Award-winning producer and songwriter Brent Maher has written his first work of fiction, a musical novel, Night of the Orphan Train.
Distributed by ONE Audiobooks, the audiobook is set for release Oct. 17. A new video from the project, “Haves and Have Nots,” featuring the talents of The French Family Band, has been released by Moraine Music Group. Co-written by Maher with Joe Robinson and Seth Hopkins, the track appears on the original 21-song soundtrack, arriving Nov. 7.
“I met The French Family band when I was finishing up a record with Joe Robinson who’s an incredible guitarist and singer/songwriter who happens to be from Australia.,” recalls Maher. “I mentioned to Joe that I needed some young people to sing the parts for the main characters in act one. Joe said some friends of his, also from Australia, just moved to Nashville and he thought would be perfect. The French Family Band. Was he ever right! I can’t imagine these songs without the French Family band bringing them to life.”
Between 1854-1929, more than 250,000 orphaned, abandoned and homeless children were relocated from cities like New York to rural towns across America. The Orphan Train Movement remains a significant yet often overlooked chapter in U.S history, and Maher was inspired to create the project after discovering The National Orphan Train Complex in Concordia, Kansas. Moved by its history, he set out to tell the story through a blend of original music and narrative, following three fictional children from age 11 into their 20s. The result is Night of the Orphan Train – A Musical Novel, a unique fusion of historical storytelling and Americana, Bluegrass, and Classic compositions.
A percentage of proceeds from the project will benefit Youth Villages of Middle TN, which is part of a nationally recognized non-profit organization focused on providing services for children in foster care, group homes and teens aging out of foster care. November is National Orphan Awareness Month, a month where various organizations and individuals highlight the plight of these children and advocate for their well-being. A key event during this month is Orphan Sunday, which falls on the second Sunday in November and is dedicated to raising awareness and support for orphans and foster children.
Hollabaugh, a staff writer at MusicRow magazine, has over 20 years of music business experience and has written for publications including American Profile, CMA Close Up, Nashville Arts And Entertainment, The Boot and Country Weekly. She has a Broadcast Journalism and Speech Communication degree from Texas Christian University, (go Horned Frogs), and welcomes your feedback or story ideas at [email protected].
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