Barrie James Wilson, known as B.J. Wilson, was the drummer for Procol Harum and, before that, for the Paramounts. Born in Edmonton in North London, Wilson developed an interest in the drums before he was a teenager, and at age 12, convinced his mother to buy him a kit. At that time, his main musical influence, like most of the other aspiring young rockers in England, was Cliff Richard & the Shadows and, in his case, their drummer, Tony Meehan. An indifferent student, he left school at age 16, by which time he'd developed a serious interest in American-style R&B. Wilson subsequently succeeded Mick Brownlee as the drummer in the Paramounts, a North London group specializing in R&B, whose other members were Gary Brooker, Robin Trower, and Diz Derrick. Despite a contract with Parlophone Records, some good reviews, and the enthusiastic endorsement of better-known outfits such as the Rolling Stones, the Paramounts never made it, and by 1966, they were history.   Wilson bounced around the music business, playing sessions and as a member of one of the on-stage lineups (inevitably referred to as "the Dimensons") backing R&B veteran Jimmy Powell, and occasionally returned to work with Brooker, recording demos of songs that the latter had written with Keith Reid. This eventually led to his rejoining his former bandmates in Procol Harum, the core lineup of which coalesced following the success of the studio single "A Whiter Shade of Pale" (on which Wilson did not play). Wilson was equally at home playing R&B or progressive rock, and he also had a love of country music, including the work of Hank Williams; he wasn't Carl Palmer, but his playing added significantly to the majesty of the group's more ambitious art rock compositions, such as "In Held Twas I," just as he enjoyed played straight-ahead rock & roll (which he did when the group jammed informally in the studio under the name Liquorice John Death & the All Stars). As a huge fan of Levon Helm of the Band, whom he met in the late '60s, Wilson was also possessed to take up the mandolin (one of Helm's instruments), which he later played on Procol Harum's Grand Hotel album. Wilson had occasionally played with other artists, including Joe Cocker on With a Little Help From My Friends, and various recordings by Leon Russell, Lou Reed, the Incredible String Band, and Mick Grabham, but he remained associated primarily with Procol Harum until the group had run out its string at the end of the 1970s. He played with Micky Jupp and turned up on some late-'70s sessions for John Hiatt.  Wilson left music for a time and married an American woman. He moved to the United States, where he played with various metal bands and also worked with Joe Cocker on stage. He was living in Oregon at the time of his death in 1990, a year before Procol Harum reunited for an album and tour. - Bruce Eder (allmusic)

Supergroups are tricky propositions.  When you put together a band made out of famous musicians, you also put together a band made out of large egos.  The clashes over who should be louder in the mix, which songs by which writer should be on an album, and even how publicity shots are taken (the movie "Almost Famous" has a great example of this) can kill the entire enterprise.  Look at Cream - some of the best psychedelic rock, but the ego clashes kept them from playing together from 1968 until 1993 when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.  After that it was twelve years before they reunited at Royal Albert Hall (which produced an amazing live album you should own).

I don't know if The Word really qualifies as a supergroup.  They have only put out one album and put on sporadic live performances.  But watch them play together:

There aren't a lot of clips of The Word, a side project between the North Mississippi Allstars, Robert Randolph, and John Medeski.  (Sad side note: a search for "Soulja Boy" gave me 155,000 results)  They did put out a great album though.  When you combine one of the best modern guitarists (Luther Dickinson), an incredible pedal steel player (Robert Randolph), a high-caliber keyboardist (John Medeski), and the greatest rhythm section around (Chris Chew and Cody Dickinson) you get something good.  When these incredibly talented musicians also know how to sacrifice their ego for the good of the music, you get synergy.

The Allstars also did Spencer Dickinson with Jon Spencer (of the Blues Explosion).  And (because apparently they didn't have enough to do) they backed John Hiatt on his "Master Of Disaster" album.  Each time they played within the music - you won't hear anything forced or out of place.  They took the sound to a higher level without dominating it.

Here's a track from the Spencer Dickinson album:

And with John Hiatt:

Yep.

