My favorite time of year

Even more than Christmas, Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. I really like the concept of setting aside an entire day simply to express thankfulness for the blessings we have in our lives.

And we ALL have things to be thankful for...I know of no one who simply lacks any kind of blessing.

For openers, if you're reading this, you're alive...and you ought to be thankful for THAT, if nothing else. C'mon, if everything else in your life is THAT depressing, would you REALLY prefer the alternative to THAT blessing? I don't think so...

And most of you who are alive and reading this have a roof over your head to protect you from the elements...and certainly. having a sheltered place to live and repose is a blessing! I know there are some who don't, but if you do, be thankful for that very important blessing.

And most of you have outlets to express yourself and provide for your welfare...again, I know some of you are facing challenges in that respect in this day and age, or you may not like the particular job you have, but if you have one, you are very blessed....be thankful.

And finally, most of you have at least one or a few people who truly love and care for you....and be thankful that those people exist in your life.

As for me, it's true that I'm facing severe financial challenges right now...but I have what I need as I type. And I've been so challenged in the past as well...but each time I have, God(as He always has and always will)has met my needs each time. I'm most thankful for that...and e're will be!

In fact, I know that the God I speak of loves all of you as well, and will meet all your needs as well, if you only notice.

And in spite of the temporary setbacks that come my way(and no doubt yours, too), He has blessed me with the best friends a human being could possibly have, a job that has been the fulfillment of my childhood dreams, outlets like these to express myself to people I care about, and in this particular year, God has finally granted me a partner that is a heaven-sent match for my life, and is as Godly a woman that I could ever imagine.

In light of all that, what's a little health challenge once in a while, or a few dollars here or there? And I have an abundance of music at my disposal to also express my feelings and satisfy my senses.

And I know that most of you are described in the above paragraph, and for all of you, I am most thankful.

So see, I'm a very blessed man...and deeply thankful for it all.

And I have an ENTIRE DAY set up to merely express my thanks for the blessing of what is my life...and most of you should be able to say the very same thing.

I hope you can understand now why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday...it is the most basic and profound expression of what human life is truly all about.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

Fraternal pride

While recording our gospel music radio show this afternoon, I got this overwhelming feeling of pride.

No, it's not because we're still doing the program on a major secular radio station...although in these difficult times for a lot of traditional media genres, it's no mean feat to have a program of this type still on that type of station...and still thriving in the ratings, no less. That ordinarily WOULD be something to be proud of, especially when reflecting on what the radio medium has become for the most part(more on this possibly in a future post).

I've always taken pride in the accomplishments of my friends, and the men who make up Idaho's Liberty Quartet are certainly my friends.

The quartet is also one of the finest artists in gospel music these days...and their newest album, "The Journey", is incontrovertible evidence of that.

I'm not going to review it here...my friend Daniel Mount has already done an excellent review of it on his own blog recently.

I have been aware of the Liberty Quartet for several years now, primarily due to their personal appearances in Central California, but also due to their recordings, which have shown constant and consistent growth since their beginnings back in the 1990s. "The Journey" is probably their finest album to date. For the most part, they have shown the ability to mix traditional gospel quartet music and presentation with more current, up-to-date arrangements, while all the while presenting a good Christian witness wherever they are. If any group "deserves" success, acclaim, and recognition, these guys do...musically AND in witness.

My rush of pride today came when we were playing songs from "The Journey" on our show. I am so proud of Royce, Dan, Keith, and Jordan....not to mention co-producer(and former group member)Doran Ritchey, one of the best pianists going today on the circuit and a budding songwriter. They have worked very hard to get to the level of ability they're at now...and make no mistake, there is NO better quartet currently in the industry than the Liberty Quartet.

And now they're finally starting to get the attention they've long deserved...and I, for one, couldn't be happier or more proud.

For I'm proud to say that I was one of the first that noticed them, and not that I'm any barometer of success or anything, but they are now fulfilling all the promise I saw in them back in 2000, when I first became aware of this outstanding group of men and musicians.

Fellas, you've earned it all...keep up the great work. I'm proud of all of you.

Miscellaneous overdue observations

The title refers to the fact that the following unrelated, rather random observations could well have been posted some time ago, but I was unable to summon up the energy to post them.

To me, there is no musical genre more simultaneously interesting musically to the ear and more fun to listen to and sing along with than gospel quartet music.

I enjoy most all the various blogs that have to do with gospel music, but nobody who writes one puts more work and care into it than Daniel Mount. In a sense, he may be the most dedicated gospel music observer out there.

The highest form of musical expression is to sing a song to and/or about God...to me, that may well have been the original purpose behind the creation of music to begin with.

The Liberty Quartet may not be the best known or biggest selling group in southern gospel music(yet), but musically, they are among the most interesting and accomplished.

It never HAS mattered who the lowest quartet bass singer is, but it's always been fun to talk about it.

Southern-style gospel music may not be the most popular musical genre, but there isn't a more loyal group of genre fans than southern gospel fans.

Despite my relative lack of activity here in recent days, there's nothing I enjoy more than writing down my thoughts to share with others.

BTW…

...Evangeline(the 4-year old heaven sent angel who knows how to enjoy helicopter rides and was the star of my last blog posting)is doing MUCH better in her health battle to overcome ecoli poisoning.

Not surprisingly, her doctors are noting that her progress has been remarkable, particularly for someone of her tender age. I'm not surprised at all.

Just goes to show what can happen in the life of a person who never loses track of the blessings God still gives us in spite of whatever trials we might be enduring at a particular moment.

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