I think it was listening to Scotty Moore playing for Elvis in '56 in
particular-that period when Elvis had signed to RCA and then they started
recording these sessions. I just loved the sound of Scotty Moore's electric
guitar. It totally grabbed me. Shortly after that, I listened to James Burton a
lot. I couldn't wait until Ricky Nelson and Ozzie & Harriet came on TV so I
could get to the end of the program to watch Rick sing with his little band.
There was something about that Telecaster (guitar) and that sound James Burton
had in those days. Just a great sound. I also got into the Ventures and
listening to what Nookie Edwards was doing with those guys. They all fed my
desire to play guitar.
Then the Beatles came out in '63 and I started hearing them on the radio. The
first time I heard "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" I thought, "Now that
is an incredible guitar sound!" It seemed like it was John Lennon's
Rickenbacker guitar in that Vox that blew my little young mind at that time.
The way it honked and his dead strings and all those sorts of things. The
Beattles songs were all short songs and were just well crafted songs.
I used to sit and watch my brother Dave play
his Gretch guitar. In fact that very guitar he bought in 1959 I was playing
today on a song I wrote for a friend of mine who had his 50th birthday. I'm
still playing that guitar. It's almost 48 years old.
I was in my first band around '64. I was
playing Team Centers, gigs, talent shows and battle of the bands - those sort
of things. That's where it all started. I really have to hand it to my brother
and all the other really great guitar players of that period. I was also a
Dwayne Eddie fan if you remember Dwayne. (Of course!) I was into Dick Dale and
all the surf bands because I lived in
You know I was also very much into classical
music at a young age, DeBussy and Ravel, Elgar, and the melodies, the folk song
melodies that Ralph Vaughan Williams used. I came to discover in the '70's who
these great composers were, but when I was a kid I was exposed to them.
The guitar side of me, the player in me, was
the most important. I put more effort into my ability to play than my ability
to write songs, even though I write songs all the time. I'm known as a
guitarist more than I am a songwriter or a singer.
People can't believe this, but I met them
January 12, 1975. Buck Herring picked me up at the airport in
The "With Footnotes" album was
really a monumental thing. In fact, I was just interviewed for Word Records
50th Anniversary, and they asked who were the artists that I listened to that
inspired me. It was Love Song who really had an effect on me, Barry McGuire,
2nd Chapter of Acts and Malcolm and Alwyn.
Well, here I was from
Experienced living in upstate
I used to do a lot more traveling before those years. I traveled from '68, '69,
'70 all the way up to '74. Here I was off the road and learning how to do other
things. My music kind of took a backseat to everything. Then Buck Herring heard
about me and got a hold of what I was doing and called me.
Actually, when I lived in
It was a grand opportunity to be able to go out and play. That recording
experience was amazing because I had lived a pretty secluded life for about a year in
Now I was not really savvy when it came to being a studio musician- a studio
session player. The other players were all top studio talent and were all great
music readers. Michael Omartian had put out all the tracks arrangements and the
charts. He's handing out music and I can't read it. I got a little bit scared
because there was some sophistication going on there. I put my guitar down and
went into the control room and sat on the couch underneath the control console.
Buck looked over at me and says "Hey little brother what're you doing down
there?" I said "Oh I think I'll just sit this one out, and maybe
overdub later." Later I did get to play on some of the actual track
sessions and was able to really open up and be myself. That was when Buck said
"let's do some lead guitar work here." After everybody left, he
plugged me in and I played "Yahweh" and other songs like "Hey
Whatcha' Say" and "Keep On Shining". I just loved it. That's was
a very memorable experience.
I remember I was playing in
I think what it was there was a sound. What always got me were sounds. The
sound of their voices. The sound of Matthew, and Nelly and Annie was just
something very very unique and of course it's a sound that happens in that
doesn't always happen with other singers.
They
were so natural with their voices and their harmonies. Their words that Annie
had penned for thoserecordings and the melodies which were complex and simple
at the same time. And yet it was the sound of their voices that just really
affected my soul. I feel it was spiritual music and it was beautiful music and
it was also artistically well done. There was a passion that I'd sensed in
their music. You could tell there was a love for God that came through the
writing of this music. Buck being the professional that he was, the engineer
that he was would envelop their voices with these wonderful musicians and
surround them with the great musicianship and the sonic recording of it.
