March 4 - Thursday, Angie Thompson and I finished a song we've been working on for some time. We usually take several sessions on a song. We're both very particular about what we called a "finished product". I hope this means our songs will stand the test of time. Hopefully, they'll bring about some cuts as well. Tomorrow is booking day. Tony comes home for Spring Break and I'm hoping we can write some as well as visit while he's around.

March 3 - Today was a busy and very productive day. I'm still getting great responses from colleges for next fall and I continue to book for spring and summer as well. This morning, I wrote with Jeff Pearles. He had a phenominal idea and our 9:30 p.m. session ended up going until mid-afternoon (right thru lunch, if that tells you how it was going). We finished the lyric. I believe we might have a tweak or two, but it turned out really well. We still have to put music on the song. Tonight, I went to the famous Bluebird Cafe - THE place for songwriters to perform. I do my first date there on Aprils 22 with Tony Wood, Dave Clark, and Chad Cates. They are wonderful writers and I'll be performing some songs and playing host. It's the first dedicated Christian songwriters' night at the cafe. I'm honored that I get to be a part of it. Tonight, I sat with Craig Hentrich as Lisa was "in the round" - this is quite literally. Four writers, along with a couple of extra guitarist/keyboardist guys sat in a circle and took turns singing songs. Lisa sang our song "These Days" (we wrote it along with Tony Wood). Mark Irwin was one of the three other writers. All were great, but I was familiar with several of Mark's songs, like "That's How We Do it In Dixie (Hank Williams, Jr.)" and "In the Real World (Alan Jackson)". Then afterwards, I came home to discover that Kara had written a song today. It was called "Dream Hoss". Don't ask! I don't know...

March 2 - Tuesday was a writing day. I started early with Lisa Hentrich and Sue C. Smith. We finished up the song we began last session and then went on to a new idea. A writer's volume of songs is only important if they're quality songs, but today's efforts both really felt good to me. The morning song "Echo" is a song of encouragement for those struggling with trying to be themselves in a world that has certain expectations. The second was more of an uptempo, fun song.

I have had a few people ask me about the process "start to finish" for a song being created and then used by an artist. There is no way to hit every single component of the process - and every situation is different - but this is the general pattern. Someone has a good idea or hook or title for a song. The song is written. Sometimes it is completed in a short period of time. For example, the lyric to "Live to Worship" was a rather short effort - probably no more than 45 minutes of actual work. Other songs take multiple sessions (of over two hours or more each). When you are happy with the song, you make a worktape. A worktape is a rough live performance for reference purposes (and so you don't forget the melody or chords). Then, based on merit and many variables, the song may be demo'd. This could be a "clean" keyboard and/or guitar plus vocal effort, or a full-blown band demo. This is determined many times by the target. In other words, if you're pitching to an established artist who is going to sell a good number of records, then you may spend more money for the recording. Whenever you don't have to spend lots of money, it's better of course. Then, after the demo is recorded, it is pitched to artists to whom it seems to match.  A good pitch consists of knowing the artist and having a song that matches the style, lyric content, or message of that particular artist for that specific recording. Hopefully, you know what that "match factor" is ahead of time. Finally, if an artist is interested, they notify you and put the song "on hold". 

Having a song "on hold" means that you cease pitching it until the artist has made a final decision. The courtesy of the artist consists of only putting songs on hold that they are very serious about recording and it is done in a timely fashion. A "hold" doesn't guarantee of a cut or usage. However, it's a good start. After the artist selects your song, they request a license to do the song. Even after a cut, it could be up to 9 months or more (based on the actual recording date, sell date, and time during the quarter) before you see any payment on the song.  

March 1 - Early morning presented opportunities for music work. I put together music montages for the website and for a promotional CD I hope to ready this week. The afternoon brought writing time with Darrell Johnson. He's from the Atlanta area and recently won the Write About Jesus contest for a song he had written. Sue C. Smith puts that event on every year in the St. Louis area and it attracts some talented writers. For Darrell to have won, it demonstrates a certain level of ability for sure! When I began writing with him, we really hit it off and wrote some songs I really like. So when he comes up from Georgia, I like to schedule time with him. He recently got his first cut (with the Bowlings) and has at least one publisher very interested in his services. Today, we worked on a Southern Gospel idea and finished most of the song. That's important when there is constant distance between the co-writers.

