Irvington United Methodist Church, Circuit Rider, and the Indiana National Road

Front of church and what was originally a home

   While in Irvington Indiana (an historic section of Indianapolis) for a dinner held by the Indiana National Road Association, Sherry and I discovered this very attractive and uniquely designed church building. It is the Irvington United Methodist Church.

  

Pastor Denise Robinson

The front of the building was originally the home of a President of Butler College. According to Pastor Denise Robinson, upon the gift of the home and its property to the Methodist Church, the stipulation was that the home would remain as a part of the new construction.

"circuit rider" sign

   The “Irvington Methodist Church” sign with man on horse refers to what was once known as a “circuit rider”. These were pastors who rode through a territory visiting local congregations on a schedule. Usually, Sunday to Sunday services were lead by lay persons while the “circuit rider” would periodically visit for Communion Service and to check in on the health of the church.

   While the man on the horse may be John Wesley, I think more probable is that it refers to any general “circuit rider”. The book being read may be the Bible. Or it may be the Course of Study which John Wesley required of his circuit riders.

   Most informed Methodists I know of the United Methodist and Free Methodist denominations hold a deep affection for the historic “circuit rider”.

 

German or Swiss influence?

   The Irvington United Methodist Church is a lovely building, invoking a sense of presence in a sacred space. Also, the structures of the wood beams in the ceiling seem to indicate the influence of German architecture.

If you live around Irvington Indiana and you do not have a home church...visit Irvington United Methodist Church. 

Check out their website...

http://www.irvingtonumc.org/

   The church sits along Washington Avenue, which also is US 40. More historically relevant is the fact that US40 runs atop what was originally the National Road in Indiana.

I invite you to learn more about the National Road at:

http://www.indiananationalroad.org/

"The Fraker" and a remodeled Student Union at Goshen College

display of historic photos at the Leaf Raker

   During the late 1970s as I was attending Goshen College in Goshen Indiana the students would affectionately refer to the snack shop in the Student Union as “the fraker”.

The formal name is “The Leaf Raker”.

Sherry and I had opportunity to visit the Fraker Monday, September 2, 2019 and have dinner there. I had a hamburger. Sherry had some soup and kale entre.

For those who attended Goshen College decades ago, the Union building is very much different now.

a seating area where for decades was a post office and mail boxes.

Gone is the post office and mailboxes. The gym has been converted to offices.

main hall of Student Union

But the Fraker remains, updated, remodeled, and refreshed, nonetheless, the Fraker remains.

The Fraker...new and improved! Table seating in area unseen in photo.

Wreathie Blanche Miller: Gone But Not Forgotten

Sherry and I were pleased to attend Stories of Elkhart: Union Center Cemetery program presented by Elkhart County Parks and the Elkhart County Historic Museum.

Sherry, always a good eye for the novel, rare, and vintage, noticed this grave stone of Wreathie Blanche Miller.

Having died so young, it must have been a traumatic experience for her parents.

In honor of this young life, I post a photo of her gravestone with the sentiment of carrying on her memory and her name in my humble way.

I am convinced that God does not let us leave this life until our purpose or purposes which God has ordained for us has been accomplished.

Wreathie…your purpose, your effect, must have been wonderful.

Wreathie rests in the Union Center Cemetery in the north- west corner of intersection of county road 11 and county road 50 in Nappanee Indiana.

Concord Junior High, Chibby Briscoe, Mr. Duell, and more.

May 1996 Library building of Concord Junior High

This photo was taken in May of 1996, from Harding road (CR 13). It shows the library building of the Concord Junior High School in a state of demolishment so as to rebuild.  The building was originally constructed as the high school in the 1920s.

    The center of the building, second story, is where, the library operated in 1969-1975.

It had originally been an auditorium. To the far left of picture was the stage. The center of room sat under a very beautiful stained glass sky-light. I did not realize in 1969, 1970, and 1971, as a student, just how beautiful it was. Working during the summer of 1973 as a student- custodian at the school, I set up a scaffold in that room, carried a vacuum up the ladder, opened the sky-light, and cleaned the outside of the glass. Decades of dirt gone, the light poured through highlighting the colors. Those colors in the glass seemed to take ordinary sunlight and transform it into majestic ambiance. I felt very accomplished!

