(Photo by Ben Pearson.)
1995
- Rich and Beaker begin working on a musical loosely based on the life of St. Francis of Assisi entitled Canticle of the Plains set in the old west.
- Rich Mullins meets Mitch McVicker at Friends University in Wichita. McVicker had grown up in Topeka, Kansas, and came to Friends University to play basketball. A few years of guitar lessons and singing in church was the extent of McVicker’s background in music. He wrote his first song when he was 11 years old, and played it in the school talent show.
Rich: "Mitch and I met at Friends University. We were in one of James Smith's classes together, and we were in a discussion group. Mitch was just this basketball player who happened to be in this religion class I was in. I thought he was very cool, but I had no idea he had any musical ability at all. One day, I was in this [other] guy's room; there were a bunch of us sitting around. Mitch came in and someone said, 'Hey, play a song,' and I was blown away that this guy played guitar. And, not only did he play guitar, but he has a great voice - which I don't have, so I could use a good voice on my show. He's a really young writer, but he's a good writer. He has some very good thoughts. So, when we graduated, we decided that it was time to take our first novitiate into our order. So, that's Mitch. I think he needs to wear a T-shirt that says, 'I Am Not Beaker,' because everybody goes, 'Oh, you must be Beaker.' "
Mitch: "I got tired of doing songs out of books so I started making up my own, and it was just a hobby up through college until I met Rich Mullins at Friends."
Rich: "...the biggest problem (with Canticle of the Plains) was that we had no idea what St. Frank would be like. And then I was at Friends University, and I was finishing up a music education degree, and I met a guy named Mitch McVicker. And I went back to where me and Beaker lived, and I said, 'Man, I've just met Frank. I've met this guy who looks like him, talks like him, the whole bit.' And now Mitch is in the Kid Brothers of St. Frank."
- While attending Friends University, Rich Mullins writes a paper entitled Social Aspects Of The Beattitude.
"Social Aspects Of The Beattitudes (Excerpt Only)"
January 5, 1995
- Ashley Cleveland, who would later open for Rich Mullins on his Brother's Keeper tour in the fall of 1995, gave birth to her third child, Lily Elizabeth Greenberg in Tennessee.
January 19, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs a benefit concert at Good Shepherd Church in Owensboro, KY. Other performers included Mark Lowry and Allison Durham. This was a benefit concert for the Volunteer Center. This concert was reviewed in the April 1995 issue of CCM magazine.
January 28, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs a concert at Salem Alliance Church in Salem, OR at 7:00 p.m. This was a benefit concert for Compassion International's child development ministry.
January/February 1995
- Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
"For Children Only"
February 1995
- CCM Magazine publishes an article about being single, featuring Rich Mullins and other artists.
"Living Single"
February(?) 1995
- Rich performs at a senior recital at Friend's University. Friend Kathy Srinkle attends with Rich's mom and uncle. This was a very serious recital with Rich playing only Bach, Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, etc., and he was told not say anything aloud; just play and get off. The whole thing was kept very low key so there wouldn't be lots of people show up.
February 25, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs an acoustical concert at the Christ Community Church in Omaha, NE at 7:30 p.m. This was a benefit concert for Compassion International.
Unknown Date, 1995
- Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker were interviewed by Ken Davis for the TV program "In Your Face."
March 1, 1995
- The Grammy Awards Ceremony takes place. The Mark Heard tribute album Strong Hand of Love is nominated, which includes Rich's cover of Mark's "Grow Up Big and Strong."
March 1995
- Rich Mullins, along with Beaker, Jimmy Abegg, and Julie Strasser film a music video for Rich's upcoming song, "Brother's Keeper" at Canyon de Chelley near Window Rock, Arizona.
Julie Strasser: "We filmed 'Brothers Keeper' video there summer of 95 and they only hiked down for that purpose. Jimmy, David and Rich, and Ben hiked with a guide. I hung back at the top:) because the path was so narrow lol."(Source: Facebook)
March 1995
- Rich Mullins and several college students spent spring break visiting Chuck Harper and his family at Window Rock, AZ. He and the college students that he brought with him ministered to the students at Hilltop Christian School and others in the community. One evening, Rich performed a concert for about a hundred people in the school auditorium.
March 18, 1995
- Billboard Magazine mentions that drummer Aaron Smith has relocated from California to Nashville "to devote more time to working with Christian acts."
March/April 1995
- Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
"Play It Again"
(Photo by Ben Pearson.)
April 9, 1995
- Rich Mullins attends a Newsboys/Audio Adrenaline/Tony Vincent Concert at the Cotillion Ballroom in Wichita, KS.
April 10, 1995
- "I'll Carry On" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 7 weeks on the chart and peak at #33.
April 13, 1995
- Rich Mullins lectures and performs at Friends University in Wichita, KS as part of the Faith and Learning Lecture Series.
Set List: Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Promenade/Ready for the Storm/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/Awesome God/Calling Out Your Name/Growing Young/Sometimes By Step
April 17, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs at Friends University in Wichita, KS.
Set List: Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Promeade/Ready for the Storm/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/Awesome God/Calling Out Your Name/Growing Young/Sometimes By Step
April 18, 1995
- Rich Mullins joins Kathy Sanders and Craig West on the Kathy and Craig Show on Light 99 FM in Wichita. The Lighthouse Electronic Magazine (Light 99 FM in Wichita) publishes the interview.
"From Nashville to Wichita to New Mexico... Step by Step"
April 23, 1995 – April 27, 1995
- Rich Mullins participated in Gospel Music Association week and attended the Dove Awards in Nashville, TN.
April 23, 1995
- Rich Mullins, Beaker and Carolyn Arends were interviewed on the Brian Mason radio program in Nashville, Tennessee at 7:00 a.m. on the first day of Gospel Music Association week. Rich was promoting his upcoming Brothers Keeper album and tour. Rich mentions that he is "leaning more toward orthodoxy" and that he has started to go to church on Sunday evenings.
April 27, 1995
- Rich Mullins is interviewed on a local Wichita news program.
(Photo by Ben Pearson.)
- The Brothers Keeper Tour Dates are announced.
May 1995
- It is announced that Beaker and his family are temporarily moving to Ohio in a few weeks. Beaker plans to go to Atlanta, GA, after Christmas to attend seminary.
