Austin's Story

I recently got involved with the Sing Me A Story (SMAS) Foundation.  It's a website where they post stories that kids write, and songwriters turn them into songs, then people can donate to the charities the kids are associated with (organizations for children in need).  

The story I picked jumped out at me immediately.  It was a simple, four-sentence story written by a kid named Austin, and it so far had zero songs.  It was called Austin's Story, and its title became the title of the song I wrote and recorded, and its content became the chorus.  

Austin is age 11 and the charity is Gilda's Club, named for Gilda Radner of Detroit, Michigan and Saturday Night Live fame, and co-founded by Gene Wilder, which is a free program of social and emotional support for those feeling the impact of cancer.  The idea is to expand on the child's initial imagination in their story by making it into a song that is then shared with the child and others within the organization. 

Here is Austin's story:  https://singmeastory.org/stories/austin-s-story.  

Here is how you can donate, which allows you to own a copy of the song:  https://singmeastory.org/song-payments/1332.  I've set an initial goal of $1,000.00.

Here are the song lyrics:

Austin's Story

Words by Austin and Scott Cooley, music by Scott Cooley

Sometimes life is short as we all know Sometimes there’s danger everywhere you go Sometimes we all get hungry, and want to survive Sometimes after you’re gone, you were just a guy Chorus (by Austin): There was a guy He went into a cave A bear ate him The end. Some people are careful, some like to explore Some simple stories leave you craving for more Some authors know details they don’t include Some people are spared, and some become food There was a guy He went into a cave A bear ate him The end. Austin saw the whole thing, he saw it from afar This is Austin’s story, in Austin or wherever you are He didn’t know the guy, no he didn’t know the bear He lived to tell us all about it, thank God Austin was there Some like to hideout, some like to hibernate Some are just innocent victims of fate Maybe the bear was good and the guy was bad We’ll never know if it made Austin happy or sad There was a guy He went into a cave A bear ate him The end. No one knows why Maybe he was brave No one will hate him My friends There was a guy He went into a cave A bear ate him The end.

https://singmeastory.org/song-payments/1332

All the proceeds from the song's jukebox will go toward Gilda's Club - Simcoe Muskoka in California and The Sing Me a Story Foundation. It has been sent to the organization the child is a part of for the kids! Don't forget, everyone who donates will receive the song as an Mp3 with their donation receipt. Hashtag : #SingMeAStory Twitter : @SMASFoundation Instagram : sing_me_a_story Facebook : www.facebook.com/singmeastory I am extremely grateful for your support!