Wow. I heard the song Valentine today on Catholic Music Express streaming radio. Amanda Vernon is really sounding good here. Amanda is a recording artist from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Through a genre she calls, “soulful pop,” this singer, pianist, and composer speaks to authentic beauty through music, the language of the soul. Visit Amanda's website.

"Valentine," by Amanda Vernon - www.amandavernon.com 
Produced by David C. Smith at ICON Studio Productions 
Based on the true story, "Beautiful Valentine," by Wendy Mathison

"To kick off this first weekend of 2014, eightWest welcomed a musician who does it all. She sings, plays piano, writes music and is a dedicated mom."  
- WOOD TV, eightWest (Jan 7, 2014)

"With an irresistible personality and shining demeanor, Amanda Vernon seems to infect everyone she meets with an upbeat glow."  
- John Sinkevics, Local Spins 1340 AM WJRW (Oct 3, 2013)

A sampling of congregational music at the 11:30 Mass at the Church of Saint Mary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA. See www.greatgatherings.org 

Please note that the embedded YouTube is a playlist of at least 10 songs. Click on PLAYLIST to select a song, or let the songs play automatically. If you have any questions about how we do things at St. Mary's, please comment below. 

Frazier Riddell made a comment today on a song posted here at TCS. He mentions that he is a co-songleader at church, having added guitar to the mix a few years ago (which initially was not heartily embraced by some of the older generation). I thought I'd click on the web site link Riddell gave (www.smalltownmusic.com). I am pleased with what I see. Check out Frazier's words and music styling.

Excerpt from Frazier's CMS Records page: 

"All is well. God has blessed me tremendously, whether I choose to recognize that in emotions and feelings from day to day or not. I got food. I got shelter. I got a wife and son who love me. I got lots of family who love me. A top 10 song wouldn't hurt my feelings, but even if that never happens, I AM BLESSED NONE THE LESS. I still play music at Church, Nursing Homes, Weddings, Restaurants & Bars. I have folks that love and appreciate what I do, and tell me so. Peace to all of you. We live in some tough times, and holding on to faith in God and Jesus is not easy. Hang in there. Even if you don't "Believe" just like me, if you aren't against me, we'll be alright." FRAZIER

Here are two of Frazier's many albums, with his own comments:

Who Will Save This World?

"This CD speaks not to answers, but to questions I have sought the answers to for over 20 years – and even now they elude me. I have not given into defeat, but I have learned to give defeat the respect it does deserve. After all, it's a tool of the Creator, in the context of ultimate light. Bad things don't happen to good people. There are no bad or good people. There are people. These people have a choice to do good or to do bad. "You can drink beer and love Jesus" is just a song given to me from my life experience. Some will condemn this song while others will embrace it as a license to sin. This song embraces both, in hopes they may eventually follow the light. Timing is everything in music & in life. I hope the humorous songs on this CD find you at the right time. I hope the same for the more serious songs. Written message aside, I have attempted also to make good music. I hope you enjoy listening to this & I hope a bulb of joy might spring into your life, even if only for a moment, so that this music will have served its higher purpose. These songs are to be viewed as a small light shining on the human condition." – Frazier Riddell, 9-29-04 Canton, MS

Southern Man

"Southern Man is a song about my father who had just recently passed in August of 2012.  At his funeral, this song came full circle.  I wrote this song in 1990, but for some reason had never put it on a CD though my family loved the song.  In '09 the song made it to CD as title track.  Then, I ended up singing this song at my Father's funeral, giving the song a whole new life to many friends of my Father who had never heard the song.  It was a very moving time. Any person from a farming family will relate to Southern Man (see my bio for more info).  I have learned to appreciate... 

This just in from Nick Alexander:

I just got the CCLI Top 2000 list, and Greg Walton has broken through! His song "Come To Us," an Advent/Christmas song, made it. It's currently in the 1700s, but it's there.

A lot of "Spirit & Song" Christmas songs made it this go-around.

So, a hearty congratulations to Greg! You've worked hard all these years.  It's extremely hard to get on this list at all, and he did it!

See an interview with Greg here at Spirit & Song:
http://www.spiritandsong.com/podcasts/come-to-us

We'd also like to highlight Ike Ndolo's "Awake O Sleeper" and Matt Maher/Chris Tomlin's "Born That We May Have Life" (Christmas projects).  Also take note of Steve Angrisano's "Go Make a Difference" which is at its highest chart level yet (around 1000). 

