The Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, MI October 22, 1995
Rich Mullins finally got around to recording a couple of songs from his Michigan days right here in Kentwood.
The contemporary Christian artist has just released his eighth album, "Brother's Keeper." And on it are two selections familiar to some locals who knew the artist before his recording career - more than 10 years ago when he was minister of music at Kentwood Christian Church.
"'Promenade' is an older song I used to do up in Kentwood," said Mullins from a concert stop in Colorado Springs, Colo. "And 'Damascus Road' I wrote shortly before I came up there," he recalled. "That was on the demo I did when I was there." Mullins, who turned 40 on Saturday, had few fans back in 1983 when he began a six-month stint in Kentwood as,a music minister. He had already written a hit song for Amy Grant ("Sing Your Praise To The Lord" from her Grammy-winning "Age To Age" album), and had placed a handful of songs with other artists.
But it was in Kentwood where Mullins focused his sights to launch his solo career, which began with a 1986 debut album. "I've been back to visit a couple times," he noted. "But I have trouble keeping up with anybody -- even myself." The poet-philosopher in the Indiana native has always colored his music. While best known for by his praise anthem "Awesome God" (it was twice nominated for Gospel Music Association "Song of the Year"), many of his musical forays have probed things. ponderous.
Me For example "Hatching of a Heart," a song on the new album, takes its title from a phrase by artist monk-writer Thomas Merton. "That's part of the being 'born again' thing," he said. "But I think in a relationship with Christ you're frequently born again. Every day you wake up - and your past is gone - you start all over."
"Much of the Christian life is Christian about becoming the person God made you to be... kind of 'We are what we will become.'"
Mullins has always kept his distance from the mainstream of the Christian music industry. For the last few years, he's lived in Wichita, Kan., while he completed efforts. work on a music education degree. Earlier this year he moved for to a Navaho reservation in New Mexico, where next year he will to begin teaching music to Native Americans.
"When you're my age, you're more able to make those commitments," said Mullins. "I figure this whole music career thing was just a kind of opportunity to grow up." Does that mean music will a back seat in his future? "It's kind of been in the back seat," he observed.
The new album and the tour are outgrowths of the players he assembled for his previous release, "A Liturgy, A Legacy, and a Ragamuffin Band." In addition to his longtime friend Beaker, he surrounded himself with veteran artists like guitarist-songwriters Jimmy Abegg and Rick Elias, keyboardist-producer Phil Madeira and percussionist Aaron Smith. The group goes by the name Ragamuffin Band (although Madiera is not along for the current stretch). The resulting line-up has helped plunge the tour into larger venues than Mullins has ever played.
"It kind of surprised me. I'm not sure there would be that many people interested in what I'm doing," he said. "But there's more variety now, and there is a set where I just play piano and take requests." Mullins plays a number of instruments, many of them stringed. Hammered dulcimer, guitar and mandolin are among them. Recently, he's been studying the viola.
"There are a lot of instruments out there, and I'm really bad on several of them. So I thought I'd get bad on that (one too,)" he mused. For three consecutive years he's had Christian radio No. 1 songs nominated for Song of the Year "Sometimes By Step," "Hold Me Jesus," and "Creed." The latter is an uptempo rendering of the historic Christian Apostles' Creed. His first single ("Let Mercy Lead") from the new album did well on the charts.
Now the project's title song is getting airplay. It begins with the intriguing lyric "Now the plumber's got a drip in his spicket," and goes on to urge 'standing with' rather than judging one's imperfect friends. There's one guy from his Kentwood days that Mullins has kept track of... drummer Kyle Stevens toured for a while with Mullins as part of the band Avenue G.
"Kyle is living in Wichita. He got married," reported Mullins, who said Stevens still plays drums at his Kansas church. Mullins is now halfway through his "Brother's Keeper" tour. "Which is why I sound the way I do," he chuckled of the hoarseness in his early morning voice. "I'm glad I have tonight off."
