Hi,

I play almost exclusively Christian music. I'm a keyboard player in the Mike Wells band and we're pretty active travling around NJ, Staten Island, Eastern PA. I'm also the Worship Leader at my church, a Southern Baptist church. I love rock mainly, pop-rock and I love prog-rock. CHECK OUT NEAL MORSE's Testimony CD. FANTASTIC STUFF!!!. It floored me when I first heard it. But I also love blues, country (mostly the older more traditional country like Mearle Haggard, Hank Williams Sr but I really enjoy southern rock too ie Allman Bros, Lynyrd Skynyrd and some jazz. I play Christian music in all those styles.
I'm 44, been playing Christian music since Jesus saved me back in 96, about 10 years now. Before that I played in an original rock band for about 8 years. There's really no style I don't like, I just have an affinity to rock and prog rock I guess due mainly to my teen years. "Teenage Wasteland" was like an anthem for me.! So I really like the Doors, the Who, Yes, Pink Floyd, the Stones, Zep, yes even most of Black Sabbath, FogHat, Deep Purple... I think you get the picture.

as much as I still like to listen to that stuff, I see no real purpose in playing it out. I fool around at home once in a while with that, But God has called me into his ministry of music. I play for His people in an effort to help them enter into a heart of worship. That's my calling and When I play music in the aforementioned styles, its easy for me to enter into worship as well. I also do enjoy a great number of traditional Hymns, especially those of a southern gospel style.

Anyway...

God bless
Bob
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I play very ancient Maronite Catholic Music. This is similar to some of the music played in the Passion Of Christ movie. I started when I was nine playing on a foot pump organ called those days (Harmonium).
Tony Azar

I was a Methodist teen music leader, sequenced an entire 60 minute kids musical on a D-20 (way back) and was the pianist and organist at a Nazarene Church in MI.
zuki

The best jazz musicians in this area try to get gigs at a local Holiness church. The organist (B-3) is an 80 year old 80 pound lady who ROCKS! Music is bass, rhodes, misc keys, guitar, 4 horns, drums, percussionist and choir. Argueably, the best all roundd music in the area.

Russ

I have been involved in Christian music all my life...first as a teen I sang in a local Youth For Christ singing group that toured. Then as a student at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, I sang in a male quartet and played in the concert band. When I graduated, I came home and began directing the choir at our 200 member church. Now, decades later, I'm still at the same church which has grown to 700+ members and I am full-time minister of music there. I love every style of christian music. Different styles reach different people. That's why our Church worship philosophy calls for the best of the past blended with the best of the present. It makes for an interesting mix of music in our services. I love what I do and I hope to be able to do it until my last breath. What would this world be like - what would the church be like - without the wonderful gift of music for us to express ourselves to our Creator!

On a side note: Adimatis, our church just sent a team of teenagers to Romania last month to work for a week at a youth camp there. Our youth pastor's wife is Romanian, thus the connection.

Tim

[This message has been edited by CoasterTim (edited 08-23-2006).]

[This message has been edited by CoasterTim (edited 08-23-2006).]

I have been the music director/choirmaster of a suburban Catholic church for 34 yrs. I also played an additional 2yrs in the parish where I attended high school. It is very rewarding. And though it is not enormously time consuming, it's always prime time. I have written a mass setting and some psalm setting we use in our church. Just over the past few years have I been able to get away for more than a weekend or two at a time.
Because I needed to be home most weekends, playing in a band was a good fit. Now I am retired from my day job (school teacher) and have plenty of time for music, but the gigs aren't there anymore. So, I am really putting a lot of effort into my church music. There will be no pension from this job, so I'm sticking around for a few more choruses.

Playing in Church and other Christian events like weddings, visiting elederly people is the main thing I do. I play Arranger Keyboard, record Backing tracks/SMFs, piano, organ, accordion, guitar, Sound, singing...
I know other christian groups doing alot of missionary around the world, and their main job is Singing and Mudic.
and there's also lots of memories for me that are related to music, like when i remember the times my uncles and other people were practicing late at night to play at weddings or even at jail, when i was just a kid. So music is extremly big part of my life, like Spiritually, emotionaly, buisness wise...
I'm glad someone started this thread.

I was wondering what keyboards you use. I am trying to get into gospel and would like to know if any arranger boards work better than others for the style.

i have been singing and playing in church since i was 8 for pleasure first and foremost and then as a form of ministry. Most of what i play is urban gospel music, traditional gospel and old classic hymns. I I play simply becuase i love the music and that love drives me to play. Simple as that

I am 37.[/B][/QUOTE]

Oops...I meant to direct my post to Spalding in particular, but anyone is welcome to offer information and advice.

that is so cool! you didn t mention the location, but if the team was working in the national youth camp "christ for romania", and they come from new york, i might've seen them there!
if they are from chicago, then must be a different camp than where i've been this year.
also, the pastor of the church where i do praise and worship is american, from reach out ministries, new york! small world!

playing/singing christian music is the best way to make the best out of your talent! bring some more testimonies!


[This message has been edited by adimatis (edited 08-23-2006).]