Songs of Christmas Joy

Featured Artists

Raine Austen became the lead singer in her first band in seventh grade. She made her recording debut during her mid-teens and her first television appearance shortly thereafter. Her career began when she lifted her voice in churches and youth choirs, at weddings, special events, guest cameos in local theaters, and concerts. Soon her four-octave range was recognized across town. She became forever in love with the microphone, the studio, and the stage. And there she stays - at the microphone.

Born and raised in a small town near Cleveland, Ohio, Raine’s studies included lessons at The Cleveland Music School Settlement, private studies at Cleveland State University, later in Nashville at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music, and with various well-known Nashville vocal coaches. Now back in Cleveland, she studies under the direction of Joanne Uniatowski at Baldwin-Wallace College. With an eight-year sojourn in Nashville she gained the attention of the music industry with a well-written, produced, and impressive four-song demo. She received rave reviews by industry critics and highly-acclaimed songwriters in both country and Christian music. A songwriter herself, Raine co-penned the title cut on first Christian CD, “No More Than Believin’,” and “You Put His Strength In Me,” written for her mom. This CD is available on iTunes, CDBaby.com, Amazon, and others.

Raine continues writing, directing, producing, and performing inChristmas and Patriotic concerts throughout the Northeast. She is the founder of “Raine Austen & Resounding Joy!”, which gave the final performance at The Hanna Theatre before it became part of PlayhouseSquare Center. This summer Raine formed “It’s All About LOVE!,” a concert series of LOVE songs. At one of her more than 20-concerts this summer, Bobby Massey, Founder of the O’Jays, asked Raine and her Group to perform in his next project - which Raine is co-writing with Bobby - “The Hall of Fame Music Review concert series.” This first series is a Motown review that will begin in Cleveland and hit the road in 2011. Raine Austen & “It’s All About LOVE!” will perform at the Playhouse Square again in February 2011. For more on Raine Austen and her discography, please log on to www.raineausten.com.

David Bird’s first musical experience was at age 4, singing in the children’s choir under his mother’s direction. At 5 he started piano lessons with his father and other teachers. By high school he had studied trombone, taken up guitar, and was busy playing rock ‘n’ roll sessions. Groups that his band opened for were Cream, The Association, The Young Rascals, REO Speedwagon, Spencer David Group, The Raspberries, and The Runaways. David majored in Composition and String Bass, and minored on piano at Kent State University, where he also studied pipe organ. By 1976 he began working as a session singer and bassist in the Cleveland jingle scene. Soon he was writing and producing for the Cleveland Indians, Coke, McDonalds, Society, and Mellon Banks. He also wrote and recorded a song for the first Care Bear movie. In 1987 he started his own company, Masterpiece Music Inc. and produced music for Realty One, The Ohio Lottery, and Sea World. During the 1990’s he was Director of Music at St Matthew’s, Parma. In 1999 he became Director of Contemporary music at Prince of Peace in Westlake, where he also served as Choir Director and Organist. He is currently Director of Music at Church of the Assumption in Broadview Heights.