Tennessee Crossroads and California's Gold

I'm looking forward to visiting friends and family on our next trip to California in June. As a native of southern California, I have always been curious about it's history, people, geography and interesting places to visit.

While on a visit to my old stomping grounds in Orange County a few years ago, I told my cousin about a show I love back home on our Nashville PBS station called "Tennessee Crossroads." My cousin suggested I check out their local show called "California's Gold, " one that sounded very similar to "Crossroads." I immediately went to the internet and found listings for "Gold's" current showtimes, along with a bio of it's host, Huell Howser.

It's obvious that Howser isn't from California at all (it's not difficult to figure out after hearing his Southern drawl). According to the bio, his television career began here in Nashville at WSM-TV.  While a reporter for WSM, he began a series of "human interest" stories presented during daily news broadcasts. His segments highlighted interesting people and places in and around middle Tennessee; he became extremely popular.

Howser  later moved from his native Tennessee to join WCBS-TV in New York City. He migrated to Los Angeles in 1981 to work as a reporter for KCBS-TV. Then in 1987 he joined the public television station KCET/Los Angeles to produce a series of short programs featuring the stories of people from all walks of life throughout "The Golden State." The show morphed into "California's Gold" and has been going strong ever since.

It all makes sense now. "Tennessee Crossroads," one of my favorite weekly shows, has sort of a connection to my home state. As a fairly new resident of middle Tennessee (going on 11 years), I want to learn all about this area. In fact, my family on both sides originated from middle Tennessee. My Great Grandmother was born in the very county where I live today. Like Howser, "Tennessee Crossroads" host Joe Elmore has a folksy demeanor and skillfully draws the viewer into each week's show.

I never plan on leaving Tennessee. But when I visit California, I know I'll be tuning into "California's Gold" every chance I get.

Aha Moment

Creative people like myself tend to see the big picture. A weakness that goes along with creativity is many times failing to break-down the facts before we set out on a journey. Questions like: "how much time will this take?" and "what will it cost?" seem to be eclipsed by our excitement.

I watched a special on Oprah Winfrey's network the other day. Morgan Freeman gave his life story in what is entitled, "Master Class." I believe Freeman's journey is a lesson in listening closely to the messages God gives us through our everyday circumstances.

One of the most important things he said was that while all of his actor friends seemed to pull out ahead of him in their own careers, he learned that his career was moving at it's own pace; that even though it seemed slow to him, his career was moving in the right direction and at the right speed. How many of those actor friends ended up earning an Academy Award, or have been honored with a Cecil B. De Mille Lifetime Achievement Award--as he was this past week at the 2012  Golden Globes award ceremony?   

I feel that Morgan Freeman's "testimony," while not religious, per se, is worth watching. If you are able to catch this extraordinary life story, full of important lessons, please take the time to hunt it down on your T.V. listings and watch it in it's entirety. Below is a promotional segment--poignant none the less.

Strawberry Shakes

I've got a new favorite: strawberry shakes from Sonic. I got home from church Sunday and knew that by day's end,  I'd have to take a trip to my favorite Spring Hill ice cream place.

I know...shakes are full of calories; full of bad stuff that I shouldn't allow in my presence--let alone in my belly. But that sweet, creamy, cold concoction can make a gloomy day bright. So I seized the opportunity and, after his nap, invited my dad as an accomplice in my little ice cream scheme.

Pop and I pulled up to Sonic. I leaned out, ordered him a chocolate malt and a strawberry shake for me. After the car hop brought the treats, dad and I sat there listening to the 40s channel on my Sirius XM radio, and promptly finished the drinks.

Sometimes I take little times like this for granted, but not last night. Dad and I had a great time together. He told me of the days, back in the 30s and 40s, when he would order a double-decker hamburger and a malt at the original Bob's Big Boy restaurant for under a dollar. It's always fun to catch my dad when the memories flow freely.

There we were in my car, emptying a strawberry shake and a chocolate malt--listening to Billie Holiday, Artie Shaw and the Mills Brothers--watching the rain roll through Spring Hill, Tennessee, on a Sunday evening. Money can't buy that.

