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Larry Norman , the ” Father of Christian Rock ,” passes away in Salem, Oregon home

Larry Norman, the singer, songwriter, and producer known as the “father of Christian rock music,” died of heart failure on Sunday (Feb. 24) in his Salem, Oregon home. He was 60.

Norman was an eccentric visionary whose songs drew controversy from both the conservative religious establishment and the secular music press for his lyrical mix of radical religious, political, and social themes. His 1969 solo album Upon This Rock was the first Christian rock record, and his milestone 1972 release Only Visiting This Planet is considered one of the best albums in the genre. His music was an influence on such diverse artists as U2, John Mellencamp, and the Pixies.

“Larry was my door into the music business and he was the most Christlike person I ever met,” former Pixies singer Frank Black said Monday upon hearing of Norman’s passing.

Norman was born on April 8, 1947 in Corpus Christi, Texas. At the age of 3 he relocated to San Francisco, California with his family and in the mid-’50s became fascinated with the music of Elvis Presley. During this time he also frequently accompanied his father on Christian missions to prisons and hospitals. At the age of nine, Larry began writing and performing original rock and roll songs at school, experimenting and incorporating a spiritual message into his music. In 1959 he performed on Ted Mack’s syndicated television show The Original Amateur Hour on CBS. Upon moving to San Jose, California, he began recording for Capitol Records with his band People! in 1966 and for the next 2 years performed concerts supporting The Doors, The Who, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix, among others. People! scored a Billboard Chart hit in 1968 with a cover of The Zombies’ song “I Love You.” Norman left the band the day People!’s debut album was released.

His solo albums recorded in the 1970s on his own independent label Solid Rock, and the albums of other artists he discovered and produced, laid the foundation for what would eventually become the Christian rock music industry, a genre which largely shunned him and his music. According to Portland news/radio station KXL, Norman’s early social positions caused a stir among many conservative Christians. His views against racism and poverty caused him to receive multiple death threats in the 1970s. A widespread ban on Norman’s music, which is largely still in effect today, existed in Christian stores. This ban was due not only to Norman’s social positions, but his preferred company as well. Said Norman in a separate interview, “The churches weren’t going to accept me looking like a street person with long hair and faded jeans. They did not like the music I was recording. And I had no desire to preach the gospel to the converted.”

Time Magazine once called Norman “the most significant artist in his field.” Over 300 cover versions of his songs have been recorded by artists such as Petula Clark, Sammy Davis, Jr., Frank Black, and Cliff Richard. His songs have also been recorded by contemporary Christian artists like DC Talk, Rebecca St. James, and Audio Adrenaline. He performed for The White House, twice - and in Moscow at the 80,000 seat Olympic Stadium. He headlined venues like The Hollywood Bowl, The Sydney Opera House, The Palladium and London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall, which he sold out six times, once filling it twice on the same day. In the last 40 years Norman has released nearly 100 solo albums.

In 2001 Norman was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame alongside Elvis Presley. At the time of his death he was working on an album with Frank Black and Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse, which will be released later this year.

In a message he wrote on Saturday, Feb 23, the day before he passed away, Norman said:

__________________________

“I feel like a prize in a box of cracker jacks with God’s hand reaching down to pick me up. I have been under medical care for months. My wounds are getting bigger. I have trouble breathing. I am ready to fly home. I won’t be here much longer. I can’t do anything about it. My heart is too weak. I want to say goodbye to everyone. In the past you have generously supported me with prayer and finance and we will probably still need financial help. My plan is to be buried in a simple pine box with some flowers inside. I’d like to push back the darkness with my bravest effort. There will be funeral information posted on my website, in case some of you want to attend. We are not sure of the date when I will die. Goodbye, farewell, we will meet again.”

“Goodbye, farewell, we’ll meet again
Somewhere beyond the sky.
I pray that you will stay with God
Goodbye, my friends, goodbye.”
__________________________

His siblings, mother, and friends were with him through late Saturday night and Sunday morning when he died peacefully in his sleep.

There will be a public memorial ceremony for Larry Norman at 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 1st at The Church on the Hill, 2707 Maranatha Ct., Turner, Oregon.

