For most musicians, playing comes down to a simple choice. If you’re motivated; you play. For Linford Detweiler, that was hardly the case. Detweiler and his wife Karin Bergquist – along with a revolving cast of backup musicians – have recorded as Over the Rhine for over 20 years. Their newest effort, The Long Goodbyeis […]
After seven decades, Mavis Staples has a career high
Mavis Staples grew up — alongside her father, brother and sister — traveling the Gospel Highway. Collectively known at the Staple Singers, the family was one of the most popular groups to ever come out of the church. Her career began almost inadvertently, in 1950, after Roebuck ‘Pops’ Staples became frustrated with his own group, […]
Rock ‘n roll can still be liberating
A few years ago, while on tour in Europe, I had the opportunity to visit a number of renowned cathedrals. Many took centuries to build, with generations of artisans spending their entire lives crafting every nook and cranny. Repeatedly, I was struck with conflicting feelings; these magnificent structures were awe-inspiring; dedicated to the glory of […]
Hurt – and healed – by love: Korn’s Fieldy on sobriety, faith, and more
Ex-Korn member on being saved – from himself
In early 2005, Korn guitarist Brian ‘Head’ Welch’s conversion to Christianity was treated as a significant, newsworthy event. More than 13,000 people showed up when he shared his testimony at a church in Bakersfield, California. The next day, an MTV camera crew followed him to Israel, where he was baptized in the Jordan River. Subsequently, […]
Michelle Shocked ‘went for the singing, and stayed for the song’
A recently posted video on YouTube features Michelle Shocked giving a riveting performance of the gospel standard ‘Yes, God Is Real.’ The clip, according to one viewer, is “as convincing an argument that God is real as you are ever likely to find on the face of the earth.” During the video’s brief introduction, her […]