Benefit disk sales soar

The first pressing of the recording "Coming Home: A Winfield Celebration" sold out this week.

A second batch of the CDs will be available soon.

The project, a compilation of songs by 17 artists who are favorites at the Walnut Valley Festival, was spearheaded by Kansas City's Linda Tilton.

Tilton's voice appears nowhere on the project. She is a sign artist who has interpreted performances by many musicians at the festival - John McCutcheon, Tom Chapin, Crow Johnson, Marley's Ghost, Bluestem and Spontaneous Combustion, among others. Rarely does she sing outside the shower and the car. But Tilton's heart is apparent throughout the recording.

The project is a benefit for the education of Kayla and Kevin Redford, children of Gail Redford and the late Brian Redford. At this stage, sales have raised about $13,000, Tilton said. Her goal is to reach $18,000 by Christmas.

"It's been one of the highest moments of my life to have the privilege to work with so many different people and so much talent to bring such a great gift to Kevin and Kayla," Tilton said. "It was just incredible, and I cried off and on throughout the whole festival because it is so touching and so overwhelming."

Tilton is clear that the effort is her baby - it took nine long months, but she ended with something beautiful she and the Redford family could be proud of.

"The most difficult part with it was just trying to coordinate all the contributors to fit within the time schedule of the festival. Even though I started working on the CD and contacting the entertainers last November, I didn't get the CDs until Labor Day weekend, and I didn't get the cassettes until after the festival got started," Tilton said. "There was a lot of pressure for me to get them out in time."

The beginning of the CD was somber and the work was often hard, but Tilton had fun with the project, too. She said she enjoyed talking to people as she sold copies at last week's festival.

"Most of the people expressed appreciation that I took the time and the energy to create the CD to benefit the kids, and a lot of friends of the family who bought the CD said that they knew that Brian would be very happy and would be very proud of me," Tilton said.

To make the project happen, Tilton drew on the expertise and generosity of many people. The OASIS duplication company allowed her a discount because of the nature of the project. Village Records of Shawnee, a company with no connection to the festival whatsoever, handled the distribution. Various people helped with art, sound and photography.

"The best thing about the project for me was to have such total collaboration of talent and energy for the project, and it went beyond the immediate Winfield family," Tilton said. "People frequently have asked me if I had the chance would I do it again. There is absolutely no question that I would do it again."

It's even possible that Tilton's label, ILY Records, might have a future beyond "Coming Home." Tilton said she has been approached by a not-for-profit agency that works for children and families to discuss a benefit CD.

"There's potential for the experience of 'Coming Home' to overflow to more benefits for other organizations," Tilton said.

The tracks on the album cover many of the styles of music played at the Walnut Valley Festival: "Cryin' Holy" by New Tradition; "Music Made by Hand" by Tom Chapin; "Hold Me Gently" by Bill Barwick; "Sally Ann" by Dan Crary; "Sweet Misery" by Crow Johnson; "Happy on the Mississippi Shore" by Barton & Para; "Greensleeves" by Steve Kaufman; "Welcome the Traveler Home" by John McCutcheon; "The Journey" by Aileen & Elkin Thomas; "Satisfied Mind" by Roz Brown; "Raise My Voice" by Andy May; "Cowboy's Dream" by Bluestem; "Working on a Building" by Marley's Ghost; "Farther Along" by Bryan Bowers; "Pick-A-Dilly" by Byron Berline; "Honeysuckle Rose" by Spontaneous Combustion and "Winfield" by Stephen Bennett.

Orders for the CD are available on the festival web page - www.wvfest.com - and an order form will be in the winter festival newsletter.