Joe Acocella, the late town clerk of Harrison, N.Y., who passed away in 2011 at the age of 30 while awaiting a kidney transplant, was an inspiration to everyone he encountered. A double amputee, he never let the obstacles he faced affect his accomplishments, which included becoming the youngest member elected to the Harrison Board of Education and the youngest town clerk in New York state history.

Read more about Joey's legacy at joeacocella.com.

Since his tireless work spanned many initiatives at a breakneck speed, it’s a Herculean task to encapsulate Joey’s short life. Many journalists and friends have done so in prose, and I was asked by the Acocella family to do so in song (listen to the song here), as a way to both honor his legacy and raise awareness for Donate Life, the organ donor registry initiative (and one of his near-and-dear causes). Joey was the recipient of a kidney transplant at age 18; ten years later, he found himself in need of another transplant to sustain his life.

Your future hangs on a wish
You’re a name on a list.
You deserve another chance,
You deserve more than this …

THE WRITING PROCESS
Already a registered organ donor, I was honored to also donate a song, which will be unveiled in a video about Joey’s life at the Give to Live Fundraiser on April 26, scheduled to be an annual event to raise money for Donate Life and Joey’s other beloved charities, such as animal rescue shelters and support for our troops.

For the song, I collaborated with NYC singer-songwriter Brenda Rudzinski. Together, we delved into the stories of those seeking a second chance at life from those who donate living organs and those who register to give organ, eye and tissue donations when they pass on. The research moved us deeply. We decided to focus on the importance of spreading the word, whether sharing it publicly or sharing with friends and family in a quiet way. Each helps the cause. You can listen to the song here.

"Give to Live," written with NYC songwriter Brenda Rudzinkski (left), was recorded, mixed and mastered by Adam Harley at Gnome Music Studio in Larchmont, N.Y.

Brenda also lent her beautiful voice to the tune, which was recorded by producer Adam Harley at Gnome Music Studio in Larchmont, N.Y. The gorgeous guitar parts were played by Justin Gild. My husband, Thomas Fisher, also contributed to the song’s arrangement. This truly was a group effort.

The song was premiered on “Harrison Live” on WVOX on April 19, by Dennis Nardone and his co-host Tonny Guido. We are thrilled to honor Joey’s incredible life as well as spread the word about a need that affects so many throughout the world. We hope that the song moves enough people to get those registry numbers up! Kleenex in hand, we look forward to seeing the song paired with the video at the fundraiser.

For more info on organ donation, visit the Donate Life site. To donate to Joey’s charities, email joeysfoundation@gmail.com.

Visit my Tunes page to hear the song and read the lyrics.

Select the image above to hear "Give to Live" and read the lyrics.

And feel free to comment below. Joey was all about making the most noise, so let’s help make some noise and carry on his good work!

Spread the word,

Carla

Shout it from the rooftops
Make the message heard
If you believe in second chances,
Share life with the world.
It only takes one person at a time who wants to give.
Help spread the word and Give to Live …

The hilarious and heartwarming musical runs in Issaquah from March 15 to April 22 and in Everett from April 27 to May 20.

It’s Opening Night!

The musical IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU, which started out in the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop eight years ago, is now opening its second full production, at the Village Theatre in Issaquah, Washington. The show is directed by Jon Kretzu.

The show is written by composer/creator Barbara Anselmi and lyricist/librettist Brian Hargrove, with a handful of additional lyricists on the show. Barbara and I wrote a song called “Perfect,” which has been rewritten almost in its entirety  for this production. After many meetings between Barbara, Brian, myself and the director of the show’s world premiere, David Hyde Pierce, I think we’ve made the song serve the scene even better!

While I won’t be able to attend the Seattle production, I’m told the cast is fabulous and that the preview last night went wonderfully! I also had a chance to see a musical at the Village Theatre over the holidays and I was super impressed with the production values and the level of talent. For more information or for tickets, visit the Village Theatre website.

I wrote the song "Perfect" with super-talented composer Barbara Anselmi (right).

The world premiere of IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU took place last fall at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, N.J., a sold-out production starring Tyne Daly and helmed by Pierce.

