Weekend with Jars

Whew.  What a crazy couple of weeks.

I've been recording a record in the day, going home for dinner, and heading back to the studio in the evenings working on some other projects.  Not much time to blog, though I'm grateful for all the great music I'm getting to work on.

Last weekend I had a lot of fun, filling in on guitar with Jars of Clay, while Matt Odmark was at his brother's wedding.

They played straight through their first record and then finished the show with a bunch of the later hits and some cuts from their new record, The Shelter.  That record is incredible and you should buy it.  

Their first record, however, was a huge influence on me.  I learned guitar by playing along to that record.  So it was really fun to be a part of recreating the songs with those guys.  Here's a fun clip from our Indiana show...

Mike needs to get married more often.

One More...

This is amazing.

A few little distractions...

I love my job.  I love working with interesting and creative people.  I love the youtube videos they bring to my life, cause sometimes you just need a little laugh break.  Here are some we enjoyed this past week.  (You've probably seen some of them, but hopefully I can bless you with one or two new ones here...)

And this one's just cool...

House Show Auction for Porter's Call

A bunch of Nashville music folk, including many good friends, are donating special items for an ebay auction.  All the funds will go to support a ministry called Porter's Call.

Porter's Call is a Christian, non-profit counseling service that's just for Nashville musician and their families.  And it's free.  Which is wonderful since I don't know many musicians with a lot of extra cash laying around, even for help they may greatly need.

Al Andrews is the counselor.  A kind and wise man who has spent years alongside musicians, understanding the specific difficulties of life on the road, families with a dad gone four days a week, marriages where one person gets applauded in front of a thousand people every night and the other doesn't...   

His office is a safe and comfortable place to let go of secrets and fight to find truth.

"I'm Al.  My knowledge could singlehandedly destroy the Christian Music Industry!"

He gets it and he cares.  And there has been much healing and growth in our community because of this.

Because of Porter's Call there's been a lot of healing and growth in me.

So the artists they've helped for so long are joining with them to help raise enough money to let them keep doing what they do.

In that spirit I'm donating a house show.  Bidding is starting at $100.  I'd love to be able to give them a whole lot more.  Please go to the auction and bid!

I say the word "awesome" too much.

Links to people I mention in this video: Jaron and Katherine Kamin Eric Peters Eric Vinson Slugs and Bugs