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Away In a Manger
This recording was originally a piano solo. For maybe the last eight years I’ve sat with it every Christmas and said to myself, “Next year.” The last two years I’ve felt impressed that it wanted to be a vocal solo, and have toyed with that. When the request for member submissions came to send a cover to this particular hymn, I felt like it would work. I sent it to the Church Music Submissions for the Come, Follow Me “member submissions” effort.
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He Lives
This song came one night as I was “playing with” I Know That My Redeemer Lives. I wanted to arrange my own version of it, but this is what happened instead. It’s simple, but it is my testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ. LYRICS He lives! I know my Savior lives! Oh, the peace and joy this sentence gives. He lives to guide me with His love, As He advocates for me above. I know He hears and answers prayer. This is truth: I know of His kind care. He lives to grant me rich supply As He cares for me beneath his watchful eye. I know His love can…
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She Prays
We had been asked to pray for rain and civility in the world. This request must have been weighing heavily on my mind during my sleep one night. When I awoke, this song was running through my head and waiting to be committed to paper. I love it when that happens because I know there is only one reason for it: The Lord is giving me a gift! A special thanks to Angela Dugdale for recording this for me.
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I Hear Him (Lower Voice
This song is on my website twice. I wrote it initially for a lower voice (this version), but Angie has this angel voice in a higher range. She is very flexible and was able to do low as well.
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Mother’s Legacy
A tribute to a woman who was true to her faith from the minute she heard about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She never wavered. Her life wasn’t as easy as she’d have liked it to be, but she was a shining example to all of us of overcoming struggles that are true “thorns in the side”. It was a testimony to me to watch her the last five years of her life and see just how drawn she was to helping others see the truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Truly she had a friend in Jesus.
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Follow Him
We were blessed that Covid-19 in 2021, did not come rock our world much. Clyde had it before it became a household word. My life was pretty packed prior to shut down. When it hit, I had time to pursue music that came; when it came. This is one of those songs. I don’t remember the seed that sprouted this song.
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I Hear Him
This is the original version. Realizing it might not be the easiest for most people to sing, I rewrote it. This is for those who like to sing below Middle C. This song just came in the night. It went through a few iterations before settling on the final version. Pres. Russell M. Nelson of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has challenged us to know how we hear Him. I can’t claim that this song is a comprehensive list, but it is a personal list of ways I’ve heard Him. Thanks to Angela Dugdale for recording this one. She has the voice of a songbird. Lyrics I…
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Be Still My Soul
June 2020, and we are three months into Covid-19. The music for this song had haunted me for weeks. At first, I felt like it was a song about the heart, but words would not come. One morning I awoke to the melody going through my head. This was not new. However, the words came as well and they were very familiar. I instantly went to my Hymnal and found that they worked very well with all of the music I had already written. This is the result of that experience.
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Words Won’t Come
By the time this song was finished, I knew the Lord wanted me to write it. I thought I knew what I was writing, but it actually turned out to be the road from “lost” to being “found” – really, a conversion experience. Thanks to Angela Dugdale for helping me with the vocal. LYRICSWords won’t come. My heart is breaking.Can’t hold back the tears. I’m aching.Dreams are shattered. Nothing matters.Hope seems distant; nonexistent.Tortured with the thoughts within.Bless me with the will to winthe battles raging deep within my soul.Then I remember lessons long ago.Christ is there for ev’ry soul who calls Him.Reaching out I take His hand.He’s there for me.…
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I Stand All Amazed
I was given the blessing of accompanying the son of a dear friend’s funeral. They requested organ accompany for this song, and I was unable to find an arrangement that fit our needs. This was the end result of my search. Matt Gifford is the voice you’re hearing. He was out of his comfort zone, but he did a beautiful job.
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Stay By the Tree
After Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the Seventy gave his General Conference talk in April 2015, I could not rest until I committed his comments to music. To me, it came out of his mouth musically. This is the result.
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A Tiny Baby Lay
This song was several years in the making. Some of the words and markings sat in my scriptures from year to year, calling to me each Christmas. This year (2014) I made the goal to give it to my Savior as a Christmas present. It came quickly. What took time was getting the courage to record it. I hope you like it.