Head over to YouTube to hear “Perfect” in its original form (as a solo sung by Mamie Parris). If you’re a performer interested in singing the piece, please contact me to purchase the sheet music.

Break a leg, Village Theatre cast and crew!

Love and music,

Carla

Stay connected. Follow me on Twitter.

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to read for leisure. Seems that for the past couple years, I’d pick up a book to do research or improve my profession or learn to be more productive or to simplify my workflow. There’s a lot to be said for that, but I realized I never read for fun.

If only we could all take more time to mimic our wee-one selves and daydream, ponder, observe and just be.

It was because I was feeding a culturally imposed need to constantly take in information. But after this holiday season, I felt a strong longing to read for personal enrichment (for feeding my spiritual or artist self) or just to have a laugh!

I decided to go with the first book my hand gravitated toward on the shelf, If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland, one I’d never read though I bought it more than a decade ago when building my Writer’s Digest-suggested library. You wouldn’t guess it was published in 1938; Ueland’s principles are timeless and inspiring.

LIVING IN THE PRESENT
One passage that resonated deeply was when Ueland speaks of the “dreamy idleness” of children, and how adults and children are wildly different in how they spend their time:

An inspiring book to feed your inner artist

When a child is taken somewhere by his parents, he is not thinking nervously: are they late or early? is the furnace running at home? etc., but he lives at rest and looks out the window and sees and thinks. He lives in the present. That is why children enjoy looking and listening so much. … They have tremendous concentration because they have no other concern than to be interested in things.”

Children aren’t burdened by the responsibilities and worries that adults have, but wouldn’t it be great if we could all resolve to tap into our inner child every so often and really enjoy some quiet time to feed our imaginations? I remember as a child seeing shapes in the sky by staring up at the clouds for long stretches of time. I spent a lot of time observing nature. Ueland contends that the idleness in going for long solitary walks, watching the sunset or even sitting quietly in a chair is essential for enabling our creativity to flourish, for allowing the ideas to flow.

UNPLUG MORE AND REACT LESS
I know several writers who’ve made resolutions to unplug this year, turning off ringers and checking their email only at designated times throughout the day, so as to encourage longer stretches of project time, rather than spending the day in a reactive way. I am starting to do the same.

A great tip shared by designer/writer Jenn Cole: If you check your email first thing in the morning, you’re training your brain to operate reactively in short spurts, rather than in the non-staccato, big-picture-thinking way that creative projects require. So schedule set times for when you’ll tackle your inbox.

Are you willing to channel your inner child to encourage your imagination this year? Share your favorite way to do so by commenting below.

In daydreams,

Carla

The Indigo Girls' Christmas album features impressive package design.

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is listening to Christmas music. As a songwriter, listening to these tunes, many of them written by the greatest songwriters of all time, fills me with joy, not just for the season, but for memories of Christmases past.

My sister-in-law surprised us (thanks, Sara!) with the delivery of “Holly Happy Days,” the long-awaited Christmas album by the Indigo Girls. I was thrilled to receive it. In this digital-download world, I love it when an album release gives good reason to buy the physical CD  instead of merely downloading, because the packaging is just. that. cool.

Each ornament is made to look like a hanging ball with a classic design and a paper hole for hanging.

The CD front features a bow enclosure like a gift-wrapped box. After opening the bow, inside is a pocket with three decorated pieces of cardboard, made to look like hanging ball ornaments, each with an old-timey design on one side and the lyrics to an original tune by Emily and Amy on the other: “Your Holiday Song” “The Wonder Song” and “Mistletoe.”

The ornaments in action

Each ornament has a top for inserting a hook and hanging them on your tree (which I happily did)! What a great way to showcase the lyrics to these tunes in an interactive way that stretches the brand and essentially enables fans to make the Indigo Girls part of their respective Christmases.

Brilliant. And soul-warming. And, oh yeah, the music is pretty great too.

What are your favorite CD package designs? Perhaps it was a piano-shaped box set? Tell me about it in the comments!

Happy Holidays, everyone.

