A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE--The 80's/90's in Church Music

A recent discovery in a music closet that was flooded had me curious as to who the group HEIRLOOM was ( I never heard of them) and why we would have scads of this book ( A LADIES BOOK) in our possession.

First, I had to laugh at the cover.  I'm a child of the 80's and I know everytime I look at styles like this I think--"what were we thinking?"
I could date the book just by looking at the hair styles. Can you guess what year? ( Let me just say that I married in 1990 and my lovely bride wore one of these hair styles for our wedding.  Love you puddin'--happy anniversary on Wednesday--20 YEARS) (As I watch this it's Totally 80's night on CAKE BOSS--maybe it's coming back)

Second of all, who at the music publisher thought that this was a great idea  (Wait--I have to remember that in the 80's it was heavily photo intensify of the artists (Sandi Patti, Amy Grant, Steve Green, Larnelle Harris--am I dating myself here).  Today graphics for publications are more conceptual and graphic rather than identity driven.

What gems and jewels of the past in church music can you find at your place?  Believe me-there's more to come.  I saved a pile of it to blog about.  You won't believe it!

HEIRLOOMS--Gospel History

In Praise of the Contemporary Psalmist

Having spent a week in Nashville (the hub of most if not all of Christian music today) I have an idea that has been running around in my mind this week and I think I have to say something.

We've been blessed this week to be exposed to some of today's best song writers and psalmist. This guy and this girl led us this week in worship and I would consider them some of the best at modern psalmnody.

Webster defines "psalmist" as: a writer or composer of especially biblical psalms.

And therein lies my issues with some of what I've heard this week here in Nashville. Those that have stood out in my mind are those that hone in on the truths of scripture and steer clear of the more experiential lines and phrases which so quickly come to be "cliche". Simple lines like "I am restless until I rest in you (taken from the writings of St. Augustine) found a resonance this week because they are scriptural in nature (if not down right rephrasing of scripture verses themselves). These are the timeless things that modern day psalmist must immerse themselves in.

Instead the music industry is cranking out more and more music than Fanny Crosby could ever have imagined in her lifetime, and to be honest some of it is not good and some of it very forgettable.

If I could have said anything to these young writers this week I would have said: "Sit on it for a while--let it begin in your soul and then sing it and write it." I'm afraid that it's been the other way around--write it, sing it and then let it sit on your soul. It just doesn't work that way.

Some of the music industry has caught on to this and they're not telling, but I see their watchful eye on some of these artists. They are the shining jewels in modern Christian writing.

This blog is written in praise of the contemporary psalmist. May your tribe increase.

Screen Your Sunday Soloists!

If you've never auditioned your Sunday morning soloists, here is a good reason and reminders why you should probably meet with them early on to see what it's going to be like.

WARNING: Turn down your speakers!

Four Chords--Hundreds of Songs

I found this video and thought it was interesting.   I'm often told that Worship music today has only 4 chords that you can play hundreds of songs (and that my be true since we did MIGHTY TO SAVE and THE STAND linked together today in worship).   Maybe it's just a result of the musical forms that our ears are used to these days.   Back in the days of Mozart, the resolution to different chords was seen as scandalous ( that people would even know what suspensions and resolutions is amazing to me).

Anyway, look at this video and laugh.  Then let's discuss the state of music--secular and sacred.