(Photo by Ben Pearson.)

January 1993

• Rejoice! Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
  Mulling Over Life with Rich Mullins
  
  

  January 9, 1993

• A Musical Memorial and Benefit Concert for Mark Heard was held at Belmont University at 7:00 p.m. in Nashville, Tennessee. Numerous CCM artists, including Ashley Cleveland, Bob Bennett, Rick Elias, Phil Keaggy, Phil Madeira, Charlie Peacock and Randy Stonehill attended the event, which helped raise money for Mark Heard's widowed wife and children. While Rich did not attend the event, he was the first artist to record a cover of one of Mark's songs. The song, entitled "How to Grow Up Big And Strong" would appear on the Strong Hand of Love tribute album as well as Rich's own A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band project the following year to raise additional money for Mark's family through royalties.
  Mark Hollingsworth: "The concert was a rousing success as an artistic endeavor, the auditorium was packed, and we saw over $10,000 raised for Mark's widow and daughter. But we knew that another revenue stream that could not only help their financial straits, but also expand Heard’s heritage would be for artists to commit to covering Mark's wonderful songs. Rich was the first to pop up that night and promise to do just that. His next album featured a powerful rendition of Mark's 'How to Grow Up Big And Strong' and thousands more publishing dollars went to the foundation to assist the Heard family as a result."
  
  

  January 18, 1993

• "Growing Young" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 11 weeks on the chart and peak at #5.
  
  

  February 1993

• Rich Mullins attended a songwriter's conference at the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) in Virginia Beach, VA.
  
  

  February 13, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at in Holland for a television program called Gospel Holland.
  
  

  February 18-21, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs at the Founders Inn Conference Center in Virginia Beach, VA for CBN Conferences. The event included speakers such as John Styll, Don Cason, Claire Cloninger, John Chisum, Dick and Mel Tunney, Neal Joseph and others. Other musical performers included Steve Camp, Babbie Mason, Brown Bannister and Paul Overstreet.
  
  
  

  (Photo by Ben Pearson.)

  Early 1993

• A Reunion Records representative talks with Sandi Brown of WCBW 104.9 in St. Louis, Mo. about Rich's future plans.
  Read Transcript
  
  
• Rich Mullins is presented with a new Hammered Dulcimer from his record company Reunion Records.
  Renion Rep: "He was just shocked. His had gotten damaged on the road. And I mean, you don't just go out and buy a hammered dulcimer. So there was a guy, I think it was in North Carolina, that hand-makes those. And so we presented him with one. And it had an extra octave and we didn't even know. He's like, 'Wow, this has an extra octave!' And we're like, 'We knew that all along.'"
  
  

  Winter 1993

• Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
  "Boats and Burning Bushes"
  
  
  

  (The Ragamuffin Band in the studio. Photo by Michael Wilson.)

  Early 1993

• Rich reportedly records demos of what would later become his next album (A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band).
  
  

  March 17, 1993

• Brennan Manning gives a spiritual talk about Jesus at the Central Christian Church chapel in Wichita, KA at 7:30 p.m. Rich Mullins may have attended this talk.
  
  

  March 1993

• Rich Mullins forms the Ragamuffin Band, consisting of himself, Rick Elias, Jimmy Abegg, Billy Crockett, Reed Arvin, Steve Latanation, Chris McHugh, Danny O'Lannerty, Lee Lundgren, Eric Darkin and Phil Keaggy. They entered Gaither Studios in Alexandria, IN for a recording retreat. Rich intentionally had musicians playing instruments that they were not already familiar with.
  Rich: "People with enough musical identity that they make lousy studio musicians because they kind of are who they are, and that comes through what they play. That was fun. Jimmy (Abegg) had never played mandolin. It was a blast; watching him work out a part, then try to play it. When you learn to play an instrument, you learn the roads, how to get around musical problems. And when you don't play an instrument, you don't know how to get problems, so you approach it differently. The same thing with Beaker, he doesn't really know anything about playing any of these instruments. He just picks it up and hammers it out, I kinda like that better. I'm the original anti-virtuoso guy. I think music is not a good place for virtuosity."
  
