Local Artist, Mary Bastoni Releases Christmas CD to Help Local Family in Need with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease)

You can never have enough Christmas music!  And, in this case it is TRUE!  For years Fryeburg resident Mary Bastoni has brought a variety of her music to people all over the valley, and this year her gift is coming in the form of a Christmas CD, and not just any Christmas CD!

For years Mary has dedicated her vision of music in many different directions and this is directed to a family in which the father is suffering from A L S, better known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Lou Gehrig’s Disease, also known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, is a rare motor neuron disease that attacks the motor neurons in the body, causing the person with the illness to lose the ability to move, talk, eat, and eventually breathe. Most victims of ALS die within 3-5 years of diagnosis.  There is no treatment, and there is no cure.

Mary Bastoni has compiled both traditional and  rare music into a CD entitled “Songs of the Season”, as a gift of Giving. All of the proceeds of the sales will be going to the Glidden family in Madison, New Hampshire, to raise awareness of ALS. This catastrophic illness strikes individuals in the prime of life, and robs them of a future with their families.

In selecting music for this, Mary has used selected pieces sung by Lindsey Glidden the daughter of Scott and Stephanie Glidden. Scott Glidden was diagnosed in March of 2010, at the age of 41, with ALS.  Lindsey is a voice student of Mary Bastoni, and this is how the idea was born to do this CD.  Lindsey will be performing “Silent Night”, “O Holy Night”, and “What Child is This” as well as support in some of the 14 numbers on the CD.

Mary Bastoni has done all of the Musical arrangements, recording and editing for this program.  Other selections include: “Christmas Time is Here . . “ ,”Baby it’s Cold Outside” performed with North Conway resident Eric Andrews, “River” , by Joni Mitchell, “Gabriel’s  Message”- a Basque Christmas Folk Carol, “A-Soalin`-Traditional English Carol from the 1800’s, “A Hard Candy Christmas” from the Broadway show “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas”,  “Hallelujah Adaptation” from the original song by Leonard Cohen, and a wonderful collaboration of local young voices from Mary’s student classes singing “A Song of Peace”, with Robin Croce, Sami and Chase Caras, Polly Vaillant and Erin Ohlenbusch.

Throughout the Glidden families journey with ALS, Stephanie Glidden has been writing a blog on Facebook called, “Walking through the Valley . . .”  This 3 year history of the Glidden Family will give you some understanding the heart wrenching path has taken in this short time. 

Many local venders in the Valley have offered to sell “Songs of the Season”.

By purchasing this CD, the cost is $15.00, you will not only have a treasure of inspirational songs of the season, you will have the opportunity to help the courageous path this family travels on a daily basis.

The CD will be available at: Bea’s Café, Mountaintop Music,  Lindsey’s Paint  and Wallpaper in Conway; The Music Store and Soyfire Candles in North Conway; The Shannon Door in Jackson, NH; The 302 West Restaurant, Bea's Market Place, Spice & Grain, Weston's Farm Stand, and Vic's Floral Shop in Fryeburg;  Water's Edge Gallery in Bridgton, and AJ's in Stoneham in Maine.

FMI: Call 215-962-3888 or email Pattyhibbert647@hotmail.com