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I Feel His Love
This song literally came “line upon line”. I had the music long before most of the lyrics, but the title always stayed the same. It was finally the spring of 2014 when I decided it was time to commit it to paper – thanks to my daughter-in-law’s encouragement. Thanks, Chelsae! I’ve been blessed to see the Lord’s hand in my life. Has it always been what I asked for? Not hardly! But I’ve always been able to see His responses to my prayers were what were best for me and much surpassed my wildest imaginations on what would make me happy. This song only scratches the surface of my feelings,…
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Believe
This song was collaboration with someone I’ve never met – Steve Garner. Jill Jasperson was our common friend and gave me several poems he had written, with his permission to put them to music, if I felt so inclined. This was a really fun one. I wrote the second verse and it is something I know is probably a sore spot to some. However, I do believe our thoughts can lift us up; they can bring us down.
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Take it to the Grove
This song was written after visiting with a dear friend who was struggling with answers to questions that just can’t be answered by man. One day while visiting, she said her counselor told her to “take it to the grove”. Of course, as Latter-day Saints, we all know what that means. When she told me this is what he had said, I instantly thought to myself, “That sounds like the title to a song.” Sometime later, I read the book “The Secret”. I decided I would apply its theory one day. When my husband left for work, he asked me what my plan was for the day. I told him…
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Stand as a Witness of God
Jill Jasperson received the inspiration for this song from Mosiah 18:8-12. We put our heads together and created this fun song.
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We Are the Vision
This is another Girls’ Camp theme song. The melody and rhythm was fun and easy for the girls to learn.
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My Father
My Mother wrote the lyrics for this song and gave them to me. Even though the copyright says 2001, I believe it was much earlier than then. We did a lot of collaborating back in the early days of my music compositions. She was my biggest fan. My Dad was all of the things this song says. He was awesome. He could make and fix anything.
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Candle Light; Christmas Night
This was my Christmas gift to Jesus in 2009. I wanted to compose a Christmas song. This was the end result.
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Hang Onto Your Values
This song was written for the Young Women in our ward. It was fun to learn and they enjoyed singing it. It was a flash in the pan though, and I’d love to see this one used again.
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Adolescence – Patience is the Key
This song was written after a most trying morning with my teenage daughter. She had always been such a sweet, easy-to-live-with daughter. This morning was tumultuous to say the least. I was stunned! As I went for my walk that morning, this melody started developing and by the time I returned from my walk, the song was complete enough that I committed it to paper. FYI – This daughter is probably one of my best friends now and is living the life with her own children that I had many years ago.
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Our Christmas Tree
As I go through my music, I’m finding I’ve forgotten about a few and have no idea what prompted them. I’ve always wanted to write a children’s Christmas song. Here’s one.
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Andrew Clair
My brother’s good friend delivered a baby boy who had no hope for living more than a few hours on this earth. It just wasn’t meant to be. The family was able to be in the room and hold this perfect little baby until he just fell asleep in the mother’s arms. It was a bitter sweet experience for all of them – and a very painful one for the mother. She was having difficulty getting past the ache. My brother asked if I could write a song just for her about this baby. We spent time on the phone talking about the experience. She shared some very tender feelings…
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By Their Fruits Ye Shall Know Them
This is another Camp Theme Song for the Orem, Utah ward. I loved serving in the Young Women program and camp was a highlight. The girls would learn these lighthearted songs and we had a great week using the theme to learn about Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and who we were as daughters of our Heavenly Father. Those were great days. A young woman knows close to the Lord she must stay, by serving her neighbors; don’t forget to obey the guidelines as given by our prophets so dear. The fruits you will see them multiplying each year. Do men gather grapes of thorns? “No, no!” you say. Or figs…
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Circles
I was asked to write this song for a poem that was written in the hospital when John Goodwin’s mother-in-law was passing this earth life. It seemed so untimely to him, yet he realized the Plan is that we come to earth and our life lives like the seasons – we come, and then we go. If you pay too closely to the notes vs what is sung, you will notice the altering of notes. Don’t let that be an annoyance. Obviously, both versions work well. Playing the piano while singing (and recording) brings its own challenge.
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Grandma
I had the best Grandma ever! A song in tribute to her was easy to do.