  Beaker: "The idea of Rich's newest project (A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band) was to gather a bunch of friends together, lock them in a studio and create an album about life, and God and worship. He wanted to come up with a recording that was a collaboration of the talents, the musical and personal quirks, the insights, and the feelings of the whole group; this group became the Ragamuffin Band. The idea grew into reality somewhere near Anderson, Indiana, sometime around March 1993. People from Kansas, people from Texas and people from Tennessee spent a couple of weeks putting together an album that represents fairly well who Rich Mullins really is." (Source: "Rags to Riches" Release Magazine, Fall 1993.)
  
  Reed Arvin: "Rich and I worked out the 'band.' Rich always wanted to use people in his live band, and I tended in the opposite direction. So, we sort of compromised. I think the blend worked out. I pushed hard for Billy Crockett, who is an astonishing acoustic guitar player, and Chris McHugh on drums. I felt like with Chris laying the foundation, we could fix things later if necessary. But not much got replaced. Everybody pulled his weight. And there was no doubt that Rich was happy having his pals around."
  
  Reed Arvin: "I don't believe I ever actually recorded Rich with the (hammered dulcimer) properly in tune. On one occasion, I paid a tuner to come in and get it perfect. I was elated - the record company had given Rich a new dulcimer in recognition of sales or something, and it was a good one. I went to lunch, satisfied that all was well. When I got back, Rich was hunched over the dulcimer, 'retuning' it. I was mildly peeved, but what can you do? The artist is the artist."
  
  
• At some point around this time, Ragamuffin Bassist Danny O'Lannerty and his wife invites Rich to their home for dinner. Rich arrives with a basketfull of dirty laundry.
  Danny O'Lannerty "You invite somebody for dinner, typically, they don’t bring their laundry with them. You know what I'm saying?" (Source: Danny O'Lannerty, A Ragmuffin's Legacy Video)
  
  
  

  (The Ragamuffin Band in the studio. Photo by Michael Wilson.)

  Spring 1993

• Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
  "The Way We Were"
  
  
  

  (The Ragamuffin Band in the studio. Photo by Michael Wilson.)

  March 29-April 1, 1993

• Rich Mullins participates in GMA Week in Nashville, TN..
  
  

  March 30(?), 1993

• While in Nashville for GMA week, Rich gives an interview to Sandi Brown of WCBW 104.9 in St. Louis, Mo.
  Read Transcript
  
  

  April 1993

• Rich's "Sometimes By Step" is nominated for two Dove Awards (Song of the Year & Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year)
  
  

  April 3, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs U2's "Van Diemen's Land" and his own song "Hard" with a group called Kenaniah at Whittier Fine Arts building (Now known as The Riney Fine Arts Building) in the Alexander Auditorium at Friends University in Wichita, KS.
  Kevin Brocksieck "The 5 guys in Kenaniah (a Wichita based a capella group) went to school with Rich. He'd heard us sing 'Van Dieman's land' and was a big U2 fan. We asked him to come do that and 'Hard' (we called it 'Midwestern Boy')."
  
  

  Late April 1993

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at Edman Chapel at Wheaton College in Chicago, IL.
  
  

  May 1, 1993

• Steve Stockman and friends visit with Rich Mullins and three college students who were staying with him in his trailer in Window Rock, NM.
  "Steve Stockman September 18, 2012: Rich Mullins, 78 Eaton Wood Green & Us"
  
  
• Rich Mullins performs in Galup, NM with a Navajo High School Choir backing him. Songs performed include "Awesome God," and possibly the earliest known performance of the unreleased "Charlie."
  Steve Stockman: "I turned to Rich at some stage to give him my short and to the point review of the choir. He agreed with my conclusions but went on to inform me that he was going sing 'Awesome God' with them and they hadn't rehearsed and it was going to be with a backing track. And so he did. Now why? Why would a man of this stature risk a ropey performance? It seems that it was more important for Rich to give these school kids the thrill of their lives and the sense of dignity of singing with him than it was for him to sound good. It was the first becoming last that the last might somehow be first. It is an act of sacrifice that still slaps the face of my selfishness." (Source: "Rich Mullins, 78 Eaton Wood Green & Us")
  
  

  May 3, 1993

• "Everyman" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 12 weeks on the chart and peak at #11.
  
