MARION — Nolan Gibbons — already an achieved musician and performer as a teen — used to say, “Mother, dad, look what I made.”
Earlier than Nolan died at 15, his dad and mom Sheila and Warren Gibbons had watched him develop as an artist.
However 4 years after he handed, it was now the 2 of them drawing upon what they discovered from Nolan as they labored to supply and share their son’s music. He had written about 90 songs, based on Sheila and Warren.
Three of these songs premiered on the fourth annual NolanFest music competition Saturday, July 13.
Sheila and Warren collaborated with different artists to finish the three new songs, which had been written and produced by Nolan.
Now, they will say, “Nolan, look what we made,” Warren mentioned.
“It’s been such a therapeutic, unbelievable expertise,” he mentioned.
Nolan was a member of native youth singing troupe the Showstoppers and nationwide acapella group “Acapop! KIDS,” amongst different ventures. He had appeared on nationwide tv and traveled the nation.
He handed away in August 2020 attributable to sudden unexplained demise in childhood, or SUDC.
NolanFest at Silvershell Seaside is held in his reminiscence. He would have turned 19 on July 12.
The annual group music competition has advanced over the course of its 4 iterations.
Due to COVID-19, a memorial couldn’t be held instantly after Nolan’s demise, based on Warren.
As what would have been Nolan’s sixteenth birthday approached the next summer season, these in Nolan’s group had been trying to grieve — and itching to get on stage — based on Sheila.
The primary NolanFest in 2021 was a “memorial,” she mentioned.
“We realized that is enjoyable,” Sheila mentioned. “We must always do it once more.”
Warren mentioned the music competition is a “reward to the city” that’s grow to be a spot for performing artists to satisfy one another.
For 4 hours at NolanFest, artists took the stage at Silvershell Seaside to carry out, together with teams Nolan had been part of, like Break a Leg Theater Works, an space non-profit theater group.
The occasion raises cash for the Nolan Gibbons Memorial Fund, which gives grants and scholarships to performing artists.
Nolan was a “cheerleader of anybody who was attempting,” based on Sheila.
“It helps with Nolan’s legacy as a result of he was such a giant cheerleader of different artists,” she mentioned.
A video recording of Nolan singing the nationwide anthem opened the night. The brand new songs written and produced by Nolan premiered later within the night time.
“We’re nonetheless his dad and mom, and we’re so pleased with him as an artist and as an individual,” Sheila mentioned.
Earlier than a fireplace dancer ended NolanFest as Silvershell Seaside turned to nightfall, festival-goers heard “Heavenly Human,” one of many new compositions.
This previous yr, Sheila and Warren felt prepared to achieve out and ask for assist finishing a few of Nolan’s songs, Sheila mentioned.
Vinny Costa, a buddy of Nolan’s from an acapella program, recorded the vocals for the piece. A video for the track performed on the competition’s stage.
“We’ll by no means give up,” Costa sang. “We’ll take advantage of it.”
The lyrics appeared on the display screen.
“Don’t be shy,” he sang. “Don’t let it finish.”
