“It all started with my mom’s friend Ginger wanting a song written for her husband, Sgt. Major Ronald (Richard) Coots. He’s in the 1st Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 100th Division out of Knoxville, Tenn.,” said Andrea Bisceglia. “He was ordered to serve in Iraq with a support unit out of Nashville.”
Bisceglia, 15, decided to write a song as a tribute to him. The Cumberland Gap High School sophomore began to gather her thoughts and write them down on paper.
“I really realized just how important our troops are,” she said, “and how important Richard is.”
Bisceglia was determined to create a song and began to strum on her guitar, searching for just the right chords to accompany her words. “Hero” is the culmination of her efforts.
One amazing part? A dancer since she was three years old, Bisceglia only recently discovered her talent for writing, playing and singing music. She began guitar lessons in December of 2007.
“The chords just came so easily,” she said. “I owe all of that to my guitar instructor Ken Wilson.”
Other people made contributions to the song as well, including Jake Barnes, Ginger’s son, and Susie Kelley, Ginger’s sister.
“Jake added a remarkable solo and Susie added the backup vocals, which really gave the song a new twist,” Bisceglia said.
They worked on the song during the entire summer.
“We would practice at Ginger’s house harmonizing, getting chords right and recording on the computer,” she said. “It was a little makeshift recording studio of our own.”
Then came time to take their work to the next level: Recording it in the studio.
“Each and every one of us were anxious to hear the final product of our hard labor,” she said. “When I finally got to hear the song it was a remarkable experience.”
“I couldn’t believe that my song, my thoughts, my feelings were going to be accessible for the public to hear! I remember thinking ‘Wow! This is really happening!’,” she said.
Bisceglia’s song is currently being distributed to area radio stations and has already had some play on WIVK-FM in Knoxville.
“Writing music is possibly the most exhilarating and heartfelt form of a talent,” she said. “Your words and feelings are out there on paper, for the world to see.”
She gives a lot of credit to Wilson, her instructor.
“He gives me the courage to express myself through writing,” she said.
“Hero” isn’t the first song Bisceglia has written; however, it’s the first one to be distributed to radio.
“I have written many songs that range from heartbreak to happiness, from Christian to country,” she said. “It is the best stress reliever in the world!”
Bisceglia, already an accomplished dancer, is humble concerning her many talents.
“I am a Christian and I thank God every day for giving me these talents I have. I know I’m blessed,” she said. “I write church songs and enjoy singing at church as often as I can. Singing for the Lord is the best feeling ever. Even though I could never repay Him for all He’s done for me, I feel like singing for Him is the best way.”
She’s also thankful to the family whose soldier is the inspiration for her song.
“I cannot thank Ginger enough for giving me the opportunity to present my work to the public,” she said. “Just knowing that my song could make a difference in the life of a soldier or their family is all the while worth it.”
Bisceglia, who sent the song to The Freedom Network Connection in Iraq, hopes to touch the hearts of soldiers around the globe with her song.
“I’m hoping that when they hear the song they know just how important each and every one of them are to us, that they are truly our ‘Heroes’.”
Andrea is the daughter of Kevin Bisceglia and Angie Bisceglia, and she has an older brother, Clay.
She’s excited about this new talent she has uncovered, and is looking forward to growing it in the future.
“I love bringing joy and happiness to people through song and I hope I can continue to do so the rest of my life.”
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