Friends – Michael W. Smith

“Though it’s hard to let you go, in the Father’s hands we know
That a lifetime’s not too long to live as friends…”

Hope for the Journey

From Pati and Ken Rader, their “Hope for the Journey” project: “the purpose of the site is to provide you with hope, help and encouragement along your life’s journey.”

Top 10 List from “An Evening in December” 2008

And the top 10 best moments from 2008, that the audience never saw:
10. Watching a herd of men deadlift a grand piano off the stage and back up again.
9. The little boys in kids’ choir trying to do a spellout, getting it wrong (“J – E – S – S – aaaah ! “), then [...]

like no other before this

John says the 2008 “An Evening in December” will be like none other that came before this one.
Every year he says that, but based on what he’s shared so far, wow, he’s not kidding.
Without spoiling any surprises, just realize that this year you may surprised by the following changes:

Artistically, throw out everything you have [...]

Get Your Second Wind

The phrase “second wind,” according to American Heritage is defined as “a new surge of energy after a period of mental or physical exhaustion.”
Sunday, I witnessed the tight horn licks, straight up and funky rhythm section and spot-on vocals of “Second Wind” the new surge of energy in its 2008 rebirth of

You’ll Never Walk Alone

When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high,
and don’t be afraid of the dark.
At the end of a storm, there’s a golden sky,
and the sweet silver song of a lark.
Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain,
though your dreams be tossed and blown.
Walk on, walk on, with hope in your [...]

In memory: Kevin Corrington, 1946-2008

“These notes are so high, we’re all going to need a truss.” Words like those from Kevin Corrington would keep me in stitches during choir rehearsals, any time we opened a song for the first time and spotted unbelievably high tenor parts.
Now, the tenor section in “An Evening in December” will always be one great [...]

Top 10 ways “An Evening in December” is like “Drum Corps International”

I’ve been a DCI fanatic since I saw a video of the Santa Clara Vanguard in ‘73. I’ve witnessed some great live performances and was one of the lucky ones in the stands at DCI World Championships in Birmingham ‘80 and Pasadena ‘07. Milt, my bro, marched in Freelancers and is one hecka lower brass [...]

How Well Do You Know Your Christmas Carol Lyrics?

The Christmas Carol meme of the week, how well do you know your Christmas carol lyrics? hmmmm….I got 24 out of 25 right.

Choir without direction, part I

John, our director, doesn’t direct the choir during any of the 17 songs in the musical.
When he reveals this information at his workshops at worship ministry music conferences, other choir directors think that John must be insane.
He has many excellent reasons for doing that. Just one reason is that he doesn’t want to get in [...]