Remembering our dear friend Heather Pick Cygan 1970 - 2008

Videos and more pictures coming soon to honor her.  Check back later.

  to share your memories of Heather Pick with us.

This is the CD Heather made in 2007.  She also sang "Santa Baby" on A Christmas To Cure Cancer 3.  What our friend Joel Riley says is the best version of "Santa Baby" ever made.

Heather performing her rendition of "Santa Baby" at the A Christmas To Cure Cancer event in 2007.  Click here for "A Christmas To Cure Cancer 3"

Heather and producer Mark Puskarich at Stefanie's Champions 2008.		Co-writer of "Circle of Support" and "I Dare You" Dave Clo and Heather at Dave's recording studio in Nashville where Heather tracked most of her vocals.  Camp David Studio.
Heather getting sassy while tracking vocals at Tony's Treasures Studio in Cadiz, Ohio.		Joe and Heather sing their duet "Two of Us" at A Christmas To Cure Cancer 2007 event.

Audio Samples

Song Credits and Liner Notes

Hello Friends,

This quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson started a personal journey: “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Some of you may know me from TV. I co-anchor the weekday morning news on WBNS 10TV. I am also a wife and a mother. That made it especially devastating when in 2004, after the birth of our second child; my husband and I were told the breast cancer we thought I caught early in 1999 – had, in fact, spread. 

What started as a dark time in life awakened my spirit. I soon realized you can either be braced by the fear of uncertainty or embrace the newfound freedom. About that time, Mark Puskarich introduced me to his grass roots project “A Christmas to Cure Cancer.” His mission is simple, yet powerful – to support programs that help patients and families touched by cancer. His hard work and support – encouraged me to embrace the invitation of a CD project. Music with a purpose? Mark made the choice easy and fun!

Music is a hobby I shamefully allowed to get rusty over the years. Though my voice is worn, I enjoyed the challenge and the company of the talented people who helped… Dave Clo and I clicked immediately, and in the short time working together, managed to write two songs and record several vocal tracks at his Nashville studio. I also tapped into the many skills of my 10TV co-worker David Plantz. And there is my wonderful husband Joe, who generously shared his artistic abilities. Thanks to the warm hearts of the many other people who brought the music to life!

As you can see – behind every face or voice – is a “Circle of Support”. Such is the case with whatever life brings. Everyone has burdens in life, and it’s important to celebrate those in our circle who give us the strength to carry them and perhaps, more importantly, teach us when to let them go…

Thank YOU for joining The Circle and Supporting the cause!

Enjoy your day!
Heather

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
David Plantz – Electric Guitar, Piano
Dave Clo – Electric Guitar
Andrew Roth – Acoustic Guitar, 12-String Guitar, Mandolin, Bass Guitar
Mark Puskarich – String Synths
Jan Roll – Drums, Tambourine
Amy Edwards – Backing Vocals
Michelle Swift – Backing Vocals

Words and Music by David Plantz and Dave Clo
Recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.  Amy vocals recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio – Columbus Extension, Columbus, OH.  Michelle vocals recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

I enjoyed a promo song we aired for our news so much, I tracked down our talented marketing producer who wrote it and asked him to contribute to the CD. Thanks David Plantz! He also helped shoot the CD pictures. After we shot the originals… he graciously accepted the new challenge when I asked him to re-shoot it without the wig. Thanks for being flexible. J

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Lorne VanFossen – Acoustic Guitar
Cody Romshak – Acoustic Guitar and Backing Vocals
Michelle Swift – Backing Vocals
Corrina VanFossen – Backing Vocals
Dave Davidson - Violin
John Catchings - Cello

Words and  Music by MARK D. SANDERS, TIA SILLERS.
Arrangement by Lorne VanFossen and Cody Romshak.
Recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.
Michelle backing vocals and strings recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

You know those moments where you are given an opportunity, but may have a moment of hesitation because you fear falling? There is a beauty in embracing the unknown…and you’ll never know the wonder of what’s next if you don’t move when given the opportunity.  Even though doing a project like this was out of my comfort zone, I’m glad I took “The Dance”.

