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more mail

Owen Johnson--I just sent tabs on Willy and Big Town to put up at the site--they should be up within a week or two. I'll get to I'll Call You later this month. Thanks for remembering and writing--I love that you play in a neighborhood band for fun and fundraising. John Handysides--there are numerous guitar tabs for my songs at this site--I don't think I'm up to putting a book together but if there are particular songs that you want let me know and I'll make tabs on them. t.c.--I've always enjoyed hearing Glenn Kaiser at Cornerstone but I don't think we cross paths enough to do a project together. Cool idea though. Chris Canode--I just made two new tabs for the site--I'll get to Life Is War later this month. I love that song--glad you want to add it to your set list. Manfred Edlmann--I think maybe you're the first person in Austria I've had a letter from. My daughter and I were watching the Sound Of Music the other night and I was thinking at the time that Austria is a place that I'd love to visit one day. Thank you for writing me--so good to know that the Lord has filled your life with purpose and peace. Wally--the only thing I have booked in California at the moment is on January 31st in San Diego. The details are at this site. I play in California fairly regularly though so keep checking the calendar. Thanks for your interest. Epi Schmidt--the cd is in the mail--let me know if you don't receive it. I think the Chris Knight record is really great. Thanks for your interest. James House--I'll get something off next week. Thanks for letting me know. Alastair Cook--thanks for the airplay and kind words. BTW--you have a famous name--any relation? Mike Brazinski--I don't have any live recordings with Rich--sorry about that. Dave Leonatti--c.d. is in the mail--let me know if you don't get it. Shane Spann--thanks for the kind words. Maybe one day our paths will cross--all the best with your music. Tom Herzog--the Long Players show was such a blast--glad you could make it. Agung Halim--thanks for the beautiful acrostic--I hope you do put that book together--you have a lovely gift. Ron Scruggs--Send a cd to the address listed at this site and I'll listen. posted: 01.13.2007 | 04:45:25 | post number: 14

