Thanksgiving is the beginning of the holiday season, my favorite time of year. Thanksgiving Day itself is bittersweet, for on that day, even as we enjoy spending time with family, we remember with sadness those we have lost. Both of Jan’s parents died in the past few years; they had lived with us, and in doing so, became like parents to me.  To know them, was to see where Jan gets her beautiful spirit, character, and heart for service. She has a beautifully humble saying that she shares when we talk about her parents, “I have drunk from many wells that I did not dig.”

After this day of thanks and remembrance, Jan swings into action, turning our house into the SOUTH North Pole in a period of just three days.  She is in total Martha Stewart mode, asking me to bring down TONS of decorations from the attic, telling me to put this HERE, tote that over THERE, bring the ladder to hang this garland, haul that up from the basement, go get the extension cord and bring me some batteries, but no, not THOSE batteries…a decorating world without end. Amen.

How do I rise to the occasion, with a turkey “hangover” and Riley cozily looking on  from his dog bed?  The first thing I do is put on some Christmas music, perhaps even my own Christmas at Our House, which puts me instantly in the Christmas spirit.  I’ve collected a variety of Christmas albums by various artists over the years, from David Lanz to David Nevue, and the sound of my favorite Christmas songs, even in November, makes me feel like Christmas is here.

When I look at the beautiful home Jan has made for us, I wonder how I got so lucky. With her by my side, every day seems like Christmas…

26 Angels

This limited edition print, 26 Angels, by Birmingham artist Liz Landgren, commemorates the 26 victims of the Sandy Hook massacre.  The original was sent to the Sandy Hook community.  The artist gave Jan one of the prints, and we hung it on the anniversary of the tragedy.

Landgen hoped to promote healing by asking us to think about the paradise the 26 victims are enjoying now and forever, rather than the tragedy that ended their earthly lives.  People all over the world sent in their most comforting verses from the Bible.  Look closely and you will see them.

Something to Think About

I'm reading a great book titled "The True Measure of a Man".  It contains a quote that I had never seen before, words that Napoleon wrote at the end of his life:

"I die before my time and my body shall be given back to the earth and devoured by worms.  What an abysmal gulf between my deep miseries and the eternal Kingdom of Christ.  I marvel that whereas the ambitious dreams of myself and of Alexander and of Caesar should have vanished into thin air, a Judean peasant - Jesus - should be able to stretch his hands across the centuries and control the destinies of men and nations."

Here are three famous men - Alexander the Great, Caesar, and Napoleon - seeking to control the world by power. When we see their lives contrasted with one man, Jesus, the humble life of a carpenter, we marvel at how truly extraordinary He was and is, that the world has been so powerfully changed through His simple life of humility.

Senior Living

Seniors hold a special place in my heart. They always have. When I was a young boy, I enjoyed sitting in my grandfather's store, listening as the old men sat by the woodstove in rocking chairs, talking about old times. Today, whenever I am offered the opportunity to perform for seniors, I jump at it. I think they deserve our gratitude and respect. If there is any way that I can use my musical gifts to make them forget about their pain, or bring back pleasant memories, or just make them feel engaged for a few minutes, I am happy to do it.

Last week I performed a short concert at Kirkwood By the River, a beautiful place in Birmingham for senior living. A friend of mine lives there, a very accomplished and cultured man whom I have known since I was 15 years old. He invited me to have lunch with him before the program, and it was a great pleasure to visit with him.

I played for a lively group of seniors who live in the independent living section of Kirkwood.
Believe me, whenever I play for older people, I am the one who is blessed. They bless me, by showing me that, despite the ravages of time, illness, pain, limitation and loss, all that they are is STILL THERE. They show me that the human spirit, the true reflection of God's nature, cannot be extinguished.

Thanksgiving Habits

About this time every year, a week or so before Thanksgiving, I always do two things: read my favorite book about the Biltmore Mansion in Asheville NC, and listen endlessly to the Brahms Requiem. I guess that the seasonal changes, i.e., the falling leaves, windy cold weather, the end of the year, etc., turn my thoughts to the shortness of life, and the transitory nature of human accomplishment. Doesn't sound very positive, does it?

It IS positive, though...

Do you know the name of the original owner of the Biltmore Estate? You know, the guy who PAID for it, the one for whom it was built? Who was the architect? Who designed the beautiful landscaping of the estate?

I'm guessing that not too many people know.

Yet for these three men, the Biltmore was their greatest achievement. They didn't enjoy the fruit of their labors. The architect died before the mansion was even completed. The landscape designer died 8 years later, his plantings not coming to maturity for decades. George Washington Vanderbilt died at 52. His wife Edith remarried and sold 100,000 acres of the estate. Ten years after his death, his daughter married into an British family, and it is her two British sons and their families who run the estate as a tourist attraction. His beautiful home - property sold, now run by strangers for strangers.