Speed Bumps

Speed bumps can be a hassle. You've got to slow down and take it easy going over them or driving too fast could cause your car to fall apart right there in the roadway.  That's one way to look at it.

My dad and I were talking about the speed bumps that God allows in our lives. They're not placed haphazardly or randomly; they come in all sizes and are placed in the roadway of our lives to help us.

Most of the time we rush through life without noticing the scenery, smelling the roses or pondering the many blessings around us. Sometimes a speed bump comes in a variety of "difficulties" like  health problems or financial challenges. Whatever the situation, we are forced to slow down and pay attention to our bodies, spending habits, relationships and especially our relationship with God.

Most of the time life's speed bumps pop up while everything seems to be going well. The warning might be a blessing in disguise as God gives us the opportunity to stop, look and listen. Sometimes potential dangers are up ahead and we have no clue.

So when something interrupts our lives, God may be trying to get our attention. We may never know when it'll happen, but if a speed bump appears up ahead, it's better to slow down and make adjustments. Thank God for those pesky things--they save lives!

Gamaliel's Wisdom

I just finished Chuck Smith's 2003 book, The Man God Uses: 14 Characteristics of a Godly Man. Chuck referenced Acts 5 in one of the chapters, and reminded me of the wisdom Gamaliel spoke to his fellow Pharisees following the death and resurrection of Jesus. 

Acts 5:27-28 states:

"The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest. 'We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,' he said. 'Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.'"

Ironically, when Jesus was on trial, this same group of Jewish leaders asked that Pilot put Jesus' blood on their heads, demanding He be killed--now they are working to avoid blame.
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The plot thickens as the Apostles, now on trial themselves, insist:

"The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins." Acts 5:30-31 (NIV)

Then in verses 33 through 39 we read:

"When they heard this, they were furious and wanted to put them to death. But a Pharisee named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, who was honored by all the people, stood up in the Sanhedrin and ordered that the men be put outside for a little while. Then he addressed the Sanhedrin: “Men of Israel, consider carefully what you intend to do to these men. Some time ago Theudas appeared, claiming to be somebody, and about four hundred men rallied to him. He was killed, all his followers were dispersed, and it all came to nothing. After him, Judas the Galilean appeared in the days of the census and led a band of people in revolt. He too was killed, and all his followers were scattered. Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God. (NIV)”

In reading this, I am reminded that it's wise to "consider carefully what you (or we) intend to do." Rash decisions usually lead to failure. When we follow Jesus and obey His Word, we are certain to succeed. It may not be an easy path, but we can count on the Holy Spirit to see us through. If what we do and say "is of human origin, it will fail." If what we do is of God, no one will be able to stop us!

Thank God for Gamaliel, his wisdom, and his courage to step of of the crowd to deliver it.

AM Radio: L.A. in the 60s and 70s

KHJ, "Boss Radio,"  was "the" AM radio station for me to listen to while growing up in southern California in the 60s. Disc Jockey legends like Robert W. Morgan, Charlie Tuna and The Real Don Steele worked their way to L.A. to hold some of the nation's ultimate radio gigs. KEZY was another favorite. In my youth I was entertained by KEZY DJs like Bruce Chandler, Paul Freeman, Mike Wagner, Dave Sebastian and Rick Carroll.

The DJs were as important to us as the music they played. Little did I know growing up there that some of the classic music of the last half of the 20th Century was broadcast for the first time from those tiny radio control booths--making an initial impression on Los Angeles and eventually, the world. Some producers in Hollywood were known to finish a mix in the recording studio, run to one of these radio stations and beg the DJs to give it a spin. I was so blessed to have grown up in the midst of all that.

I recently read a great book about the formative years of radio called, The Hits Just Keep on Coming: The History of Top 40 Radio, by Ben Fong Torres. For those like me, who's life has been deeply touched and affected by AM radio, you will find this a very interesting read. It was fascinating to learn how radio would evolve, even to survive competition from the broadcasting behemoth--television.

