Click here to learn more about our partner:
Please join our email list to stay up-to-date with this project.
Songwriters + Participants
Our participants are current or former patients of the Tri-Cities Cancer Center. Our songwriters live and work in the Tri-Cities community. Here is a little more information about each of them. To follow along with the songwriting process, join our email list and find us on social media.
SONGWRITER
Luke Basile
Luke Basile is a musician, songwriter, and recording engineer currently living in Richland, Washington. He has been working in the music business since age 17 when he took his first paid gig as a guitarist. Originally self taught, Luke later earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Performance. Now he continues his work and study in music, whether it’s playing shows with a variety of regional acts, teaching guitar and bass, or spending time creating in the studio.
Luke has spent the last five years as the lead engineer for Rainmaker Studios in Pasco, WA, recording, mixing and mastering hundreds of bands and artists from across the nation. Music is his ultimate passion, but in his free time he enjoys stand-up paddling, biking, and the great outdoors.
and...
PARTICIPANT
Taryn Taylor
Taryn Taylor grew up north of the Tri-Cities on a farm in rural Washington, playing and working in fields and orchards. She is the oldest of six children and her family has always been very close. Most of her siblings reside in Utah and it was hard to be so far away from them as she went through treatments for breast cancer.
A quiet fighter, Taryn went through her cancer treatments with a smile on her face. Her happy nature made it a good experience for everyone around her and showed her what a positive influence she could be for others. Taryn is working on overcoming her homebody tendencies to share her experience with others. If what she’s gone through can help someone else, then it’s more than worth it. Last year Taryn completed chemo and radiation treatments and today she has no remaining cancer cells.
SONGWRITER
Albert Navarro
Albert Navarro is a singer-songwriter raised in the Tri-Cities, Washington area. His main genre is Regional Mexican, but has written some songs in blues and country styles. Being fluent in spanish and english, Albert has also written songs in both languages. His love for music and willingness to help (through music) has brought him to The Great Blue Song Project.
and...
PARTICIPANT
Araceli Olmos
Araceli Olmos was born and raised in Mexicali Baja California, Mexico, where she lived for 22 years before moving to California. She has been married for over 20 years to her husband Jose Luis. Jose and Araceli have two great sons named Jose and Angel. Jose is 20 and attends Columbia Basin College. Angel is 17 and is a senior at Pasco High School. He is also taking classes at Columbia Basin College through the running start program. The family moved to Washington in 2004. Araceli works in the accounting department at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center and was thankful for her employment there when she learned of her breast cancer diagnosis.
In January of 2018, Araceli was diagnosed with breast cancer stage IIIA with metastasis in the lymphatic nodes. Araceli finished her treatments in November of 2018 after a bilateral mastectomy, chemotherapy, an axillar dissection, and radiation. She is in remission and thinking about breast reconstruction. Araceli lives one day at a time. Each morning when she opens her eyes, she thanks God for the opportunity and privilege of living another day, for her health, for her family, for her job, for her friends and for all her blessings.
SONGWRITER
Lori Tyler
Lori Tyler is a native of Richland, Washington. She began singing and playing guitar professionally in 1984 in Tri-Cities clubs and she continues to play music with Nuketown and Hot House Blues bands. Her husband Bud is supportive of all the time she put into both her music and her songwriting.
In December of 2017, Lori lost her Dad to bone marrow cancer. They spent a lot of time at the Tri-Cities Cancer Center checking his blood and visiting with the doctor and nurses. The wonderful staff made the situation easier for both Lori and her father. Lori hopes that her participation in this project helps someone else who has gone through, or is going through a similar health crisis.
and...
PARTICIPANT
Shelly Smiley
Shelley Smiley was born in Jerome, Idaho and most of her family still resides in Twin Falls, a place she calls home along with Oregon. Shelly spent several years in Central Oregon where her son, and greatest accomplishment, Rhett was born in 1995. Shelly has spent most of her career in bookkeeping and office management, specializing in human resources and payroll. In her free time, Shelly enjoys anything in the outdoors such as hunting, hiking, and camping but anytime with her family is what counts. She also enjoys baking.
In December of 2016, two days before Christmas, Shelly was diagnosed with Stage III Grade III Triple Negative Breast Cancer. Her life as she knew it would never be the same. The hardest part for Shelly was how to tell her son. After all, he lost his father to cancer just a year earlier. With the help of great friends, amazing family, and her son, Shelly is now in remission.