  
• Steve Stockman and friends visit with Rich at a Mexican restaurant and eventually back at his trailer where the group watched the film Brother Sun, Sister Moon.
  
  

  May 7, 1993

• Steve Stockman and friends visit with Rich Mullins again in Wichita three days after spending time with him in New Mexico. They arrive in Wichita after Midnight, and Rich and Beaker leave early the next morning to head to Eden Prairie, MN to perform at Wooddale Church. (Steve later mistakenly writes that Rich performed with Margaret Becker on this date.) During this visit, Steve Stockman hears early rough mixes of Rich's next album, A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band, largely without strings which would be added later.
  
  
• Rich Mullins performs at Wooddale Church in Eden Prairie, MN at 8:00 p.m.
  
  

  May 8, 1993

• Steve Stockman and friends drive Rich to Greenville, IL to perform at the Agape Festival.
  Steve Stockman: "So across Kansas towards Ohio for Rich and Indiana for us. Rich drove the first part of the journey and had I had a note book or a dictaphone I'd have stocked up on many wise and insightful Mullins' thoughts on America, Religion, Madonna and G.K. Chesterton. Indeed I am annoyed today at how little I noted about our conversations in my journal. I drove the last five hours of our trip and Rich and Bear slept before we parted company in Greenville." (Source: "Rich Mullins, 78 Eaton Wood Green & Us")
  
  
  
• Rich Mullins and Billy Crockett perform at Bond County Fairgrounds in Greenville, IL for Agape '93. Other performers include Billy Crockett, Degarmo and Key, Petra and others.
  
  

  May 15, 1993

• Margaret Becker debuts her new album at the Sam Houston Coliseum in Houston, TX at 7:30 p.m., with special guest Rich Mullins as the opening act.
  
  
  
• Following the concert, Margaret Becker and Rich sign autographs during a release party for her album Soul at Theophilus Book Store in Bellaire, Texas. Also pictured, in back row, from left, are Jan Eric, manager, Creative Management Group; Paul Emery, manager, Creative Management Group; Scott McKinley, road sales representative, Sparrow Distribution; Paul Dunne, marketing /public relations, Theophilus Bible Store; John and Mary Foust, owners, Theophilus Bible Store; Charlie Ferguson, field sales representative, Sparrow Distribution; and Bill Hearn, president, Sparrow Communications Group.
  
  

  Summer 1993

• Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
  "The Flight of the Philistine"
  
  

  June 1-June 18, 1993

• Rich Mullins, Billy Crockett, Jared Brown, Beaker and the Ragamuffin Band resume working on A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band at in Nashville, TN and Pinebrook Recording Studio in Alexandra, IN.
  
  

  June 1993

• Rich Mullins records the song "I Believe" with Hokus Pick in Nashville, TN.
  Russ Smith: "We met Rich years ago at a Word Records dinner in Vancouver, BC. Our record company rep told us to 'dress nicely' for the event, so we awkwardly wore collared shirts and ties with jackets we probably borrowed. And even though we were disappointed that we weren’t going to be performing at this dinner, we were excited to meet the guest of honour Rich Mullins. When we introduced ourselves to Rich and told him weren't invited to play that evening, he said 'You know why they didn't ask you to perform, right? It's because you're wearing suits!.' We also asked Rich for career advice, to which he responded 'Don’t get married, don’t get into debt, and get out of this industry as fast as you can.'"
  
