Casey Webber - This Great Hope

Casey Webber and I became friends a few years ago.  He's a Knoxville native who runs an up and coming recording studio and has quite a guitar collection.  

He's also Andrew Peterson's road manager.

He asked me to produce an EP for him and, of course, I said yes.  We put in some good time on writing and arranging the songs and had a lot of fun making the record.  To me, it's a Summer record, with some nice Tom Petty and Ben Shive's Beatles licks going on.

Also, this is the only record I've produced where I didn't play any guitar.  (Though I did play bass.)

It was a pleasure to work with Casey and get to know him better.  Check out his record here, and his studio here.

YoungLife Capernaum - Made Right

You know that YoungLife has been a huge part of my story, and that I've gotten really involved again these past few years.  Well, one of the most amazing things they do is Capernaum, thir ministry for kids with disabilities.

With Capernaum I have seen, with my own tear-filled eyes, as kids in wheelchairs climb through trees 40 feet in the air on a ropes course, with help and encouragement from their able-bodied friends who've given a lot of their lives to serving and loving those kids.  Truly amazing.

Some of the artists who are involved with YoungLife have each donated a track for this CD, and I produced a song that Drew and Ellie Holcomb wrote with one of the Capernaum leaders.  That song features Drew, Ellie, Christopher Williams, Jon Troast, Ryan Long and Paul Eckberg.

Almost every aspect of this CD has been donated, so the money goes straight to Capernaum.  Check it out here!

Christmas Tour

I'm out on Andrew Peterson's "Behold the Lamb" Christmas Tour (for, I believe, the 7th year in a row.)  We are having a great time out here.

This is easily one of the more fun years of a generally fun tour, as well.  I think it's that we're all a little older and have spent more time with each other, but it's just so easy.  We just get along and encourage one another and it's precious and wonderful.

For those of you who haven't seen the show, it's broken into two halves.  In the first half the singer/songwriters (Andrew Peterson, Andy Gullahorn, Jill Phillips, Jason Gray, Ben Shive and myself) each do two songs.  Then after the intermission we play Andy P's Christmas record straight through, from start to finish.  It's a beautiful show, that highlights community as well as the story of Jesus.

I've been playing the song "Memory" each night.  It's the bonus track on the second printing of "Choosing Sides".  It was a total studio creation so I was worried it wouldn't work live, but it's been a fun challenge.

All right, it's showtime here in Montgomery, AL.  Thanks to everybody's who come out to the shows so far!!

Corn is Good.

For Thanksgiving this year, our neighborhood group stayed in town and spent the day together.

We had brunch at one family's house, then had a parade down the street to another family's for dinner.  It was slightly weird and completely wonderful.

After the parade the kids performed a Thanksgiving play.  That I wrote.  It's shocking honesty and gripping performances stirred up quite the controversy.

But for you, dear readers, is the complete and uncensored script.  (Interspersed with pictures from the initial performance by the original cast.)

(Special note: Austin is a dad who recently broke his thumb in a bizarre costume party accident.  This has relevance later...)

And now, without further adieu...

Corn is Good

A play in three (3) acts.

by Andrew Osenga, Music by Matt Odmark

ACT I 

Our Native Americans are cooking over a fire and sweeping the ground.

“It sure is wonderful here in our native burial ground!” they said.

The Pilgrims enter the scene.  They are carrying guns.

“Ahoy!  We are Pilgrims!  We are hungry!” they said.

So the Native Americans made them some food.

“You can eat with us, hungry pilgrims!” they said, kindly.

“Thank you,” said the Pilgrims.  “This is a wonderful land.  May we have it?”

“Um...” said the Native Americans.

ACT II

The Native Americans are showing the Pilgrims how to hunt turkeys.  They are creeping through the forest.  The Pilgrims are carrying their guns and the Native Americans have bows and arrows.

“Shh...” said the Native Americans, “listen for the turkey...”

They all listen.  A turkey (played by Austin) crawls into the scene.

“Is that a turkey?” whisper the Americans.

“Yes” whisper the Native Americans.

