get to know the mind behind the face behind the microphone . . .


what was your first keyboard? I didn't buy my very own keyboard until late 1990. at the time, I was in college and meeting other musicians and becoming more interested in joining a band. the first board I purchased did not last very long. I purchased a Yamaha 'something or other' at service merchandise. it wasn't a professional board, so I kept blowing fuses and had to exchange it several times. finally, I gave up and got my money back. it was only a short time later, when I
visited bill hawk music center and a very used KAWAI/K-3 Digital Wave Memory Synthesizer caught my eye. the price was right and so my journey into the Digital World began. one can still hear the Kawai at most oneWord events.

die hard fans will soon notice the addition of some new keyboards. tell us about why you added the Korg SP200 and the Novation K Station... I have "die hard" fans? well, if you say so… the Korg SP200 was a welcomed addition to oneWord in the summer of 2002. I purchased the SP for several reasons. I truly missed playing the piano. I stopped playing my classical stuff because, quite frankly, you cannot play Clementi on just 61 keys; eventually, you will run out of keys. 88 wooden hammer-action keys help me to become a piano player once again. the SP is also very

versatile. not only does it boast authentic piano sounds, it's got great string, pad and organ sounds as well. it's also very portable. it weighs less than 50 pounds and its only about 10 ˝ inches deep! that's one awesome piece of machinery! I've been utilizing the SP mostly in Praise and Worship sets, such as B.O.B. services and in un-plugged situations. the Novation K Station, purchased on november 9, 2002, is still in its infant stage, so I've only tapped into a small part of its resources. I have given my Prophet 600 a much deserved rest by re-creating its unique sounds on the K Station. the board has been used live several times now and it has performed very well. Very small; unobtrusive! still, I am looking forward to learning my way through more of this powerful instrument. I also have hope that the Novation will give oneWord a sharper, more defined edge when creating new music.
where do you get your ideas for the monthly meditations? it is my deepest desire that every meditation I write comes from the prompting of the Holy Spirit. I wouldn't want it any other way. I believe that I speak more truthfully and sincerely if I am open to God's leading. God blesses us so much with situations that create for us moments of conviction, example and discipline. He also blesses us with moments of reflection, peace and joy. I believe He not only uses the meditations to shed light on areas of readers' lives, but also on areas of my own. it is my prayer that everyone who reads the meditations are encouraged and lifted up. it is so very important for Christians, as well as non-Christians, to be given hope, to feel a sense of peace and joy and to be reminded that they are loved incredibly by their Heavenly Father.
"my Father's words" seems to be a personal testimony. can you tell us a bit about what inspired those lyrics? birthed on july 7, 1998, "my Father's words" was originally called "sweet song" for lack of a better title at that time. I wrote the piece during an emotionally difficult time in my life. my Nana was aging quickly and was giving up. she was ready to be with her Lord. seeing someone fade away is not the most comfortable thing to go through. however, having the peace and knowledge that they soon will be in a better place is a comfort one can hold on to. this song creates a picture of my own life here on earth as well as the glimpse of my return home to my Father in Heaven. it speaks about living life to its fullest and dedicating every breath to the One Who gives it; having the assurance that God is in control and that He is our helper and strength. it sings of possessing the boldness to profess Christ and the determination to live a good example. when I return home to my Father, it is my desire to hear those words: 'Well done, good and faithful servant!' (Matthew 25:21)

what's your favorite praise chorus? hands down, "Lord, I Lift Your Name On High" is my absolute favorite praise chorus! it's got it all! it's full of praise and thanksgiving, joy and promise!

if you could only do one thing as a musician, would you choose to be a vocalist or play keyboards? keeping in mind that keyboards aren't blessed the way an acoustic guitar is, I would have to choose "voice". keys need electricity and an amp to generate sound. our voices are battery and electricity free. I appreciate the fact that our voices are the most compact and versatile instruments of them all. there's nothing extra to carry around and except for an occasional sore throat or hoarseness, it's very reliable. I am truly blessed for the gift of voice God gave to me. I am so thankful that I can use it for His Glory!

rumor has it that you play a lot more than keyboards. we've seen you play bass at B.O.B. -- what else? can you hear me laughing? don't let me playing the bass guitar fool you. I do have my limitations. I am a VERY average bass player. I know enough to keep a good steady bottom end when it's needed. let's see…lets go back to childhood. I began taking piano lessons at the age of 5. I took clarinet lessons at age 9 and proceeded to add lessons in alto sax at age 12. upon entering high school, I switched from clarinet to bass clarinet and alto sax to tenor sax. after graduating from high school, I stopped everything except for piano. I still have my tenor and on occasion I will take it out and play it. I do miss playing it-if only I'd make the time. so, those are the official instruments. now for the unofficial (and questionable) instruments: drums-ha ha, bass guitar, tambourine, egg shakers, and any other percussive instrument that helps keeps a beat and makes noise.

at what age did you become interested in playing music? and when would you say was your first public performance? I became interested in music at a very young age; probably before I could even talk. I participated in the children's choir at church (age 3) and began piano at age 5. at the age of 7 or 8, I received a shawn cassidy record player equipped with a microphone. now the stage was set! during these young, uninhibited years, I would put on concerts downstairs in our basement.