February 26 - Friday was a work day. I spent the day putting music clips together for the website. You can hear soundclips on the Music Marketplace Page. I plan to add demo's and worktapes in the future as well, so you can hear what i do as a writer. The process from idea to completion, which is hopefully a full-fledged cut by a major artist.  I am considering adding the "songs" page that once appeared for artists and groups. They were able to hear songs for consideration on upcoming projects, when they were looking for material. If you have comments or suggestions, I'd be open to them. Use my contact page and drop me a line. I look forward to working a little this weekend. I am doing some work for the Gospel Music Association and then will continue to add soundbites to this site. I will also be putting together a sampler CD for booking purposes. I begin the road in earnest in just a couple of weeks and I can't wait to get back out there!  

February 25 - Thursday was very productive on many fronts. As for future bookings, I am having tremendous response from Christian colleges about having me come and lecture their music majors, especially those looking to do something in the Christian music industry (in particular, songwriting) or with ministry work. I will also be working one-on-one work with those interested in getting immediate feedback on their songwriting and would perform some concerts during my time n the area. I'm excited about the possibilities. Then, I wrote this morning with Angie Thompson. We are working on a song that I really believe in. It might turn out to be the best we've written. We are within a few lines of finishing. Ang and I take a while to finish a song, but I'm always pleased with the result. I think if you're going to spend time writing and if you're going to use a good hook (title or idea), you should spend the time necessary to make it great, not just good. After the session with Angie, Jeff Pearles and I were scheduled to write. We were putting the finishing touches on our song from last week and making a work tape. Because we were writing at the ASCAP building as well, I introduced Jeff and Angie and encouraged them to write some time. Then, we decided to all write and it turned out very well.    

February 24 - Wednesday brought an opportunity to write with Ed Kee. I haven't written with Ed in quite some time. We have written numerous musicals and those are projects that require day after day of writing, especially when matched with a deadline. Usually when we wrote musicals, we'd get the assignment and just have a few weeks to complete the songs. That's not too much time when you consider that we were both doing day gigs at the time. I was serving churches each time and Ed was working at Brentwood-Benson Music. He has worked there since the early days of Brentwood Records. He has seen quite a few changes with the company from then to now. Our song from today's session is entitled "When I Fall Again". It talks about the continual battle of falling and failing as we try to walk the Christ-life and about how we should fall before God and ask for forgiveness and strength as we continue the journey.   

February 23 - I spent the morning in work mode again. The afternoon was spent writing with Marty Funderburk. Marty has been a friend of mine for a while. He's originally from Mississippi (like myself). He's a great singer and produces dozens of projects a year with Daywind Studios.  Marty is a Dove Award nominated writer and won the SGMA Songwriter of the Year Award for 2009. We wrote "Die Another Day", "Good Morning, Lord", "The First Time I Saw Love", "I Love the Cross", and several other songs that have been cut. We finished a song today entitled "Love Covers All", which talks about how the love of God covers our failures and sins. We had begun the song with Kenna Turner West and finished it up.

February 22 - Monday was a work day. I am busy contacting churches about dates as I really want to fill my calendar. When I do that, I will be able to concentrate on the ministry part of what I do on the road. There are so many components needed for one to be successful. Mainly, I'm praying that God will open door after door. I ask that you pray with me. Among my decisions for the coming days is the need to fill my band for the band dates. I need great players who will work for cheap. Hmmm...does that really happen? My solo dates begin in earnest on the second weekend in March. That will be here before I can imagine. Then, it's on... 

February 21 - Worship at Christ Church! There's little more to say. God seems to really pour out His Spirit on that place. Sunday was an especially moving service. I am so enjoying the experience of worship now. When you lead worship week in and week out, there are so many factors that distort the experience of worship. You hear the negative comments, over-think every move you make based on the people with whom you deal, and manuever through a list of other parameters with which you are given. On the best Sundays, you still have a million things on your mind to make sure everything works together. That alone diminishes the experience. Every pastor and worship leader should have a week or two each quarter to go somewhere else and experience worship. That's my two cents, but it probably won't start a movement among our churches to see that our leaders are fed as well! 