So now that the Sun has appeared to have passed into the southern hemisphere (actually the Sun moved very little while the tilt of the Earth's axis is causing us to think... hey, you had rudimentary astronomy at some point, figure it out on your own) and the season's are changing. So here's a new sample playlist to get your fall on:

1. September Morn - Neil Diamond: What better way to start autumn than with a little bit of Mr. Jewish Elvis himself.
2. Keep Me In Your Heart - Warren Zevon: Autumn is a time of reflection about what has been. When WZ wrote and recorded this he already knew he didn't have much time left on this Earth. If I'm ever faced with a situation like this, I hope to react the same way WZ did by fully embracing every living moment, by accomplishing as much as possible with the ones I love, by leaving this world a little bit better off because I had been a part of it, and by enjoying just how good every sandwich tastes.
3. Harvest Moon - Neil Young: Autumn is the last stage before death. That is why we have the expression "the autumn of our years." Although this is a love song, and at that, maybe the best damned love song ever written (read the lyrics here), it concerns a couple in their latter years. The symbolism is simply magnificent.
4. Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me - Elton John: Speaking of imagery, I've always thought this song is the best example of autumn imagery. Once again, read the lyrics if you have a chance.
5. September - Earth Wind & Fire: Who said fall had to be a downer. Get up and dance like nobody is watching.
6. Slow Turning - John Hiatt: The single greatest song ever written about growing old. Once again, it's that whole "autumn of our years" thing.
7. Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day: I think the lyrics get overlooked due to the overwhelming popularity of this song... or maybe that's exactly why it was overwhelmingly popular.
8. November Rain - Guns 'N Roses: Who knew Axl Rose was so reflective? Actually he isn't. The song is based on a Del James short story called The Language Of Fear. By the way, this is longest top-10 song ever and it features the longest guitar solo of any top-10 song (technically there are two guitar solos in this song).
9. California Dreaming - The Mamas and Papas: A song with the lyrics to take you from late fall into early winter.
10. The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles: First of all, this is my personal favorite Beatles song of all time. For those of you who bought into John's comment about silly love songs here's the proof that there was far more to Sir Paul.

If you like John Hiatt (see my earlier blog) you should have some interest in Cracker. Davey Faragher was the original bass player in Cracker before leaving to join John Hiatt's band, The Nashville Queens. On the other hand, Michael Urbano joined Cracker after being the drummer in John Hiatt's earlier band, The Guilty Dogs.

Anyway, here are ten songs worth giving a spin:

1. Teen Angst - Cracker: Here's a line for ya, "I don't know what the world may need, and I never grasped your complexities. I'd be happy just to get your attention." That wasn't a problem in college. It has been ever since. If this continues I'm going to end up with issues with women.
2. Take the Skinheads Bowling - CVB: Another line, "Some people say that bowling alleys got big lanes.
   Some people say that bowling alleys all look the same. There's not a line that goes here that rhymes with anything. Had a dream last night, but I forget what it was." Sometimes I almost think I am capable of writing outstanding lyrics... or at least lyrics like this.
3. Low - Cracker: Okay, every song will have a line in this blog. "A million poppies gonna make me sleep. Just one rose and knows your name, the fruit is rusting on the vine, the fruit is calling from the trees." I have no clue about this other than when Dorothy falls asleep in the poppy field in The Wizard Of Oz.
4. Happy Birthday To Me - Cracker: "I remember you, I crashed your wedding, with some orange crepe paper, and some Halloween candy." If only he had crashed my first wedding... everyone else did.
5. Euro-Trash Girl - Cracker: "Well I've been up to Paris, and I've slept in a park. Went down to Barcelona, someone broke in my car. And I'll search the world over for my angel in black. Yeah, I'll search the world over for a Euro-trash Girl." I think I'm in lust! 
6. Get Off This - Cracker: "Let's get off this, and get on with it. If you wanna change the world shut your mouth and start to spin it." Am I supposed to spin it faster or slower? A little direction would be nice.
7. Pictures Of Matchstick Men - CVB: This is a cover of a Status Quo song. "Windows echo your reflection. When I look in their direction now, when will this haunting stop?" Dude, she was only a woman. Keep in mind, a lot of guys have a good woman until a better woman comes along. Uh oh. Did I just say that? I think I'm going to get some comments...
8.  Something You Ain't Got - Cracker: I'm not sure anyone outside of the band besides me ever heard this song. "Well the first dance cost me a quarter,and the second dance cost me my heart. Now I'm here on this barstool, like a circle it ends where it starts. And it goes something like this, always a swing and a miss." I'm starting to sense a theme.
9. Ain't Gonna Suck Itself - Cracker: "It was 102 degrees I was feeling kind of hot, so I walked across the street for one of those Mexican frozen popsicles. Couldn't buy just one so I bought myself a box. When I come back the assistant she's standing in the parking lot. No hard feelings do you want one of these? But she looks at me like I was speaking Chinese. The security man walks up he helps himself to one. Coincidently Chinese and hot from standing in the sun." And I bet you thought this song was going to be about something other than Mexican popsicles. Oh wait. It is. It's D. Lowery having his say with Virgin Records. I wonder if he realizes just how rich Richard Branson is.
10. This Is Cracker Soul - Cracker: "Hey hey it's okay to never know the answer but ask why. (why oh why?). 'Cause you don't need another burden come and party with your spirit guide." Words to live by. What a great way to end this!

