![\"gift_gab-sweet_lorraine1\"](\"http:\/\/www.raisingjane.org\/journal\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/gift_gab-sweet_lorraine1.jpg\")
Image by L. Prang & Co. via Wikimedia Commons<\/p><\/div>\n
After 96-year-old Fred Stobaugh lost his wife of 75 years, he did something he’d only done once before:<\/p>\n
He wrote a song.<\/p>\n
Inspired by loneliness and love, he sat alone in his Peoria, Illinois, home and penned “Oh, Sweet Lorraine.”<\/p>\n
Oh, Sweet Lorraine<\/i><\/p>\n
I wish we could do<\/i><\/p>\n
The good times<\/i><\/p>\n
All over again<\/i><\/p>\n
Shortly after putting his love to lyrics, Fred spotted an ad in the local paper announcing a contest for singer-songwriters sponsored by Green Shoe Studio<\/a>.<\/p>\n He didn’t suppose he fit either bill, but he just happened to have one song up his sleeve \u2026<\/p>\n Oh, sweet Lorraine<\/i><\/p>\n Life only goes around<\/i><\/p>\n Once<\/i><\/p>\n But never again<\/i><\/p>\n “I\u2019ll just send a letter,” Fred remembers thinking, even though contestants were asked to send newfangled YouTube videos of their musical performances.<\/p>\n With old fashioned resolve, he sent his song on paper. He wrote on the envelope, “‘I don\u2019t sing, I would scare people, haha!”<\/p>\n Fred assumed he wouldn’t hear back from young, hip Green Shoe Studio.<\/p>\n But you know he did.<\/p>\n This is just that kind of story.<\/p>\n Contest director Jacob Colgan contacted Fred to tell him that he would like to professionally record “Oh, Sweet Lorraine.”<\/p>\n “Why would you do this for me?” Fred asked.<\/p>\n The answer was plain, Jacob explained, “Your song touched us.”<\/p>\n My memories will always<\/i><\/p>\n Linger on<\/i><\/p>\n Oh, sweet Lorraine<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n