Tom Weisner and his wife record original holiday song



t's called Christmas is the Warmest Time of the Year , and it was originally a Christmas poem Tom Weisner wrote, before handing it off to his pianist wife, who composed the music. Tom Weisner calls it "unapologetically sentimental." "But Christmas is the time for that," Marilyn Weisner chimed in. This is the first time the Weisners have collaborated on a song. Marilyn Weisner has been playing piano since grade school, and Tom has actually written some songs on his own -- most notably, a previous holiday confection called I Got Cloned for Christmas , sung to the tune of I'll Be Home for Christmas . Tom Weisner, elected mayor of Aurora, IL in 2005, served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Solomon Islands.

Tom Weisner and his wife record original holiday song

Christmas with the Weisners

Aurora mayor and his wife record original holiday song

December 24, 2007

BY ANDRE SALLES Staff Writer

OK, so he looks a bit like Santa, what with the white beard and all. But who'd have thought that Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner would one day write a Christmas song?

That day is here -- or rather, was here, seven or so years ago, when Weisner and his wife, Marilyn, sat down to pen their own holiday chestnut. And while so many wannabes go the novelty route when writing their Christmas songs, the Weisners have come up with a number so earnest and warm, you can practically hear the roaring fire in the background.

It's called Christmas is the Warmest Time of the Year , and it was originally a Christmas poem Tom Weisner wrote, before handing it off to his pianist wife, who composed the music. Tom Weisner calls it "unapologetically sentimental."

"But Christmas is the time for that," Marilyn Weisner chimed in.

This is the first time the Weisners have collaborated on a song. Marilyn Weisner has been playing piano since grade school, and Tom has actually written some songs on his own -- most notably, a previous holiday confection called I Got Cloned for Christmas , sung to the tune of I'll Be Home for Christmas .

(True story: The only recorded version of that song sports lead vocals by Denny Wiggins, chairman of the Kane County Republicans, which shows that the Christmas spirit can bring both parties together like little else.)

After kicking the song around for years, the Weisners decided last month to finally take the plunge and get a professionally recorded version of it down on disc. They enlisted Aurora pianist Bonnie Werthmann, who works with the Fox Valley Festival Chorus, to arrange the piece, and they booked studio time at Benjie Hughes' Back Third Audio on Stolp Avenue.

No, the mayor doesn't sing on the recorded version. ("I don't sing," he said with a chuckle.) The Weisners asked Victor Hawks, son of Aurorans Dick and Arlene Hawks, to perform the lead vocals. Victor Hawks is a successful Broadway singer who is about to start rehearsals for a new show at Lincoln Center in New York. But he took the time to come home and lend his talents to the session.

Hughes remembers it going down very quickly -- two or three takes, he said, all live. And he had nice things to say about the song, as well.

"It has a classic 1940s film soundtrack feel to it," he said of the tune, which can be heard at www.beaconnewsonline.com. "It's the kind of thing that's not contemporary the rest of the year, but it works at Christmas."

The Weisners hope to shop their song around, and they're soliciting advice. Hughes suggested they get a publisher and try to interest singers in recording a version of the tune. And the pair has sent the song to local radio stations, with some success. John "Radio" Russell has spun it on WDCB 90.9, the College of DuPage station.

"When I listened to it on the radio, I was worried that it wouldn't fit in," Tom Weisner said. "The other Christmas songs were all fully orchestrated and the whole deal, so I was worried it would sound empty. But it sounded very nice."

Are there more Weisner/Weisner songs in the works? You never know, according to both of them. When he's done decking City Hall, Tom Weisner said he'd like to be a full-time writer, and Marilyn doesn't plan to stop playing piano anytime soon.

But for now, they're happy with the finished version of their song, and they're taking their new career slowly.

"We'll just see what happens," Tom Weisner said. "This has been fun, so we'll see where it goes."

Links to Related Topics (Tags):

Headlines: December, 2007; RPCV Tom Weisner (Solomon Islands); Figures; Peace Corps Solomon Islands; Directory of Solomon Islands RPCVs; Messages and Announcements for Solomon Islands RPCVs; City Government; Holidays; Christmas; Illinois

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