GSMusic Beginnings & 1998 Wider Op
We officially launched our music production company, Legend Productions Inc. to the public, December 1, 1997. Since the release of our first album, "Girl Scouts'® Greatest Hits, We Change the World", we have been overwhelmed by the positive response from Girl Scouts® throughout our National community and around the world! You have e-mailed, faxed and written your support of our efforts to archive and create a new standard for Girl Scout music. This reaction has affirmed our conviction that there is a genuine need for professionally recorded albums and supportive music materials and resources that preserve our past, as well as carry us forward into the next century of Girl Scouting®!
We begin on this page to share and highlight some of our most memorable musical moments with you!
...They Came, They Sang and They were GREAT!!! Sponsored by the Girl Scout Council of Hawaii and Girl Scouts of the U.S.A., girls from 33 states, Malaysia, China, The Philippines, Korea, and Japan converged in Honolulu, Hawai’i for a ‘Wider Op’ entitled “Music Shall Live.” From August 1st through August 10th, 1998, 121 Girl Guides and Girl Scouts® joined Legend Productions Inc.’s music production team, along with world-renown songwriter, Larry Henley, composer of “The Wind Beneath My Wings”, along with myself, Melinda Caroll. Together we participated in an historic 10-day musical adventure that resulted in a beautiful Girl Scout Choral Album entitled “The Wind Beneath Our Wings.”
The excitement and sparkle of their beautiful voices is preserved on this recording that envelope an international array of some of your favorite Girl Scout and Girl Guide songs. This album, still one of our all-time vocal favorites, “Girl Scouts’® Greatest Hits, Vol. 2, The Wind Beneath Our Wings” is the second release in Legend Productions’ ongoing “Girl Scouts’® Greatest Hits” series, released October 1998.
Our experience with the girls, our incredible Hawaii staff and volunteers, was an experience none of us will ever forget! The commitment we all felt to the music and to each other will last a lifetime! What an honor and pleasure it was to work and record with such a talented international group of young women. Their enthusiasm and dedication to this project was an inspiration to all who worked on this project and we're sure it will be passed on to anyone who listens to this album!
Our Dream Team
Our Music Production crew was a Dream Team! We were very fortunate, to have had Grammy Award winning songwriter, Larry Henley, composer of "The Wind Beneath My Wings", on hand to supervise and encourage the girls in the recording of this all-time favorite song in Scouting circles. A special choral arrangement of Henley's song was crafted by David Kauahikaua, well known choral arranger for Kamehameha Schools in Hawai'i. A man of many talents, David is also the Co-Artistic Director, Arranger, Musician and Engineer for Legend Productions Inc. The girls had the opportunity to work with one of Hawai'i's finest Choral Directors, Roslyn Catracchia. They quickly fell in love with her fun and humorous style, skill, and her contagious love of music! To round out our talented production team, Nani Makahanaloa and Kathleena Gorga added their special touches to make the magic happen!! And magic it was, from the first moment the girls opened their mouths to sing at the University of Hawai'i's music auditorium to the last campfire song of aloha on the beach! We know the glow of this special time together will remain with us all for a long time to come!
We here at Legend Productions Inc. appreciate any suggestions you may have regarding Girl Scout music and resources you would like. We are interested in learning how we can further support and spread the use of songs and music once again throughout Girl Scouts® nationwide. We invite you to help us let everyone know how important music is in our Girl Scouting® experiences!
Like all the arts, music has the unique ability to inspire, delight, motivate, and unite people. Music can bring back fond memories or help create new ones. Music is the language that all people understand and it is an integral part of the Girl Scout and Girl Guiding Movement around the world. In Girl Scouting®, we sing a song entitled, "Music Alone Shall Live." Join us in assuring the continuing magic of Girl Scout songs for the millennium ahead!
With Warmest Aloha,
Melinda Caroll
All Photos on this page were Photographed by Gig Green Wood,
And used by permission of Girl Scout Council of Hawaii.