YC 2008

I'm sorry that the Saturday Song Story didn't happen this week. Michelle and I spent the whole weekend in Gander at YC 2008 with our youth group. And how's this for a big honor...I got to open for Leeland!

Someone asked me if I got to meet them. The closest that I got to actually meeting anyone famous was when I went on stage for my soundcheck. Leeland spent about 45 minutes of the hour slot doing their soundcheck, which was alright with me, because when it's just me and a guitar I only need 5 minutes. The lead singer was on stage talking with a sound guy, and he came up form behind and told me he was sorry for taking so long. I thought it was someone from the tech crew so I said something that was little more than a grunt...something to the effect of "No worries." I then turned around and realized who I had grunted at. Some artists get pictures with the bands that they open for. Not me...I grunt at them.

Later, to one of the tech crew, I jokingly pretended to be excited that my guitar was on Leeland's guitar stand. I don't think he knew I was joking, because He looked at me blankly and said..."It's a rental."

Anyway, we had a good weekend. I got to catch up with some old friends and meet some new ones.

Here's some pictures from the weekend. The first one is a great shot of my baldspot :)

Saturday Song Stories - "Restless Wanderer"

Restless wanderer is a song for my family. I love them. I wanted to write a song about them. I almost didn't include it because that sounds so cliche. So, I decided to write a song that admits my shortcomings, but also my good-intentions and desire to live up to the task at hand.

The line, "Lately I've been forming in myself the character of Cain", is reference to his disregard for his family members, and how when he had killed his brother, he lamented the fact that he would now be a restless wanderer on the earth (Genesis 4:12,14). This is how many men live their lives; wandering. Not by having affairs, maybe, but by not giving the spiritual care to their families that is required of them. To me, wandering is a metaphor for not living up to the high calling of fatherhood, and husbandhood (if that is a word) and giving more care to other things. Not settling down, I guess, or realizing just how much our actions affect our families.

In my opinion, this verse sums up the point of the song. "Little Ones with innocent eyes, reminding me to hope that the seeds I've sown in you will bear some fruit. If I've scattered weeds, I pray they're choked out by my love, both for my Savior and the love I have for you."

I really like this song because it is the most real one on the album. First of all, the false start in the intro (which my mother totally hated) is completely real. The other guy talking ("Any time.")is Dean Stairs, my producer. Secondly, as you may have noticed, there are some "accidental variations" in the chord progression at a couple of points, which I love. And thirdly, the whole song has a Blue-Rodeo doing a rough practice in a smoky room sort of vibe to it, almost like you shouldn't be there.

Good News...

I just wanted to let all of you know some good news that I found out earlier this week. It turns out that I've been nominated for Gospel Artist of the Year at this years MusicNL awards in Gander. The awards will be handed out in November, so I'll keep you posted.

"Wounded" Live Performance

Here's a performance of "Wounded (Song For The Orphans)" in a noisy coffee house - August 2008.

Monday...Ummm....I mean Saturday Song Stories: "Wounded (Song for the Orphans)"

Last Spring as I was finishing up in the studio, a man named Junior Andrews came to our church. Junior is the director of an Organization called Village of Hope in Lilongwe Malawi. Junior spoke of children who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The situation in Africa is at epidemic proportions. On that morning, Junior showed pictures. He said names. He explained individual situations. These were children that were just as real as my own.

The website www.un.org estimates that there are between 850,000 and 1.2 million AIDS orpahns in Malawi alone. The government can only afford to throw $250 000 at the problem.

I have to admit, I can't relate to this scope of need. A million children with no parents. How is that possible in a world like ours?

I went home that morning overwhelmed, so I picked up my guitar. The only way that I can explain it is that within 20 minutes this song had erupted. I felt that day that even though I wasn't able to give a home to an orphan, I could offer this. How powerful is a song? Can it make a difference? I pray each time that I perform it that it will be a tool in God's hands.

I also have a brother that is passionate about orphans in Mexico. I have seen the compassion of God reflected in my brother Rick's eyes as he speaks of real children who have been rescued, and the many more that need care.

And that compassion is essentially what this song is about. God cares for these "little wounded souls" and commissions us to be the hands that deliver his practical care. I guess as I worte this song, I pictured God reaching out to a street child in Malawi, picking him up, and whispering to him "In my house there are no orphans."

Why I like Coffee Shops...

Although I am not a historian, I believe that the concept of a coffee house originated in Turkey. There's an old Turkish proverb that goes something like this:

"The real reason that people go to coffee houses is not for the coffee, nor for the music. Those are just excuses. People go to connect with one another."

I spent this past Friday night playing a coffee house concert in Bay Roberts. It was a great time. Although, at those sorts of events, the musician is clearly the background music, that's alright. The point of these types of venues is connection. It was a great night, and it was great to meet some new friends.

"This Too Shall Be Made Right" - By Derek Webb

This is such a great song that I had to share it with you.