Thoughts and Musings

Thoughts and Musings

random reflections on faith, music, family, life.

LET GO turns Five

5/8/2016

0 Comments

 
Picture
Tomorrow, my last studio project hits the five-year mark.  Let Go came out May 9, 2011, the result of a three-month music sabbatical the previous summer.  Freed from the weekly ritual of sermon writing, I could devote all of my creative muse to songwriting.  Having a Lily-endowed grant to leave no musical stone unturned didn't hurt either.

Some highlights from the whole endeavor:
- Working with a noted Nashville recording studio and go-to cellist John Catchings,
- Watching the string section take "Where There's Love" to places I never fathomed,
- Taking a bit of a risk letting the band record the vast majority of "Better Off" live instead of tracked, and embracing the little joyful imperfections,
- The awesome party in Doug's driveway that became the beautiful chorus at the end of "The Dance/Grace,"
- Huddling around a studio mic with my wife and two sons, all of us wearing headsets, singing "na-na-na's." 

If anything, "Let Go" taught me that the studio is not where songs go to be finished, but to be birthed.  So many of those songs wound up going in very different, beautiful directions than what I anticipated them being when I first took them there.  Lots of thanks to fraternity brother/former bandmate Doug Davis, who owns a super little garage studio outside downtown Winston-Salem, pushed me not to settle, and knows exactly what he's doing.

My oldest son occasionally asks if I'll ever do another studio album.  I honestly don't know.  It takes a lot of time to do it right, along with a lot of money, and these days I don't have much of either.  Besides, other than the occasional retreat theme song, I'm not doing a lot of writing.  If this winds up being my last album, I can count myself content.  Five years later and I'm still proud of it.  

I hope you'll give it a listen if you haven't already.  It is - as it's always been and always will be - a totally free download.  Thanks much for listening.
​

0 Comments

Thunderstorm

5/1/2016

0 Comments

 
when i was younger
family trips to the house in daytona beach
they'd let me sleep on a cot out on the screened-in back porch
for some reason I slept wonderfully there, in spite of humidity and heat
the occasional train whistle stirring me from sleep
and lulling me back as its sound faded in the distance.

but the thunderstorms, when they came rolling through
i'd wake excitedly
a flash at first and i'd count the seconds,
1....2....3....4.....
and then a rumble
because they said you can tell how far away the storm is 
by how many seconds it takes
for the sound to catch up to the light.
i'd lie on my cot as the storm grew louder
the sound of rain pounding the pavement outside
and sometimes sideways, coming in
misting my face
strange - i felt secure and safe in the midst of it all
rarely did i ever go inside.

these days, my dog is scared of thunderstorms
he hides up on our bed or presses himself
in the wedge where our two sofas come together
a worried look on his face
but me - i am still entranced
and while i don't sleep out on the porch anymore
there is a sofa and some chairs
and so i'll find my way out there
to see the flash
hear the rumble and rain
and be comforted by 
this power that is far
far beyond my own.
Picture
0 Comments

    Steve Lindsley

    Child of God. Husband. Father. Minister. Musician. Songwriter. Blogger.
    Keynoter and Songleader. Runner/Swimmer. 
    Almost vegetarian. 
    Lifelong Presbyterian.
    Queen City resident.
    Coffee afficionado.
    Dog person. 
    Panthers/Hornets fan. 
    Mostly in that order. 
    For more info check out stevelindsley.com

    RSS Feed


    Picture

    Recent Posts

    Archives

    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    June 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012

    Categories

    All
    Bible
    Boys
    Christianity
    Church
    Faith
    Family
    Football
    God
    Jesus
    Justice
    Leadership
    Life
    Ministry
    Music
    Olympics
    Pastor
    Pets
    Presbyterian
    Queen City
    Religion
    Television
    Wife


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.