I'm on a roll, playing instruments I don't normally bring onstage.  This week it was ukuleles for The Other Ed and me.  That was last night--today the temps rose up above freezing and the sun shone.  I choose to believe it was the ukes, convincing winter to put on it's sunglasses.  All I lacked was my Big Kahuna hawaiian shirt, which stays in the closet until the temps rise above freezing. 

First, The Other Ed (pictured below) and I did two songs with piano and guitar:

God of Wonders

Lord I Lift Your Name On High

It's always a challenge for me to do something new and different with these familiar songs, and I think I got a pretty good mood for God of Wonders--I played off the upper chord extensions a lot, hoping to make it kinda moody.  The Other Ed played his wife's Esteban classical.  With two really great guitar shops in our little town (both on the main shopping street downtown), I can't believe they ordered an Esteban guitar, but the painting on the front was kinda cool. 

We switched to ukes after that, both of us, and did

I'll Fly Away

Grace Greater Than Our Sin

The Other Ed actually threw me a little solo on the uke for I'll Fly Away, and I acquitted myself...moderately well with a little bluesy rambling.  He one-upped me though; he had a uke with a factory pickup.  All I got was an SM57.  This must not go unanswered. 

(This post is part of Fred McKinnon's Sunday Set Lists)

You don't pass up a chance to play slide guitar, especially if you hardly every do it.  The Other Ed and I were sitting at The 8th Street Grill on Thursday, and Ed said, "Saturday night?  Slide guitar?  Brandon's bringing his banjo, Jim's going through a mandolin phase, and Thomas says he's up for fiddle.  Everything's in G, I promise." 

Friday I bought two new slides.  At my age, it's a cheap indulgence.  (There's my new band name--'Cheap Indulgence')  Saturday afternoon I spent an hour fiddling around with retuning the guitar and finding some chords and licks. 

We were pretty much just a bunch of fairly good musicians playing all the wrong instruments (some of us).  It worked out pretty good.  In fact, there were some really nice moments.  We didn't start rehearsing until 5:30, and the service started at 6:00, but seriously--you either know the licks in G, or you don't.  Fortunately, our little crowd is up for anything, and we all had a great time.  The songs featured impromptu solos, which mostly went well.  Ed would just point, and we did our best.  I muffed what I thought was the last solo I'd get, but in an act of Christian mercy, The Other Ed gave me another shot.  This is why you should be friends with the music director. 

I'll Fly Away

When The Saints Go Marching In (very lazy and moody--I liked it.)

Pass Me Not O Gentle Savior (The lyrics on this one got mis-typed, so we actually sang Pass Me Not O 'Gentile' Savior.  Not kidding.)

And one more I can't remember. 

So now I'm all jacked up about slide guitar, and thinking about getting a cheap lap steel.  I'm sure I can learn. 

(This post is part of Fred McKinnon's 'Sunday Set Lists')

Clilpped this directly from the email sent to me by Classmates.com.  I'm really considering Gold Membership now, because, well, who would want to miss out? 

Dear Edward,

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On an unrelated note:  yesterday the woman at Apple Valley Health Foods asked if I was 60, and would I like the senior discount?   I politely told her I was far, far from 60, and then later I snuck back in the store and put a used McDonald's bag in the trash behind the counter, hoping she'd get yelled at by her boss. 

I led worship again on Saturday night, and it had that after-the-party feel.  The dreamy Christmas lights were still up, and it was, as always, a small crowd.  Molly sang with me, and since everyone had gravitated to one side of the room (all 15 of them), we moved the music stands and stools over and faced that way.  After we started, more people came in and sat on the other side.  Oh well. 

Again I went completely unplugged.  We did the Tommy Walker song again:

--How Could I But Love You-- 

(I posted about this song a couple months ago, and threw in a youtube version of the song.  Click here if you missed it.)

Then, by myself I sang an old hymn to a wonderful new melody (by James Ward):

--Rock Of Ages--

I produced a track for a singer many years ago with this new melody, and I kept tearing up during the mixdown, and the song stuck with me.  The new melody completely ressurects the hymn--I highly recommend this for your congregation.  Click on the above link and you can get the CD (not sure which ones it's on).  Anyway, here are the lyrics:

Rock of ages, cleft for me

Let me hid myself in Thee

Let the water and the blood

From thy wounded side, which flowed

Be of sin the double cure

Cleanse me from it’s guilt

And it’s power

Nothing in my hands I bring

Simply to Thy cross I cling

Naked, come to Thee for dress

Helpless, come to Thee for grace

Foul, I to the fountain fly

Wash me Savior, or I shall die

Not the labor of my hands

Could fulfill Thy laws demands

Could my zeal no respite know?

Could my tears forever flow?

All for sin could not atone

Thou must save, and Thou

Yes, Thou alone

When I draw my final breath

When my eyes, they close in death

When I soar to worlds unknown

And see Thee on Thy judgment throne

Rock of Ages, cleft for me

Let me hide myself in Thee

Then we did another hymn:

--Praise Ye The Lord, The Almighty--

And closed with:

--I See The Lord-- (just the chorus)

Another quiet night on the corner of 9th & Central, where God did his thing, and I came away changed a little.

For those of you who love to hear new things, click here for 'Disappointing', by The Mona Reels.  Two of my daughters, and their friend Peter.  I'm so proud of them. 

(This post is part of Fred McKinnon's 'Sunday Set Lists', which you should check out)

For those of you who love gorgeous, melt-in-your mouth harmonies, click below to hear 'The Mona Reels' performing their latest single, "Disappointing". 

"Disappointing"

The Mona Reels is a three-piece band out of Olympia, WA, with two of my daughters--April & Summer--and their friend Peter.  I try not to pass along stuff that only a father would love, but this...this stuff is just so good.  You won't be 'disappointed'.