with the help from my older brothers (the pyrotechnic masters), we would put on amazing sound and light shows! Whoo hoo! I actually can't nail down my first public performance. there were many church and school events. I do know that the first time I played in a "real" band situation was in the 11th grade at the wind gap elementary school auditorium. there was jane m. on stage piano, tommy m. on drums, jeff f. on guitar and me with a microphone performing "honestly", an 80's stryper tune. ahhhh! those were the days…

have you ever worked musically with glenn or andy on any projects before this one? this one is easy: yes, we have worked together previously. the web site does explain our previous relationship briefly. however, if you ever meet up with us at one of our events, I'd be glad to share the story personally.

disclaimer: to answer this question without making it really long and drawn out is very difficult for me to do. I will try to keep it as simple and brief as possible without leaving out anything of importance. furthermore, as I name-drop bands or artists, I am in no way endorsing their product or lifestyle (whether good or not so good). I am simply sharing the names of those whose music influenced me.

who or what has influenced you musically over the years? who or what has influenced you spiritually over the years?

musically speaking…

to put it plainly, I am truly a child of the 80's music scene. however, my musical foundation goes deeper than that. my parents played a big role in my musical upbringing. besides the encouragement of piano lessons and driving me to choir practice, they introduced me to the world of recorded music. mom and dad's collection of 45's from when they were younger (1950's - 60's) were a vital part of my musical experience. my hairbrush (or pencil) became my microphone, as I sang along with the beatles, chubby checker, elvis, johnny winters, the angels, rolling stones, soul survivors, and many more. the very first 45 I ever received was shaun cassidy's "teen dream" and his full-length record album followed shortly after that. I can also recall my favorite 8-track recording. we would all listen to it while taking family trips in the van. it was debbie boone's "midstream" album and she became the first of few female voices that influenced me.

as the 70's drew to a close, my ears were opened to billy joel, the moody blues and alan parson's project. I also enjoyed a year or two listening to the country sounds of kenny rogers, conway twitty and crystal gayle. but, all of this was about to evolve into something else; something different. I will no longer listen to music the same again.

so, what happened? the 80's happened! the teen years happened! duran duran, the pop group from england, happened! and things have never been the same since. even as my musical tastes expanded into different areas, I always kept a place for duran duran on my cassette tape and vinyl rack. their music was melodic and intricate. it consisted of great vocals, cool orchestration of synths, not to mention the beautiful bottom end of the rhythm section and catchy guitar licks. the music of duran duran was a major pivotal point, so my "little musical world" grew 100 times larger. I no longer simply listened to music. I desired to learn about the complexities of creating it. with my "new" ears, I began picking music apart and isolating each instrument. I had gained the respect for and the appreciation of the musical arts.

I could go on and on and on and on and on…. I could list hundreds of people and bands from the past that have worked their way into my musical life; even in the smallest of ways. however, I need to stop now and share with you the list of my musical influences. please remember…they are not in any necessary order.

the following are the pianists/keyboardists/synthesists who have significantly influenced my style of playing and songwriting: billy joel, howard jones, nick rhodes (duran duran), jackson browne, geoff downes (asia), keith green, geddy lee (rush), rick wakeman (yes), alan white (yes), jonathon cain (journey), keith emerson (emerson, lake and palmer (or powell)), david paich (toto), steve porcaro (toto), tony banks (genesis), charlie burchill and michael mcneil (both from simple minds).

the following are the vocal groups/artists who have significantly influenced my voice over the many years: simon lebon (duran duran), keith green, jim kerr (simple minds), billy joel, howard jones, geddy lee (rush), jon anderson (yes), debbie boone, toto, phil collins (genesis), olivia newton-john, whitney houston, jon elefante, max bacon (gtr), steve perry (journey) and john schlitt (petra).

(and now, part two)
spiritually speaking…

I must say, first and foremost, that the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are the greatest influences in my life. God placed me in a loving family with parents who gave me a good, solid spiritual foundation growing up. we visited many different kinds of worship services and southern gospel concerts. they dragged me to church even when I didn't want to go, for which I am thankful. the teachings of Jesus Christ are wonders that shall never cease. He is the ultimate example and role model as well as the perfect sacrifice for my imperfect life. the Holy Spirit is a treasure. I honestly don't know where I'd be today if it weren't for the moving and prompting of the Holy Spirit in my life.

my godmother, bessie morris fulfilled her promise and nurtured me spiritually. the pastor of my church growing up, rev. schultz, was a great, solid leader and teacher. my good friend and mentor, reverend hopeton clennon, helped me to grow in many areas of my spiritual life. he encouraged my music, developed the leader within me and helped prepare my heart for service to my Lord. dave kyllonen (couriers, homefire family ministries) taught me how to live an "out of the ordinary life". he, along with his family, sparked a fire within me and showed me how possible it was to begin a music ministry of my own. the apostle paul has also made his mark in my life as well.

there are so many others who have shared in my growth. I don't believe I could list them all. but please know this, to everyone who reads this, to everyone who prays for and supports oneWord, you are indeed a wonderful influence as well!

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