1. John Hiatt - The best singer/songwriter living on this planet. If he went to Mars or Venus he would be the best one there too!
2. Ben Folds - During the '90s Ben Folds Five was the best live act touring.
3. Lucinda Williams - The female version of John Hiatt. How can you be that talented and not have ten Top-40 hits to go with five Grammys?
4. Alejandro Escovedo - Bruce Springsteen regularly gushes about this guy's talent.
5. Buddy Guy and/or Keb' Mo'- If you're into the blues then you really need to see this Buddy Guy before he dies. He puts on a great live show! KM is the best thing happening in modern blues.
6. Camper Van Beethoven/Cracker or any other group David Lowery is fronting - Some of the best lyrics out there. You've probably heard several of the songs by these two groups (Take the Skinheads Bowling, and Low). I've always preferred Cracker, but both lineups are great in concert.
7. Cake - Becoming more mainstream by the day. The kids love them and they're playing to larger and larger audiences to the point they're now a headliner at many of the summer music festivals. The lead singer does all of the art for their t-shirts and album covers. He's a very talented graphic artist. He says he continues to do this in case the whole rock 'n roll thing doesn't work out.
8. Hothouse Flowers - I don't think this band exists anymore. Unfortunately, everyone in Ireland thinks they can sing. The guys in this group actually could. Bono was always a big fan.
9. The del Fuegos or Jason & the Scorchers - Neither of these groups exist today. Both lead singers now do family music (you know, music your kids will listen to that you can actually tolerate). Both groups were big with the college rock crowd in the '80s. Both have music you can download from iTunes. Both were very talented.
10. On the Verge Artists - Some of these folks are destined for the one single and out music bin. Some of them might actually make it. Tell everyone you were there early: Amos Lee, Augustana, Big Blue Ball, Cat Power, Colbie Caillat, Donovan Frankenreiter, Duffy, Landon Pigg, Matt Nathanson, Mike Doughty (one of my personal favorites), Needtobreathe, Newton Faulkner, Paolo Nutini (another one of my favorites), Sara Bareilles, and Spoon.

Like John Hiatt, Ben Folds is one of my favorite non-mainstream artists. I really miss his former group - Ben Folds Five. It consisted of Ben playing piano, Robert Sledge playing bass, and Darren Jessee playing drums. Please note, there was no guitarist, and I can promise you they weren't a jazz combo. They rocked and they rocked hard! In fact they did a cover version of Crosstown Traffic by Jimi Hendrix and most people in the audience didn't even notice there wasn't a guitar player! How kewl is that? The old band just had a reunion concert on September 18th in Chapel Hill, NC. It was their first reunion since 1999. Here is a review of the show. No surprise the review is a rave.

Ben's new album, Way To Normal, is slated to be released on September 30th. Obviously I'm not including anything from the new album on this playlist. I'm kind of tepid about the first release, You Don't Know Me, but he's had other albums that I loved without being overly fond of the first single. With that said, I hope each of you who don't know Ben find something new to enjoy!

