Kiss the Blog

Teach Pray Love

2011-12-02T09:36:00.001-08:00

"My father spent most of his life trying not to be his father. I've spent and will continue to try being more like mine." — Do You See Me | Behind the Song

There's no shortage of things I can write of my father. He was a remarkable man, my best man, taken before his time. I'm still discovering new ways to remember and honor him. Perhaps I always will.

I've been teaching for many years, now, and it's safe to say I demand a nominal level of effort and autonomy. I subsribe to high standards and modest expectations. My father was a man of his word and I've little patience for those who aren't—Do what you say, say what you mean.

I credit many influences and mentors—Buzz Atwood, John Coffey, Billy Joel—to name a few. Mom, Dad and my wife regularly inspire me more than most. There's a great deal of comfort growing into the feet your father gave you, awakening to his principles and values better recognized by those who need them most.

"Never give up, always keep your word, and never lose the person you were meant to be,” as encouraged by Dad and forwarded by one of Dad's students. God's providently revealing the person I'm meant to be, I always keep my word, and when I gave up, Dad was there every week for a year—one of very few folks who helped pick me up, dust me off and ran alongside the bike while I regained my balance.

Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Matt, for projecting the strength of his otherwise fragile heart...

Mr. Hartman
by Matt Banks

In the summer of 2007, my dad introduced me to his long time friend, Brad Hartman, who was to be my new golf coach. What started as a simple student/teacher relationship soon turned into a friendship that could only be described as odd. Mr. Hartman was a detective with the New Jersey State Police and I was the laid-back southern kid. Mr. Hartman was an excellent teacher and was able to teach me more about golf in one lesson than I had learned in years, but he wasn’t just teaching me about golf. The lessons that he was giving me were lessons that were valuable on and off the course. He preached to me three lessons that would lead to success—“Never give up, always keep your word, and never lose the person you were meant to be.” These all three sound like simple lessons that every kid has learned, yet I learned them in ways that only he could teach me.

During one of my first lessons with Mr. Hartman, I learned the lesson of never giving up. We were probably three buckets and two hours into practice when my melt down occurred. I had hit the same shot all day and had yet to meet his standard for the shot. That is when I decided I had enough and was done for the day. Mr.Hartman grabbed my arm and stopped me from leaving. Our egos began to clash—the tough-as-nails cop versus the laid back southern kid. After a discussion that would have put a drill sergeant to shame, I went back to do the drill. At that moment in time I wanted to quit golf forever, but I proceeded to hit the best shots of the day. After another hour of the drill, we played nine holes and I shot the best score of my life. With open blisters on my hands and feet and having lost my temper more than once in the 90-degree heat, I learned the true meaning of giving it your blood, sweat, and tears.

A few years later, our friendship had grown and I was now calling him just "Hartman." We played golf at least once a week and he was still my coach. It was at this time that he taught me the second key to success. I told Hartman that I would meet him at the course at 8:30. When I finally arrived around 9’oclock, Hartman was infuriated. He explained to me that when you decide to do something, you do it. If you say you are going to be there at 8:30, be there early. He said that a man’s word is all a man has and once it is gone he is left with nothing. It doesn’t matter if the promise is big or small. Hartman was always a man of his word and he hated having to break a promise or commitment. My punishment for the day was that I had to walk all 18 holes as he rode along beside me. I blew off his little lesson and didn’t think much of it. What I hadn’t realized is that I had taken his lesson to heart and was later doing exactly what he told me. Others could see the changes when I couldn’t. I never got the chance to thank Hartman for that lesson because he passed away a short time after.

The third lesson Hartman taught me is the best one of all. Mr.Hartman was a man who always seemed out of place. While living in New Jersey, he pulled for the Miami Dolphins and while living in the south he thought my southern state of mind was lazy. Wherever Hartman was he seemed out of place, yet he was always comfortable in his own skin. The day he caught me acting like a spoiled little rich boy, he lectured me far more than my own father would have. Hartman did things his way and never let anyone change him. He sucked up to no one, but respected and treated everyone as his equal. He pushed everyone around him to the limit in an effort to make them the best they could be. He told me that God had a plan for his “small town southern kid” as long as I stuck to working hard and kept being myself. I never knew how important that statement was until I attended his memorial. Every person there told stories about Hartman and it seemed he had taught every person some kind of lesson.

Mr. Hartman was a coach, a friend and a father figure. He pushed me to my limit and made me a better person. The lessons he taught me were simple yet they were lessons I needed to learn. Hartman was one of the first adults to treat me as an equal and one of the few to show a large interest in me. He was more than a friend and a coach. He was simply, "Hartman."

Eat Your Vegetables
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Isn't complicated

It isn't complicated

I swear it isn't hard

It's not that hard to understand

Rather not be hated

I'd rather not be hated

Loosening the grip

The grip that's loosening my hand

Sit down

The seat is cold but it gets warmer

Your turn

Enjoy a New York Times best-selling novel

That's right

It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it
Stand up
Pull yourself together
Nothing to it

Don't get so excited
Don't get too excited
Good things come to those
Good things come to those who wait

Bitching's overrated

Fit pitching's overrated
Better not complain
Best you eat what's on your plate

Why does it pour when it rains
(Mainly on the plain and interrupted)
Who moves on and who remains
(Plainly the meek and the disrupted)

Give me a chance to fill the shoes I'm walking in

On bended knees I pray

Kill the Fatted Calf

2011-11-09T09:43:00.000-08:00

I've often used poetry to illustrate my emotional journey as a songwriter. This, celebrating the pain that in many instances accompanies and should accompany our quest for artistic sovereignty.

Kill the Fatted Calf

by Jeffrey S. Hartman

Originally published May 1, 1989

I speak my piece through versitude

Of such I've scrawled in solitude

I've kissed women in gratitude

Still each one ends in wrangled feud

I've hurt

I've bled

I've feared

I've fled

Renown me with the virtue of death

My quota

My life

My solitude

My trite attitude

Only from my solemn aptitude

How must we kill the fatted calf?

With altitude

Jeff Hartman © 2011. All rights reserved.

Charlotte-Hickory Music & Acting Veteran Scores Film—Charlotte Premiere Friday

2011-10-31T19:44:00.000-07:00

Charlotte-Hickory Music & Acting Veteran Scores Film—Charlotte Premiere Friday
Collaborates with "Hannah Montana: The Movie" Orchestrator

CHARLOTTE-HICKORY — Local actor and singer/songwriter, Jeff Hartman, recently scored "Pendulum Swings," a movie shot in North Carolina by producer/director Bill Rahn of Tri-Rahn Pictures in cooperation with Adam Melton and Vela Films. The sold-out public premiere on January 8 at Marquee Cinemas in Morganton sparked high demand for additional showings across the country including this Friday, November 4th's red carpet presentation in Charlotte from 7:30 pm at the Ayrsley Grand Cinemas on Kings Parade Blvd. Following the cast introduction, the film will begin at 8 pm. Autographs and photos will be taken afterwards in the lobby. Tickets are available now at the box office. Please visit the theater website for details at ayrsleycinemas.com.

Hartman wrote 42 cues for the film. Two he orchestrated in collaboration with "Hannah Montana: The Movie" orchestrator, Mark Johnson, later recorded by the 45-piece Immanuel Bible Church Orchestra, near Washington, DC. Conducted by Clint Shondelmyer, both pieces were engineered and mixed by Rob Cantanio, Michael French and Jeff Hartman in Hickory. Jeff also appeared, co-wrote and performed the concert scene-song in the film with his wife and band, "Hartman."

"It's been a joy ride. It's thrilling to see the film take its first steps. It's an important story of faith and I'm looking forward to see how far we can carry the message."

Hartman has been acting, touring and promoting original music professionally for almost 20 years in the Charlotte-Hickory area and across the country. Jeff earned Best Actor at the North Carolina Theatre Conference in 2006 and an MTA Award in 2010 for his film-for-stage editing. His latest album, "Better Live," features live, original tracks from Charlotte Bobcats Arena to Verizon Wireless Amphithetre—also featured on ESPN.

Folks can follow "Pendulum Swings" and Hartman on facebook or by visiting pendulumswingsmovie.com and jshartman.com.

Hands

2011-10-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

This cold war poem got me published in 1991, subsequently on audio book in '92. Am I that old? Still feels relevant in a world where we sensationalize war and celebrate so much death, however justified it feels.

Hands

by Jeffrey S. Hartman

And from the light walked the neon man with pools of tears

He's unwritten

My friend

Will he remember a sun's light

The mirror night

A July pool and in December all that fell was snow

We'll never know tomorrow's children
The tulip's blossom
The gallop of clock's face
And now the mushroom nation promises the neon race
We grave the white light's show
And I, an American
Perhaps
In spite of circumstance would rather not know

And from the silhouette came his neon rival
In his final years
He's touched his affections and is left with a libel

Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь!
(Proletarians of all countries, unite!)
[Proletarii vsekh stran , soedinyaĭtesʹ!]

Now eyes within sound proved the skies found nuetral ends
And the end's cry found promise of the self-renewal
And the reluctance of duel proved the promise

And their hands met as they kneeled upon a brandy stone
Minutes of stare
Minutes thrown by time

They saw the fair throne peace

And the war was over
The Earth slain and sore
And Jesus wot where
Out there
A beginning lay without pain or war

Jeff Hartman © 2011. All rights reserved.

Static Cling: Part I - Snuggle Dies [20th Anniversary]

2011-10-12T10:50:00.000-07:00

In the 80's to 90's changeover, Jeff and I were practicing our bagging skills at the local Food Lion. The number of hours spent at the front of the store, bagging tons of items was monotonous enough... when the store partnered with CNN to ease the boredom of shoppers waiting in line, it became almost intolerable.

