“Annie's Song” was written to help Annie O’Brien make sense of her mornings, says therapist and musician Greg Marshall.

By Ryan Hurley
If there was any doubt that music can change lives, Greg Marshall and a young girl named Annie have put it to rest.

Marshall, who was a therapist with Integrated Development Services in Madison, was searching for ways to help Annie O’Brien, who has cognitive disabilities, get ready for school. At the suggestion of Annie’s mother, Marshall tapped his musical talents and wrote a song to help Annie become more motivated in her morning routine. It worked. Annie plays the song as she gets ready in the morning, and it has helped her move through her routine, cutting her preparation time from nearly an hour and a half to a half-hour.

It also boosted her self-confidence. “It made her happy that someone wrote a song just for her,” said Andrea Dearlove, the executive director of Imagine a Child’s Capacity (ICC), a nonprofit organization devoted to helping children with special needs reach their full potential.

The people close to Annie soon observed an unexpected ripple effect that the now famous “Annie’s Song” made in other aspects of her life.

“I saw the song become a bridge for relationships between Annie and her classmates, Annie and her teacher, her doctor, her family. The music helped create opportunities for relationships to happen,” Marshall said.

But that was just the beginning of this story. Marshall, who is a member of the Madison hip hop group The Figureheads, called on the group to help him create a full-length studio album dedicated to helping children like Annie overcome all types of obstacles that life puts in their way.

“We decided as a group that it would be all or nothing, since we had all moved to Madison to do music full-time together. We just didn’t think it would be children’s hip hop,” Marshall said.

Each song on the 15-track album titled “You Come Too” presents a positive message to the children, whether it is encouraging them to ask questions when they don’t understand something – “Ask Again” – or teaching them ways in which to release stress and anger without being destructive – “Wallpusher.”

“Born for a Reason” is a song that shows children how important they are even if they have insecurities or disabilities. “Even if you can’t see it there’s a crown on your head/If you’re missing an arm or even your legs/You know there’s so much ahead so much life to live/So don’t please don’t say I’m only a kid.”

The CD is receiving attention from educators throughout the nation. It comes with a book that leaves room for parents, therapists and teachers to expand on the principles expressed in the stories and through illustrations.

The Figureheads – made up of emcees Jeremy Bryan and Greg Marshall, drummer Casey Kashiemer, and electronic producer Dave Olson – unveiled the CD at a recent Madison concert, and the audience indeed wasn’t your typical hip hop crowd. Groups of young children pushed their way to the front of the line and climbed onto their parents’ shoulders, eager to dance and sing.

“It’s amazing how one relationship can be a seed that can grow into this,” Marshall said as he put his arm around Annie in front of a packed Orpheum Theater crowd. The Figureheads were accompanied on stage by a children’s choir from Fountain of Life Church in Madison and young break dancers from dance schools around the state.

During an emotional point in the evening, Marshall and Bryan brought their wives and children onto the stage to help illustrate their motivations behind their music.

“We aren’t making this music for us. We aren’t making this music for the money. Our children were born for a reason, just like yours, and when my child grows up she will know that she is free to dream,” Marshall said.

Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, who delivered the opening speech at this CD release party, spoke about the importance of this groundbreaking program and how proud Madison should be for fostering the organization. “Every kid deserves a fair chance to contribute to society,” he said.

“Our music is designed to create opportunities for relationships,” said Marshall, who is now creative director at Kiddo Publishing, which is associated with Imagine a Child’s Capacity.

“We want parents and teachers to dance and laugh with their kids. We want them to talk about the issues and topics we talk about in the music, e.g. loneliness, purpose, learning, etc. We hope to be a voice for children who sometimes can’t speak for themselves. We want to empower and equip our local and global community to acknowledge and appreciate its children – all of them, no matter how severe their challenges.”

Posted March 24, 2006