May 12, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs at Wichita Boathouse in Wichita, KS. The concert is dubbed the "Farewell to Wichita" as Rich will be moving soon after graduation on May 14th.Rick Elias did not make the show because he was playing guitar for Randy Stonehill, who had broken his arm falling off the stage at the Dove Awards.
Set List (Partial): Carry On My Wayward Son/Hope to Carry On/Screen Door/Here in America/The Color Green/The Love of God/Awesome God/Sometimes by Step
- The Wichita Eagle runs a short interview with Rich about his plans to move to the Reservation.
Farewell Wichita : Rich Mullins Says Goodbye
May 13, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs in Wichita, KS. at Century II Concert Hall. The concert is dubbed the "Farewell to Wichita" as Rich will be moving soon after graduation on May 14th. The band consisted of Rich, Rick Elias, Lee Lingren, Aaron Smith, Mark Robertson, Michael Aukofer, Jimmy Abegg, Beaker with background vocals by Sherri Howard McReady, Julie Strasser, Nicki Lungren, Jared Brown and Brad Martin
Set List: Here In America/Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah/Screen Door/(Unknown)/What Susan Said/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/(unknown)/Hard/If I Stand/Ready For The Storm/Where You Are/My One Thing/Calling Out Your Name/The Color Green/Brother's Keeper/Eli's Song/Hope To Carry On/Alrightokuhhuhamen/The Just Shall Live/Quoting Deuteronomy To The Devil/Let Mercy Lead/Hold Me Jesus/Awesome God/Sometimes By Step/It Is Well With My Soul /Peace/Creed/Lord, I Lift Your Name On High (Rick Founds)/My Jesus, I Love Thee (by William R. Featherstone and Adoniram J. Gordon)/Medley: a. I'm A Gonna' Sing, Sing, Sing/b. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot/c. Saints Go Marchin' In/Amazing Grace - (by John Newton)/Step By Step/Doxology (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow) (by Thomas Ken and Louis Bourgeois)
- A Special "Farewell to Wichita" edition of Rich's next album, Brother's Keeper is avalable for sale at the show. This edition of the album is limited to only 900 copies.
Early 1995
- Rich completes taking RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) classes. Rich reportedly told Fr. Matt McGinness of the Diocese of Wichita that he knew he would make the "switch to Catholicism someday" but at this point he still wasn't ready.
Kathy Sprinkle: "When he was taking his RCIA (instruction in Catholic doctrine) on Tuesday nights, he would call me on his way home and talk to me about what he was learning."
Father Matt McGinness: "Rich Mullins truly wanted to become Catholic. He asked me to give him convert/catechism classes but since we were friends, I referred him to Fr. Ivan Eck who was actually the pastor in the parish boundaries in which Rich lived. So Rich joined the RCIA class at Blessed Sacrament Church here in Wichita. He couldn't however, pull the trigger and actually convert (at that time). He graduated that Spring from Friends University in Wichita (maybe it was 1995) and soon moved to an Indian reservation in Arizona. I remember I gave him a statue of St. Francis of Assisi for his graduation. He told me very early on in our friendship that St. Francis was his patron saint. Rich had taken private vows of poverty and chastity just like Francis had. Rich and I would talk on the phone from time to time when he lived on the reservation. He was going to daily Mass at the Catholic Mission and his protestant employers asked him not to go -he was teaching music at their mission school. He replied that if they would give him a daily worship service where scripture was read and explained like the Catholic Church did, then he would consider not going."
May 14, 1995
(Graduation Photo 1995)
- Rich Mullins attended the Baccalaureate service in Davis Hall at Friends University. James Bryan Smith gave an address entitled "Memories, Knowledge and Dreams." Dave Castleberry, former student body president shared a few remarks about maintaining the heritage that they had gained at Friend's University. Rich performed and sang two songs "Hello Old Friends" and "Sometimes by Step." Kim Wendling sang "God is my Shepherd."
- Rich Mullins graduates from Friends University with a B.A. in Music Education. Mitch McVicker graduates at this time as well with a Bachelor's Degree in Religion and Philosophy.
Michelle Fink (Reunion): "I remember when Rich had gone back to Friends University to finish his degree. I called him one afternoon and he was a frantic mess - really stressed about a final test in a band class that he had to do well on to pass. He was so nervous about it. It was so ironic. He'd played in front of thousands of people, had already put out six or seven records, and was skilled on numerous instruments, and here he was having to be judged by this institution. But it was important to him because he needed the degree so he could teach music on the reservation.Of course, he passed and got his degree so he could teach. It was so Rich. It was never about him or for him, but so he could reach out, teach, and minister to others."
May 15-16, 1995
- Rich Mullins, along with Mitch McVicker, moves to a Navajo Indian Reservation in Tse Bonito, New Mexico to teach music to children at Hilltop Christian School. They stayed in a tepee in Tse Bonito for a few days. Rich had not made any definite plans ahead of time, so he called Chuck Harper, and Chuck arranged for Rich and Mitch to stay in an old single wide trailer rented from Chuck's parents, behind a gas station in Tse Bonito. They kept the trailer, even after the hogans were built, in order to have use of the kitchen and bathroom facilities. There was some talk at the time about the possibility of a Ragamuffin Band album without Rich - since he would be busy with his new profession in New Mexico. McVicker had originally planned on coaching or teaching after his basketball career ended. He had no intention of becoming a musician.
Rich: "It's a beautiful, beautiful landscape. It's a whole culture that's different from the culture I grew up in. That's what's stretching about being out here. You count wealth in many, many ways.Eight years ago, I went to Thailand. I realized what a blast it was to be in a whole different environment than what I was used to. You have to learn a whole new set of rules."
Mitch McVicker: "He asked me a couple days later, 'what are you going to do when you graduate?' and I said, 'well, I don't know. Something will come up.' He said, 'well, do you want to come with me to New Mexico?'"
Mitch McVicker: "Rich asked me if I wanted to help him on the (New Mexico Indian) reservation. I told him yes, not having any idea what I'd be doing. I had no idea I'd be singing."
May 18(?), 1995
- After living on the reservation for two days, Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker attended a small revival at Pinon, AZ, the geographical center of the Navajo Nation and after that, they began to write the song "Heaven is Waiting" together.
May 21, 1995Beaker, Julie and Aidan Strasser move to Atlanta, GA.