These days I listen to Sirius XM. But even they use DJs on my beloved "70s on 7" channel,  just like KHJ and KEZY did back in the day. The following is an exerpt from an upcoming tribute film to the L.A. studio musicians of AM radio's golden age: The Wrecking Crew. In it, you'll hear some cool anecdotes from folks who were part of, or associated with, the Wrecking Crew. They specifically talk about Todd Storz and Gordon McLendon, from the birth of Top 40 radio to the homogenous nature of  radio today.

The Summer of 1969

The summer of 1969 is more than just a song by Bryan Adams--I lived it. For my 9th birthday in July, my mom and dad let me stay a week or so with my grandmother.

Surrounded by thousands of other cookie-cutter apartment buildings in San Jose, California, Grandma's place seemed like a safe haven to play "hide and seek," or a game of marbles with the neighborhood kids. But because I was afraid of the boogie man, I rarely left Grandma Zoe's side.

I had ample reason to be afraid. The Zodiac killer was on the loose in greater San Francisco, frightfully near San Jose, murdering young people (The killings occurred between December 1968 and October 1969). Altogether, four men and three women between the ages of 16 and 29 were the unfortunate victims of this vicious maniac (other reports suggest he actually killed dozens more). In any event, I was scared stiff. I can remember seeing the ciphers--coded messages--written by the Zodiac, printed in the newspapers that Grandma Zoe left open on the kitchen table.

1969 was also the summer of Apollo 11 and the first men on Moon. Less than a week before America's youth invaded Woodstock in Upstate New York on August 15th, Charles Manson and his "family" committed the Tate-LaBianca murders in the Benedict Canyon area of Los Angeles. I clearly remember watching the news on T.V. with my family after returning home to Orange County from my time with Grandma Zoe. It was the day after the Tate murders and a local station was reporting from an L.A. freeway off-ramp while authorities searched the dense vegetation for a gun, a knife, and any evidence purportedly thrown from a suspicious car.

After Manson and his cohorts were apprehended, the entire country--especially those of us who were less than an hour's drive from the horrendous crime scene--sat stunned. This "peace and love" hippie, Charles Manson, shattered the "love not war" image of the Haight-Ashbury flower child. We were now looking into the face of a monster. Everything changed that summer.

I know all this seems bleak, but there is a time when a child first realizes the world is a dangerous place--that life is fragile. That summer was my initial wake-up call. I don't live in fear anymore, but all it takes to bring up these memories is a T.V. show like the one I watched last night about the Zodiac killer. It's amazing how one summer can change your little universe...and the whole world, too.

Playing Acoustic Guitar Live

Most of you acoustic guitarist out there have the same frustrations as me: it's difficult to get a great live acoustic guitar tone.

My studio is equipped to produce wonderful acoustic sounds from my 6, 12, hi-string and classical guitars--as well as my mandolin--through great mic's and preamps. But I've always had to settle for second-rate, under-the-saddle tones live, even with on-board microphones. I'm still not fully satisfied. Don't jump to conclusions--I have great guitars with top-notch pickup systems. It's just that I can't coax a decent, authentic, full, studio-quality tone during a show.

I started my live acoustic journey like everyone else: clueless!  Back in 1973, at my first paying gig (a wedding, $35), I shoved a gigantic microphone into the sound-hole of my cheap Japanese dreadnought. Obviously, I fought feedback the whole time.

I grew as a player and jumped into the pro-world when I installed an L.R. Baggs under-the-sadle pickup with an on-board mixer onto my 1976 Martin D-28. It worked well, but the piezo artifacts in the overall sound still irked me. I eventually purchased a Lowden O25, put a Sunrise pickup in the sound hole, an L.R. Baggs under the saddle, and mixed it all together with a Pendulum Audio SPS-1 stereo preamp system. It was a very expensive way to bring my live acoustic tone quality to a decent level. Still, If you can believe it, I wasn't fully pleased.

