ASA students thank Velline at CD release party

by Cori Hilsgen

news@thenewsleaders.com

Students and faculty of All Saints Academy, St. Joseph, recently had a chance to thank Jeff Velline from Rockhouse Productions in St. Joseph for helping them record music during National Catholic Schools Week, which was held Jan. 29-Feb. 3, by hosting a compact-disc release party at the school

The release party also gave everyone the chance to hear, for the first time, the songs they had recorded.

Some of the songs students, faculty and staff recorded included Never Too Young, Jesus Loves Me, Blessed Be Your Name, Fish With Me, Forever and I Will Lift Up Your Name.

Velline said the students and faculty did a great job during the recording of the music, but many of them were so caught up in being at the studio they might have forgotten they were actually creating a compact disc. He added it was such a thrill to share the moment of this very first preview with the kids.

“I said, ‘Congratulations on your first CD, now you’re all in a rock ‘n’ roll band,'” Velline said.

The students made a “red carpet” out of construction paper for Velline and his wife, Cindy Abercrombie, to walk on.

He said it was like being guests of honor to an exclusive gala.

Velline said the school’s music specialist, Mary Schumann, played a large part in helping the recording come together.

“Like all the faculty and staff there, she does an amazing job with the kids,” he said. “We feel very fortunate to be a part of that community.”

Schumann thanked Velline and Rockhouse Productions for investing many hours of time to make the recording of the compact disc possible for the students.

“Jeff and his brother, Tommy, are very giving people who believe in Catholic education and want to keep the memory of their parents alive through the support of Catholic schools,” Schumann said.

Their parents were Bobby and Karen Vee, Bobby Vee being the legendary rock star with chart-topping hits from the late 1950s and early 1960s. Karen died about two  years ago, and then Vee died of Alzheimer’s disease last year.

Schumann said the students at All Saints Academy are rock stars who rehearsed without complaint and took this adventure very seriously.

“We had a great experience and learned more about recording music and how recording studios operate,” Schumann said. “Our CD release party was an exciting and rewarding event for all of us. I am very proud of (the) students, but most importantly, they can be proud of themselves and their abilities.”

Velline and Abercrombie’s daughter, Saima Velline, attends All Saints Academy and gave her father a vinyl record which was signed by all of the students and teachers who recorded in the Rockhouse Productions studio.

“Making and recording music is a special and rewarding process,” Velline said. “I have been lucky to be around and involved in it most of my life. It’s so fun to share this with others, especially kids (who) are all wide-eyed and excited. Music connects us with our memories, and recordings last forever. They will always have this little souvenir, and that is special.”