1. Kate - Whatever and Ever Amen: I'm pretty sure this is the only rock song ever to mention the Bhagavad Gita, although George Harrison mentioned Krishna in the song My Sweet Lord.
2. Battle Of Who Could Care Less - Whatever and Ever Amen: I've noticed Paul Shaffer still occasionally uses this as bumper music on the Late Show With David Letterman.
3. Army - The Unauthorized Biography Of Reinhold Messner: The opening lyrics are, "Well I thought about the Army, Dad said Son you're f#@%ing high..." I always thought that sounded like what my own father would have said to me right after high school. Aw, the fond memories of dear ole dad!
4. Landed - Songs For Silverman: This was used in a Hilton Hotels ad. See, not everyone at the agency had an MBA from a top tier school. Wait a minute, I have one of those (Yes, I am that pompous upon occasion) and I like this song. Oh well...
5. Rockin' the Suburbs - Rockin' the Suburbs: From Ben's first studio solo album. There is another version on the soundtrack to the kid's movie Over the Hedge which has cleaner language.
6. Uncle Walter - Ben Folds Five: Listen to the lyrics to this song and you'll know what I'm talking about when I say every family has an Uncle Walter. There is a fan site called The Magical Armchair which derives its name from the lyrics of this song.
7. Underground - Ben Folds Five: The first semi-hit for BFF. The only song ever to use the term "social coteries" in its lyrics. Don't believe me? I double-dog dare you to find another.
8. Emaline - Naked Baby Photos: This album contained a bunch of outtakes. I want to know how this was never released as a BFF single!
9. Theme From Dr. Pyser - Whatever and Ever Amen (Extended Version): They used to open most of their shows with this song because it allowed them to warm up their playing and singing. Enjoy the entire three minutes it lasts.
10. She Don't Use Jelly - Lounge-A-Palooza: Unfortunately, I have heard this album is no longer in print. It's a real shame since this is one of the greatest examples of campy lounge music ever recorded. And, yes, this is the same song as the one by The Flaming Lips (another one of the best live acts you can catch).

9. Crying- Roy Orbison And k.d lang.
As good as Roy's original is, this one is better. It's the harmonica. And when lang gets to sing, by herself, the chorus, it is stunning.
Feeling: there's something in my eye.

8. Biko - Peter Gabriel.
The story of the slain South African is penetrating, but the vocals, the rhythm, and that ending!
Feeling: ticked off.

7. John Hiatt - Have a Little Faith in Me
How does this rate so high? It's just a guy on the piano. Well, it's the quality of both. Hiatt remade this song with more orchestration for a greatest hits album; it was not improved, and in fact was somehow diminished. Not so incidentally, a key song on a mixed tape I made for my now-wife.

6. When Love Comes To Town - U2/B.B. King.
From the opening drumming to King's guitar lines, to King's and Bono's vocals, I almost always platy this song twice.
Feeling: struggling with the power.

chops off 1st notes and then too soon.

5. Billy Joel-Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)
As beautiful as it is, the piano on the bridge just lifts it higher. I heard an a cappella version of this, which was lovely.
Feeling: melancholy.
HERE.

4. Roberta Flack - Gone Away.
I was watching the Grammys in the last couple years and discovered someone has sampled this. This song, part of the group of songs I used to play when love went south, really builds after the 1:30 mark, with instruments (a painful guitar line, and is that a tuba?) plus mournful vocals that feature the late Donny Hathaway.
Feeling: brokenhearted.

3. I Only Have Eyes For You - the Flamingoes.
I hear those first three or four chords and I am always surprised how it leads to such a lush tune. My first favorite song, probably for 30 years.
Feeling: loving.

2. Let's Go Crazy - Prince.
Unfortunate that the video overlays the preach part with the musical beginning, for it's both elements that I love. The danceability, plus my favorite guitar solo possibly ever. I have a 7-minute version that's even more fun.
Feeling: let's get nuts!

So, here are
the rules.
100-91.
90-81.
80-71.
70-61.
60-51.
50-41.
40-31.
30-21.
20-11.

Anyone want to venture a guess as to #1?

In an interview John Hiatt revealed how he came to write this offbeat love song.

I saw the name on a road sign in Missouri. There was this two mile stretch of road, and Ethylene was the name of the wife of the couple who had adopted this stretch of highway.

I remember going to a gas station, and this guy was asking me questions, and running me through the wringer. In this gas station there were a bunch of stuffed heads of hunting trophies, and he mentioned that he and his wife bowhunt.

He says, `Oh, my wife's a better bowhunter than I am. She can bag her limit.' I thought it was a great saying, so that found its way into the song.

