I've spent much of my day working on an aricle for a group of Christian newspapers. The sun is shining, but it's still very cold out. My eyes are burning from all of the time spent on the computer today and this weekend, turning old slides into digital pictures.
I took Scout out for a walk, twice, but by the early afternoon I have to confess that I was completely pooped out. But I have a ton of work to do, so while Scout curled up under my desk for a nap I sat on the office floor and started going through the piles of CDs that have stacked up from the last month or so. My eyes needed a break from the computer monitor. I needed some background noise to keep me awake, but didn't really want to listen to any more talk radio and every CD I picked up looked like it might give me a headache.
Then I came across Phil Keaggy's The Song Within.The album came out in 2007, but for some reason I have it in my "just released" box. I should relabel the box "just what I needed."
The album showcases not only Keaggy's incredible talent but the amazing McPhearson guitar. While I listened to the album, I filed and sorted three boxes of CDs. It was almost like taking a musical nap, if that makes sense. The music is melodic and contemplative and really refreshing.
You can check out Phil Keaggy's The Song Within, as well as his more than 50 releases, at his website.
How happy am I? Randall Goodgame just released a new EP!
You may not have heard his name before, but you've probably heard his music. Randall Goodgame is a songwriter for Caedmon's Call and had penned songs for artists like Andrew Peterson. A few years ago he released a great album, War and Peace, which included some songs that paid tribute to Peanuts' creator, Charles Schultz. (Anyone who can pen a song about Charlie Brown and not sound silly is OK in my book.)
Goodgame is a strong songwriter, telling stories through music and evoking emotion with thought-provoking lyrics, and Bluebird is no exception. You'll find complexity and depth in the simplicity of the acoustic guitar and piano, with themes of hope and redemption. It feels like you're just sitting around the living room listening to an old friend sing a few songs.
Don't take my word for it. You can get a free download of the song, "All The Years" by visiting Randall Goodgame's website.
If you're anywhere near Central NY on Thursday, October 23, be sure to check out The Words and Music Songwriter Showcase at the intimate Jazz Central theater in downtown Syracuse, New York
The unique showcase includes a featured artist (this time, Ceili Rain frontman Bob Halligan Jr) performing a full set, and four songwriters in the round. Attendees can also enjoy The Song Schmooze, where musicians and music lovers mingle over a drink and a bite to eat.
The event is hosted by Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers, a grand prize winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and a contributor to NPR's "All Things Considered," author of Rock Troubadours and The Complete Singer-Songwriter, and founding editor of Acoustic Guitar magazine.
With Fathers' Day coming up this weekend, I asked some Christian artists to share words of wisdom they've gotten from their dads.
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