Fa la la la la,

Carla

My tree, all Instagram'd out

Catherine Charlot (right), a Brooklyn fashion designer and owner of Upcycle with Himane.

There is nothing quite like creating one-of-a-kind gifts that will remain in the hearts of your loved ones for life. Thanks to Catherine Charlot, the Brooklyn fashion designer behind Upcycle with Himane, I was able to make this holiday season unforgettable.

Catherine’s work is featured in this month’s O, The Oprah Magazine, so I feel as though I’ve stumbled across her amazing talents at just the right time (before she’s too busy to return my calls!). In looking at her designs on Big Cartel, you’ll see that her work consists mainly of transforming umbrellas, yoga mats and other found/discarded items into beautiful handbags and clothing, making them even better (hence the term upcycling, not just recycling). But when I met Catherine at a Style with Glee event and she mentioned she can also upcycle the clothing of a loved one who has passed into functional and fashionable handmade items that can be used in that person’s memory, I knew what I wanted to do for my family for Christmas this year.

My father, the well-dressed Anthony Arnone, stands with me at an ASCAP performance in NYC in 2001.

ENVISIONING UNIQUE HOLIDAY GIFTS
This past summer, I commissioned Catherine to create Christmas gifts for my family from the clothes of my father, Anthony Arnone, who died of lung cancer in September 2010. I wanted to make this second holiday season since his passing extra memorable for my family, so I showed up at the Himane workshop with three bags of my father’s pants, jackets and ties, and Catherine proceeded to start combining the items and spec out the 18 wallets, handbags and eyeglass cases for my family members.

The pile of ties I brought to Himane to be upcycled. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

Since I won’t be home for Christmas this year, we set a deadline for the week of Thanksgiving, when my husband and I would surprise my family with these gifts at my mother’s house, combining the two holidays into Thanksmas.

REACTIONS TO HIMANE’S WORK
The end result was phenomenal. Catherine’s designs are fresh and inspired, and she maintained the integrity of each fabric, using them in their entirety, linings and all. My family was absolutely stunned and thrilled by the pieces, and were not only in awe of Catherine’s handiwork, but also of the idea itself. My dad’s best friend said that now he can “carry his buddy with him in his pocket every day.” My mother was incredibly touched and couldn’t get over the gorgeous handmade designs.

I can’t thank Catherine enough for having made my holiday season so special, and I hope that others will look to her to create similar projects to enable lifelong memories of their own. Catherine is the subject of an upcoming documentary by filmmaker Rob Weiss, and I can’t wait for more people to learn of her amazing talent and compassion.

CONTACTING CATHERINE CHARLOT / UPCYCLE WITH HIMANE
Enjoy the photos, and please let me know in the comments if you have any questions. To contact Catherine, visit her blog, her Himane Facebook page or email her directly.

A blessed holiday season to you all,

Carla

A wallet made from one of my father's ties. We made 10 wallets in total for the male gift recipients. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

The front of the brown tie wallet (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

This tote bag was created from my father's tweed blazer. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

This is the tweed blazer from which the tote bag and the little purse were made. The tie in this pic was used on one of the clutch handbags.

This small purse was created out of the same tweed blazer, and features a cell phone pocket in front. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

The pants and tie that made up my sister's handbag in the pic below

This gorgeous bag was made from my father's pants (see the before pic above) and one of his ties (for the trim, the handle and the bottom-left and bottom-right corners). (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

This grey clutch was made from my father's pants and a tie, which features a velcro enclosure in the front. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

The clutch at right was made from this pair of pants and tie.

This clutch, made from my dad's pants and a tie, features a velcro front enclosure. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

One of these ties was used to create one of the eyeglass cases at right.

Made from my father's ties, these eyeglass cases hold any kind of eyewear. (Photo by Catherine Charlot)

My dad's best friend proudly displays his wallet made from my dad's tie.

The full array of wallets made from my dad's ties

My mom said these upcycled gifts (hers was a handbag and an eyeglass case) were the most incredible, thoughtful gifts she could imagine.

My family holds up their one-of-a-kind Christmas gifts made by Upcycle with Himane.