ApologetiX is sometimes called the “Weird Al” Yankovic of Christian rock.

Cofounder J. Jackson takes songs of artists like Eminem and puts a Christian spin on them. The Eminem parodies are among the band’s most popular, Jackson said. “It’s an ideal parody because a parody by nature is not outright funny, it is ironic,” he said.

ApologetiX , also known as ” That Christian parody band ,” is bringing its brand of humor to the Fox Valley at 7 p.m. Saturday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church in Elburn. The concert is sponsored by Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles for its refugee resettlement efforts in the Fox Valley.

Formed in 1993, the Pittsburgh-based band found success locally after a breakout performance in 1999 at a Rockford festival. The band has produced 15 albums and written more than 600 song parodies of hard rock, rap, country and punk.

“We’ve done everything you can imagine, from classic rock to Led Zeppelin. Anything you can imagine, we’ve tried,” Jackson said.

Jackson is the lead vocalist with Keith Haynie on bass guitar, Jimmy Tanner on drums, and Bill Hubauer on lead guitar and keys.

Some of the songs are humorous, but that doesn’t mean band members don’t take their faith seriously.

“We take the Bible very seriously; we just don’t take ourselves very seriously,” Jackson said. “If someone comes to our concerts, by the time we are done, there is no doubt where we stand. They will see just because you are Christian, it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.”

Jackson became a born-again Christian 20 years ago on Super Bowl Sunday. He had been exploring his spirituality but could not connect with God. He went through a period of living a hedonistic lifestyle, to being agnostic, to being an atheist as he searched for meaning in his life, he said. He tried reading the Bible but did not understand it.

He walked into an empty church and poured his heart out to the Lord, Jackson said.

“‘If you are real, I need you in my life,’” he said. “I left that church. I wasn’t glowing or anything, but in the month after, things changed. I picked up the Bible and I understood it.”

ApologetiX formed a few years later at a Bible study Jackson had attended. It just started out as guys hanging out together for fellowship and turned into a career. He also wanted to learn and memorized parables in the Bible and thought music was a good way to do that.

“Music is a great way to remember things,” the 43-year-old said, adding he learned grammar tips from School House Rock.

Baker Memorial’s Ben Adams organized the concert and said word of mouth has been spreading about the band. He has not seen the band live but has downloaded some of its songs, which he likes.

The 13th annual Ultimate Talent Search & Seminars presented by Embassy Music announced that several major Christian labels have signed on to meet with the grand prizewinner of their talent search.

Those labels include Word/Curb/Warner, represented by Nicole C. Mullen and Point of Grace; EMI/CMP, represented by Jeremy Camp and Chris Tomlin; Provident Label Group, represented by Casting Crowns and Third Day, and Gotee, represented by Reliant K and Ayiesha Woods (to name a few).

Embassy Music will offer the grand prizewinner a one song publishing agreement. The talent search will be held on Nashville’s legendary Music Row and will coincide with the Gospel Music Association (GMA) music week. Last year Embassy Music discovered, Leeland, who went on to receive five Dove nominations.

Registration and entry forms are now available. All entries must be received by Good Friday, March 21, 2008. For additional information call (615) 361-3700.

I swore I wasn’t going to do another review that talked about Christian music’s integration into the mainstream.

The move has been going on for years, including the AC radio acceptance of I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe, the headliner at Friday night’s Winter Jam at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Skillet, also at the Jam, had its Savior crash into the college radio rotation a couple years back.

Going over the topic would have been cliche.

But the Jam’s opening band, NewSong, decided to demonstrate some newfound appreciation for Southern rock by covering Sweet Home Alabama five songs into the show.
Skynyrd. At a Christian festival. Can’t ignore that.

The night was equally varied. Ten bucks at the door got you five bands over about 3 1/2 hours. It was the sonic equivalent of the chocolate sampler that clueless boyfriends are buying for Thursday’s big day.

