With movie-goers these days, a film’s value is often measured by the amount of special effects used. But I am a story guy, through and through. So when I see a movie trailer where the special effects compliment a great story, then I might go see it in the theater. Otherwise, I’d rather stay home.

When I buy the blu-ray of a certain movie, its usually because it’s a classic, or I want to watch it again several times, and/or for the extra features. Sometimes I am more interested in the special features than the actual movie. That’s why in the past, I went on the “cheap” and leaned on Netflix when the blu-ray was released. More recently though, many studios have gotten “wise” and don’t include any extras at all with the movie. You have to throw-down big bucks to buy the “combo pack” and get the cool stuff.

When I recently dug back into my Wizard of Oz 70th anniversary blu-ray special features, I was amazed at how practical and down-to-earth the effects were. Of course in 1938, optical effects were limited. But it is amazing how “ahead-of-it’s time” the photography looks in the restored version. On my 1080p HD television, the picture is so clear, it looks just as modern as any movie shot yesterday with an HD camera. The great thing about Oz is it’s great story. So with the restoration and the new surround sound, it is even more spectacular.

This week, three documentaries focused on the creation of Harry Potter’s music, special effects and the overall conceptualization were aired on The Biography Channel, in anticipation of Harry Potter’s final installment. A movie so driven by story must ring true to an audience, especially for those millions of readers who have already lived in the Harry Potter world through the books, prior to seeing them played-out on screen. For the producers, directors and technicians of the series, there was a great challenge to remain true to J. K. Rowling’s original literary vision. I believe they have succeeded so far–even triumphed.

This summer, many films are completely based on special effects. It also seems that everything is in 3D, too. With that, I am wary and will avoid most of the summer fare. When something like The King’s Speech comes in with a great story and amazing acting, I will be there at the Carmike Theater in Franklin–popcorn and all. To me, no matter how spectacular the visuals are, the story wins, every time.

My dad is built like a tank. At 84 he’s made it through life so far without any serious health problems. The majority of time that he’s spent in hospitals has been in waiting rooms. Today he is the patient, and I’m the one in the waiting room, hanging out with my son-in-law, Adam.

Since my mother passed away 14 years ago, Pop has been living all by himself most of the time. Brenda, the kids and I moved to North Carolina to be with him for four years after Mom died. (He and Mom moved to the Carolinas from southern California after he retired in 1982). After our tenure in the Carolinas, we decided to move to the Nashville area in 2001, knowing Pop was physically and emotionally able to live by himself.

As I sit here this morning in a Charlotte hospital, waiting for the doctors to put a stint somewhere in his cardiovascular system, my mind is full, thinking about how quick, or not so quickly, he will recover. We are ready to do whatever it takes to give him the best recovery possible. There is yet another surgery that he must endure to insure an aortic aneurism, his primary health issue, is taken care of. I anticipate a full recovery, and hopefully very soon.

Its funny how we as children of aging parents become parents to them at some point. If Pop had it his way, he wouldn’t bother us with anything. My dad’s health has been stellar so far. So to come upon this “bump in the road” has been a surprise to him. He really is a young man in his heart, although he is well aware of his inability to keep up with younger folks. He will just have to get used to being doted upon and being served for a change. He deserves it!

The reality is: its probably time to turn the page and make provisions for the future. That might mean Brenda and I will host Pop in Tennessee. In any event, he is stubborn and won’t give in easily. He’s a fighter–that’s what has kept him around so long–way past the age of most members of his family. You go, dad!

I’ve heard hope defined as “faith holding out its hand in the dark.” When things are bleak, hope can be the only thing that will keep us alive.

Viktor Frankl (March 26, 1905-September 2, 1997), a Holocaust survivor and famous author, said this regarding his book Man’s Search for Meaning: “I had wanted simply to convey to the reader by way of concrete example that life holds a potential meaning under any conditions, even the most miserable ones. And I thought that if the point were demonstrated in a situation as extreme as that in a concentration camp, my book might gain a hearing. I therefore felt responsible for writing down what I had gone through, for I thought it might be helpful to people who are prone to despair.”

From a Vienna, Austria obituary dated September 3, 1997:

Frankl survived the Holocaust, even though he was in four Nazi death camps including Auschwitz from 1942-45, but his parents and other members of his family died in the concentration camps. During and partly because of his suffering in concentration camps, Frankl developed a revolutionary approach to psychotherapy known as logotherapy. At the core of his theory is the belief that humanity’s primary motivational force is the search for meaning, and the work of the logotherapist centers on helping the patient find personal meaning in life, however dismal the circumstances may be.

Frankl said: “There is nothing in the world, I venture to say, that would so effectively help one to survive even the worst conditions as the knowledge that there is a meaning in one’s life.” According to logotherapy, meaning can be discovered by three ways: “(1) by creating a work or doing a deed; (2) by experiencing something or encountering someone; and (3) by the attitude we take toward unavoidable suffering,” he wrote. “We must never forget that we may also find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation,” he insisted, a theory he gradually developed as a concentration camp survivor. “As such, I also bear witness to the unexpected extent to which man is capable of defying and braving even the worst conditions conceivable,” he wrote.