They all yell, “Shoot it in the thumb!!  Shoot it in the thumb!!”

The turkey dies.  The people cheer.

ACT III

The Native Americans and Pilgrims are sitting down to dinner together.

“Welcome to our Thanksgiving Feast!” said the Native Americans.

“This is way better than the Mayflower!” said the Pilgrims.

The Native Americans got up and did their ceremonial Thanksgiving dance, while music plays.

“Thanksgiving!!” cheered the Native Americans.

“We are thankful for you, Native Americans.  And for this corn!” said the Pilgrims, as they held up their corn.

“Yes!  Corn is good!” said the Native Americans.

“Corn is good!” said everyone.

THE END

Could it be??

A spare moment to update my site??  What's next?  Monkeys with accents??  Anything is possible in these crazy times, it seems.

Since it has been so long I decided to update with the first ten awesome things I can think of.  In the order they appear in my frontal lobe.  (No budging Halloween wig!)

1. I'm wrapping up production on Nick Flora's new record.  I must say, it's looking to be one of the highlights of the year for me.  He spent a year intensely writing and the songs are just stunning.  Clever, witty and heartfelt.  I can't wait for you to hear it.

2. We've started watching Season 2 of "Parks and Rec" on Netflix.  Pretty funny.

3. I just finished reading the "Hunger Games" trilogy.  Not classics, but a good read.  Addicting and worth the weekend you'll miss while you can't put them down

4. The Slugs and Bugs Christmas CD has just finished the mastering process.  It will be available to order hopefully next week.

Let me just tell you: This is a great record.  I've heard it at least a thousand times during the recording process, and now that a burned CD of rough mixes is in the car my girls make sure I will hear it a thousand more times in the next few weeks.  And it doesn't bother me at all.

In fact, hearing their beautiful, little voices singing along at the top of their lungs (both in the backseat and in a few of the recordings) does my heart good.  You'll love it.  The children in your life will love it.  Their parents will thank you for giving them a music option that they'll actually enjoy and not just want to stab their ears out with Dora pencils.

CLICK HERE to hear a track.

5. The new Brandon Flowers record, "Flamingo" is at least as good as the records he made in The Killers.  Possibly better?!? 

6. I wore this wig for a Halloween.  Alison and I were (are?) an 80's hair-metal band named "Prom".  Two angelic voices, three-part spandex harmony.

Or treat!

7. We're trying to also finish up Eric Vinson's new record before the end of the year.  Such great songs and a super kind guy.  Check him out.

8. Also, I'm thinking of doing another solo tour this coming Spring.  Probably a couple weekends in February, March and April.  Shoot me an email if you're interested!!

9. The Behold the Lamb Christmas Tour starts in three weeks.  Almost every show is already sold out, which is a wonderful gift.  I'm looking forward to hanging with great friends and musicians (such as Andrew Peterson, Andy Gullahorn, Jill Phillips, Jason Gray, Ben Shive and more!) for a few weeks.  If you can catch a show you should.  It's really a magical evening and I'd love to see you there.

12/02 - Durham, NC - Church of the Good Shepherd 
12/03 - Richmond, VA - Bon Air Baptist Church 
12/04 - Milford, OH - Faith Church 
12/05 - Milford, OH - Faith Church 
12/07 - Huntsville, AL - Southwood Presbyterian Church 
12/08 - Jackson, TN - Fellowship Bible Church 
12/09 - Topeka, KS - Fellowship Bible Church 
12/10 - Lincoln, NE - Lincoln Berean Church 
12/12 - Knoxville, TN - Lake Hills Presbyterian Church 
12/14 - Montgomery, AL - St. James United Methodist Church 
12/15 - Charlotte, NC - Mecklenburg Community Church 
12/16 - Nashville, TN - The Ryman Auditorium 
12/17 - Houston, TX - Christ The King Presbyterian Church 
12/18 - Wichita Falls, TX - Colonial Church 
12/19 - Corsicana, TX - The Palace Theatre

10. Gabby's Burgers.  If you're in Nashville at lunchtime, you need to go there.  Find me and say hi, I'll probably be there.