Music Fundraiser to Help Erase Crushing Student Loan Debt

Buy this collection of songs and help make a difference. All proceeds will go to help Jennifer with her student debt loan (Click the "buy" link and it's an easy secure checkout process through BandCamp). BandCamp pays the artist directly and your purchase includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, or for the audiophiles: FLAC, ALAC (Apple Lossless), AAC, Ogg Vorbis, WAV and AIFF formats (Source file is 24 bit 96 Khz WAV). 
Read her story below: 

Many people today face excessive student loan debt. It is harder when your spouse has died and left you as the sole provider for your children on a low paying teachers salary. Please help support a teacher who has dedicated her career to public service and teaching children with Special Needs. Please take the time to read her story and understand her situation. Help make a difference in her life. Thank You and please spread the word to others. Here is her story in her own words:

"I received a federal student loan, as an English major, during my senior year in college because it was the only way I could fund my education to finish up school. Later, I went back to school for my general education and special education credentials. I took out student loans because between student teaching during the day, and working on assignments, lesson planning, and grading papers at night there was no time to work. I married after completing school. (With four years of required teaching courses to complete my credentials, and my B.A., I spent a total of close to eight years in college.) I was in my early thirties by this time, so I didn't want to wait to have children. 

I substitute taught for several years, and worked in an early start program with a nonprofit helping infants and toddlers with developmental needs for six years. My husband was a small farmer, and fell on hard times, so I was the sole supporter of our family, and could afford to pay very little on my student loans over the years. To make a long story short, I am now a special education teacher for the same SELPA for going on five years, and have been working with special needs children for a total of 24 years. The work is rewarding, but low paying. Even as a permanent employee, due to the excessive amount I have taken out of my check each month. 

The tenth year of our marriage, my husband died of renal cell carcinoma. The week he died, I received harassing calls from my student loan company, Sallie Mae, who wanted immediate payment on my student loan. I explained that I had taken several months off to take care of my husband, but it was made very clear to me that business is business, and there is no deferment (or sympathy) in the case of a spouse dying. My husband had not even been buried yet. 

We had four children together, and life has been a struggle living on one income and being a special education teacher. I felt terrible last month because my son, who has mild autism, told me that he did not sleep well at all the week before I was paid because he was hungry. The gross amount I am paid does not look bad, but I have over $2,000.00 taken out of my check each month. Additionally, I had to opt for 10 month pay in order to make ends meet, so I will not be receiving a paycheck in June. I will work summer school to get us through. 

There is always some loop hole that excludes me from the existing programs for student loan help or forgiveness. My children and I have sacrificed a great deal in order for me to teach special needs children over the past 24 years. Basics such as clothing, shoes, or food are often a luxury for our family.  Thank you so much for your support." - Jennifer

R.I.P. Ben Keith (from Neil Young's band)

I first heard of Ben's passing on the morning of 7/27/10 and the news was shocking. Not only that but when I realized I had just finished writing a song about a journey to the afterlife it sent a shiver down my spine. I had the idea for the song on 7/25/10 and wrote a rough draft. I worked on it some more on 7/26/10 (the day Ben died) and then put the final touches on the next morning.


Then I got the e-mail from a friend on 7/27/10. I was honestly debating whether I should release the song at all because of the subject matter but when I heard about Ben all doubt was erased from my mind and I felt compelled to record it right away.

So I recorded it right away in one sitting while the emotions were still fresh. I can't express in words what Ben's music meant to me and my friends growing up. My best friend cried when I told him. Here's the song and while it's not about Ben I'd like to dedicate it to him. A very special thanks to Charlie Betts for adding slide guitar and AC Mastering for the mixing and mastering of audio:

Four Dead In Ohio - Kent State - May 4, 1970

In remembrance of the four students who died on May 4th, 1970 at Kent State University. Shot down by the National Guard. A very dark day in American history and a tragedy that did not have to happen and let's hope will never happen again. 9 more students were wounded that day.

I was just a 10 year old kid at the time but I remember the shock and horror of this. Thank you to my friend Phil (k8dux) for singing harmony with me on this.
Here's more information about that tragedy:

For those unfamiliar with the Kent State shootings, here is a brief contextual re-cap courtesy of Bob Fitrakis and Harvey Wasserman:
It is difficult to overstate the political and cultural impact of the killing of the four Kent State students and wounding of nine more on May 4, 1970. The nation's campuses were on fire over Richard Nixon's illegal invasion of Cambodia. Scores of universities were ripped apart by mass demonstrations and student strikes. The ROTC building at Kent burned down.

The vast majority of American college campuses were closed in the aftermath, either by student strikes or official edicts. Nixon was elected president in 1968 claiming to have a "secret plan" to end the war in Southeast Asia. But the revelation that he was in fact escalating it with the illegal bombing of what had been a peaceful non-combatant nation was more than Americans could bear. As the ferocity of the opposition spread deep into the grassroots, Nixon's Vice President, Spiro Agnew, shot back in a series of speeches. He referred to student demonstrators as Nazi "brownshirts" and suggested that college administrators and law enforcement should "act accordingly."

On May 3, 1970---the day before National Guardsmen under his purview opened fire at Kent State--Ohio Governor James Rhodes echoed Agnew's remarks by referring to student demonstrators as "the strongest, well-trained militant revolutionary group that has ever assembled in America They're worse than the brownshirts and the Communist element and the night riders and the vigilantes. They are the worst type of people that we harbor in America." Rhodes told a reporter that the Ohio National Guard would remain at Kent State "until we get rid of them" referring to a demographic group that was overwhelmingly white, middle class and in college. The next day, Rhodes, the administration and the FBI sent those students a lethal message.

SONGS (From That Place In Time) - Original

The very first song I ever wrote as a 17 year old kid. This vesrion was recorded in February 2008 and uses a capo on the 4th fret and a harmonica in the matching key. First time I have played this with a capo. A big Thank You to Shuie and Sonya (misspopanoche) for doing the excellent audio remastering. Please check out their excellent channel: http://www.youtube.com/misspopanoche