   The first floor of that building is where the science classrooms were. Remember Arly Waggy?
    The entrance of this building was saved and relocated to what is now Concord Intermediate School.

original entrance to 2-story building

   This was my favorite building of the junior high. Back to second story…

   The far side of the building, facing the parking lot, is where we had algebra with Mr. Duell. Speaking of Mr. Duell…

During the springtime of 1970, convocation was called for all students. These convocations were often interesting and humorous.

One such convocation was about springtime.

I remember Chibby Briscoe inviting Mr. Duell out onto the gym floor where paper mache trees had been set up. She instructed him to run through them while she read from a script.

The script ended with “and if you listen very closely, you can hear the sap running through the trees!”

Just another fond memory from school years.

Neil Armstrong Moon Landing, My Dunlap Arrival July 20 1969

Last remaining structure at Cable Line Meat Market

    Sunday, July 20, 1969 in Detroit Michigan we “loaded up the truck and we moved” to Dunlap Indiana, Cable Line Road to be precise, to a vintage (dilapidated) mobile home beside Roy Stealy’s Cable Line Meat Market.

Yes, fifty years ago I moved from Detroit to Dunlap and began exploring, upon my green stingray bicycle, the surrounding area.

I explored Cable Line Road (County Road 26).

I looked upon growing stalks of corn beside which there was parked a green tractor. I rode my bicycle through arcs of chilled irrigation water as it splashed upon the road and then evaporated quickly in the 80 degree summer heat. Actual communications cable ran from pole to pole, slightly swaging in between. I viewed the rolling farmland as it reached into the Earthy distance periodically interrupted with a weather-worn red barn and sunlit steel silo as I listened to WLS on my transistor radio.

The openness of the Dunlap farmland in contrast to the congestion of Detroit streets was welcomed. It was spiritually refreshing to see rows of green corn meet the blue horizon in the distance.

   That evening, on the 20^th, I watched on tv as Neil Armstrong set foot upon the moon. I considered…there was Astronaut Armstrong walking someplace he had never been. He was in a new place to explore and appreciate. I was emotionally as far away from Detroit as Neil was physically from the Earth. The experience of Neil Armstrong on the moon encouraged me and inspired me all the more to explore and appreciate my new environment in Dunlap.

 The next day I ventured onto County Road 13 until it became Harding Road where I then discovered the school I would be attending.

Concord Junior High sat upon the corner of Mishawaka Road and US 33 much like a college campus having three buildings: The 2-story library building in which also was Principal Sweisberger’s office. The Central building which, with its various unpredictable landings, seemed to be an architect’s “freedom of creativity” assignment.

same gym area...new floor, bleachers and such. what was a stage is now classrooms

And the gym building completed the “college campus” feel. I was very impressed with the gym, freshly refinished and still carrying the aroma and the gloss of the maple wood. Of course I discovered the cafeteria in which dances would also be held. Milk was served in half-pint glass bottles from Cook’s dairy.

I still remember my 8^th grade class schedule:

1^st hour…History in the Central Building with Mr. Cassel (not sure of the proper spelling).

2^nd hour….P.E. with Mr. Culp

3^rd hour…math with Mr. Springer, Central building.

4^th hour…Shop class with Mr. Spicard ( Spicard and Cassel had previously been football players for either Green Bay or Chicago, they seemed proud of mentioning it periodically).

5^th hour…Study hall Library building.

6^th hour… English in Library building with Mr. George.

7^th hour…Science in Library building with Mr. Huff.

After school, and before riding my stingray back to Cable Line Road, I enjoyed ice cream at the Flavor Freeze. That too was a new experience for me. If Detroit had any such novelty, I never found it.

Flavor Freeze Dunlap Indiana

I am pleased that the Flavor Freeze still operates. Many things, such as the Minuteman Drive-in, have gone away with time.

Yes, I have lived in the Elkhart area for fifty years as of July 20.

I will take a drive along Cable Line road and then visit the Flavor Freeze as homage to my 14 year old self and celebration of Dunlap.

The property which once was Cable Line Meat Market is now a collection of rubble amidst a chaos of foliaceous overgrowth. No mobile homes remain. Only one structure still holds on as evidence that once this was a domestic property. It is a small wood shed of some kind. I remember Roy Stealy keeping a car within that shed.

The swaging cable no longer exists.