CNN installed televisions in the checkout lanes for shoppers to watch the news as they waited for their turn for check out. Someone in the powers that be decided the average wait time was about 5 minutes, meaning that the same music, news, and even commercials were shown EVERY FIVE MINUTES. If you work for an 8 hour shift, even with breaks and running to get things, you have a solid 5+ hours of hearing this same information. And, as I can remember, they may have updated it once every day or so.

Hearing the same Snuggle Fabric Softener commercial every five minutes (over a period of days) spawned what you are about to watch. While mopping one night, my brain began twisting a story around a guy who kidnaps the Snuggle bear and kills him. Gunfire, Metallica and a stuffed, lovable bear were the components to a serious relief in monotony. I pitched the idea to Jeff, who, being just as twisted as myself, began brainstorming. It took one night to film the first "movie," which we showed in the break room at the FL. Everyone seemed to love it, which turned into a sequel, then trilogy (taking a week to shoot the second film, and a month for the third). By the end, we seemed to know what we were doing so much more then when we started. My idea, Jeff's technical savvy, and both of our senses of humor gave birth to this wonderful, twisted and overall meaningless story. Enjoy!

— Jason Hatfield, Creator

20 years later, I gotta say, with the rise of Indie's like "The Blair Witch Project," the subsequent celebrated style of "Cloverfield," and the online social circulation of SNL's digital shorts, we were way ahead of our time. Our Snuggle shorts I, II and III got a lot of mileage in an age when social networking was all offline and actually involved leaving the house.

When Jason approached me with the original concept, my first thought was, what can we do to take the viewer from silly joy to lip-curling horror in less than 20 minutes.

We considered using a real Snuggle commercial to kick things off, but it quickly became obvious we had to begin by crucifying the commercial itself; the voice, the terrible puppetry (or lack thereof) and the horrible big band LP Jason had lying around. I reserved clips from the actual '91 spots that inspired the slaying, 20 years later for the pre-kidnap credits.

Few folks know the Lenoir cops or "COPS: Lenoir" brought filming to a screeching halt when they answered a "noise complaint behind Food Lion." They didn't take too kindly to the vast plastic yet lifelike arsenal of weapons in our possession. Keep in mind, toy manufacturers weren't required to place the orange plastic tips on the muzzles of toy guns when we were growing up. Thankfully we avoided a "suicide by cop" scenario!

After 20 years, I never noticed Snuggle's last words were, "Do you want some pine...?" My favorite line, underneath Jason's still nameless vigilante character screaming at Snuggle in the car on the way to Gamewell Middle School... "I didn't do anything." Exactly.

It's been my own personal mission to get Part I back out there, this time in the digital world, while it's still the "20th anniversay." The tapes have really degraded over the years, so most of my time working on it has been spent restoring what I can frame by frame. The hardest part is stripping the sound down and rebuilding it, foley, 5.1 surround, applying filtering to help get it to full 1080p HD. Beefiing up the resolution and building surround channels for the DVD/Blu-ray discs took some time. Thank God for HD.

Our short, dark comedy's popularity prompted two sequels and spawned a reboot in 1995. One of these days, we'll pick up where we left off. Enjoy!

— Jeff Hartman, Director

An Artist's Heart

2011-10-12T10:31:00.000-07:00

“The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.” — Epictetus

The particular idea of indifference to external conditions was often a topic of debate in many of my acting classes in college. The discussions usually centered around the notion that artists, particularly actors, find this (relative to relationships and our happiness off-stage) to be more challenging than most because we're taught and encouraged to react and reflect as part of our craft. Acting is reacting. One professor argued, inaction is still an action. This is another leap, but I'm also reminded of one of my favorite Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotes... "He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it." Makes me wonder if happiness, relative to Epictetus's quote, is achievable at the expense of art and experience.

My Sweet Your Sour

2011-10-12T09:28:00.000-07:00

I've often wondered whether or not I see colors the way you see colors the way he sees colors the way she sees colors and so on. Is my blue your blue? Is my sweet your sour? 1 + 1 certainly equals 2, doesn't it? Besides God, I'd have to say nobody knows me better than my wife. Dad often said to me, "Perspective is a funny thing." Although I'm a strict Independent, my friends on the Left think I'm conservative. My friends on the Right think I'm progressive. Although I'm a transcendentalist, my religious friends think I'm way off the beaten path. My less or non-religious friends think I'm a bible thumper. My parents probably think I'm an angel (clearing throat), etc. It's hard to imagine how many folks lose friends on facebook and life in general under the wrong impression. We don't take time anymore to ask the right questions and get to know one another. We walk away from conversations and dodge debate. I clarified a 15-year-old misunderstanding just the other day. So sad to me that we do this. We all make so many choices for so many different reasons from so many different perspectives. There's so much we can learn from one another and about one another. I find it easier to answer what is with what isn't. This page brings some levity to our tail-chasing hunger for universal truth... http://truths.omniseek.com/list.html

SOM

2011-09-09T00:05:00.000-07:00

Celebratiing my 11th wedding anniversary and opening night of "The Sound of Music" at Hickory Community Theatre on the Charles E. Jeffers Theatre mainstage, where we married. My amazing bride, Carol Anne, plays "Maria." Our oldest, Timmy, debuts as "Kurt." Dad, my best man, adored this musical, Carol Anne's voice, and his grandson. It's an emotional day.

"The Sound of Music" was one of Brad Dad's favorite musicals. He would put it on every year, sometimes more, just to drive us crazy. He got a little goat puppet one year as a gift that sings "The Lonely Goatherd" song and achieved maximum annoyingness. Deep down we loved it, he knew it and we would do anything for him to be here to soak in all of this.

Interesting coincidence... Dad used to joke when he did absent-minded things that he was the "SOM," which he said stood for "Stupid Old Man." He would even sign emails and cards as "SOM." Our hearts lept a little when we started receiving messages and notices about the show, referring to "Sound of Music" in short as "SOM." If you right click on many of the digital publicity images and select "save picture as," the file name says "SOM." Although "Sound of Music" has always had those initials, I still maintain that coincidence is simply God's way of remaining anonymous. Plus, it makes you wonder. What are the chances that HCT would choose to do Dad's favorite musical the year he passed, opening on our wedding anniversary on the stage we married with Timmy in his very first role and Carol Anne as the lead? Then there's the SOM-thing. Did I mention the National Weather Service announces today, opening night, soon to be "Hurricane Maria" is setting its sights on the Atlantic coast? "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" Makes me smile. It's also ironic Alex Lee is producer, for many reasons. We'll save that for another day.

Making Furniture Polish from Lemons

2011-09-08T08:36:00.000-07:00

"We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons." — Alfred E. Neuman

It's been quite some time since I weighed in on our "battle between good and evil." That's a good thing. Anyone who has ever reached my voicemail message knows exactly what I'm talking about.  ; ) This will be less of a traditional blog entry and more of a patchwork of comments and quotes throughout the course of the year or so that reflect "the state of our union." There are no words, really; no brilliant conclusions, although the obvious "trust in God, not people" could easily froth over the high's and low's of every paragraph. What can I say. We're exhausted. We've lost so much family, friends, work, faith; all within a very short period of time. I can say that this will serve somewhat as a bookend to expressing our frustration and a surrendering of sorts to any hope we've held out for revelation. That, too, is a good thing. Assertive? Always. Our belief? Intact. Our faith? Tested—ongoing, as that cycle should be. Church? (aka "bio domes," n: generally used to refer to a totally enclosed eco-system) Well, church, as we knew it (and as you may have gathered from my sarcasm), has officially become very much like a coming of age belief in Santa Claus. I issued a challenge in 2009.

"I want 2010 to prove me wrong. I want love between Christians and non- to mean something. I want it to know no boundaries. I want it to eclipse self-interest. I want churches to drive out their own buyers and sellers. I want them to appropriate life and in-appropriate lifestyle. Stop running church like a business and start running it like a foundation for Christ's teachings. Demonstrate meaningful church leadership and Christian values. Lamb and Lion. Stop confusing dissension with rebellion and disobedience. Don't pretend conformity is unity. Acknowledge and account. Compete less, connect more. Grow the Kingdom of God that is one another, not attendance, buildings and cash. Show me. I want to be able to look upon this and previous blogs with levity and an about-face." — The Good, the Bad and the Ugly '09

Did it? Do I? Well, that may very well be the purpose of this entry and questions we're asked most as organized religion refugees. You can interpret it as the answer to these questions or a means by which to seek the answers. As a songwriter, I'm perfectly comfortable discussing what hurts without alienating my appreciation for that and those for which I am grateful. Blessings very much understood. Billy Joel said, "Musicians want to be the loud voice for so many quiet hearts." There's no shortage of "quiet hearts" around us and there's never a shortage of assertiveness, here. As actors, we learn to accept the roles we're offered and play them to the best of our ability. To be or not to be; that is an answer.

You'll find the overall theme here is unexpected absence and a longing for sincerity. "I didn't sign up for this," so to speak. I also liken it to broken political campaign promises and bloviated speeches. "Read my lips..." The important thing to note and the best reason for sharing any of this is that despite the hurt and disappointment, we're working through the consternation and choosing to go beyond the lemonade and make furniture polish from these proverbial lemons. "I always try to keep faith in my doubts." — from "The Sound of Music"

Since I believe a problem only exists if there is a difference between what is actually happening and what you desire to be happening, all of this begs the question; What do I want? Apologies? Unlikely. Affirmation? Overrated. Thanks? Unnecessary. Reformation by awareness? Ideal. The answer is... a giant Jersey Mike's #3, Mike's way, extra wet, a huge bag of Lays Sour Cream & Onion chips and a 2-liter Sprite. Then we'll talk. Then I'll say the answer is simple. The Fixx. They said it best... "Why don't they do what they say, say what they mean..." Don't tell folks you love them if you're not prepared for what that means. Don't tell folks you go where they go if you're not prepared to. Don't ask for advice you're not prepared to follow. Don't tell me how much you miss me when the only one missing is you. Don't make promises you won't keep. Just don't. Stop. Fin.

