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Music and art are bringing people together– from all the way across the country!
During the height of COVID-19, Thibodaux 4th grader Alice Brinkman took part in the Songs Across America Project, where she was paired up from a singer-songwriter Cole Hansen from Michigan– who, after a short online call, was challenged to write a song about Alice’s life in 24 hours.
“When I first spoke with Alice 2 years ago, we were total strangers, brought together by the Make Music Alliance for National Make Music day,” explained Hansen via her Facebook. “During my short Zoom call with Alice, she told me a true story about setting up a rock trading post outside her house in Louisiana with nothing but a box of gravel and a sidewalk sign written in chalk that said, “Take a cool rock, leave a cool rock!” It was a way for her to connect with her community while still maintaining social distancing during the pandemic. Within days, Alice had neighbors and passersby dropping off all kinds of geodes, gemstones, and fossils. Quite the inspiration.”
Hansen quickly got to work writing an entire song based on the 4th grader’s pandemic hobby, which culminated in the final product, “Alice’s Rock Song.”
Fast forward 2 years later, and “Alice’s Rock Song” will now be featured on Hansen’s third album. “It has become a crowd favorite. People love the sentiment behind it,” said Hanse. “Anyone who is a rock collector instantly connects with the song. Fans even started giving me cool rocks as gifts after my performances. It’s been amazing to see how this one song has impacted so many people already, even before it has been officially released.”
Hansen, following the two years of joy the little song has brought to her and her fans, recently flew out to New Orleans from Michigan to meet Alice in person– trading and buying cool rocks and even filming for a music video!
“Alice is on Cloud 9. This is absolutely a core memory for her,” said Alice’s mother Nichol Brinkman, owner of Pink Cheeks Studio. “She had so much fun meeting Cole. Alice has been dancing to the song all day and now wants to learn how to play the guitar! It’s been truly magical for us to see her story turned into art like that.”
