Victor Wooten, Danny Gottlieb, and Mark Kibble.

3. PERFECT TEN 5:19 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) Muriel Anderson, lead vocal, with Mark Kibble, harmony vocals; Stanley Jordan, electric guitar; Earl Klugh, nylon string guitar fills; Victor Wooten, bass; Roy (Futureman) Wooten, percussion; Danny Gottlieb, drums; Tom Shinness, cello.

After the freeform improvisation on flamenco guitar with Victor Wooten on bass, the song goes into 10/8 time. It’s a song about a cyber-relationship, or however you’d like to interpret it. To give it a different feel, I tuned the guitar to DADGAD with a capo on the 2nd fret. In the sections where Stanley Jordan and Earl Klugh improvise for 10 measures of 4/4 time, percussionist Roy (Futureman) Wooten continues playing in 10/8 time to create interesting subtle accents.

4. TWO SHORES 4:37 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Phil Keaggy, guitar; Victor Wooten, Tom Shinness, cello; Danny Gottlieb, drums.

My brother asked me to play Two Shores for his wedding. I couldn’t talk him out of it, and since I hadn’t played it for some time, I had to relearn it. In the process I rediscovered it and decided to include it on the album. The first section has a gentle Celtic feel, and the second section is more energetic, using a series of harmonic techniques set off by Phil Keaggy’s distinctive slap harmonics.

5. DAYLIGHT 3:39 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Mark Kibble, vocals; Phil Keaggy, guitar; Victor Wooten, Danny Gottlieb, drums.

My new David Taylor guitar seemed to write this happy tune all by itself. It’s a steel string parlour guitar I found at a guitar show in Florida. I was so amazed first that the beautiful rose inlay spoke to me, and then that the tone was the voice I’d always been looking for, that I bought it immediately. That was before I found out that David Taylor had attended one of my guitar workshops, built it with me in mind, and the inlay was a wild rose from his garden that reminded him of me.

6. I’LL SEE YOU SOMEDAY 2:37 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) Muriel Anderson, lead vocal, with Mark Kibble, vocals; Victor Wooten, bass.

I sent a selection of tunes as rough mixes to my producer, Mark Kibble, to help decide which ones to go on the album. I had already decided against this one and thrown away the audio file when Mark sent me back completed vocal harmonies. As the harmonies made the song come to life, I realized he was right, and fortunately found a copy of the master track. That was close!

7. CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 4:02(Muriel Anderson/Tommy Emmanuel, © 2013 Heartstrings Attached Music/Universal Music Publishing Australia. ) With Tommy Emmanuel, steel string guitar; Victor Wooten, bass; Danny Gottlieb, drums; Beth Gottlieb, percussion; Howard Levy, harmonica.

Tommy Emmanuel and I were talking about how much we enjoyed breakfasts while traveling in Europe, so we call this tune “Continental Breakfast.” I had set up a drum set in the studio made from oatmeal and cereal boxes and a teapot, which Danny Gottlieb plays with wooden spoons. We went over the arrangement once in the studio, recorded only one take, and when it came time for the ending Tommy just kept on playing and it merged into a jam session. We decided that was it, and kept in everything, even everyone laughing at the end.

8. CLOSE TO YOU 3:28 (Burt Bacharach ©1963 Casa David LP ASCAP) With Victor Wooten, bass; Howard Levy, harmonica; Danny Gottlieb, drums.

The thing that most intrigued me about the Carpenters recording of “Close To You” was the slightly detached and persistent feel of the piano. I worked on matching the feel of the piano and the bass, yet allowing the melody to flow freely over. Howard Levy adds original and beautiful harmonica lines, Victor Wooten adds a bass part, and Danny Gottlieb adds sparkle gently on one cymbal.

9. CRYSTAL HORIZON 3:21 (Muriel Anderson, ©2013 Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI) With Mark Kibble, vocals; Victor Wooten, bass; Jeff Coffin,soprano sax; Roger Weissmeyer, english horn and oboe; Howard Levy, harmonica at ending.

The middle section I wrote while in college during final exams week, inspired by the music of Earl Klugh and I suppose to procrastinate studying. The first and last sections I added later, written for Crystal, a fiddle player, to challenge her to play in 5/4 time. For me, it has a gently uplifting feel. I recorded the piece with several different lead instruments, and finally decided upon an interplay Jeff Coffin’s soprano sax and Roger Weissmeyer’s English horn and oboe.

10. A BAKERS DOZEN 2:50 (Muriel Anderson) Muriel Anderson on 21-string solo harp guitar, with Danny Gottlieb, drums.

The morning after Nashville’s annual Greek festival I wrote a tune on my travel guitar. I’d written the entire piece before I discovered it was in 13/8 time. Played here without overdubs on just two instruments, it takes full advantage of the 21-string harp guitar and Danny Gottlieb’s colorful drumming.

11. TRACY’S TUNE 2:57 (Muriel Anderson) With Phil Keaggy, guitar; Danny Gottlieb, drums; Cathy Chalmers, percussion.

Written for the mother of the baby, this was originally on the lullaby CD. Yet its gentle rhythms suit the morning equally well. Cathy Chalmers adds a hint of African flavor with udu and African drum, and Phil Keaggy’s soaring melodic lines fill the space.

12. BLUEGRASS MEDLEY 3:39 (Arr. Muriel Anderson) Solo flamenco guitar, with Danny Gottlieb, drums; B. Gottlieb

On a flamenco guitar, I imitate the sounds of clawhammer banjo, five-string banjo, mandolin, bass and fiddle. Prestigious players though they are, drummer Danny Gottlieb and percussionist Beth Gottlieb’s first recording session in Nashville was not to play drum set and percussion instruments, but simply hambone, a down-home sound that had us all laughing in the studio.

