This song is one of those that makes me tear up when I sing it. It's one of those that was on Micah's playlist and we played it at his memorial services. The song is by one of Sheila's favorite groups - Casting Crowns. The song made it's way into my songleader's songbook that is a collection of song-service music from camp and youth programs and stuff that I collected over the years. I eventually made a smaller print version that we printed up and bound with my old comb binder and made up our own songbooks for worship at the Tyler church.
Here's Casting Crowns' version of "Who Am I?"
It's an extraordinary song about God's extraordinary grace in doing what He did to save us.
Discovered this wonderful version of the first song I ever learned - Tennessee Ernie Ford's "Sixteen Tons". You have to picture a 4 year old singing, "Some say a man is made out of mud, but a poor man's made out of muscle and blood. Muscle and blood, skin and bones. A mind that's weak and a back that's strong."
I sang it with gusto. These guys, though, sing it with talent. I AM impressed.
This beautiful old hymn was a hit back in the 70s for Cat Stevens. Cat
later left the music business and joined Islam for a strange and
troubling journey for those who enjoyed his music. It always seemed odd
that the gentle singer we knew would embrace a religion not known for
it's peaceful ways. Cat changed his name to Yusuf Islam. He was born
Steven Demetre Georgiou. Now he goes by just plain Yusuf. Over the years
reporters used to seek him out to comment on some new official Muslim
outrage like the fatwah against author Salman Rushdie. He made some
comments that got him in trouble over the years. Eventually he returned
to the music business and made some new music and engaged in peace
activism. He has been given several humanitarian awards over the years.
Given
that as an outspoken Muslim pacifist, Yusuf is a fairly rare bird, it's
little wonder he gets a lot of attention from progressives in the
entertainment industry and the political sector. I don't care if the man
is a Muslim. At least he's a peaceful man and that is most important.
And his rendition of Morning Has Broken is one of my favorite versions
of this song. Enjoy:
This song went into my songleader's handbook years ago. Cat Stevens/Yusuf is the reason I found it. I am grateful.
This morning we get a cornucopia of folk music goodness. This is a rare little medley/sing off by three folk powerhouses of the sixties. It starts out with the Peter, Paul & Mary, followed by the odd British minstrel, Donovan Leitch, capped by the inimitable Smothers Brothers. I stole songs from all these people when I did campfires at Lone Star Camp. I swiped some of these very songs, especially the Smothers Brothers blackouts.
So here for a quick blast from my hippie past are PP&M, Smothers Brothers and Donovan:
Well that was fun! Now I want to sit down and listen to my old folk music that I've collected over the years.
This poignant song foreshadowed the end of John Denver's marriage. The song is one of his better songs lyrically and the tune supports the words perfectly. Denver's tragic death in a plane crash shocked his fans, but as any artist hopes to, John left behind a brilliant body of work.
This song is a nice one to put on your playlist on a cold winter evening. You can almost feel the warm Shanghai breezes wafting through your living room.
Born Henry John Deutchendorf, John was the son of a U.S. Air Force
officer. At age eleven, his grandmother gave him her guitar. He took
guitar lessons and joined a boys’ choir. At age
twenty he changed his name to John Denver and began to pursue a career
in music. Peter, Paul & Mary picked up and made a hit with his song
"Leaving on a Jet Plane". The success of that song led to John catching a
spot in the Chad Mitchell Trio. When they disbanded Denver took off on
his own and he managed to catch the social, charitable and environmental
sentiments of the 70s and 80s.
Here's a live version of Shanghai Breezes from John's later career:
Madison Rising came out with this powerful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner a few years ago. Fans at ball games and track meets go nuts over this version of the anthem. I believe this and others I shall post later should be played loudly over players who kneel to some bogus Marxist narrative that denies the sacrifice made by our great great great grandfathers made to rid our nation of the vile curse of Democrat defended slavery. My own ancestor, my great great great great grandfather Samuel Harris, who marched with Sherman and died in the appalling misery of a Confederate prison camp. The party of Jefferson Davis, George Wallace, LBJ and Robert Byrd have a lot to answer for. When I hear the anthem I get a thrill of pride for all the brave men and women who won freedom for all of us. It took a while, but we've got it done, despite those who would take us back and rebuild all the old animosities and hatreds. Instead we Christians must band together and obey His command, and more so as the day approaches.
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
My old friend Steve Borth has restarted his singing career with a new
album or two and some new songs. His latest album is called "Home as Soon as I Can." Steve was a year ahead of me at Valley Grande
Academy and we bumped into each other in our summer youth work for a
couple of years. We used to get mistaken for each other back when I was
thinner than I am now. We both play guitar, but that's pretty much where the musical similarity ends. He has talent. I hide in the back of the song service band and try not to mess up.
Steve left a trail of songs behind him during his days in Texas,
including two, "Faith", "Peace" and "Nothing Soothes the Soul Like Jesus". His early songs went on to became standards for
youth rallies all over the state. He also wrote a folk cantata called "The Great Controversy" that was quite good. A couple or three Adventist singing teams produced some really excellent versions of it. Another notable production was done by the Paul Johnson Singers. I always like the ones Steve did best, but then I liked his folksy sound better than the slicker versions with orchestration.
With his
new music Steve returns to his country-folk roots - his "country side"
as he calls it. This particular song piqued my interest. It's not your
typical gospel song, but Steve doesn't do safe - he says what he has to
say and doesn't worry too much about pleasing the folks down at Hal
Leonard or at Review & Herald even.
Steve's music is very personal and he has that unique deep bass voice of his that makes it special. All I know is that I like it. And Steve's a friend, which makes it even more fun. Some day, if not in this world, maybe the next, I'd like to get together and jam with Steve - just play some mellow old songs around a campfire. "I think I still know most of the words to "Toilet Man" even for the secular portion of the evening. I expect the new Earth will be a great place for making music. I can think of a bunch of old friends I'd like to have around that campfire.
Good luck with the album, Steve and may God bless you in all you do.
