A Window in the World

Another morning, another unusual breakfast. This was the media breakfast for the Provident label group, held at the Hard Rock Café. I was seated a couple of the guys from Jars of Clay and Dawn from Fireflight, along with the editor of CCM magazine. We enjoyed getting to know one another, got a preview of a new project from Mac Powell, watched a hilarious video introducing the Aussie group Revive, complete with Men at Work covers, and saw a few tremendous acoustic performances. Hats off especially to Phil Stacey (the American Idol guy), who performed a cover of the Rich Mullins song I thought no one would ever ever cover, “Hard to Get”, and to Jars of Clay, who performed “Two Hands” from their new album. Then a person in an astronaut costume brought them a cake to celebrate the album release. How odd.

By the way, although I got the Jars album a day early, I didn’t listen to it until yesterday, and let me say this: It’s brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I wish I had listened to it Monday night so I could gush to the guys Tuesday morning, but I was quite busy.

Yes, Monday night. Here’s a concert for you: TobyMac and the Diverse City Band, Mandisa, Tommy Sims, B. Reith, Angelo and Veronica, Amy Grant, Israel Houghton, a surprise appearance by Jonny Lang, a whole bunch of others I can’t remember, and the one I really wanted to see, Phil Keaggy. That was ONE CONCERT. This was my first time seeing Mr. Keaggy (Sir Keaggy?) live. You know how you can wait your whole life to see someone and have such lofty expectations that there’s no way the person can actually live up to those expectations? Well, that was me, and well, Phil DID live up to my expectations. Nay, he blew them away. He performed “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” followed by the extended, free-flowing acoustic jam I’ve always wanted to see from the master of the guitar.

I took off from there to another club to catch Lanae Hale, Matt Pappa, and downhere. I’ve been a big downhere fan for years but have also never seen them live. The vocal tandem in this band is hard to beat, and the songwriting continues to excel. Their latest album is just right for these times, and I also recommend it highly.

I did my extended interviews with Israel Houghton and Phil Stacey on Tuesday morning. Both were engaging and articulate, and both expressed a pastor’s heart. I’ll give you a heads up when these stories run.

More stories, and hopefully some audio and pictures, to come. WordPress keeps telling me I don’t have the rights to upload audio that I’ve recorded, all by myself, on my own recorder. Pretty pushy of WordPress, methinks. Any blog experts know what I might be doing wrong?

It occurred to me that these are not really “Behind the Scenes” updates. In fact, I haven’t been behind a single scene since I’ve been here. I supposed they should be called “In front of the scenes” updates. Alas, you start with a name and you’re stuck with it.

It’s Sunday now at 5:30. Things are picking up in the hotel with a steady stream of arrivals. Radio stations are setting up fully functional glassed-in portable studios for live broadcasts. Christian music is now being pumped through the hotel’s speakers, which is kinda fun.

Last night I partied at a Promoter’s showcase at Rocketown. Unless you’re old like me , the following exchange won’t mean much, but for the rest of us, here’s what dated me. I was being given a tour of the facilities by one of the friendly young people who work there. She asked if I already knew much about Rocketown. I said that I mostly knew the song. See, Michael W. Smith wrote this song 100 years ago about a seedy bar called Rocketown that all the locals would frequent and a kindly preacher man who stood outside and told the patrons about God. So, when Smitty decided to open a safe facility for young people, he called it Rocketown, after the cool name in the song. When I told my tour guide that was pretty much all I knew about Rocketown, she replied, “Yeah, I had heard there was a song. I’ve never heard it. Do you know what it’s actually about?” Egad! I thought the song would be on a continuous loop on loudspeakers throughout the facility and the surrounding streets, and she had NEVER HEARD IT! Something must be done about this. Immediately. I’m serious.

Evening culminated in the North American debut performance of Bluetree, the newish band from Belfast. They wrote “God of this City”, which Chris Tomlin covered on his latest album. Great show. I got to chat with the guys this morning, and they have a refreshing earnestness. The guitarist is 19 years old. My oldest daughter is 15. I really am that old. He’s probably never heard the Rocketown song either.

