![]() ![]() It was at that point that old friend Peter Cardinali stepped up to the plate. Thomas, 65, launched Indiegogo crowd-funding campaign on the Internet and raised more than $27,000 over a few months, offering things like house concerts in return for donations (he played one in Saskatchewan, another in Burlington). Thomas priced it out, found the Prague orchestra by far the best deal, even after travel expenses were considered, and set about raising the estimated $60,000 he figured he'd need. #Ian thomas right before your eyes fullHiring a full symphony orchestra isn't exactly cheap. An orchestral pop album is not the sort of thing that draws eager backing from major labels. The initial problem was gaining financing for the project. He had worked with orchestras early in his career on albums like "Long Long Way." It was time to have another look at his songs. No stranger to orchestral music having written some 20 film scores, Thomas liked what he heard. The project's genesis came about in 2014 when Hamilton saxophonist Darcy Hepner arranged several of Thomas' songs for an orchestral ensemble performing at a special reception marking the donation of Thomas's archives to McMaster University. There's also a new song, written in 2015, called "So Cold in the City." Self-reflective and sentimental, it will be a sure winner with longtime Thomas fans. In January, he took the arrangements to the Czech Republic and recorded them with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. "A Life in Song" features 11 tracks spanning his 45-year career, all rearranged and re-recorded for a full symphony orchestra. On some tracks, there's no guitar, only piano and voice added to the rich sounds of the orchestra. The orchestra is completely integrated into each song. This is not just a pop band playing in front of a string section for effect. And I find the orchestra tends to underscore each song's storyline." I've been singing it the same way for 40 years. "I just went for broke," Thomas says about his iconic song which became an international hit for the group America in 1983. "A little tip of the hat to the old record," Thomas says of the clavinet.īy the time the classic "Right Before Your Eyes," is finished playing, the visitor's eyes are welling up. In a few moments the familiar keyboard sound of the clavinet reminds the listener that this is actually a reworking of "Painted Ladies," Thomas's 1973 No. "OK, here we go," Thomas says, twisting some knobs to allow the lush violins to fill the room. He's giving a guest a preview of his new album " A Life in Song." It's a hugely ambitious project he's been working on for the better part of two years. Mastered at Capitol Mastering (Hollywood, California).Ian Thomas is sitting at the console of the basement studio in his Dundas home brimming with pride.Mixed at Location Recording Service (Burbank, California) and Amigo Studios.Matthew McCauley – string arrangements and conductor.Rick Neigher – guitars (6, 7), backing vocals.Mike Mirage – guitars (6, 7), backing vocals.Hadley Hockensmith – guitars (2–5, 9, 10).Chris Coté – keyboards (6, 7), backing vocals.Russ Ballard – all instruments on "You Can Do Magic" and "Jody", backing vocals (1, 8).Dewey Bunnell – vocals, guitars (2–5, 9, 10).Lenny LeBlanc, Ava Aldridge, Cindy Richardson The song "Inspector Mills" was a hit in the Philippines in the 80's and remains to be one of the known America songs in this country to date. " You Can Do Magic" spent more time on the charts, 20 weeks, than any other America single. It was a modest hit in the US, reaching number 41 on the Billboard album chart, and produced two hit singles: " You Can Do Magic" reached number eight on the Billboard singles chart and number five on the adult contemporary chart, and " Right Before Your Eyes" (also popularly known as "Rudolph Valentino") peaked at 45 on the Billboard singles chart and 16 on the adult contemporary chart. This album marked a comeback for a group that had been generally written off since Dan Peek's departure five years before. View from the Ground is the tenth studio album by American folk rock duo America, released by Capitol Records in July 1982. Gerry Beckley, Dewey Bunnell, Russ Ballard, Bobby Colomby Amigo Studios and Capitol Studios (Hollywood, California) Criteria Studios (Miami, Florida) Abbey Road Studios (London, England). ![]()
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