Maybe Hiatt really did see a Missouri road sign that said Ethylene. But isn't it interesting that ethylene is another word for alcohol, and a toxic form of alcohol at that? 

Judging from the lyrics, I suspect "Ethylene" is a valentine to the wild life Hiatt had to abandon.

I miss my feet
On your cold linoleum floor
Sippin hot coffee
After makin love till daybreak
Well Ethylene a fool would ask for more

Watch John Hiatt sing "Ethylene."

The Americana Music Association held it's awards ceremony Thursday night at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville and strange-but-beautiful bedfellows Robert Plant and Allison Krauss were the big winners, taking home the Album and Duo/Group of the Year awards.

Peter Cooper — a former co-worker of mine, a talented musician and songwriter in his own right and the music writer for the Nashville Tennessean newspaper — wrote about the ceremony here.

Levon Helm, formerly of The Band, Buddy Miller, Joan Baez, John Hiatt and Nanci Griffith were among others honored, and Jerry Garcia was honored posthumously.

Helm is a treasure. He's returned from cancer to make a great album. While Robbie Robertson may have written the songs, it's Helm's voice that made The Band great with songs like "The Weight" and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down." And he did a hell of a job as Loretta Lynn's daddy in "Coal Miner's Daughter."

Everyone has heard a John Hiatt song, whether they realize it or not: Bonnie Raitt's "Thing Called Love," B.B. King and Eric Clapton's "Riding With the King," Roseanne Cash's "The Way We Make a Broken Heart" are a few of his songs others have recorded.

Americana music, which isn't really a genre because it encompasses so many styles ... blues, rock, country, folk, bluegrass ... continues to thrive despite virtually no radio airplay at all.

And I'm glad, because if i was forced to listen to most of the crap on the corporate commercial radio now, I'd likely become one of those old white dudes listening to other old angry white dudes talking on the radio all the time.

And we've already got way too many of those, especially here in South Carolina.

The Americana Music Associations’s 2008 honors and awards

Album of the year: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant, Raising Sand
Artist of the year: Levon Helm
Duo/Group of the year: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant
Instrumentalist of the year: Buddy Miller
New emerging artist of the year: Mike Farris
Song of the year: “She Left Me For Jesus,” written by Hayes Carll and Brian Keane, and performed by Hayes Carll
“Spirit of Americana” Free Speech In Music: Joan Baez
Lifetime Achievement/Songwriting: John Hiatt
Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement/Executive: Terry Lickona
Lifetime Achievement/Performance: Jason and the Scorchers
President’s Award: Jerry Garcia
Lifetime Achievement/Instrumentalist: Larry Campbell
Trailblazer: Nanci Griffith
Lifetime Achievement/Producer/Engineer: Tony Brown

'Where did you get those done?'

She replied that she had used a new photographer in town. We had a 20" x 16" portrait of the children in the dining room, but it was two years old. At the age of our small children, that's a long time in which they had changed.

So we booked a session with Melanie, who was wonderful, and Debbie asked that one of the shots be a new 20" x 16" as a birthday present for her. Mark was impeccable during the shoot, and Rebekah started out well before switching into full drama queen mode.

A little while later, Melanie gave us a CD of the best shots, and we spent an evening narrowing down our choices. Eventually, we placed the order and last week I collected them. They are fabulous. The new big portrait is up. Mark's cheeky smile radiates across the room, and in Rebekah's case you can see glimpses of the beautiful young woman she will become. It's stunning.

So the first purpose of this post is an unsolicited plug for Melanie's work. I'm not posting copies of the photos here for two reasons: firstly, I would be breaching her copyright, and secondly I don't in any case put photos of our children in the most public parts of the web. I only use parts of my Facebook profile and Flickr that friends can see.

But the extended purpose of this post is to meditate on change and continuity. It's there in the different photos of our children, separated by two years. It's even more obvious when you go to the church social and the ice-breaker game is stuck on the walls: 'Guess which church member this is as a baby.'

This struck me even more on Friday night, when Debbie and I sat down to watch Friday Night With Jonathan Ross. The main guest was one of my musical heroes from the 1970s, Stevie Wonder. His run of albums from 'Music Of My Mind' to 'Hotter Than July' (excepting 'Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants'!) has to be one of the most sustained streaks of brilliance in popular music. I don't care for much of his music since - indeed if 'I Just Called To Say I Love You' could be permanently deleted from the world's memory, I'd be happy.

