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TWI/MUSIC/"WAY PROD EARLY DAYS"/THE BEAT GOES ON/ETC.....


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From now on I think I'll call you "Alp" to make it easier...

And, it was McCave. Hope wrote it that way, and her husband was in the Corps with him, and she walso knows Kevin's brother John. She has talked of John over the years, and JOhn is in contact with a New York friend of mine who lives up here where I do..

Yeah, Glad Tidings was not just music but fun entertainment as well. The "Mr. Sax Man" song was kind of a skit too when they did it live..

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Yes it was Kristina Linder (now Perez) who wrote Highest Of The High and one that I dearly love Silently. What a bell of a voice she had and still has.

A few months ago I did a believers gig in LA and I knew Paul Dionisio was going to be there so we were talking by phone about Kristina and I told him how much I loved her voice and talent. Paul told me she lived about ten minutes from him in San Jose and they have lunch together real often and that he would tell her what I said.

I was standing in the lobby of the hotel in LA where the weekend meeting was being held and Paul walks in and we hugged and cried a little. Then he said I brought someone with me you might like to see. And there she was beautiful Kristina I had not seen her in many a year and it was so wonderful to see her again. Since I was in charge of the music for the weekend right away I asked her to sing and sing as many songs as she would like. On Sunday morning I gave her an intro and she sets down at the piano and starts to sing with that crystal clear voice as good or better than ever.

I was standing off to the side but I became so blessed by her being there that the tears began to flow like water. I moved over by the piano and got down on my knees in front of her to listen as closely as I could. She smiled and said oh my Ted I knew how much you always loved me and that's why I came. She did seven or eight tunes that morning and to me that was the highlight of my trip to LA.

Kristina is married to a very nice man and they have children in fact her teen daughter was with her.

So guess you could say I am a Kristina Linder (Perez) fan. You betcha. If no one has all of the words to Highest Of The High I do and will post when I have more time. Right now I am a little swamped in putting music to Kathy's lyrics and I can tell you this she has some very good ones.

See you later my friends

Ted F.

[This message was edited by TED Ferrell on December 28, 2002 at 18:36.]

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Buck: No, you wrote it right McCave. I think I was just having a moment back there??? I remember seeing him do that Mr. Sax Man thing. He added such a great 'jazz' flavour to their music.

Your sharing about Dan Moran and your 'L.A. Sessions' was great. It was cool to hear about these folks and at least have some idea what they are up to today. So many of these musicians were part of our lives, and after '89 so many of them dropped out our lives. And, of course, TWI never explained their disappearance. Half the time, it was a year or two before you'd realize they weren't around anymore. That was so strange the way they handled those things in TWI. It's like they wanted everyone to think they actually never existed. I guess things haven't changed much. It thrilled me to see that they are doing well and they are still bringing joy to people with their music.

Ted: Once again, your sharing moved me! I love your stories. Thanks for taking the time.

Your bleeding heart fan!

'til the next time...

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Buck - I emailed Paul V. for the lyrics. He emailed me back and told me he'd send them my way - that Kristina lives nearby. He's got his own website: Tricarico Music. There are some old pics on there some of you might get a kick out of.

I love that song, too. Mostly because it was one of the early tunes that didn't have any TWI jargon in it... nothing about "the abundant life" or "believing equals receiving" type stuff. It was pure hearted.

Hope R. color>size>face>

Life, what is it but a dream? - Lewis Carroll

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Ahhh, Ted, that sounded like a mighty fine time you had there. Must have been very cool to get back together with your friends like that. Friends from those sweet old days. I don't know the gal you speak of, but I love that song...

