Columbus Day week at Dark Horse

Columbus Day, Oct. 8, 2012, was my son Michael's 23rd birthday. It was the first time I was not with him on his birthday as I was in Nashville starting a recording project for country-pop singer-songwriter Joni Wallace. For five days we worked at the beautifully situated and appointed Dark Horse Recording. Owner Robin Crow and his staff were incredibly accomodating, the session talent stellar and engineer Ronnie Brookshire a true assett. I could get used to working with those people in that place.

My "Proverbs of a Church Music Director"

Proverbs of a Church Music Director

A skilled singer makes a pastor glad,

But a shrill singer is a heaviness to his congregation.

Better is a single, adequately skilled musician than a bandstand full of neophytes.

Give instruction to a gifted musician and she will be still more musical;

Teach a singer who can match a pitch and he will improve his intonation.

A sensitive drummer makes the heart rejoice,

And he who doth not disturb the groove will get called again.

The singer who does not warm up should be burned at the stake,

But the well-prepared player causes no inner disturbance.

An untuned guitar is a weapon of destruction;

He who wields it assaults the outreach committee.

An inconsistent tempo is an abomination to a celebration,

But those who keep time stay in the praise band.

With banal songs, a music director quenches heartfelt adoration, 

But through the final blessing, the faithful will be delivered.