So, this cornucopia of commentary begins with a quote from the "The Rite" and ends with a quote from Mother Teresa. In an interview with Charlie Rose, Anthony Hopkins said he specifically wrote to the screenwriter and asked if he could include this in the film. Turns out it’s a direct quote from a Jesuit priest in England who made a big impression on Hopkins.

"At times I’ve experienced total loss of faith—days, months when I don’t know what the hell I believe in—God or the devil, Santa Claus or Tinker Bell. Yet there’s something that keeps digging and scraping away inside of me. Seems like God’s fingernail. And finally, I can take no more of the pain and I get shoved out from the darkness into the light.” — Father Lucas, from "The Rite"

It's still a very dark and difficult time for us spiritually, emotionally and financially. Any expectations of those "exceptional" Christians we've developed over the past few years have been built around, well, what Sunday mornings lead us to expect. We paint our yearnings on such mollifying expectations. Alas—Expectations; the cre'me de la creme of setting yourself and others up for disappointment.  Keep your standards high and your expectations low.

Jake Colsen wrote “We give our affection only to those who serve our interests and withhold it from those who do not.” I really don't want to believe that, but every "brother and sister in Christ" we've surrounded ourselves with in recent years have gone notably absent from our lives. I'm writing only of those who have placed themselves on a Christian pedestal in title, leadership position/role, esteem and the zealots who build and support these pedestals with zero accountability. Consider the emotional, financial, social and spiritual lengths we've gone to for certain folks. They don't call. They don't write. They stopped participating in our lives and involving us in theirs the moment they could stand on their own two feet and we couldn't ours.

"Nobody loves you when you're down and out." — John Lennon

"We all love you guys and miss you greatly" (from a pastor of the church we were attending) captioned with a six months-absence from our lives and facebook de-friending Carol Anne and me in the wake of my father's death is a tad difficult to swallow.  "We pray each week that you'll come back... I would love to be friends with you and Carol Anne (more than you know). I think you are GREAT!" I'm no rocket scientist, so... I'm guessing we shouldn't define our "greatness" or estimate how much this pastor wants to be friends with him by his de-friending us? I don't think I wanna know what he'd do if he thought we sucked and didn't want to be friends with us! Facebook is facebook, but... I'm not so sure de-friending anyone is the best way to get to know someone, minister or encourage fellowship. Call me "Crazy..." But I digress. Some of the worst things you can say to someone in a trial are, "I love you..." "I'll pray for you..." "Let me know if there's anything I can do..." Some of the best things you can do are treat folks you genuinely love as if you genuinely love them, pray with them and knock on their door in an effort to actually help do something. Mother Teresa once said, "Prayer without action is no prayer at all. You have to work as if everything depended on you, and leave the rest to God."

Carol Anne and I have had so many folks take what they need and disappear from our lives in recent years. The past few months with family and friends reminds me of the beautiful relationships in our lives that transcend any need. Actress Ethel Barrymore once said, "The best time to make friends is before you need them." Too true. Forever the bridesmaid, never the bride. The proverbial Barry Manilow's "Mandy," if you will. What we do and who we are is unconditional. Just don't brand me your "best friend" and put me out to pasture once you've milked me for all I'm worth. Believe it or not, this is a positive post. Feeling very grateful for and focused on the good relationships in our lives. We like who we are and what we do. Bridesmaids rock! We chose to go to bat for a particular team at the expense of many relationships and opportunities. No regrets. Now that the shoe's on the other foot, they're nowhere to be found. Dozens of empty promises later to us and those tethered to us, it hurts, but we sleep better knowing we made a difference in their lives. When you make a promise, say only "Yes" or "No." Matthew 5:37

"To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering one must not love. But then one suffers from not loving. Therefore to love is to suffer, not to love is to suffer. To suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love. To be happy then is to suffer. But suffering makes one unhappy. Therefore, to be unhappy one must love, or love to suffer, or suffer from too much happiness." — Woody Allen

We've been hit with some really hard times, lately. Nobody is less deserving of losing a huge design account as well as an artist grant than my wife. She freely gives so much of her time and talent from those less privileged to those she believes in. Then there's Charlie Sheen. We've always been faithful people, going out of our way to help those less fortunate, friends in need, organizations in need, community needs, sticking our necks out for folks, etc. We never, ever expect anything in return, though a phone call or a knock at the door feels great. We could just use a break in our own clouds. "The sun'll come out tomorrow..."

For the most part, we're on our own here. We're surrounded by nice folks, but nobody really wants to get involved. Natural, I guess, but disheartening nonetheless. Maybe a change of scenery would be good. Carol Anne insists we move to Fiji. We're connected to at least six pastors and five churches in the area, none of which demonstrate a sincere interest in our lives beyond the property lines of each church. I'm proud (probably too proud) to say we've made a concerted effort for as long as I can remember to always give without taking, personally and professionally. It's getting to the point of getting taken advantage of emotionally and financially on a regular basis. Folks tell us what they think we want to hear at best. Carrots and sticks. Rule of thumb—You don't tell a child you're going to take him to Toys"R"Us followed by ice cream and video games then, not only blow it off, but never speak of it again. You don't tell an artist bruised by the industry, his wife and his students you're going to produce, engineer and publish his, hers and their music (among many other things), blow it off and never speak of it again. You're toying with hearts and hopes, dreams and faith. "Can't" is one thing. "Won't" is another. "Disregard" is cruel and, at this point, usual.

We know empathy and selflessness require a certain level of naivete, but we're not strong enough at the moment to process any accompanying disappointment. I know it's better to have loved and lost, but we have to circle the wagons for now. We've yet to experience/witness a demonstration of sincere interest in others' lives beyond the property lines of the churches we've been associated with. When my father passed away unexpectedly in January, we didn't receive a single phone call from any of the aforementioned pastors. But we received a letter in the mail soliciting money in the way of fundraising for a new building for one of those churches. I also received an email of condolence from one of those aforementioned pastors who... (drum roll) ...has me blocked on facebook. I'm his "brother" and he "loves" me, too, right? We're probably in the worst position we've ever been in as long as we've been married, financially and emotionally and nobody will touch us with a ten foot pole. I think most folks think tragedy and hard times are contagious. I have to remind myself to trust in God, not people.

We still struggle daily with believing lies and have lost a great deal of faith as a result. Carol Anne and I believe others and believe in others arguably to a fault. Seems we've done nothing but wine about the injustices in our lives over the past year or so, but we've also opened ourselves up to others much more in recent years. Comes with the territory, I suppose. When you hear things like, "You're our best friends," "We go where you go," "We love you," you're introduced in such a way to others and then those shoulders are nowhere to lean on when times get tough, it's paralyzing to say the least. It's a reality we've struggled and struggle to accept.

Jesus healed 10 lepers. Only one stopped to thank Him. Be that person, folks. Although gratitude shouldn't be expected in the wake of good will, take the time to thank people for the lengths they go to for you. Return a favor. My father taught me the beauty of helping others, but he never prepared me for the apathy and ingratitude that so often accompany good will. It never ceases to amaze me, but it never ceases me.

"People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway. If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway. The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway." — Mother Teresa

Charter Center Stage

2011-09-01T11:19:00.000-07:00

Our long-time friend, Paula Atwood, suggested we enter this Charter Center Stage contest as an additional way to raise some money for the studio. Please vote every day and share the link until September 3rd! It's free and if you live in the right area, you're also eligible to win prizes!

You can vote once every 24 hours. If you have more than one email address, you can register and vote daily from each email account. I'm not a fan of contests or band battles, but if we all vote every day we could actually do this!

Just click on "Vote Now" and then fill the little form out. Then finish voting for "Hartman!" Once you're registered, you can vote without having to re-register.

https://connect.charter.com/Concert/Band/Details/271

Thanks! — Hartman

Fundraising Efforts Continue for Creative & Performing Arts Studio

2011-08-02T07:59:00.000-07:00

Fundraising Efforts Continue for Creative & Performing Arts Studio

HICKORY - The studio on Highland Avenue, next to Johnson Piano & Organ Exchange, is currently and will continue to be home to Hickory, NC's first professional commercial recording and film post-production facility, photography, teaching & production studio and Hickory's official house concert & master class venue. Billboard artist Kyle Vincent and singer/songwriter Charlie Parr were the first in a series of house concerts and master classes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow2wrEEeg1E "House Concerts in particular are a growing trend and provide much needed opportunities for singer/songwriters, but not everybody knows someone in Hickory. We want to continue to bridge that gap."

Veteran touring and recording artist, Jeff Hartman, most recently sponsored coaching sessions at the studio for this year's "Rotarian Idol" finalists and scored "Pendulum Swings," a faith-based movie shot in North Carolina. Hartman wrote 42 cues for the film. Two were orchestrated in collaboration with "Hannah Montana: The Movie" orchestrator, Mark Johnson, later recorded by the 45-piece IBC Orchestra, near Washington, DC. Both pieces were engineered and mixed by Rob Cantanio, Michael French and Jeff via the studio in Hickory.

Please help keep the studio going by bringing awareness to the fundraising efforts for what will expand into a Hickory Creative & Performing Arts Center, providing instruction in everything from violin, piano, singer/songwriter development to creative writing and puppet making! Instructors on board include Broadway veteran John Coffey, Carol Anne Hartman, Forrest Brown, Dustin Ousley, Jeff and many more! Help is as easy as sharing the following link via email, facebook, twitter, etc. on a regular basis. http://www.indiegogo.com/Hickory-Arts-Center Incentives for the fundraiser include photography sessions, house concerts, HD commercials for your business/service, free lessons and more.