Center of photograph is were the Cable Line Monster Tree once stood

Oh yes, I forgot to mention the Cable Line Monster! That was at the intersection of County Road 11 and Cable Line. There was a tree with disturbed bark, which could have, with some imagination, appeared to be the imprint of a person.

Even that tree from my youth is now gone. Perhaps it was removed so as to terminate the awkward gawkings of passersby.

While the rest of the world will be remembering, celebrating, aggrandizing man’s first step on the moon, I will be appreciating Apollo 11’s inspirational encouragement upon me to take my own giant leap in Dunlap, Concord, and what has become fifty years of adventure-rich living!

Supplemental:

WLS Top Forty

                            JULY  14, 1969                             
 1. IN THE YEAR 2525                                Zager & Evans-R.C.A.  4
 2. CRYSTAL BLUE PERSUASION               Tommy James/Shondells-Roulette  1
 3. SPINNING WHEEL                         Blood, Sweat & Tears-Columbia  2
 4. GOOD MORNING STARSHINE                                Oliver-Jubilee  3
 5. RUBY DON'T TAKE YOUR LOVE TO TOWN-Kenny Rogers/First Edition-Reprise  7
 6. ONE                                          Three Dog Night-Dunhill  5
 7. BABY I LOVE YOU                                       Andy Kim-Steed 10
 8. WHAT DOES R TAKE                      Jr. Walker & The Allstars-Soul 11
 9. QUENTINS THEME                 Charles Randolph Greane Sound-Ranwood 19
10. MY CHERIE AMOUR                                  Stevie Wonder-Tamla 17
11. MY PLEDGE OF LOVE                             Joe Jeffrey Group-Wand 12
12. PUT A LITTLE LOVE IN YOUR HEART            Jackie DeShannon-Imperial 23
13. LOVE THEME FROM ROMEO & JULIET                  Henry Mancini-R.C.A.  8
14. COLOR HIM FATHER                                 Winstons-Metromedia  6
15. ISRAELITES                                   Desmond Decker/Aces-Uni  9
16. MOTHER POPCORN                                      James Brown-King 24
17. ALONG CAME JONES                                Ray Stevens-Monument 22
18. SWEET CAROLINE                                      Neil Diamond-Uni 28
19. LOVE ME TONIGHT                                     Tom Jones-Parrot 15
20. POLK SALAD ANNIE                             Tony Joe White-Monument 30
21. BAD MOON RISING                 Creedence Clearwater Revival-Fantasy 16
22. GOOD OLD ROCK & ROLL    Cat Mother & The All Night News Boys-Polydor 29
23. BLACK PEARL                             Sonny Charles/Checkmates-A&M 13
24. LET ME                                  Paul Revere/Raiders-Columbia 14
25. MRS. ROBINSON                                Booker T & The MGs-Stax 25
26. TOO BUSY THINKING ABOUT MY BABY                    Marvin Gaye-Tamla 20
27. BIRTHDAY                               Underground Sunshine-Intrepid 40
28. YESTERDAY WHEN I WAS YOUNG                             Roy Clark-Dot 32
29. RECONSIDER ME                                 Johnny Adams-SSS Int'l 34
30. HONKY TONK WOMAN                               Rolling Stones-London --
31. DAYS OF SAND & SHOVELS                             Bobby Vinton-Epic 31
32. LAUGHING                                            Guess Who-R.C.A. 37
33. HURT SO BAD                                        Lettermen-Capitol --
34. BREAK AWAY                                        Beach Boys-Capitol 39
35. WE GOT MORE SOUL                    Dyke and the Blazers-Orig. Sound 35
36. SOUL DEEP                                              Box Tops-Mala --
37. ABERGAVENNY                                         Shannon-Heritage --
38. MARAKESH EXPRESS                      Crosby, Stills & Nash-Atlantic --
39. WORKIN' ON A GROOVY THING                  Fifth Dimension-Soul City --
40. A BOY NAMED SUE                                 Johnny Cash-Columbia --

Celebrate July 2nd as the True Independence Day

Sterling Watkins of Claypool United Methodist Church as Thomas Jefferson July 2nd, 2016

Independence Day is my favorite civic holiday. But I don’t wait to celebrate on July 4th. I observe American Independence on the day it actually happened…July 2nd. Yep. Please visit: https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/when-is-the-real-independence-day-july-2-or-july-4/

And you will discover this…

Officially, the Continental Congress declared our freedom from Great Britain on July 2, 1776, when it voted to approve a resolution submitted by delegate Richard Henry Lee of Virginia, declaring ““That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved.”

