New song/video released by Brent Maher from musical novel ‘Night Of the Orphan Train’
Renowned producer and songwriter Brent Maher has recently ventured into the realm of fiction with his debut work, a musical novel titled ‘Night of the Orphan Train’. This innovative project is set to be released on October 17 as an audiobook distributed by ONE Audiobooks. To give fans a taste of what’s to come, a new music video for the song “Haves and Have Nots” featuring The French Family Band has already been unveiled by Moraine Music Group. Co-written by Maher along with Joe Robinson and Seth Hopkins, this track will be part of the original 21-song soundtrack, scheduled to hit the shelves on November 7.
Maher’s inspiration for this project stems from the Orphan Train Movement, a historical event that took place between the years 1854 and 1929. During this time, over 250,000 orphaned, abandoned, and homeless children were transported from urban areas like New York to rural communities across the country. Despite its significance, this chapter of American history often goes unnoticed. Intrigued by this narrative, Maher found his muse in The National Orphan Train Complex located in Concordia, Kansas. Motivated by the stories he uncovered there, he decided to fuse these tales with original music and create a compelling musical journey following the lives of three fictional children from their formative years at age 11 into their twenties. The resulting amalgamation of historical anecdotes and musical artistry gives birth to ‘Night of the Orphan Train – A Musical Novel’, a harmonious blend of Americana, Bluegrass, and Classic tunes.
Not only does this creative venture offer fans a unique listening experience, but it also serves a charitable cause. A portion of the proceeds from the project will go towards supporting Youth Villages of Middle TN, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing assistance to children in foster care, group homes, and teenagers transitioning out of foster care. The timeliness of this release coincides with November being National Orphan Awareness Month, a period during which various organizations and individuals raise awareness about the challenges faced by orphaned children and advocate for their welfare. One significant event during this month is Orphan Sunday, observed on the second Sunday of November, where communities band together to show their support for orphans and foster children, emphasizing the importance of their needs and well-being.