The biggest news is that Matt Maher has now topped himself.  His "Your Grace Is Enough" has been eclipsed by "Lord, I Need You" which is in the Top 10. Note: Words and music for "Lord, I Need You" were written by all of these folks: Jesse Reeves, Kristian Stanfill, Matt Maher, Christy Nockels and Daniel Carson.

We need help finding or creating a recording of a song that was popular in Catholic churches and youth groups back in the early 1970s. I was able to find the words and chords but I have no idea how the melody goes. Would someone like to collaborate on this? If you can scratch out the melody for me, I can record the song for Mary who has been looking for a recording of this song for many years. We don't know the name of the composer.

Here is what Mary wrote:

"I have to tell you, finding the right Magnificat is like looking for a needle in a haystack, except that it's a really tiny needle and the haystack is the size of the Empire State Building! The lyrics start with "As the rain rushes down and the earth blossoms forth and the wind caresses every tree".  I haven't heard this but once since 1971. Every music director I've worked with in my diocese looks at me with that look that says "you know you're crazy, right?" My sister has been looking too, unsuccessfully."

EDIT 1: My longtime friend from college, Tom, just called and said he knows this Magnificat well! He used to sing it the CYC in St. Paul, MN, and at his parish in Hopkins, MN. He still has the Hymnal For Young Christians (published by F.E.L.) that this song is in (it's on pp. 141-143 of the piano guitar accompaniment edition of volume 1 of Hymnal For Young Christians).  Tom and I will do a recording of this Magnificat and post it here for download. By the way, the composer is Robert Blue. The song is ©1966-67 F.E.L. Publications, Chicago, Illinois. Tom said the original arrangement is in key of G – 1-1/2 steps higher than the guitar arrangement below. We'll determine which key is most accessible.

EDIT 2: I found a used copy of Hymnal For Young Christians on Amazon and recorded the refrain and all 5 verses. I also located online and ordered an original vinyl copy of the album "Run, Come, See" which has "Magnificat" on it. My interpretation of the hymnal sheet music may be different than the recorded version. We will see! Comments welcome.

MAGNIFICAT (Luke 1:46-55)

REFRAIN
       E           C#m
As the rain rushes down
        F#m            B
And the earth blossoms forth
        E             C#m   F#m  B
And the wind caresses every tree
        E               C#m
You can hear the turtle dove
        F#m                B
Singing all throughout the land
       E           B       E
Of the fair, young Virgin  Mary.

VERSE 1
                 F#m      B            E  
  My heart sings out with praise of my Lord.
C#m          F#m       B      E     
   My soul rejoices in God my Savior
           C#m                     F# 
For he has looked upon his servant tenderly,
F#m           B  
humble as she is.  REFRAIN

VERSE 2
From this day forth all people who will ever be
Shall call me lovely and the happiest of women!
For my Lord, the One who can do all things
Has treated me wondrously!  REFRAIN

VERSE 3
His name is holy, and His mercy without fail;
It rests on those who fear Him in all generations.
And the deeds of his own right arm
Show forth His strength!  REFRAIN

VERSE 4
And he has scattered the proud
And pulled the mighty from their throne,
But the humble He has held and lifted high!
The hungry He fills with wondrous things,
The rich he sends empty away.  REFRAIN

VERSE 5
Yes, he has helped Israel His Child;
He has not forgot His Promise to our fathers;
His promise of mercy to Abraham
And his children's children forever!  REFRAIN

composer: Robert Blue. ©1966-67 F.E.L. Publications

Going to the SCRC Convention?

Every year the Southern California Renewal Communities hosts a major conference intended for the upbuilding of the faithful. 

The theme for this year's conference, August 29-31, 2014, is You Are the Light of the World.

One great way to help renew our minds is by listening to songs that continually call upon God to change us, transform us, and mold us into His image. Several of the songs in the iTunes Widget sampler at right were written and recorded by members of Top Catholic Songs and Catholic Music Ministries. 

Happy Travels!

See testimonials from CAM members Gretchen and Annette in comments below!