May/June 1995
- Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
"Pictures In The Sky"
June 1995
- Rich Mullins, Beaker and his wife Julie, Phil Madeira, Lee Lundgren, Mark Roberston, Mark Lowry and others gather at the Bethel Methodist Church near his home in Bellsberg, TN to celebrate the one-year birthday of Beaker's son Aiden, and the beginning of a new Chapter in Rich's life having just finished his degree. During the party Phil Newman interviewed Rich for an article entitled "Where Mercy Leads" which was published in the September/October issue of Release Magazine.
June 18, 1995
- Rich Mullins and Beaker make a surprise visit to the Trinity Baptist Church in Yukon, OK. They performed at a Sunday morning church service for the First United Methodist Church community, who had been displaced when part of their church was destroyed during the April 19, 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. Their performance was their gift to the church community. The concert was videotaped.
Set List: I'm Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing/Swing Low Sweet Chariot/Oh When the Saints medley/Land of my Sojourn/I Will Sing/Hope to Carry On/Creed/Awesome God
June 19, 1995
- "Let Mercy Lead" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 14 weeks on the chart and peak at #1 on August 7.
June 30, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs at Grace Chapel in South Lexingon, MA. Brennan Manning also speaks at the same event.
July 1995
- Light 99 FM in Wichita, KS broadcasts a special listing their Top 99 Songs of all time. Rich's "Awesome God" came in at #1, "Creed" came in at #3, "Sometimes By Step" came in at #12, "Hold Me Jesus" came in at #19, "Calling Out Your Name" came in at #57, "Let Mercy Lead" came in at #58, "Peace" came in at #85, and "Boy Like Me / Man Like You" came in at #93..
July 1, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band performs at South Portland Church of the Nazarene in South Portland, ME. Brennan Manning speaks at the same event.
July 2, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Harrod and Funck perform at South United Methodist in Manchester, CT at 7:30 p.m. Brennan Manning speaks at the same event.
July 4, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs in Massachussetts. Brennan Manning speaks at the same event. At one point, during "While the Nations Rage," Rich was banging on his keyboard so hard that the keyboard stand gave out and his keyboard went crashing to the floor.
July 6, 1995
- Rich Mullins and Beaker perform and tape an hour long special for LeSEA Broadcasting in South Bend Indiana. The performance is also broadcast worldwide as "Live Around the World" on World Harvest Radio.
Set List: Sing Your Praise to the Lord/O Come All Ye Faithful/Boy Like Me Man Like You/All The Way the Savior Leads Me/Screen Door/Jesus Loves Me (Hammered Dulcimer Instrumental)/Creed/Calling Out Your Name/Brothers Keeper/Bound to Come Some Trouble/If I Stand/Let Mercy Lead/Why Do The Nations Rage/The Love Of God/Awesome God/Sometimes By Step/My Jesus I Love Thee
July 16-20, 1995
- Rich Mullins attends the North American Christian Convention at the RCA dome in Indianapolis, IN.
July 20, 1995
- Rich Mullins eighth album Brother's Keeper is released on Reunion Records.
Early working album titles included: Songs, Too Many Chiefs and Not Enough Native Americans, and Quoting Deuteronomy To The Devil. The song "We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are" was written for this album, but not recorded until a year later.
Album Reviews
Rich: "We took a different approach in this album and it was great - and scary. The album is very - well - raw. We didn't worry as much about being eloquent or poetic as getting real things said in real ways. I have alot of good memories about the writing of this project... Most of it was written on Beaker's porch or in my teepee or Les and Kay Arvin's farm outside Wichita. It's family oriented; 2 of the band members became fathers during the writing and 2 of the songs are about those children. Three of the band members wives' sang on the project and all of that together made for a different and somehow more grounded feeling to "Brother's Keeper." I'm looking forward to touring the project this fall."
Rich, on "Brothers Keeper": "I used to live with James Brian Smith and his wife Megan and their little boy Jacob, and he's a writer and one of the things he writes about - he just finished a book called Embracing the Love of God. And one of the things that he wrote about, and so we talked about a lot as I was living there, was the whole idea of loving each other, and how do you do that, and where does that all come from? And Beaker came over one evening and we were sitting out on the porch, and he went, 'OK, I've got this little thing going' and he showed me this little guitar thing, and it just sounded like this song. I mean, it sounded like this lyric. And we wrote it fairly quickly there on Jim's porch.
Rich, on "Let Mercy Lead" "Beaker wanted to write a song for (his new son Aidan), and we worked and worked and worked. And you know, we write songs all the time, but it was so amazing and so wonderful to see how careful he was about everything he wanted to say to Aidan in this song. I mean, really, it was intense, kind of. And we wrote and threw away so many songs that I thought were pretty good. But they weren't good enough for his kid. And we finally finished it up. I had a teepee that a friend of mine gave me, and we went out in the teepee to spend a day. I think when you're writing, sometimes there's a great advantage in taking yourself and putting yourself in a whole different environment, some kind of seclusion. Something quiet. So we were out there in the teepee and that's when we actually finished the song. I'm not sure exactly the things that came together to make this one click and make Beaker go, "Yeah, that's the song that I want for my son. That's what I want him to grow up with."
Rich, on "Hatching of the Heart": "The motivation was just that I had this real dreamy piano riff... I stole the title from Thomas Merton. It's like this book I'm reading now, Soul Making by Alan Jones. One of the things I've become interested in is, what is the soul: does it grow, does it pre-exist us? The Bible doesn't realy talk a whole lot about it. It's the whole 'born again' thing. My own experience is there in the song."
"Damascus Road: This track was written in the late 70s/early 80s.
Rich, on "Eli's Song": "Eli is Rick & Nicky Lundgren's little girl. She was born about a month after Aidan was. I had this little hammered dulcimer melody that I really liked, it was kind of a kid-y kind of melody. Maybe I should write a children's album. I didn't want to go to all the bother to do that, so I thought about Eli, and I went, this would be a nice thing for her. I talked to Lee and Nicky, and we decided to write a song for her, and use the little melody."
Rich, on "The Breaks: "Well, I wrote that one in Ireland. And I wrote it as a love song. And I think even at the time I suspected that...there are times when you think it would be fun to be in love, and you realize, ahh, this is something I can't really do, and so even while you're enjoying that brief, frail illusion, you go, 'This is not what it is. This is not what it's supposed to be. So I have to go beyond this, go past it. I have to leave this.' And so I think for me it's kind of a combination of whimsy and longing involved in this. It's kind of like, ooh, ow, this really hurts, but...so what?"