  We bumped into Rich through the years, and when we were recording our Brothers From Different Mothers album in Nashville in 1993, we contacted Rich through his management and asked if he would sing and play on a song. Rich said he would drop by sometime during the recording session, likely on his way between Nashville and Kansas (I think Rich was living in Kansas at the time, and he didn’t seem to be a huge fan of Nashville). So we weren't quite sure when he would show up, but one day a beat up pickup truck parked in front of the house we were recording at and out stepped Rich Mullins. For the song I Believe, Rich nailed the vocal quickly and made it sound like his own. It was hilarious to watch Rich play lap dulcimer and hammered dulcimer, because sometimes he seemed clumsy and would fall off his chair yet then he would play those instruments with such ease and dexterity. And this guy who sang such poetic lines in songs like 'Maker of Noses' sure used a lot of colourful expletives when he messed up playing. Rich was a unique guy, and it was an honour to have him sing and play on one of our songs. I wish we’d had more time with him."
  
  
  

  (Photo by Ben Pearson.)

  June ? 1993

• Rich Mullins performs in Chattanooga, TN.
  
  

  June 17, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Billy Crockett perform at Christ Church Nashville in Nashville, TN.
  
  

  June 18, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Billy Crockett perform at Van Meter Auditorium at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

  June 21, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, KY as part of "Summer in the Son," a camp for junior high and high school students held on the campus of Kentucky Christian College.
  
  

  June ?, 1993

• David "Beaker" Strasser is engaged to Julie VanMeter.
  
  
• Since he and Rich had been roommates since 1990, Rich now needed a new place to live. He moves into James and Megan Smith's attic appartment in Wichita, KS. He would live there until he finishes school in 1995.
  James Brian Smith: "We were sitting up there in the study and I could tell he was uncomfortable, like he wanted to talk about something. He finally goes, 'I just have a question. Do you know that garage - that sort of 'shack' in your back yard? I was wondering if maybe I could live there?' It was actually not even ours, it was the neighbor's - they had a garage that was falling over. It was literally being held up by wires. And it was terrible. And I look out the window and I said, 'that?!' and he says, 'yeah.' I said, 'Rich, no one could live in that. It's a falling down garage and it's not even ours. But I said, 'you know what. We have an attic appartment.'"
  
  

  June 22- 25, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs during VBS Teen Week at Kilmarnock United Methodist Church in Kilmarnock, VA.
  
  

  Summer 1993

• Rich Mullins forms the touring version of the Ragamuffin Band. All but two of the artists that participated in the March recording sessions were unable to go on the road, so Rich asked Rick Elias to find a bassist and Jimmy Abegg to find a drummer. Rick asked Mark Robertson and Jimmy Abegg asks Aaron Smith.
  
  

  June 26, 1993

  
  
• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Rick Elias, Jimmy Abegg, Billy Crockett and Avenue G perform at Summerfest '93 at the West Bank Stage in Wichita, KS. This show was the World Premier of A Liturgy, A Legacy, and A Ragamuffin Band. The concert began at 2:00 p.m. and continued until 10:00 p.m. Rich himself began playing at 7:00 p.m. Tickets were originally $20.00 but at the time of the concert, admission was free.
  
  

  July 1-2, 1993

• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band performs two shows in Bushnell, IL as part of the Cornerstone Music Festival. One show on the main stage, and one show in the Gallery Tent.
  Set List: I Will Sing/Hope To Carry On/My One Thing/Calling Out Your Name/Sometimes By Step/52:10/The Color Green/Creed/Alrightokuhuhamen/A Place To Stand/Boy Like Me, Man Like You
  
  

  July 2-9, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs at the North American Christian Convention at the Holiday Inn Convention Center in St. Louis, MO.
  
  

  July 15-18, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Beaker gave a three day Bible study and performed a concert at the Adak Naval Air Base theater at Adak Station, Alaska on July 17, 1993.
  Aaron Strickland: "I had the privilege of spending about four days with Rich at Naval Air Station Adak, Alaska, 1992. You read that right, Adak. The Chapel sponsored him. His ministry insisted that he and Beaker be there for a three day Bible study (yes, it was incredibly deep and well versed in Scripture) as well as the concert he performed at the base theater in July 1993. I found out that his sending church paid him a pastor's wage, and the rest of his income went to its ministry, including Rich's beloved Native American missions... I had the thrill of interviewing him for an hour on the base radio station as well as dine with him several times.
  
