» Hear the Bells

Keith Carroll and I were given the task of writing the songs for a Christmas musical at SouthBrook Christian Church (Centerville, Ohio), eventually called It's in Your Hands based on another song I wrote.  The playwright and director was Sherry McMahan.

 

I never cared much for songs like "Jingle Bell Rock" or other Christmas songs that seemed - well, cheesy.  I was determined to write a song that I thought stacked up there with the classics.  It meant a lot to me that our pastor Charlie later commented to me, "That song is as good as any other Christmas song like 'Silent Night'!"

 

Later on, Matt Lindsey - a successful publisher in Nashville - liked the song enough to pitch it around in Nashville on a handshake agreement.  No one took it, and he attributed the problem to the quality of my home demo.

 

Now in 2010, I have been extremely honored to have the featured on Nick Cardilino's Birthday of Love album. To have another songwriter as good as Nick decide to cut my song is one of the greatest compliments I've ever been paid.  And what a recording!