13. SUPERSTITION 3:57 (Stevie Wonder) © 1972 Black Bull Music Inc. ASCAP/Jobete Music Co Inc. ASCAP. With Mark Kibble on all vocals, Danny Gottlieb, drums; Adam Wooten drums; Victor Wooten, bass.

This music is a real example of “stone soup.” I usually play Superstition as a solo guitar piece, an arrangement based on Pete Huttlinger’s in which I catch the lines of bass, guitar, vocal, and horn parts all at once. I thought it would be fun to play together with Danny Gottlieb, and then when I had the opportunity to record with Howard Levy, I thought, “why not add harmonica.” When this double CD was near completion, I realized that my favorite singer, Mark Kibble, although singing beautiful harmonies, didn’t have a tune in which he really let loose, so I told him to do whatever he’d like over this. Then… of course we needed to add Victor Wooten’s low bass part, and his son Adam Wooten’s driving drum part to add intensity. Voila!

14. LIBERTY BELL 2:39 (John Philip Sousa) With Danny Gottlieb, drums; Beth Gottlieb , percussion.

I arranged this as a tribute to my grandfather, who played saxophone in John Philip Sousa’s band… and also as a tribute to Monte Python’s Flying Circus.

15. BELLS OF LINGENFELD 4:50 (Muriel Anderson) With Mark Kibble, vocals; Victor Wooten, bass; Danny Gottlieb, drums.

I woke up one Sunday morning in Soave Italy to the sound of church bells. First one, then from two different churches at once. The chords and the rhythms of the two sets of bells together made a beautiful sound, and over it I could hear a melody soaring over. I stumbled out of bed and grabbed my guitar to find the chords. I played the chords and sang the melody over them into a portable recorder, as the bells were still playing. Then I paused to record the end of the bells as they faded out. This actual recording is at the end of the piece, and in the background you can hear an Italian child talking to his mother, and a car going past from the street below. From the beginning I envisioned Victor Wooten playing the melody and improvising on it, so it is a real vision come true to have him play it. I recorded the bells at the beginning and just before the end many years ago when I was walking in a cow pasture in the mountains near Zurich Switzerland. When three church bells started ringing at once I recorded it together with the gentle cowbells in the distance on my new Sony minidisc. They were very old bells, so to match the pitch of the ancient tuning, I tuned my guitar down to A432. Yet I named the tune in honor my friend Uwe Spann, who arranged for me to play a benefit concert to raise money get new bells for his church tower in Lingenfeld, Germany. I sent him a recording of the piece as a surprise even though we hadn’t corresponded for a year or so, and then walked to my mailbox. In my box was a card from Uwe, with a photo of the bell tower of Lingenfeld on the front.

16. PRAY 4:17 (Muriel Anderson/Beth Nielsen Chapman, © 2013 Heartstrings Attached Music/Songs of Prismlight Music) Muriel Anderson, lead vocal, with Mark Kibble, vocals; Beth Chapman harmony vocal, Phil Keaggy, guitar; FirstString Orchestra

When I was in Oceanway studio recording the strings for “Prayer Without Ceasing,” Beth Nielsen Chapman and Keb Mo were there recording with the same orchestra. We had the pleasure of hearing each other’s music in process. While the strings were playing, Beth had ideas for a melody line with lyrics over the top of the music. She put everything else aside, finished writing the part, and sent me the powerful completed lyric with harmonies as a surprise two days later. She told me she cried while writing it, so she knew it came from a deep place.

CREDITS:
Mixed by David Schober. Additional audio engineers Fett, Charlie Chadwick, Recorded at Azalia Studios, Oceanway, Vertical Sound Studio, Vix Mix, M studio and OGM, Nashville. Mastered by John Mayfield, Mayfield Mastering, with assistant Justin. Art Directors Bryan Allen and Muriel Anderson. Typesetting by Susan Mangen, Special thank you to talented firefly catchers and dandelion seed fliers Sofia and Zach. LED protoype by inventor Paul Regen. Illuminated Media Packaging(TM), Patent Pending, Muriel Anderson.
©(p) 2013 Muriel Anderson, Heartstrings Attached Music, BMI

Photo-art and inspiration by Bryan Allen.

About the Packaging I filed my first prototype for Illuminated Media Packaging in 2005, and had been waiting for just the right music and just the right visual art to debut the concept. When you push the moon on the “Nightlight” side of the two front covers, the stars and fireflies light up and sparkle, then there is a shooting star. I was looking for an artist for years, and one day my friend Phil Keaggy emailed me an illustration called “The Lightning Catchers,” and I discovered the work of Bryan Allen, who then designed my cover artwork.  Thanks to Paul Regen for assistance with engineering, and to  Aaron and Ari at MMS.  Illuminated Media Packaging, Patent Pending, Muriel Anderson.

IT TAKES A VILLAGE
I believe that good music created and played with love has the power to bring more love and joy into the world. But I can’t do it all myself. I really appreciate the support in many ways that my friends have given me in order to create this project. Angel sponsors include Bob Cerceo, Bob Keenan and Vivian Fabbro, Anne and Charlie Roos, David Kramer, Dave and Patti MacCormack, Jim Dunn, Rob Ellig and Ellig String Instruments For more info, email here.

Note from your family doctor for Daylight: Although you will feel much happier when listening to this CD, do not discontinue any medication without first consulting your doctor.  Nightlight: Do not operate any heavy machinery while listening to this CD. Enjoy!