Catalyst

Spent a little time at the Catalyst Convention today at Gwinnett Arena.  Kudos to Brad Lomenick and his team for the great job putting all that together.  Brad has a good blog you should check out here.

 

Dan Hannon and I just had to stop in and see our boy Jamie JAMM Portee singing on the big stage.  He killed a John Legend song; that’s a compliment, of course.  His precious wife Joni was rocking a mic too.  There were so many friends there that I don’t get to see enough of, from fellow musicians and singers to my friend Ben that I actually got to know in China this summer.  (We were on separate mission trips that collided.) 

 

The green room was fun, as I got to hang briefly with Aaron Keyes, Kristian Stanfill, and Fee, who were all there with their bands. There was some other interesting personalities in there as well: Jeff Foxworthy, Franklin Graham (Billy’s son), Dave Ramsey (the financial guy), and my former boss Andy Stanley (to whom I simply offered a “Hey, Brother Stanley.” No one calls him that).   

 

I kept getting congratulations on the job Rudy Vaughn did on sax the previous day at Catalyst.  Rudy has recently signed a recording agreement with ONE Atlanta Music, our first official recording artist.  How weird is it that I’ve never heard him play sax? He’s apparently awesome. I know he’s one talented singer/songwriter.

 

Meeting and holding Candi P’s baby Elias made me cry.  Where’d that come from?  He was just so sweet and tiny.  

 

Oh, and it was also great finally meeting Jeff Moseley and James Rueger from INO Records face to face.   Fee is signed to that Nashville record label.

 

Sorry, but I wasn’t there long and didn’t actually see much of what happened on stage, other than a lifetime achievement award for Billy Graham, who wasn’t there in person.  Is anyone more deserving? His son Franklin is asking that anyone who has come to faith in Christ through hearing Billy speak go here to leave a note for Billy.

 

Must sleep now.  Big day tomorrow.  Tats for Tots 2.

 

Were you there?  Wish you had been?

 

 

Viva Nashvegas: Highlights

Technically, it’s my birthday right now.  Happy Birthday, self!  Hope you enjoy your bronchitis.  I feel terrible, but am still having a great time in Music City USA.  On Sunday, Michael Johnston, Dan, and I played at Cumberland Church and had a blast with service programming director Billy McCarthy and campus director Eddie Johnson.

 

Since then, we’ve been going to concerts, renewing acquaintances, making new friends, having meetings, and such.  Some high points…

 

Kristy Starling, whose record Dan recently produced, is here with us, and we’ve had meetings about the best option for getting her record out there.  Amazing voice.

 

It’s pretty cool that Michael W. Smith did Kristian Stanfill’s and Alex Nifong’s (Atlanta guys) version of Jesus Paid It All last night at the Ryman.  

 

We’re staying at the home of music photographer Allen Clark, one of my favorite people in the world.  

 

Saw new OMG Records artist Chasen from Greenville SC tonight at The Rutledge.  They were good.  The lead singer sounds like Paul Carrack from Squeeze (remember them?).

 

Hung out with too many friends to name, from Nashville and Atlanta, like performance coach Tom Jackson and former Atlantan singer/songwriter Kevin Lawson, who lives here now.  Hanging with more friends tomorrow, including Dave Barnes‘ manager Chris DeTray.

 

But for now, to paraphrase Tommy Boy, Danny need sleepy.  Happy Birthday to me.