  Rich arrived on the daily commercial plane from Anchorage, Alaska.... 1000 miles from next nearest port (no ferry). Too windy and too far for a helicopter. At the time, he had been wearing his hair to his shoulders, But, just before his trip to Adak Station he cut it Navy reg length because he wanted to fit in with the Sailors! (He said he was trying to emulate Paul's instruction to not lead others astray). For the concert, he asked for a grand piano, a couple of mikes/amps, and room for a lap dulcimer, and a handful of guitars. When he had finished playing his planned set of songs from his current album, he and Beaker played 8 or 10 requests from the audience. .(His piano-only rendition of Awesome God still gives me chills!) I'm still astonished by his humbleness, his talent and his TESTIMONY. One of the biggest names in the industry and he had the most Christ like air that I have ever seen, by a long shot. Oh, the happy memories!!! I hurt deeply when he died, wasn't a bit surprised he didn't wear a seat belt (in a good way!!!) and was so excited that he got to be with his Saviour at a young age. Oh to have heard the Lord shout out 'Well done, Good and Faithful Servant!' when he arrived to meet his Saviour. I can't wait to worship again with him! .... I'm sure Mitch was shocked and heartbroken but I hope he celebrated Rich's promotion!" (Source: Hello Old Friends Facebook Page, September 10, 2022)
  
  

  July 24, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs at the Jesus Northwest Music Festival, Clark County Fairgrounds, Vancouver, WA at 10:45 a.m. Singer Kim Hill performs at 1PM and 4Him, Mylon LeFevre & Friends and Steven Curtis Chapman perform at 6PM.
  
  

  July 29, 1993

• Rich Mullins and a Ragamuffin Band, with Billy Crockett perfoms at the Solid Rock Worship Center in Corpus Christi, TX at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

  July 31, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at the Arlington Christian Center in Arlington, TX. This show included rare live performances of the songs "The Maker of Noses," "The Just Shall Live." and an early performance of "Hold Me Jesus."
  
  

  August 2, 1993

• "The Maker of Noses" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 9 weeks on the chart and peak at #21.
  
  

  August 6, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs at the Christian Artists Music Seminar at Estes Park, Colorado at 7:00 p.m. Other performers included Kathy Troccoli, Marty Nystrom, Ron David Moore and Mark Lowry.
  
  

  August 7, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs the Pulpit Rock Church in Colorado Springs, CO at 7:00 p.m.
  
  

  August 8, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs the Cherry Hills Community Church in Denver, CO at 7:00 p.m.
  
  

  August 10, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Choice Lifestyle perform in Denver, CO as part of World Youth Day. Musical performances went from 2:40-5:50 p.m. and also included The Goads, Renee Boni and Degarmo and Key. This was the first World Youth Day held in the United States.
  
  

  August 12, 1993

  Rich Mullins and Beaker perform the song "Creed" in Denver, Colorado at 2:50 p.m. as part of World Youth Day. This was the first World Youth Day held in the United States. Pope John Paul II spoke in front of 500,000 people at the event.
  
  
• It was at this time that Rich first met Fr. Matt McGinness, the Youth Director for the diocese of Wichita. According to Fr. McGinness, for the next two years, Rich would call or stop by his office any time of the day or call him at night and they would meet for two or three or four hours and talk and argue and laugh and pray. For the first year or so, Fr. McGinness did not realize that Rich was world famous until he heard Amy Grant sing the song "Sing Your Praise to the Lord," and he said to Rich "Gee, I really like that song," to which Rich replied "Well, thanks." Fr. McGuinness responded "What do you mean thanks?" and Rich replied, "Well, I wrote that song."
  
