I have a friend named Hans who told me about this guy named Buddy Miller. I really like Buddy and his wife Julie too. He’s been around and played for some big name artists. But his album called “Universal United House Of Prayer” is just plain excellent. I especially like this song.
I recently finished reading Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001) by Don Felder, one of the original members of the band “The Eagles.” The book was given to me as a Christmas present by my oldest son, Taylor, because he knew that this was my favorite band of all time.
I found it to be a very revealing look at the inside of the music industry and culture during the turbulent 60′s and 70′s. Really amazing stuff. Don seems to be a person who entered the industry with some moral perspectives and humility from his upbringing, struggled through those years, made a lot of mistakes on his way to the top, but learned through it all and has come out of it a better person than many of his peers.
This is not a book to read for literary enjoyment… but the content is compelling. I have a lower view of fellow band members/founders Don Henley and Glenn Frey after reading this book. They seem petty, egocentric, manipulating and deceitful. Too bad that the group had to end the way it did. Getting rid of Don Felder (who wrote their greatest hit song: Hotel California) was a massively stupid thing to do.
I had thought about trying to see The Eagles on their “Long Road Out of Eden” tour this year, but now I think I’ll pass.
Here are a couple of interesting websites on Don’s life and music:
An interesting video interview:
My sister recently scanned and sent me these two photo images from the past. They were taken back in 1972-1973 when I was freshly graduated from York High School, and involved in a music duo/ministry with a friend named Ray Nickel. We called it Nickel, Birkey & Company. We both played guitar, sang and performed at churches, camps, retreats, banquets, weddings and the like. Notice the nice long hair, cool shirts, jeans and boots. Very hip!
At the time of these photos, I had been playing guitar for only a few years, after picking it up my Freshman year of high school, after dropping out of playing trumpet in band and orchestra at school. I started playing on my Dad’s 1948 Martin D-18, then saved up enough money to buy a Guild F-112 12-string from Biasco Music for about $250, with a hard shell case (pictured here).
Those were quite the days. We played some Simon & Garfunkel, Seals & Crofts, Peter, Paul & Mary, Bob Dillon, and many others, as well as many jazz and pop standards. We played for worship in our church, as well as added more artistic/creative friends to help us put on “multimedia” shows with our concerts, using slide photography, projections, lighting, art, illustration, drama, and music. We were really on the cutting edge!
I am listening to a pre-release CD by Von Matthews and Proclaim, called “Who Can Doubt?” Great job Von & Proclaim! What a wonderful piece of work this is! I can’t wait to get final production copies so I can give it to lots of my friends and family!
I met Von at our church about 5 or 6 years ago. Von is a talented and gifted singer-songwriter, keyboard player and worship leader. Von and his wife Vilma, and many friends and family started attending Calvary some years ago. Their music group, Proclaim, started singing and leading worship as well. Our church was blessed by the new life, energy and spirit they brought to worship.
We started having “potlucks” at our home after church on Sundays, so that we could get to know them all better, and to facilitate them getting to know more people at our church. Those were some great times with lots of memories.
Von would finish his food, and then sit down at our grand piano in the living room, and start playing. Soon others would finish their food, migrate to the piano and start singing along. Many times, this would develop into a full-blown Gospel Sing, that I am sure the entire neighborhood could hear!
I am helping Von by setting up a new website for himself and Proclaim at www.VonMatthews.com.
Album Song List
My friend Steve Meyer, died on September 14, 2005.
His wife Robin, came home from work and found him in their basement. He had taken his own life.
I was called shortly thereafter, and immediately went to their home. It was an emotionally brutal evening and night. The police were there doing an “investigation.” Later the Medical Examiner’s office came and took Steve’s body to the county morgue in order to perform an autopsy the next day.
All dear Robin could do was keep asking the “Why?” questions, over and over. It was the saddest, heart wrenching scene I have witnessed in recent years.
I met Steve in 1997. He was running for Republican Committeeman for Oak Park Township, in Illinois, where we both live. I helped him with the graphic design of his campaign literature, as well as building him a campaign website. This was very “ahead of the times” back then.
Steve was a very warm and friendly guy. He would give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it. He was a conservative Republican in the style of Ronald Reagan, his political hero. We worked together for many years in local, county and state politics.
Steve and I also shared an interest in music – playing guitar to be specific. Steve loved the Beatles and the blues. I preferred country, folk and rock – but we made it work spending hours “jamming” together.