Their great achievement remains as a testament to their short time on earth. They themselves are shadows, ghostly reminders of the temporary nature of life.


The Brahms Requiem, besides being one of the most sublimely beautiful musical works ever created,is a hopeful and comforting work. I listen to it over and over during a two week period, finally listening mostly to the 7th movement: "Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yes, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them". (Revelation 14:13)


With these, my two helpers, I close the year with a deep reverence and gratitude for life - for the gift of music, for family and friends, and especially for the hope of Heaven through the love of Christ. And also with a timely reminder of the brevity of earthly life, and the immensity of eternity.


So I am thankful, and hopeful. And challenged to do better in the coming year - to accomplish more with the gift I've been given, to spend more time and energy doing the things that really matter in life.


As my friend Bucci would have said, "That's deep"...

The boy can play

Hey guys, I am not even going to look back to see how long it's been since I've last posted. Guess I've been busy... Just a coupla random thoughts today, to get me back into the swing of blogging. I've been hanging on this quote by Will Ackerman about my playing for a couple of years. In fact, I have NEVER used it - not once. After I sent him a couple of MP3s of my playing, his response by email to me was: "Damn, the boy can PLAY." I chuckle every time I think of it. I have a feeling that Will and I are destined to work together one of these days. Only time will tell if it is producing great music... or a carpentry project. Adios for now! Mike

Whisperings in Birmingham

Last night I attended a Whisperings concert in Birmingham. I had been invited to perform, but as I didn't know the hall or the piano, I decided against it.

I heard my dear friend Joseph Akins perform, in his inimitable way, some of his songs that I know and love - his arrangement of "Tennessee Waltz" and "Butterfly Ride", among others.

Lee Bartley, from Colorado, whose playing I didn't know, was TERRIFIC. His jazz stylings, facility, harmonic and rhythmic flair, place him among the handful of popular piano artists that I think are really first rate.


Walter Knapp, who lives in Birmingham, is a wonderful player who deserves to be heard by a larger audience. His interpretation of three Chopin Etudes was inspiring, and his transcriptions of hymn fill me with envy. He sounds like Rachmaninoff! It was a great evening of wonderful music, and I felt privileged to attend.

The Audio Czar

This morning I had a fun time with my friend Tony Wachter (a.k.a. the Audio Czar) at his wonderful home studio. Tony is an immensely talented singer, writer, engineer, and producer, and he now does most of his recording from the comfort of his own home.

Today's project was scoring for picture. I played piano, solo violin, cello ensemble, electric guitar and bass. Tony himself added the drum loop (see photo). All it takes is one finger!

These Things I Know

When you have three or more cars, whichever car you choose to drive will be almost out of gas.

You don't buy a house, you buy a house kit.

Whoever mows your lawn makes more money than you do, even if you are Johnny Depp.

Paradise Lost

Coming to you today from our island, which is as beautiful as ever, and we are so happy to be away for a few days.

The mystique of the place, though, has changed. Our private sanctuary has been discovered, and it just feels different here.

But I'm not complaining. I'm here with my wonderful wife, and anywhere with her is a great place. Next time, though, we'll be ready for an island adventure in another place. Tahiti, maybe?

Home next week to get ready for my concert in Shrewsbury, PA with David Nevue and Jeff Smith on June 18th.

Numero Uno

Hello boys and girls,

Long time no post. I have been real busy, mostly with mundane things that you really don't want to hear about. In that case, no news really IS good news...

Couple of things are going on now, though. I just found out yesterday that Timeless II made it to #1 on the world airplay charts in the new age genre. Pretty cool. Check it out by visiting www.zonemusicreporter.com and clicking on the charts tab. There you can see me sitting on my throne.

I am also excited about our upcoming island vacation. Sorry I can't tell you WHICH island. You might want to crash the party, and I want to have my beautiful bride all to myself for a while. Our boy Adam will be Rileysitting at our house while we are gone. Thanks, Adam!

I will be playing at a church in Shrewsbury, PA on June 18th. I am really excited about this, because it will be the first time I have been asked to talk about my Christian life at a concert. I hope that I can do more concerts like this one.

Talk soon.

The Late Unpleasantness

That's what Charlestonians call the Civil War.

Jan and I took my mom and cousin Freida Bearden to Charleston during spring break. We stayed at the Inn at Middleton Place, which is on the grounds of Middleton Place plantation, right on the James River. Although the inn could use a little updating, the setting there is magical. We were a stone's throw from the James River; Jan and and I took nightly strolls along the lighted paths through the plantation.

We toured all of the plantations, the Magnolia plantation being our favorite. Middleton Place, by the way, was where one of the big scenes from The Patriot was filmed - where Mel Gibson and his band blew up the ship in full view of Cornwallis and his guests.

