Ever since I heard the opening riff to “Sweet Home Alabama”, I was mesmerized by the pure, plucky tone of the Fender Stratocaster. Of course I saw the one Hendrix played in the Woodstock movie my mom took me to for my birthday. But I never connected with the Strat until I heard Ed King’s iconic Skynyrd lick sometime in ’73-’74. The epiphany made me “aware” and I heard the Strat popping-up all over the place with the Outlaws and “Hurry Sundown”,  to the group Orleans and their string of hits while I was in high school. Jackson Browne always had a great Strat tone on his records.

As I have mentioned several times in the past, I was raised in the same city in which the Stratocaster was born: Fullerton, California. All the tones of the Strat that caught my attention originated in a factory not far from my home. I really didn’t put two and two together until I moved out on my own, away from Southern California. I’m sad that there is only a small monument to Leo Fender and his factory, on a street corner, in front of a parking garage that sits in the place of one of the most important sites in rock and roll history; it’s truly a shame–but that’s progress.

When I was a teen, I wanted a Strat so bad. So my dad took me to a local music store in Anaheim where a young salesman convinced me to buy a Telecaster Deluxe model instead. I went home elated yet disappointed at the same time; this Tele Deluxe was a Fender, for sure, but it didn’t have that single-coil sound at all. In fact, it had humbucker pickups–ones with tone common to the Gibson Les Paul. I played that Tele throughout high school, in dance bands and a few other gigs. But I still had that love and longing for the Strat sound.

Me & my first Strat, somewhere in Kentucky, circa 1982

I finally saved my money while on the road in 1980 to buy my first 70s-era Strat. It was hanging on the wall of a pawn shop in Columbus, Nebraska. I loved it, bought it and carried it with me to gigs all over the US and the world. I later sold it to acquire a Yamaha electric–similar to a Gibson 335, because the tones I was needing to copy for the gig at the time were from a humbucker-style guitar. I was an idiot–and clueless at the time. Oh, how I wish I had that old 70s Strat today.

I purchased an Eric Clapton signature Fender Strat in the 90s. It was a great guitar. I had to sell it years later to pay some bills. IDIOT again! I wish I still had it. I then put together a “Franken Strat” with castaway pieces from the Island of Lost Guitars. It was nowhere near the quality of my earlier Strats, but it sounded pretty cool. I have done hundreds of recordings and gigs since with that “Franken Strat.” That’s until I met John Scott.

My new Bluesman Vintage “’54 Sedan” Strat

John’s guitar company, Bluesman Vintage, is located here in my current hometown of Spring Hill, Tennessee. His guitars are built to strict vintage standards, with date-appropriate designs of the particular era in which the Fender models originated–down to screw types, plastics and hardware. I love his early 50s Strat model and purchased a ’54 Strat relic with minor wear and amazing D. Allen pickups (that’s a whole other post!). John’s guitars are newly built in his shop but are made to look as old as an original. The build of Bluesman Vintage guitars surpass those of the originals, due to modern techniques in stabilizing intonation, pickup innovation and just “plain ol'” love and care.

I’m loving my new Bluesman Vintage “54 Sedan” Strat. It’s funny that I’ve come full circle and now have a great guitar manufacturer in my backyard again. I may have lost the opportunity to connect with the Fender of my youth, but John Scott and the Bluesman Vintage crew have remedied that!

Brenda has been reading articles about injecting newness into our home decor. After 11 years in the same place, our builder-grade carpets are starting to look like the hairline is receding; after multiple carpet shampoo sessions there’s not much left to clean anymore. It’s time for the wood floors that Brenda’s been eying in the Traditional Home magazine.

When life sprouts gray hair (the carpet being one example), it’s good to “head” it off at the pass and make some changes. There are several areas I can think of where staleness was creeping in and change was necessary. Even though Brenda and I are moving ahead, knowing that the cost of life-overhauls are expensive, it’ll be worth it. For example, the air conditioner decided to give up two weeks ago and the alternator in Brenda’s car left us stranded on a busy highway this week, leaving us with no choice but to call a tow truck ($75) to the rescue. So, there are a few more gray hairs that popped up out of nowhere, needing our immediate attention.

I find that life’s gray hairs are always going to pop up, usually when we are at a low point financially. I do trust that God is ever-present in those challenging times. My best move is to take it all with a good attitude and start looking for wisdom in how to best deal with the situation. God promises that if I ask, He will give the needed wisdom. He’s never failed me.

Being a giver is a quality I’ve tried to cultivate in my life. I find that others are quick to respond to my need, especially if I have been there for other people. I saw this video, an outtake from the Wrecking Crew film, to be inspiring. When one least expects, blessings can pop up in life to let us know God is watching.

This Sunday’s Tennessean sports section had a sad photo on it’s front page. It was of a horse that had made it first to the finish line, taking Saturday’s Iroquois Steeplechase top honor. But winning jockey Brian Crowley soon realized the triumph in Nashville would take a tragic turn.

 Arcadius, the champion horse of the 71st running of the Iroquois, made it to the winner’s circle, then suffered a pulmonary aneurysm and collapsed and died, to the horror of his rider and the fans looking on from the stands. The equine medical staff valiantly attempted to resuscitate Arcadius, but it was too late. The surprise and grief on the jockey’s face, as officials shuffled to get answers and make sense of the sudden turn of events, said everything to all who see the photo. It was a huge shock, to say the least.

Seeing tragedies like this, either in person or from afar, cause me to reflect about the fragility of life. Many times there are no answers to why bad stuff happens because some things come upon us in such random fashion. Even though Arcadius ran it’s last race Saturday, the horse obviously gave everything it had. Race chairman Dwight Hall said that a pulmonary aneurysm was unavoidable.

 Like Arcadius, I want to go out of this world having given all of my energy, heart and strength toward the purpose for which God called me in this life. Arcadius is a hero in my book; a true show of virtue in a world where character seems to be diminishing. Our hats are off to both rider and champion today. Well done!

I have really enjoyed watching two genealogy shows on TV this year. The stories of famous people come to life as they search out their ancestry–many times finding surprises, disappointment and sometimes outright cool information.

Comedienne Margaret Cho was a recent subject on the PBS genealogy production “Finding Your Roots,” hosted by Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr.. She was surprised to learn of her family’s political involvement with the Japanese who occupied their native Korea. Because of this traitorous action, the family were forced to migrate away from their village to avoid persecution. One of the family members–as they locked up the house before fleeing–grasped the keys and tucked them away as if they would soon return to find the place untouched and ready to move back in. 

I thought about this for a split-second and realized that I myself have a whole ring of keys on a proverbial key chain, stored deep in my conscience, hoping someday I might return to a place in the past that I’ve never been able to completely relinquish. Unfortunately–and possibly for my journey as well–Margaret Cho’s family would never return to that village again. A member of Cho’s family still has that very house key today.

Our lives sometimes resemble the attic in our homes: filled with hopes, dreams and intentions from the past, waiting there silently collecting dust. Maybe it’s time to crawl up the stairs,  scan our hearts and make a plan to discard those things to which we may never return.

Maybe it’s an old relationship, a grudge or an unrealized goal. Whatever it may be, most of us have a set of keys that connect us to the past. Some are to doorways of unfinished business that we are wise to complete. But some keys are to doors that we will never see again. 

Maybe it’s time to say goodbye to some parts of our past. Thank God for new doors and opportunities yet to be discovered.   

Last weekend I had the privilege of leading worship at The People’s Church in Franklin. Normally I am the music director at The People’s Church, Spring Hill campus, but they let me out for a weekend to do what I love best: lead worship!

I am so blessed to be in the People’s Church family and look forward to a rich future here. I wanted to share the video of the worship service last week along with Pastor Rick White’s sermon entitled “Modern Lessons From an Ancient King,” a 9-week series on King David. Have a blessed weekend, friends!