Morehouse College Ray Charles Performing Arts Center 830 Westview Drive, SW Atlanta, GA 30314 Saturday, September 13 9:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Shiloh Baptist Church 1500 Ninth Street, NW, Washington D.C. 20001 Saturday, September 20 9:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Antioch Baptist Church 8869 Cedar Ave, Cleveland, OH 44106 Saturday, October 04 9:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. First Baptist Congregational Church  1613 West Washington Blvd., Chicago, IL 60612 Saturday, October 11 9:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Berean Missionary Baptist Church 1635 Bergen Street, Brooklyn, NY 11213 Saturday, October 18 9:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. White Rock Baptist Church 5240 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19139 Saturday, November 01 9:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m.

FOR ALL INTERESTED IN THE RICH HERITAGE OF AMERICAN MUSIC

This event is an excellent opportunity to sing through beautiful songs of praise under the direction of Dr. Abbington.

Showcase and sell your music on any website!

Details here: http://members.cdbaby.com/music-store-widget

Create an unlimited number of customizable, mobile-friendly music players to embed on your website and share online. Build playlists from any of the tracks in your CD Baby account. Sell your songs on any site, and reach a wider audience by encouraging reviewers and fans to embed the playlists you create.

Two new users signed up at TopCatholicSongs.com recently, and they gave CHRP as a reason for signing up. 

What is CHRP? The sound of a bird? An abbreviation for chiropractic? Here is what it is:

Christ Renews His Parish
http://christrenewshisparish.com

Christ Renews His Parish is a copyrighted parish renewal process that has existed since 1969 and has been recommended by the renewal office of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops. It has been used as the primary instrument of personal & parish renewal in over 1200 parishes in 35 states in the United States and in five other countries.

Christ Renews His Parish can be described in four parts:

A. A person begins by experiencing a weekend: take the next step in your spiritual journey.

B. Then becomes part of a team: adult faith formation, preparation, and catechesis.

C. Next, host the next weekend: present weekend for next group, authentic experience of lay ministry in the parish with a renewed spirit.

D. Finally, search for the Lord's call to what comes next in one's life: Sends people into service ministries in the parish, community and diocese.

Please feel free to make a comment below if you have been a participant in the CHRP program. Please share any suggestions you have for music that fits the ideas of renewal, spirtual journey, calling forth (mission) and evangelization.

When registering as a user here at TCS today, Lorine wrote:

"I love Catholic music.  I'd like to find meditation music for our monthly women's meeting."

"Interiors" is an album I recommend, created by Four Hands Project – David Gomez Sanz and Alberto Ayuso Domingo (Segovia, Spain). I do wordless chanting on the song "Killing the Pain." 

If anyone else has suggestions for meditation or centering music, please comment below!

Laudate
Essential Chants for All Musicians 

Text Author : James Whitbourn

"One way or another, this is music that choral musicians have to know and understand just as a writer has to know the alphabet."

—James Whitbourn

Laudate is a collection of chants presented so all musicians—not only liturgists or specialist singers—can explore a repertory so rich and extraordinary that it has dominated and influenced musical composition for centuries, even to the present day.

Learn More

This August, GIA will host reading sessions in fourteen different cities across the nation. Come to explore and experience new repertoire for your choirs!

For free registration,
visit www.giamusic.com/SRS
or call 1-800-GIA-1358
Be prepared to give us the name(s) of those attending, your church name and zip code, and which session you plan to attend.

As always, each session features: 

Good news. You can now watch Simonetta & FourEver's recent EWTN appearance on Life on the Rock here: http://youtu.be/9d9kO_kNN2k

More at: www.facebook.com/FourEverMusicdotcom 

Here is Simonetta & FourEver's latest album called "Ineffable" at iTunes:

From Words to Music
A User's Guide to Text for Choral Musicians

by Gerald Custer / Blake Henson
2014 by GIA Publications, Inc.

The power of story and story-telling makes choral singing irresistible...and the impact of text wedded to music is what fuels the choral art. Yet in the heat of rehearsal, we can forget to ask, "Whose words are these in my mouth? Why is this message being sent? Who is the audience for this story? Why does it matter to them? How can I make this story my story?

In this enlightening book, conductor Gerald Custer and composer Blake Henson offer practical tools and strategies to approach, unlock, and understand text: how it works, how it's structured, and what it means. In a series of informal dialogues punctuated with personal illustrations, Custer and Henson reveal how composers and conductors make the journey that transforms words into music.