My dad and I sat in the front room around winter break of my freshman year in college. I had finally figured out what I wanted to do with my life. Sometime during my first semester at the University of Northern Iowa, I joined a thousand other students in an auditorium, mesmerized by the words of a…
My Blog
My First Country Song
Several years ago, to my surprise, I found myself listening to a significant amount of country music in my (radio-only) car. I appreciated the way country songs told stories, usually sad ones, which often smuggled important ideas into the heads of unsuspecting listeners. (For what it’s worth, I also like the songs about nothing and…
Hope and The Last Rose of Summer
It is no secret that the end of the year can be a depressing time for some. The holiday parties and family gatherings are over—leaving us to say goodbye to loved ones or remember those who departed this year. The decorations and lights come down. The days are dark and cold. The trees are brown…
Merry Christmas!
Thank you for following this site since its launch in November. I’ve been encouraged by the feedback from those who have listened to and shared songs. I wanted to take a moment wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. No song to post tomorrow. I’m taking a Christmas break. But I do hope you’ll…
Singing in the Face of Death
Despite its association with joy and hope, Christmas and the New Year are also a season in which we might think of death. We are starkly aware of friends and family who were here last Christmas, but not this one. We face the reality that this Christmas may be the last we enjoy with those…