Rich, on "Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil": "Well, I thought it was a funny song. I think it was one of the funnier ones on the record. But I think one of the things - I think there's a book by Fulton Sheen called The Life of Christ and he talks about the temptations of Christ in the wilderness, and how Satan didn't offer Christ anything God didn't want Christ to have. There's nothing wrong with food. There's nothing wrong with power. There's nothing wrong with glory. These are all things that were waiting for Christ. But what Satan offered him was a shortcut to those things. Satan said, "you can have these things without suffering. But let me show you how to do it, rather than doing it God's way." And one of the problems I think we have in the Christian church today, one of the problems I have in my own life anyway, is that we want to do godly things but we want to do them in a worldly way. We want to have God's will in our terms and you can't do that. You either follow God...if you follow God, you go the path He leads. You don't say "Well, God, I'll meet you in Indianapolis." You follow Him all the way to Indianapolis. You go the way He goes, the route He goes."
- The Brother's Keeper Radio Special airs around this time.
Brother's Keeper Radio Special
- Rich had planned to publish a book around this time, which would have been a collection of Bible stories told through the eyes of Appalachian people.
(Source: CCM Magazine May 1995)
July 26, 1995
- Carolyn Arends releases I Can Hear You on Reunion Records. Rich Plays Hammer Dulcimer on "The Power of Love."
(Photo by Ben Pearson.)
Late July 1995
- Rich Mullins was interviewed by Chris Fabry for Moody Audio in Chicago, IL.
July/August 1995
- Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
"The Sound And The Worry"
August 1995
- Rich Mullins and the members of the Ragamuffin band went to Nashville, Tennessee to rehearse for their upcoming Brothers Keepers Tour. While they were there, Rich was interviewed for an article called "O, To Be Rich" by James Long, which was published in the November issue of Contemporary Christian Magazine.
August 7, 1995
- "Let Mercy Lead" hits #1 on the AC Charts. Following its debut on June 19, it would spend 14 weeks on the AC Chart.
August 1995?
- Rich Mullins and Beaker attended a Compassion International volunteer conference at Glen Eyrie Castle, Colorado Springs, CO.
September/October 1995
- Release Magazine publishes an article about Rich Mullins.
"Where Mercy Leads"
September 1995
- CCM Magazine reviews Rich's Brothers Keeper album.
Album Reviews
September 8, 1995
- Rich Mullins is interviewed by the Greenville News in Greenville, South Carolina. about his upcoming tour and his recent move to the Navajo reservation.
Rich: "It's a beautiful, beautiful landscape. It's a whole culture that's different from the culture I grew up in. That's what's stretching about being out here. You count wealth in many, many ways.Eight years ago, I went to Thailand. I realized what a blast it was to be in a whole different environment than what I was used to. You have to learn a whole new set of rules."
Rich: "Here's a group of people who don't clap when you get done with a song. They sit and think about what you just did. We thought they hated us, so we quit. Then, they started clapping. They have a different way of expressing appreciation - different from ours."
Rich"So many people move out here to 'save' the Indians. But within three or four months, they are so drained from the work of assimilating that they have nothing left to give. I want to try to understand, how do I market what I ahve to give out here? If you don't love your neighbor where you live, you're not going to love them in another place. I just happen to like this region, and so my neighbors are going to be Navajo."
September 12, 1995
- Rich Mullins participates in an America Online chat from an in-store appearance in South Carolina at 9 p.m.
AOL Chat Transcript
(Ashley Cleveland, Rich Mullins and Carolyn Arends)
September 14, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium in Greenville, SC at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. This was the first concert of the 65 city Brothers Keeper Tour, and his third tour with the Ragamuffin Band.
Carolyn Arends: "The tour started two weeks after the release of my first record. I was green, scared, and completely unknown. I have since learned that there is a certain hierarchy to almost all tours, an appropriate and respectful deference to the headliner. Typically, an opening act's sound is quieter, the lights less bright. Everyone knows and observes these unwritten rules. Everyone except Rich, apparently. Every night he wandered out on stage, usually barefoot (so he wouldn't disappoint the fans who had come to count on his shoeless-ness) to introduce me to his audience, command for me their attention, and generously ease my way into the spotlight. Rich didn't have much use for the "industry" code in general. He insisted upon saying what he really thought rather than what he knew people would want to hear. He refused to attempt the veneer of perfection we like to gloss over our heroes, and instead was uncomfortable frank about his frailties."
Kenny Greenberg: "When my wife, Ashley Cleveland, began touring with Rich Mullins in 1995, I was just vaguely aware of his music and had never seen him perform. Over the course of the tour, I would sit and listen to the band play and to the amazing things Rich would talk about between songs. Rich was saying things about the Lord I already knew but just was not paying attention to. His concerts helped make me aware of God knocking on the door of my heart."
- The Daily Oklahoman in Oklahoma City, OK interviews Rich. The interview would be published on September 23.
September 15, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Atlantia Civic Center in Atlanta, GA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
September 16, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Wright Center Auditorium at Samford University in Birmingham, AL at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
September 17, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson, MS at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
September 18, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform with Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends at the Heymann Performing Arts Center in Lafeyette, LA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
(Carolyn Arends and Rich Mullins. Photo by Rose Capana)
September 19, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Julie Rogers Theater in Beaumont, TX at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
September 21, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Trinity Church in San Antonio, TX at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. Jimmy Abegg’s daughter purchased a St. Francis of Assisi medal and gave it to Rich in thanksgiving for his kindness to her and for allowing her to come on the tour with her father. Rich wore the medal for the rest of his life and he was wearing it when he died.
September 22, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Arena Theatre in Houston, TX at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
Set List (Partial): Eli's Song/Cry the Name/Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil/Boy Like Me Man Like You/One Thing/Creed/The Color Green/Brother's Keeper/Doxology
Fall 1995
- Rich Mullins meets Cobra Joe from This Train around this time. A roadie the tour dropped out and Cobra Joe was called to be the replacement.
(Photo by Ben Pearson.)
September 23, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Dallas Convention Center in Dallas, TX at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. While in Dallas, someone broke into Ashley's van and stole all of her belongings - including her daughter's clothes and toys.
