When the five Barton kids were growing up, their mother told them that wherever they went, they could look up and it would be the same moon above them in the heavens.
The sentiment inspired the lunar name of Luna Lune, a folk-rock band made up of singer Tessa Barton, Chas Barton and Luke Barton, with Tony Farley, performing Friday at a CD release show.
Notably absent is Sophie Barton, who the band believes will be looking down below at Luna Lune Friday night.
The newly named Luna Lune will release its debut album "Walk With Me" Friday with an experience that Sophie’s siblings hope represents the inspired life she lived.
In the summer of 2010, 17-year-old Sophie was hiking at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’ Heber Valley Camp when she collapsed. She was taken to Heber Valley Medical Center, where she stopped breathing and died, the result of an undiagnosed heart arrhythmia.
Sophie, according to her siblings, was the most musically gifted of the Barton family. "The root of the reason we play music is Sophie," Chas, 23, said. "She is our inspiration. She’s leading us through the process."
"This album is my journey without my sister," said Tessa, 21, who performed with her sister before the death. "It’s my connection with her — a spiritual sampling."
Chas, 23, and Luke, 16, joined Tessa in the band and are earmarking all proceeds from the CD and show to Sophie’s Place, a special music therapy facility at Salt Lake City’s Primary Children’s Medical Center. Sophie’s Place is being funded by NFL Hall of Famer and former BYU quarterback Steve Young’s Forever Young Foundation. In a statement on the foundation’s web site, Young said, ""We honor Sophie’s life and commitment to music through the creation of Sophie’s Place, to help share the healing power of music with children in hospitals throughout the country and around the world. [My wife] Barb and I invite people across America to join us in this important new initiative for Forever Young Foundation."
Because the record release show is in memory of Sophie, the band wants its concert to, as Chas called it, "so not be a [typical] local music show." Tessa added, "We’re taking [the audience] into an ethereal world."
So, besides music from Luna Lune’s new album the concert "experience" will include aerial artists, a tribal drum circle, and other elements in the band’s spectacle.
Tessa and Tony are students at the University of Utah, Chas studies at Brigham Young University, and Luke is still at Holladay’s Olympus High School, so the band’s future plans are up in the air, although it wants to schedule a summer tour in 2013. "We really feel like we’re finding ourselves," Chas said.
Chas’ feeling coincides with the moon phase cycle, which indicates that Friday’s night sky will be graced with a waning crescent moon. Throughout history, the waning crescent moon has symbolized the banishment of worries, and new beginnings.
Luna Lune
When • Friday, Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m.
Where • Murray Theater, 4969 S. State St., Murray
Tickets • $12 at 24Tix; limited amount available
Benefitting • Sophie’s Place
For CD information • iTunes and www.facebook.com/iamlunalune
