Listening to the Right Voice

“Don’t forget this one…” The muffled sound of music plays in the background.

“Which one?” I ask, not able to discern a melody. She can’t remember the title, but she will.

My sister, Jody, sings along with the music in the car, “Call me from this boat, I wanna walk on the water.” It’s my song about wanting to escape from the doldrums of life, into something more fantastic. There’s got to be something more, kind of thing.

“Oh yeah, I love that one,” I reply.

Jody and I try to talk on the phone every Friday morning on her way to work, me on my way to a weekly meeting with some guys. It’s our regular time together. And it’s usually therapy for one of us.

“But my favorite is still ‘hold onto me forever, and I’ll hold onto you,’” more singing. That someone would actually like my music enough to consider one a favorite is mind-boggling to me. But I don’t have the average sister.

Throughout most of the Nashville years, she has been a steady source of encouragement to me about my music. She keeps old cassettes I’ve sent to her over the years, and plays them in her car. Or jams along to the tunes in her basement music room. She makes me think there’s actually value to some of my songs, when it seems like no one else in the world cares. I have always believed what my sister said because she was older, which meant wiser.

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I Surrender My Desire To Be Popular

I packed a sandwich for the trip, but had to stop and get some fries and a diet Coke for accompaniment. It’s better that way. It’s only a three-hour tour from Nashvegas to Louisville, just long enough to make a couple phone calls and get through three CDs. Haven’t heard Breathe’s “Hands To Heaven” for a while, so I enjoyed that. Would love to cover that, as well as “Somewhere Out There,” perhaps with Natalie Grant playing the Linda Ronstadt part, for the forthcoming Pilgrim Man CD.

Last time I pulled into Dover Chapel, the town was covered with ice. This is the church used in “The Perfect Gift,” you know, the one that put up the Nativity scene that I had ordered taken down? I was wondering if the real-life church would have an actual Nativity scene set-up, with maybe a sign declaring, “As seen in the feature film THE PERFECT GIFT” for those who drove by. No such luck.

I’ll be doing a concert in their morning service tomorrow, and then singing “Emmanuel” prior to a screening of the film in the evening. I couldn’t be more thrilled to be here, and get to share some of my tunes with these amazingly kind people.

I’m listening to a station that just might play my Christmas song, "Emmanuel (You Are With Me)". Honestly, it’s a weird feeling thinking your song might come on, and then realizing it probably won’t. And trying not to be resentful of the others who do get their songs played on the radio. The more effort that is made to get my song played on Christian radio, or to get some press coverage for the movie – and the more walls we hit – people saying no, or just not saying anything at all - the more challenging it is for me not to get frustrated. It’s easier to not go after something, and simply live in the fantasy of what might happen. But putting yourself out there for people to say “this is of value to us” or not…is a crazy way to live.

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Movies, Music, Radio... To the Moon, Alice!!!

I thought it was time for an update. There's been so much going on lately, it's hard enough for me to keep track of it all. More than anything, I want to say a giant THANKS for the support and encouragement from you all!

CLANCY - this awesome faith-based family movie is being released around the country via DVD on Oct. 20. It's a great adventure-driven relationship story with powerful themes of forgiveness, faith, sacrifice, and redemption. Oh, and it features my song "Precious Memories" - available now on iTunes, or watch the music video on YouTube. You can also hear the whole soundtrack for Clancy on iTunes, as well.

THE PERFECT GIFT - my motion picture acting debut! Releases on DVD Nov. 3rd, with a limited (teeny-tiny) handful of theaters showing it, as well. A few TV networks will be showing it, too (details TBA). A heartwarming Christmas film that will be around for many years to come, The Perfect Gift explores the Culture vs. Christmas war that always seems to strike up around the holidays. I play the leader of a local ACLU-type group who tells a local church they have to tear down the Nativity scene they've put up in their front yard. Yes, I'm the bad guy. But I play him with such charm and passion, I'm certain you'll love hating me. The Perfect Gift also features my tune, "Emmanuel (You Are With Me)" - more below on this one. Again, this is a Kelly's Filmworks production - my friends Jefferson and Kelly up in Louisville are amazing and really appear to want to help the people around them succeed more than themselves. I'm thankful to be around them and the beneficiary of much of their generosity and love.

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Major Turning Point For Me

It's been an amazing year already. I still am walking about 4 inches off the ground at all times. So what's been going on? I'm just home from an amazing trip up to Minnesota. I saw Coleen and Tim get married (Awesome). I saw the Twins lose (Not so awesome) - but it was still one of their last games in the Homerdome (Can't wait for the new open air stadium next year - anyone know anybody that can help me get on the National Anthem docket sometime?).

Had an amazing concert experience at Rochester Covenant Church - the people were so overwhelmingly loving (special thanks to Pat & Ray!). Also had a very special time at the Bleeker's house doing an extremely intimate concert in their living room for a great group of people. My singing was fueled by some unbelievable ribs and fixins eaten on the back patio on a terrific MN summer evening.

Honestly, this trip was a major turning point for me. I'll try to explain it.

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My 2nd Music Video....Seriously?

If you would've told me a year ago that I'd get to have a music video shot of one of the most favorite songs I've ever written, I would've said you're crazy. Ok. So that dream came true. Read about it here. But if you would've told me that within a year I'd get to shoot a second music video for another of my tunes, oh and by the way, both tunes would be used in really cool ways in a couple different movies, I'd probably bet money against that happening. Well let's just say: don't ever sell God too short. The dreams he has for you are actually bigger than the ones you have for yourself.

With that being said, it's been an amazing year. And I wanted you to get a chance to see my brand new music video. Last fall I decided I wanted to write a Christmas song. But I didn't want just another normal holiday "isn't everything so great" kind of tune. I know the holidays are one of the most difficult times of year for many people. So I sat down and wrote: "Just another lonely holiday, never thought it would turn out this way." Cheery, right? Then I decided to turn it into a prayer: "Come into my silence and bring me peace. Come into my darkness and be my light. Come into what's broken and make it whole again." Then my friend, the amazingly talented Tim Brown, put some great music and production to the words. A little while later he offered, "Hey, wanna shoot a music video?" After a little Photoshop for the wedding picture, a hot summer day, and a dozen tolerant neighbors later, we had a video.

The tune is also going to be used in the holiday movie "The Perfect Gift" - yes, the same one I'm making my motion picture acting debut in. I feel very blessed. And a bit freaked out all at the same time.

Wanna see it? Hope you like it. And more importantly, I hope it will be encouraging to people who don't have much to smile about at Christmas.