These Are the Days ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXuIiHKk0H0

The Wind Cries Mary ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTdxAVPkUOk&feature=related

All At Sea ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUscn6VPfXc&feature=related

As far as Christian music goes, Gospel is by far my favorite. I listen to the Gaither Vocal Band and Ernie Haas & Signature Sound all the time.

I’m catching up on my reading, can you tell?

I stopped listening to Christian music almost completely back in ‘98 or ‘99. I still don’t listen to much. But have you checked out Sons of Korah? Music’s pretty good, and I can’t very well complain about the lyrics — the Songwriter knows, better than anyone, what we need to sing about. It’s been an enormous blessing to my walk with God to begin to sing the psalms. I can’t believe I come from a background of strong, hymn-singing churches, and I never really learned to do this.

I’m getting more and more rabid about psalm-singing, and if the church as a whole would return to it — as we’re clearly commanded to do — I think that would train us in what to sing about. Music written by psalm-singing songwriters might well be worth listening to…

-Tim

You asked if I’m playing in my church now. YES! Piano’s always been my preferred instrument, although I play the electric keyboard now in my church most of the time with the praise team. Music’s always been a big part of my life. My dad was a wonderful banjo player… had his own band back in the days of songs like…. “Five Foot Two, Eyes Are Blue,” “12th Street Rag”!
These are all before your time (mine too, except I remember my dad playing all that stuff).

Then my twin brother was a great electric guitar player. He used his music in the secular realm. He even filled in once or twice for Johnny Cash. He died at the young age of 23. I believe I’ll see him again, but that’s a long story in and of itself.
My only other living brother plays the banjo also like my dad. So music is in my genes you might say!

I became a Christian in high-school and have always used my piano in the church, also accompanying high school and college choirs, etc. In fact, my husband and I traveled in a musical gospel team before we were married (and after) representing the Bible College we went to. It was great fun. I loved it. Still do.

But I agree that a lot of music is all show and emotion. I like Christian music with real meaningful words that speak to my heart from the Word of God.

I’m sorry to go on about me. You’re the one I’m interested in. I hope you’re doing well. I can see already how the Lord is working in and through you. Your pastor raved about how much you’ve meant to him. Quite a testimony.

Hope you enjoy each day with the Lord, I wish you God’s best.

Your friend always,
Diane

i was out at westcliffe today and they were all asking about you. i told them i hadn’t heard from you in a while but keep up with you through your blog. e-mail and let me know how everything is going and what you are up to.

as far as good music, i have never really been into the christian music scene that much either. the christian bands that i keep coming back to are switchfoot (you should check out jon foreman’s [lead singer] solo stuff, especially his album titled “fall,” read the lyrics for sure, the guy can write!), waterdeep (also go to their website or itunes and listen to some of their old stuff when they were just don and lori chaffer, extremely creative and original…no touchy feely), derek webb, tyler burkum (used to be with audio adrenaline, extremely talented) and bebo norman.

the secular stuff [sorry, i read your post and i totally agree] i like is led zeppelin, guns and roses, acdc, lynyrd skynyrd, pink floyd, cream, jimi hendrix, rolling stones, swell season, ray lamontagne (very cool), feist, wilco (also very good), norah jones, eva cassidy and many others (including lots of old country (50’s 60’s and 70’s) but I am guessing you would not be interested! i really like the classic rock and the folky/acoustic stuff that a lot of people are into right now.

get on itunes if you don’t already have it and you can find someone you like and then on the right side, you can follow a link to what other people bought who also bought the album you are looking at, or you can find the band you like’s myspace page and then follow links to their friends and other bands. but beware, this can turn into hours of wondering around the web.

i really do enjoy music and i totally know what you mean when you say you are tired of the hokey feel good stuff. i know i left some bands and groups out, but these are the ones i thought of off the top of my head.

hope you all are doing well.

Thanks for the song! I didn’t know you wrote music! That is wonderful. Are you playing in your church now?

I also really like country music. During the past three years, though I haven’t listened to much music, I have listened to some country.