More on Fogelberg

So I was reading on some Dan Fogelberg tribute sites that PBS was going to re-air some of his Soundstage gig. I went trolling and found it, hit the DVR and finally got to see it...amazing stuff. His concert was from 2004ish and it was immediately prior to getting his diagnosis.

Opened with Part of the Plan, did some new stuff, lots of greatest hits and the band was really amazing...and I heard Power of Gold with new ears...I got the idea of introducing it to the band...the message is so right on that it qualifies as "spiritual" in a lot of ways...either way, I really was impressed with his arrangement.

His right hand is practically a metronome! What a great sense of timing he has. One of other thing that struck me was his reverance to Leader of the Band which was of course written for his Dad. But he said that out of all of the songs he has written, if he had only been permitted to write one, that would be it....

You are missed, Dan...RIP and I hope we get to jam someday on the other side.

I miss Dan Fogelberg

It has been a few weeks and I am still not used to the fact that Dan Fogelberg has passed away. I never met the man, but the void is real and significant in a lot of ways. He taught me how to play guitar. Showed me how to write a song. Made me think about music in different ways.



Maybe it sounds a bit dramatic, but Dan Fogelberg respected music on so many levels that were only rarely recognized by mainstream pop music. Sure, he sold a few million "hits" with Leader of the Band, Longer, Power of Gold, Language of Love, Run for the Roses and on and on the list goes. But he penned songs that were better than these that never saw airplay. And quietly took stages in front of adoring fans worldwide who understood what they were witnessing was a man that had a channel to another world that few of would have ever gotten to hear if it were not for him.



I read once that Longer visited him and decided that he would make a good home for it...amazing songwriter on so many levels...I guess I was a nerd...when I was 12 years old, my contemporaries were listening to the hits of 1980 like REO Speedwagon and Journey...fine bands but I just didn't feel any depth there. I could pick up my guitar and play along with it instantly...even keep up with most of the electric solos. Fun but not nourishing. Then I wandered into my older brother Jeff's room and he was listening to Dan Fogelberg's Phoenix album...



What's this I thought? I don't understand what I am hearing...mysterious but recognizable instruments. Thoughtful lyrics that I had to read along with to vist the author's mood. From the opening instrumental to the pounding open tunings of Phoenix I was hooked...I couldn't learn it fast enough and even when I thought I did, I discovered a capo, open tuning, finger style that stumped me all over again.



The dive that I took into his music in 1980 at 12/13 lasts to today...I am still feel a sense of accomplishment when I get a little glimpse into how one of his songs is constructed. He has inspired almost every song that I have written...and I guess that is a little piece of why I miss someone that I have never even met. Because in a strange way, we did meet. Time and time again. I think we'll meet again and again in his recordings, in my writing and hopefully we know the same maker so I can finally ask him about some of those awesome and tasty chords that I never have figured out. Farewell Dan. I miss you.

Over 1,000 views! Thank you!

Hey everyone, thanks for getting one of the YouTube clips to over 1,000 views! I was a little surprised that it was the instrumental piece, but no complaining. And for everyone who keeps asking, yes, we are planning a live show soon. With the arrival of Nelson into our lives this past summer, the time available shrank to zero. Plus work has been a little more consuming than I would like, but rest assured, we will dust off the old guitars and get some music out soon.

"How is it Between Us?"

This past Sunday I was asked to sing for a Commission Service at our church for a missionary couple that is headed to South Africa. Steve and Vickie are such great people and uniquely qualified for this awesome task! But the service went really great otherwise. I was not sure that the song I prepped was going to fit in, but it did.

Sara Groves wrote the song "How is it Between Us?" and it is a featured track on her album Conversations. She is such an amazing song writer that it is actually easy to learn her lyrics. The chords were a slight challenge but fun to learn. It would have been a lot more fun with a band, but they had just played with me last week so I did not want to wear them out, and lead guitarist, Brandon Montgomery was already on vacation.