In 2018, Shelly reconnected with her high school sweetheart and they were married June 15, 2019. Along with a husband, Shelly has also been blessed with a daughter, Brooke. Shelly’s husband Jeff is her rock, her love, and her best friend. They are now in the process of moving into their new home and life is an amazing blessing. Shelly does not for one second take it for granted.
SONGWRITER
Paul Francik
Paul Francik is a musician from Richland, Washington. He has sung with many performing arts groups in the local community participating in operas, musical theatre, choirs, jazz ensembles, and pop/rock productions. Always looking for the right opportunity to share his talent and love for music, Paul continues to work on solo projects as a songwriter. He works collaboratively with producers across the U.S., creating music to be featured in television commercials and shows.
Paul has a passion for helping others share their story, and felt like the Great Blue Song Project was a perfect organization to partner with, giving an individual the opportunity to process all the emotions that come with a cancer diagnosis and the journey thereafter.
and...
PARTICIPANT
Libby Boothe
Libby Boothe loves to travel, experience new places, and see amazing things. She loves France and Greece and she has been all over the United States. Libby lived in Minnesota and Florida before landing in the Tri-Cities. She hopes to share her love of travel with her four boys, ages 14, 9, 7, and 4.
Her youngest son was only eight months old when Libby was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic breast cancer. This news was devastating, as she thought the pain was just a pulled back muscle. Libby will be in treatment for the rest of her life. She blogs about her cancer treatments, her travels, and the rest of her life at foxandbroom.com. Libby is a member of the Warrior Sisterhood, a support group for women in the Tri-Cities area who are coping with any cancer diagnosis.
SONGWRITER
Frazer Wambeke
Frazer Wambeke is a working musician based out of the Columbia Valley in Washington State. Being part of a musical family, he began his illusive journey to whatever echelon of success preparation will provide, releasing his full length debut record "Seasons" in 2011.
He continues performing, writing, and producing on different platforms inside many different genres. Frazer's latest project was released in the fall of 2018 and is entitled "Dreams" under the band Black Dolly.
and...
PARTICIPANT
David Gossage
David wasn't born with a witty sense of humor. It was a gift (or curse) he was blessed with much later in life. Pre-cancer, David was a pretty serious guy. Post-cancer, David claims he became a “much less attractive Ryan Renolds character, Dead Pool.” For David, his cancer diagnosis began as a death sentence, but ended up being a bonus round. He was misdiagnosed with an aggressive stage IV cancer and little time left on the clock. Then it was discovered it was, in fact, Stage I. Even though the treatment nearly killed him, David survived and came out of it a stronger person, or a giant pain in the neck, depending who you ask.
Over the months that followed treatment, David healed inside and out. He felt like a new person and suddenly had an extremely optimistic outlook he had never had before. David says, “I got a bonus round, a second chance.” Since then, David has done his very best to live each day to the max, with his new sense of humor and no fear of death. David pays his good fortune forward through volunteering for the Tri-Cities Cancer Center.
Tell your story. #FindYourSong.
If your life has been affected by cancer, we want to hear your story. When The Great Blue Song Project sets out to create an album, we also aim to build community, to connect family and friends, to decrease loneliness and isolation, to paint a picture of the many paths we can take to cope with illness and grief.
Have you been affected by cancer? Share your story with The Great Blue Song Project community:
We are on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. Let's use social media to connect and build community.
Have you already written a song about how illness or grief has affected your life? Do you have a story, a poem, or a work of art about your experience with illness or grief? We want to hear your voice and enjoy your art.
If you are a current or former patient of
The Tri-Cities Cancer Center and would like to get involved, please contact us.
If you are not affiliated with the Tri-Cities Cancer Center, but would like to invest in a song for yourself or someone you love, please contact us to discuss our current fees and find out more about the process.
Help us complete the
Tri-Cities Cancer Center album.
Songwriting is underway, but we need to raise the funds to head into the recording studio. We would love your support as a donor or corporate sponsor. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, your donations are tax deductible. We also rely on in-kind donations and volunteerism to fulfill our mission. Here are a few ways you can help us bring the album into the world and touch the lives of many people.
Our corporate sponsors are an integral part of our community. Find out how your company can help us expand our reach.
Your donations will help us produce this album and touch more people coping with illness or grief.
We need your time and talent to spread the word, plan events, and support participants. Join our Great Blue team.