Gooden, left, singing national anthem, and Ramirez, far right
Schurr High School students

April 15, 1999
Web posted at: 12:05 a.m. EDT (0405 GMT)

MONTEBELLO, California (CNN) -- Inspired by a recent report on the Kosovo crisis he saw on TV, musician-composer Steve Gooden gathered a guitar he purchased for a friend -- and 15 minutes later came up with a song dedicated to the three American soldiers being held captive in Yugoslavia.

Gooden on Wednesday performed "Let Them Be Free" at Schurr High School. Among those in the crowd of several hundred was Vivian Ramirez, the mother of captured U.S. Staff Sgt. Andrew Ramirez, 24. Ramirez graduated from Schurr High School in 1992.

The acoustical chorus by Gooden is his personal tribute to the three U.S. soldiers in Yugoslav custody. All proceeds from sales of the single will go to the American Red Cross, earmarked for refugee relief efforts in the Balkans.

An emotional Vivian Ramirez spoke briefly to the crowd, thanking them for their many prayers, and saying that while as a mother she continues to worry over the safety of her son, she is very proud of him.

Ramirez

"When he wrote to me, talked to me on the phone, told me he was going to Macedonia for a peace mission, he was excited, he wanted to go, he wanted to do something for those people, he wanted to help. I was very proud of him -- of course as a mother, I worried as all mothers do," she said.

"Thank you for all your prayers, I'm sure that he's hearing them, and he will be back, real soon," she said to loud applause.

Prior to composing the song, Gooden said he never played the guitar -- and that he just happened to have one with him that he bought as a gift for a friend.

Copies of "Let Them Be Free" can be purchased on Gooden's recording company, 2KMusic Productions, Web site at www.2k2good.com.

The three U.S. soldiers -- Ramirez; Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Stone, 25; and Spec. Steven M. Gonzales, 22 -- were taken into custody while on a routine border patrol near the Yugoslav-Macedonia border. Yugoslav officials have said they are being treated well.

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