Local singers' Christmas carol gets its wings on YouTube

Cathryn Joanna of Macomb County.

Cathryn Joanna was born with a beautiful voice and a talent for songwriting. This Christmas, she is sharing her gift for music with the world and they are responding.

Shortly after being uploaded to YouTube, Joanna's new Christmas song, "Little Baby Loved," had more than 3,000 hits and, according to her mom, Gail, who has been tracking its success, is getting the attention of listeners in six continents. "It's amazing how it's taking off," said the 18-year-old singer and songwriter. "It's being played on 103.5 (the inspiration radio station WMUZ-FM) too!"

Hearing her song on YouTube was cool but hearing it on the radio, was a dream come true.

"It's kind of surreal," said Joanna, who finished recording the song at a studio in Ohio, shortly before its launch into cyberspace. One minute she's hearing her voice on the radio -- singing a song that she wrote. The next minute celebrity disc jockey Chris Stevenson of WMUZ-FM's "The Morning Light" is saying her name and announcing an upcoming song by a big recording artist like Francesca Battistelli in the same breath.

Joanna is a high school senior, dual-enrolled in home-school and classes at Rochester College. She's always loved music and while her parents were not keen on her becoming a singer/songwriter, they came to realize her gift should be shared. So they and Joanna traveled to a music studio in Toledo, Ohio, and recorded "Little Baby Loved."

Before they returned home, Joanna's best friend had the song uploaded to YouTube.

"I did not want my daughter going into the music business," said Joanna's mother. "It's not the kind of life you envision for your child. It's a hard life. But about a year ago, my husband and I realized this was a gift - her singing and songwriting abilities - and it needed to be shared and this song is part of that."

"It's a great song... about the true meaning of Christmas," she added.

In addition to singing at church, Joanna was asked to be the opening act for the Chuck Tocco Band's CD release party, Dec. 17 at TV's Great Event banquet hall in Trenton.  This spring she will graduate from high school. And while she entertained thoughts of pursuing a music degree, much depends on "Little Baby Loved."

"I could say I want to be a recording star," Joanna said. "But... my ultimate goal is whatever God has planned for me."

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