I never knew Paul (Virgilio) Dionisio, but I did have a funny experience with him one time. When I lived in Oregon from '77 to '79, a few of us, including Bob Moser, who I mentioned before, formed a believer band. At first it was Terry Christian and I from Portland, OR, doing tunes together for the Portland branch, and then we got together with Bob Moser and another guy and two girls from Salem. The truth of the matter is, we were not very good at all. I played my harmonica by ear, and had only begun how to figure out which keys fit with my harmonicas when I did the "cross harp thing". My friend Terry could play his guitar as a "Twig serenader", but playing with other people was all new to us. But we went forward with it, and because the folks there loved us in that we were part of the Ministry, we put on some coffee houses and such, and people liked us. But, we were all aware of our musical shortcomings. It's kinda funny, because when we practiced, we would groan at how bad we sounded, but when we did a gig for the believers, it always came off better than we expected. Musta been the believing I always figured. We had a lot of that.

The first year we went around the state, we would witness to folks all day on a Saturday, bring them to a coffee house that night, and play music, and then show them the film "Changed". We were known amongst the believers as The Coffee House gang at first, but then, since we were showing the Changed film, I kept trying to convince everybody that we should call ourselves "The Changed Gang", doing a little double entendre'thing with the name of the rock band the James Gang, and the term "chain gang", and the fact that we were "changed through Jesus' name",and no longer in spiritual chains. I guess that would be a "triple entendre". But to no avail. That name seemed to be too hokey or too unpolished for the some of the folks in the band and our limb leader, so, they elected to call ourselves "Changing Frontier". I never did like it. By the time we got into our second year of playing we had to wear polyester suits and make sure our hair was blow dried. I never did give up my cowboy boots though, much to the chagrin of some (not all), including our limb leader.

ANYWAY, one year at the Rock in '78 at HQ, we were invited to play at The Living Room tent after a teaching where the place was set up for concerts and dances after the evenings' teachings. So there we were. We hadn't brought our own equipment to the Rock, and the stuff on the stage at that time all belonged to Good Seed (now they were fabulous!). But they said sure, "go ahead and use it, no problem, we can't wait to hear ya"! Oh my God I thought! We're gonna use Good Seeds' equipment, they are going to listen, and so is every body else! Had my brains jumpin' I'll tell ya...

So, we got geared up, made sure we were in tune, and when the teaching finally let up, the people just came pouring into that tent looking for a chance to release after all those hours of sitting. They just wanted to dance, to get down and they wanted to party and let 'er rip, and we were the ones to supply the tunes. We were definitely out of our element...

So, we played our only two fast songs right at the git go, "The Born Again Boogie-one I wrote- and a fast country tune called "We Serve The Word(On A Silver Platter)- one I co wrote with Terry Christian- and the people really dug it. On the boogie woogie tune people danced heartily, and on the country tune they did the "swing yer partner by the arm thing" and it was going great.

Then we did this slow song that Stevie Kay Louis used to do -Oh The Price He Paid- which was preceded by our singer gal's testimony of deliverance which was, although a wonderful story of deliverance, very much of a "come down" for the audience. I am sure Ted, that in your experience, you can tell when a crowd is rarin' to go, and these folks were really charged up. Plus, like I said, we really weren't very good. And there I was with Rich Gootee's guitar on and I hadn't figured out the strap so it was hanging way down to my knees (Rich is tall-I'm not), and I'm trying to play a very weak solo on the break, and before we know it, the whole crowd had just plain stopped to stare at us and then began to chant "We want Virgilio! We want Virgilio!" Boy, THAT sure was encouraging! So we stumbled miserably through the rest of the song, and hung it up and handed it over to Paul who came up after a huge roar of applause (for him) and he graciously asked the audience to give "Changing Frontier" a big round of applause, which they did.

Then Paul proceeded to dazzle the crowd with a bunch of his stuff from "A Time To Dance", at least I think it was stuff that he done recently on that album. But man oh man, that was a rough one! Those audiences at the Rock were highly charged people to say the least, wouldn't you say Ted? I still laugh when I think of that incident. It was a great experience, but I would have bowed out before hand if I hadda known the impending outcome. So many of those people were and are so incredibly talented: Good Seed, Paul Virgilio, you Ted, JN, etc...

p.s. Should we have been called "Changing Frontier"? Or, "The Changed Gang?"

