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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- Orrin Hatch, the songwriting U.S. senator, has gone platinum.
Hatch, R-Utah, co-wrote "Unspoken," which was recorded by Jaci Velasquez and was chosen for "WOW Hits 2005," a compilation of Christian pop music.
It has sold more than 1 million copies, earning Hatch his first gold and platinum album.
"Some people who don't ever listen to my music, they just can't imagine how a senator can write music. They just write it off as a gimmick, but I think that says it's no gimmick," he said of the high sales.
The framed platinum and gold records recently were mounted on a wall in Hatch's Washington office. He wrote "Unspoken" with Madeline Stone and Toby Gad.
The song's chorus: "God heals us when we're broken. Don't leave your heart unspoken."
Hatch earned about $39,000 from his songs in 2005. His latest hit, which he co-wrote, could be "What Could I Do Different Tonight?" It is on country singer Steve Holy's "Brand New Girlfriend," an album that has enjoyed high sales.
------ Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune, http://www.sltrib.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