My favorite thing was being able to see the Confederate submarine, the Hunley.

Everything about Charleston oozes history, and I was fascinated by the stories that lurked around every corner. Like the discovery of the remains of the Hunley's first crew, found buried under the football stadium at The Citadel!

I was disappointed that I didn't get to see Dubose Heyward's grave - you know, he collaborated with George Gershwin on Porgy and Bess (which was based on Heyward's novel, Porgy). There's a great story about Gershwin stealing the show from the main "shouter" during a Gullah gathering around the campfire on Folly Beach. Wish I could have been there for that.

We took a Gray Line bus tour our first morning in Charleston, and I was very impressed by the delivery of our tour guide. As we got off the bus at the end of the tour, I said to her, "If you aren't a musician, you should be, because your timing is incredible." Turns out that she is in fact a music director, and she is soon taking her choir to New York to sing the Rutter Requiem in Carnegie Hall under the direction of the composer himself.

We had a great time in Charleston. My mom had never been there, and I know it is a trip that she will always remember. I could never do enough to repay her for all the trouble I was when I was growing up!

Hey, brother, can you spare a...

That was just a teaser. What I actually need is ninety thousand dollars.
The Steinway Gallery in Birmingham is going out of business - drum lines, digital pianos and camp singing have made it hard on Steinway dealerships. Maybe Steinway could branch out into ATVs and banjos.

Anyway, the full retail price of a new Steinway concert grand is $130,000 and change. I could get one today for a mere $90,000. Wonder how many micro loans I would need...

Take a Hike

The weather has been glorious here, sunny with highs in the upper 60s and low 70s. Today, though, it's rainy and cold again. No worries. It's the perfect day for a hike.

Off we went, my buddy Riley and me, to the Moss Rock Preserve. We had the place to ourselves, so we hiked up to the Great Wall and the waterfall. I took a couple of pictures with my iPhone.

Riley and I have hiked a lot during the past couple of weeks, spending hours on old lumber trails in the Oxmoor Valley, Riley swimming in Shades Creek as it meanders its way to the Cahaba. We went to Oak Mountain a couple of times, too.

One of the great things about hiking in Alabama is that there are no bears. I remember a backpacking trip in North Carolina when we spent a day and night in a bear sanctuary - you know, the place where they take bears to get them a way from people.
I didn't sleep much that night...

Riley loves being in the woods; it turns him into a puppy again. He likes to get ahead of me on the trail, then turn and run full speed at me, only to veer off at the last possible second. He is always so alive for the rest of the day, whenever we get out in the woods.

A couple of Sundays ago, the three of us spent an afternoon walking the lumber trails, making it all the way into Bessemer before turning around. We ended the afternoon at Sonic, where Riley enjoyed a cup of vanilla ice cream. Jan fed him with a spoon.

Just thinking...

Has it really been a month since I have posted on this blog?
I've been busy, but I am going to do better - I promise.

Radio promotion for Timeless II starts next Tuesday, March 1st. I'm thinking it's going to be a big international hit; according to the palm reader in Hueytown, Alabama, I should be able to retire to Tahiti in about a year. =)

Of course, this puts a big burden on you, dear reader, not only to buy the new CD, but several copies of each of my previous CDs.

Timeless II has already received glowing reviews from several nationally known music critics - Kathy Parsons of mainlypiano.com, Michael Diamond of Music and Media Focus, and Keith Hannaleck of Muzik Reviews.

You don't have to read the reviews, I'll just paraphase the important parts for you;

Take it from them, I'm right up there at the top, somewhere between Yanni and Beethoven, and Timeless II is another THRILLER waiting to happen.

Come to think of it, that's not so good. It COULD mean that I'll make a lot more money after I'm gone...

Still, you'd better stock up now. Posthumously, the CD price could really go through the roof!

DIY - Du It Yourself

Don't know how it is at your house, but here's how things happen around our place: I break things, and Jan repairs them. Jan got the "Buddy" gene from her dad. Whatever was wrong, be it mechanical, electrical, plumbing, automotive - ANYTHING - Buddy could fix it. Jan has that gene, and I do not.

Last week I broke the washing machine. It all started when I decided to do some washing while Jan was at work. I was happily practicing away when the washing machine became unbalanced and started making loud knocking noises. I quickly assessed the situation and decided that the quickest solution would be for me to sit on the washing machine to make sure it didn't jump off the tile pad in the laundry room. Just in case you're wondering, this is not a good idea and will get you in lots of trouble. Now before you rush to judgment, consider my response: Let's buy a new one! Not Jan. She took a look at the washer and decided that the problem was that the lid switch had broken. So after a couple of trips to the appliance parts store, the washing machine is as good as new. Did I mention that I love this woman?