- The Daily Oklahoman in Oklahoma City, OK publishes a short interview with Rich.
Rich: "I think your job as a teacher is to teach thinking skills. To teach people how to process stuff, and how to reason and how to think. But it's also to introduce them to new things. Because I'm not such a great thinker myself; I don't know how I can get other people to do it better than I do. I think there is a difference between being gifted and being smart. I think I'm pretty gifted."
Rich, on pursuing moving to a Navajo Reservation: "It gave me this deeper and richer understanding of the Scriptures themselves. Sometimes we get so lazy that instead of really trying to see what is there to be found, we just kind of go with the Sunday School answers that we grew up with and the slant that we've always taken."
Rich: "I love traveling. I love doing concerts. I love writing. I love everything that I'm doing. It's just that I think we can all do more than we think we can. And so this is my attempt at doing that. We'll see how it goes."
Rich, on musical artists thinking florious thoughts all of the time: "Most of the time I'm just trying to find the bathroom. I think the good stuff in life is found in that quiet... I think if you don't find glory where you're at and you don't find goodness in making your bed and driving and doing your laundry and doing your job, you're not going to find it anywhere."
- The Arizona Republic in Phoenix, AZ publishes a short interview with Rich.
Rich: "When you're a Christian and you're driving downn the road, you let people merge. You don't drive them off the side of the road. And when people... cut in front of you, you don't flip them off. You just back off a little bit more and let them go. That doesn't make you a Christian motorist, it just makes you a Christian. There are times when I know that the overwhelming motivating factor for me is the acceptance and the applause of the audience. So you feel like a total phony because you're up there talking about all this great, grand stuff and you're going, 'the filthy truth is I'm saying this because they will clap. I'm not saying it because it's true.' But my motivation doesn't change the reality of what I'm talking about. There's all this hoity-toity, hyper-pious talk about ministry and all that jazz, and it completely misrepresents what the Christian life is about. It's more damaging than just a very honest approach that says, 'I am a musician, and I am a Christian, and hopefully, my Christianity will affect my work. There's a whole industry built around this thing (Christian music). If it was otherwise, then it would be less of a stretch to talk about ministry. "
Rich, on the International Bible Society: "The society has an edition of the Scriptures that was designed by and for Native Americans. When you're given a platform as big as the one we're given, you hope to accomplish something beyond just doing a fun concert with it... They (the society) are a non-profit organization and hopefully we'll help raise support for them."
Rich, on moving to the Navajo Reservation: "A lot of people say, 'Oh! It would be so cool to be able to move somewhere far away and do what you're doing,' and 'How do you do that?' And I'm like, 'well, stay debt-free, which means you never will own anything. Stay single, which means from 10 to 2 every day you're going to be beating yourself over the head because it's fairly miserable. Get a degree, which means that you're going to be spending a lot of all-nighters doing papers that you should have done last month."
Rich, on the song "Brothers Keeper" and possible political motivation for the song: "I try not to be too reactive. In fact, I'm a little out of touch with a lot of stuff because I find it very boring becasue it all ends up at the same place."
September 24, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Civic Center Music Hall in Oklahoma City, OK at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
September 26, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Kiva Convention Center in Albuquerque, NM at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
September 27, 1995
- Rich Mullins appears on the TV program Video Zone.
September 28, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the America West Arena in Phoenix, AZ at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
September 29, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Artemus Ham Concert Hall in Las Vegas, NV at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- The Fresno Bee in Fresno, CA publishes a short interview with Rich.
Rich: "I grew up on a farm in Indiana. And one thing you learn about farming is you don't do as much with seeds as you do with ground. You work with the soil a lot, and let the seed do its own thing. The seed is your life experience. The work of the songwriter is keeping the soil loose. People think artists sit around and dream up new ideas. But there are no new ideas. Your job, as a writer and a human, is to make sure your life is a productive place for things to take place. A lot of people think Christianity is about preaching. But preaching is the easy part if you believe the Bible is true and Christ is who he said he is.. THe hard work is getting rocks and thorns out of the field. The rocks represent shallowness in our lives. Sometimes life can be overwhelming, and we harden ourselves to it. There's a cynicism, choosing to protect ourselves rather than give and receive love. We need to come at life from the perspective of it being a gift, something to enjoy and investigate and search out, rather than looking at life as a burden we have to bear. The thorns are the cares of the world. Sometimes we forget that life is something other than nice cars and houses. There is certainly a value in having a ncie house and a nice lawn, but sometimes in Anglo culture, that takes on an importance that is highly exaggerated. There are things in life besides those things. On the reservation, I see people who are not concerned about green lawns - they have no green lawns, and it doesn't bother them. One of the good things I've picked up is how they value listening more than speaking. I think I'm doing the right thing there spending a year learning from them before I teach music to them."
Rich, on the Ragamuffin Gospel: "A ragamuffin is kind of like a grown-up street urchin, someone rough around the edges, who is poor, that sort of thing. I think everybody is that. All of this trying to show off as having ourselves together -- smarter, brighter, richer or more clever than we are -- that's all a lot of trash. Rather than try to disguise our lives to amek them palatable to us, we [must] accept our lives as they are. In accepting our poverty, we become rich -- rich ragamuffins. For me that is the real key issue. We cheat ourselves out of a lot of good stuff because we deceive ourselves about who we really are."
(Photo by Ben Pearson.)
- The Register-Guard in Eugene, OR publishes an article about Rich Mullins.
"Rich Mullins Stepping Out in Faith"
September 30, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Calvary Church of Santa Ana in Santa Ana, CA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
September/October 1995
- Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
"The Divine Obsession"
October 1995
- Shout! Magazine reviews Rich's Brothers Keeper album.
Album Reviews
October 1, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with with Avenue G and Julie Strasser perform at the Warnor's Theatre in Fresno, CA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 2, 1995
- "Brother's Keeper" debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 14 weeks on the chart and peak at #4.
October 3, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Civic Auditorium in San Jose, CA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 4, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Ross Ragland Theater in Klamath Falls, OR at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 5, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Willamette Christian Center in Eugene, OR at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- The Post Register in Idaho Falls, ID runs a short interview with Rich.
"A Christian Who Sings: Recording Artist to Visit Idaho Falls"
October 6, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Seattle Pacific University's Royal Brougham Pavilion in Seattle, WA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 7, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the University of Portland's Earl A. Chiles Center in Portland, OR at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 8, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Walla Walla College Alumni Gymnasium in College Place, WA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
(Photo by Kathy Morgan.)
