THE SONG

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HOW THE AUTISM SONG CAME ABOUT

In 2001 when Victoria Boland was releasing her independent CD, ALL WOMAN GIRL, she received a phone call from Tina Fougere, president of the newly formed CANADIAN NATIONAL AUTISM FOUNDATION. Tina was on a mission to find an artist who could support the CNAF's efforts in some way. Victoria jumped straight in, offering to donate $1 for every CD she sold to the CNAF, and there began Victoria's involvement with Autism.

In 2002, Viga Boland, Victoria's mom listened as Tina related the difficulties she faced as the parent of an austistic child and explained what an autistic child goes through. Viga was so moved by Tina's description that words played over and over in her head till they became a song. With Victoria beside her, they fine-tuned the lyrics as the melody came to Victoria and a few hours later, "Don't Give up on Me" was born. (CLICK LINK TO HEAR CLIP)

Tina Fougere first heard the song at a fund-raiser for CNAF as Vicki sang it acapella to just Tina in a hallway. Tina burst into tears: it said exactly what she, and so many other parents of Autistic chidren live with daily. A new mission was born: to get the song recorded, but due to lack of funds, that took another 3 years. With the help of a couple of local brilliant musicians, Cristabel Pinto on piano, Grenville Pinto on violin & Pat Kilbride on bass, the recording was finally completed in August 2005.

Production was kept simple and clean for a reason: the song is about children; the message is most important, not production. The result is a beautiful, simple recording featuring one of Canada's best singer/songwriters on vocals.

"Don't Give up on Me" (Autism) was released at a silent auction sponsored by the CNAF in late April 2006. Victoria flew in from Australia just 2 days earlier to be there for the launch. SEE PHOTOS from the official CD LAUNCH HERE!