But I love his Seventies music as much today in my forties as in my teens. 'Living For The City' still has to be one of the great social justice songs. So am I behaving as an overgrown teenager when I put his music on, or am I still genuinely appreciating his music, despite the fact that I have grown - and hopefully matured?

One thing I did was ponder the roots of my musical taste. My love of some black music clearly comes from growing up in multi-racial north London. My best friend's brother introduced me to Otis Redding and Stax.

But my taste is - well, the polite word is 'eclectic'. Singer-songwriters feature prominently. Some of that comes from being a child in church during the Sixties when folk and protest music was acceptable in the mainline denominations. It was more respectable than that pop racket. Also, I'm quite an introspective person, so the Seventies singer-songwriters were an obvious touchstone for me - Jackson Browne, Joni Mitchell and so on.

And I've always had a thing about lyrics. I'm keen on meaning, so those people who say that lyrics don't matter have little sympathy from me. Not only that, I tried writing songs with my best friend. Given that he was and is a musician and I never have been, the words were my department. Don't worry, none of them has ever been released. You are safe. But it gave me a deeper appreciation of lyrics.

The serious side of me also went for prog rock - notably Genesis and Yes. (Genesis went down the pan when they became a pop band.) My love of the serious and the complex kept my loyalty to this kind of music in the punk wars. The late Alan Freeman once held a vote on his Saturday afternoon Radio 1 show. Punk yes or no? No won 51% to 49%. I was in the 51.

You can still trace a lot of these influences in music I enjoy thirty years later. Boo Hewerdine, John Hiatt and Aimee Mann are all currently trapped in my car CD player, strongly representing the singer-songwriter camp. I recently bought Stomu Yamashta's Complete Go Sessions on eBay on the prog front. And Stevie Wonder on the TV probably has me digging out some of those classic albums.

At the same time, however, there are aspects of my teenage record buying habits that I wouldn't want people to know about. There are some singles I was glad disappeared when I finally and reluctantly said goodbye to vinyl. I'm too embarrassed to name them here, so I'll just leave you to guess. Some of them should only have been bought by teenage girls, that's all I'm saying. It's change and continuity again.

All this is an extended introduction to say that holding together continuity and change is an important spiritual and theological issue. I'm not even referring to the management of change in a congregation, although there is plenty that could be said about that. At this point, I'm confining myself to the personal aspects.

The Reformation enshrined this when it said that people were simul justus et peccator, both justified and yet still sinners. Justification brings redemption and leads to sanctification, that is, change, yet we are still what we always were: sinners.

Or to put it another way: our past and our present go a long way to explaining us, and hope draws us on into God's New Creation.

And in that respect, Tom Wright's great sign of the New Creation to come is the Resurrection of Jesus, itself am expression of continuity and change in the nature of Christ's resurrection body. There was continuity: once the disciples had got past their considerable intellectual barriers to resurrection happening in the middle of history, Jesus was recognisable. He was 'known by the scars', to take Michael Card's old phrase. But there was also change: whatever miracles Jesus did before the crucifixion, he never suddenly appeared in the middle of a locked room, as is recorded twice in John 20. In the Resurrection, Jesus is endowed with the 'spiritual body' of which Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 15, and which my MPhil mentor Richard Bauckham used to say means, 'a body animated by the Holy Spirit'.

So it isn't necessarily a mark of immaturity if certain things remain from my youth. They may be part of an acceptable continuity that will travel with and in me throughout life in this age and the age to come.

Indeed, if the theory behind the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is correct that we have the same personality type for life, then that is an expression of this. You'll see from the description I gave about the roots of some of my musical taste that a fair bit has to do with personality. No personality type is perfect: all have weaknesses. However, this is not necessarily about moral failure or weakness. God made humans to be interdependent, and in the Church God made us to be the Body of Christ, with complementary gifts.

But other things will fall away and be replaced or renewed. And that's OK, too. That's where the issues of holiness come in. So for example years ago I read an article in Third Way magazine about one of my musical heroes, Van Morrison. The author (Martin Wroe?) acknowledged that Morrison was not so much a practitioner of faith as a student of religions. He also acknowledged the commonly known fact about Morrison's personality, namely that he is a notorious curmudgeon. Rock's Mister Grumpy, indeed. However, he expressed a hope that there would be a place for him in the kingdom of God.

