The video below beautifully combines his love of family, of generosity, of his kids and of coming together as a community. We hope you love this version of Sing Me to Heaven by Daniel Gawthrop, as much as we do. We are so grateful for the incredible community of people who came together from across the country to make this video possible.
We’d like to share the story of the creation of this video as told by Dan’s daughter, Danielle, who spearheaded this project.
I am so grateful for the many acts of kindness required to complete this video experience in honor of Dan Neff. Years ago when my grandmother Jayne Neff died, my high school choir, conductor and all, came to her funeral to perform Sing Me to Heaven and it touched all our hearts and left an imprint on our family. As my father Dan Neff was approaching the hour of his death, I was struck by how COVID might rob me of the opportunity to perform Sing Me to Heaven at his funeral, to recreate that tribute of love through song.
So in January of 2020, 4 months before Dan Neff would leave this world, I reached out to many of my former singing partners from high school, college, and beyond. I asked friends and acquaintances, will you lend me your voice? Will you help me honor and commemorate my dad through song? And I was blown away by their responses. So many men and women, living their own busy lives, some who knew the song and others who didn’t, willing to spend time, effort, energy, and talent to help heal my heart and benefit my family.
When they said yes to me, and decided to give whatever they could to help me and my family heal, my heart was already full, and we’d only just begun. The following weeks were filled with emails, strategizing, technological challenges, and deadlines.
Each participant in this project labored to bring healing to the Neff family. Thank you all for sharing your hearts and your voices with me. My special thanks to Damon Vonn, whose vision and talent combined all of our voices into one cohesive choir. Damon, you brought so much humanity to this artistic process, always reminding me that every hour spent working and processing was part of my grieving; I am forever grateful for your kindness in execution and collaboration.
I awoke the day after my father died feeling like all the song in my heart died with him. Three days later I recorded my portion of this video again, in front of his picture on my living room wall, and though the pain is evident in my expression, the authenticity of that moment brings value and truth to a project in honor of someone who never failed to model those virtues in his daily life.
I love you, Dad.