October 10, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Idaho Falls Civic Auditorium in Idaho Falls, ID at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 12, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Austad Auditorium in Salt Lake City, Utah at 8:00 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 13, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Grand Junction High School Auditorium in Grand Junction at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 14, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at New Life Church in Colorado Springs, CO at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
Concert Review
- The Kearny Hub Newspaper in Kearney, Nebraska includes the following quotes from Rich's Tour biography ahead of his show on Oct 18th.
Rich Mullins on touring: "When an artist has something important to say, somehow he finds the energy."
Rich Mullins on God's mercy, power and love: "I just think I believe it in (mercy) more deeply now than ever before. I have days when I go, 'I'm lucky to be alive.'"
Rich Mullins on his spartan life: "My experiences with things have always been disappointing. Nothing has ever been worth the costs. It doesn't mean I never buy anything, it just means I recognize at the outset that this is a bad investment. I do like my jeep an awful lot."
Rich Mullins on living single in 1995: "I think the big reason why a lot of people become sexually active is because they think they're going to get something besides just sex out of it. And the reality is, all you do get is just sex. And you think, oh, this will make someone really love me... if I remain pure I might lose my boyfriend or girlfriend. Well the deal is, you might lose them anyway. When you compromise your faith, when you disobey what is clearly lined up for us in terms of values, you have compromised who you are."
Rich Mullins on Brother's Keeper: "We deliberately decided not to write with a common thread. We said, 'Let's just kick back, say what's on our minds and not worry about being philosophers or commentators.'"
Rich Mullins "Damascus Road" being written for a broken engagement: "I knew I was going to become depressed, so I figured, before that, I'd make an honest effort to say, 'Bless is the name of the Lord.'"
October 15, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Cherry Hills Community Church in Highlands Ranch, CO at 7:30 p.m.as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. Carolyn was not able to perform due to flu-like symptoms.
- While Rich is staying in Colorado Springs, he is interviewed by telephone by the South Bend Tribune in South Bend, IN. The interview would be published on October 20th.
October 17, 1995
- Rich Mullins, Beaker and Ashley Cleveland perform an acoustic concert at the Calvary Memorial Evangelical Church in Gehring, NE as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. (Note: Some newspapers incorrectly have Rich performing at New Life Assembly in Kearney, NE on this date. )
(Photo by Kathy Morgan.)
October 18, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the New Life Assembly of God Church in Kearney, NE at 7:00 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. (Note: some newspapers mistakenly list this show as October 17th).
October 19, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Iowa State University C.Y. Stephens Auditorium in Ames, IA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
(Photo by Kathy Morgan.)
October 20, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Peoria Civic Center Arena in Peoria, IL at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- The South Bend Tribune in South Bend, IN publishes a short interview with Rich.
Rich: "I came from a religously diverse family. My mom was a Quaker and my dad was in the Desciples of Christ Church. They deeply loved each other, but they didn't see eye to eye on every issue. They respected each other though, and heard each other out. They hammered out those differences. I think that ability to hammer things out, creatively, has more to do with faith than with a special doctrine. That's real religion, religion that is undefiled, that has everything to do with taking care of other people. "
Rich, on the song "Brother's Keeper": "Yeah, I tend to tbe way to judgemental. When we (he and Beaker) wrote it, I was staying with James Bryan Smith, who was writing a book called Embracing the Love of God, which has since been published. A lot of our conversations were about 'How do you receive love and give love?' and what impedes that giving and receiving. One of the things that impedes it most is your judgement of people as right or wrong."
Rich, on the song "Hatching of the Heart": "I stole the title from Thomas Merton, and it's about this idea that much of loving God has to do with allowing him to love you."
Rich: "My father was the most creative person I've ever known. Farming takes amazing creativity. Unless you're rich, you have to figure out 10 different uses for one tool."
Rich, on leaving Nashville: "The music industry was always getting under my skin. THere's only room for so many egos, and my ego took up a lot of room. I also realized I wasn't going anywhere spiritually."
Rich, on living on the Reservation: "You think you're going there to offer hope, compassion, faith, Christ -- but that is what you receive."
October 21, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago, IL at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. After the show, Rich got into an argument with Jimmy Abegg because someone had left his keyboard unplugged and Jimmy threatened to leave. This was the beginning of their friendship.
- Following the concert, friends and band members hold a party for Rich's 40th birthday. There were over 100 people backstage for the celebration, of which most were band member's family and friends, and over 35 were Rich's immediate family. Kathy Sprinkle said that Rich received some "serious grief". After all, it was the big 4-0. One of the gag presents came from Ashely Cleveland, who got him one of those life-like masks of a really old man. One of the coolest presents came from Reunion A&R Don Donahue. Don got Rich a neat set of several recorders in all sizes to use in his teaching ministry on the reservation.
October 22, 1995
- Everyone on the Brother's Keeper tour enjoys the day off in Chicago, IL where they went shopping and visited Museums. In the vening, they attended a This Train Concert.
- The Grand Rapids Press publishes a short interview with Rich ahead of his show on October 27th.
Mullins, formerly of Kentwood, has 8th album
(Rick and Linda Elias with Tom Hanks.)
- Rick Elias takes some time away from the "Brothers Keeper" Tour to work on Tom Hanks' film That Thing You Do! Rick had a couple of songs end up in the film's soundtrack and also makes a few brief appearances as a guitarist in the Playtone band. The songs that Rick cowrote for the film are "Dance With Me Tonight" (cowritten with with Scott Rogness), "All My Only Dreams" (cowritten with with Scott Rogness), "I Need You (That Thing You Do)" (cowritten with Linda Elias), "She Knows It" (cowritten with with Scott Rogness) and "Drive Faster" (cowritten with with Scott Rogness).
(Rick Elias on the set.)
October 23, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Fort Wayne Coliseum in Fort Wayne, IN at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 24, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Memorial Auditorium in Louisville, KY at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
Concert Review
October 25, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform in Cincinnati, OH as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- The Courier-Journal in Louisville, KY publishes a short concert review of Rich's show the previous night at the Memorial Auditorium.
Concert Review
October 26, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Saint Mary's College's O'Laughlin Auditorium in South Bend, IN at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- The York Dispatch in York, PA publishes a short interview with Rich Mullins.
