Kathy Brigman Haupt:
Author and Composer: Welcome Home

This jewel of a contemporary christian song was written and composed by Ms. Kathy Brigman Haupt in the early 1980's for her grandmother's memorial service. (She slightly revised a few of the original words and melody when she recorded it several years later with David on the way to David's mother's memorial, Kathy's great aunt. The version of words and melody used on this recording is from her later slight revision.)

Until now, her original simple solo folk version has only been heard by a few on the occassions she performed it for family memorials. Happily, she granted TortoiseClimbing Audio™ permission to arrange and record her song on this album.

Very special thanks to Ms. Kathy Brigman Haupt for granting permission to create this more expansive vocal and instrumental arrangement, and include it on this album.

Why This Song Is Included

Althought this is a contemporary christian song, i.e., not a traditional hymn, David's mother wanted it included as one of their favorite songs. She had strong emotional feelings about this song which flowed from it being a hauntingly beautiful song, plus it was written for her sister's funneral by their dear friend and her sister's grand-daughter.

David's mother was very taken with the personalness of this song. When Donna (another of David's mother's grand-nieces) sent his mother a framed copy from Alaska of the original words, she hung them in a very visible, personal place on her bedroom wall, where they remained until she died. David now has that framed copy.

Ms. Haupt made the trip from South Carolina to sing this song at David's mother's memorial service in Annapolis. As part of that trip, she stopped at the Bias studio and recorded her simple version with David adding a simple duet harmony. That and the hand transcribed sheet music David obtained later from Ms. Haupt, served as a reference in development of the arrangement on the recording.

Note. TortoiseClimbing Audio™ may work with that older guitar recording to produce an alternative, simpler accompaniment version for later release.

How the Song Came to Be

Some years ago before she was married, Ms. Brigman was recruited from her church in the Ballentine-White Rock-Chapin area, northwest of Columbia, South Carolina, by David's father to become Youth Minister at their Southern Baptist church in Annapolis. She accepted and served in that capacity for a year. (She met her future husband there.)

While serving as the Youth Minister in Annapolis, Ms. Brigman Haupt lived with David's parents. During that year her paternal grandmother, Ms. Fern Brigman, as part of her lifelong role of helping others, went to help out another granddaughter, Donna and cousin to Ms. Brigman, in Alaska while that granddaughter had an operation.

Ms. Fern Brigman died very suddenly and unexpectedly while on that trip in Alaska. Because Kathy was very close to her grandmother, she wrote the words and music for this song as a tribute for her grandmother's memorial, David's aunt.

It was Ms. Brigman's cousin Donna in Alaska who had a few framed copies of the song's original words artistically prepared, one of which she sent to David's mother.

Ms. Brigman Haupt's Feelings for Writing This Song

She recalled her feelings at the moment of being notified her grandmother had died unexpectedly, as being – 

When I was told grandmother had died while in Alaska helping my cousin Donna, it was sudden and shocking. As I sat in my office at church the morning after her death, I was filled with sorrow. Looking out the window at a beautiful, crisp sky, I began to think about how things must now look from Grandmother's point of view. I was so sad, but grandmother was in the presence of God. I began to scribble my thoughts on paper and put them to a tune.

I thought of her joys of flying above and beyond our human body's limitations; no more aches and pains; hearing the voice of God call your name, not in a fearful way, but as a beloved child He has been waiting for to come home. I thought of all my grandmother had done for the Lord in her life, and her sincere love for God. God had showed me his love through her life, and I could imagine His joy at her well lived life. And so, the song became a tribute.

After Writing the Song

After a year as the Youth Minister in Annapolis, Ms. Brigman Haupt returned to Columbia, South Carolina, where she returned to being:

• An elementary school teacher, and subsequently a middle school teacher;
• Ministering with her church youth groups (she often used her music as part of youth ministry activities);
  • She discontinued her youth ministry activities just in time to be available to assist her mother in her last days;
• She continues to teach middle school; and 
• The gentleman from the Annapolis church who had dated her while in Annapolis, followed her to South Carolina where they are married and live.

Changes for This Arrangement

Ms. Brigman Haupt's version of the song was written for her to perform solo with acoustic guitar. Thus the original version was for:

• A solo acoustic guitar played by her; and
• Sung as a solo by her.

The expanded arrangement on this recording made the following adaptations:

1. A new more dynamic acoustic guitar accompaniment was written;
2. Harmony parts for Acoustic guitar and string bass were written and added;
3. The verses remain mostly a solo, representing the person who is sad to have lost a loved one -
   • (The words and melody for the verses use the slight revisions Kathy made when she recorded this song with David on the way to sing at his mother's memorial service in 1988.)
4. The refrains are revised to a multi-harmony women's chorus, symbolically representing heavenly hosts joining in welcoming the loved one to heaven.

The artists who worked on creating the new arrangement greatly enjoyed the opportunity of creating the arrangement and recording this jewel of a song.

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