Last night I watched an ABC report about the young woman, Jaycee Dugard, who was kidnapped and held in captivity for 18 years until she was rescued on August 26,2009 by law enforcement officials. She was abducted at 11 years of age in June, 1991 by the convicted sex offender and parolee, Phillip Garrido.

To hear Jaycee tell her story is horrifying. With all of the abuse she suffered under the manipulative and evil hands of her captors, she still managed to defy and brave the worst conditions imaginable. She gave birth to two girls during here imprisonment–fathered by Garrido, under the seemingly dismissive eye of his wife. Her daughters were 15 and 11 years old when they were rescued (she was able to school her children in math, history, English and social studies, even with her own limited 5th grade education).

All through her captivity Jaycee would look into the sky and peer at the moon, just as she and her mother did before she was stolen from her Lake Tahoe, California home. On the evening of her freedom, she and her mother, 12o miles apart, both looked into the sky at a full moon and hoped, once again, to be reunited. Just hours would pass from that upward glance until the 18 year separation between mother and daughter would finally come to an end.

Sometimes hope is all we have- maybe a dream or a sliver of purpose in life. But one thing is for sure: our despair does not go unnoticed by God. Even through the darkest days, He is there. May we look up to the sky tonight toward the moon as it shines and pray for strength. There is hope.

About a year and a half ago, Brenda and I were invited to an Allman Brothers concert here in Nashville. I am a huge fan of the old Allman Brothers as well as the more recent guitarists in the band: Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks. I have followed Haynes with Govt. Mule (even met him at the NAMM show in Anaheim a few years ago) and already had a CD of Truck’s solo band. So needless to say, I was excited to see them play together that night. I was especially taken with Derek Truck’s fluidity on the slide guitar. He barely moved and remained expressionless as he played, but the fire coming off of his fingers was blinding. Trucks was the “stand-out” at the concert.

I wasn’t as familiar with Susan Tedeschi. Other than articles in guitar magazines and ads for her recordings, I only knew that she was an great blues player and singer.

I recently downloaded the Tedeschi Trucks Band “Revelator” CD. Learning that Tedeschi and Trucks were a married couple, I was curious just how their music would meld. Tedeschi’s vocals are superb, reminding me of Bonnie Raitt. She’s capable of going head to head with any R&B artist out there–white or black. Along with a stellar band and her husband’s masterful guitar playing, Tedeschi has a great platform from which to shine. The record is filled with wonderfully written songs, and there’s not a dud in the bunch (with a couple of hidden surprises, too!). The warm yet punchy mix is so smooth–like I’m listening to a great 70s record–only hiss-free, super tight and in high definition. There is a good blend of electric and acoustic music here, too.

The couple are assisted by a gathering of various musicians from each of their solo bands, specially assembled for this new venture. I read that they both were tired of traveling in separate bands, sometimes spending weeks apart from their two children and each other. So they disbanded their solo efforts and joined forces in 2010 to form the Tedeschi Trucks Band. “Revelator” came out in January, 2011.

This is a CD that stands out, head and shoulders, above most projects in the crowded release schedule this year. The effort is not a “look at me,” self-indulgent guitar fest, but balanced–filled with great tones, tunes, grooves and singing. In short, it’s a gumbo-meets-delta-meets-Stax-meets-southern rocking delight!

I just put the finishing touches on a new recording by the group Truth. They are doing a 40th anniversary tour this fall and, through the arranging and production leadership of Steven V. Taylor, Truth will have this project available at their merchandise table during the tour. I am honored to add my guitar playing to this project. Back in the early 80s I played with Truth for two and a half years. So its poetic that I have the opportunity to “join” them one last time on this recording.

I started my journey with Truth after spending three years with American Entertainment Productions. In AEP, I learned the entertainment skills that are necessary to hold an audience’s attention (For those who have done outside fairs and other such venues, these particular audiences are a challenge to get focused, for any length of time). In the group Truth, I learned about ministering to the Church and the many denominational challenges that exist. I owe a lot to Truth’s leader, Roger Breland, as he, unlike any other, has an incredible skill with audiences. We were able to see hundreds come to Christ during my tenure, and many more up until they did their last concert on June 16, 2002 in Nashville.

Truth, at that point, was 31 years old. Roger had taken it as far as it could go. He went on to become the the Director of the Center for Performing Arts at the University of Mobile in Alabama (my Alma mater). Presently, under Roger’s leadership, the university has 15 performing ensembles and has presented concerts to audiences in local churches, conventions, The White House and Europe. God has really used Roger in a great way and I think this 40th anniversary tour is a great way to remind the Church of just that.

Information on the tour can be found at the Truth40 website. I am proud to continue my connection with Roger Breland and Truth. I pray God’s blessings on the tour. The kids that Roger has chosen to participate have no idea that, like me, in 30 years they will still be talking about the experience!