To the dear ones left behind.To those who loved Daren prayed for him, supported him and were touched by his life, my sincere condolences to you.Daren was a truly gifted individual that had an incredible creative spirit.He was one of the most solid drummers I ever worked with but MORE than that he was an all around gifted multi-instrumental artist.In my old age I came to appreciate him more and more ESPECIALLY this last year of his life as we talked often about life and dreams.I was traveling on business when I learned of his passing and I truly was saddened by his death.I will always remember playing music with Daren in his childhood home on the water in Beverly.These memories are part of who I am.With my deepest regret I wish him peace and am thankful that I knew him.Daren you always made me laugh, this song is rededicated to YOU.
Lately my walk with the Lord has been re-awakened. There is a sovereign move of the Holy Spirit across America (see www.god.tv in particular the Lakeland Outpouring with Pastor Todd Bentley) This new found fire for God has left me contemplating so much about where I am and where I am heading. Sometimes in life we get so caught up in the daily grind we forget why we ever got in the race.
So here i am a workaholic selfishly taking time to just chill with the Lord for hours and contemplate life. WOW what a time of refreshing! In the end I think one of the most foundational messages the Jesus taught the church is FORGIVENESS. So much in life has to do with this one simple yet endlessly complex concept. Is there someone in YOUR life you need to forgive? I pray you let it go and truly forgive them because life is too short.
God has been teaching me to use my gifts and I have been blessed to have some people in my life that have been faithful to pray for me and lift me up.This song goes out to the staff at Ruby Tuesday!Melissa, Kris, Stephanie, Josh, Daisy, José and everyone else.I have been SO blessed to meet you guys, pray for you and speak what little the Lord gave me into your lives.I can’t wait to see how God waters the seeds that He has planted through our Sunday nights there.We LOVE you guys and will continue to pray for you this winter!
I am dedicating this song to YOU guys, it’s about dreaming of heaven and I hope it inspires you.Don’t forget to email me and we will contact you about the Tuesday night prayer meeting we are starting in Belton.Love to you all!
Its getting cold here in KC and lately I feel like telling stories. I like to hunker down in my studio and imagine. This song is fictional but I think its a familiar story none the less. I captured a live recording here...Keep Your Head up!
Growing up in New England was the best! I have lived in Kansas City for 11 years and it has been ages since I went home. I lived just blocks from the ocean in a town called Beverly just 8 miles south of Gloucester which has a major fishing industry. I spent many weekends driving up the coast to Gloucester and points north. It's literally like a postcard and I wanted to put that postcard into a song. I hope this song gives a visual of what its like in New England at winter.
This is a live run with MANY mistakes. Please forgive the dingers on the guitar, when I get inspired for the words I need to record them in a hurry so as not to forget the the melody and embellishments. So maybe one of these days this song will really be produced,,,until then...its just another ugly baby ;-) Click "read More" for the lyrics
Sometime in the middle of the night I picked up the guitar and found this cool riff. It's funny how the writing process works. You can have NOTHING, NO inspiration at all and one little riff can trigger a whole song. This song kind of went that way. It's really about a fictitious person but hopefully the listener will project their own special person to go with the lyrics. Anyway...I have ear fatigue after tracking all the parts so I am not sure if this mix I'm throwing out does any justice...Time will tell.
One of my favorite songs and also one of the most requested. I never get tired of playing this tune so although this site is dedicated to original music, I offer it here by request, Dig!
This song is about not letting ANYONE put limitations on you. How many times have YOU stayed in a toxic relationship hoping it will get better only to regret it? Going Home for me is being FREE!
TThis one is for the poets, dreamers, troubadours, entrepreneurs, word smiths, vloggers, artists, singers….dont let fear, words, attitudes or ANYTHING keep you from your bliss.You are FREE! Listen!
Wow....I had fun with this. I really felt like layering vocals, so.....here is a song with really fat drums...one acoustic guitar track and TONS of vocals, it's a little repetitive but I offer it as an experiment, not a completed work.
Sonically, it's a little skewed. I am not a producer or a knob turner, I have LOADS to learn but that's never stopped me ;-)
I'm amazed at the power of words. They have the ability to change the course of someones life for better or worse. One sentence can literally change the future. The Lord has been speaking to me over and over again in this season about the power of words. We can speak blessings or curses. I am constantly exhorting my 6 year old and telling her how proud dad is, how much of a treasure she is, a blessing. I sincerely thank God everyday for her and I speak blessings over her always. Click the picture to hear the tune, click "Read More" to read on.
