Songs for Carmen
Songs for Carmen is a tribute to my maternal grandmother, Carmen Pérez, and her journey from Spain to America.
The album is available on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, and other streaming services. It is also available on CD (see below to order).
Purchase Songs for Carmen CD
Songs for Carmen is now available for purchase. The link below will take you to Square Online who is securely handling all transactions. If you have any questions, please use the form at the bottom of this page to contact me.
All proceeds from the sale of this CD will be donated to the International Rescue Committee for their work with immigrants and refugees around the world.
Thank you for your support.
Album Release Event
We had a wonderful time presenting the music and stories celebrating the life of Carmen Pérez and the making of the album Songs for Carmen. Thank you to all of my family and friends who came out to share their love and support!!
Anna Anggaputra on violin
Twin Anggaputra on guitar
Backing chorus:
Kelcie Jacobs
Kathy Meus
Sheila Mursch
Chuck Tomaselli
The live performance featured:
All pictures courtesy of Lauren O'Neil.
Thank You
To Anna and Twin for generously and enthusiastically sharing their time and talent and making these songs come alive.
To all the singers from The Exodus for learning, singing and recording parts during the pandemic lockdown. Thanks for stepping outside your comfort zone to make this happen.
To my daughter Lauren and my wife Deb for putting up with me playing these songs over and over and over, and for offering useful suggestions for improvement.
To my brother Rich for feedback on the final mixes, and for being my music partner since we were kids.
To Lauren for designing and creating the CD artwork and the event poster.
And to Deb for so many things, especially your love and support, and for encouraging my musical pursuits through all our years together. Also for being so interested in my family heritage, and for organizing the Ancestry search of Carmen's lineage. It was a beautiful gift that you left me. I'll always love you.
Carmen
My maternal grandmother, Carmen Pérez Temprano, was born in A Coruña, Spain. The date of her birth seemed to be a mystery. There were always looks and sideways glances when we asked for the date of her birth, but growing up, we celebrated it as September 16, 1900. However, Ancestry.com researchers have identified her birth date as September 18, 1901 from her baptism record. It may have been somewhat of a guarded secret because of her age when she immigrated and subsequently married, or it just might have been something that was unknown to her. In any case, she was the only member of her family who came to America. The circumstances of why she was sent to America, and the feelings that evoked in her and her family are explored in the songs Freedom Awaits and A New Life.
Carmen came through Ellis Island on the ship Alfonso XII and arrived on August 09, 1917. Can you imagine the feeling of sailing into the harbor and seeing the Statue of Liberty after a long and arduous journey, not fully understanding what the future holds? Land of Opportunity is a song that imagines the journey to America and entry into a foreign country to start a new life. Carmen married Faustino Pérez on December 16, 1917, just 4 months after her arrival. We don't know if the marriage was arranged, and she didn't indicate that it was, but the song Our Eyes Meet reflects on this possibility.
After moving around for about 10 years while starting their family, Carmen and Faustino eventually settled in Mineville, New York (in the Spanish Settlement). My mother Mércedes was their fifth, and youngest, child. Faustino died in 1935, and Carmen remarried a few years later. When her second husband died in 1973, she moved next door to us. She was a big part of my life growing up, and I remember many evenings sitting in the glider on her porch listening to her and my mom talk, often in Spanish. I'm so grateful for her influence, and am proud of my Spanish heritage. I hope that Songs for Carmen is a fitting tribute to her strength of character, her family values, and her beautiful spirit.
About Me
I am a singer/songwriter and piano player based in Central New York. Songs for Carmen is a tribute to my grandmother and the journey she took to make a better life in America.
You can also check out my songwriting and performing collaboration with Fran Mayville on our ONeil/Mayville projects Place to Stay and Colors of My Heart. Look for us on Apple Music and Spotify and other streaming services
And last but not least, I am the director for The Exodus choir, many of whom helped out with background vocals on this album. The Exodus has three CDs available: Today, Tomorrow and Always ... Love Songs from The Exodus, Seasons of Grace, and The Message of Christmas.
