The timing was uncanny. Wayne Burton’s new national inspirational music release coincided with the tragic elementary school shooting in Newtown Connecticut. Only weeks before the tragedy, the new original song “In Times Like These” had been penned by Burton, and after work in five studios in the United States and Canada and the arrangement of hit producer Tyler Castleton, the studio recording had been completed. Burton, known in the Intermountain West and among LDS music fans, had recruited another respected artist, Jessie Clark Funk, for a duet aimed to help hearts heal from an ever increasing number of societal ills.
Little did he know that within days of this song’s release on iTunes and other music stores, a horrific school shooting would occur in Newtown. “The nation held their breath when news of this shooting began to hit the airwaves - the shared grief was inescapable” Burton recounted. “The meaning and timing of this song took an a whole new level of importance. The message is that one terrible thing after another is going to happen, but the only way to heal individually and as a nation is to turn back to God, something that seems to have been overlooked in so many ways."
Burton felt an immediate need to act - for the sake of disseminating a healing message to so many grieving but also to aid in a physical way. "My music has really never been about income but at this time there was a role that sales might have to do some additional good.” As it was written for more general purposes but seemed so right for the timing of this need, Burton pledged 100 percent of his sales December through March to be used directly to help the families affected in this town. “I know it might not be a large contributor in the big scheme of things but the more we reach out the more tangible and intangible support we will provide. I hope this song reaches millions. I think there is a sentiment out there that the time is well overdue that we ‘turn our hearts to heaven’ again. There’s no better time for a message like that”.
The mp3 can be purchased in many places including iTunes, cdbaby.com and wayneburton.com. The video can be shared through YouTube.
Watch the video: