A Look Back: Jennifer Knapp Article

I interviewed folk/rock singer/songwriter Jennifer Knapp for Out & About Nashville magazine's October 2014 issue.

A Look Back: Jennifer Knapp Live Album Review

I reviewed Jennifer Knapp's album Jennifer Knapp Live for HM magazine's March/April 2006 issue.

A Look Back: Jennifer Knapp Album Review

I reviewed Jennifer Knapp's album The Collection for Seven Ball magazine's January/February 2004 issue.

A Look Back: dc Talk Concert Review

I reviewed a dc Talk concert for The Holland Sentinel in a piece that was published on Mar. 26, 1999.  The show was held at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich. on Mar. 18, 1999.

A Look Back: P.O.D. Concert Review

I reviewed a P.O.D. concert held at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tenn. for Seven Ball magazine's May/June 2004 issue.

A Look Back: Jill Phillips Article

I interviewed singer/songwriter Jill Phillips for Release magazine's September 2003 issue.

A Look Back: Jill Phillips Album Review

I reviewed folk/pop singer/songwriter Jill Phillips' album Writing on the Wall for Release magazine's September 2003 issue.

A Look Back: Concerts at ResLife

I saw a number of great shows at ResLife Church's concert venue in Grandville, Mich. in the late 90s and early aughts.  In addition to the shows I have previously documented, I witnessed Beanbag, Earthsuit (which begat Mute Math), Katy Hudson (which begat Katy Perry), PAX217 (pictured above, in the old youth group hall, with me second from the left), John Reuben, and Skillet there.

A Look Back: Twila Paris Article

I covered adult contemporary singer/songwriter Twila Paris for CCM Magazine's Worship NOW! special section in 2005.

A Look Back: paisley dAve/the episode in Concert

I saw four-piece rock band paisley dAve play a number of times at Hope College in Holland, Mich. in the late 90s.  I also have a vague recollection of seeing them perform at Parrots Lounge in Holland, Mich.  I know for certain that I saw the quartet at the Knickerbocker Theatre in Holland, Mich. in 2000 at their album release show, after they had changed their name to the episode.

A Look Back: paisley dave Article

I interviewed rock band paisley dave for a piece that was published by The Holland Sentinel on May 13, 1999.  The quartet was fronted by singer/songwriter Josh Schicker, who continued as a solo artist after the group disbanded.

A Look Back: Out of Eden, PFR, and Silage in Concert

I witnessed R&B trio Out of Eden in concert more than once.  Aside from their debut, opening for dc Talk in 1994, I saw them at least one other time, where they signed the booklet above.  Although I have no concrete memory of when or where that was, it would have taken place between 1994 and 1997.  I experienced and met rock trio PFR in the mid/late 90s, possibly at Sunshine Community Church in Grand Rapids, Mich.  I can't recall exactly when or where I saw and met members of pop/punk/ska/hip-hop band Silage, but it was very likely somewhere in West Michigan in the late 90s.

A Look Back: David Meece, Cindy Morgan, & The Normals in Concert

I inadvertently met adult contemporary singer/songwriter David Meece in the early aughts at a Christian coffeehouse in Nashville, Tenn.  While I don't remember the name of the establishment, it was the same venue in which I saw singer/songwriter Eli and two great indie artists, Michael Christopher (who has seemingly disappeared into obscurity, as has his Addison-Texas-based artist development group, Mediatone Music Inc.) and Ariana Terrell, perform.  I met pop singer/songwriter Cindy Morgan and her author husband, Sigmund Brouwer, when they sang and spoke at Hope College's Dimnent Chapel in Holland, Mich. in March 1998.  I also witnessed rock band The Normals in concert in the late 90s or early aughts in, what I believe was, the old youth group hall at ResLife Church in Grandville, Mich., if memory serves me.

A Look Back: Sarah Masen Album Review

My very first post-college journalistic/music critique endeavor was a review of folk/pop singer/songwriter Sarah Masen's Carry Us Through for West Michigan's now-defunct Fuse Magazine.  The piece was published in Fuse's May/June 1998 issue.

Over the Rhine Valentine

My spouse and I donated toward Over the Rhine's 2021 Valentine's Concert Special and look forward to viewing it virtually today.  Wine me, dine me; Over the Rhine me!

A Look Back: Sarah Masen in Concert

I witnessed folk/pop singer/songwriter Sarah Masen in concert at least five times.  I saw her play at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Mich., at a church somewhere in Michigan -- where she opened for Sixpence None the Richer, if I recall correctly -- and at Luke's Place, a short-lived coffeehouse in Holland, Mich.  All three of those performances took place between the mid-to-late 90s and the very early aughts, and resulted in an autograph (see above).  I also experienced her live show at Hope College in Holland, Mich. on Jan. 15, 1999 as a part of "The Lewis Event."  Years later, after I relocated to Middle Tennessee, I saw Masen perform alongside singer/songwriter Julie Lee at Lee's Baby-Daddies album release show at Nashville's storied Station Inn on Mar. 3, 2012.