February 19 - Friday was primarily a booking day for myself. My original co-writers were not available as it turns out. Booking is a key part of what I am doing these days. As I start out on the road again, getting the word out is essential to success. I will be participating in the Spiritual Emphasis Week of my alma mater, Greenville Christian School in Mississippi. I can hardly bare to think of how long ago I was there. And of all the memories I have, a very special spiritual emphasis week and a handful of chapel assemblies still stick out. It was one of the blessings of attending a Christian high school.  Now I pray that I can make some kind of lasting impact for the cause of Christ. I ask that you pray with me regarding this opportunity. I also posted a couple of other dates that were confirmed today, with a few more setting final plans next week. You'll notice I am hosting a Christian music writer's night at the famous Bluebird Cafe in Nashville (in April). This is their first attempt to do a solely Christian night. I am blessed to have this opportunity and hope that it will be a rousing success. It will occur the Thursday of GMA Week. Next week brings several writing opportunities, a trio rehearsal, lining up my new band for the upcoming dates at the Hard Rock Cafe, and at least one day to do some office work.

I ended the day (at about one a.m. Saturday) with the completion of a songwriting session with my son, Tony. We wrote toward a special project for which I've been dreaming. I hope to share about that in the very near future. I like what we've come up with to this point.

February 18 - I played booking agent this morning and confirmed a couple of new dates (on the calendar) and set up a few others that will call back with dates. It's part of the drill. Then, I wrote with Jeff Pearles this afternoon. He has been the bass singer for several successful Southern Gospel groups and is presently with King's Heralds. His songwriting has received some good recent attention. We had a great time together. We used to work together at Homeland Records. It was our first time to co-write, but I think the finished product was good and we're looking forward to pitching it. It's a big ballad called, "Who Jesus Is".

February 17 - Wednesday was a studio day. I was at John Willis' studio for the recording of the music for "These Days", a tribute to Craig Hentrich and his NFL career. It was written by Lisa Hentrich, Tony Wood, and myself. Lisa is also tracking some of her upcoming Christmas project, inluding "Christmas, Don't Go" (that I wrote with her). John is an extremely talented musician. I really enjoyed the day. I also got to reconnect with Cricket Lee, a long-time friend and Southern Gospel artist who has recorded a few of my songs.

February 16 - A "snow out" day. Both of my appointments cancelled today. The first for sure due to weather. So I spent the day getting a game plan together for booking additional dates and gained a few new ones to the calendar! 

February 15 - I went to Belmont Church downtown yesterday for worship. It was a good service. They are in the middle of their world missions thrust and I was reminded again of how fortunate we are to be in this country. We truly don't take advantage of our freedom. The speaker works with Kurdish people and his life is literally in peril because of his faith continously. God has blessed them, but again - we just don't know what we have here!

Suddenly, Nashville has become the epicenter of all winter activity! We have another snowy day and it's almost becoming usual. We've had more snow in the past month than I can remember ever in a single month's time since I moved here in the early 90's. My mom had her second round of chemotherapy today. Please be remembering her in your prayers.

I have the web site information for the SGMA (Southern Gospel Music Association) Awards. They are presented in April here in the Nashville area. I have two nominations (the song is "Die Another Day" by Brian Free & Assurance and it is nominated for "Song of the Year" and "Progressive Song of the Year"). Please go on line, vote for the song, and tell all your friends and family to do likewise!  :)  It's a relatively easy process.
 
http://www.sogospelnews.org/index/content/articles/2010-music-awards-vote/ 
  
February 12 - On Friday, I wrote with another fave co-write of mine, Tony Wood. Also a Dove Winner, Tony and I have written for a long, long time together. I got my first real cut with him ("I Carried His Cross" by N Harmony). We have had a consistent string of successful songs since. We had an idea we liked, but it had a tricky twist to it. So we grappled with and eventually surrendered to the fact that it would take at least one more session. It's a Southern Gospel idea. We're thinking Gold City. Tonight, the trio (Cindy, Tina, and myself) debuted. We sang six songs at First Baptist Church, Old Hickory TN. We were very warmly received and I had a couple of inquiries about us going to other churches. So I take that all to mean it was okay. Now, we should practice sometime! heee  Among the other artists were One Faith Quartet, Earl Brewer, and A-blaze.

February 11 - Thursday was built around a writing session with two of my favorite writers, Lisa Hentrich and Sue C. Smith. They had not previously met each other, so it was kind of neat that I could introduce them. Sue has won Dove Awards and her cut list includes many impressive artists and noted musicals. It's always interesting to bring her an idea. She will mull it over and then suddenly the stillness is broken by the frantic popping of her laptop and then she reads a wonderful verse or chorus. She makes it look simple. Today, we worked on a song encouraging a person to find his or her own voice in life and be true to it. Imitation might be the highest form of flattery, but may also lead to a loss of unique individuality. Later in the day, I was able to work an agreement with the Hard Rock Cafe that will keep me in the regular rotation, at least monthly with band dates. Those will be posted as we firm up dates. We also contacted the famous Bluebird Cafe about a Christian Writers' Night during GMA Week in April. They were open to the idea.