[This message was edited by Buck on December 28, 2002 at 15:58.]

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Was going to type in Highest Of The High but saw Hope was getting from Paul so I will pass on adding that one. I am not the best or even fair typist in the world so thanks Hope for taking care of the chores.

Taking a little break now and as I read some of your posts it seems we are bringing up some names of a few old Way Prod folks that came and left their mark. So here are a couple more to add for honorable mention.

Barry McCoy circa 1972-1973, Barry had played with Garry Puckett and The Union Gap. Barry was a very talented singer musician. While he was part of Way Prod he added his mellow song Happy To Be Home Again and who can forget his rendition of The Trilogy with Claudette at the 1973 ROA. After this post will post words to Barry's Happy To Be Home Again.

Couple of other pro people who came through Way Prods doors were Jim Burgett and Marlene Ricci. They were Vegas entertainers that VP had invited to come in and help me with production work and I was thrilled to have their help. But Marlene was not to happy being there so after a few months they left to return to Vegas. Marlene was a dynamic performer with a voice as good as Barbra Streisand and was young and beautiful with a body that would turn any mans head.

I happened to be in Vegas as a guest of Jim and Marlene's the night Frank Sinatra came to hear Marlene. I was in the lounge of the casino where she and Jim were playing and there was a real scurry of activity going on as the help cleared the way for a VIP that was coming in. The VIP was Frank Sinatra and after listening and seeing Marlene perform Frank invited her over to his table and hired her on the spot to be his opening act for all of his road concerts which he was doing a lot of back then. She worked with him for a few years and I still see her name on the roster of main show room coming attractions or now appearing at The MGM.

Yes there was some fine talent who for a time were part of the Way Prod family.

That's all for now.

Ted F

PS Buck I enjoy all you have added to Kathy?s Club Hey! this joint is rocking so Buck turn up the volume and all the rest of you keep adding beats to Kathy?s Family Jam.

[This message was edited by TED Ferrell on December 28, 2002 at 19:40.]

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Happy To Be Home Again

Happy to be home again

Where the daystar shines in all your hearts

So happy to be home again

Singing hearts and melodies

They do bless the valleys with love, peace and joy

So happy to be home again

While I was away I learned to stand alone

Looking unto Him prayin' lead me home

My tears began to fall, then He heard my cry

God my God, His Son in me

Kept me very free while I was away

So happy to be home again

Ted F

"Happy To Be Home Again" Words And Music By Barry McCoy © 1973.

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Hope are you the one who used to sing that song "Your my family"? It's on the sixth Corps tape "My Soul Doth Magnify" Ya know, come to think of it, I never did know the name to the song i am thinking of, but it started out:

"I'd like to thank each one of you,

and hold you in my arms"...

Did you use to sing that? I was going to ask you all here who did that song, and my wife tells me that it was you. Is true?

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What a super thread. Boy have I been missing out.

Where do I start? Y'a mentioned Paul Vergilio- does anyone remember Ed Fisher who used to sing with him?

My personal favorite "ministry" music was Good Seed. Second favorite:Dean Ellenwood I liked Good Seed because they had their own sound and the songs didn't have awkward rhymes. Dean, as far as I am concerned was a pearl. He afforded me several opportunities to talk to him about music. In my experience, this type of open discussion was rare with other musicians in the ministry. They did not come across to me as open to dialog.

My musical experience, comes from the home of Little Richard. I was not an Elvis fan or a real 50's fan. But the 60's? Watch out!!! I had been playing since I could remember and wound up in Macon, Georgia. Met people like Johnny Rivers, Sha-Na-Na, Beach Boys, Aretha Franklin, Grateful Dead. I worked for several large bands, learnin' as I was earnin' everything from rewiring microphones, to replacing tubes in amps, balancing per diem, booking hotel rooms, plane reservations, locating music stores. For one band, it was locating health food stores- in the deep south in the 70's.