It is understood that the original copy of the Declaration was sent to the King of England. I suppose so. But also consider…the Second Continental Congress, hoping to gain assistance from other countries such as France, sent original copies to them as well. My support for this argument is found in the Declaration…”a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.”

Right up front there, closing of first paragraph, just like they taught us in high school, we read the purpose of the document.

The Second Continental Congress wrote this document more to persuade other countries and gain their sympathy and support than to actually notify the King of England.

In any case, I proclaim July 2^nd as Independence Day.

The Girl in the Blue Dress, Abbey Road, London August 8 1969

    Do you remember the “Paul is dead” conspiracy? Yes, I am sure there are still many adherents to the idea that Paul McCartney died in an automobile accident in 1966 and that a well-trained stand- in has been fooling everyone for fifty-three years.

    The conspiracy gained traction in September of 1969 after the release of the Beatles “Abbey Road” album. Largely, the fad of the conspiracy has declined except for some die-hards.

   But more bemusing to me is that the identity of the girl in the blue dress remains a mystery. On the back cover of the Abbey Road album is a photo of an Abbey Road street sign. Reportedly, on August 8, 1969, when Iain Macmillan snapped the picture, this girl in a blue dress, unaware, walked into view.

   Beatles fans, especially this one, since the release of the album have wondered just who is that girl.

   In a world where many people would want to take “hey, that’s me” credit for appearing on a Beatles album cover I am perplexed as to why no one has done so. This is indeed a mystery well beyond “Paul is dead”.

 Was she supposed to be elsewhere and claiming credit for the appearance would reveal an awkward truth? Even if that were true, surely fifty years later the reason would have become irrelevant.

Perhaps the girl passed away before the album was released and never had opportunity to know of the existence of the photo bearing her unawares intrusion.

If she was oblivious of her intrusion into a photo, perhaps she, astoundingly, remains so thereby ranking as one of the rock world’s most enduring mysteries.

There is a story about a fan named Rita who had been in a car with Paul. But Paul must have been in many cars with many girls.

Another mysterious contemplation is if the presence of the girl was unintentional; why not just take another shot?

   There had to have been many pictures from which to choose, why was this one chosen?

I have read many Beatles biographies, listened to radio interviews read magazine stories, I have never come upon a conclusive answer. As much detail about the Beatles individual lives, recordings, trips, and movies has been reported, investigated, confirmed, this detail remains stubbornly elusive!

Even the fellow standing on the sidewalk (right side of photo) looking on as the Beatles walk across the street has been identified. His name is Paul Cole.

https://www.vintag.es/2023/11/paul-cole-mystery-man.html

This has been, since September of 1969, my compellingly investigative Beatle mystery. Consign to oblivion backward tapes, hidden messages, clues to Paul’s death, for fifty years I have pondered a question with more rabbit hole meanderings than Dallas’ “ Who shot J.R?”

As we approach the fifty year anniversary of the creation of this memorable event in rock history, I remain perplexed.

Who was that girl in the blue dress?

"God of Thunder" Mel Schacher and Grand Funk Railroad at the Bluegate Theater

an American Band

    Grand Funk Railroad is one of those classic rock bands that seem to always maintain their existential elasticity. Their performance Saturday, January 26, 2019 at the Bluegate Theater in Shipshewana Indiana is evidence of their perennial relevance. Their energy, sound, and attitude are witness to their constancy as an “American Band”. By the way, they seem to take seriously their identity as an American Band. Midpoint in the show they produce an American flag, front and center as their lead guitarist plays the national anthem ala Jimmy Hendrix.

    And as great as all of the musicians were, as fantastic as were the drums, guitars, keyboard, I found myself paying attention to Mel Schacher as the sounds of reverberating thunder were released by the pluck of his fingers. It seemed an almost intuitive relationship between bassist and instrument.

"God of Thunder" Mel Schacher

    No wonder his fans fervently refer to him as “The God of Thunder”!

    Ah, to be so revered in your craft as to acquire from amongst your devotees such an honorific as “God of Thunder”!