Establishing (and sticking to) a professional honor code is a smart business decision.

If you wear glasses as I often do while working, then you know how great it is to walk into any eyewear shop and get a free adjustment when you need it. Until about a year ago, I’d offer money for the service, and the answer was always, “No charge.”

One day, after passing by such a shop reminded me that my glasses were a bit off-center, I went inside. Curious about the no-charge response, I asked the clerk and he replied, “It’s an unwritten code in our industry that we make adjustments for free. We do that as a courtesy, and hope that you’ll think of us the next time you need new frames.”

Such a simple policy, and while many people who take advantage of it may never return to that particular optician, it’s far more valuable to get the occasional taker for a new pair of frames or an eye exam than it is to charge $5 for every adjustment. This big-picture thinking can help build your customer base, slowly but surely, and a loyal one at that. But don’t be discouraged if you currently lack a professional code or company policy; it’s never too late to establish one and build trust with your customers or clients.

ESTABLISHING AN HONOR CODE FOR YOUR BUSINESS
This got me thinking, What’s my honor code for my clients? My immediate answer has to do with quality control: When I come across a glaring typo online (usually in a headline or subhead), I will always speak up (and tactfully so), regardless of whether that website belongs to a client of mine. That’s because I not only have a deep respect for the written word, but also for anyone trying to put his or her best foot forward, and I want that person’s marketing materials to be presented as professionally as possible.

I can't say enough about the service at Raymond Opticians in New Rochelle. I've been a loyal customer since the day they upheld the unwritten "Opticians' Code" by giving me a free adjustment.

Yes, there is always the risk that my pointing out a typo could result in a defensive or adverse reaction, but this hasn’t been the case so far; most people are grateful that the typo was caught. And if I’m lucky, that caught typo will make a person think of me the next time he or she needs copywriting or copyediting services.

Do you have an honor code for your business? Please share it by adding a comment below. I’d love to hear it!

Onward,

Carla

Connect with me on Twitter.

It was my extreme pleasure to join Carol McManus — America’s LinkedIn Lady — on “The LinkedIn Lady Show” on Toginet Radio. Talking shop with Carol is one of my favorite things to do, and we covered a lot of ground, including crowdfunding and my latest musical pursuits.

Carol's "LinkedIn Lady Show" on Toginet Radio and WGCH is chockfull of social media and entrepreneurial strategies.

Listen to the podcast on iTunes (choose the 10/19/11 episode) or you can download it directly from my site. Carol began our chat by focusing on my corporate experience, then transitioned to the significance of my domain name, my recent site launch and my songwriting news.

PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS
By listening to the podcast interview, you’ll get in on:

1) The name Saidandsung and how my songwriting informs my copywriting (8 minutes into the podcast).

2) My involvement with the new musical IT SHOULDA BEEN YOU (10:20 into the podcast), now playing at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick.

3) How Crowdfunding can help you move projects forward (18:36 into the podcast) and why I chose RocketHub.com.

4) How I used Social Media for My RocketHub Campaign and how I use it for my business (32 minutes into the podcast).

5) The #1 tip I learned from @BloggingMentor Annabel Candy to help separate my 2 selves on Twitter (34 minutes into the podcast).

6) A frank discussion on Social Media Strategy — thoughts on automated tools, the future of Facebook and more (45 minutes into the podcast) — with Carol’s “Marketing Minute” partner Ken Herron a.k.a. @PurpleComm.

UNDER THE (POSITIVE) INFLUENCE
At one point in the podcast, Carol asked me about my business influencers, and I gave her a handful:

+ Annabel Candy of @GetInTheHotSpot a.k.a. @BloggingMentor (34 minutes into the podcast): I learned such great Twitter tips and blog tips from Annabel and her “Successful Blogging in 12 Simple Steps” book!

+ @RobinDickinson (39:52 into the podcast): Robin was the first source I turned to for lessons on how to tweet. His Success with Twitter video was terrific for learning nomenclature, strategy, etc. He continues to inspire through his Facebook page.