If there is, then it will be by the grace of God, just as it is for all of us. However, the question will arise for him, as it does for everyone, of change. How will he and we be made 'fit for heaven' (or the New Creation)? Transformation begins in this life by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, but is it complete at death?

The classical Catholic answer to this has been in terms of Purgatory. Tom Wright makes a good response to this in 'Surprised By Hope'. He describes it as a medieval metaphor and myth, without biblical support, having more to do with Aquinas and Dante. He quotes the current Pope, who appeals to 1 Corinthians 3, where the Lord himself is the fire in judgment who purifies us. Purgatory is unnecessary. God will see to it that we are fit for heaven and the New Creation.

And when he does, in that favourite verse of babysitters, 'We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed.' By the grace of God, he will make us worthy of his presence. And there will be a degree of recognition due to continuity, although exactly what that is becomes another difficult question. Suffice to say it must be about more than physical likeness.

Who knows, maybe even some of my music collection will survive!

Source: New York Times Click|Here

The Imus Ranch Record
Tracks & Artist List

1. Silver Springs — Patty Loveless

2. Lay Down Sally — Delbert McClinton

3. Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys — Lucinda Williams

4. You Better Move On — Levon Helm

5. Life Has Its Little Ups And Downs — Raul Malo

6. I Ain’t Never — Little Richard

7. I Don’t See Me In Your Eyes Anymore — Randy Travis

8. You’ve Got To Fight For Your Right To Party — Big & Rich

9. What A Difference A Day Makes — Willie Nelson

10. Give Back The Key To My Heart — Dwight Yoakam

11. What Happened — Bekka Bramlett

12. Welfare Music — John Hiatt

13. A Satisfied Mind — Vince Gill

When the road gets dark
And you can no longer see
Just let my love throw a spark
And have a little faith in me

And when the tears you cry
Are all you can believe
Just give these loving arms a try
And have a little faith in me
And

Chorus:
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me
Have a little faith in me

When your secret heart
Cannot speak so easily
Come here darlin
From a whisper start
To have a little faith in me

And when your backs against the wall
Just turn around and you will see
I will catch, I will catch your fall baby
Just have a little faith in me

Chorus

Sung over fade:
Well, Ive been loving you for such a long time girl
Expecting nothing in return
Just for you to have a little faith in me
You see time, time is our friend
cause for us there is no end
And all you gotta do is have a little faith in me
I said I will hold you up, I will hold you up
Your love gives me strength enough
So have a little faith in me

Most of the time when I'm drawing, I'm also listening to music. So it's no wonder that most of my work is related to a song-- either directly through a portrait of the singer/musician, or by extension, from emotion(s) that I was feeling through the music/song.

The portrait above of John Hiatt was done in 2003 while listening to his 1987 Bring the Family CD. I bought that CD on the strength of his "Have a Little Faith in Me" song which I like so much! I copied his photo from a page, I believe, that was part of the liner notes that accompanied the CD.

I used Da Vinci transparent watercolors on 140-lb, cold press Canson 9"x12" watercolor pad. I used only blues and greens in this portrait. Click on this link to listen to Have A Little Faith In Me by John Hiatt.

1. Have A Little Faith In Me - The version with the gospel choir doing backing vocals (on The Best of John Hiatt album) is the better of the two versions. Joe Cocker does a decent cover of this song.
2. Memphis In the Meantime - Gregg Allman covered this one.
3. Drive South - A hit for Suzy Bogguss
4. Child Of the Wild Blue Yonder
5. Slow Turning
6. Riding With the King - You've probably heard the hit by B.B. King and Eric Clapton
7. Thing Called Love - One of Bonnie Raitt's biggest hits
8. Master Of Disaster - The North Mississippi Allstars were his backing band on this one.
9. Angel Eyes - The only hit for The Jeff Healey Band
10. Feels Like Rain - Buddy Guy owes his comeback to this John Hiatt song.

