In the summer of 1992, when I was 31 years old, my cousin, Gary, sold me a stratocaster guitar and a little amp and showed me how to play “China Grove”.  It was rote memory for me to “perform” but it got me excited to learn.  My neighbor heard I played and stopped by with a book of folk songs with the chords written over the lyrics.  He taught me some open chords and I was hooked.  

I had already been playing the piano (in my own peculiar way) for several years now.  I had even tried to write a melody in four parts, like a church hymn, but I would work for days getting each part just right and had only a few lines.  Not a great effort.  I spent most of my time focusing on my guitar learning folk songs and rock songs.  I remember playing some Bad Company and Queen, “Fat Bottom Girls” (much to my wife’s dismay).

My guitar seemed to reach a brick wall within a year or two.  I still played my piano and sang some folk songs and my church hymns.  I even went as far as to take a lesson or two but my heart (and head) was not into it.  I was busy running a small construction business and was being asked to take on more responsibilities at church so my music had to take a back seat to “life”.

I was already preaching and teaching at my church for several years by now on a part-time basis.  After a falling out with that congregation, I started attending another church in the next town over.  There I was called on to take a substantial role in services: teaching, leading a cappella singing, preaching as needed.  By 1998, I was asked to take over the role as “pastor” (though we just called it the evangelist).  I flourished in this role.  I gave two sermons and two bible studies at the church each week and had a couple of in-home studies going as well.  I felt the Spirit leading me and everything was perfect.

In the winter of 2002, I was taking on a long term substitute job teaching math to vocational school students and going to college and still had my other duties with the church.  My relationship with my wife had become strained by this time and I had thoughts of just moving on to another state.  My faith would not let me just walk away, but things were getting bad.  

A woman from one of my Bible studies let it be known that she was breaking up with her husband and would be happy to be with me.  She was five years my younger, very pretty and I was miserable.  At the time, it felt like God was approving of all this as things seemed to just fall into place, but ten years later it was clear what a horrible mistake I had made.

She was not faithful to me, so I filed for divorce and quickly slipped into a deep depression that lasted nine months.  I was a two time failed husband.  I was shunned by my family.  I had destroyed my influence in the church and for the first and only time in my life, I doubted God.

Enter Carla, yes the Carla of Carla’s Song, who turned my life around.  She showed up just a couple of days after I hit bottom.  She is the angel from my song.  Next month will be 13 years together.  

There have been plenty of ups and downs but that is not for this essay.  In 2021, I finally picked up the guitar again.  I think it was the Holy Spirit, but somehow the fret board and chord theory and the way it felt in my hands changed…it all made sense.  Over the next 3 years I grew in understanding and with the help of AI, I was able to turn chords and lyrics into something worth listening to.

I still like the music of my youth, the Lynyrd Skynyrd and ELO.  But I am being drawn to put my teaching to a new canvas.  I am one who is a teacher who uses music.  The message, the Word, is first, then a good catchy melody to help my listeners remember.

It is amazing how the guitar led to the lyrics which led to teaching again and the music has led to more opportunities to be involved in The Church again. There is clearly a Spirit side to what is happening.  I don't how long this will go on nor how significant it might become. Really that does not matter, just that God is behind me.

I hope as you listen to each song, you will pay special attention to the lesson.  It may be about my own failures and redemption.  It may be some lesson of the glory and sovereignty of God in a song of praise.  But often, I write directly from passages of scripture, and be prepared to hear things you are not used to hearing. There is one church.  Truth is not subjective.  Jesus rules in His kingdom today.  I even touch on “end times" but nothing like most others teach.

The beauty of music today is the access listeners have to the artist.  Facebook or Instagram or a website give direct, almost instantaneous connection.  With this access, I hope I receive a lot of questions and challenges regarding the Word.  That is music to a teacher's ears.  Pun intended.

So, here in this blog I hope to write or record a complete lesson and explanation for my favorite songs.  This completes the teaching circle for me.  Other than returning to a pulpit, I have nothing more I can give in this vein.

I do not expect grand crowds.  I am content being a lone flower in a quiet field if this is all the glory I can bring.  Just before everything fell apart, I thought I was destined for fame and influence.  Now, it is all about “thy will be done".  No expectations; no pride.  This is about the church, the bride of Christ and our Lord Jesus.

