THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 1995 TAG: 9505100424
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
By the time 8-year-old Candice Jones sang her last ``muthherzz daaay is heeere'' Tuesday, she realized last year's gift - flowers - had been a whole lot easier.
But not as exciting as recording a song.
``I was kinda scared,'' the second-grader said, grinning. ``But it was a lot of fun.''
Jones and about 150 other kids at W.W. Houston Boys & Girls Club in Norfolk have opted to celebrate Mother's Day this year by producing personalized cassette tapes for their moms.
It hasn't been easy.
Over the past three weeks, the kids have memorized lyrics and learned the mechanics of the microphone, headsets and playbacks. They've belted out as many ``thank-yous'' and ``you-give-me-hopes'' as their tiny voices could muster.
Kids who took advantage of the program early had their cassettes shrink-wrapped so they appeared fresh off the record-store rack.
The tapes, available for all Boys & Girls Club members, cost $10 apiece.
``Kids are really excited. Every day, they're standing outside the door,'' said Harry Hindmarsh, who runs the Norfolk club's recording studio. ``I have to do the eenie-meenie-minie-mo to pick which ones will go first.''
Hindmarsh, 24, a musician who operates a studio at his home, grew up in the Boys & Girls Club.
Now he's working with the club, and in February he opened a recording studio at the center. He developed the Mother's Day project about a month ago; he wrote the song and is working with each child until he or she is ready to step into the recording booth alone.
For some kids, it takes a matter of minutes; for others, it takes several days.
``It was exciting and scary at the same time,'' said 11-year-old Michelle Williams, who said it had taken a week to complete her tape.
``It was scary because I thought I was going to mess up.''
Her friend, 8-year-old Nicole Matthews, is almost a pro. She sings on another of Hindmarsh's recordings, ``Old McDonald'' and ``This Old Man.''
``Oh, well, I finished mine in a day,'' she said, tossing her hair over her slim shoulders.
``No, I wasn't nervous. It was real simple. You knew it going to be about Mother's Day, so the words weren't that hard to learn.''
Hindmarsh says there's no such thing as perfect with projects like this one.
One of his favorite tapes was recorded last week by a 6-year-old who ended his Mother's Day tribute with, ``Happy Balentine's Day, Mama! I lub you.''
``I've had two kids wish their moms happy Valentine's Day, a few happy birthdays,'' Hindmarsh said.
``They're so nervous, it just comes out. But it's cute. This is the kind of thing Mom can pop into the stereo five years from now and just laugh.''
Hindmarsh will start his Father's Day recordings next week and will develop a string of birthday and holiday greetings.
``I think parents will really appreciate this idea, having a song with their child as the featured soloist.'' ILLUSTRATION: ``MUTHHERZZ DAAY IS HEERE''
JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI
Staff
[Color Photo]
Candice Jones, 8, croons a song for her mom during a recording
session at W.W. Houston Boys & Girls Club in Norfolk on Tuesday.
About 150 club members are making music as Mother's Day gifts,
singing a song at $10 per tape.
by CNB