It's that time again. Trust is back in Ocala at the hotel awaiting a trip to the studio to hopefully finish the vocals on the new album, Going Home. It seems we can almost put any vehicle on auto-pilot up here now; and will be back up here again next weekend for the big God and Country Extravaganza with the POPCORN gang.
This recording project has taught me some important lessons. First, I think I've learned again the importance that all good things we accomplish will endure some difficulties. A fine pearl begins with a painful process. The oyster that endures the irritation of the sand turns into a beautiful piece of jewelry. The butterfly begins as an ugly caterpillar. The transformation process of art is sometimes a lot of hard work.
Second, it has taught me that sometimes there is more than one way to skin a cat. We knew that the producer would change some things in the way we sing our songs. Every person hears different harmonies and expects a different sound occasionally. There is more than one right note to sing in a song.
The third thing I've learned is how much I respect those who do this for a living. I thoroughly enjoy my time in the studio. It challenges me to listen more carefully to the other parts of the group. It challenges me to take my time do a project the right way and not settle for second best. We are striving for excellence and are determined to not be satisfied with anything less.
It is our prayer that when this recording is released that you will listen to it with a renewed desire to live firmly for Jesus. We want to encourage you in your walk with Christ to do all you can do and be all you can be fore His glory. If you can listen to the music and emerge on the other side having accomplished that, it will be a resounding success.
Until then, please pray for us as we put the final touches on the vocal recording, the approval to the master mixdown, and that the duplication will go smoothly. When all those things are accomplished, you'll have a CD to be proud of!
Friday, August 23, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
Unexpected Blessings
On Tuesday, August 13, Trust was continuing to make weekend plans shopping for some clothes for an upcoming big Labor Day extravaganza. On Wednesday, August 14, the weekend plans drastically changed.
Buzz had an impromptu meeting with a local pastor and as result, called each of us to find out if we were available for a Sunday morning concert. I had a commitment to speak at an afternoon service at a local retirement home. After discussing it with some valued and trusted advisors at our church, I made the decision to do the concert and then leave immediately to be back in Vero in time to fulfill that commitment. Later that evening, my pastor telephoned me and offered to change some plans for me to be able to stay through the day's events with Trust.
After our Saturday morning of shopping (and ladies, the men of Trust came out very well, thank you very much!) we headed to the church to set up for our Sunday morning concert. I had never been to this facility before and that is always exciting to me. This particular one was a beautiful structure. The stage was huge ~ and every square inch of available space covered ~ with music and sound equipment! Three keyboards, saxophone, and a steel guitar, plus stands for guitars accompanied many speakers and monitors! We were amazed! We set up on the floor in front of the stage where the portable pulpit stood.
Doing our soundcheck, we discovered the building had some incredible acoustics. As far as the sound of the music, it was going to be good! We had a little bit of a rehearsal before calling it a night and going to get some supper.
Here's the sad news of the day. We've been to a lot of church buildings that are big and beautiful. We've set up on huge stages and had grand and glorious ideas of what the concert will be like when the auditorium is filled with eager friends longing to hear from God. Then when the service time arrives, it is barely half filled with people who sometimes seem less than half eager to hear from anyone, let alone, God.
We arrived at the church on Sunday morning at 8:30 and a few people were already beginning to gather for their service that began at 10:30. We knew the Praise Band was to do their sound check at 9:30, but even showing up an hour early for that? We began to do our sound check to make sure things were still in order with our equipment, and people continued to arrive. Spence and I stayed in the sanctuary to listen to the Praise Band's sound check. When they started playing / singing Blessed Assurance, both Spence and I got our of our seats and wanted to grab a microphone and sing! We refrained and sat back down and listened to the music ~ and worshiped the God who provides our assurance. We had a WOW moment before the concert ever started!
Going back to the bus for our prayer time, we made it to back to the building for our pre-determined prayer time with the pastor and worship team before service. The church was buzzing with excitement. May I remind you, dear reader, that this concert was not planned before Wednesday. I'm not completely sure many people knew we were going to be there. When we came out of prayer time before the service started, we entered the sanctuary again and it was filled! The front pew had reserved on it so that we'd have a place to sit before we started singing. There was an excitement in that room that I've not seen in a long time.
As the service started, people were still coming in. There was not many more seats to be found. The ushers were bringing people to the front of the overflow section of seats to the side. People sang with enthusiasm, and Trust Quartet wants to take that Praise Band with us to our services to open for us and then be our accompaniment! They were fantastic!
Since school starts the next day, the pastor called all the school students as well as all those who work at the school system to the front of the church. The front was filled with students and adults alike. A prayer of dedication was prayed over them. I almost wanted to go back to school! Well, that may be a stretch, but you get the idea!
When Trust got up to sing, the people were so eager and responsive to what God wanted to say to them. We were so blessed to be able to be in the presence of God's people. Their responsiveness and obedience to listen to the Gospel through song was a huge encouragement to us. When the concert was over, people passed by our product table and encouraged us more. As we were beginning to pack up our equipment, we were stopped and asked to gather around the front of the auditorium. One of the leaders of the church wanted to pray with us.