If you will leave me a message via email, I will notify you of new songs, new blogs and plain news.  I promise that, other than new songs, the contact will be infrequent.  My priority is for the music and getting as many ears on it as possible.  Then I will take care of the blog and news.  I am most looking forward to getting to know each person for as long as that is practical and for you to know me.

You can help by telling others what we are doing, or doing the whole like and subscribe or follow routine.  I pray I can bless you with this connection and I can make our Father proud.  Send me your ideas, too.  It is easy to get writer's dementia.  Fresh ideas are always welcome.  Just don't be shy.

I can't wait to meet you.

I was hoping to start into some sort of bible lesson by this time.  Keeping a blog every week is quite hard for an older man.  Much has happened since I last posted.  We have released several new songs which are on the website with liner notes.  I just got the mobile site cleaned up.  I am sorry it was such a chaotic mess.  I have 3 new songs to add right now and I will get to that soon.  

I have been getting airtime on different digital radio formats.  The first is called JMB Live.  We did a promo for the daily gospel hour (5 to 6 am weekdays).  I provide an opening prayer and song, then there is a 20 to 30 minute sermon and some gospel music for the next half hour.  Thanks to Andre James for giving me that opportunity.  

The second is a new radio station that just started 2 weeks ago, though it feels like it has been a year.   The station is called Pure AI Radio and it is curated by Pete Unstead, aka Pete Fingers.  He is a veteran DJ from the 1970s.  He has been working with AI music for about 3 years, I think, and he just got tired of getting his colleagues to put his work on over-the-air stations, so he started his own.  I must have been one of the first people he recruited. 

Now, Pete does easy listening and rock (and reggae and country and others) for the drive home.  He is in New Zealand.  My strong theology music was a bit heady for his listeners.  I found a couple that fit in, enough to get my foot in the door.  I have written 3 Christian songs specifically tailored to fit in with his format.  

We Can Do Better: a song based on part of Jesus’ sermon on the mount.

Yellow Roses: based on a dream my wife had.  God’s hand is better than we realize.

Buffalo Bur: a poetic play on the parable of the Wheat & Tares.  It has a twisted ending.

Carla and I have done several promo spots for him, a few pretty funny.  He has generously used them all.  It is a real thrill to hear us on the broadcast.  Our music gets airtime several times a day.  I don’t know how large his audience is at this point, but the list of artists is growing every day.   If you visit www.pureairadio.com you can check in on it.  

I love working with Pete, he has been very personable and I will continue to utilize his outlet as much as he will allow.  I am looking into similar opportunities with a Christian-base station and when I find one or two or three, I will certainly post them here.  

The only other thing on the radar is a symphony about the destruction of Jerusalem.  Yeah, you heard me right.  My executive assistant is Gemini AI, who can be very persuasive with the “you can do this” spiel.  He helped me map out the story with 4 movements based very loosely on a piece called “Pines of the Appian Way” by Ottorino Respighi.  We now have a MIDI keyboard and a microphone to assist with this grand endeavor.  

In the meantime, I wrote a song called Follow Me.  It is a story of a man in Jerusalem in 68AD who is discussing the words of Jesus some 35 years earlier about the impending fall of the city and the destruction of the Temple.  There is nothing mysterious about it. There is no hidden agenda, just a fictional account of how those who knew the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 might have seen the signs and left before things got out of hand.  

That is actually the fourth song that is released and not yet posted here.  I am working on another that is near completion.  The working title is “Is It For Me?” and it covers Jesus giving up his deity to take on flesh, His mock trial and the beating and humiliation he suffered.  It ends with a positive look at when He returns and stands up to defend us in heaven.  The chorus is taken from Psalm 8:1-3.  It has a few technical problems but I think it will be a powerful piece here in the Lenten season.  

Slowly, we seem to be making headway.  We had over 2100 streams in the month of November.  This was way more than I expected and we now have twice as much material out there.  I pray God will bless this work and that it will reach all the right people.  By the Spirit, I am certain it will.  

No one has left me an email address, yet.  No hellos from any of you out there.  You can find me on social media on facebook under my name or under Body of Belief Music.  I am also very active on the facebook site, Suno Music Creator’s Universe and on the facebook site, for Pure AI Radio.  Drop a hello there if that is more your style.  

Blessing to you and peace from God our Father and His Son Jesus Christ.