Mara Levine's  new music video for  "Tree of Life",  written by Eric Peltoniemi, is a beautiful tribute to women and quilting.  "Tree of Life" was written for the 1983 musical theater production "Plain Hearts: Songs and Stories of Midwestern Prairie Women '' by Lance Belville, with music and lyrics by Eric.  The play features a variety of scenes and songs celebrating the lives of pioneer women who settled in the Midwest in the early 1900's. The first two verses of  "Tree of Life" are entirely comprised of the names of quilt block patterns. The video includes images of women quilting from different time periods, cultures and ethnicities, and images of historic quilts and more modern quilts that expressed social messages including Diversity, Aids memorials, Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention, and Women's Suffrage.

 Mara shared that "'While searching for a feature quilt for the chorus, I found the beautiful "Tree of Life" quilt by Davina "Dee" Martin (© 2013). Fortunately I was able to locate Dee and got permission to use her work, which was inspired in turn by a mixed media painting "Tree and Stars"by Loretta  Grayson (© 2011).  I researched the traditional quilt block patterns mentioned in the song, and designed or licensed those I could not find. Next I painstakingly cloned the fabrics from Dee's quilt using Paint Shop Pro to color the blocks that would "bloom" around her piece. Finally, Hillary Foxsong created the background and the border of blocks surrounding the quilt.  

 The video was directed by Mara,  produced by Mara and Valerie Smith ( Bell Buckle Records), and created and edited by Valerie Smith.  "I am dedicating it in memory of Ed Trickett, (1941-2022). I was honored that he played the hammered dulcimer on my recording.

Written by Eric Peltoniemi, © Eric Peltoniemi Music LLC / ASCAP                                                                                         Mara Levine (lead & harmony vocals), Caroline Cutroneo (harmony vocals & rhythm guitar), Hillary Foxsong (harmony vocals), Ed Trickett (hammered dulcimer), John Guth: Bass                                                                                                     Vocal arrangements Mara Levine/ Bob Harris / Caroline Cutroneo                                                                                       Engineered by Bob Harris, mixed and produced by Bob Harris and Mara Levine at Ampersand Records, Bridgewater, NJ. 

Graphics: Mara Levine - traditional block patterns or original designs, except for  Hummingbird block "Tiny Jewel" (c)  Flying Parrot Quilts. Graphic Support on quilt blocks - Tilman Reitzle , Graphic Design - Hillary Foxsong  - Block Border Placement/ Background

Featured quilts used with permission:                                                                                                                                    "Tree Of  Life" quilt © 2013 Davina Martin, inspired by Loretta Grayson's Oil pastel & mixed media Tree and Stars (c) 2011 https://lorettagrayson.art                                                                                                                                                         "First Ladies" quilt © 2018 Caryl Bryer Fallert-Gentry                                                                                                                 "Honor The Past Change the Future" quilt © Denise Vokoun                                                                                                   "American Quilt" © Kaffe Fassett and Liza Prior Lucy  from the book, Glorious Patchwork                                                         See full image and video credits in Youtube comments.

Mara Levine is releasing an inspiring video of her beautiful recording of Arlon Bennett's anthemic song "Be The Change," about being a positive force for change. 

Although not mentioned by name, in Bennett's song, Rosa Parks and Gandhi set examples for others to "Be the Change." Levine, along with fellow musician and videographer/video editor Efrat Shapira of EfratProductions, selected stirring imagery to tell their stories and those of others striving to make positive changes, and they worked within the confines of COVID restrictions to safely film the vocalists. Levine aims for the video to inspire viewers to participate, vote, volunteer, and do what they can to make a difference. 

Mara Levine is known for selecting and interpreting true gems of folk music, and "Be The Change," by songwriter Arlon Bennett, truly shines as one of them. The song was selected by Noel Paul Stookey (Peter, Paul, and Mary) to be performed twice by Arlon at the Public Domain Foundation’s Music2Life showcase at the prestigious Kerrville Folk Festival featuring America’s best songs of social consciousness. According to musicdish TV, "Bennett’s "Be the Change" is a call to follow in the footsteps of those who demanded, in their own ways, that the world be a better place. Simple and straightforward, it essentially makes the case." Find out more about Arlon at https://arlonbennett.com/

Levine's lush, harmony-driven version features veteran songwriter and song interpreter Robin Greenstein and versatile professional flutist and vocalist Barbara Novick on harmony vocals, with bluegrass stalwart Bob Harris and multi-instrumentalist John Guth on instruments. "Be The Change" was the #4 song on the FAI Folk chart upon the release of Facets of Folk, which hit #1 album on the Folk Alliance International Folk DJ charts. 

Executive producer - Valerie Smith of Bell Buckle Records ,Co-produced by - Efrat Shapira and Mara Levine, Videography - Efrat Shapira and Mara Levine, Video editor - Efrat Shapira  Footage shot at EfratProductions, (efratproductions.com),Woodbridge NJ, and at the Statue of Rosa Parks sculpted by Thomas Jay Warren, Newark, NJ , Rosa Parks Mug Shot - Montgomery County Archives, Scrabble tiles "Be the Change" by  Brett Jordan for www.unsplash.com, Gandhi quote by Mick Haupt for www.unsplash.com ,Scrabble Tiles "Vote" by Wokandapix for Pixabay.com , Office Scene by Chuduyen215 for pixabay.com, Sand through hand by Ruitong You for Pixabay.com All other Stock footage  and photos licensed by Valerie Smith or Efrat Shapira on behalf of client Mara Levine or by Mara Levine from:  

https://www.storyblocks.com/ , https://www.pond5.com/ ,  https://www.videezy.com/ , https://www.pexels.com/ https://www.videvo.net/ .   Details of all individual contributors are available in the Youtube description of the video