The official fundraising link... http://www.indiegogo.com/Hickory-Arts-Center

Highlights of the aforementioned Rotarian Idol 2011 finalists; coaching sessions sponsored by Hartman & studio... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlWTMA6qLwQ

Charlie Parr House Concert hosted by the studio and Five Head Entertainment... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ow2wrEEeg1E

"Do You See Me" from the film "Pendulum Swings..." http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsU7YU8u43Q

Thank you for your support!

Community Theatre

2011-07-21T08:43:00.000-07:00

Occasionally the "it's only community theatre-infection" spreads and we all need to step up the antibiotics. Some studios have too many folks convinced that one proprietary production per year barring all other local and regional theatre experience qualifies paying students for a professional stage career. As an actor, director, student, teacher, fan and patron of all forms and forums of theater, I must disagree with any suggestion that an exclusive relationship between student, studio and stage is a good one.

"But it's only community theater," right? Tell that to a patron or volunteer who'll never have an opportunity to do anything else anywhere else. To some, it's Broadway. To some, it's his or her opportunity to be "star for a day (or ten)." It's too easy to take the community for granted. It's just as easy to underestimate the communty. Sometimes we all take for granted how easy it is for us to step in and get involved whenever we choose (usually however we choose). Some allow opportunities for those uneducated in theater to direct the inexperienced in theater. That's opportunity. But there was a time when it wasn't so easy and we shouldn't ignore or exclude or deny any opportunities for those fresh faces it isn't easy for now. In essence, you never know who you're gonna share a stage with. You'll never who you could have shared a stage with. Ask those who shared many a community theatre stage with Tom Hanks.

Community theater is about involving new people and the ongoing process of trying to involve new people. People. Community. Experience. Networking. Encouragement. The art of community theater is "re-volving" and balancing the fresh faces with the old. As opposed to survival of the fittest-equity houses, there's a responsibility to preserve the delicate integrity of good community theater. When excluding, dismissing or discouraging infects a theatre community, one threatens to remove the foundation of community theater.

No one theatre or theatre community is unique to any problem and we all have an opportunity to raise, set and maintain community theater standards. Keep the "community" in "community theater." In the immortal words of Willow Smith, "Hop up out the bed, turn my swag on, Pay no attention to them haters... Don’t let haters get me off my grind." Dunno what that means, but it sounds positive.

Five Head Entertainment & Down to Hear Studios present Charlie Parr

2011-05-09T12:29:00.000-07:00

Five Head Entertainment & Down to Hear Studios present Charlie Parr
Thursday, May 26 from 8 pm

Hickory - Five Head Entertainment & Down to Hear Studios will present Charlie Parr in concert on Thursday, May 26 from 8 pm at The Garage Bookstore in Hickory.

"This is our first in a series of house concerts. House Concerts are a growing trend and provide much needed opportunities for singer/songwriters, but not everybody knows someone in Hickory. We want to bridge that gap."

Tickets are available online at fiveheadentertainment.com or by swinging by The Garage Bookstore | $7 advance/$10 DOS/$5 students

Charlie Parr is a country blues musician from Austin, Minnesota. He started his music career in Duluth, Minnesota. His influences include Charlie Patton, Bukka White, Reverend Gary Davis, and Dave Van Ronk. He plays a National resonator guitar, a fretless open-back banjo, and a 12-string guitar in the piedmont blues style.

Parr’s music cannot be absorbed in one hearing or even several. There’s just too much far-from-simple human reality going on. The songs take their power from their cumulative effect, which comes in the eventual recognition that chunks of coal mined by genius shine like diamonds. (Ramblings)

Charlie Parr captures the intense sound of the folk music of America’s frozen north. His raw voice, lightning finger pick-ing and plaintive but wry songs have made him one of the most important contemporary protagonists of the American folk tradition. (Bath International Music Festival)

Thursday, 5/26/2011 Charlie Parr HICKORY, NC
Five Head Entertainment & Down to Hear Studios present Charlie Parr from 8 pm in The Garage Bookstore
1717 Highland Avenue
Hickory, NC 28601
704-473-0739
fiveheadentertainment.com
downtohearstudios.com
thegaragebookstore.com

Hartman gets Muddy

2011-05-09T11:25:00.001-07:00

Hartman gets Muddy
Music & Mud: A Heritage, Music and Pottery Festival
Newton-Conover Auditorium on Saturday, May 21 from 12 pm

NEWTON - "Hartman," the husband & wife combo will appear on the mainstage with an incredible lineup of artists and entertainers for Newton-Conover Auditorium's annual heritage, music and pottery festival, Executive Director Reggie Helton coined "Music & Mud." The festival begins at Newton-Conover Auditorium in Newton, NC on Saturday, May 21 from 10 am. The event is free to the public.

Hartman has been touring and promoting original music professionally for over 16 years across the country, exemplified by their latest album, "Live from The Cove." The popular faith-based group recently appeared in and composed the score for the film, "Pendulum Swings."

"This is the perfect chance for original artists to be heard. Performance opportunities are too often limited by local cliques. Arts enthusiasts like Jimmy Rhine and Reggie Helton are both offering such artists and music lovers alike much needed opportunities."

Saturday, 5/21/2011 Newton Conover Auditorium NEWTON, NC
Music and Mud: A Heritage, Music, and Pottery Festival
Hartman from 12 pm
60 West 6th Street
Newton, NC 28658
828-466-0920
newton-conoverauditorium.org
jshartman.com

Capture It! | DSLR Camera Basics Workshop

2011-03-14T09:29:00.000-07:00

Capture It!
DSLR Camera Basics Workshop
Saturday, March 19 OR March 26 at Down to Hear Studios

Hickory - Life is happening so fast, let Carol Anne Hartman Photography show you how to capture it! Take a day and let professional photog, Carol Anne Hartman, teach you how to use your DSLR camera to its fullest potential.

This is a class for the everyday person looking to shoot better with their DSLR camera, particularly how to shoot in manual, metering, composition and much, much more. Introductory cost is only $70 and includes lunch. Call 828-291-7227 or email ca@cahartman.com to reserve your seat. Only 20 available!

When: Saturday, March 19 OR March 26, 2011

Where: 1717 Highland Ave, Hickory, NC at Down to Hear Studios downtohearstudios.com

Times: 10 am to 6 pm

Cost: $70 (lunch provided)

Details: Bring your camera, any lens or other accessories you have and enjoy a day of learning mixed with twisted humor. Carol Anne uses a combination of classroom style teaching and hands-on experimenting.

Please visit cahartman.com for more information about Carol Anne Hartman Photography or follow her on facebook.

Veteran Touring Artist Coaches Idol Finalists

2011-03-02T07:53:00.001-08:00

Veteran Touring Artist Coaches Idol Finalists
Hartman Sponsors Coaching Sessions

HICKORY - Veteran touring and recording artist, Jeff Hartman, will be sponsoring coaching sessions for this year's "Rotarian Idol" finalists at Down to Hear Studios in Hickory on Thursday, March 3rd and Saturday, March 5. Hartman's teaching and production studio is located at Down to Hear Studios, near Johnson Piano & Organ Exchange, above The Garage Bookstore.

Hickory Rotary Club's second annual Rotarian Idol contest is March 19 from 7 pm at Lenoir-Rhyne University's P.E. Monroe Auditorium. Tickets to the event are $20 per person. Some VIP tickets are available at $50 per person. This is a fundraising event to benefit the education initiatives of the Hickory Rotary Club. First place contestant will receive $2,500. One lucky ticket holder will win $500.

Last year's winner, Carol Anne Hartman, will be performing an original song at this year's event. "Do You See Me," co-written with husband, Jeff, was featured in the film, "Pendulum Swings," screening at Marquee Cinemas in Statesville from 4 pm on March 5. The song was engineered by Michael French at Down to Hear Studios. For more information about Hartman, the studio and related links, please visit downtohearstudios.com.

JEFF HARTMAN | Acting & Music Programs

2011-02-23T09:53:00.000-08:00

JEFF HARTMAN | Acting & Music Programs
Group and Private Sessions

Mission Statement

“The key to this business is personal relationships. Suddenly, it was all clear. The answer was fewer clients.” - Jerry Maguire

Quality over quantity... Ask not what your students can do for you; ask what you can do for your students... Give a man a fish... You get the picture. The Jerry Maguire mantra is something that unfortunately escapes most public schools and teaching studios and is something I’m fortunately in a position to offer.

I've had the privelage of teaching and directing in the area since I was a student at ASU. It is and should be a thankless, selfless profession and its greatest reward is in the connections I make with my students. You'll never catch me telling a student what they want to hear and I surround any expectations around the hope that they'll learn more from my mistakes than my successes. If you can avoid my pitfalls, advantage you!

I've been "paying my dues" longer than I can remember. I don't think it's something a wise artist ever believes he stops or should stop doing. There's a huge failure in the teaching and mentoring community to recognize and therefore distinguish the difference between chasing a "big break" vs. developing a career in the arts. Big breaks find you, not the other way around. - Jeff Hartman

Jeff Hartman is an award-winning actor & music director and a graduate of Appalachian State University. Jeff has been teaching and touring professionally for almost two decades. Please visit jshartman.com for more information. Click here for a downloadable application.

There is a strong emphasis on autonomy. Your drive, availability and your needs determine your curriculum and progress. The music program is mostly for those interested in pursuing an active career as a singer/songwriter & recording artist. Instrument instruction is available upon request only as an addendum.