+ @JasonWomack and @DyanaValentine (40:45 into the podcast): Two superb coaches/professional instigators whose workflow and big-picture ideas (often in the form of fiery I-dare-yous) are all kinds of inspiring.

+ The authors of “The Wealthy Freelancer” — @EdGandia, @petesavage & @steveslaunwhite (41:10 into the podcast): This book not only helped me get to the next level in my freelance career, but it also lead me to form a friendship with freelance illustrator @DonnaBarger, who is also a terrific accountability partner.

+ Jennifer Shaheen of Technology Therapy (48:15 into the podcast): Jennifer’s Advanced Facebook for Business webinar is full of tips and long-term strategy ideas.

Carol (right) and I in the WGCH studios

And, honestly, Carol continues to be one of my biggest influencers. Each week, I learn so many great pointers from her show, especially about LinkedIn and business strategy. You can tune into “The LinkedIn Lady Show” every Wednesday at 5 p.m. EST on Toginet.com, or listen to her half-hour show at 9 a.m. EST Wednesdays on WGCH AM 1490 in Greenwich, Conn.

I’ve had a lot going on this past month or so, and like I said in a recent blog post, it takes a village. I’m so grateful to be surrounded by inspiring collaborators, colleagues and friends, and look forward to what’s to come!

Onward,

Carla

RocketHub is one of the best crowdfunding platforms available!

I’m 26 days into my music fundraiser on RocketHub.com, and I’m 93% there, thanks to the kindness of friends, family, colleagues and supporters! Just 4 days to go, and I’m so excited to get these demos printed and pressed so I can start using them as my calling card.

I thought I’d mark this almost-there occasion by spreading the word about crowdfunding, for those out there who may not know what it is, and who may benefit greatly from it.

WHAT IS CROWDFUNDING?
Crowdfunding is a form of fundraising popular among artists, musicians, scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs that is generally carried out via the Internet. The process involves making your project’s purpose, plans and outcomes known to a large audience (through social media, email and often the making of a video to let prospective funders know what your project is about), in the hopes that even small contributions will collectively add up to reaching your set fundraising goal in a finite amount of time. Many crowdfunders make it possible for people to donate as little as $1 to their projects, and set a time limit of anywhere from 30 to 90 days.

All these contributions have added up in a big way!

RocketHub.com is the crowdfunding platform I chose for my “Send a Hamilton to Harrison” CD project. One of the biggest reasons I chose this NYC-based dot-com is because unlike some competitors in the space, RocketHub enables you to keep whatever amount you raise, even if you don’t reach your goal (minus the site’s nominal fee). For me, this was an important consideration in today’s economy, as some friends and family may not be able to contribute.

Another big distinction is that crowdfunding isn’t charity; it’s a two-way transaction. Donors — or as RocketHub calls them, fuelers — receive rewards in exchange for their donations, and the greater the donation, the greater the rewards.

A music-related project (like mine is), for example, may feature rewards that range from public recognition to copies of the work to dedications, customized compositions and at-home concerts.

Country singer and songwriter friend Kerri Leigh used RocketHub to raise needed funds (and then some!) to record her album in Nashville.

START WITH PEOPLE YOU KNOW
Most of the people who will contribute to your campaign will be people you know, as crowdfunding is about reaching out to your closest, most supportive network of friends and family first, then branching out through blogging, social media and email asks. However, there are fuelers out there who are frequent patrons of the arts or other projects and may be looking to support a project like yours, even though they don’t know you personally. This is common among projects by music artists (like fellow songwritier Kerri Leigh, whose campaign to record her album reached an overwhelming 129% of its goal), as fans can connect with their music from all corners of the Internet.

CROWDFUNDING TIPS I’VE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY
To see if RocketHub (or crowdfunding in general) is right for you, check out RocketHub’s list of Crowdfunding Basics, and explore some of the projects currently underway. You can also head over to the RocketHub blog because I’ve shared some insight of my own experience in crowdfunding in the final paragraphs of an interview with RocketHub Co-Founder Vladimir Vukicevic. The RocketHub staff has been extremely supportive and helpful throughout this nearly 30-day adventure.