\
One by one, he came to us and laid hands on us and prayed for us. Specifically for us. First, Spence, then me, then Jeff, Rhonda, Beverly, and Buzz. One by one, he prayed for us. What a blessing and encouragement.
We determined that this unexpected concert was God's way of encouraging us and preparing us for the Labor Day weekend of concerts coming up. We had no idea that anything like this was going to happen. It was nothing short of unexpected blessings from God.
I hope you've experienced those occasionally. Why not write us and tell us about YOUR unexpected blessing from God? Maybe you can encourage someone else with what God has done for you!
Buzz had an impromptu meeting with a local pastor and as result, called each of us to find out if we were available for a Sunday morning concert. I had a commitment to speak at an afternoon service at a local retirement home. After discussing it with some valued and trusted advisors at our church, I made the decision to do the concert and then leave immediately to be back in Vero in time to fulfill that commitment. Later that evening, my pastor telephoned me and offered to change some plans for me to be able to stay through the day's events with Trust.
After our Saturday morning of shopping (and ladies, the men of Trust came out very well, thank you very much!) we headed to the church to set up for our Sunday morning concert. I had never been to this facility before and that is always exciting to me. This particular one was a beautiful structure. The stage was huge ~ and every square inch of available space covered ~ with music and sound equipment! Three keyboards, saxophone, and a steel guitar, plus stands for guitars accompanied many speakers and monitors! We were amazed! We set up on the floor in front of the stage where the portable pulpit stood.
Doing our soundcheck, we discovered the building had some incredible acoustics. As far as the sound of the music, it was going to be good! We had a little bit of a rehearsal before calling it a night and going to get some supper.
Here's the sad news of the day. We've been to a lot of church buildings that are big and beautiful. We've set up on huge stages and had grand and glorious ideas of what the concert will be like when the auditorium is filled with eager friends longing to hear from God. Then when the service time arrives, it is barely half filled with people who sometimes seem less than half eager to hear from anyone, let alone, God.
We arrived at the church on Sunday morning at 8:30 and a few people were already beginning to gather for their service that began at 10:30. We knew the Praise Band was to do their sound check at 9:30, but even showing up an hour early for that? We began to do our sound check to make sure things were still in order with our equipment, and people continued to arrive. Spence and I stayed in the sanctuary to listen to the Praise Band's sound check. When they started playing / singing Blessed Assurance, both Spence and I got our of our seats and wanted to grab a microphone and sing! We refrained and sat back down and listened to the music ~ and worshiped the God who provides our assurance. We had a WOW moment before the concert ever started!
Going back to the bus for our prayer time, we made it to back to the building for our pre-determined prayer time with the pastor and worship team before service. The church was buzzing with excitement. May I remind you, dear reader, that this concert was not planned before Wednesday. I'm not completely sure many people knew we were going to be there. When we came out of prayer time before the service started, we entered the sanctuary again and it was filled! The front pew had reserved on it so that we'd have a place to sit before we started singing. There was an excitement in that room that I've not seen in a long time.
As the service started, people were still coming in. There was not many more seats to be found. The ushers were bringing people to the front of the overflow section of seats to the side. People sang with enthusiasm, and Trust Quartet wants to take that Praise Band with us to our services to open for us and then be our accompaniment! They were fantastic!
Since school starts the next day, the pastor called all the school students as well as all those who work at the school system to the front of the church. The front was filled with students and adults alike. A prayer of dedication was prayed over them. I almost wanted to go back to school! Well, that may be a stretch, but you get the idea!
When Trust got up to sing, the people were so eager and responsive to what God wanted to say to them. We were so blessed to be able to be in the presence of God's people. Their responsiveness and obedience to listen to the Gospel through song was a huge encouragement to us. When the concert was over, people passed by our product table and encouraged us more. As we were beginning to pack up our equipment, we were stopped and asked to gather around the front of the auditorium. One of the leaders of the church wanted to pray with us.
\
One by one, he came to us and laid hands on us and prayed for us. Specifically for us. First, Spence, then me, then Jeff, Rhonda, Beverly, and Buzz. One by one, he prayed for us. What a blessing and encouragement.
We determined that this unexpected concert was God's way of encouraging us and preparing us for the Labor Day weekend of concerts coming up. We had no idea that anything like this was going to happen. It was nothing short of unexpected blessings from God.
I hope you've experienced those occasionally. Why not write us and tell us about YOUR unexpected blessing from God? Maybe you can encourage someone else with what God has done for you!
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Going Home Update
Trust Quartet was in the studio again this past weekend working on our latest project, Going Home. The effort and intensity of the work going into this project assures us that it will be the best recording to date by the group. Engineer / producer Kevin Hunt is working diligently to pull the very best out of each member of Trust Quartet. That can be a tedious process, but will be worth the effort and the wait!
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| Trust Quartet poses in the studio |
A Birthday Celebration
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| Buzz introducing the Birthday Boy at a recent concert |
When we were in the studio this past weekend, the news leaked out to our engineer / producer Kevin Hunt, who then asked how old he would be. Kevin (as many people are) was shocked to learn Spence would be 75 years old this week.
So, if you're a friend of Trust that reads this and has Spence's contact information, I'm sure he'd appreciate a congratulatory message from you. We sure do love the guy and appreciate all he does for the ministry of Trust Quartet!
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