SERVICES

Acting

Technique/Method | Movement | Audition Prep | Public Speaking | Improv | Acting for the Camera | Character Development | Stage Makeup | Scene Study | Direction

Music

Transcription | Notation | Collaboration | Industry | Songwriting | Performance | Public Relations | Accompaniment | Recording | Production | Engineering | Management | MIDI | Worship

Rates

• Private Sessions are $25 per 30-minute, weekly lesson.

• Group is an additional $25 per student. Private students are encouraged but not required to attend weekly, 1-hour collaborative group classes. Group is held every Thursday from 7 pm and is exclusive to private students.

• Instrument Instruction is $25 per 30-minute, weekly lesson.

*Internships & Scholarships are available under certain circumstances.

More

• Sessions & Group are currently held in Jeff’s branch of Down to Hear Studios.

• There are countless myths surrounding Nashville, Hollywood, Broadway and the entertainment industry in general. We work in a 90%-rejection industry. Mythbusting and “keepin’ it real” are fundamental to our relationship and your success.

• Session time is neither practice time or rehearsal time. Failure to demonstrate a reasonable work ethic will result in elimination from the program.

• There may be instances when we decide to take group on site to a concert or theatre production.

*Writing, arranging and recording is a full-time gig. Acting is a full-time gig. Space and focus is everything if you want to be the best you can be. Sometimes it's more obvious to others what one should be doing with his or her time. I got that speech later than sooner.

Contact

Jeff Hartman
mail@jshartman.com
828-291-0509
jshartman.com

Down to Hear Studios
1717 Highland Avenue
Hickory, NC 28601
downtohearstudios.com
Located next to Johnson Piano & Organ Exchange, above The Garage Bookstore

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Attendance

• Make up classes are not offered for missed classes. If you cancel a gig, you don’t get a make-up gig. I rest my case. See more below.

• Out of respect to your classmates, your teacher and your art, punctual attendance of classes, lessons, and events is expected.

Payment Policy

• You must pay in full per month prior to sessions/classes.

• Down to Hear Studios does not accept payments for Jeff unless it’s directly related to Down to Hear.

*There is a $30 fee for any returned checks.

Private Session 24–Hour Cancellation Policy

There is a 24–hour minimum notice for canceling private lessons. To cancel a lesson, call or leave a message at 828–291–0509. Late cancellation fees equal the full amount of scheduled lesson. If you are more than 15 minutes late for a lesson without notification, your lesson will be cancelled and you will be charged. We are in demand as teachers, performers, and session musicians; these policies are designed to honor and respect our time.

Jeff Hartman, in cooperation with Down to Hear Studios, makes every effort to provide the best possible instruction and optimal environment for learning. In the unlikely event that a class must be cancelled, you may apply the amount paid as credit towards any other classes or programs or you may request a full refund, to be issued no later than 48–hours after the published start date of the class.

Contracts

We will not compete or negotiate with any pre-existing management, publishing or recording contracts.

Do You See Me | Behind the Song

2011-02-16T08:00:00.000-08:00

“You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” - Hagar, Genesis 16:13

"Do You See Me"
from the movie "Pendulum Swings"
Words and Music by Jeff and Carol Anne Hartman

40 days and 40 nights
A wake of all my wrongs and rights
You see right through me

Swinging on a pendulum
Going where I'm coming from
You see right through me

Underneath discriminating skies
Endangered by incriminating eyes
Powerless eliminating lies
Battle cries
Strength will rise

You see me
Turnaround, I turn around
You free me
Turnaround, I turn around
You see me
Turnaround, I turn around and see You

Carrying my burden high
You are now my alibi
(Do You see me)
You see right through me
Dangerously moving on
Even though my strength is gone
(Do You see me)
You see right through me

Underneath discriminating skies
Endangered by incriminating eyes
Powerless eliminating lies
Battle cries
Faith will rise

You see me
(Do You see me now)
Turnaround, I turn around
You free me
(Can You free me now)
Turnaround, I turn around
You see me
Turnaround, I turn around

I'm broken down and I'm forgotten
But no longer 'cause You see me
I turn around

(Do You see me now)
Turnaround, I turn around
You free me
(Can You free me now)
Turnaround, I turn around
You see me
Turnaround, I turn around and see You

Behind the Song

My son, Coble, is a ham. Mike Myers, best known for his work on "Saturday Night Live" and as Austin Powers, might describe him as he describes himself—"I’m made of 99% ham and 1% water. I was just cooked that way!”

With every word, with every move, at every turn he solicits, "Do you see me?"

"Yes," I beam with pride. "I see you."

"You see me," he says with a satisfied smile.

When director Bill Rahn described his story—his film "Pendulum Swings" to me and the particular concert scene he needed a song for, I could only imagine said query, "Do you see me?"

In the scene, the main character's youngest daughter gets lost at a concert he and both daughters are attending. He literally "sees her" and recovers her a few, breathtaking moments later. Throughout the film, the main character doubts God or anyone else "sees him" as he fails to gracefully maneuver through betrayal, divorce and alcoholism. His "turnaround" moment comes when he turns around and sees God the way He sees him. The "pendulum swings" the other way.

Mike Myers credits his parents as the source of his artistic imagination—as do I. In 1987, his father was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. By the time Myers joined SNL two years later and his career had begun to take off, his father’s health was deteriorating. (Courtesy of Parade)

“I felt ripped off. Little by little, I was losing the one person I wanted to see what was happening to me,” Myers said. “He was my inspiration... For me, the pain of his dying happened when his sense of humor left his body. It’s as if it left first. That was the hardest part for me... One dude that I wanted to see all of my success, the universe had taken away from me, and I didn't understand why." His father died in 1991 prior to his SNL and Austin Powers success.

I've always been inspired and moved by the Myers story, but I never imagined my sympathy would turn empathy. The last time I saw my father alive was at the premiere of "Pendulum Swings." His health had been deteriorating, but unlike Myers, his passing was unexpected. For me, the pain of his dying started when his strength left his body. He was my biggest fan and loudest cheerleader. He lived long enough to read the press release that read, "Local Composer Scores Film." More importantly, he lived long enough to see each of his boys rise to the occasion and scratch the surface of their own personal and professional success.

With every word, with every move, at every turn I'd solicit, "Do you see me?"

"Yes," he beamed with pride. "I see you."

"He saw me," I can say with a satisfied smile.

My father spent most of his life trying not to be his father. I've spent and will continue to try being more like mine. I experienced many powerful moments with my father—the birth of my sons, best man in my wedding, working together to resolve a family crisis—but none more powerful than the only time I ever heard him pray out loud for the entire family in the fog of our family crisis. It was a moment I still illustrate in my mind as a son reaching for his Father.

"Do You see me?"

Author Mary E. DeMuth describes Genesis 16:13 and this idea of transparency—fight or flight—in the omniscient, unconditional arms of our heavenly Father. "Hagar is my unlikely, daily-life heroine. Why? Because she encounters God in the midst of a terrible day. Probably the worst day of her life. Hagar embodies her name, which means 'flight.' She flees. In the wilderness, hopeless, Hagar encounters the angel of the Lord. He encourages her, gives her direction. At the end of her conversation, she gives God a name—El Roi, the God Who Sees. Hagar is the only person in Scripture to name God. It's this characteristic of God—His all-seeing ways—that we who work and play and parent must understand and believe. Hagar may be an unlikely heroine—having fled difficult circumstances instead of facing them—but therein lies the serendipitous beauty of God. God sees our own frailty. He meets us as we flee. God gives us hope, encouragement and his presence so we can meet the challenges and privileges of the workaday world. There is no place God can't see. There is no situation He cannot discern. He sees it all."

"Yes," He beams with pride. "I see you."

"He sees us," we can all say with satisfied smiles.

Further Scripture

"For He looks to the ends of the earth and sees everything under the heavens." Job 28:24

"For His eyes are upon the ways of a man, and He sees all his steps." Job 34:21

"The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men; from His dwelling place He looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, He who fashions the hearts of them all, He who understands all their works." Psalm 33: 13-15

"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." 2 Chronicles 16:9

Local Composer Scores Film

2011-02-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

Local Composer Scores Film
Collaborates with "Hannah Montana: The Movie" Orchestrator

HICKORY - Local composer, Jeff Hartman, recently scored "Pendulum Swings," a faith-based movie shot in North Carolina by producer/director Bill Rahn of Tri-Rahn Pictures in cooperation with Adam Melton and Vela Films. The sold-out public premiere on January 8 at Marquee Cinemas in Morganton sparked high demand for a second premiere showing on Saturday, January 22. Advanced tickets are available by calling the box office.

Hartman wrote 42 cues for the film. Two were orchestrated in collaboration with "Hannah Montana: The Movie" orchestrator, Mark Johnson, later recorded by the 45-piece Immanuel Bible Church Orchestra, near Washington, DC. Conducted by Clint Shondelmyer, both pieces were engineered and mixed by Rob Cantanio and Michael French at Down to Hear Recording in Hickory. Jeff also appeared, co-wrote and performed the concert scene-song in the film with his wife and band, "Hartman."

"It's been a joy ride. It's thrilling to see the film take its first steps. It's an important story of faith and I'm looking forward to see how far we can carry the message."

Folks can follow "Pendulum Swings" on facebook or by visiting pendulumswingsmovie.com. Jeff Hartman has been touring and promoting original music professionally for 15 years. He currently teaches and operates in coordination with Down to Hear Studios in Hickory. jshartman.com

DSLR Camera Basics Workshop & Grand Opening!

2010-11-03T08:19:00.000-07:00

DSLR Camera Basics Class
Saturday, November 13 at Down to Hear Studios

Hickory - Are you just shooting away with your camera set to "the green box?" Take a day and let Carol Anne Hartman Photography show you the in's and out's of your camera so you can get better shots and have more fun, especially before the holidays roll around!