  

  August 13, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Billy Crockett perform at the First Assembly of God Church in Fort Wayne, IN at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

  August 14, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Billy Crockett perform at the Coors Peacock Pavilion at the Cincinnati Zoo in Cincinnati, OH at 7:00 p.m.
  
  

  August 20-21, 1993

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at the Hills Alive '93 Ninth Annual Christian Music Festival in Spearfish, SD. Other performers included Billy Sprague, Kathy Troccoli, and the Imperials .
  
  

  August 21, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs at Spearfish City Park for Hills Alive '93 in Spearfish, SD. Other performers included Billy Sprague and Kathy Troccoli..
  
  

  August 1993

• David "Beaker" Strasser marries Julie VanMeter in Wichita, KS.
  
  

  September 1993

• CCM Magazine's Roberta Croteau interviews Rich Mullins for an upcoming "ReleaseExtra" edition of Release Magazine.
  "Sometimes By Step"
  
  

  September 1993

  
  

  (Photo by Ben Pearson.)

• Rich meets Ben Pearson for the first time as He and Beaker are photographed by Ben in Wichita and in a sunflower field near Wichita. Rich and Ben would go on to become great friends. Ben would also take most of Rich's professional photograps in the coming years.
  Ben Pearson: "I had never heard of Rich, except I knew my friend Jimmy (Abegg) was thinking about going on tour with him. That's all. He'd had a string of catastrophes with record companies and was not real happy with what happened. So they'd put clouds over his face and stuff like that. (They said) 'We've tried everything. Just go and be yourself and do what you do, whatever that is. We're not going to send makeup, we're not going to send hair, we're not going to send wardrobe. Just make sure he's got a shirt on and that it's at least kinda presentable, doesn't have any tears in it.' I picked up that he wasn't one that liked chitchat, which I don't really do well. Small talk is very difficult for me because it always falls short, and then I don't know what to do. I'm not good at keeping the channel open. "
  
  
• Rich Mullins begins his Junior Year at Friends University.
  
  

  September 11, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs at Southwest Missouri State University for Fallfest '93 at Parkcrest Assembly in Springfield, MO at 7:00 p.m.
  
  

  September 25, 1993

• Cash Box Magazine publishes a short Artist Spotlight on Rich Mullins.
  "Artist Spotlight"
  
  

  Fall 1993

  
  
  
  
  
• Rich Mullins Appears on the cover of Release Magazine. The issue also includes articles by Rich Mullins and Beaker.
  "Attics and Temples"
  "Rags To Riches" by Beaker
  
  
• Award winning Actor Tom Hanks begins to work on early script ideas for a film about a fictional 1960s rock band. That film would eventually become That Thing You Do! and feature music (and a few on screen cameos) from Ragamuffin Rick Elias.
  Tom Hanks: "I was always fascinated by Jan and Dean when I was growing up in high school. The concept of a band that stays together long enough to make it through their first tour and breaks up, I thought it was just so real."
  Tom Hanks: "I started writing it in earnest when I was in South Carolina doing Forrest Gump. I wrote an 11-page treatment that I blew right through. When I was done with Forrest Gump, all I was doing was promoting Philadelphia, surviving the trophy run season, and for the next six months promoting Forrest Gump. I wanted to be carrying something in my head completely void of anything about the Oscar race or box office, and so, while I was flying around the world doing all that press, I began working."
  Deva Anderson (Music Coordinator): "I think it was Gary (Gary Goetzman, Producer) who had known Scott Rogness and Rick Elias, and that's where those [other] songs started to come in. ​​We were finding songs, creating songs and starting from scratch and creating this world, basically. And learning from Gary, who's just a master at it."
  
  
  

  (Photo by Ben Pearson.)

  Fall 1993

• Music and More : Compassion International airs on radio stations featuring an interview with Rich Mullins conducted by Jon Rivers.
  Music And More
  
  

  October 2, 1993

• Rich Mullins performs during a Youth Crisis Awareness Week in Wichita, KS ss part of "Locker to Locker II talks and music."
  