You just may find that RocketHub is right for your next project.

I welcome your comments and questions below.

Good luck!

Carla

Follow me and RocketHub on Twitter.

Wow, the past three weeks have been a whirlwind! After some all-nighters, daily Red Bull (Am I in college again?) and a little help from my friends, I’m happy to announce some exciting developments:

First off, not only are you viewing Saidandsung.com’s new look, but I also launched a fundraiser on RocketHub.com to get my latest song demo pressed! We made a silly video for the campaign — click below to get a glimpse of what this project is about, how you can help move it forward and how to get your hands on the music:

As of this post, I’m nearly 80 percent toward my goal and I’ve got just 8 days left to complete it — if you can, please consider sending a Hamilton my way to get your own copy of my tunes and other fun rewards!

If you've got one of these to spare, consider sending it my way to get my CDs made and get a copy delivered to your door!

Here’s Where That Village Part Comes In
It really does take a village for big projects to come to fruition. None of this progress would have been possible without the help of the following wonderful people (you may be able to use some of their services for your own projects):

+ S.W. Senek … The playwright-director and EVP of Eagles Talent (and also a dear friend) conceived, directed, filmed and edited the RocketHub video, and whose son, Sheldon III, plays the role of The Last Hope. Plus, a special shout-out to Sheldon’s wife, Krysta, who was so patient as we invaded her home for the shoot. And my goddaughter, Josephine, for being so darn adorable on set!

+ Tricia Okin … This graphic designer/food blogger/woman-about-world was instrumental in giving me ideas for my video, and basically taught me not to be afraid to ask others for help.

+ Dyana Valentine … The wily Muse and professional get-you-movin’ solutions gal was the one who forced me to name a hard deadline for my Web site launch. And boy, there’s nothing like a deadline! She also took the time to interview me about my music and get to the heart of why I’m doing this: because I want to help others embrace life experiences and give themselves permission to feel whatever they need to through my music.

+ Nick Norris … This principal at identifiDesign not only gave my site a fresh new look, but he also jumped in at the 11th hour to fine-tune the site pre-launch and held my proverbial hand through the switchover!

My new songwriter logo and CD art was designed by Lauren R. Popek for identifiDesign.

+ Lauren R. Popek … A designer with identifiDesign.com, Lauren created not only the cover art for my CD, but also my rebus-infused logo (the fact that I get excited by that reveals my inner nerd, but oh well). You can find more of Lauren’s work on her own Web site.

+ Allen Mogol … What can I say about my copywriting colleague and friend I recently voted Most Likely to Be a Business Coach Someday? Allen kept me focused on the light at the end of the tunnel, helped refine my ideas and gave those all-important Lombardi-esque pep talks that kept me sane!

+ Ted Allen … My fellow songwriter also has a crowdfunding campaign for his upcoming album, so he consulted on the organization of my campaign and the content. His current album, “Nothing to See Here,” is so likable and catchy, I highly recommend you take a listen; if you agree, head on over to his MeBlitz page and contribute to his campaign!

+ Thomas Fisher … Besides being my co-writer on some of the tunes — and my life partner! — Thomas was immediately on board with the video concept, and really dove into his portion of it. He’s a talented performer as well, plus he provided the accompaniment and gorgeous harmonies for the “Send a Hamilton to Harrison” song; I couldn’t have done it without him.

+ Adam Harley … Besides being a recording engineer and producer with the best set of ears in these here parts, Adam is also a great videographer who can create attention-grabbing promotional videos for your business as well as local cable commercials that look anything but local.

+ Mark Buono … Another skilled recording engineer, producer and wicked drummer, Mark worked his magic on my tunes, adding tracking that enhanced the production and even expertly replicating the acoustics for whenever I’d change up a lyric or an entire section!

+ Craig Wilson & Mat Leland … These two musicians/songwriters/producers/engineer extraordinaires got the ball rolling on this demo years ago, when they tracked, produced and played on the first versions of these tunes at Haven Studios in NYC. Though the songs have developed over the years, I’m so grateful to Craig Wilson and Mat Leland for their work on this demo as well as for their collective belief in me as a writer.

