Cathedral healing Mass singer creates CD

By KENNY KEANE, Globe staff reporter
Posted March 13, 2003

Ever since she was three years old, Elaine Peacock knew she wanted to sing.

Her great love for music has been evident throughout her life singing in church choir, high school choir and musicals, and at weddings, funerals and nursing homes. She is also a part of the music ministry group that sings during the monthly healing Mass held at the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City.

"In 1993 I got involved in the prayer group at the Cathedral, and then they asked me to be in the music ministry group and sing," said Peacock, a parishioner at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Elk Point, S.D. "I love doing gospel, praise music. It's been really neat to be able to sing at the healing Masses once a month. That's helped my faith and healed my spirit with everything over the years to be able to touch other people's hearts, to see how the music touches them and heals them as well."

Most recently, Peacock has taken a leap of faith, quitting her job to pursue a career as a Christian music recording artist. After saving up the money to do so, she went to Nashville, Tenn., last summer to record her first CD, which was just released this January.

"I've always wanted to do a CD," Peacock said. "When I was younger I wanted to be a big star. If that happens, that would be wonderful, but that's not my goal. My goal is to be able to sing and to share with other people what God's given me. It's a gift, and I want to use it for his glory not mine."

Country Rose Praise is the name of Peacock's CD, which she said features inspirational, contemporary, country, gospel and original music, including one of her own hymns and four songs written by Charles Veldhuizen of Sioux City.

"It shows the gift that God gave me - the range," Peacock said. "To be able to do this for his glory, that's why I did the variety of praise songs first because it's obviously his gift. So it's my gift back to him."

She also said the people around her have been a gift and source of support. Her grandmother and mother passed down to her the gift of music, her parents raised her in the Catholic faith and she also has the love and support of her husband Paul as well as her children.

Warren Wilson, station manager of the Sioux City Christian radio station KAYA 91.3 FM, has also offered his support for Peacock.

"We try to encourage local Christian recording artists," he said. "I believe she has a unique contribution to make with her recording and her styling."

Wilson said KAYA is also looking forward to helping Peacock kickoff her project by hosting a dedication concert, which will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25 at the Bluffs Area Family Center in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa.

The concert will also serve as a benefit for the Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence (CSADV). Admission to the event is a donation of either canned foods, baby food, diapers, desitin, Child's Tylenol, Advil or a $2 donation to benefit CSADV.

The Country Rose Praise CD is available at the Family Christian Stores in Sioux City, or they can be ordered by e-mailing Peacock at countryrose@dtgnet.com.

"The CD is a gift," she said, "and I hope that people will enjoy it as much as I enjoy singing."