Christine Lavin is hoping to "kickstart" a second book project with illustrator Betsy Franco Feeney, this one inspired by last summer's disastrous oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
Lavin, who collaborated with Feeney on the award-winning 2003 Amoeba Hop book based on her "Amoeba Hop" song (inspired by her microscopic look at a drop of stagnant water in ninth grade), is now trying to raise money to publish a book centered on an updated version of the traditional cumulative folk song "Hole In The Bottom Of The Sea." In Lavin's remake, there's a pipe in the hole, oil in the pipe, a crack in the pipe, oil on the surface, a bird on the seal in the oil on the surface of the sea, etc., etc.--ending with there being a windmill up on the hill, where there's a power plant run by the windmill, soap in the water heated by the power plant…and people using the soap to clean the oil off the creatures.
"The Amoeba Hop book eventually received a 'best book' award from the National Association for The Advancement Of Science and the seal of approval from The International Society of Protistologists," she says (a protistologist, she explains, being anyone who studies protozoans and the like). "Ever since, we have been hoping to collaborate again, and it's finally happening."
Referring to "Hole In The Bottom Of The Sea" by the acronym HITBOTS, she says she corralled over 50 musicians "from all over" (including New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, California, "even Bet Shamesh, Israel") to donate their time to record the new version, "and Betsy has created a children's book to go along with the song. We even have a bunch of professors and scientists who've joined us to make sure we get all the science right."
Lavin and Feeney are going the Kickstarter route in raising money for the project via Kickstarter's time-sensitive funding platform for supporting creative projects.
"Our goal is to raise $10,000 by August 25th to get the book published," explains Lavin. "For as little as $10 you can become part of this project and with Kickstarter, if you don't meet your goal, all the money goes back to the donors. We hope that won't happen, but it's reassuring to know that your donation either officially goes to fund the project, or it stays in your pocket."
Since starting the HITBOTS campaign on July 13, the duo has enlisted 85 backers who have pledged $5,278.
"In the first 24 hours we raised almost 25% of what we need!" says Lavin. Having passed the halfway point on July 19, Feeney was able to put down a deposit for the desired recycled paper.
Among the artists participating on the HITBOTS recording are alt-rock band The WMDs' lead vocalist Brian Bauers, New York jazz bassist Steve Doyle, Massachusetts singer/songwriter Don White, California husband-and-wife singer/songwriters Claudia Russell and Bruce Kaplan, East Coast singer/songwriters David Buskin and Robin Batteau, New Jersey music teacher Ashley Madison (and her 8th grade chorus), Israeli singer/songwriter Sandy Cash, Bistro Award-winning New York cabaret diva Colleen McHugh and teenage phenom Ruby Rakos from the Broadway cast of Billy Elliot.
The recording ends with a chorus including a cappella group The Accidentals' leader Margaret Dorn, Grammy-winning songwriter Julie Gold, Broadway actor/comedienne Christine Pedi, award-winning songwriter John Forster, singer/songwriter/TV journalist Budd Mishkin, WFUV radio host John Platt, jazz vocalist Lodi Carr, singer/actor/comedian Janet Fanale, jazz vocalist/comedian Joan Crowe, filmmaker Sandi Bachom and songwriting legend Ervin Drake and his wife Edith--along with dozens of other folk, jazz and theater singers including all-girl teen band Still Saffire.
"The names of all who donate will be posted at the official HITBOTS website," continues Lavin, adding: "There are some wonderful rewards at every level of giving--from $10 all the way up to $5,000--so you'll be helping out the environment and burnishing your already wonderful reputation at the same time."
Said rewards include prized knitted pieces by Lavin, who will personally send an mp3 of HITBOTS to friends and prospective donors.
"The topics at hand--teaching children about the environment and clean energy--are so important," Lavin concludes. Noting that The National Wildlife Rehabilitation Association's next conference is next March in Baton Rouge, she adds: "One of their scientists, Dr. Erica Miller, is one of our advisors, and if we hit our goal we will be presenting the book to them there."
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