   I suggest for myself the tag “Parson Extraordinaire”. I choose the term “parson” so as to emphasize my admirable degree of humility.

   But, back to Mel…

    The God of Thunder stands on stage much like a well-disciplined sentry in protection of the musical integrity of the performance. Only a periodic and mischievous half-smile betrays his statuesque face indicating to the crowd that he enjoys this more than he wants to convey.

eager fans before the show

   But there was no masking the enjoyment of the crowd as Mel plucked from his strings the sonic medium through which the other instruments would be manifest.

   Each pluck of a string echoed from the walls to greet subsequent bass notes to create a fullness of sound, feel, and ambient attitude in the room. The rubber-funk sounds of Mel’s bass seemed to accentuate my heartbeat reminding me of what age eighteen feels like again!

Yes, indeed, his honorific of “God of Thunder” is well deserved!

Andrew and Alec

   But, speaking of eighteen, or at least being that young, I happened upon two brothers, Andrew Bencsics, 21, and Alec Bencsics, 17 who declared themselves classic rock fans, Kiss loyalists, who very much are into Grand Funk.

   Andrew said he had purchased “E Pluribus Funk”, on vinyl, and immediately became a fan. Alex has collected all of Grand Funks albums on CD.

    But these guys are not only spectators of the thunderous sport of rock; they want to perform it as well.

   Andrew plays guitar, rhythm or lead, while Alec plays bass. They need a drummer to fill out their three-man-group. Perhaps they could be the next Cream, Jimmy Hendrix Experience, or Mark, Don, and Mel!

Anyway, it was a great concert!

Tour information for Grand Funk can be found at:

https://www.grandfunkrailroad.com/tour.html

Catch a show! And tell them Mike sent you!

“You never get to know someone till they put their clothes on.”

South Bend Tribune photo by Andrew S. Hughes

   I really enjoy watching movies! Not only are they entertaining for their acting, scripting, production and direction, I discover many inspiring phrases which I take and then re-context for sermons or blog posts.

One such phrase is found in the 1963 Dean Martin movie “Who’s Been Sleeping in My Bed”. Character Stella Irving, played by Carol Burnett, says “You never get to know someone till they put their clothes on.”

   And I thought “huh”. My sister in law, trained to be an actor and successfully having done so once stated “all clothing is costume”. I think she meant that when we choose our clothing, jewelry, shoes, we are trying to present an image of who we are to those whom we find relevant.

    We put on a costume designed to showcase our natural self or perhaps to mask our self doubts.

   In either case, the costume becomes the true “social self” by which we want to engage others.

   My Sgt. Pepper costume is to showcase that I am a festive and celebratory individual and that I quickly acknowledge that I like attention. Also, I am introverted just enough that when I am saturated with social attention I may remove the costume and resume my natural incognito condition.

    Ah, the best of many worlds by my choice of costume.

   Aside from the social application of this idea, there is a spiritual application.

Revelation 3: 5 says “If you conquer, you will be clothed like them in white robes, and I will not blot your name out of the book of life; I will confess your name before my Father and before his angels.”

   At least in the Western world, white indicates purity.

    In a sense Jesus kinda cheats the Devil out of a win. Because while our natural selves have been muddied enough to preclude our entrance into God’s Kingdom, the costume of purity with which Jesus adorns us presents us to God as acceptable.

The choice of the costume of purity will indicate the true spiritual self, regardless of accumulated mud.

Remember as Stella Irving would say “You never get to know someone till they put their clothes on.”

You are invited to put on the clothing of Christ!

Epiphanies Await the Diligent!

Just as the wise men were guided to Bethlehem by scripture, King Herod also sought Scripture but with bad intent. We need scripture to find our way to Jesus. It was scripture that got the wise men to the specific place that Jesus was. It is scripture that will conclude our journey as well.

We can say that we will dedicate our work to God. We can say that we use our hobbies as a way of worshiping God. Those will surely show our service to God. But it will be through scripture that we are delivered to the birth-place of Jesus in our hearts.

This new year, as you receive your personal epiphanies and many they may be, use not only your own history,  not only your own past understanding of the world,  also use scripture that you may be faithfully and accurately delivered to Jesus.

Let us not maintain, as did Herod, Pilate, and the Pharisees, our own comfortable understanding of scripture. Let us allow scripture to enlighten us, even challenge us in our understanding that we may grow closer to Jesus.

