PROJECT UPDATE: www.kickstarter.com/projects/635408298/george-lower-i-think-of-you-florida-folk-music-pro/posts/1205175

Good News....and MORE Good News!

Dear Backers,

We are moving forward! This album is going to be awesome!

Well, I don't really know exactly where to begin. It has been a bit of a whirlwind since my last update. I must confess that this journey has surprised me and challenged me in many ways. And I certainly was not expecting what I'm about to share with you.

Without going into a lot of details, my promotional efforts brought me to the attention of Nick Coetzee of Rain Music. Working with Nick, I now have the opportunity to take this album project to Watershed Recording Studio in Nashville, TN. I'll say it again because even I have a hard time believing it. I now have the opportunity to record this project in Nashville, TN! I certainly did not think two months ago that this... Read more here.

ORIGINAL POST:

George Lower is a core member of our Top Catholic Songs discussion group. He's a Catholic artist and an all-around great guy with lots of life stories he is telling in song. Help him out by pledging to his "I Think of You" Florida Folk Music Project... 

Our newest member, Maggie, wrote:

"I am a Organist at my Catholic Church, and I wish to be introduced to some new music. I would use it especially in the Youth Choir. Topcatholicsongs.com would help me to make both the choir and congregation more holy and involved in music."

Let's introduce Maggie to some new music! C'mon, everyone – let's get the chatter going here. Collaborate and contribute your talents! Raise your voices and sing alleluia!

I'll get the ball rolling for Maggie by suggesting that she take a look at the many organ/choral pieces written by Paul F. Page. Paul offers his sheet music free at his web site, www.paulpage.org, specifically here:   

Alicia Bruno joined TopCatholicSongs.com as a user and wrote this reason for joining:

"Looking to inspire future musicians to enjoy Catholic/Christian music and share it in the future at Mass. I am a Youth Minister at our Parish and we are having a tough time keeping youth active in our faith after they receive confirmation...besides, our church music needs a MAJOR update!!"

Let's all help each other with inspiration and ideas. Sign up and makes comments. Contribute your own stories. Share your original songs.

Please tell us what you think of this song in progress. It was written by Milton Delgado and Richard Schletty. An MP3 download link is at the bottom of the post. Thanks!

Just Suppose

Milton Delgado and Richard Schletty (c)2015

Intro: A Asus2  A Asus2

   A  Asus2      E  Eadd9  E

Suppose, just suppose

F#m                 D              A   E

that the winds were never again to blow

    F#m                D        A   E

And that there were no seeds to sow

         F#m        Asus4  A      

And we'd never see another spring

      F#m            Asus4  A      

And a robin could no longer sing.

   F#m  D     A  Asus2   A  Asus2

Suppose. Just suppose.

   A  Asus2      E  Eadd9  E

Suppose, just suppose

F#m              D               A   E

That the flowers could no longer bloom

    F#m                D        A   E

And that there were no stars or moon

F#m               Asus4    A      

Trees were rooted from the ground

F#m                   Asus4  A      

And the world stopped spinning around.

   F#m  D     A Asus2  A Asus2

Suppose. Just suppose.

[CHORUS]

   D                   E              A  

Suppose the oceans and rivers were to dry

        D              Fmaj7    Gmaj7  D

And the soaring eagles could no longer fly.

    Am7           Bm7      

The sun no longer sent its light

Am7               Bm7      

Galaxies vanished from the night.

           Am7             Em7       F#m7

Oh, that's not supposed to be how it goes!

B Bsus4 B     F# Fadd9# F#

Suppose, just suppose

G#m              E               B   F#

That we could no longer hope for peace

G#m              E        B   F#

That the rains decided to cease

     G#m          E        B      

Then suddenly ... love was lost

G#m             E          B      

Who'd remain to suffer the cost?

   G#m  E     G#m  E

Suppose. Just suppose.

     G#m  E        B  Bsus4  B

Just suppose. Just suppose.

• Artist: Milton Delgado, Richard Schletty
• Title: Just Suppose
• Album: Just Suppose
• Track: 1
• Genre: Vocal
• Year: 2015
• Composer: Milton Delgado, Richard Schletty

Preview and purchase Unless a Grain of Wheat (Bernadette Farrell): ocp.org/en-us/songs/618/unless-a-grain-of-wheat

Refrain:

Unless a grain of wheat shall fall upon the ground and die,
It remains but a single grain with no life.

1. If we have died with him, then we shall live with him;
if we hold firm, we shall reign with him.

Composer: Bernadette Farrell (1983)

I need a real piano player!

• Artist: Richard Schletty
• Title: Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)
• Album: Sonority
• Genre: Gospel
• Year: 2012
• Composer: Bach/Gounod

Posted by Patrice Egging at her KickStarter project page:

God's love through music

I knew from the very beginning when I prayed for the gift...asking God to be able to play for Him..that when it actually happened that He is the one who gives the music.

It's a prayer. It's a gift. It's a way to... 

People have different ideas about what "Catholic music" is. This is a working list compiled by my friend Nick Alexander, a co-member of Catholic Music Ministries and Top Catholic Songs. Are there any categories that we’ve missed?  Please share your comments below.  

Catholic Music categories

1) Traditional Gregorian chant.

2) Medieval, Renaissance and Baroque sacred music.

3) Hymnody: liturgical music for congregational singing, usually following a form of stanza-stanza-stanza or stanza-chorus-stanza-chorus-stanza-chorus.

4) Contemporary Liturgical (Stage 1): Liturgical music for congregation singing, post Vatican II up to around 1990. A heavy Folk/Broadway influence, as defined by the St. Louis Jesuits, North American Liturgy Resources (NALR),  Schutte, Haugen, Haas, Joncas, Foley, Farrell, Dufford, O’Connor and others.  This seems to be the predominant form today.

5) Contemporary Liturgical (stage 2): Liturgical music for congregational singing, post 1990s, after the first style has taken root, and are not as dated-sounding as... 

Jack Miller, Roxylee Smith and Richard Schletty sing this classic Gospel song.

Lead Me to Calvary

King of my life, I crown Thee now,
Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorn crowned brow,
Lead me to Calvary.

Refrain

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid,
Tenderly mourned and wept;
Angels in robes of light arrayed
Guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.

Refrain

Let me like Mary, through the gloom,
Come with a gift to Thee;
Show to me now the empty tomb,
Lead me to Calvary.

Refrain

May I be willing, Lord, to bear
Daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share,
Thou hast borne all for me.

Refrain

Artist: J. Miller, Roxylee, R. Schletty
Title: Lead Me to Calvary
Album: Postludes Trio
Genre: Religious
Year: 2009
Composer: Text: Jen­nie E. Huss­ey; Music: Wil­liam J. Kirk­pat­rick

Dear Friends,

I would like to share with you my Easter song called Alleluia, Alleluia. Please visit my website and click on the music player in the middle of the page that I have posted for you. You can share it with your family and friends on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest by clicking the arrow on the lower right-side of the music player. Together, let us sing and spread the Good News about Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving and glory to God who loves us so very much!

Love in Christ,

Margo
www.MargoBSmith.com

5th Movement from the project Hungry For Heaven. More at http://www.hungryforheaven.com. Would you like to see this become a musical? If so, please comment.

The Joy of Grace
5th Movement, Hungry for Heaven

Hurling down an asphalt slipstream
You take to the road in your dream machine
You don't obey the signs, you don't look both ways
You are a traveler out of phase

In the cradle of a grand creation
under the arch of a wondrous vault...