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Sam VanFossen – Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano, Synth Strings
Michelle Swift – Backing Vocals
Dennis Morgan - Backing Vocals

Words and Music by John Rzeznik
Recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.  Michelle Swift and Dennis Morgan vocals recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

4. Circle of Support

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Dave Clo – Guitars, Bass Guitar, Piano, Synths
Jano Rix – Drums
Michelle Swift – Backing Vocals
Dave Davidson – Violin
John Catchings - Cello

Music by Dave Clo, Words by Heather Pick and Dave Clo.
Recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

This is the second song I co-wrote with Dave Clo. We wrote our first one the day before and this one the next day. I had a million ideas in my head the night before, but after taking some quiet time to really think – this popped in. When faced with a disease, so much attention focuses on patients, and not enough, on those who stand next to them through the difficult times. I am so thankful for all the support… and this song was written for those who are “rocks” when a loved one needs a little place to lean ….despite not always getting the support they deserve.  Thanks to my wonderful husband who jokes he’s my “arm candy”.

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Sam VanFossen – Guitar
Dave Davidson – Violin
John Catchings – Cello

Words and Music by BILLIE JOE ARMSTRONG, MICHAEL PRITCHARD, FRANK WRIGHT
Guitar recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.  Vocals and Strings recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN

Never know where life is going to take you, so you may as well enjoy the ride!

Joe Cygan – Lead Vocal, Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Drums
Heather Pick – Backing Vocals
Lorne VanFossen – Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Dave Clo – Bass Guitar, Piano

Words and Music by THOMAS DELONGE
Arrangement by Joe Cygan
Recorded at Joe Cygan’s Partially Underground Sound, Hilliard, OH, with recording engineering by John Hetrick.  Bass, piano and Lorne’s guitars recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.  Mixing assistance from Rusty Yanok.

My husband Joe recreated this song. He has long been the musician in our house and introduced me to the original band “Angels & Airwaves”.  The day we saw them in an outdoor concert in Columbus, rain fell during part of the show. It added to the exquisite experience. This song is a favorite. “I cannot live, I can't breathe, unless you do this with me …and here we go, life’s waiting to begin.”

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Lorne VanFossen – Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Dan Allison – Bass Guitar
Cody Romshak – ’52 Goldtop Les Paul, Synth, Guitar and effects programming
Corrina VanFossen – Backing Vocals
Brian Duress - Drums

Words and Music by Melissa Etheridge
Music and backing vocals recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.  Heather vocals recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

This song made me tear up for the first several times I heard it. As a cancer survivor herself, Melissa Etheridge aptly captured both the dark and hopeful emotions shared by many survivors.

8. In My Daughter’s Eyes

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Sean Ferguson – Piano
Dave Davidson – Violin
John Catchings – Cello
Michelle Swift – Backing Vocals

Words and Music by James Slater
Piano recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio – Columbus Extension, Columbus, OH. 
Strings, Heather and Michelle vocals recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

Oh, the hope we have for our children…to not make the same mistakes we made and to learn the deep values of life much sooner. The surprise to me: I don’t have a life envisioned for them – I enjoy seeing life as they envision it…Bugs ‘n all!

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Lorne VanFossen – Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Dan Allison – Bass
Jan Roll – Drums
Cody Romshak – Backing Vocals

Words and Music by Sheryl Crow, B. Bottrel
Recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.
Heather vocals recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

It’s easy to have faith when the days stay status quo, but this song is about believing there is a purpose even when life seems broken.

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Lorne VanFossen – Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Dan Allison – Bass Guitar
Mitch Fox – Keyboard and Synths
Michelle Swift – Backing Vocals
Jan Roll - Drums

Words and Music by MATTHEW GERRARD, BRIDGET BENENATE, AVRIL LAVIGNE
Music recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH. Vocals recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

On the treadmill – headphones on – top of my lungs. I finally have the attention of my children. Not sure I was in tune. Didn’t care.

