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                              Send Our Prayers (A Christmas Song for the Troops) - Words and Music by Mike Billingsley

                              I wrote and recorded this a few years ago.  George W. Bush was President at the time and the war on Iraq had been going on for years.  One afternoon that fall, I got to thinking about the families of soldiers just praying that their loved one(s) would come home for the holidays (and for good).  I depicted one fictional family in the song and realized that the material probably wasn't too far from real life.  

                              Doc Seven (All Words and Music by Mike Billingsley, Arrangements by Mike Billingsley and Mike Jarosz)

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                              A few years back, Mike Jarosz and I were contacted by our friends in the band Chico's Vibe to put together some original music for a "Chicago/EWF-style" band the guys were looking to put on the stage.  I wrote three tunes and we did a demo.  The band (which became known as "Doc Seven") never actually went anywhere, but I was really happy with the tunes and the arrangements Mike and I created.  

                              All Summer Long

                              Sweet Emily

                              She is There


                              The "Garageband" Recordings

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                              Before there was Mama Winslow, there were the "Garageband" recordings.  Mike Jarosz and I were getting together when we could to record my original songs.  These were the first tunes I had ever actually finished.  Apple's "Garageband" was crucial in the process as it served as a large part of the overall sounds we used.  A few of the tunes were recorded by Mama Winslow on the album "Sticks and Stones."  The two below are samples of two that didn't get recorded on the album.  


                              Holy Moses was recorded by a really talented musician/songwriter/engineer named Chris Arter.  He was originally in the band and we recorded this one night at his parent's house.  I had completely forgotten about this recording until recently.  There's some things we would have fixed, but it still makes me wonder why we didn't try and play some more!  

                              King Insecurity

                              Holy Moses

                              Country Girls


                              Coming Soon - "Looking for Homes"

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                              These were tunes I made quick Garageband recordings of when I wrote them and hope to find a place where I can actually bring them to life.  I don't see myself singing them nor playing them.  

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