Played in a few bands of my own, a few others and jammed every chance I could in studio work or in clubs. Surrounded myself with blues. Later met Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, and several British power players. What a time.

But Ted, in one of his early posts is right. Going to the big time isn't all you think it will be. Sometimes it compromises your music. Some of us just couldn't go there.

So, I play and sing and write- mostly country contemporary music. Making demos and working selected gigs. I'm setting my goal to return to singing on the Grand Ole Opry this year.

And you thought all the masterherbalist did was......

herbs!!!!

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masterherbalist,

Welcome to the club, if there could be such a thing in print, well I think we got it here.

I was reading an email from TheSongRemainsTheSame the other day and he was talking about seeing the quarters lined on the pool table, hearing the sounds of the room, smelling the smoke filled air. It was not this club he was referring to, but it was in relationship to the forum. It really hit home with me, this vision he had. Cause that is what this thread is for me.

It houses a wealth of life having been lived thru the eyes of music in our culture. From before I was born unto this very day. Diversity of styles and forms of music spoken of here.

I sit back each time I come here and take a deep breath in and read every line, like it were the greatest novel of all time. To me it is just that.

Thanks for joining us, and if ya feel so inclined I would love to hear about your meeting Eric Clapton.

Also as a child I spent some days and nights in the Grand Ole Opry while my dad and uncles played on stage. Good memories those are. Thanks for bringing them up with your words. And I will hold that same goal in mind for you, to see ya there singing and playing. Yepper, I don't have to know you to pull that puppy off.

Kathy

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Speaking of Good Seed, I'm looking at their 1973 album right now.

Here are the tunes:

Born Again

Love The Lord

Farther Along

How great Thou Art

Living In Love

What A Friend

Looking Up

Gather Round Believers

I Saw The Light

The Future is Bright

Thought I'd drop some names; and maybe some of youz guys can remember sometin' about um.

Greg Anderson

Rich Gootee

Jeff Tyler

Rick Panyard

Doug Adams

Chris Browning

Mark Hood

Jim Moore

Steve Rudolph

I also have an album titled: Good Seed/rooted and grounded, with Brian Bliss singing "Let the Music Start", "Happy to be home again", by Barry McCoy; and "Bright and Morning Star", by Joe Fair, Ralph Graham and Paul Cuoco, with the rest of the Good Seed gang singin' the rest of the songs.

But my all-time Good Seed song is: Accidentally

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Yeah Buck - guilty as charged. That was "Living Waters" the Sickth Corpse Way Prod band. Highly talented, mostly ignored. (nudge, nudge, wink, wink).

My maiden name was Harmon.

The song was called "Glad You're my Family"...

Hope R. color>size>face>

Life, what is it but a dream? - Lewis Carroll

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Hey Hope I have to tell you this, but I don't want to sound mushy, but I probably will anyway. When I first heard that song I just plain loved it. I think I may have first heard it from a tape that Nancy Jo Shaffer, my wow branch leader had in '76 (wonder what she's up to?). I distinctly remember driving around Portland Oregon between '77 and '79 listening to the whole tape My Soul Doth Magnify and singing every word. I was twenty or so then, and that particular song was to me everything that I thought The Way Ministry was, or at least everything I thought it was, or in reality, what I wanted it to be. I loved your voice, I loved what you said in that song, and, and this is the goofy part(sorry), I wanted a woman that was like the one who sang that song. To me, even though I didn't know you, you were my Family. That time in my life was one of great healing. I had been really screwed up with drugs, fear, and confusion, and that song was really healing to me. I guess it's kinda hard for me to explain, but thanks...

[This message was edited by Buck on December 30, 2002 at 9:23.]