I read an interview recently with James Taylor in Mix Magazine. Since I've seen JT in concert, and know first-hand the tone he demands from his guitar, I shut up and listen when he addresses his tone secrets. From the Mix interview, JT describes his current live acoustic challenges and solution:

"The Holy Grail of acoustic guitar for live performance is finding a way to get the artifacts out of the transducer. The slight buzz, the quack we’ve all experienced. They’re moving targets, and unfortunately you just can’t dial them out. To me it seems like there’s this little curve of phase cancellation followed by augmentation that occurs with each note, and it’s not static enough that you can find it easily. This is the major thing we’ve dealt with, and right now we have a pretty good handle on taming the problem using Fishman’s Aura acoustic-imaging blender."

I currently only take my Composite Acoustics GX Performer dreadnought out live. I love it! It has an L.R. Baggs iBeam mixer on board (you'd be extremely surprised how this guitar sounds in the air--it is physically light and resists the temptation to change it's tuning with drastic temperature fluctuations while getting it out of the car and into the venue). 

I've got the Fishman Aura 16 blender and agree with JT: it's the best solution for good live tone so far (you'll have to make your own judgement). I'm one step closer to live acoustic nirvana! Anything beats a microphone bouncing around the inside of my acoustic, just to get heard above the drums.

John Stanko: Five Regrets

My friend, John Stanko, has been sending out "Monday Memos" for years. I am on his email list and am encouraged each time I receive one. John was my boss back in the 90s when I traveled the U.S. with Integrity Music's Worship International, conducting workshops in churches as a speaker and musician.

John's workshop classes back then were always encouraging and very funny. His emphasis on discovering ones life purpose challenged me, and has helped me define my own life journey and purpose. I encourage you to check out his website and to subscribe to his Monday Memo. The following is John's latest Memo. It always grabs my attention when the heading says something about regret and dying. I hope you enjoy and benefit from this today.  ________________________________________________

The Five Regrets of the Dying

I found a link to an article over the holidays and wanted to share it first chance I had, so this looks like a good week.  It's written by an Australian woman, Bronnie Ware, and can be found in its entirety here.  I will summarize the five points of her article "The Five Regrets of The Dying," and focus on one point in particular.

THE FIVE REGRETS
Here are the five regrets that Bronnie discovered in working with those patients close to death over the years:

1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.
2. I wish I didn't work so hard.
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings.
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier.

Here is what Ware had to say about the first point, the courage to be true to self and not others:

This was the most common regret of all. When people realize that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people have had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. It is very important to try and honour at least some of your dreams along the way. From the moment that you lose your health, it is too late. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.

DON'T LET IT BE YOUR REGRET
It takes courage to be true to yourself and who God created you to be. Before David went out to fight Goliath, King Saul tried to have David wear his (Saul's) battle armor.  Saul was a tall man, however, and the armor didn't fit.  David did not try and please the king. Instead he rejected the armor and took along his sling shot, something that was more true to who he was.  His success is legendary (see 1 Samuel 17:38-40).

Are you wearing someone else's armor?  If you are, then you are headed for the number one regret expressed by the dying.  Don't do it!  I cannot say what you should do, but I can only urge you to follow your heart and stop living your life for someone else, unless however it is for the Lord.  I was challenged by this list and I hope you are, too.  Now get about the work of living before it's too late.

Richie Furay Rides Again

If there are any forefathers of country rock, Richie Furay would certainly be one of them. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee helped launch Buffalo Springfield with Stephen Stills, Neil Young and Bruce Palmer back in 1965.

"'In Springfield, Richie was a key singer and key writer,' said Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke, who attended a show in Oakland. 'In a sense, Richie was the anchor. He was the center as well as a central figure. I thought he was one of the highlights of the show.'"*

"'Richie's voice was great texture along with Stephen's voice and the angst that was going on at that time," Jim Messina [Poco, Loggins and Messina] said. "When he (Richie) sang, he wasn't only singing, he was bolting out electricity.' But creative tensions and personality conflicts caused the band to implode."*

Furay's  pop music career also helped birth the group Poco and then later, the Souther, Hillman, Furay Band. During the heyday, a crisis in his marriage started Richie on a journey of faith.  In 1983, Furay decided to focus his energies on ministry, and ever since has been pastor of Calvary Chapel in Broomfield, Colorado.

