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Our Review

A Christmas to Cure Cancer 3 is a nice holiday compilation created by musical friends banding together to beat cancer, and who has not been touched by cancer? A Christmas To Cure Cancer, Inc. is a nonprofit organization contributing to a number of cancer research organizations across the country. Thanks to CD sales and benefit concerts, the group has raised more than $400,000.

These talented Ohioans have quite the eclectic group of songs, from guitar-driven instrumentals to Elvis impersonator vocals to a classical piano/cello duet. The music is lively and quick, and the variety will keep you tapping your toes for well over an hour. The numbers cover both the familiar and the unknown, and the styles cruise through rock, country, pop, and more. Even the little kids get into the act, protesting with enthusiasm on the unforgettable I'm Gettin' Nuttin' for Christmas. I enjoyed John Kenney's country original Christmas Is with his heartfelt, textured vocals. Corrina VanFossen and Cody Romshak's sweet harmonies make The Gift, with its lovely acoustic guitar foundation, another highlight.

Have fun this Christmas AND help cure cancer. Check out www.achristmastocurecancer.org.

--Carol Swanson
(Reviewed in 2007)

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From the liner notes:

Artists:
Mike Albert
Scott Allen
Dan Allison
Penny Allison
Shawn Behanna
Sally Beske
Sarah Beske
Vince Carter
Michele Clay
Carley Clo
Dave Clo
Laura Darnell
Chris Dauphin
Kelly Delavaris
Nikolas Delavaris
Gioia DiBartolomeo
Andy Dodson
Brian Duress
Sean Ferguson
Mitch Fox
Chris Gregg
Roger Hoard
Ken Hughes
Roark Jones
John Kenney
Fred King
Ed Koran
Gus Lambros
Linda Lawson
Chris Logsdon
Julie Lucas
Jeff Mattevi
Shane McConnell
Ben Miller
Alex Mirabal
Justin Mirabal
Jason Moore
Louis Nunley
Heather Pick
Mark Puskarich
Martin Rippel
Jan Roll
Cody Romshak
David Shipp
Tim Siedler
Matt Slocum
Scott Smalley
Doug Smith
Ted Snyder
Mary Sorensen
Gordon Stoker
Corinna VanFossen
Lorne VanFossen
Sam VanFossen
Mike Walker
Ray Walker
Don White
Curtis Young
Claire Zehnal
Kristen Zehnal


Worthington Industries: Supports "A Christmas to Cure Cancer" and cancer research.


From the Website:



The Story
I have always loved Christmas music and I love my friends Cody, Lorne and Corrina and their talents. Back in 1997, I proposed the idea of recording a Christmas album just for the fun of it. It would be a way to preserve their talents and to share it with family and friends. Lorne and Corrina made the suggestion that we consider having Cody do the recording engineering. Cody had been dabbling around with a six-track tape recorder, and Lorne had been impressed with the overall quality. The idea was to upgrade Cody's equipment and do most of the recording in his garage studio. Around Thanksgiving 1998, we went shopping at CA House Music in St. Clairsville, Ohio. Over the years, we've repeated our shopping trip to add new equipment and upgrade technology. In 2001 we moved up to recording straight to a Mac, all digital using Emagic's Logic Audio software and plugins. This is the same DAW setup that Dave Clo has in his studio in Nashville. This works out great for collaborating on projects as we can just e-mail music files to each other.

Cody built an isolation booth for vocals and acoustic guitar. The first song completed was "Christmas Letter." Lorne played guitar and Cody did the rest. I was really impressed. I got even more excited about the possibilities of the types of music and quality we could produce.

At the beginning of 2000, we were faced with a challenge that threatened the life of our best friend and ultimately shaped this project into what it became. Lorne was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma cancer in February. A yearlong battle ensued. After six months of chemotherapy, followed with radiation treatments, it looked like Lorne would be out of the woods in November. But, more complications developed that left Lorne's six-foot frame at 120 lbs. Water around his heart and right lung were a result of excessive radiation. Following treatment, he was released from the hospital to go it on his own. I'll never forget sitting at the Bob Evans in St. Clairsville, the last weekend in April 2001. Dave Clo was visiting from Nashville, and the three of us were watching Lorne slowly stuff down a huge breakfast. After more than a year of having his appetite diminished, this was a memorable occasion. Three months later, he had gained 50 lbs., and looked and acted more like the old Lorne.

From the very beginning of Lorne's battle, his wife Corrina never stopped believing the Lord would provide. The church and community pulled together with prayers, fundraisers and food. They watched the kids when needed, held a fundraiser at the Brightwood Golf Center Putt-Putt course, and hosted a spaghetti dinner from the Junior-Senior Youth Group at Park Christian Church in Dennison, Ohio. This helped raise money to assist with the bills while Lorne was unable to work full time. Corrina continued to pray that this experience would not be wasted and would one day be able to help others going through similar circumstances.

Lorne also received support in another form. Cody Romshak, Jeff Beadle, Kelly Clark, Curt Stoyanovich, Ronny Colbertson, Dan Kidd, Chuck Merkle and Keith Lucas all shaved their heads prior to Lorne's chemo treatments. Chuck, Jeff, Dan and Keith had Promise Keepers ball caps made with "Lorne's Team" printed on the back. The hats were provided for moral support. In November 2000, the doctor told Lorne the cancer was in remission and he could resume eating dairy products. Corrina suggested he incorporate them back in his diet slowly. That evening they went to dinner and Lorne had a milkshake, cheese sticks, cheeseburger and cheesecake. He said the only side effect after that meal was extreme joy.

On Labor Day weekend 2001, Lorne, Cody and I headed down to Dave Clo's home studio called "Camp David" in Nashville to record "Santa Claus is Hangin' Round," "Run Run Rudolph," and "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree." We spent four, 12-14 hour days in the studio and had a blast... just like old times... Aereon was back together in the recording studio. These are three of my favorite songs on the CD. They all have a more "live" feel to them. We recorded the bulk of the music as one take and later edited and added as necessary. One astonishing factor of this trip was that we got Cody out of Ohio, let alone Piedmont. This was his first trip to Nashville, and other than being homesick, I think there was a part of him that wanted to stay. (Probably to help organize Dave's cluttered studio.)?

Written by Mark Puskarich

Various Artists

A Christmas to Cure Cancer 3

Artist site

Track List