I am convinced that Scriptural epiphanies await the diligent!

Review: Twila Paris "He Is Exalted"

Integrity Music owns copyright

    Not often do people write reviews for albums which are thirteen years old. But the live worship album “He is Exalted” by Twila Paris deserves another hearing.

    On this album, Twila presents a very faithful summary of the Christian faith. The songs chosen for this album speak of such Christian themes as glory, being loved, being saved, and spiritual comfort.

    Twila’s voice is well composed and pleasant to receive.

    The choir as backing vocals also brings a sense of sincere spiritual centering without which the music would be absent something significant and meaningful.

Lifted Higher

    I love the line… “see the passion in the art” ! Twila projects a passion for sure. And the theme of the song “his name is lifted”, well, 2.5 billion Christians live on this planet. Yes, his name is lifted.

     The chord changes inspire a sense of joy as they sing “higher, higher, higher”. You will find yourself singing along.

He is Exalted

        Obviously inspired by the many Psalms of the Old Testament.

        The drums and percussion emphasize and punctuate a musical paragraph of worship which seems to linger in the heart long after hearing it.

Hosanna

   “May you receive only honor in all that we do”

     Great guitar work. This song comes across like a soft-driving rock song.

All Things Work Together

Twila’s introductory narration of encouragement introduces a “declaration, a statement of faith” to the promise that “all things work together for those who are called”. Her voice is particularly comforting here.

God is in Control

           Another rock-driving sound, heavy on guitar and drums this song seems to envelop the soul with a steadfast faith that God is indeed in control.

Messiah

     Pulling forth the Old Testament promise of Messiah and making that Messiah real in a contemporary world. Just as the studio effect enhances the recording, Twila’s voice accentuates the prophetic voice in “Messiah”.

We All Bow Down

    Another inspiring introductory narration…

  “Let your kingdom come…in our hearts, in our lives, in our homes, our families, relationships, in our church, that we may reflect you.”

The use of ascending, repetitive prepositional placement seems to lift you from an ordinary spiritual place to one of glory.

Days of Elijah

   This tune, heavy on guitar, should cause baby boomers to tune in to a new manifestation of “peace and love”!

Enter In

          “I open up the door to life forevermore” focuses very intimately on Twila’s vocal qualities. You can embrace her control and sincerity. The accompanying piano and strings accommodate the invitation to a spiritual “entering”.

You Are Holy

              A humble, yet glory-filled anthem of praise “You are worthy”!

  

We Have Seen Your Glory

     “The word became flesh”, this song is anchored in Scripture and moving in emotion.

Hold Me Close

   A slower moving ballad of surrender and faith, swelling strings serve as a backdrop of assurance and love.

The whole of the album is spiritually arresting and promises to rapture the spirit of any who would take the time to become still and allow the spirit to move through the tones, vocals, and instrumentations of this collection of song.

I would like to thank my friend Kim Wyman, a choir vocalist on this album,for introducing me to this singer and album.

Of course, I had previously heard Twila on the radio, but taking time to focus on her vocal qualities on a full album leaves me with a greater impression of her spiritual depth!

Jeordie exceeds on "Good Luck Sun"

As a child of the emerging context of rock music in the 1960s I name three producers who made a significant impact on my appreciation of such music.

Of course there was George Martin without whom the Beatles may have been a good but unremarkable band. There is Lou Adler who very masterfully mixed and “stereo-ized” the embracing vocals of the Mamas and Papas. And then there was the most impactful producer of my listening experience, Peter Schekeryk. Peter, producing the wonderful sounds of his wife, Melanie, created a range of music, sound, effect, and style that left him without category or equal.

   His lasting influence is evident in his daughter, Jeordie, who brings forth all of those same qualities and attributes in a faithful and natural manner on her latest CD “Good Luck Sun”.

   The most dramatic song on the album is “Feel” which sounds as if it were lifted faithfully out of the late 1960s San Francisco music scene and fused with a contemporary “feel” itself. The vocals, guitar work, and song sound to me very much as if Crosby, Stills, and Nash missed out by a couple of generations on who would have made them the most complete band of the late sixties and early seventies…Jeordie.

