A group of former and current Sandy Hook Elementary students have joined the band Talking Heads and singer Ingrid Michaelson to record a song in an attempt to raise money for their hometown of Newtown, Connecticut.
The children in the community shattered by the massacre of a lone gunman a month ago had expressed an interest in raising money for Newtown. Students have spent time trying to memorialize their former classmates by creating memorials and hanging ribbons sporting their school colors, but they still wanted to do more.
Twenty-one Sandy Hook students were invited to the home of Talking Heads band members Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth to record the song, as reported by ABC News . The song they chose is a cover of “Somewhere Over The Rainbow,” and it will break your heart.
Sabrina Post, a Newtown music store owner arranged the collaboration with the famous band after she spoke with some of the distraught children who were looking for a creative way to memorialize their former friends and classmates.
Indie-pop singer and song writer, Ingrid Michaelson joined the project as well, happy that she could contribute to the worthy cause:
“I thought, well, you know, even if it makes these kids who have been through so much, if it brings them and afternoon of joy and excitement then that’s what I can do, then that’s what I’ll do. I think there’s nothing more hopeful than hearing children’s voices in unison all together. So yeah, I think people will feel that way, I hope so.”
Michaelson joined the Sandy Hook children on “Good Morning America,” to offer a preview of their song. As mentioned on wtnh.com , the song is available for purchase starting today on Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play. Proceeds will benefit the Newtown United Way and the Newtown Youth Academy.