Three Shades of Gray

The title of this cd was suggested by Jim Titus of Radio StationWJEJ in Hagerstown, Md. It was to be given to my husband,Arthur, on his 87th birthday, December 21st. As fate would have it, instead of presenting him the cd on his birthday, we gathered at the small church just minutes from our home to celebrate his life and passing. It was an inspiring and uplifting service with each of the children speaking, expressing their admiration and love for the remarkable man that was, and will always be, the love of my life.The powerful presence of an Honor Guard, recognizing his service to the country he so loved, was beautifully finalized by a trumpet player with an unforgettable rendition ofTaps. Since Arthur’s greatest joy in life was hearing his three girls sing, we ended the service with our version of Danny Boy, one of Arthur’s favorite songs. It is kismet that the selection of songs on this cd were some of his all time favorites, and each one unwittingly expresses our feelings for a truly great man.The Lord works in mysterious ways, and although this cd certainly was not intended to be a memorial, it has transformed itself into a testament of love, admiration and mourning for the extraordinary Arthur Gray Jr. - Betty Johnson Gray Betty: Singing with my talented daughters is pure joy for me.When our girls graduated from college, they pursued their own careers: Lydia, in NewYork City, at the American Museum of Natural History; Elisabeth, in Madrid, Spain, with a singing career. When I resumed my career, I was singing at the Algonquin Hotel in NewYork City and my girls joined me and we recorded “A Family Affair”,which led to our recording and production company, BlissTavern Music. “Three Shades of Gray” (the songs you are about to hear) is dedicated to their father, my husband,Arthur Gray, whose support and love has made all our dreams come true. Elisabeth: If I could design the most beautiful building, paint the most exquisite painting, dance the most delicate dance, I would do that for my father. Unfortunately, I can’t do any those things, but I can do something that brings him such joy—sing with my awesomely talented mother and sister. This is our gift to the most incredible, generous, loving and wonderful man imaginable. Daddy, we love you so.You are our hero. Lydia: I feel so blessed to be part of this family for so many reasons. Singing with my beautiful mother and sister is a joy for me. I can see that joy reflected in my father’s eyes. We honor him with these songs he loved so much. I’m in awe of my father, and I wish that everyone in the world could know a father’s love as I have, and how he continues to teach me about life through the example of the way he lives his. I’m grateful that my father is a very generous and forgiving man because I know I’ve tested his patience at times. His courage, quiet elegance and quick smile fill my heart, as does his unconditional love.Thank you, Daddy.