A Look Back: Marzuki Album Review

My first post-college journalistic/music critique endeavor included a review of indie folk band Marzuki's No One Likes a Nervous Wreck for West Michigan's now-defunct Fuse Magazine (see part 1 above).  The piece was published in Fuse's July/August 1998 issue (see part 2 below).  The folk quartet was Sufjan Stevens' college band, named after Stevens' own brother.

A Look Back: Marzuki in Concert

I experienced indie band Marzuki's folk fare as a student at Hope College between the years of 1994 and 1998.  The four-piece folk unit was composed of three Hope students and one Grand Valley State University student.  I remember seeing the band play at The Good Earth Cafe in Holland, Mich., as well as possibly Leaf & Bean and The Kletz although, admittedly, my memory is not as keen as it once was.  Regardless, the band members signed my copy of their self-titled debut at one of those shows (see above) and, at some point, I signed up for their newsletter, which I received at least one issue of via the postal service (see below).

A Look Back: Jadon Lavik Album Review

I reviewed pop/worship singer/songwriter Jadon Lavik's album Moving on Faith for Seven Ball magazine's September/October 2004 issue.

A Look Back: Man Alive Article

I interviewed punk rock band Man Alive for HM magazine's November/December 2005 issue.

A Look Back: Lady Gaga Concert Cancelled

I bought tickets to see pop performance phenom Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" 2013 tour stop in Nashville, Tenn.  Sadly, she was forced to cancel a slew of tour dates -- including that one -- due to a hip injury.

A Look Back: Inked in Blood Article

I covered hardcore/metalcore band Inked in Blood for HM magazine's September/October 2005 issue.

A Look Back: Adelaide Album Review

I reviewed rock band Adelaide's album Over Tired & Ill Prepared for HM magazine's July/August 2005 issue.

A Look Back: The Katinas

I was assigned a feature story on pop/rock sibling band The Katinas for Release magazine's December 2003/January 2004 issue.  While the publication folded (for the second time) before the scheduled article was printed, I still have all the elements of my interview with the brothers -- audio tape, notes, press kit and copy -- filed away in my office closet.

A Look Back: Hoi Polloi

I saw alternative rock band Hoi Polloi play at Taylor University in Upland, Ind. in the early 90s.  Afterward, I wrote to the band and their frontwoman, Jenny Gullen, replied with a handwritten letter (see below).  I later experienced their live show at Sunshine Community Church in Grand Rapids, Mich. -- in what was known, at the time, as the old youth group room -- when they opened for Sixpence None the Richer and signed the booklet pictured above.

A Look Back: Gina, The Insyderz, & Geoff Moore and the Distance in Concert

I saw N*Soul Records' R&B vocalist Gina perform at Holland First Assembly of God in Holland, Mich. sometime between the late 90s and the early aughts.  I also experienced ska band The Insyderz live -- with Five Iron Frenzy and The O.C. Supertones -- at a Grand Rapids, Mich. church, if memory serves me, on the "SkaMania" tour in 1998, as well as pop/rock band Geoff Moore & the Distance somewhere in West Michigan, also sometime between the late 90s and the early aughts.  However, the first time I witnessed GM&tD in concert was at Taylor University in Upland, Ind. in the early 90s (see below).

Staying Sharp Thanks to Happy Hour with Beegie

As I've noted previously, Happy Hour with Beegie, hosted by jazz pianist Beegie Adair and vocalist Monica Ramey, has been one of my musical lifelines during the COVID-19 crisis.  Not only have I learned about their featured guests, I've been introduced to a host of "new" artists with whom I wasn't familiar before.  For instance, through the Happy Hour with bassist/author Bill Crow, I learned of jazz saxophonist Gerry Mulligan, as Crow played with Mulligan and was featured on Gerry Mulligan and the Concert Jazz Band at the Village Vanguard.  Most recently, on part one of Beegie's latest Happy Hour session, I heard guests composer/arranger/orchestrator/pianist Jeff Steinberg and trumpeter George Tidwell mention Esquivel, who I googled to learn was a band leader/pianist/composer and the king of space-age pop.  While I can't witness music in the flesh during this pandemic period, I am grateful to continue discovering and enjoying new-to-me artists and music history.

A Look Back: Ray Boltz in Concert

I saw singer/songwriter Ray Boltz in concert at a church in Frankfort, Ind. in the late 80s as a kid.  Many years later, after he came out as a gay man, I appreciated songs like his "Who Would Jesus Love," which made my top 10 list of 2010.