See this deal was a bit of a late thing. Our music coordinator had been left high and dry and she approached me one week out. But it worked out great. This was just another example of when God is in it, we can relax and take refuge in His work...we have to do our part...but He does everything else.

Music videos live on!

I guess I am old enough to remember when MTV and VH1 actually played music videos! It was so cool when Live Aid was broadcasted and it seemed like the whole world stopped and jammed for a little while. U2 tore the house down as did Bruce Springsteen and The Police.

But I couldn't help but realize that the more things change, the more they stay the same. These bands still are some of the best live shows going, and old clips that we only got a fleeting glance of in the 70's on Don Kirscher's Rock Hour, Saturday Night Live or later on the video channels, now live again on YouTube. It is so cool to go back and get to see those clips again.

TV was so different then because with limited networks, no DVD's, no Internet, no MP3 or 4's, you just had to soak in the moment live - because you thought you would never see it again! We went to see movies four, five, six times in the theater because when it left, your only bet was a late night TV showing 10 years later!

So here are some favorites: Kansas' "Carry On Wayward Son" and it appears in about a dozen interations. ELO is a fantastic band and their popularity in Great Britain had them appearing on a lot of shows, so there are far more clips than we ever got to see. Supertramp's "Overture" from live in Paris is a classic.

Great way to relive those musical moments that were almost lost in time!

Different Kind of Music

Yeah , I know this blog is about music, but I have to write about a different kind of music! This past weekend our group headed to Indianapolis for the United State Grand Prix. And yes, Formula One cars are music. The sound is so intense. It is hard to imagine V8's twisting and sreaming to 19,000 rpm's, and it can only be appreciated in person!

What is really cool to hear though, is the combination of cars at different points on the track. Some are trying to grab traction out of a corner, and have a thunderous rumble over tone of the traction controlled cutting the lower revving engine in and out. Some are at full throttle, shrieking down the grand old front straight with exhaust ringing through the grandstands. And in the background is the up and down whine of cars between corners.

Then throw in the air driven wrenches, track announcer, and sounds of air horns coming from the crowd when their favorite driver passes, and it is mechanical symphony!

Welcome Nelson Wade!

Thank to everyone for the flowers, well wishes and support on the arrival on Nelson Wade Stevenson. He was born at 7:02 p.m. on Sunday, June 3, at Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

http://picasaweb.google.com/jimandkims/NelsonWadeIsBorn

It was a very long few days for Kim and started Saturday night at midnight. By 3:30 a.m. we called the doctor on call who talked us into waiting a little longer to go in. Easy for him to say, eh? But by the time we arrived at the hospital at 6:00 a.m., things had slowed down, and they sent us home at 8:00 a.m. Kim was really frustrated but better to be miserable at home I guess.

Thanks to Pam Montgomery for saving the day and coming over to watch our other kids!

Kim gave me the greenlight to go to church and lead worship since our band is scheduled to play every first Sunday. I was a little dazed from not sleeping for 36 hours at that point but Brandon, Jonathan and Michael Clutz carried me! The music went really well, mainly because of them, and I was so appreciative that Michael stepped in on piano. He did an awesome job!

Back to help with the kids while poor Kim breathed through the pain on the couch. By 1:00 p.m. Sunday, she said we have to go! So the kids headed for the Montgomery's and got to attend Amanda Jane's graduation with them while went back to Riverside.

Things were moving right along, with only one big scare. At one point Kim's epidural had migrated too far towards her chest and slowed her blood pressure WAY down, and the baby's heartbeat got dangerously low. I have never seen so many people in scrubs come running into a room! We really did not panic until afterwards we heard them talking about the resusitation methods they had to use!

But at 7:02 a.m., Nelson Wade surprised us - of course we did not know what sex of baby we were having, but for some reason were convinced that the baby was going to be a girl. Surpirse!

And he is an absolutely perfect little boy. We are home, healthy and ecstatic. Thanks again to everyone for your prayers. God has been so good to us through all of this and has blessed us beyond our expectations!