Guitarist, Vocals

Weller United Methodist Church

As a child, my parents were very active in the local church- and especially it’s music ministry. In fact, my ENTIRE family (grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles) were quite active, as well. My grandfather (and later my father) was the choir director and my mother was the church pianist. My love of music was fostered in the old hymns of the church, but there was something new happening in the world musically and I wanted to be a part of it.

I came to know the Lord at about 10 years old, but as the years went by, my walk seemed to be more away from than toward Him. I began to feel trapped in all the church stuff my family was involved with, and was definitely feeling growing pains of the small community and town I called home. I discovered that music could possibly be a way out, and jumped at the chance as soon as I graduated from High School. Too bad that all the cool music didn’t belong to God... Or so I was told.

As my music performances grew more frequent, I found myself involved in situations that led in directions more destructive than productive. With a lot of free time on my hands (especially while on the road), drugs soon became more and more of a part of my life, and a defining factor in my character. In fact, drugs ruled my life. I knew they were killing my body and soul, and I wanted to stop- but I just couldn’t do it alone. It went on this way for many years.

Then, God got my attention...

On November 18, 1989, I was riding in the back of the equipment truck on the way to a performance. Since there were no real seats in the back, I was sitting in a fold-up lawn chair- surrounded by all of the band’s equipment. The Keyboard player and drummer sat in the front, with a curtain separating them from me. All of a sudden, I felt a bump- and woke up in the arms of a paramedic. Apparently, the driver had lost control of the vehicle, and it had (at highway speed) crossed the median strip (which at that point was a hill). The grade of that hill between the two lanes of traffic sent the big truck airborne, flying across the other lane above the oncoming traffic. We slammed into a bridge on the other side of the highway (if we had been a few feet to the left, we would have missed the bridge and plummeted about 30 feet to the road below), stopping our forward motion. While all this was going on, I was being crushed between the flying amplifiers and PA speakers in the back of the truck. The equipment had busted a couple of my ribs, tore open my head, and given me a concussion. But the worst injury was to my left arm (a bad thing to happen to a guitar player). The accident had pulled the arm from the socket, breaking the bone in half. They found the top half of the bone behind my shoulder blade. What a way to spend a Saturday night...

OK Lord, you’ve got my attention now...

I was airlifted by helicopter to the local shock-trauma hospital, and began a three week stay that changed my life. That three weeks provided me with the opportunity I needed to get clean. Don’t get me wrong- I still think about drugs, and probably always will. But the Lord has stood beside me through it all, and I have been clean since 1989. I guess he had plans for me after all.

After 2 surgeries, and about 12 months of recuperation, I could finally try to play. It was stiff, but doable. However, I can’t play the guitar behind my head any more... In fact, my range of motion with that arm is still restricted, but as long as I don’t try too many gymnastics I’m OK.

Then He made His presence known once again. My uncle Bob (who has the Southern Gospel group- The Gospel Travelers) called to see how I was doing. It seemed that he needed a guitar player, and wondered if I felt up to it. Having not being able to play in over a year, I jumped at the opportunity. With the Travelers, I found more than music. Because of the Christian witness of my uncle and the other dedicated Christians in the group, I began to assess the priorities in my life. I began attending church regularly, and came to a renewed relationship with my Saviour. By the Grace of God I had survived what should have been a life ending experience, and found new hope in life because of His intervention. Praise Jesus!

Since then, I’ve been privileged to perform with many different kinds of groups- both Non-Secular and Secular- as well as with the praise band at church. He has given me the opportunity to not only earn an income from the talent He gave me, but also provides the opportunity to share my love of Christ with quite a varied group of individuals- at some of the most interesting venues imaginable.

I still have issues, but Jesus isn’t done with me yet. Praise His Holy Name!

And guess what? The cool music belonged to the Lord all along...

PSALM 98

1. Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
2. The LORD has made his salvation known and revealed his righteousness to the nations.
3. He has remembered his love and his faithfulness to the house of Israel; all the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.
4. Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music;
5. make music to the LORD with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing,
6. with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn— shout for joy before the LORD, the King.
7. Let the sea resound, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.
8. Let the rivers clap their hands, Let the mountains sing together for joy;
9. let them sing before the LORD, for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples with equity.