President and CEO Rick Eldridge of Mainstreet Entertainment in Charlotte, N.C., says, "The owner of the company heard Carol's CD and gave her the opportunity to send us three songs, based on the script. Carol had an excitement about the project that came through in the songs."

When asked if writing the lyrics and music was difficult, Zimmerman says, "I love everything about Christmas. It's my favorite season. Even my name has to do with Christmas. When I read the script parameters for the songs, I immediately went to the piano and had the tunes. The words just came."

"Carol came through in a remarkable way. We couldn't be more pleased," Eldridge said.

Based on the book of the same name by Lori Walburg, (Zondervan, 1997), the story begins when mystery man Sonneman, rides down East Sage's main road during the late 1800s. Zimmerman's song, I Think I Know, introduces the characters, who wonder why Sonneman has come to their town.

"I knew I wanted a Western feel with an easygoing saunter to the song," Zimmerman says. "I envisioned Sonneman, who has secret plans to open a candy store, riding on a buckboard pulled by a horse coming into this near ghost town."

Sung from the vantage point of Thelma the owl, (Florence Henderson), Zimmerman sets the stage. "You just can't shuffle into town without a ruffling a feather or two...hoo, hoo, hoo!" From the clip-clop of horse hooves to the bustling general store, one is immediately drawn into Zimmerman's catchy melody. The Western feel to the tune plays well against the wary attitudes and perceptions of the town folk. "We're gonna find he's a con, he's got a wagon of tricks; I like him much better gone! I think I know, I think I know, he's gonna shake a little dust."

The same way Disney gives animals human personalities and quirks, Mainstreet succeeds as well. One character sure to cause a giggle in young children is Chester the mountain goat - who is afraid of heights. Chester's friend, Rusty the dog, tells Chester, "Sometimes the pit in your stomach is the same feeling you get when you're afraid as when you're excited." Rusty encourages Chester to "remember that the next time he wants to do something but is afraid to." Chester overcomes his fear in a clever and humorous way. Zimmerman says, "I think Chris [Auer] did a great job of blending humor and conflict into the script."

The second song, Sleighride, Zimmerman says she had fun writing. "I wanted to capture the essence of winter, the cold chill in the air, the frisky, first sparks of romance." From the first lines of the song, Zimmerman achieves her goal. "Horses prancing, snowflakes dancing, out on a winter's night. . .we're romancing," is a happy tune, sure to stay in one's head long after the movie is over.

Jane, the female lead in the story, falls in love with a character who doesn't recognize or return her feelings. Zimmerman's charge, to make the audience feel Jane's heartbreak, once again delivers in her third song, View From My Window. The viewer believes Jane when she sings, "And while nothing bad really happens here, nothing good comes my way, and the view from my window is not enough to make me stay."

Zimmerman says, "I could identify with Jane. She's lived in this town, a nice town, all her life and though she loves the people in it, when her plans don't pan out, the big city beckons. It's the age-old pull young people have."

As a general rule, the storyboard editor works in conjunction with the composer. "With Carol," Eldridge says, "we just sent her the script and she came back with three finished songs that work very well. We'd definitely like to work with her again."

Written by Chris Auer, the special is animated by Chris Delaney, an 18-year veteran in the industry whose specials have appeared on The Disney Channel and Fox Network, and have won international awards.

Delaney agrees the storyboard process was made easier because of Zimmerman's talent. "Some of the compliments we heard from people we work with in Hollywood told us how beautifully the songs work with the story. In my view, the story and the songs are a perfect marriage."

Besides being a subtle lesson in learning to accept newcomers, "The Legend of the Candy Cane" accomplishes another feat - bringing a fresh slant to the meaning of Christmas. Sonneman uses the candy cane as a symbol to tell the Christmas story. Turned upside down, the candy looks like a shepherd's crook. The two colors, red and white, are used as a metaphor for good and evil. "As the red disappears, the white shines out, just like Christmas shines brightly in our lives," Sonneman tells one of the children.

Produced by Mainstreet Entertainment and promoted by Zondervan, "The Legend of the Candy Cane" has a lineup of seasoned actors. Ossie Davis, Tom Bosley, Florence Henderson and Malcolm Jamal Warner all do voices for the characters. Paige O'Hara, whom many will recognize as the angelic voice of Belle from Disney's "Beauty and the Beast," is the female lead in the movie.

Delaney, president of Delaney & Friends, an animation production company in Vancouver, British Colombia, says of Zimmerman, "There's a certain genius required to capture the mood of a script, and Carol has that genius." Delaney says Sleighride, "is my favorite in the show. It comes where we could have had a lot of sadness, but because of the song, for the first time, the characters experience some joy in their lives. It's a poignant, beautiful song."

To order the DVD/video version directly, check Mainstreet's website at www.Mainstreetentertainment.com. Watch for its television debut at 6 p.m. on cable's PAX Dec. 22.

As for future endeavors, Zimmerman hopes to continue to write songs for animated projects with Mainstreet. For Zimmerman's upcoming concerts and to purchase her newest, just-released CD, "The Things We Love," visit her website at www.carolzimmerman.com.

Julie Saffrin is a freelance writer from Excelsior.

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