  
• Cash Box Magazine reviews Rich's A Liturgy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band.
  Album Reviews
  
  

  October 3, 1993

• Rich Mullins spoke for Youth Crisis Awareness Week at Family Night at the Kansas Coliseum along with Jacob Aranza, Vernessa Mitchell and Bill Sanders.
  
  

  October 1993

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at Friends University in Wichita, KS.
  
  

  October 11, 1993

• "Hold Me Jesus" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 15 weeks on the chart and peak at #1 on November 29.
  
  

  October 26, 1993

  
  
  
  
  
• Rich Mullins seventh album, A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band is released on Reunion Records.
  The album includes two early Rich Mullins songs - "Here In America" (written by Rich back in 1976) and "You Gotta Get Up" (written in 1979), and a cover of Mark Heard's "How To Grow Up Big and Strong" - which would also later appear on the Mark Heard tribute album Strong Hand of Love. A Liturgy, A Legacy & A Ragamuffin Band received spot number three in the 2001 book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music .
  Album Reviews
  
  Rich, on the song "Hard": "That was kind of my 'voter-anger' song. It didn't come out very angry on the tape, but it's a little more tongue-in-cheek look at the same thing. Just acknowledging - see, I think there's a big problem in the church. I think that everyone thinks that if you have struggles in your life, it's because you're not really filled with the Holy Spirit, or you're not really reading your Bible daily, or you're doing something wrong. I think life, by nature, is a struggle.
  
  "78 Eatonwood Green" : The instrumental was named after one of the places they stayed in during their first trip to Ireland (see TimeLine 1992 for more information). An alternate song title listed in the publisher's records is "Psalm 150."
  
  "Peace" was subtitled "A Communion blessing from St. Joseph's Square" because Rich, Beaker and many of their close friends including Kathy Sprinkle, Cheryl Hurley, and Doris Howard - lived not only so close to each other, but also to St. Joseph's Hosital. Rich had nicknamed the community 'St Joseph's Square.'
  
  
• The photo that appears on the cover was actually taken in 1979 or 1980 by friend and photographer Michael Wilson. While there were many photos taken at this time, the "headless" image was chosen for the cover.
  Michael Wilson: "It was taken on the roof of my parent's house in Norwood, Ohio. I was still in school studying photography at Northern Kentucky University at the time and I don't remember if I asked Rich if I could photograph him or if he asked me. It was definitely a time in my life when I was looking for any opportunity I could find to make pictures of folks. I seem to remember Rich telling me that the jacket he wore was an English fireman's coat. My memory is very poor these days, but I think I remember him telling me he liked it because he had seen a picture of John Lennon wearing such a coat."
  
  "The Color Green": An alternate title for the song listed in the publisher's records is "Gloria in Excelsis."
  
  "Creed": This track became Rich's 7th's #1 single.
  
  "Hold Me Jesus": This track became Rich's 8th #1 single.
  
  

  November 1993

  
  
• Rich Mullins films part of his music video for his new song "Creed" in the Flint Hills of Kansas. He also filmed his music video "Hold Me Jesus" inside his attic apartment at the home of James and Megan Smith in Wichita, KS.
  
  

  November 20, 1993

• Cash Box Magazine mentions that Rich Mullins is headed to Ireland with Steve Taylor and Ben Pearson to film videos for his newest album.
  
  

  Late November 1993

  
  
  
• Rich Mullins, Beaker, Julie, Steve Taylor, Ben Pearson and Terry Hemmings Travel to Ireland to film music videos "The Color Green" and "Here in America." Rich arrived in Ireland a day late because he forgot his passport. He didn’t pack enough warm clothes, so Steve Taylor loaned him a long, black coat, and Rich wore that coat for the filming of the music video "The Color Green."
  