February 10 - There were people all along the way that helped me get into this crazy music business. I joke sometimes that I don't know whether to thank them or blame them! There were people like Tony Wood, Pete Carlson, Craig Dunnagan, and even others on a lesser scale that believed in what I was doing and lent support beyond words of encouragement. However, if I was asked to point to one single individual who helped me get where I am, I would name Ed Kee. Ed's personality and heart allowed me to blossom as a writer, while teaching me the craft of creating a great song. Good songs are written everyday and most will never see the light of day, unless you're blest to be a hit artist or have some other connection past acquaintance or track record. I had the opportunity today to have lunch with Ed at Moe's in Cool Springs and catch up. His wife was battling cancer at the same time as my mom nearly five years ago. And since then has done well. With my mother going through that battle again, Ed was genuinely concerned and gave me three DVDs on natural cancer prevention and healing. That's the kind of guy Ed Kee is and for the conversation to go that direction is no surprise. We also discussed writing together again. It's been too long since we've done that and we even contemplated an Easter musical idea I've had for some time. I am excited about it. 

As I write this, I am about to leave and meet with Tina and Cindy at First Baptist Church, Old Hickory. That's the trio's venue for Friday night. Fortunately, we have the luxury of being able to go and actually rehearse at the very piano we'll be using and hopefully through mics. My prayer is that God will continue to open these wonderful doors. Music has always been a vital part of my being and it's so good to know that He has allowed me these musical opportunities to tell my story and most importantly, His story. By the way, we don't have a name yet! If you have any ideas, PLEASE email me or call me! Maybe, this should be a contest and the winner can get our projects free for life or something...any ideas? 

February 9 - Tuesday brought an opportunity to write with Lisa Hentrich again. We have written some songs that I really like and today, we were finishing a Christmas song entitled, "Christmas, Don't Go". It's very Sixpence None the Richer meets the Beatles stylistically. The lyric is filled with images of Christmas obviously, but built on a catchy melody with layers of vocals. Lisa is planning to put the song on her upcoming Christmas project and her producer will track it next week.  Also, I spent the afternoon getting some emails together for booking.

February 8 - Today was a work day in the sense that I spent most of the day working on getting materials ready for booking and actually doing some booking. I have a couple of band dates at the Hard Rock Cafe in Nashville this spring confirmed already. These will appear on the calendar page of the site by Friday. I am particularly excited about the May 13th  date. My opening act will be a fellow named Tony Lemonis. I'm proud of my son. He's written some nice songs and they get better all the time. I am booking some solo concert dates and trio dates as well. I hope to finish up most of Spring's anchor dates by the end of this month and most of the rest of the year by April or shortly thereafter. Tonight, our trio practiced on material for our debut this Friday night at Old Hickory First Baptist Church. Tina and Cindy are amazing talents. I'm just glad to be singing with them.

February 7 - Sunday morning, I got to enjoy the wonderful worship service at Christ Church. The Spirit was really evident in the music time and the sermon by Dan Scott was awesome as well. It's always exciting to spend time in that church. That afternoon, I gathered with Who Dat Nation at Chappy's on Church to watch the Super Bowl. It was a Saints fans only party that featured fried grouper, cajun gumbo, oyster poboys, crawfish etouffe, red beans and rice, bread pudding, and other staples from the Big Easy. Chappy is a chef from there who was displaced from Hurricane Katrina and moved to Nashville. Oh and yeah, it was a pretty good day for the Saints as well! 

February 5 - Friday was a fairly slow day. I did reconnect with Ed Kee through email. I count Ed as one of the main reasons I get to do Christian music. He believed in my potential and taught me a great deal about writing great songs. We would eventually write several anthems together and some musicals as well. I will be meeting with him in the coming days to see what needs Brentwood-Benson Music have in choral music. That's part of the process. See what a company needs and then find and/or write songs that meet those needs. Next week is my busiest week to date since leaving FBCJ. I have several co-writes and will dive in as far as booking and putting together material for booking. Tonight, I went and saw Kenny Rogers with the Nashville Symphony. WOW! Kenny puts on a great show, but it was really fun to listen to the great songs he's cut. "She Believes in Me" is close to a masterpiece to me lyrically and musically for a pop song. Lionel Richie's "Lady" is a great song, too. I look forward to a relaxing weekend, including some Nashville Predator hockey, Sunday Morning worship at Christ Church, and the New Orleans Saints in the Super Bowl. That looks crazy in type. . .but yes, "TheSaintsagawntodasupabowl!" 