The dark chocolate with hazelnut in the middle was NewSong. The agreeable stalwart, they’ve been playing for three decades. After a couple praise songs, Blessed Be Your Name and Psalm 40, they covered People Get Ready, Shout and the aforementioned Skynyrd tune. Their strength is vocals, clear on Arise My Love and Rescue.

Then it was on to the chocolate-covered coconut. Skillet was all hard rock, shooting flames and exploding sparklers. Ben Kasica’s crunchy electric guitar and John Cooper’s standout bass pegged the decibel meter from the first notes of Whispers in the Dark. The screams built through the next three in the set, also from the current Grammy-nominated Comatose album. Rebirthing was prefaced with Cooper’s novel audience request: “I want you to think back and remember this is the song you hurt your neck on and lost your voice on.”

The band’s head count was one faux-hawk, one Green Day-style muss, one black-and-red dye job and one drummer thrashing her blond hair through to the closer, Savior. For parents who hadn’t been to a Christian concert since the heydays of Amy Grant, things were far removed from leopard-print jackets and mall bangs. The audience text-messaged for chances at prizes. Cooper implored the crowd to tell him to shut up and rock. NewSong announced a Radiohead-like plan to offer its next CD free via download to the first 100,000.

Third up was the fruit nougat you wince at. BarlowGirl, three hard-rockin’ sisters, write decent pop hooks and thoughtful lyrics rewarded with constant Christian radio play. But their guitars and drums drowned out nearly any hope of catching a word, and they must have drawn the short straw: They played only one to two verses of their songs, almost all at punk speed.

The last bite was all milk chocolate and caramel. MercyMe’s lead vocalist Bart Millard has one of the most emotive voices in any genre today, and his rich tenor complemented the seasoned and confident guitars, keys and drums around him. How confident? Guitarist Barry Graul sat his toddler son (with earplugs in place) on an equipment box close to the edge of the 5-foot tall stage for much of the show.

They played the longest set, 11 songs including hits from all five of their regular albums. The list included Billboard’s current top song in Christian music, God With Us. Millard closed things out by turning the singing over to the audience in a moving, a cappella I Love You Lord.

By recent arena attendance standards, the crowd wasn’t bad: 8,000 paid, filling up the bottom bowl. It was even better by the standard of tour pastor and Jax native Tony Nolan. A third of many of the sections chose to become Christians after his message in the middle of the show (the total given was 1,241 souls). There are plenty of pastors in town who’d love that kind of crossover appeal.

By JOHN TIMPE
The Times-Union

Damil Records announces the debut release of the captivating album entitled “The Greatest Gift” from Batiste Music! Batiste Music is comprised of two dynamic brothers who have used their inspired lyricism and powerful musical ability to create compositions that serve as riveting worship, praise and overall momentous songs. Listeners have already stated this is a “life changing” project. In the words of Batiste, “for some music is only a business; and that’s fine. For some, like us, the music is a ministry and an assignment from God.”

Lionel and Lyndon Batiste began their musical journey from a very young age. The duo has been performing together since 1996. From that moment. Batiste yearned to serve Christ thru the avenue of music. Batiste took their calling very serious and intensely studied, researched and rehearsed while Christ used that season to mold and make their vision into a ministry. With the help of their songwriter father, Lyndon Batiste, Jr., they perfected their art as they wrote, produced and sang every masterpiece in house. Batiste Music is a fusion of gospel, jazz, classical and Christian contemporary that will leave you breathless with tracks such as: “Fisher of Men”, “In My Name”, “U”, and “Love Is Your Greatest Gift”.

Batiste was nominated one of Atlanta Gospel’s Choice Award finalists for “Best Duo/Group” and “Best New Artist” for 2007. Their performance schedule has included: Radio One Indianapolis Yolanda Adams Morning Show, BYOBB television program, Atlanta Catholic Archdiocese MLK weekend Celebration and Radio One Thanksgiving Hosea Feed the Hungry. As Batiste books events for 2008, they grasp onto the knowledge that their calling is not a “want’ to entertain or even a “need” for ratings; it is a necessity in God’s plan.

Please visit the official website at www.batistemusic.com or their myspace at www.myspace.com/batistemusic to listen and purchase this amazing project today!