Rich: "I very seldom listen to pop music, so I haven't been indoctronated. And it is an indoctination process - you just naturally imitate what you hear so you have to be careful."
(Photo by Kathy Morgan.)
October 27, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the George Welsh Auditorium in Grand Rapids, MI at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 28, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Akron Baptist Temple in Akron, OH at 7:00 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
(Photo by Kathy Morgan.)
October 29, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center in York, PA at 7:00 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 30, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Haas Center for the Arts in Bloomsburg, PA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
October 31, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse, NY at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
Concert Review
November 1995
- Rich Appears on the cover of CCM Magazine.
"O, To Be Rich"
November 1, 1995
- The Syracuse Herald-Journal publishes a review of Rich's concert on October 31 at the Landmark Theatre.
Concert Review
November 2, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Flynn Theater in Burlington, VT at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. Rich told the audience that he was feeling ill.
November 3, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform with Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends at the Ritz Theatre and Performing Arts Center in Elizabeth, NJ at 7:30 p.m.as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- The Charlotte Observer in Charlotte< NC publishes a short interview with Rich.
Rich: "Say 'Jesus' one time on an album and people flip. As long as I continue to do that, and I will, I can alienate every pagan in the world. I do that (mining the Old Testatment for Inspiration) deliberately with my lyrics. Someday I hope to be less self-conscious about it."
Rich: "I didn't listen to Christian music as a kid. There really wasn't any. I grew up listening to pop radio and I think my music is better for it. The hang up in the Christian community, in the Christian music scene, is that we're creating a subculture of alternatives. You can't shelter yourself from the world. It leads to isolation."
Rich: "My job is not to be an expert in every area, but to find the right person for the job. I try not to dictate parts on a record. We're pretty much the same in concert as on record. It's the same blend of acoustic and electric stuff. Too much electrical sound wears on my ears. Electric guitar is like pepper. Sprinkled on top, it's really good, but you wouldn't want to eat a pepper pie."
Rich: "Tolerance is a bad thing. Respect is a good thing. I think when people talk about being tolerant, they really mean 'Let's be respectful.'"
Rich: "I always get involved with the audience. Most people say, 'I'm going to see a concert.' That's why I don't use a lot of machines or computers or samplers on stage. I want people to see what we do."
November 4, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Cheyney University's Cope Hall in Cheyney, PA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 5, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at George Washington University's Lisner Auditorium in Washington, DC at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
Set List: Save Me/The Howling/Calling Out Your Name/Cry The Name/I See You/Let Mercy Lead/My One Thing/Brothers Keeper/Hold Me Jesus/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Eli's Song/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/If I Stand/Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil/The Color Green/Damascus Road/Sometimes By Step/The Power of Love (Carolyn Arends)/Henry Don't Care (Ashley Cleveland)/Awesome God/Creed/There's Pow'r In The Blood (Ashley Cleveland)/It Is Well, With My Soul/Doxology
November 7, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Raliegh Civic Center in Raleigh, NC at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
Rich, on moving to the reservation: "It's probably the most selfish thing I've ever done. If you're living in a vacuum, you're not going to be a very good writer. I think the whole job of a writer is to do your best to meet life head on, then record it. "
Rich, on winning awards: "With this new trend of everybody having to turn their awards back in, I'm not that interested in getting any (Referencing a recent scandal involving a Contemporary Christian artist who returned his Dove Awards after admitting an affair). I just think that's silly. I don't think that because I can play piano or write songs that makes me morally superior. I'm disappointed that people think otherwise. When people have moral failures, I'm not sure they deserve the contempt they receive. Everybody struggles. If people knew the stuff I struggled with, they would hate me... I do the best I can. I have failures and I don't think Christianity is less true because I'm not an exemplary Christian. What I want to communicate to people is what I think is at the heart of the gospel, which is that God loves us."
Rich, on teaching Navajo Children: "I'm learning things like you don't ask a question of the general classroom. You have to ask specific kids specific questions because they don't like to show off. So if you were to say, 'Who can draw a middle C on the blackboard?,' nobody would do it because they felt it was showing off."
Rich, on balancing music with teaching: "I just have to figure out how to deal with fatigue. Once I figure that out, I'll be able to do anything."
November 8, 1995
- The Indianapolis News in Indianapois, IN publishes a short interview with Rich Mullins.
November 9, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform with Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends at the Ovens Auditorium in Charlotte, NC at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 10, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform with Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends at the Roanoke Civic Center Auditorium in Roanoke, VA at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 11, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform with Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium in Knoxville, TN at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 12, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform with Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, TN at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. Andrew Peterson met Rich and Mitch that night, and gave them a demo tape of his music.
- Christian Activities runs a short article about the tour stopping in Nashville.
"Rich Mullins Brings the Brothers Keeper Tour to Nashville"
November 15, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform with Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends at Western Kentucky University's Van Meter Auditorium in Bowling Green, KY at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- Rich is interviewed via telephone by the Herald and Review in Decatur, IL. The interview would be printed in the November 18th edition.
November 16, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Anderson University's Reardon Auditoriam in Anderson, IN at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
Concert Transcript
Set List: Save Me/The Howling/Calling Out Your Name/Cry The Name/I See You/Let Mercy Lead/One Thing/Brothers Keeper/Hold Me Jesus/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Elijah/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/If I Stand/Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil/The Color Green/Damascus Road/Sometimes By Step/Awesome God/Creed/It Is Well, With My Soul/Doxology
- The Flint Journal in Flint, MI publishes a short interview and article about Rich Mullins prior to his show at the University of Michigan on Nov. 17.
Christian Singer Has A Knack For Words
November 17, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Univesity of Michigan's Hill Auditorium in Detroit, MI at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- The Southern Illinoisan in Carbondale, IL runs a blurb about the upcoming Rich Mullins concert on Novembner 21, along with short interviews with Carolyn Arends and Ashley Cleveland.
November 18, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Ohio State University's OSU Mershon Auditorium in Columbus, OH at 7:00 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
- The Toledo Blade publishes an article about Rich Mullins.
"Rich Mullins 'Cartoons' in Catchy Tunes"
- The Herald and Review in Decatur, IL runs a short interview with Rich Mullins.
Rich: "I don't separate sacred and secular. Love between a man and a woman is holy. Your work is holy. You either live in a God-ward direction, or away from God."
