Stephen McPhilemy and Robert Shields who are putting together the charity album Chords For Care.
BY SEÁN P. FEENY
TWO West Donegal school friends are currently compiling an album featuring talented young artists from around the North West to raise funds for Donegal Hospice and Letterkenny Oncology Unit.
Chords For Care is the brainchild of Robert Shields (22) from Bunbeg and Stephen McPhilemy (22) from Creeslough.
Robert and Stephen have been friends since their days at PCC Falcarragh and have always shared a love of music and DJed together in venues around the West.
While Robert is in his second year studying Creative Technology at University of Ulster (Magee), Stephen has graduated from UCD with a degree in Computer Science.
Robert is a musician and before his current degree doing a course in music production at the North West Regional College in Derry.
It was following a bereavement in Stephen family through cancer that the two friends decided they wanted to play their part in raising funds.
“I was asked to do the sound for talent show at PCC and brought Stephen with me.
“When we saw the talent that was on display we thought it would be a great idea to help some of the students record their music and give them some recognition.
“I’ve always wanted to put together an album and due to the bereavement in Stephen’s family we decided we would do it for cancer charities.
“So we are killing two birds with one stone, giving young singers a platform and raising much-needed funds.”
Robert and Stephen searched the internet for young Donegal acts and some from neighbouring counties, contacted them and then began recording it in their home-made studio in Bunbeg.
Now half-way through the recording process, the end result is expected to feature 18 songs from young artists from places like Gweedore, Glenties and Letterkenny.
Artists to be featured on the album include Marli Kerr, Karen Kelly and Deirdre McLaughlin, the McBeth Sisters from Strabane, Riaghan O’Callaghan, Sean Gallagher, Eve Murtagh, Daniel Doak and many more.
The duo is also very pleased to reveal that just last Thursday the fantastic Heads Of State (Tommy Callaghan, Orri McBrearty, Gary Doherty and Colin Montgomery) have confirmed they will also feature on the charity album.
Robert said: “Most of the tracks have been originals so far, which is great. There may be one or two covers on the final album which we hope to release in June.
“This is a project we are both extremely passionate about and we hope to generate a lot of interest in the months leading up to the launch.”
Follow @ChordsForCare on Twitter and www.facebook.com/ChordsForCare
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