In Case You Missed It ...
Nov 20, 2008 3:27 pm US/Central
Concert To Honor Murdered Garland Music Producers
GARLAND (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
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Matthew Butler and Steven Swan outside Zion Records, in Garland.
KTVT / KTXA
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Artist Chris Chism will perform a concert benefitting the family of murdered Garland music producer Matthew Butler.
Zion Gate Records
Two men, murdered in Garland last summer, live on in a concert inspired by their deaths.
Steven Swan and Matthew Butler were killed as they left their recording studio. Now the outgrowth of their collaboration bears fruit in what's called the "Leave a Legacy Benefit Concert".
The concert is with Chris Chism, an artist the two had hoped to record, and who has now released a CD through their company - Zion Gate Records.
The concert is a benefit for Butler's family, but tonight for the first time the family of Steve Swan, a musician in his own right, talks.
For two families, June 19th is the night the music died.
"Initially, when it hits you, and all of a sudden, he's gone!" Steve Swan's mother, Jean, explained. "It's very faith shattering. You don't even know what to hold on to."
Five months on and Jean Swan can barely talk about the son suddenly swept from her life. "He had had cancer, just been declared in remission of cancer before he was murdered," she said teary eyed. "So he had a tough year."
Now her family's motivation is to make Steve's music available to anyone.
Steve's father, Craig, says "There's a lot of work to do for us to see that his musical legacy is preserved."
Steve Swan matched his love of music with his intricate knowledge of computers and recording devices. That brought him together with Matthew Butler.
Butler owned the fledgling Zion Gate Record Studio and Steve Swan became his sound expert. Butler's widow, Jamie, says "For me, just being here [at the studio] reminds me of him and reminds me of the great times we had together here."
Police say the music artists were ambushed by two men who took a DART Train to Garland to rob anybody they could find, supposedly because they thought Garland is where rich people were.
According to authorities, the suspects got away with $2.00 and Steve Swan's car. They were arrested a few days later. In an uncut jailhouse interview with CBS 11 News the suspects confessed to murdering Swan and Butler. (Warning: the video seen on the right contains extensive profanity.)
Now a recording project the friends were planning is bearing fruit. Zion Gate recently recorded the work of Chris Chism, including the song, "Leave a Legacy," which was written the day Chism learned about the murders.
"The song says, were going to carry on the hopes and dreams, keep singing the song of the redeemed," Chism explained.
Thursday's concert is to promote the CD and an upcoming Chris Chism tour. It's being held at the Granville Arts Center Main Stage on 300 North Fifth Street in Garland. Tickets are $15 each or 11 tickets for $150. The show begins at 7 pm.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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