Rich: "I think the last album A Liturgy, A Legacy and a Ragamuffin Band was a little headier. This (Brother's Keeper) is more a street-level kind of thing. It's like saying, 'OK, our heritage, our church, is very important, but how does that look in day to day live?'"
Rich, on songwriting: "I would like to be more objective. I tend to be one of those really sensitive guy types. I'm not one of those people who feel supernatural things. I just generally think that whatever you have an opportunity to do is OK to do. St. Augustine said to love God and do as you please."
Rich, on visiting Asia: "It was wonderful to find people living halfway around the world recognize Jesus as the incarnate Son of God. On the essentials of the faith, we were in 100 percent agreement."
Rich, on learning not to interrupt the speaker in the Navajo culture: "I'm always thinking ahead on how to stump them on what they said."
Rich, on the International Bible Society publishing a Native American Bible: "You don't have to be white to be a Christian, just a disciple of Jesus. Christ wasn't white."
November 19, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Stranahan Theater in Toledo, OH at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
Concert Transcript
Set List: Save Me/The Howling/Calling Out Your Name/Cry The Name/I See You/Let Mercy Lead/My One Thing/Brothers Keeper/Hold Me Jesus/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Eli's Song/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/Elijahd/Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil/The Color Green/Damascus Road/Sometimes By Step/Awesome God/Creed/It Is Well, With My Soul/Doxology
November 21, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Marion Cultural and Civic Center in Marion, IL at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. It is reported that this performance included the rare unreleased "Charlie," which was more regularly performed during his final tour in 1997.
November 22, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the University of Springfield's Sangamon Auditorium in Springfield, IL at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 21-23, 1995
- While in Illinois, Rich Mullins spends some time searching stores for a new dulcimer.
- Rich Mullins is interviewed via phone by the Tulsa World in Tulsa, OK.
November 24, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the American Theater in Chesterfield, MO at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 25, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, KS at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 26, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Missouri Theater in Columbia, MO at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 28, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Robinson Center Music Hall in Little Rock, AR at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 29, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Jonseboro High School Gymnasium in Jonesboro, AR at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November 30, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Fort Smith Civic Center in Fort Smith, AR as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour.
November/December 1995
- Release Magazine publishes an article by Rich Mullins.
"The Big 4-Oh"
December 1995
- CCM Magazine reviews Rich's October 14 performance in Colorado Springs, CO.
Concert Review
- Shout! Magazine reviews Rich's Brothers Keeper album.
Album Reviews
December 1, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Brady Theatre in Tulsa, OK at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. This show included one of the earliest documented performances of We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are," which was introduced as a song about his "experience with love lost."
Set List: Save Me/The Howling/Calling Out Your Name/Cry The Name/I See You/My One Thing/Let Mercy Lead/Brothers Keeper/Hold Me Jesus/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Eli's Song/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/If I Stand/Quoting Deuteronomy to the Devil/The Color Green/Damascus Road/Sometimes By Step/The Power of Love (Carolyn Arends)/Soon And Very Soon (Ashley Cleveland)/Awesome God/Creed/Power In The Blood (Ashley Cleveland)/It Is Well, With My Soul/Doxology
- The Tulsa World in Tulsa, OK publishes a short article on Rich Mullins to promote his concert at the Brady Theatre. The article includes a short interview which took place over the phone while Rich was in Illinois.
Rich: "Nashville is not a fun place for me to live, so it seems somehow ungrateful for me to live there. You should live somewhere you enjoy living because we're not going to be here very long. Hopefully, there's more to me than my job, and hopefully I can survive not living near it."
Rich, on searching for a new dulcimer: "My tastes are more eclectic than most people's. I couldn't take a whole day of rock or country. I just don't let myself. You become a lazy listener that way. It's fun to pick up something from Asia or South America and see what other musicians ar doing, how they're using rhythms. It's fun to see if you can adjust your thinking to what you're hearing instead of making what you're hearing fit into what you're thinking about. Does that make sense? I mean, most people listen to music as background. That's why pop music is popular. I've just never been very good at being innocuous. I would be if I could, 'cause I'd love to be successful, but you take what you get."
Rich: "Live playing tends to make things more fun. In a concert setting, you can kind of go sideways with the songs, extend them if you want, clip it if you want. A concert is seen more than it is heard -- that's the whole purpose. It has a lot to do with creating atmosphere and getting people involved."
December 2, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band with Avenue G, Julie Strasser, Ashley Cleveland and Carolyn Arends perform at the Evangel College Chapel Auditorium in Springfield, MO at 7:30 p.m. as part of the "Brothers Keeper" Tour. This show would be the last time Beaker performed with Rich, except for one performance in Atlanta, GA in 1997.
December 1995
- Following the end of the Brother's Keeper tour, Rich Mullins returns to Wichita to pick up his dog Bear who had been staying with Kathy Sprinkle. Kathy talks Rich into doing one more show to end his tour at a car dealership in Mulvane, KS on December 9th. Mel Hembelton, the owner of the car dealership, is a big sponsor for Light 99 FM and had already been planning a "Christmas Under the Stars" event.
December 9, 1995
- Rich Mullins performs at Mel Hambelton Chevy Geo Dealership in Mulvane, KS for "Christmas Under The Stars".
Set List: Praise to the Lord/78 Eatonwood Green (jokingly renamed "Going to Bethlehem" for the night)/Here In America/Boy Like Me/Man Like You/Jacob and 2 Women/The Other Side of the World/Sometimes By Step/O Come Let Us Adore Him
December 25, 1995
- Rich Mullins spends the day visiting with Doris Howard and her family in Wichita, KS.
Doris Howard: "He said he had many people to see that day and he could only stay for a little while, but you know what, he stayed all day. And what do you do when Rich stays all day? You talk, and you talk, and you talk, and you talk. And now as I look back on that day, I think what a special gift."
Late December 1995
- Beaker (David) and Julie Strasser and family move from Ohio to Atlanta, GA, where Beaker would soon attend seminary.
December 31, 1995
- Rich Mullins and the Mini-Muffin Band perform at Bay Presbyterian Church in Cleveland, OH for for a New Years Eve Concert at 10:00 p.m.
(Photo by Ben Pearson.)
All pages = © 1996- Eric Townsend All Rights Reserved. Do not reproduce or publish without permission.
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