February 4 - Today I had the opportunity to write with Angie Thompson. She is a great lyricist and we have a strong idea going. She and I usually take a while on each song. We are very intentional to make sure that we like every phrase. Some co-writers and I write quickly, while others don't. As long as the finished product is satisfactory, I don't mind either way of doing it. Today, I was able to get a demo from a song I wrote a while back with Melissa Bishop and Christine Stern. Brentwood-Benson is liking the song, but wanted a bridge on it. I also found out that "All Cry Glory" got a good independent cut and will be promoted to the church through Brentwood-Benson. It's one of the songs of mine that had a hold for the new Point of Grace record, but didn't quite make it. It's a co-write with Sue C. Smith.

February 3 - Wednesday started at the dentist's office. I went through some kind of weird gum-chewing obsession in the spring and summer. I chewed pack after pack, all day long. Then, my last cleaning visit to the dentist revealed almost as many cavities as teeth. Go figure! The gum, combined with losing a bunch of weight, did a number in my mouth. So today I was finishing the last of the work, including the extraction of a wisdom tooth. Nelson Wilson is my dentist. I've known him since we attended church together while I served at First Baptist Church, Old Hickory. He is a great dentist, has gone on numerous mission trips, and was part of a new church plant in Mount Juliet, TN recently.

Tomorrow, it's back to work. I have writing sessions, including Angie Thompson. She is a great writer, who has a Doug Stone cut and a recent host of impressive holds to her credit. A hold is when a label, producer, or artist makes an official statement saying there is serious interest in a song. By holding it, the writer ceases to pitch the song elsewhere until after it's released from the hold or cut. A hold means that the song is in serious consideration. The truth is I've had tons of holds that didn't work out, but it is the first step to getting one of those elusive cuts. She and I have a cut together on Young Harmony's new recording ("Movin' On", their most recent radio single).

February 2 - Tuesday brought much food! So it was a good day. I had lunch with Jeff Pearles. Jeff and I worked together at Homeland Records many years ago after I first came to Nashville.  Jeff is an extraordinary bass singer and we plan to do some writing together. He has had cuts with the Hoppers, Karen Peck and New River, and others including his own group. He is currently singing with King's Heralds, a Southern Gospel group that has been performing for over 80 years - not the same guys the whole time, however!  Then, I had supper with a good friend from First Baptist Church Joelton, Paul Wilkerson. Paul sang in the choir and it was good to visit with him. We ate at Maggiano's, a great Italian restaurant in Nashville.

February 1 - Anyone who is familiar with my song credits knows that I am musically-schizophrenic. I love all styles of music and have been blessed to have it reflected in my cut list: Contemporary, Southern Gospel, Inspo, Country Gospel, Country, Choral, Children's, etc.  One would not be surprised by my desire to explore lots of options as I enter this season of my life and career. I have always loved the harmonies of Southern Gospel music and last night, I took a step toward doing something in that direction. I met with Tina Tyler and Cindy Latham about the possibility of becoming a trio. Chris Latham, my producer for "The Glory of You", put it together. He's kin to Cindy through marriage (that's his wife) and he went to Belmont University with Tina. Cindy can be heard on my recent project, including a duet on "I Need You". Both of the girls are phenomenal singers and I'm excited about what might happen. We are going to get back together next week and possibly make an appearance at a singing in Old Hickory at the end of next week. 

I also spent time today looking into dates around Nashville to fine tune a band doing material from "The Glory of You". I got some good response from some local clubs. This will be a good lab for future dates out with a band. I'm putting that line-up together this week as well.    

January 31 - Sunday came and I was actually able to make it to First Baptist Church Joelton for my last day. The morning was wonderful! Though the crowd was slim because of weather-related issues, my choir showed up in big numbers.  The worship team also did a phenomenal job. The services were awesome and it was all over rather quickly. I am leaving many friends behind at FBCJ and will miss getting to worship with them. Tomorrow, I begin my "new gig" full-time. I will fill the rest of February with writing appointments and will continue to fill spring with concert dates and other engagements.