• I spoke with a reporter the other day from a worthwhile publication on the subject of music. I thought it was a great conversation. She was one of the few people I have ever spoken with who I thought really understood music on a whole different level. That will be obvious to you should she decide to go forward and publish the article. Hopefully, her editors are at least half as kewl as her. Also I really liked her on a personal level as well, but that's not unusual since she struck me as being one of those people who is interested in and conversant on a number of different topics. If she submits her article and her editor decides to publish it, I will provide a link when it comes out.
• I am still transitioning my "old" music blogs from my other weblog site. In the coming week, I should complete this task and then I can start publishing new blogs again. In the meantime, reread them. I promise they're not all that painful.
• I did not receive a single response on the music quiz. C'mon folks. There's only one question which can't easily be found with a little internet research.
• I just bought tickets to see John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett in concert at The Orpheum Theater in Memphis. Truly a beautiful venue with two of the best singer-songwriters touring today. When I lived in Nashville it was virtually impossible to get tickets to see either John Hiatt or Steve Earle. In fact, I once went to see John Hiatt warm up for Hootie back in the day. It was a driving rainstorm so JH only played seven or eight songs. As soon as he finished his set I left. Last year I was at a friend's lake house and he told me his neighbor had just sold his house. It turned out the neighbor was JH. I was totally bummed.
• Earlier this year Elvis Costello played The New Daisy Theater on Beale Street. I had a friend who offered to get me in backstage. I'm still kicking myself for not taking him up on it.
• It is Elvis Week! I have always referred to this week as Elvister and the week of January 8th (his birthday) as Elvismas. There are a ton of tourists in town as always. Many of them are Europeans and Asians. I did my undergraduate work at a small college in Memphis. During Elvis Week we used to go out to the candlelight vigil and "goof on" the tourists. One year we made a truck driver so mad he wanted to fight us. The best part of the week is all of the Elvii you can see around town who are here for the tribute competitions.

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**Ranch Record News**

A Different Tune for Imus

JACQUES STEINBERG; Compiled by JULIE BOSMAN

In the latest chapter of his comeback following the racially and sexually charged exchange that got him fired by CBS Radio and MSNBC last year, Don Imus, is taking on the role of impresario. On Sept. 16 New West Records plans to release “The Imus Ranch Record,” in which 13 artists selected by Mr. Imus — including Vince Gill, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakum and Patty Loveless — perform cover versions of songs chosen by Mr. Imus. Ms. Loveless, for example, sings “Silver Springs,” a Stevie Nicks song. Lucinda Williams sings “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” which was made famous by Waylon Jennings. Big & Rich, however improbably, put their best spin on the Beastie Boys’ “You’ve Got to Fight for Your Right to Party.” Mr. Imus intends for the CD to benefit the Imus Ranch, which he and his wife, Deirdre, operate in New Mexico for the benefit of children with cancer and other diseases.

Source: New York Times Click|Here

Don Imus Unleashes The Imus Ranch Record

Tracks & Artist List:

1. Silver Springs -- Patty Loveless

2. Lay Down Sally -- Delbert McClinton

3. Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys -- Lucinda Williams

4. You Better Move On -- Levon Helm

5. Life Has Its Little Ups And Downs -- Raul Malo

6. I Ain't Never -- Little Richard

7. I Don't See Me In Your Eyes Anymore -- Randy Travis

8. You've Got To Fight For Your Right To Party -- Big & Rich

9. What A Difference A Day Makes -- Willie Nelson

10. Give Back The Key To My Heart -- Dwight Yoakam

11. What Happened -- Bekka Bramlett

12. Welfare Music -- John Hiatt

13. A Satisfied Mind -- Vince Gill

Source MarketWatch  Click|Here

In ACL news closer to home here in Nashville, show producer Terry Lickona will receive the Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for an Executive at the Americana Music Association’s 7th Annual Honors and Awards ceremony, September 18 at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Lickona joins Joan Baez and Jason & the Scorchers receiving special awards. The AMA Conference and Festival kicks off on September 17th at the Ryman Auditorium with Levon Helm's Ramble on the Road.

Hiatt faz parte de um circuito muito alternativo, e de alta qualidade, da música americana. Seu estilo passeia pelo rock, folk e blues em baladas e também canções dançantes, como Cry Love do álbum Wak On, que você vê no clip imediatamente abaixo.

Quem assistia o extinto programa Sessions At West 54, exibido pelo canal Sony, pode ver Hiatt na apresentação do programa, ocupando o lugar que foi de David Byrne.