Video highlighting events of Ice Storm 2009 to appear on cable, online

Additional storm-related art work by Holmes to be used with the "Shelter from the Storm" song written by Williams. Photos provided

Ken Williams will be joining with Kennett Cable Vision and the Daily Dunklin Democrat next week to display a video showcasing two songs written during and about the January 2009 ice storm.

The video will feature a number of area musicians and vocal participants in the songs.

The songs were highlighted in the Christmas in Kennett video, but, following the amount of feedback received, Williams noted that he decided to design a completely separate video.

An illustration designed by Jamie Holmes, of Senath, to be used with "Happy Dance," a song written by Ken Williams following events occurring during the January 2009 ice storm.

The song "Shelter from the Storm," was written on Wednesday, January 28, 2009, one day after January 2009 ice storm struck the Kennett community, according to Williams.

"I had no intentions at the time," Williams said of making the new video.

Williams said that the song reflected on how the storm "knocked out everything" and how the residents had God to be a shelter and carry them through.

Williams explained that he wrote the song from the thoughts in his mind and in his prayers.

After performing the song during a small church service at a member's house, Williams recorded the song two weeks later, after the storm.

He noted that he played the bass, guitar, and drums for the track, while Jamie Holmes played the saxophone, and Daryl Wilcoxson played the piano.

Williams then explained that he received the idea for the second song from the local radio station KBOA.

The station began to have people call in and say they were "doing the happy dance" because their electricity had been turned back on, according to Williams.

"I wrote 'Happy Dance' in tribute to everyone helping [in the community]," Williams said.

He explained that he called different singers to sing lines from the two songs to put the music together as a community project.

Williams noted that he had 28 vocalists, 9 young kids from the First Christian Church youth group, and six to eight choir members from First Christian Church Adult Choir taking part in the recording of the song.

Also involved in the recording was Daryl Wilcoxson on piano and trombone, Jamie Holmes on saxophone, Wendell Crow on trumpet, and Gary Wilcoxson on alto.

The recording of the two songs included close to 50 people, according to Williams.

The song aired on KBOA a few times after it was recorded.

"I thought it would be nice to air on the anniversary of the ice storm," Williams said of his newest project.

All of the individuals involved in the recording of the two songs have been invited to meet at 3 p.m., on Saturday, at the First Christian Church, according to Williams.

He noted that during the meeting a video would be put together to go along with the songs to be aired on Kennett Cable Vision and on the Daily Dunklin Democrat's Web site.

"It made me feel great that all these people participated," Williams said.

The video is scheduled to run on Kennett Cable Vision at 8 p.m., on Tuesday, January 26, and 6:30 p.m., on Wednesday, January 27, and Thursday, January 28.

The video will also be permanently available at the Daily Dunklin Democrat's Web site, www.dddnews.com.