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Aww now,

I did find the woman of my dreams and we have been married for nineteen years now, but really I did feel that way back in dem days. You should hear the song you guys! That is if you haven't already. The heart and love there is indisputable, and the strength and conviction there in Hope's voice was so nice. Like I said, it's hard to explain. I have that tape somewhere. I'll have to dig it out and see if I can somehow turn it into a CD. That's do-able isn't it? I have a cd burner in my new computer, and I hear that there is a way to do it. Any techies out there with some advice?

And hey, why didn't the band Living Waters get more "airtime" amongst the folks anyway? They were excellent. Did some Way politics keep you guys out of the main stream?

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I think some of this was discussed earlier on this thread. Or was that another thread where Hope's amazing talents were discussed.

Buck, like you, when I figured out who Hope was, I was thrilled. Her voice and music were fantastic.

Do you remember ~ I Love The Lord (with all my heart)

Just thinking about that one just warms me up inside. icon_biggrin.gif:D-->

I think (if I remember correctly) when I first got into TWI, I used to try and sing and play that song on my guitar. Once in awhile, I'd pull out my guitar and play at Twig.

I still have the first 'Blue' Sing Along the Way. Even if we were told to throw them all out(because of copyright problems they had), I always kept my book. I had guitar chords scribbled all over mine.

'til the next time...

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Hey peop's, back again. Look at the kids here! Buck, greets! The masterherbalist has stories to tell! We should hear more of what you've done, sounds like a great time was had by all!

Buck, Hope DOES have a great way with words. And Living Waters was a great band. Gary could sing his butt off and played nice guitar too. There's more to that story that can be told I'm sure. icon_wink.gif;)-->

Okay, here's an idea, a favor to request, and I know New Years is fast approaching, so no hurry but if anyone has an idea to throw in, I'm all e-ars.

I have 3 lines to a song I wrote several years ago, the last 3 and that's it. They're almost like the tag ending of a verse of chorus. The title is "The Best Thing I've Done", as least for now.

They go like this, (with little chord symbols on top if they lay out right):

D-----------------------G--------Em

If all our tomorrows were never to come,

-------A----------------------D--------G

I'd be happy with all that I've done. -

-------D---------A---------------D

Loving you is the best thing I've done.

---------

That's all I've got. It's a waltz, in 3/4, with a light love song kind of feel.

Any ideas on what should come before that? CK? Shoot me an e-mail at soques@hotmail.com or post 'em, whatever works, if anyone has an idea. Nothing's too short. Maybe we'll get something here. Thanks! icon_smile.gif:)-->

------------------

Is the time/space meter needle supposed to be jumping around like that? *tap-tap*...sqwrkltpzfttt@#$%^&!!!!!!.....

[This message was edited by socks on December 31, 2002 at 2:38.]

[This message was edited by socks on December 31, 2002 at 2:39.]

[This message was edited by socks on December 31, 2002 at 2:41.]

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Socks,

What fun, I can't wait to see what folks add to your song. I have no time now, biggest work day of the year. I will check back tonight, goodie-goodie. icon_smile.gif:)-->

All I can come up with on the spur of the momemt:

His smile warmed me like the heat from the sun.

Heavy cares on my heart now replaced with fun.

Life to me given since love no longer I shun.

Love yall,

Kathy

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Socks,

My songwriter partner and I threw some lines back and forth while I was working. This is a gift from Kathy and Ted to you.

The Best Thing I've Done

People ask me to tell stories things from my past

When I was living way to hard and way to fast

Those I have met and the places I've been

How it happened when and where it all began

chorus

If all my tomorrow's were never to come

I'd be content with all that I've said and done

At the top of the list you would be number one

Loving you is the best thing that I've ever done

verse two

Yes I have been there seen this and done that

Had two strikes against me at my turn at the bat

But you cheered come on baby hit a home run

And that I did when you and I became as one

verse three or bridge

It's all unimportant wins or losses in my history

All that really matters is your sweet love for me

So when my life is over and I sleep neath' the sun

Loving you was the best thing that I've ever done

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