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Peace
This song was a request by a Relief Society for me to perform a song on the topic of “Peace”. There’s a possibility I misunderstood the request. But I wrote this in response to her request. She said it was over the top, which could mean a couple of things. I felt it turned out fine for the place where I was at the time. It was a good experience then, and has not been looked at since until 2021.
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My Father’s Care
I was a young mother with several little children and one troubled teenager. I was managing a household, caring for others and wasn’t feeling a whole lot of love at the time. I just wanted to vent. Venting was never my style, so a song was born. Read between the lines. This song tells a story.
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I’ll Quietly Keep the Commandments
This song has a story. We were newlyweds and struggling financially. We were making ends meet, but it wasn’t easy. I was teaching piano to supplement our income and there was little money left over for play. I did the unpardonable – I asked someone else how they managed so well and why we would be struggling. Her answer was flippant and it stung: “Oh, we just pay our tithing and Heavenly Father blesses us.” What? Did she think we weren’t paying our tithing? I let this get under my skin. By day’s end, the Lord had given me a blessing to calm my mind. It truthfully put me in…
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I Want to Serve a Mission
Can you have too many children’s songs about missionary work? That’s the thought that prompted this song.
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And She Shall Be Called Woman
This song was a request from our Stake Relief Society for the annual RS Birthday Celebration. Sharon Reese and I collaborated on this one. She is a very talented lady and we created together for several years. LYRICS: And she shall be called woman,Gracious, beloved and divine.The works of her hands describe her.She’ll be known through all of time.Strength and honor are her clothing.Only kindness bespeaks her tongue.She lives a full life of service.And rejoices in time to come. And she shall be called womenFrom man in his image came she.Her life full of love and compassionhas its place in eternity.Has its place in eternity. The Lord will bring her…
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An Instrument of Love
This song, written in 1984, was collaborated with my mom, Joan Waldron. She was always very good with prose and poetry. It began as a piano solo, which my husband really enjoyed. It became quite serviceable as a vocal though. The alto part was added sometime after its debut.
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Grandpa’s Eyes
My Dad was a cute Grandpa. He really like the little people in his life and he doted on them while they were little. His eyes would twinkle when he was with the grandkids. Hence, this song was born. I can do no wrong in my Grandpa’s eyes.He thinks I am terrific and he always has a prize.He plays with me. He talks with me.He even takes long walks with me.My Grandpa is a very special guy.
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Happy, Healthy Spirits
When my oldest daughter was in Primary, she was asked to give a talk. Singing was her thing; not speaking. We wrote this song with the topic of the Word of Wisdom. She did great. This song was a flash in the pan and never sung again. I hope it gets a new life.
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A Parent’s Plea
Lyrics: Help me, dear Father, to guide this child of mine; to teach him to love thee and strive for things divine. Please bless me with wisdom and love to see him through temptations and trials; bless his friends and teachers too. This little spirit has been sent to me from thy presence, now I ask of thee, guide me in teaching him the rules of life, that he might avoid eternal strife. I ask thee Father in humility to guide me in this task thou hast given me.
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They Have Not Heard
The temptation to rewrite this is great, but I won’t at this time. This song was written by my Mom and me before my brother left for his mission in about 1978. My dad called it “Paul’s Call”. That didn’t fly with my brother, but the song has managed to survive the years. It is very old fashioned in musical content, but it was probably about the third song I ever wrote.
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A Mother’s Reflection
I almost hesitate to include the older songs I wrote. This is one of the first half dozen songs I created. Today, I see things I would change. I don’t necessarily want to take the time. It is a snapshot of my life as it is. I have learned a lot in 40 years. There is much, much more I could learn as far as writing music is concerned. This was a period in my life when I was very reflective. I was nearly panic stricken as I realized I was solely responsible for any gospel training this young daughter was going to get. She was so precious to me…
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He Answers Prayer
This was the first piece of music I ever wrote. I was thirty years old and musical notation had not been part of my study growing up. I had been away from studying music for thirteen years and the hand-written copy of this number looked like it. I was in the process of a life-altering experience (divorce) and my daughter was headed to Disneyland with her dad. Ouch! However, would I fill the silence and the ache? I had been asked by the Stake Relief Society to play an organ solo at a stake gathering. The organ was a pipe organ and I had had very little experience (actually none)…