I first heard Terra Naomi last summer (06). I was walking through a personal turmoil and Terra nearly single handedly inspired me to get back to writing and recording after a long hiatus. I have really enjoyed watching her hone her craft with the entire world watching on You Tube. 5 months ago, I wrote a song that was inspired by her. It was lost due to a bad hard drive and lack of a backup (along with tons of other songs and videos I had created).
I decided to write a new song and recorded this last night. I am a big fan but to be clear this is not a love song, I am not a stalker freak, This is just me acknowledging a fellow songwriter. Terra you got Mad skillz girl! I am so happy for you with all the attention you have been getting and your new deal with Island Records. As it SHOULD BE! I really respect your vocal ability, musicianship and overall artistry and just wanted to give you some props. Keep rockin in the free world Terra! I hope all the peeps enjoy this song!
One of my faves, Psalm 91 is all about God's promises to His people (those that are in Christ Jesus). I love this Psalm because it is about God's intense desire for US to KNOW Him. I have been pressing in about as hard as I ever have in my walk with the Lord and I have been seeing incredible fruit. I love these promises and I have experienced their truth many times over the past eleven years.
I hope this song builds you up, I hope it is an encouragement.
It's been an awesome journey these last few months for me. I have been pressing in to HIM like I am on my honeymoon. It's been so refreshing to have this renewed desire for the Lord and the grace to seek Him with the passion I had when I first gave my life to Him. We have been praying hard here in Kansas City and breaking through.
Inspired by the constant desire to change more into the likeness of Jesus this song is about MY personal quest.
I admit, I have been using acid for days now. I'm addicted what can I say...Do I ever plan to stop? NEVER! But seriously, I bought a drum construction kit called "Funky Loops" or something like that. There are all these fast beats, not really my everyday writing style but I have been enjoying experimenting. So here we have a tune that started with drums and a chorus resonating in my head...(by the way there probably REALLY is some acid floating around in there from the early 80"s...I pray it never resurfaces ;-)
I was feeling down when i wrote this, I opened my Bible and got some truth in me and then this song was born.
Ok I admit it, I have been preoccupied. It happens what can I say.. Preoccupation in my opinion is not good. It's right up there with "isms" I am afraid for me it has BECOME an "ism" Yes folks I suffer from preoccupuation-ism. I have been playing catchup with work and haven't really sat down to do the thing I do when I'm having fun and being true. You know...6 little strings...raspy voice...THAT thing. I (found) a copy of ACID PRO from Sony. I bought some loops and in set the Preoccupation that has Ism-ed itself into my life. If I'm not making sense...you just don't know me well...It doesn't get any better.
This was an interesting project for me.Someone who I consider a wordsmith PROVEDit by writing these lyrics.This song was written for and inspired by Bartbrat who is an integral member of the Pirate's Keep. I think the lyrics denote such a longing to connect and a desire to understand. I thank Juliaadens for writing them. I am just a middle man.ReaD along as you listen to the haunting lyrics and enjoy!
This song has a lot of deep meaning for me.Some of you may not make the associations, perhaps some of you will relate.We have all cried over love, sometimes we weep out of loss, other times we weep for wanting.I think part of getting past it is giving into it.I did that a long time ago but the sentiment remains.
In real life I do a video log. I came to "There" to do music and be annonymous, hopefully that I will stay. The following is an audio taken from a live video I did. Sound quality is not the best but the sentiment is there. Humor me as I ramble a little in the beginning. If you know Jesus, this tune will make sense to you (I hope) If you don't I hope it blesses you. The title says it all.
It was inspired by my mom.It was not meant to be a serious song ever, but the sentiment and lyrics are true.So I present it to you as a window into my world as a songwriter.Enjoy!
This song is important to me because it is about being free. Flying without wings (for me) is living your dreams and waking each day with a sense of purpose, passion and wonder. We all want that right? Are you living it?
This blog for me in a small way is ME flying without wings. I pray it is a precursor or what’s to come for me musically. I will put my trust in the Lord and “go and do all that is in my heart to do” as His word says.
I have been walking with the Lord for 10 years.In my old age I can look back in hindsight and see situations and calamities that God delivered me from (even when I wasn’t walking with Him).I have done a lot of stuff I regret, (I was a fulltime touring road musician for 11 years…do the math).In all my regrets and mistakes what never ceases to amaze me is God’s ability to forgive me and love me into His kingdom.Even when I was completely unaware of His existence He was calling me to the truth just as He does to each of us.
This song is inspired by His un-ending desire for us to know Him.He called me into His marvelous light ten years ago. Perhaps you listening already know Him, perhaps you listening don’t care to know Him, perhaps this very moment He is calling YOU!To YOU I say knock and the door will be opened.