+ Stephanie Harrison, Christina Lea, Brooke Campbell, Thomas Fisher & Fortune Creek … The singers who brought their unique styles to these songs are all songwriters themselves, and I know that’s why they were each able to give such heartfelt performances. I’m happy to suggest you visit their sites to hear their own work: Stephanie Harrison (“Prettied Up” and “The Clearing”), Christina Lea (“All I Could Do”), Brooke Campbell (“Listening” and “Go On”) and Thomas Fisher (solo “Where We Begin” and “Rather Look at You” with Fortune Creek.

+ Randy Merrill … A sound engineer at the renowned Master Disk, Randy made my songs on this demo pop, and I mean in that sparkly kind of way. If you need mastering on your tunes, he’s your go-to guy.

I’ve learned so much from all of these fine people, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart for their contributions to this effort. You know what would warm my heart even more? If some of you commented below to let me know that you also remember the TV show “Rags to Riches” — it will make me feel less geeky! (Watch the video above to get my drift.)

Onward,

Carla

P.S. Visit my Tunes page on this site to find out about my new musical that opens in New Jersey this month!

There’s a ring I wear on my pointer finger with the phrase “Art is relevant” engraved on the outside. I got it years ago at Campbell Pottery in Cambridge Springs, Pa., near my hometown. This was before I moved to New York, when I was interviewing the shop’s owner for a business magazine’s cover story. While touring the facilities, I spotted the ring and was so taken by its simple and powerful statement that I bought it on the spot; it has been on my finger ever since.

It wasn’t until after 9/11 that I questioned my art’s relevance.

Just two months before that horrific day, I moved to New York City after winning a songwriting competition. Finally, I had validation that songwriting was what I was meant to be doing, and that New York was where I needed to be. My family had visited in August 2001, and we viewed the city from atop the towers. Little did we know just two weeks later, everything would change.

Newly rattled, life in NYC at the time was enough to make you question everything, from an unattended bag to the first time a plane flew overhead since that day to the reason you were spared over so many others and you wondered whether you would ever feel safe again, let alone experience joy. Suddenly, pursuing my songwriting seemed frivolous. And the record label with which I had deals pending, like so many others in the industry, was no longer willing to take risks. I thought, “How can I spend time writing songs and poems while others around me suffer immeasurable grief?”

Then I realized that proof of art’s relevance was all around me. A former Windows on the World server I met named Leda Young told me how she volunteered playing piano at the McDonald’s on Broadway near Ground Zero to provide solace to others through music; in doing so, she also helped herself cope with the loss of her co-workers in the attack.

My good friend and writing partner Barbara Anselmi had chosen to use her art and her empathy to compose the song “All Join Together,” the title song for a CD that raised over $40,000 for the New York Times 9/11 Fund.

I remember poring over the liner notes to Bruce Springsteen’s The Rising, his album of songs in response to the tragedy, and finding comfort in its universal messages of hope and unity.

From art installations to plays to I-Love-NY-More-Than-Ever T-shirts, artists were funneling their deep sorrow, their camaraderie and their highest regard for their fellow New Yorkers in ways that would begin the road to healing. I began writing poems and songs, some scraps and some fully realized.

Now, 10 years later, James Taylor sings at the memorial to soothe our collective soul. The TV show “Rescue Me,” whose series finale aired earlier this week, has for the last seven years portrayed 9/11-related themes with such honesty, sensitivity and humanity, through both scenes and monologues that make me cover my mouth from feeling so much. In so many spaces and so many places, artists are creating powerful messages daily. Messages relevant to our shared understanding. Messages we need to say.

Today (as I’ve done so every year), I watch the names being read, scored by a lone cello. My eyes well up with every cadence, when those at the podium get to make their personal tributes, beginning with the words “And my …” then filling in the relation to their loved ones lost. Heartbreaking beyond belief.

But whether it’s a brief mention of the life they lead to a full profile in print or onscreen, we share in their stories, and those who tell them do their best to carry on. As we all do.