Salt Light City

If any two people were designed to play music
together, Gary and Sara Scharrer were. And play
is exactly what they do.

Known to others simply
as "Salt Light City", this dynamic pair is a whirl-
wind of fun, swooping into the Christian music
scene with a style like no others.

As musicians themselves, it was only natural
that the Scharrers wanted to add some new
CDs to their "grownup" music collection when
they had children of their own. They are the
proud parents of five children between the ages
of 4 and 8. And no, they don't have any twins.
Their family was created "both through the
miracles of biological birth and adoption".

Sara writes, "We wanted our children to have
CDs that they truly enjoyed and which were also
high quality. To us, that meant music that is
fresh, fun, designed specifically for kids, a
reflection of our most important values, and
real... Not just choruses of children singing
karaoke versions of common Sunday school or
adult radio songs, 'Christianized' versions of
secular pop acts, or cartoon soundtracks".

Gary and Sara searched extensively but were
shocked to find that what they were looking for
didn't seem to exist. They had often discussed
the dream of creating their own music for
children, but had assumed that the market was
already bursting with choices. Their discovery to
the contrary was the beginning of an exciting
adventure together: the birth of Salt Light City.

Using only an acoustic guitar, a pair of kazoos
and an assortment of world rhythm instruments,
their sound is upbeat and full while providing a
refreshing break from the over-produced, driving
electronic "pop" so common in today's
mainstream music. And let's not forget their
amazing singing talent. Although they choose to
sing in a style that is accessible to their young
audience, it is obvious that Gary and Sara are
well-trained vocalists. (They are also sometimes
joined in concert by The Walkers, a trio of
talented young siblings who add an extra guitar,
banjo, mandolin and electric bass to the mix.)

The songs on Salt Light City's debut album are
well-crafted and catchy, with tight harmonies and
lyrics that are simultaneously witty and
thought-provoking. Don't be surprised if your
children seem to think of Salt Light City as just
plain fun, though. Providing fun is what these
two are all about.

Similarly, Salt Light City's concerts intentionally
cast aside extraneous hype. You'll find no
complicated light shows, distracting screen
projections or canned choreography here.
Instead, Gary and Sara rely on their own radiant
energy and down-to-earth approachability to
truly connect with each audience.

It is absolutely amazing to see a big group of
kids (and adults!) so eager to participate,
especially in our age of spoon-fed entertainment.
Just moments after the first guitar strum or
djembe slap, the whole room miraculously
morphs into a shimmying chorus of joyful song.
Gary and Sara often comment that they have the
best seats in the house, because it's so much
fun to watch the audience "play" along. The fact
that they make this large-scale transformation
seem so natural is a testament to the sheer
magic of Salt Light City's performances.