Those were definitely high fidelity recordings in those days. I think they were
a big notch above what was going on in those days. In fact I would say that
Buck's productions of Barry McGuire's albums, and the 2nd Chapter of Acts was
at a higher standard than we were normally hearing, and that was a delight to
musicians. It not only affected me but many others as well.
Well, we went on tour. The band was Gene Gunnels (drums), Herbie Melton (bass),
Richard Souther (keyboards), and Annie on piano. I played guitar for the group.
And then Peter York (guitar) joined me on my set for my half of the album and
concert. Peter and I were friends from
I remember rehearsing in this I think it was a big auditorium or gymnasium. We
learned the songs and then toured.
Only two nights were recorded for this album,
I had already done a live album with my band Glass Harp in 1971. That recording
was just one night, at Carnegie Hall.
Sometimes it can be a pressure but there was some humorous moments recorded on
those two nights. I wanted to say something eloquent and I remember setting out
to say something profound and kind of completely tripped over myself. I wish
they would have left that on the album because many of us were granted a hearty
laugh over my fumbling over myself. "Science we must admit"....blank stare...dead air time.. I just
dropped the thought.
Yeah, I think so. There's an energy that goes with a live performance. I do
play a lot on the fly you know. I'm one who always likes to improvise. I did
stick pretty close to the solos, as they should be for the sake of the songs.
But there were moments on the "How the West Was One" live album for
instance "Rejoice" where there was a nice solo with Richard Souther
and myself playing off of each other. It was all complete improvised.
I think people got off on it more where they saw us playing, improvising and
jamming at the end of that song. And it kept us really on our toes. We were all
excited about this opportunity to record it.
I think about the audiences that were going to Christian concerts in the '70's
many of them very conservative, many of them coming to concerts having never
been exposed to rock, must have had the thought "how can I really enjoy
this and the Lord? Do I have the freedom to really listen to this and support
this sort of thing?"
But I think what happened is because they saw
we were all so very sincere about our faith in sharing our love for Jesus that
it kind of softened, took the edge off of what was rock and roll you know.
Because face it "Hey Whatcha' Say" "Yahweh"
"Time" and "Just the Same" and some of these other songs
were really kicking tunes. I think it was all balanced out because the context
of the whole show which was really a ministry not just a show it was
really a giving out of our hearts and souls to people. It was a very special
time.
Well you know I always do "Your Love Broke Through." I mean probably
9 out of 10 concerts I still sing KeithGreen's, Randy Stonehill's and Todd
Fishken's song "Love Broke Through". It's a timeless song.
Another really a good song live was "Take Me Closer". It had a really
nice simple message to it and moved along nicely. It had a solo at the end that
was I felt very inspired. I remember recording that song on the "Love
Broke Through" album and after the solo, which I had just played
spontaneously at the session, Buck just hugged me. I remember he just hugged
me. He loved that solo!
The song "Rejoice" was a real special moment for me especially with
the improvisation that I did with keyboards Richard Souther.
People liked that little tune I wrote called "My Life" which was a
little testimony song. That's the only time it's ever been on recording on an album.
They were among the very first contemporary worship groups there ever were. And
there's a great deal of emphasis on worship these days. They weren't just
performers. They were bringing a state of worship that was what people's hearts
were longing for because we had already had our fill of all kinds of music for
the '60's and the '70's.
I think they just caused people's hearts to rise and they caused our eyes to
look heavenward. You'd find yourself looking at them and then at the end of the
night your heart would just about burst with joy and love for God, you know. I
saw that happen to many people in the audience. And I remember that happening
to me. I remember sitting in the auditorium when the group would do a few songs
without the band. I would just be captivated by it. It was very special time.
For the people who never got to see them live and there's a great many of them
today, who are into Christian music who don't know who 2nd Chapter of Acts
were, I think they ought to go back and listen to The 2nd Chapter Of Acts. It's
like reading about the founding fathers. We should know some of this history.
