Here is a new song we just released. I'm playing ban-jammer which is a cross between a banjo and a lap dulcimer. This song has become a favorite of the band. The outro section with build up "the sea is so wide, and my boat is so small," makes me feel like I'm actually out on an old wooden boat on the crashing waves.

Download the Single on iTunes

Rich Mullins got me hooked on the hammer dulcimer about 13 years ago, and his barefoot spirituality and life have spoken volumes to me as well. He was an amazing musician/artist/songwriter, but he was so much more than this as a friend of God, and one learning to be loved by God, and this is what made his life so attractive. So...I'm glad that Color Green Films (David Leo Schultz) is making a full-length movie, Rich Mullins the Movie.

Here is a little teaser video from Color Green Films. Brennan Manning shares his heart in the video. Brennan was a huge influence on Rich, and many of us as well.

A few years ago I had the opportunity to record one of Rich's tunes "Creed" with Third Day and Brandon Heath. It just so happened that I was in Soundhouse Studio recording all day on a DVD project with Bethel Church, so when the winds blew in Third Day at midnight...we were ready to roll tape. It turned out pretty organic in a good way, and I hope it can serve as yet another helper to show the musical legacy Rich left the world.

This has been one of the most exciting projects I've worked on. I was able to work with the iphone app builder and help with design and graphic elements as well as functionality. We see every city being able to eventually use this app to feature local music and art. Yaks Live Art is what we are doing in Redding, CA. Alan Leard took the app building lead and Juan Eddards (www.orangefloorstudio.com) created the design graphic elements. Then I got to fill in the holes and make it come to life. You can download it for free.

I have two links below. One is a cool little video demo for the app, and the other link takes you to iTunes link for the app.

Yaks Live Art Demo Video
iTunes Link to Yaks Live Art App:

   

I'm so excited for this show coming up. I've been helping create this venue to feature and support all local music and art, and I have the honor of being a part of the show with my thin places band. It's gonna be epic! And we got highland bagpipes, my close friends from Jefferson Pipe Band. Come if you can. It's in Redding at the Cascade Theatre on Friday, Sept 16th 7-10pm.

I love my life, my three kids and my bride. This song is about my old friend "Sleep" we used to be really close...then I had kids. Just having some fun. Again, I'd rather share the journey of the song being written, as verse may be tweaked a bit. Hope you enjoy. much peace...

I've been really enjoying the stories of Celtic Christian saints. Saint Brendan was an incredible Irish monk that heard from God calling him out on to the ocean. The story takes place around 512-530AD. Supposedly, he gets in a boat and sails with some monk brothers across the Atlantic Ocean and reaches Newfoundland. It's an epic story of faith, fear, community, and adventure of course.

Here is a video of an original song I've been writing with Seth Carlson. Our Thin Places Band played it a month ago at Love Lounge in Redding. I was still writing the day of the show, so be at peace, and so will I - as it may mature a bit, especially verse melody and lyric. Hope you enjoy.

This past year I had the opportunity to incorporate Live Painting in the Thin Places Christmas Event. My heart for the painting of little ones was to connect with the imagery and synergy of the Incarnation in the baby Jesus. Just as Jesus came in the helpless form of a baby, he is coming to the orphans, and so can we. A Close friend connected me with Drawn From Water, which is an Ethiopian Orphanage.

As a part of the show, we had a silent auction for the live paintings on stage during the show. Juan Eddards painted two and Shane Grammer painted one. Right before intermission we showed the Drawn From Water video (below). It speaks for itself, and so did the paintings.

We were able to give $2,127 to Drawn From Water Orphanage from those who purchased the paintings.

I'm excited about how the show went this past December. We got a ton of great response from the city. We are already planning shows for 2011. I've created a Thin Places Christmas Event Promo Page with Media from the Live Show.

We captured a lot of great footage at the shows on December 8th. Here is a short promo video to show you a bit of the show. The song used in the video is from our original tune, Marathon Man (Judah's Jig).

Well. Months became weeks, weeks became days, days became hours, hours became minutes and minutes became seconds. Before we knew it we were at the Cascade rehearsing and pulling everything together for the show on Dec 8th. So much came together it was amazing. The team was over the top. Some of the most beautiful souls I've every met.