LOCAL MUSICIAN PENS HEARTFELT SONG ABOUT ORLANDO TRAGEDY

A day after the tragedy in Orlando last Saturday night, local musician David Oliver Willis used music to express the community's collective sorrow.

Willis, a popular singer and songwriter from Mount Dora, said the lyrics to the song came to organically as he stood at the vigil in Orlando last Sunday.

"I was standing lakeside at Lake Eola at the vigil when the words kept running through my head. I had not even played it out loud ever before kneeling and seeing it at the vigil that night.." said Willis. "Shane, one of the victims of the shooting was a fellow performer in the Orlando area. Even more, having seen that Christina (Grimme), a contestant on "The Voice", was shot as well the night before was such a big shock for me.

He was referring to the singer who was killed at an Orlando club two days before the Pulse massacre. Willis was a two-time contestant on American Idol and performs frequently in Orlando and Mount Dora, so that was the first of the week's tragedies for him to try to process.

​"After the initial shock of how those were in entertainment spaces where I spend the bulk of my time, you begin to look out and see how many people were hurt and affected. (It's) an attack on the LGBT community primarily, but one that vehemently rippled its way through the cores of all decently civilized human beings," said Willis. "I could not keep my mouth shut and I will not."

The lyrics of the heartfelt blues song are below and the link to his impromptu performance at the vigil is below them.
​Lyrics:
There’s 50 cars left in the parking lot.
50 cars, [my lord ]
There’s 50 mothers waiting at the door.
There’s 50 mothers at the door.
There’s 50 mothers waiting at the door.
50 mothers [my lord]
There’s 50 roses picked by hate,
There’s 50 roses picked by hate.
There’s 50 roses plucked up by hate
50 roses [my lord]
All we need is a little more love
All we need [my lord]
All we need [is a little more love.]
All we need [my lord]
There’s 50 homes turned into a house.
There’s 50 homes my lord.
There’s 50 homes turned into a house.50 homes [my lord]
50 homes [my lord]
There’s 50 cars left in the parking lot.
50 cars [my lord]
There’s 50 cars left in the parking lot
50 cars [my lord]
​50 cars [my lord]

Here is the link to view Willis performing the song at the vigil:
http://fusion.net/story/313696/american-idol-song-about-orlando-shooting/ 

---

News & Events for 
​Mount Dora • Tavares • Eustis
Get your free monthly subscription here.