It's because they were a part of a rootsy thing. And you know they're music was
born out of their fellowship in God and their family. And that came out as
early as '71 when they started really making music. They already had an amazing
sound back then.
The first person who ever told me about 2nd Chapter of Acts was Scott Ross. He
was my pastor. Scott Ross founded "Love In" a community in upstate
We used to hold Bible studies in our home in
Not only did I meet these people I got to play guitar for them.
I love is that song "The Son Comes Over the Hill" Then I love
"Keep On Shining" and "Easter Song." I think those are my 3
favorite 2nd Chapter of Acts songs
.
I also love "The Roar Of Love" - Narnia album. I think almost every
on song on that is special. That was a real journey to be a part of that
recording. I thought it was also a piece of editing genius that Buck Herring
put that together with Michael Omartian. It just was really seamless. You know
back then people didn't have Pro Tools and they were cutting tape with razor
blades. "The Roar Of Love" is a real masterpiece in my opinion.
Well there are plenty of laughs. Matthew knew how to hit just the right buttons
when it came to making me laugh. And I think at the time '77 we were touring, I
was 26 years old and I think Matthew was 17. So here I was a few years older
than he was, and he just twisted my funny buttons. He had me laughing a lot. In
fact, he and I ended up doing a lot of skateboarding on that tour. We used to
go to parking garages and caravan down you know. We would do crazy things.
We ate a lot of fun food. Food that I don't think I'd ever tasted before.
I just saw Barry McGuire recently and I reminded him of the time when I went
and got a bowl of soup. I said, "I should've got another bowl for 'bites'
cause Barry used to always talk about how he'd buy a hamburger and then he'd
buy another one just for 'bites' because everyone wanted a bite of his
hamburger.
There was a great sense of fellowship and community.
The group loved to tease me you know. I was this little guy and Annie, Matthew
and Nelly loved to tease me so. I enjoyed it. For me it was great because I
came from a very big family and I felt like I was part of a family where we
were all closer in age together. That was really nice.
If they needed a guitar player I'd probably raise my hand and volunteer.
Well I'm making a lot of music..continually. I released four albums this last
year. Two through Word Records, "Inseparable" and "Lights Of
Madrid" and then two new ones through my fan club. One's called
"Uncle Duke", who is my 75-year-old uncle. He wrote all the lyrics
and I wrote the music to everything and recorded it here at home.
And I did an album called "
Yeah, somewhat, but there's still this common thread that has kind of come
through the years with me. I am still comfortable playing the songs that I sang
in the early '70's. I've learned a lot more on the guitar since those days.
Especially the acoustic guitar.
I did a concert last night and people came up to me and said "Thanks. You
know what you did tonight really touched me" and they say "I've
brought some unsaved relatives. Thanks for sowing some seeds"
I think that's what it's about with me. My expertise is not in the area of
leading people into worship but they do observe the fact that I do get caught
up in what I do and I give it unto the Lord with my playing and my singing and
so in a sense it is worship. People can be blessed and we are all blessed by
God.
I would love to think that I've cared for
people and loved people and wanted to enrich their lives with my music.
Well I have a wonderful wife of almost 28 years and she's been my closest
friend for 30 years.
We have 3 children, Alysha who is 21. She's done a couple of years at college
and she's just trying to find her way and we're encouraging her in that. And
she needs to find out for herself who and what she wants to be. Those are tough
times to make decisions.
Olivia who is 17, she's just happy and very much at peace with herself. She's a
loving companion to all of her friends and a wonderful daughter. And Alysha
loves her too because Olivia is such a giver.
And Ian who's 14 in about a weeks time. Ian is becoming a really good guitar
player and I'm glad to see that. He plays all the time. And he loves to skate
as well.
We're pretty close. We're pretty matter of fact with each other too. I'm
probably the mushiest in the family when it comes to affection Were just a
pretty normal average kind of family actually. But there's a good deal of love
between us.
Probably not.
Yeah. It's urban or suburban. I'm not sure which. I always get asked that
question but I don't have any answers regarding it.
Okay my friend.