Got to the hotel about 1:00 and crashed, with the pleasure of not even setting the alarm, since Sunday morning worship was at 10:00 and I couldn’t sleep that late if I stayed up until 9 am. That Sunday morning worship was a powerful experience. Matt Redman led the music, with overqualified backup by Christy Nockels. I got a repeat performance of the new song I heard at the Good Friday show, and I still love it. There’s also a particular joy of being in a room of so many brilliant singers. I think there was 4-part harmony during “Everlasting God.” Louie Giglio preached on Psalm 40 and told the moving tale of Ashley’s Diary, which you can probably find somewhere if you haven’t heard it.

The first of only four interviews followed. In between I got the chance to go over to the Music City Walk of Fame induction ceremony. They hold it every year in conjunction with GMA Week. It’s a “stars on the sidewalk” thing like in Hollywood. The ceremony was moved indoors this year since it’s rainy. I intended to just pop my head in, but I somehow got checked in as “Media” and wound up a little bit stuck with a bunch of photographers and very famous music people in a very crowded room at the Sommet Center. That only became a problem when it was time for my next interview, and I had no escape. I wound up having to walk out in the middle of a speech my Mike Curb, one of the most influential people in music today. There goes my chances of getting signed to Curb Records and becoming the next Tim McGraw. I did quite enjoy getting a full hour to marvel at Marty Stuart’s hair. I wished Mom and Dad could have been there, because there were some country music folks there they would have really enjoyed seeing.

Dinner with a group of publicists is next, then possibly a songwriters showcase, then moving to the next hotel, then breakfast with Matthew West tomorrow morning. I have six big interviews tomorrow. I hope I can maintain the energy!

It’s Saturday morning, and I’m in Nashville for GMA Week. GMA is the Gospel Music Association, and they cover just about all types of Christian music. This is their annual week-long meeting, and it leads up to the Dove Awards, the Christian music equivalent to the Grammy Awards. This is my first time here, and for years I’ve wanted to read an account of what goes on this week. So, I’m planning to post what I’ve always wanted to read myself. Here’s the first dispatch. These will be pretty rough and unedited!

Drove into sleepy Nashville Saturday morning. At the first exit, shortly after sunrise , waiting to cross the street, was a man with a Starbucks cup, a cowboy hat, and an old guitar slung across his shoulder. I love it! Welcome to Nash-Vegas!

Most of downtown stoplights are on blink, still not awake. I just drove by a statue of Billy Graham.

There’s an All-State chorus at this hotel this weekend as well. Lots of kids are running around in matching polos. It’s interesting to see to goofy exuberance of these young singers amidst so many accomplished veterans.

I walked past Country Music Disk Jockey hall of fame to convention center for registration.

8:12 am. Just met Andrew Peterson, one of my musical heroes. Good start. I think I rescued him from some long-haired dude telling AP a little too much information about the nervous breakdown he had before he started his new musical career. Lots of new musical careers here. I like the energy.

 Lots of people with “The Look” – outfits carefully chosen to look like they weren’t carefully chosen.

Right now I’m in a room full of Indie artists. A fortunate few are going to play a single track for a panel of radio promoters for live feedback in a room full of their peers. That takes a lot of courage. Being a performing musician takes courage in the first place. You are placing yourself out there, for everyone to take and consume and judge.  The people in this room are palpably engaged in how to figure out this industry, but they’re also very in tune with their place in this world, and the absolute necessity to pursue this dream with the right motivation. The “fame drug” was mentioned, and it can affect every move these artists make, at every stage of the process.

I hear music from another room. That’s not that unusual. What is unusual is that I’m not sure if it’s being played from a CD as background music or if the artist is right there, performing, here in the middle of the day at a convention center.

Turns out it is the actual artist, Bluetree, performing the actual song, “God of This City.” I’m supposed to see them tonight at Rocketown. I’ve only been here four and a half hours, and I’m already just flying.