This is a class for the everyday person looking to take better shots with their DSLR camera. This is not a class designed for the aspiring professional photographer. Only 20 seats available, so DON'T MISS IT!

Special Introductory Price! Although Carol Anne has taught this class in Charlotte, it has never been offered here, in Hickory's own backyard. To celebrate the first DSLR class in Hickory, Hartman is offering a 50% discount! That's right. Sign up for this class for only $70.

When: November 13, 2010
Where: 1717 Highland Ave, Hickory, NC
Times: 10am to 6pm
Cost: $70 (lunch is provided)
Details: Bring your camera and any lenses or other accessories you have and enjoy a day of learning mixed with my twisted humor. Carol Anne uses a combination of classroom style teaching and hands-on experimenting as you go. Please visit cahartman.com for more information about Carol Anne Hartman Photography.

Only 20 seats are available, so register now! Call 828-291-7227 or email ca@cahartman.com to reserve your spot today.

Down to Hear Studios | Grand Opening!
Friday, November 19 from 7 pm, Doors open at 6 pm
Located with The Garage Bookstore at 1717 Highland Avenue next to Johnson Piano & Organ Exchange

Hickory - Down to Hear Studios is pleased to announce their grand opening event! Please join us for cocktails and hors' dourves. Enjoy this opportunity to connect with other arts and local business aficionados. Doors open at 6 pm.

Down to Hear Studios is home to...

Down to Hear Music | Records
Hickory, NC's first professional commercial recording and post-film production facility. downtohear.com

Reel Titles
Delivering combined continuity & master English spotting/subtitle lists to more than 150 major motion pictures since 1995. reeltitles.com

Carol Anne Hartman Photography | Legacy Marketing & DesignHi-end photography and graphic design for almost a decade. cahartman.com

Jeff Hartman
Teaching & production studio. Private & group acting & music instruction including voice, piano, guitar, songwriting and more.
jshartman.com

The Garage Bookstore
Specializing in unique and collectible motor books. facebook page

Located next to Johnson Piano & Organ Exchange, DTH is partnering with Five Head Entertainment to serve as Hickory's Official House Concert Venue by providing an intimate listening room and performance space in The Garage Bookstore for live, original music lovers.

Meet Down to Hear Studios | Master Songwriting Class Offered

2010-07-15T09:18:00.000-07:00

Down to Hear Studios
Master Songwriting Class Offered
Located next to Johnson Piano & Organ Exchange

Hickory - Down to Hear Studios is home to Hickory, NC's first professional commercial recording facility, Hickory Motor Books, Carol Anne Hartman Photography and Jeff Hartman's teaching & production studio. Located next to Johnson Piano & Organ Exchange, DTH will soon serve as Hickory's official house concert venue!

DTH is affiliated with ASCAP & BMI. Client list includes, Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, Chapman University, Jeff Beck, Jed Lieber, John Oates, Lenny Kravitz, Ron Dante, Billy Bob Thornton, Billy Gibbons, Brian Rawlings, Clint Mansell, Nydia Rojas, Paul Ferrara, Jesse Damon, Kyle Vincent, Paul Clark, Terry Clark, John Bean, Paul Mason, Calvary Chapel Burbank, Olivia the Band, Safehaven, Pali Outdoor Adventures, Jeff Hartman... and many others.

Downloadable application is now available for Jeff Hartman's acting & music programs at jshartman.com/jhapplication.pdf. Each program is limited to 10 students. Scholarships are available! More information is available at jshartman.com.

MASTER SONGWRITING CLASS OFFERED

DTH is kicking things off with a Master Songwriting Class! Everyone has an idea for a song, but not everyone knows how to turn those ideas into a finished masterpiece. Now you have the unique opportunity to take a day course with world-renowned singer-songwriter, Kyle Vincent!

Hickory’s own new recording studio, Down To Hear, will be offering a master songwriting class on Saturday, August 28. The class will be held for a full day starting at 9 am, lunch break from 12:30-1:30 pm, and ending at 5 pm.

This course is open to all, from beginning to advanced songwriters. The beginners will learn and experience the art of songwriting for the first time, while advanced writers will find value in the importance of looking inside the art of other accomplished songwriting styles.

Kyle Vincent is an international touring recording artist who has had a Billboard Adult Top 20 single, has had his songs placed in shows on MTV's Real World, The Hills, Road Rules, etc.), network TV, and in movies. He has worked with some of the biggest names in the music business. Goldmine calls him the “crown prince of soft pop”, and Barry Manilow praises him as “the best singer-songwriter to come along since the heyday of Tin Pan Alley.”

Topics Covered in the Master Songwriting Class Include:
*How to come up with melodies
*Which comes first, lyric or melody?
*How to get inspired?
*Copyrighting your songs
*Publishing your songs
*Collaborating skills
*Producing a high quality demo of your song
*Overcoming writer’s block
*Creating memorable verses, prechoruses, choruses, and bridges
*Choosing the most effective song form for every song you write
*Understanding the structures behind the hits
*Using structures, harmonies, and melodies to support and enhance the emotional intent of your lyric
*Crafting song sections that connect, contrast, and flow together into a unified whole
*Choosing a genre
*Signing up your songs with a performing rights society (ASCAP/BMI)
*Shopping your songs to publishers, managers, artists, record labels

≈Class size is limited to the first 10 registrants≈

In addition to the Master Songwriting Class, for an additional fee, participants will have the opportunity to WRITE & RECORD a song with Kyle in a one on one Pro Session. At the end of the session you will have written and recorded a full mastered song. The Pro Sessions will take place on August 29th or 30th! Advance registration required.

The Master Songwriter Course Fee: $90 (all forms of payment accepted)
Sandwiches & Beverages included! All you need to bring to class is a notebook and a pencil.

The Master Songwriting Course will be held at:

Down To Hear Recording Studio
1717 Highland Avenue
Hickory, NC 28601
downtohear.com

To sign up, contact Michael French:
michael@dthnc.com
828-638-7373

Website for Kyle Vincent: kylevincent.com
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/artist/kyle-vincent/id4363902

Other classes soon to be offered:

-Master Recording Class
-Navigating the Music Business from the Small Time to the Big Time
-The Art of Engineering & Producing
-Vocal Harmony

To book a recording session, please contact Michael French at 828-638-7373 or michael@dthnc.com. More information is available at downtohear.com.

To book a photography session, please contact Carol Anne Hartman at 828-291-7227 or ca@cahartman.com. More information is available at cahartman.com.

To book a session with Jeff Hartman, please contact Jeff at 828-291-0509 or mail@jshartman.com. More information is available at jshartman.com.

Shooting Hartman | Call for Extras Announced

2010-07-09T20:17:00.000-07:00

Shooting Hartman | Call for Extras Announced
Accompanying Concert Wednesday, July 21 from 8 pm

Hickory/Mooresville - TRI-RAHN PICTURES and VELA FILMS are very pleased to announce their collaboration with "Hartman" on the feature film "Pendulum Swings." As part of the production, Hartman will perform a concert on Wednesday, July 21 at "The Cove" in Mooresville, NC. Immediate information can be found and followed by fanning both film and band facebook pages.

What makes this event unique is that we and the band will shoot a major concert scene for the film preceding the actual live show. Shots from this concert segment of the shoot will also be included on Hartman’s accompanying music video. When shooting for the film and video are complete, the band will perform a full concert with the help of the fantastic sound and light crew of The Cove Church.

For this event, we will need a full group of extras to be in attendance to create an exciting atmosphere for the scene, as well as the music video. There is no age limit. However, please keep in mind that this is a powerful Christian concert, and there will be a lot of volume and a lot of lights.

Attendance will be limited, so the first extras to fill the auditorium will be the extras filmed for the scene and music video. Capacity at the venue is 1,700. There are large screen monitors all around the entrance to the main auditorium, so viewing the concert is still possible if maximum capacity has already been reached.

Call time for extras on the day will be 3 pm. Shooting will be from 4 pm until 7 pm. The concert will begin at 8 pm and will be video recorded for a live DVD. All extras on camera will be required to sign an agreement for the film and the Live Concert DVD. Wardrobe should be casual or dress clothes. NO VISIBLE LOGOS or BRIGHT COLORS will be permitted.

The location is The Cove Church, 197 Langtree Rd, Mooresville, NC 28115. Please visit covechurch.org.

This will be an exciting time for all of the cast and the crew of Pendulum Swings. The band "Hartman" will be showcasing a number of tracks from their albums "Better Live," "More," "Northern Accent" and their upcoming album. You can find more information on Hartman, and hear a selection of their songs at jshartman.com or by searching your favorite digital download service such as iTunes.

Trailers for Pendulum Swings can be found on many sites including Vimeo at Version 1 and Version 2

Hartman is a husband & wife, faith-based combo featuring singer/songwriters Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman. Jeff has been performing with Carol Anne and band for more than a decade across the country, exemplified by the latest album, "Better Live," celebrating the decade with live, original tracks from Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre to The CoMMA. Please visit jshartman.com for more details.

