From Deseret News archives:
Lehi girl to sing songs of gratitude at rallies
Attorney general arranges for young musician to perform
Who's Jaden Bliss? She's a 13-year-old singer-songwriter who has captured the heart and attention of Utahns with her collection of songs honoring America's soldiers.
Anderson invited Sheehan, who lost her son in the war in Iraq in 2004, to come and protest Bush's upcoming visit. Shurtleff, meanwhile, arranged for the Lehi schoolgirl to sing her songs of gratitude at Wednesday's noon Freedom Rally in Liberty Park — and again at Washington Square at 5:30 p.m. Bliss will share the stage with local singer Carmen Rasmussen, Shurtleff said.
Shurtleff wanted Bliss to sing for President Bush, scheduled to be in Utah during the National American Legion Convention at the Salt Palace but was unable to arrange it.
"If it happens, it'll be spontaneous," Shurtleff said.
"(Bush) has too many handlers. If he knew about her he'd probably want to hear her," the attorney general said.
Bliss, meanwhile, wanted to sing for the family of Adam Galvez, a Marine from Salt Lake City who recently died in Iraq. That may not happen, either, Shurtleff said.
Bliss has been writing patriotic songs since the fifth grade when she entered a contest at Eagle Crest Elementary with the theme, "A Different Kind of Hero." She wrote "I Can Be a Hero." Later, she wrote six more songs and included them on her locally produced CD, "God Bless Our Soldiers Tonight."
"I just wanted our soldiers to know how much I love and appreciate all the sacrifices they make in defending this country and I also want their families to know that I'm thinking of them and that they are in my prayers tonight. I'm so proud to be an American," Bliss says on her Web site, www.blessoursoldiers.com.
Bliss began selling her CD door-to-door for $10 with the proceeds going to the National Freedom Alliance and, eventually, the Children of Fallen Soldiers Relief Fund. The CD, produced by Ron Saltmash at his Orem studio, is available on her Web site.
Jeff Bliss, Jaden's father, assisted in arranging his daughter's thoughts of how she felt about America as she was writing most of the songs. But she wouldn't let him touch her first song, he said.
Her collection also includes: "So Proud (To Be an American)," "God Bless Our Soldiers Tonight," "Looking For You," "I Can Do It," "Upside Down" and "Dear Friend."
E-mail: rodger@desnews.com