January 28 & 29 - Thursday was basically a "day off" as I spent most of the day with Kara. As always, we had a big time. I am so thankful for her. She is an unmatched blessing in my life. Any work for Friday was nixed by weather. Nashville is in the middle of receiving at least nine inches of snow. Some of our neighboring counties are dealing with measurable amounts of ice as well.  I know places like Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit probably don't hesitate to do the regular things with these amounts, but the Mid-South is different. One inch of snow and people begin driving off into ditches - just because it seems like the thing to do. We had a recent snow day for local schools and all we got was a "dusting". Growing up in Mississippi, I remember Mom making snow cream - each time it snowed (you know about every six years! haaa). We'd gather up a big ol' bucket of radiation-laced, air pollution-flavored snow from the mud it barely covered and make a concoction that couldn't be matched!

My writing time originally set for today with Tony Wood was bumped till February 12 and any attempt at "in person" pitching was also postponed until next week. With this much actual snow on the ground and a wind chill of around zero for Saturday night, I wonder if my last Sunday of leading worship at First Baptist Church Joelton has already come and gone.

January 27, 2010 - My last day at work for First Baptist Church, Joelton. We have choir rehearsal tonight for the last time. We have worship team practice one last time. It's bittersweet, but all of the opportunities for the future have me pumped! I have a couple of demo's to complete in the next couple of days and then next week, I plan to get after booking concerts and conferences, as well as writing. That actually begins in earnest on Friday when I write with my good friend and long-time collaborator, Tony Wood.  

January 26, 2010 - Last night at the Hard Rock Cafe was a blast! We played for about an hour-and-a-half going through several familiar numbers from the 1970's. The crowd was good and very receptive. I spent most of today cleaning and packing at First Baptist. Evidently, there was a desk under all that stuff! I was a little shocked when I dug deep enough to hit wood.

I did send a few emails out to get "permission" to send demo's for some artists that I hear are looking. I received a return call from someone in the A & R Department (Artists & Repertoire) at EMI Christian Music Group and got the okay to drop material, including a song for Mandisa. Writers starting out often don't realize how much networking, hard work, persistence, and "track record" are necessary to just get opportunities in the business. You need legit cuts to have the opportunity to get more cuts. It's the "chicken or the egg" dilemma. Jeff Ferguson contacted me. He had sung "The Way He Looks at Me" at a pastor's conference and received a rousing reception, being asked to do the song again during the conference.     

January 25, 2010 - Tonight, I will be playing piano and singing with a 70's cover band at the Hard Rock Cafe in downtown Nashville. I'm really looking forward to it! I've played with this band once before at a date in Clarksville. 70's music can't be beat, if you ask me. I am also putting together pitches for some Southern Gospel groups who are looking for songs. It's quite a task to keep up with who's looking, know what they're looking for, and keep all the deadlines involved. Not only do you have to keep quality songs "ready to go", you need to know when the artists want or need, and have good recordings to pitch. Connection to the artists, timing, and the right songs are essential. For example, we're getting good feedback on the song I wrote with Jeff on Thursday, so we'll rush into a studio tomorrow and do a good piano/vocal demo. Some of our primary targets for pitching it are winding down time-wise and I don't want to miss an opportunity.  All of this makes the music business quite mantic and frantic, with opportunities that are few and far between. 

January 24, 2010 - Sunday was my next-to-last Sunday of leading worship at First Baptist Church Joelton. We had a wonderful time of worship. The second service was particularly good. The Sanctuary Choir did a great job on "This is the Gift of God" (a Jon Abel/Carl Cartee song). I'm really going to miss working with them and the worship team. There are some very talented people at Joelton and it has been a real privilege to work with them. This week I wrap up my daily duties at the church and will begin the process of booking dates and filling my writing calendar.  

January 22, 2010 - Friday brought a first-time writing session. I had never written with Jeff Ferguson, but had known of his work for some time. He's been Grammy, Dove, and Stellar Award nominated. He had added me as a friend on Facebook and we set a time to do some writing. First time sessions are notoriously awkward for obvious reasons, but that wasn't the case at all. We really hit it off and wrote a strong effort. There are several female artists looking, so we put together a song called, 'The Way He Looks At Me". It's about understanding how God sees us, which is so totally different than we usually see ourselves. We were excited about the effort and finished the time by calling Reba Rambo and singing it to her over the phone. She liked it as well. Jeff and I decided to put each other on a regular rotation of writing.