Phill Kirby on percussion earned his degree in percussion performance from Lenoir-Rhyne College. His relationship with the Hartmans began in January 2002 and spans many albums and countless performances. Phill has been a percussionist for Western Piedmont Symphony & Chamber Orchestras and has toured the U.S. & Canada as percussionist for Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps. myspace.com/phillkirby

Scott McCloud on bass earned his Masters of Music in Jazz Studies from University of North Texas in 1998 & Bachelor of Music in performance from Winthrop University in 1994; Down Beat Magazine Student Award for "Best Jazz Instrumental Soloist" in 1993. Scott's trio was favorably reviewed by Jazz Times Magazine in its May 2000 Jam Band issue. McCloud founded and tours with Jeremy and Curtis as "Hipshack." Scott's been appearing and recording with Jeff since March 2002. Scott teaches Jazz History and Music Appreciation at Central Piedmont Community College. hipshack.com

Jeremy Shaw on lead guitar studied composition and performance at Berkeley College of Music in Boston. He's worked professionally with hundreds of acts and musicians across the country for nearly two decades. Jeremy has numerous studio recording credits and maintains a sizable student roster in Charlotte, NC. jeremyshaw.com

Curtis Wingfield on drums studied percussion performance & music theory with a concentration in jazz at East Carolina University. Curtis has toured the country extensively with Bellyfull, Gongzilla (replacing Gary Husband) and Afromotive. Curtis's work with Afromotive led to him being featured in both Modern Drummer and DRUM! magazines. Curtis owns and operates a very successful private music school called "Music Matters" in Charlotte and aspires to improve the level of music education in public schools. musicmatterscharlotte.com

Wednesday, 7/21/2010 The Cove MOORESVILLE, NC from 8 pm
197 Langtree Road
Mooresville, NC 28117
704-655-3000
covechurch.org
pendulumswingsmovie.com
jshartman.com

Hartman | Pendulum Swings

2010-06-28T12:04:00.000-07:00

Hartman Makes Feature Film Appearance
Accompanying Concert Wednesday, July 21 from 8 pm

Hickory/Mooresville - TRI-RAHN PICTURES and VELA FILMS are very pleased to announce their collaboration with "Hartman" on the feature film "Pendulum Swings." As part of the production, Hartman will perform a concert on Wednesday, July 21 at "The Cove" in Mooresville, NC.

What makes this event unique is that we and the band will shoot a major concert scene for the film preceding the actual live show. Shots from this concert segment of the shoot will also be included on Hartman’s accompanying music video. When shooting for the film and video are complete, the band will perform a full concert with the help of the fantastic sound and light crew of The Cove Church.

For this event, we will need a full group of extras to be in attendance to create an exciting atmosphere for the scene, as well as the music video. There is no age limit. However, please keep in mind that this is a powerful Christian concert, and there will be a lot of volume and a lot of lights.

Attendance will be limited, so the first extras to fill the auditorium will be the extras filmed for the scene and music video. Capacity at the venue is 1,700. There are large screen monitors all around the entrance to the main auditorium, so viewing the concert is still possible if maximum capacity has already been reached.

Call time for extras on the day will be 3 pm. Shooting will be from 4 pm until 7 pm. The concert will begin at 8 pm and will be video recorded for a live DVD. All extras on camera will be required to sign an agreement for the film and the Live Concert DVD. Wardrobe should be casual or dress clothes. NO VISIBLE LOGOS or BRIGHT COLORS will be permitted.

The location is The Cove Church, 197 Langtree Rd, Mooresville, NC 28115. Please visit covechurch.org.

This will be an exciting time for all of the cast and the crew of Pendulum Swings. The band Hartman will be showcasing a number of tracks from their albums "Better Live," "More," "Northern Accent" and their upcoming album. You can find more information on Hartman, and hear a selection of their songs at jshartman.com or by searching your favorite digital download service such as iTunes.

Trailers for Pendulum Swings can be found on many sites including Vimeo at Version 1 and Version 2

"Hartman" is a husband & wife, faith-based combo featuring singer/songwriters Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman. Jeff has been performing with Carol Anne and band for more than a decade across the country, exemplified by the latest album, "Better Live," celebrating the decade with live, original tracks from Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre to The CoMMA. Please visit jshartman.com for more details.

Wednesday, 7/21/2010 The Cove MOORESVILLE, NC from 8 pm
197 Langtree Road
Mooresville, NC 28117
704-655-3000
covechurch.org
pendulumswingsmovie.com
jshartman.com

Hartman Homecoming | Mainstage Performance

2010-06-05T07:49:00.000-07:00

Hartman Homecoming | Mainstage Performance
Monday, June 7 from 6:15 pm at Hickory Community Theatre

Hickory - "Hartman," the husband & wife combo featuring singer/songwriters Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman, double-bassist Forrest Brown, percussionist Brian Burton and guitarist Jeremy Shaw will appear on the mainstage with a colorful assortment of regional talent for Hickory Community Theatre's annual, sell-out Vacation Extravaganza fundraising event on Monday, June 7 from 6:15 pm.

"Holy anniversaries, Batman! It's been ten years?! We've had a love affair with HCT since we married on the set of their Y2K mainstage production of 'Camping with Henry & Tom.' Any hometown opportunity to give back to the theatre and the community is an absolute joy for us."

Carol Anne most recently won Hickory Rotary Club's "Rotarian Idol" contest. Jeff has been performing with wife and band for over a decade across the country, exemplified by the latest album, "Better Live," celebrating the decade with live, original tracks from Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre to The CoMMA. The popular faith-based group recently turned in "An Evening of Worship," graciously hosted by Harvest Bible Chapel, Newton-Conover Auditorium's "Music & Mud" festival and sold out a concert in HCT's Firemen's Kitchen for John Rambo and Jimmy Rhine's 2009 Summer Concert Series.

Vacation Extravaganza guests will have an opportunity to bid in an auction for a performance by the group. Tickets are not available at the door and must be purchased in advance by visiting hct.org or calling 828-327-3855. For more information about Hartman, please visit jshartman.com.

An Evening of Worship featuring music led by Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman

2010-05-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Press Release for the Week of 5/29

An Evening of Worship featuring music led by Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman
Harvest Bible Chapel Worship Center
Sunday, May 30 from 7 pm

Mark your calendars for an EVENING OF WORSHIP!
Sunday, May 30 ~ 7:00 PM ~ Worship Center
Featuring music led by Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman

This will be Harvest Bible Chapel's quarterly Flock Event.
EVERYONE is invited to experience an inspiring evening of worship!

Hickory - Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman have been leading worship for as long as they can remember. Best known for their unaffiliated "Worship Without Walls" music ministry, the Hartmans currently can be found leading worship on Tuesday nights in Lawson's Creek. Carol Anne most recently won Hickory Rotary Club's "Rotarian Idol" contest. Jeff has been performing with wife and band for more than a decade across the country, exemplified by the latest album, "Better Live," celebrating the decade with live, original tracks from Charlotte Bobcats Arena to The CoMMA. Both recently performed for Newton-Conover Auditorium's "Music & Mud" festival and will headline entertainment for Hickory Community Theatre's "Vacation Extravaganza." For more information, please visit jshartman.com.

Harvest Bible Chapel Worship Center
3240 6th Street Drive NW
Hickory, NC 28601
828-328-9913
hickoryharvest.org

Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman Get Canned

2010-05-17T07:43:00.000-07:00

Press Release for the Week of 5/22

Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman Get Canned
Hickory Park & Rec's Community Picnic, Music Fest and Food Drive
Stanford Park on Saturday, May 22, 2010 from 11 am to 2 pm

Hickory - Hickory Parks and Recreation Department invite you to participate in the Second Annual "Community Picnic, Music Fest and Food Drive" on Saturday, May 22, 2010. This year's event will be held at Stanford Park. Activities will begin at 11 am and will last until 2 pm. We are hoping to collect even more canned goods this year than last and your help with this event is greatly appreciated. The event is free to the public!

Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman will be performing from 1 pm. Carol Anne most recently won Hickory Rotary Club's "Rotarian Idol" contest. Jeff has been performing with wife and band for more than a decade across the country, exemplified by the latest album, "Better Live," celebrating the decade with live, original tracks from Charlotte Bobcats Arena to The CoMMA. Both recently performed for Newton-Conover Auditorium's "Music & Mud" festival and will headline entertainment for Hickory Community Theatre's "Vacation Extravaganza." For more information, please visit jshartman.com.

Saturday, 5/22/2010 Stanford Park HICKORY, NC
Community Picnic, Music Fest & Food Drive from 11 am to 2 pm
featuring Jeff & Carol Anne Hartman from 1 pm
1451 8th Street Drive
Hickory, NC 28601
828-322-7046
jshartman.com

Jeff Hartman & Friends Take a Hike | Press Release

2010-04-12T06:11:00.000-07:00

Jeff Hartman & Friends Take a Hike
Veteran Touring Artist Supports Cause
Carowinds on April 17 from 10 am

Charlotte/Hickory - Hickory's own Jeff Hartman returns to entertain the walkers for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation's 2010 Charlotte Walk to Cure Diabetes held on Saturday, April 17 at Carowinds. The four mile walk will begin at 8:30 am with registration starting at 7 am.

"We have performed several Walk locations, including Lenoir-Rhyne College and Carowinds in an effort to help raise money and entertain 'the troops,'" says Hartman.

Jeff Hartman has been touring and promoting original music professionally for 15 years. Hartman most recently made an appearance for Newton-Auditorium's Music & Mud festival and sold out a concert in Hickory Community Theatre's Firemen's Kitchen for Jimmy Rhine and Five Head Entertainment's Summer Concert Series. Jeff & Friends includes Brian Burton, Scott McCloud and Jeremy Shaw.

"The Walk to Cure Diabetes is a cause near and dear to my own gene's and I like being involved as much as possible. We've enjoyed a beautiful relationship with the JDRF since 2003 and this year is no exception. Please register to walk!"

The Walk to Cure Diabetes is a walkathon held in more than 200 locations throughout the year. The JDRF's Walks are family-friendly, held at great locations, including Lenoir-Rhyne College and feature plenty of entertainment, food, and fun. All are invited to become one of the 500,000 plus people at the 200 Walk sites nationwide this year who are making a difference in the lives of people with type one diabetes. Folks are guaranteed to have a great time, get some exercise, and most importantly be a part of the cure, one step at a time.