  

  November 21, 1993

• While in Ireland, Terry Hemmings recieves a message from his wife that his paternal Grandmother, Macel Olive (Tucker) Hemmings had died.
  Terry Hemmings (Reunion): "In 1993 Rich and I were in Ireland working on a video. We had a very, very long day shooting and went to a pub for a late dinner that night. At the pub there was a local Irish family band playing old, old, Irish instruments, with names you can't pronounce, so Rich and Beaker decided that they wanted to join in. They went out to the car, got their instruments, came back in, and started playing - just figuring it out as they went. It was the most incredible two hours of music I've ever experienced, just because of what it was - it was raw, it was spontaneous. We were kind of on a high, and by the time we got back to the hotel it was two in the morning. It was really late, but Rich knocked on my door - he was still going. That night had been one of the most incredible experiences for him, just to play with those people.
  As we were talking the phone rang and it was my wife. She told me that my grandmother had died and that I needed to come home. I hung up the phone and Rich could tell that something was wrong. And I looked at him and said, 'My grandmother just died.' And he said, 'Good for her' and he got up and left.
  We were really fortunate to have Rich. He had a different perspective on everything - life, pain, sorrow, joy, trauma, sin.... You name the topic and he had a perspective that we'd never heard before. And that we'll never hear again."
  
  

  November 29, 1993

• "Hold Me Jesus" hits #1 on the AC Charts. After its debut on October 11, it would spend 15 weeks on the AC Chart.
  
  
  

  (Photo by Ben Pearson.)

  November 1993

• CCM Magazine reviews Rich's A Liturgy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band.
  Album Reviews
  
  
  

  (Photo by Ben Pearson.)

  December 1993

• CCM Magazine includes an article about Rich Mullins.
  "A Ragamuffin's OZ"
  
  

  December 1993

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at a weekend conference at Christ Memorial Church in Holland, MI. The conference was entitled "What we want, what we need, and what we settle for."
  
  

  December 1993

• Reunion Records and Compassion International hold the "Leave a Legacy" contest to win a trip with Rich Mullins to visit the work of Compassion in a developing country like Central or South America or the Caribbean. Ten semi-finalists win a complete Rich Mullins library.
  Entrants were to write the answer to the question, "How can I leave a legacy to the poor?"
  (See February 19, 1994 for winners name) (Source: CCM Magazine December 1993)
  
  

  December 1993

• Rich Mullins takes part in a phone interview with the Abilene Reporter-News in Abilene, TX. explaining that his plans to leave music and become a missionary.
  Rich: "We spent a month in Ireland, traveling up and down the Atlantic coast and then went to Dublin. We listened to a lot of music, but most of the Irish influence on the album came from the Chieftans. Their attitude about music is probably what had the most impact on me."
  Rich, on "How to Grow Up Big and Strong": "Every now and then a little of that rock and roll will pop up. We were in the recording studio late one night and we got crazy. We were fired up and just let loose on the song, more as a jam session than a recording session. The next morning, when we listened to it, we realized it was how the song should sound so we left it like it was. Actually, we let a lot of things stay on the album because we wanted to get out of that studio atmosphere on the album. Instead of track after track of the same old stuff, we wanted it to sound more like a bunch of friends getting together to play some music, which is what it was."
  Rich, on the songs "Creed" and "Peace": "We now have churches who say they are Christian, and doing all kinds of things. I have been looking for something that explains essentially what a Christian is. The 'Apostle's Creed' is not only a Catholic Prayer, but it is used in many Protestant Churches. It is a pretty solid outline of what Christianity is. I don't believe any one church is going to unite us, but it's a statement of faith which can bring unity."
  Rich, on School: "There are some subjects I was never good in, and never will be, but things are good."
  Rich, on the possibility of touring: "There is nothing concerete at this time, but we are hoping we can. I'm not sure if Abilene or Sweetwater will be on the tour or not. That's something my agent handles."
  
  

  December 1993

• Rich Mullins and Beaker perform at Hope Chapel Kihei in Maui, Hawaii.
  
  

  December 4, 1993

  
  
• Cash Box Magazine lists "Hold Me Jesus" as the #1 Contemorary Christian Song.
  
  

  December 20, 1993

• "You Gotta Get Up" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 4 weeks on the chart and peak at #37.
  
  
  

  (Photo by Ben Pearson.)

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