|
Log in to post
|
Print Thread |
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
I wanted to write a song about my oldest sister Julia before she lost her battle with cancer. I spent a couple of hours with her asking a lot of questions about her past to try and come up with an idea. After our conversation I realized that her happiest time in life appeared to be her teen years. This inspired me to write about her senior year in high school when she and a friend spent some time decorating the gym for their senior prom dance. I started writing the song in November 2014 and I was glad that I had finished the complete song by the end of November for Julia died the week after Christmas 2014. I have attached her senior year picture taken in 1957. 1957 Julia arrived at the gymnasium
Wearing a blue and black skirt
Smiling and laughing with Peggy Walters
Knowing all the boys will flirt
Everyone there was decorating
Soon there would be lots of romance
There was so much anticipation
For the 1957 prom dance
The night was young and everyone was leaving
Excitement was everywhere
The girls drove Love and Main street
And cruised the Varsity
With Elvis singing on the air
When they had parked and ordered
The girls then started to dream
Of all the hairdos and the dresses
The 1947 prom would bring
The night was young and everyone was leaving
Excitement was everywhere
The girls drove Love and Main street
And cruised the Varsity
With Elvis singing on the air
Although it’s Julia reminiscing
Of times that she felt were so sane
Looking back at all those memories
Helps her to ease the pain
Style - c_conway.sty conway-classic Drums - Nashville 128 - Brian Fuller Bass - 532 - acoustic - Byron House Tenor Sax - 403 - motown - Jack Stafford Guitar - 1570 - high back beat 60’s - Sandy Williams Piano 1 - midi hq grand Piano 2 - 895 - pop slow - Miles Black Strings - 1543 - PopBelieve - Blair Masters HP AMD Athlon(tm)II B28 processor with 3.4 GHz 16GB ram - Mixcraft 6 DAW with Waves Diamond effects - 32" Westinghouse flat screen monitor - Focusrite Saffire Pro 14 interface - Studio Projects B1 mic - Sony HDR 7506 and Sennheiser HD 202 headphones - 2014 BIAB.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 7,052 |
Beautiful tribute Sonny!! You really nailed the sound of the era. Are all the BGs your son? They sound great. This is a classy production all the way around. Wonderful!! Take care. Greg
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,845
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,845 |
The instrumentation, sound and feel are very authentic to the time but the BGV's steal the show for me on this one. The lead vocal is right in the pocket. Seems to be a minor timing glitch just after a minute into the song. Other than that small nit, this is a good production. A great song to honor your sister.
Charlie
BIAB 2025:RB 2025, Latest builds: Dell Optiplex 7040 Desktop; Windows-10-64 bit, Intel Core i7-6700 3.4GHz CPU and 16 GB Ram Memory.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,815
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,815 |
Excellent tune for your sister. You captured that 50's vibe, for sure. I enjoyed my listen. Well done. Yea, the bgv's are pretty cool. You worked that sax in just right.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,139
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 5,139 |
Very nicely done Sonny. Love the BGV's, and the feel on this one.
Your sister Julia was a beautiful girl. I love old photos - they freeze time, and preserve our fondest memories.
Regards,
Bob
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,070
Veteran
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,070 |
What a great tribute, and total capture of the period music. Really nice. Fantastic sax work.
Great work.
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,845
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 12,845 |
A very nice tribute, Sonny. Captured the era perfectly.
Those BGVs, as others have said, are incredible. We need some RealTracks that do that!
The piano is perfect. I never check the all MIDI styles - so miss things like that... had to go find that to listen to (thanks for posting that info).
Thanks for a terrific listen!
floyd
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,888 |
Hi Sonny,
what a nice tribute! The background vocals are
phenomenal. Who did them? The sound of that era is
very authentic.
Thanks a lot for the touching background story.
I enjoyed my listen very much.
Guenter
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,067
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 4,067 |
Hi Sonny,
Sorry to hear about your sister.
The song definitely captures that 50s feel!
Real American sounding too.
Great job!
Rob and Anne-Marie
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,719
Expert
|
|
Expert
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,719 |
Good one Sonny! The sax into really got my attention and the song held it throughout. Great use of that sax RT.
Wonderful vibe all round. Takes me back. Cheers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079
Veteran
|
|
Veteran
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,079 |
Sonny,
A beautifully sad song, a good memory.
The sax is perfect for the song.
Daniel's vocals are perfect.
Wonderful
Alyn
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
Thanks Greg. All the vocals are done by my good friend Daniel Hensley. I cannot say enough about Daniel myself...he is so good.
Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
Charlie I appreciate your critique and yes I agree the bgv's added so much to the overall sound. I hear it in my mind and try to communicate what I want to Daniel and he always does a wonderful job of getting it just right. Thanks Charlie!
Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
Kevin I am glad that you enjoyed the song...that is it what it is all about. Thanks for listening and giving me your comments.
Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
Thanks Bob for your comment on my sister Julia...I will let the family know what you said...they will be pleased as I am.
Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
What a great tribute, and total capture of the period music. Really nice. Fantastic sax work.
Great work. Thanks for dropping by and sharing your comment. I do appreciate it very much! Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
Thanks Floyd for listening and giving me your thoughts. I am glad that I was able to help with the midi piano...I do not know about you, but I find it very time consuming sometimes to get just what I want searching BIAB. I will tell Daniel that he should make a user track of his BGV's (lol)...then I would not need him any more (just kidding).
Thanks Floyd!
Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
Hi Guenter,
Daniel Hensley did all the vocals on this song. He is a good friend of mine who has given a lot of his time to my cause.
You have really encouraged me with your comments and I am glad that you let me know.
Thanks,
Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
Thanks Rob and Anne-Marie for your kind words. From what I have heard so far, you guys always produce some very fine music. I look forward to hearing more from you.
Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
User Showcase
|
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532
Journeyman
|
|
OP
Journeyman
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 532 |
Good one Sonny! The sax intro really got my attention and the song held it throughout. Great use of that sax RT.
Wonderful vibe all round. Takes me back. Cheers. Thanks Rich...the sax was a big part of what I was trying to accomplish and in my mind it had to be just right. I am glad that you liked it. Sonny
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac® users: Build 904 now available!
If you're already using Band-in-a-Box® 2025 for Mac®, make sure to grab the latest update! Build 904 is now available for download and includes the newest additions and enhancements from our team.
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® users: Build 1237 is now available!
Already a Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows user? Stay up to date and download the build 1237 to get all the latest additions and enhancements.
PowerTracks Pro 2026 for Windows is Here!
PowerTracks 2026 is here—bringing powerful new enhancements designed to make your production workflow faster, smoother, and more intuitive than ever.
The enhanced Mixer now shows Track Type and Instrument icons for instant track recognition, while a new grid option simplifies editing views. Non-floating windows adopt a modern title bar style, replacing the legacy blue bar.
The Master Volume is now applied at the end of the audio chain for consistent levels and full-signal master effects.
Tablature now includes a “Save bends when saving XML” option for improved compatibility with PG Music tools. Plus, you can instantly match all track heights with a simple Ctrl-release after resizing, and Add2 chords from MGU/SGU files are now fully supported... and more!
Get started today—first-time packages start at just $49.
Already using PowerTracks Pro Audio? Upgrade for as little as $29 and enjoy the latest improvements!
Order now!
Band-in-a-Box 2026 for Windows Special Offers End Tomorrow (January 15th, 2026) at 11:59 PM PST!
Time really is running out! Save up to 50% on Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® upgrades and receive a FREE Bonus PAK—only when you order by 11:59 PM PST on Thursday, January 15, 2026!
We've added many major new features and new content in a redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®!
Version 2026 introduces a modernized GUI redesign across the program, with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, and a new Dark Mode option. There’s also a new side toolbar for quicker access to commonly used windows, and the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, making it easier to customize your workspace.
Another exciting new addition is the new AI-Notes feature, which can transcribe polyphonic audio into MIDI. You can view the results in notation or play them back as MIDI, and choose whether to process an entire track or focus on specific parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
Upgrade your Band-in-a-Box for Windows to save up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade packages!
Plus, when you order your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 upgrade during our special, you'll receive a Free Bonus PAK of exciting new add-ons.
If you need any help deciding which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We are here to help!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® Special Offers Extended Until January 15, 2026!
Good news! You still have time to upgrade to the latest version of Band-in-a-Box® for Windows® and save. Our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® special now runs through January 15, 2025!
We've packed Band-in-a-Box® 2026 with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can process an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, XPro Styles PAK 10, Xtra Styles PAK 21, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PST on January 15th, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows® today! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all the purchase options available.
Happy New Year!
Thank you for being part of the Band-in-a-Box® community.
Wishing you and yours a very happy 2026—Happy New Year from all of us at PG Music!
Season's Greetings!
Wishing everyone a happy, healthy holiday season—thanks for being part of our community!
The office will be closed for Christmas Day, but we will be back on Boxing Day (Dec 26th) at 6:00am PST.
Team PG
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Forums57
Topics86,021
Posts799,028
Members40,011
| |
Most Online44,367
Mar 4th, 2026
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dansk
Deutsch - Windows
Español
Français - Windows
Italiano - Windows
Nederlands
Polski
Português
Svenskt
русский
Japanese
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Korean