Happy New Year

Hi everyone--hope 2007 is off to a smashing start for you all. I've been down with a sinus infection but am restored to the land of the living in time today to put some background vocals on a Vince Gill/Reba McEntire duet. I hope they like a lot of phlegm in their vocal support... We have signed a distribution deal with TAG Artist Group which will cater to the CBA market and also international dist. which is of particular interest to me. I have a desire to pursue the European market which I have more or less neglected since Big Town. Thanks to all of you across the pond who have written to me--I hope to come and play for you in the not too distant future. I have some mail to answer--I'm trying to stay a bit more current with my replies this year. Yeah right. I have a lot of little goals in this, my fiftieth year. So far, the most satisfying thing I've done is get a new driver's license photo which is far superior to the last one--so whenever I start to feel my age,which is daily--I can gaze at my d.l. photo and calm myself with the thought that I'm improving with age. This should work for at least several days. All the best. Walter Santos--thanks for following up. We found a place in Northern California that suited our needs. Stacy Jagger--I can't say that I'm glad to be an independant although I'm glad to be autonomous. I just want to be an artist and pursue the things that I'm gifted to do. Administration and marketing are not on that list so I do them marginally out of necessity. On the upside, we never made any money on our records until we owned them. As far as how artistry has impacted my life as a mother--I think the two are in many ways incompatible. A performer functions on ego--it takes an enormous drive to put yourself in front of people constantly. Family life functions best on loss of ego. I think that having a family and resolving to make them my priority has cost me career-wise but it has made me a more decent human being. Most of the time I am devoted to my home life with Kenny and our kids but I get to leave on a semi-regular basis and go play music for people that are most appreciative. I consider that a rare gift. Stacie Sanders--I had one memorable year at San Domenico 1971/72--I think it was. Sounds like you gave a lot more to the school than I did. I was nothing but trouble; I'd love to hear your music--if you have a recording send it to me--my address is at this site. Julie Mann--sounds like the concert you described was the 20th anniversary celebration of CCC. I hated missing that but I loved coming back and leading worship in November--hope you were there. Karen--my initial plan is to make tracks available for the hymn record because that is what I've had the most requests for. If that goes well I may put some tracks from other discs at the site. Let me know the songs that you'd like to cover. Leah LaRocco--thanks for the kind words--leading at Kairos was quite an experience for me. I don't know of anyone looking for an assistant at the moment but this is a political town--the best thing to do is immerse yourself in the musical culture and consider your life one big meet and greet. All the best. Bryan Grassmeyer--thanks so much for the offer. My band work is really limited these days but I'll keep your number. I loved the event @ the Schermerhorn as well--what a privilege to play in such an amazing room. Pat Walsh--I played at a church a few times in New Jersey but haven't been back for a number of years. I don't have anything booked there but if you're interested you can call or email my agency. The info is at this site. P.s.--you have a beautiful state. John Shortridge, Alsan Roy and Jack Kettler --we loved the show in Denver--what a great old theatre--so glad they're keeping it alive. Thanks for being part of such a great audience. Paul Jancsik--send your daughter's c.d. to the p.o. box listed at this site and I'll listen. Nice to hear from you. Chris Dickson--I don't know the song "One Less Stone". Who's it by? Sally Fingerett--your name is familiar to me--do we know each other? Are you a musician? Come To Mama was recorded (I think) by several people. Try Etta James. Next time I talk to Pam I'll ask her. Sherman and Rosella--thanks for the kind words--it was an amazing thing to sing with all the young people at Kairos but it was comforting to see people closer to my own age in the crowd. Robb Benwell--I'll tell Kenny about the link. Fred Morgan--thanks so much for the c.d.--I haven't listened yet but it's in the stack. Thanks also for the kind words about the new disc and "I Need Jesus". I'm glad we finally got a good performance on that song--we tried once or twice before and it just didn't happen. I've known Kevin Welch for years--used to sing in a band called the Roosters with him. I love his song with John Hadley "Til I'm Too Old To Die Young" I think Linda Rondstadt recently recorded it. Take care. Gretta--thanks so much for writing--it means a great deal to me to hear that my songs help people in hard places. I understand suffering; in my own life, the Lord has shown up in such unexpected ways and transformed the most hopeless circumstances--I generally avoid cliches but the one about the darkest night is often before the dawn was actually true for me. I trust it will be true for you too. Bill Fitch--thanks for the great words--I hope we keep rockin' too! Michael Shaw--I don't have plans for a dvd on my radar--I know you've asked about this before. Kenny and I have started to focus on doing some acoustic shows together on a regular basis and they are pretty rockin' so maybe we'll end up putting something together with that. Glad you like the cd. Andy Schumacher--glad you could get Big Town again. If you want to send me some of your music--send it to the p.o. box listed at this site. All the best with it. posted: 01.13.2007 | 04:49:55 | post number: 13