Just in time for Christmas, Jeordie provides the very entertaining, uplifting and somewhat humorous “Unwrap You”. With jingle bells, delightful melody and lyric, Jeordie speaks of Christmas as if it were the romantic holiday much superior to Valentines Day. Much fun!

My personal favorite “Everybody Wants What You’ve Got” prompts me to imagine it as a soundtrack for a late night on the desert in Arizona, around a fire, a couple holding each other, slow dancing, looking into each other’s eyes with the comfort of reconciliation as a canopy of stars enviably bear witness.

The whole album is great! It too defies being categorized as it blends rock, soul, blues, and country into a very pleasant sound experience. Each lyric, literate and emotionally consumable, causes the listener to anticipate the next with an eager sense of discovery much like opening a wrapped Christmas gift.

Jeordie, with “Good Luck Sun”, will cause you to “tune in” musically to a contemporary sound that invokes the wondrous talents and skill which preceded her in her mother and father.

Peter, I continue to honor you. Your daughter, Jeordie lives up to, and exceeds your expectations. Be proud!

I invite you to know more about Jeordie. Please visit www.Jeordie.com

You can keep up with her on Facebook also!

I further encourage you to purchase her new album. And do so soon!

Celebrating the White Album "May it serve you well."

   

photo by Keith Priser of Sally Priser's original release.

    On November 22, 1968 the Beatles released their first album as a group on their own record label “Apple”. It was catalogued as “The Beatles” but quickly became more commonly referred to as “The White Album” due to its white cover. Upon hearing it for the first time in 1968 when I was thirteen my impression was that it seemed to be a return to the Beatles natural progression in recording. While I regard “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” very highly, that album seems to be an explorative interruption from their more straightforward type of recording which had been absent the wizardry and gimmickry of studio tape manipulation. Not that Revolver or White Album contain no tape manipulation at all, “Tomorrow Never Knows” on Revolver is very studio-deep. It’s just that Sgt. Pepper exuberated on such technical aspects.

    On “The White Album” we hear a return to very strong vocals uncluttered of studio effect. There are hard-rock moments such as “Helter Skelter”, “Back in the USSR”. George continues with his religious “Long, Long, Long”. And Ringo closes the album with a John Lennon song “Good Night” which sounds like a family movie soundtrack.

    It was 1968. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy had been killed. NASA had landed a spacecraft on the surface of the moon and returned it to Earth (this was a trial run before they sent humans). John Carlos had attracted attention for his Black Power salute on the podium having won a gold medal at the Olympics. The movie “Wild in the Streets” had been released.

   The world, for this thirteen-year-old, had become intriguingly sophisticated in science and radicalized in politics. “The White Album” in all of its lyrics, instrumentation, and topics, seemed a concurrent musical articulation of the events which were emerging in history.

   While the Beatles of 1964-1966 offered a stage-performance focus on writing and recording which was light on ego, and Sgt. Pepper” was the artistic manifestation of the group’s collective ego, “The White Album” seemed to reconnect with the simple idea of album as a collection of individual songs unrelated to each other. The listener was relieved of the expectation to discover some ambiguous theme as was the case with Sgt. Pepper.

    After “Sgt. Pepper” I had expected the Beatles would continue toward yet more experimental recording, perhaps more deeply into philosophical and religious material. All summer in 1968 I had read reports of the Bealtes, their wives, and friends studying under the Maharishi. My anticipation as to what the next album would contain intrigued me and tickled my sense of imminent discovery. Though the “White Album” did not deliver on my expectations, it nonetheless was consistent with the Beatles knack for remaining relevant and timely to a broad audience.

  Mostly, “The White Album” was a return to the “Beatle Formula” (evasive as that is to define), with the additional attribute of being super-loaded with personal ego of the individuals.

   The singular exception to the “Beatle Formula” on this album is “Revolution Number 9”. A sound-collage of various recordings, it seems more appropriate to be on John and Yoko’s “Two Virgins” album. And yet, I grant that “Number 9” permits the “White Album” a bit of mystique it would otherwise lack.

   Please don’t take it that I insult the album. I love it! And this post is intended to celebrate the album.

 On November 22, take some time to listen to the whole album, or any part of it and “tune in” to the youth revolution of 1968!

 “May it serve you well!”

I invite you to read the review of the album by Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone Magazine dated December 21, 1968:

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/review-the-beatles-white-album-186863/