And The Winner Is...

Chopin!

Courtney McGukin and I mastered the Timeless II CD yesterday, and if you don't mind my saying so, it sounds wonderful!

Here's the lineup:

Chopin is the big dog on this CD, with 5 songs.
Tied for 2nd place are Rachmaninoff and Bach, with 2 each.
In last place, we find Beethoven and Saint-Saens, each with one song.

I can't pick a favorite among the 11 arrangements. I love them all, and hope that you will, too.

The CD is just over an hour long, at 60 minutes and 57 seconds.

We hope that the love of Christ will shine on you this Christmas.
If you don't know Jesus, I pray that you will come to know him during the coming year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Catch Up

Hey guys, a lot has been going on lately - so much, in fact, that I haven't had time to update this page!

Greg Maroney and I performed together on November 12th, a benefit for the York College School of Nursing's Managed Care Program. Jan and I had a great time on that trip, and were happy to have some time with Greg and Linda Maroney.

Another highlight of this trip was a buggy ride and a tour of an Amish farm outside of Lancaster. As usual, I asked the Amish driver too many questions, and Jan kept punching me in the ribs...

On November 18th, Joseph Akins and I performed together in Jackson, Mississippi, in a benefit for the Millsaps College Music Program. This concert was underwritten by Lester and Ellen Hailey of Beemon Drugs. So if you live in Jackson, please buy your meds from Beemon Drugs, at 1220 E. Northside Drive.

Joseph spent the night at our house Wednesday night, then we drove to Jackson on Thursday for the concert. Around 4 PM, while we were at the hall trying out the pianos, Joseph got a call informing him that his father-in-law had just died in Chattanooga. Joseph was a real trooper, and decided to go on with the performance, and he played great! My playing was also some of my best, and our dueling Steinways improv at the end of the program really smoked!

Please pray for Joseph, his mom, and their family during this difficult time.

Jan and I are celebrated Thanksgiving at the beach this year. We walked 4 miles on the beach every day that we were there. I know this thanks to the Nike GPS app on my iPhone.

The weather was absolutely perfect. We saw dolphins playing and pelicans diving for food, had great meals and a lot of relaxation.

This week I finish THE LAST SONG for the new Timeless II CD. Then it will be off to the duplicator. I can't wait for you to hear it.

Hope you and yours had a great Thanksgiving. Even with whatever bad is happening in our lives, we have a lot to be thankful for.

Take care...

On the Road

Jan and I are leaving in the morning for Pennsylvania. We are driving, because we want to take Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway on the way back. Great views, 5 days alone with my beautiful wife, a concert, and the chance to visit with our friends Greg and Linda Maroney! Who could ask for anything more?

Real Life

Fall is in full swing here in the deep South. We have a lot of hardwoods in our neighborhood, and the leaves are falling in massive quantities. Most of my neighbors obsessively try to remove all traces of autumn from their lawns, driveways and decks. I, however, am a little less diligent, to their dismay, I'm sure.

I'll miss my German lessons for the next few weeks. Next week Jan and I will be in Pennsylvania for the York benefit concert. The week after that I will be playing in Jackson, MS. The week after THAT Jan and I will be celebrating Thanksgiving at the beach. That's the story of my German studies; two steps forward, one step back. Or in my case, probably one step forward and two steps back!

Did you know that I play the cello? Not really, but as a keyboard player, I can play ANYTHING! I finished one of the last songs for the Timeless II album yesterday - an arrangement of "The Swan" by Saint-Saens. I added a solo cello to the piano part, and it sounds like the real thing. I'm thinking about creating an imaginary cellist and giving him credit on the CD for this solo. Maybe I'll name him "Alexei Volkov" or perhaps a good ol' southern name like Billy Joe McCabe. Then I'll sit back and see if anyone calls me on it.

I practiced the piano a lot today. I'm adding a few new tunes for the upcoming concerts, and relearning some of the songs from "Christmas at Our House" for the December concert in Nashville. Today is Thursday; most Thursdays I practice 4 or 5 hours at home before going into the studio around 2 PM.

Jan and I bought a new Vita-Mix blender last week, and I love it so much that I have almost stopped eating solid food! I am now living on smoothies. We were at Costco, and there was a guy there demonstrating the Vita-Mix. I was like a pesky kid who wouldn't go away. I kept asking him to make a coffee drink, then soup, then a sorbet, and before you know it I had eaten a full meal's worth of samples. Today's smoothie was red grapes, a few almonds, strawberries, blueberries, a whole apple (minus two slices for Riley) and an orange, with a little vanilla yoghurt and some orange juice. Oh, and a few baby carrots. Pretty soon I will be so healthy that I'll be absolutely unbearable!