Fall 2006

Hi everyone-- Hope it's a colorful fall where you are--we had a really lovely one in the great state of Tennessee this year after several years of autumns that can only be described as dull--or, worse, tepid. Is anyone still thinking that global warming is a myth? I am looking forward to a week in California this month, to the end of another vitriolic election, to all my favorite foods at Thanksgiving, to the Advent season--once again I recommend a beautiful Advent devotional--Watch For The Light that can be found @ Amazon and has become my favorite early morning ritual during the December insanity. I hope you all have many opportunities to be outside, to be with people you love, to be undone by the Spirit of the living God. Here's some overdue replies to your mail: Gary Furr--a long overdue thanks for opening for me in Birmingham and your lovely note afterwards--I heard, sadly, that the Moonlight Cafe closed--I hope there are other listening clubs in Birmingham--that was a good one. Hope you are singing and preaching with heart and soul! Jamie and Project American Life--I did not read your email before my last visit to Birmingham or I would have responded--I'd be glad to come next time I'm in town. The best way to arrange it is to watch the web site and when I'm coming your way drop an email. Gilda McCarley--how wonderful to see you and to be flooded by Decca memories. I ran into Scott Chancey in Pigeon Forge this summer with his wife and daughter--he's doing great, living here in Nashville. I see a lot of our fellow BHS alumni at AA meetings... Hope to see you again my dear. Bill Jacobsen--I've been meaning to mention that I thought David's poem to his son Dane was quite beautiful and moving--I hope he's doing well. Wes Alford--Great to meet you and to see some new spirit in the church--I know my uncle is a handful, thank your lucky stars that you never had to contend with my grandmother... I hope to see you again. Tom Ebert--I attend a Presbyterian church that is part of the Presbyterian Church of America--there have been several splits in the denomination and this particular arm is the more conservative/evangelical one. I think speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift which, used in order, can be very beautiful and effective--personally I use it in my private prayer life when I don't know what to pray. I play a lot of songs that are not gospel or christian--I think Madeline L'Engle said it best in "Walking On Water" when she said "there is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred". When a song expresses an idea or a feeling that I identify with I am likely to play it regardless of the perceived spiritual condition of the writer. I think the Lord invests His whole creation with gifts--whether the recipient acknowledges Him or not and I am drawn to art from all different kinds of people. As far as music goes--I have to say that with the exception of hymns, most of my favorite music is by non-believers. The music in the CCM industry is, for me, too safe, too polished, too imitative. I absolutely do not think that playing rock music compromises my faith--in truth--it is integral to the way I express my faith. Cammie--thanks for the great letter--I love my visits to the Jesus House. Richard Smith--I smile thinking about your youth service at Sequoyah--I bet it was wonderful! I do know Ben--his dad, Brown co-produced my Lesson Of Love record with Kenny. I hope everything is going well with you and your family. Stephanie Medley--forgive me for not replying to your request sooner. If you still want to learn the chords to Big Town let me know and I'll do a tab for the site. I played at a biker church near Nashville not too long ago--it was quite an experience! The pulpit was the front end of a Harley I believe. Carroll Miniard--thanks so much for writing--I so appreciate your response to what I said about Becca. I hope to be part of future Coaches Honor retreats and I hope that Evan is in a stable, functioning place. Gary Marriott--that would have been "I See You" Thanks for coming to the concert. Ron Jagger--That must have been the hymn series we worked on together. Feel free to send a cd to the address @ the site. Jeff George--I am about as low tech as a human being can be--I use a Boss A/B tuner and a Boss Chorus (sometimes). Kenny's current pedalboard: his primary board has a Boss CS2 compressor, white clean boost, sparkle drive, nobels distortion, full-tone distortion, Boss tremolo, volume pedal, Boss giga delay. This runs into a secondary board which has an H&K rotosphere, a line six delay, digi-tech whammy pedal, Roland V-wah, Roger Mayer fuzz. We have no idea about Dann Huff's rigg--maybe he has a web site. Hope this helps McCall Tucker--forgive me for taking so long to reply about your wonderful cd--thanks so much for doing Walk To The Well and Revive Us Again--it thrills me to hear my stuff in a new generation. All the best to you in your career--hang on to your heart girl! John Handysides--I can barely get it together to get tabs up on the site so I don't imagine there'll be a music book any time soon but if there's something specific you want let me know and I'll make a tab. Will Arthur--thanks for writing--I don't do clinics (for what I consider to be obvious reasons...I play about 3 chords in about 6 different tunings!) Kenny just did a clinic with Phil Keaggy but typically doesn't do them either. Good luck with your guitar playing--it has been one of the great companions of my life. Pat Walsh--when I made the tab on Power In The Blood I was singing it in F. Then I decided I was working too hard and it was a lot easier to sing in E but it really doesn't matter--the tuning and the chords are the same--if you want to play along with the record just put the capo on the 2nd fret (I'm sure you knew that--sorry) Cheri--I love being your bathroom music--your letter reminds me of the lady with too many children who put her dress over her head when she wanted to be alone and pray! Amanda and Kail--your children are all gorgeous! Thanks for the picture and your kind note--I look forward to meeting Draven one day--what a little heart breaker--every family should have at least one spitfire. All the best. posted: 11.02.2006 | 05:19:36 | post number: 12