Striking Verizon Workers Inspire New York City Songwriter

Inspired by picketers outside a Verizon building in his Queens, N.Y., neighborhood, professional songwriter John Beltzer gathered his team last week and within two days they'd written and produced, "Can You Hear Us Now?"

Can you hear us now?
We're 45,000 strong
Can you hear us now?
Don't you know right from wrong?

That's the first half of the chorus to the tune co-written by Beltzer, Alex Forbes and Ruth Antrich, and performed by singer Carl Allocco.

"I went over there on Wednesday, and I spoke to a steward, and he told me what the workers are fighting for," Beltzer said. "I'm totally for the cause, and I told them I'd like to create a song for them."

It's the first of what he hopes will be many songs for labor and social justice causes. But it's far from his first song for a good cause. For 15 years, he's run the Songs of Love Foundation, a non-profit charity that produces uplifting, personalized songs for sick children and teenagers.

Beltzer started the foundation 15 years ago in memory of his fraternal twin brother. Since then, he's helped create more than 22,000 songs for ailing children across the country. He's been covered by a major media, including a Dan Rather interview on 60 Minutes.

To download "Can You Hear Us Now?" and see the lyrics, click here. To learn more about Beltzer's foundation, go to www.songsoflove.org.