January 21, 2010 - Thursday was a great day! I started the day in the studio where we were tracking "What a Dad Does", a song about a father's love for his child. The co-writers are Tonya Stout and Lisa Hentrich. Tonya's latest big cut was by Kenny Rogers and Lisa has had songs recorded by Clay Walker, Richie McDonald, and many others. She is also the wife of Tennessee Titan's punter Craig Hentrich, one of the best punters in the NFL over the past many years. He is also the last of the Houston Oilers who remained on the Titans' roster since the move to Nashville from Texas. He's been learning piano and we're going to get together within the next couple of weeks. He wants me to show him everything I know about piano. I told him, "That'll take about four minutes." The track was cut at County Q Productions, a top studio in Music City and featured some great musicians, including top pianist Johnny Jarvis.

I went from tracking to writing with Sue C. Smith, a Dove Award winning writer. She is one of the top lyricists in Christian music and it's always fun writing with her. We began a song entitled, "All that You Are". One of the lines states, "I've heard people say You're a crutch for the weak, Lord, and Jesus, I know that it's true, 'cuz I couldn't make it one day if I didn't have You".  After we finished writing, I dashed back to County Q for the vocals to "What a Dad Does". The vocals were performed by Rick Huckabee, a fantastic session vocalist. Once again, he did a great job for me. Finally, the day ended on a great note as well. My song "Die Another Day" (cut by Brian Free & Assurance)  was nominated for Song of the Year by the So-Gospel News Magazine!

http://sogospelnews.com/index/content/articles/sogospelnews.com-announces-nominees-for-2010-sgn-music-awards/

January 20, 2010 - Today begins our daily update section. Though I don't know if I'll have an update EVERY single day, I intend to try! Wednesdays are extremely busy and even though I am leaving my full-time position at First Baptist Church Joelton, there are a million things to do in getting ready for tonight and for my departure. My last Sunday here is January 31st. I have been able to learn a wealth of great information from my time here. Now it's time to get in full swing for my upcoming months. There's booking to be done and my writing time is wide open. I will give you a glimpse in to my upcoming writing sessions beginning tomorrow. God Bless You! Please pray for me as I "dive" into this new season!

THE LATEST - Thanks for your prayers! My mother's surgery was successful. She awaits further results and will begin recovery this week. Please continue to remember her in your prayers.

SUNDAY NIGHT, October 18th The Release Party for the new project, "The Glory of You" turned out well. John and the Worship Team performed six songs from the recording. Thanks for all who helped out: Chris Latham-Guitar, Mike Cunningham-Bass, Landon Ullrich-Drums, Chris Bryant, Mitzie Wheeler, and Cindy Latham-Vocals, Calvin Curd-Keyboards, Richard Harris-Sound, Lisa Blaylock-Videographer, and Ladonna Hines-Caterer.

"Die Another Day" by Brian Free & Assurance has hit the top ten on the Singing News Chart. "Movin' On" by Young Harmony continues to chart around #50 as well.

"Live to Worship" penned by John, Tony Wood, and Scott Krippayne appears on the new release by PureNRG, "The Real Thing". Outselling all Christian recordings in its first week, the project made a stunning debut at #20 on the Billboard Pop Chart (The Hot 200 Albums) among some pretty impressive company. -July 23, 2009

"My newest project will release in August and I can't tell you how excited I am about it! The exact date will be announced in the next few days. The project will be available here first and there will be a HUGE sale on all the previous projects! I appreciate those of you who have been so supportive of my ministry and I hope to do some significant updates to this site as we launch the new project and subsequent events! God Bless You!"  -JL, July 11, 2009



John was recently invited to play in a celebrity softball event. The game included Tennessee Titans, Country Music stars, and Television personalities. Here, John is ready for a pitch from opposing pitcher, Vince Gill. Below, Nikki visits with American Idol finalist, Bo Bice.



The Dove Awards included "All for the Glory of You" as a nomination in the Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year category. Penned by John, along with Tony Wood and Mark Harris. Mark released it as a single from his most recent recording "Windows and Walls". The winner in the category ended up being Michael W. Smith.  ...April 23, 2009

"Die Another Day" is the current single for Brian Free and Assurance to Southern Gospel radio. Written by John, Marty Funderburk, and Bubba Smith, the song was met with rave reviews upon its release.  ...April 2009