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Dave Clo – Guitars, Bass Guitar, Synths, Backing Vocals
Jano Rix – Drums
Michelle Swift – Backing Vocals

Music by Dave Clo, Words by Heather Pick and Dave Clo
Recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

This is one of two songs I co-wrote with Dave Clo on a weekend in May. Actually this is the first one I guess you could say I ever wrote. It’s about the choices you make. You can do one of two things when smacked with a challenge in life. Become a victim – and use it as an excuse – or empower yourself. I think you can figure out where I stand. 

Joe Cygan – Lead Vocal, Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Heather Pick – Harmony Vocal
Lorne VanFossen – Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Cody Romshak – Bass Guitar
Rusty Yanok – Drum Programming

Words and Music by JOHN LENNON, PAUL MCCARTNEY
Arrangement by Joe Cygan
Joe and Heather’s parts recorded at Joe Cygan’s Partially Underground Sound, Hilliard, OH, with recording engineering by John Hetrick.  Cody & Lorne’s guitars recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.  Mixing assistance from Rusty Yanok

I imagine my husband and I throwing all caution to the wind… so we enjoyed singing this together. We performed it once live at a friends show – and yes – it turned out silly. J

Heather Pick – Lead Vocal
Lorne VanFossen – Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Jeff Mattevi – Upright Bass
Sean Ferguson - Piano
Jan Roll - Drums

Words and Music by Norah Jones.
Recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio, Cadiz, OH.
Piano recorded at Tony’s Treasures Studio – Columbus Extension, Columbus, OH. 
Heather vocals recorded at Camp David Studio, Nashville, TN.

Love the easy, relaxed music of Nora Jones… and you can’t beat songs about finding an “escape” from the every day.

Produced by Mark Puskarich for A Christmas To Cure Cancer and Heather Pick © 2007
Except where stated otherwise, this CD was produced and engineered by Mark Puskarich and Cody Romshak at Tony’s Treasures Studio in Cadiz, Ohio.
Mastered by Jeff Baggett Nashville, TN

“For all my efforts in producing this CD, I dedicate it to you Heather.  You are an amazing person on an incredible journey.  Thanks for taking on another challenge in your dedication to helping others.  I’ll always hope you are proud of what we created”. – Mark Puskarich

A Christmas To Cure Cancer, Inc. is an IRS registered 501(c)(3) non –profit corporation.

Producer Notes:
I can’t even begin to fully thank everyone who helped me put this CD together.  David Plantz for his photo shoots of Heather, awesome song “The Places” and bringing in Andrew Roth & Amy Edwards.  Jan Roll for coming in to track drums whenever I needed him and doing an amazing job.  My neighbor and friend Brian Duress for pitching in on drums.  For our dearest buddy, cancer survivor and guitar hero Lorne VanFossen.  Also thanks, Lorne, for having a talented son like Sam so we don’t have to make you track all the guitar parts.  Corrina VanFossen; your beautiful backing vocals.  Joe Cygan for arrangements, guitar, drums and vocal work, as well creating the CD cover artwork.  You and your wife are both very talented.  Rita Wolfe for taking an interest in our project and making sure our charity is no longer a secret in central Ohio.  Sarah Irvin for PR and getting the word out to the radio stations.  Tammy Dosch for all your support and great ideas to help move our project forward.

For everyone who listened to pre-mixes and gave me feedback.  You know who you are but I want to especially recognize Chris Logsdon, Rusty Yanok, Andy Dotson, Ben Miller and Jan Roll.  Andrew Schall for your artistic design talent in putting together the professional CD inserts. My sister Lisa for proofing all the liner notes and catching all the small things.  And the two very most important people for last: Dave Clo and Cody Romshak, without them I would never be able to complete any of these CDs.  Dave Clo for bringing in the awesome talent from Nashville…Michelle Swift, Dave Davidson, John Catchings, Jano Rix and Dennis Morgan, and co-writing two incredible songs with Heather.  Dave and Cody both, for your tireless hours of tracking, mixing and putting up with all my e-mails, phone calls and deadlines.  Cody for your bass guitar parts and backing vocals.  Thanks so much to everyone for supporting our cause.  We all work so very hard to help make an impact on cancer research. – Mark Puskarich

CD Cover graphic design by Joe Cygan.  Photo by David Plantz.  CD insert graphic design by Andrew Schall.