As a pastor, Furay still plays and sings with the Richie Furay Band, made up of multi-generational members from his church worship band and youngest daughter, Jesse Furay Lynch.

Last year, Neil Young called on Furay and Stills to join him as Buffalo Springfield for a charity event, and then for a set at the 2011 Bannaroo festival in Tennessee. Because of the positive vibe in the group and egos of the past staying in the past, it looks like the Buffalo Springfield will ride again--at least for a tour scheduled in 2012.

After the 30-date tour, Richie Furay will return to his humble status as pastor of the local Calvary Chapel in Broomfield, Colorado, but the world will have been reminded that he also was, and is, a rock and roll pioneer.

* Quotes taken from a July 16, 2011 Denver Post article by Jeremy P. Meyer

A Case For Angels

Last year Brenda and I walked away from a car accident that would surely have killed us if God hadn't have settled our out-of-control car onto the median of an interstate highway, out of the way of oncoming traffic. We both crawled from the driver-side window into safety.

How many times have you avoided catastrophe in your life? I bet many times you never saw it coming and probably didn't even realize you were in harm's way until afterward, when you stared chillingly into the tragedy that could have been. Like Mr. Magoo, we blindly walk through life, unaware of the many dangers that zoom right past us.

I saw a video on the web today where a lady was just missed being crushed by two cars that collided in an intersection and bounced up on the sidewalk where she was walking. Supposedly, 15 seconds into the video, an angel swooped-in to rescue her (I couldn't make it out on my screen). Even if it was faked--made up by some skilled special effects computer wiz--it still reminded me of the daily miracles we experience, even those that happen when we aren't paying attention.

I believe in angels. Why? Because God's Word has much to say about them. Have I seen one? I don't know, but I hear that they sometimes blend right in as regular humans, sent to do God's work. Angels will never bring attention to themselves because they are there to bring glory to God and to do His bidding (Psalm 103:19-22).

The word "angel" actually comes from the Greek word aggelos, which means “messenger.” The matching Hebrew word mal'akh has the same meaning.  God dispatches these heavenly messengers to intervene in our earthly lives, and it probably happens to us without our knowledge.

I can look back in my life and soberly recount the instances where it was probably an angel sent by God that saved me from an otherwise deadly fate. I bet you can too!

When Creativity and Faith Collide

While watching the final scenes of 2005's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory last week, I was reminded of an exchange between Willy Wonka and Charlie. Wonka's candy isn't selling so well, so he returns to Charlie after the boy turned down ownership of the chocolate factory (Wonka wouldn't allow Charlie's family to come with him).

Charlie asks Willy, "What do you have against my family?" Wonka replies, "It’s not just your family. It’s the whole idea of. . . You know, they’re always telling you what to do, what not to do, and it’s not conducive to a creative atmosphere." Like Wonka, artists don't want interference from anyone or anything that could inhibit creativity. But as Christians, when faith and creativity collide, we must allow God into the creative process.

Creative types like me are dazzled by new opportunities to write, compose, record, etc., and many times find ourselves overwhelmed with too many ideas from which to choose. These ideas can be good and noble ones, but we must ask ourselves:  How will this creative idea serve the Kingdom? To what will I most wisely and effectively give my creative energies and resources?

The reality is, I have limited time, resources and audience, so I must ask God for inspiration and direction. This requires discipline and trust, and it has much to do with focusing my energies only on God-ordained assignments. How do we know the difference between God-ordained and me-ordained? It's always good to seek wise counsel from others, pray and study the Word. Sometimes it's an inner witness of the Holy Spirit that keeps us moving forward on an idea. In any event, faith will always be a part of our journey as believers.

If we let God be Lord of our artistic endeavors, He will certainly bring us opportunities in the new year to express ourselves in ways that glorify Him. After all, isn't that what art is all about?