Sarah Copley of West Windsor has signed a recording contract with Center Sound Records in Raleigh, North Carolina, and has recorded “Everyone’s Your Friend, an anti-bullying song, for “Sing With Max,” a CD based on the “Read with Max” children’s book series. Max the dog encourages children to read and raises money for various charities. Now kids can sing and dance with Max. Visit www.ReadWithmax.com for more information.
Music has always been a big part of Copley’s life, and she began attending concerts with her parents, Bert Szostak, director of the Private Shares Group at GFI Group, and Copley Szostak, president and owner of Present Company, at a very young age. The News first featured her in the June 10, 2005, issue, when she was pulled on stage at a Kenny Chesney concert.
“When the second act began, the security guard brought some of us up front near the stage. We were three deep in the mosh pit area and I put Sarah on my shoulders so she could see. He (Chesney) made eye contact with her, grabbed her hand, and didn’t let go. The crowd went crazy and helped me move closer to the stage.”
Sarah’s parents, both born in New Jersey, are former Springsteen fans who made the switch when they discovered country music. “It’s cohesive for the family and involves people that Sarah can look up to,” said her mother in 2005.
Sarah, born in West Windsor, attended her first concert when she about five. When she was six she was invited onto the stage by Shania Twain. “I was too shy then,” she told the News in 2005. She has since been to many concerts.
“Sarah plays guitar, and I can’t help but wonder how it would be if in 15 years they could play a duet,” said Bert in 2005. Will they wait seven more years for a reunion?
Since that time she has been singing and recording original songs produced by Marc Muller, a Neptune resident and Shania Twain’s guitarist.
“I was at school when Sandy hit, but my parents were in Spring Lake,” says Copley. “When I came home for break I saw first hand the destruction that happened, and it was truly heartbreaking; so many homes and businesses were destroyed.
“The communities really came together, especially the music community, and there were multiple fundraisers to help with relief,” she says. “One I especially loved was at the Stone Pony in Asbury.” The benefit concert was coordinated by the Monmouth County Democratic Organization, the Monmouth County Republican Committee, and the New Leaders Council NJ and bands that performed included the B Street Band, the Pat Roddy Band, Joe Orlando and the Cryers, Vinny Pastore and the Crazy Horse Band, and Back Up Jackson. They raised more than $100,000.
Raised in West Windsor as Sarah Copley Szostak, she attended Stuart Day School and is a 2010 graduate of High School South. She is now a senior majoring in public relations and strategic communications at Penn State.
“Penn State is a wonderful school and I absolutely love it here,” says Copley. “I started playing in town last year with my roommate and hope to keep playing here as much as I can.”
The record company’s managing partner is Gene Podsiadlo and his daughter also attended Stuart. When he heard Copley’s original songs at www.marcmuller.com he signed her. Podsiadlo then forwarded her demos to Craig Brandywine, who was working on the Max CD, and they agreed that Copley’s voice would be perfect for the anti-bullying song they were working on originally called “Friend.” The music and lyrics are written by Keaton Lusk.
Everyone’s Your Friend
You see someone at school, they have a different hairdo
You’re with your friends, they do whatever you do
Try being nice, they’re probably really cool
Don’t be the bully, the bully at your school
Cus everyone’s your friend, Everyone’s your friend
Be nice to everyone, you gotta understand
That there’s a golden rule, bullying’s not cool
Try treating others like you want to be treated
I wanna go to space, climb the highest mountain
so many dreams overflowin like a fountain
But when you say mean things, you really get me down
You take my dreams, and you pull them to the ground
Everyone’s your friend, Everyone’s your friend
Be nice to everyone, you gotta understand
That when your dreams are high, you shoot into the sky
Nothing can stop you can you feel your heart beatin’?
Everyone’s your friend, Everyone’s your friend
Be nice to everyone, you gotta understand
That when your dreams are high, you shoot into the sky
Nothing can stop you can you feel your heart beatin’?
The CD is available on iTunes and cdbaby.com.
“The instrumental music for the song was forwarded to the recording studio where I just recorded the vocals,” says Copley. “It was a very exciting experience to be a part of this new album. This was only the second time I had ever professionally recorded so I am still very new to the process.”
“I’ve played down the shore for the past two summers now. It’s really fun for me to be a young girl just playing guitar and singing out in public, especially down the shore,” says Copley. “There are so many experienced musicians and established bands that play everywhere, I was very lucky and blessed to have been able to play out in public.”