More information is available by visiting the JDRF's Charlotte Chapter and Jeff Hartman online at jdrf.org/charlotte and jshartman.com or by calling 800-580-2873.

Saturday, 4/17/2010 Carowinds CHARLOTTE, NC
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation from 10 am
Avenue of the Carolinas
Charlotte, NC 28273
800-888-4386
carowinds.com
jshartman.com
jdrf.org/charlotte

Jeff Hartman & Friends Get Muddy | Press Release

2010-04-06T11:56:00.001-07:00

Jeff Hartman & Friends Get Muddy
Music & Mud: A Heritage, Music and Pottery Festival
Newton-Conover Auditorium on April 10 from 1:30 pm

NEWTON - Jeff Hartman & Friends will "get muddy" and join an incredible lineup of artists and entertainers for Newton-Conover Auditorium's first ever heritage, music and pottery festival, Executive Director Reggie Helton coined "Music & Mud." Jeff & Friends features recent Hickory Rotary Club Rotarian Idol winner Carol Anne Hartman and introduces up and coming recording artist Lauren DeLeary, who recently released her first music video. The festival begins at Newton-Conover Auditorium in Newton, NC on Saturday, April 10 from 10 am. The event is free to the public.

"This is another in a string of recent opportunities for original artists to be heard. Original music often escapes unifour venues and events. Arts champions like Sarah Frisbey, Jimmy Rhine, Rufus Smith and now Reggie Helton are all offering original artists and music lovers alike much needed opportunities to inhale something fresh (and early)."

Jeff Hartman has been touring and promoting original music professionally for over 15 years. His group most recently sold out a concert in Hickory Community Theatre's Firemen's Kitchen for Jimmy Rhine and Five Head Entertainment's Summer Concert Series. Hartman had the privilege of performing for Supreme Court Justice Alito in 2009 at The Lafayette Room of the Hay-Adams across the street from The White House. The President took residence at the Hay-Adams prior to his inauguration.

A published poet and influenced in equal parts by folk and funk artists alike, Jeff’s songs are a mix of “dazed beauty and bitter-sweetness.” Here are tales of abuse and misuse, of vulnerability and resolve, poetic trances like the Appalachia-esque "Erica’s Song" and the biographical "Northern Accent." Friends includes Forrest Brown, Carol Anne Hartman, Jeremy Shaw and features Lauren DeLeary. For more information please visit jshartman.com.

God bless you and thank you for supporting performing arts!

Saturday, 4/10/2010 Newton Conover Auditorium NEWTON, NC
Music and Mud: A Heritage, Music, and Pottery Festival
Jeff Hartman & friends from 1:30 pm
60 West 6th Street
Newton, NC 28658
828-466-0920
newton-conoverauditorium.org
jshartman.com
cahartman.com
laurendeleary.com

Social Not-working

2010-04-06T07:36:00.000-07:00

"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" - President Ronald Reagan

It's difficult to believe there are church leaders willing to employ the block function of a social networking site. Even harder to swallow is any Christian's willingness to block the function of any relationship. Mark Twain once wrote, "Truth is stranger than fiction, but it is because fiction is obliged to stick to possibilities; truth isn't."

I'm pro social networking liberties with interpersonal prerequisites. Trust me, I've got plenty of folks "hidden" from my news feed for my "serenity" and I wouldn't allow just anybody to post just anything on my wall. When it's under the auspices of an "altruistic" religious institution and the guise of discipleship in Christ, I have to disagree. When custodians of the cross "block" or "remove a connection" with others deliberately as a means by which to "send a message" (ironically) and circumvent fundamental Christian values and responsibilities, it becomes a problem for me. We're certainly entitled to our antipathy (I often "change the channel"), but relinquishment in the absence of patience, humility and all things Christian, demands a level of pride and posturing Christians aren't afforded.

I've experienced this sort of thing abroad, from church to church, from work to work, but most unexpectedly from "Christians" and church leaders. I'm not exactly a fan of "religion" for these very reasons (and then some). Institutionalism breeds task-based friendships. As long as you're on the same task together, you can be "friends." When you're not, people tend to treat you like damaged goods. I think we can all agree that there's a line of immaturity, misinformation and intolerance that shouldn't be crossed or entertained online. I'm right there with ya'. I'll block, hide, parry, dodge and spin ("Robin Hood Daffy" reference) all day when it comes to jank like that. It's another thing to immaturely and prematurely mistrust and ostracise another human being or family, under a banner of Christianity, in an effort to avoid accountability, dissension, or self-awareness. The freedom to be honest and the freedom to struggle are key to a real friendship.

Garrison Keillor and his Shoe Band brought some levity to this unfortunate byproduct of what I call "Social Not-working" with a song they wrote called, "Unfriended," originally aired on October 3, 2009. Enjoy!

Joy of Teaching

2010-03-09T09:11:00.000-08:00

"Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime." - Chinese Proverb

I've had the privelage of teaching and directing in the area since I was a student at ASU. It is and should be a thankless, selfless profession and its greatest reward is in the connections I make with my students. You'll never catch me telling a student what they want to hear and I surround any expectations around the hope that they'll learn more from my mistakes than my successes. Helps to blog. If you can avoid my pitfalls, advantage you!

Although I've never received the cliche apple, a former student of mine recently sent me a very fruitful message, simply titled, "Just A Lil Note." With her permission, I'd like to share...

"Hey, I was talking to one of my friends about good and bad teachers I have had over the years. I have had a wide variety. Your name came up in the mix and I realized I had never thanked you for all that you did. I know that this may seem strange seeing as I took lessons from you for such a short period of time... but you instilled a good bit of confidence in my singing ability and that confidence has improved my singing remarkably. So thank you for your encouragement and I hope you continue to build up the students you teach. I hope you and your family are doing well. How are you guys? How are you, your wife, and the boys? Keep me posted on you, the band, and the fam. Can't wait to here what's going on. Overwhelmed by His Grace, Jules"

I spent days chewing on how to respond to this. I can't tell you how much this sort of thing means to me and what a big difference a "lil' note" makes in the life of a teacher. I was fortunate and blessed to have been able to work with someone as unique and gifted as Julia Gruver. She's someone who really stands out among the fray. She's a genuine, honest artist and I'm forever a student of her sincerity.

There was an episode of "Glee" when Mr. Shue turns to his students and says, "The best teachers don't give you the answers. They just point the way and let you make your own choices; your own mistakes. That way, you get all the glory." I might only add, ask not what your students can do for you, but what you can do for your students.

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4

House Concerts

2010-02-20T14:32:00.000-08:00

Book a House Concert! What's a "House Concert?" It's exactly what it sounds like. The fastest growing trend in live, original music is to bring the (often unplugged) artist to your home and invite all your friends and family! We've had the good fortune of performing successful house concerts since 1999. For tips and more information on booking a Hartman house concert, please call Legacy Marketing at 828-291-7227 or email carol@legacy-mark.

House Concert Basics (Courtesy of Rufus Smith, HICKORY, NC) "Performers love what they do and they also have to make a living at it. Typically, house concert guests pay $15 to $20 each. If you have 30 guests, that's $450 to $600. Typically, all proceeds go to the performer (I don't know anyone who presents house concert and expects to make money on the deal). It has to be for the love of the music. Sort this out with the performer in advance to avoid misunderstandings. Of course, the rates reflect the times, and times are hard, so it is wise to negotiate. You will find many artists are in the same shape and would love to play for less. Remember that distance and travel impact cost, etc. Sometimes a bed, warm meal and good company helps a lot! Some concerts come in around $10 each. 30 people = $300. It all helps keep our artists from starving. These folks are fine human beings making it easy to connect!"

10 Brookside Blues (Valentine Day)

2010-02-10T16:36:00.000-08:00

I've been blessed with the best of friends over the years. Sometimes the biggest inspiration for a song can come from the smallest and unlikeliest of moments. One particularly pathetic Valentine's Day, a mutually lonely, good friend of mine sent me an inspirational Valentine's Day card to bring us both good cheer. "10 Brookside Blues" became New Year's Eve without someone to kiss at midnight. It's Valentine's Day without the valentine. It's jealousy and her address. The music and lyric style is an homage to my blues influences. "10 Brookside" was simply the street address of a girl who was on my mind at the time (nothing really to do with the song), in the tradition of Bob Dylan's "Rainy Day Women #12 & 35," neither of which are mentioned in his song.

10 Brookside Blues
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Valentine Day jus' roll my way
Gift wrapped candy
Jus' three words to say
I
With my letters of love
Her
With the flowers she was dreamin' of

But I'll say it again
I'm a lonely valentine again

Valentine Day lately leave me be
The luv she been givin' should-a been from me
The luvers start kissin' and tears roll away from my eyes like-a elder man's years

After all that luv we grown
Now it's Valentine Day alone

It seemed so true
Now my heart be blue
Never thought I would regret the day I says I luv you

Valentine Day
The big news today is the fresh cut roses he slew from my grave
I'm home with 'da Valentine blues and the every reason I should-a been choosed

And I'll say it again
I'm a lonely val-
After all that luv we grown
Now it's Valentine-
But I'll say it again
She left me the lonely valentine again

10 Brookside Blues from The Black Album 5:28 | Bass: Micah Davidson | Guitar: Tony Eltora | Drums: Daniel Flynn | Guitar, Keys, Vocals: Jeff Hartman

Kiss the Frog (Timmy's Song)

2010-01-29T09:15:00.000-08:00

I find that on the road you're living a very unreal type of existence. There's nothing really to write about. There's little source for material. So, it takes me a while to jump start the writing process, just to feel human again. I often find inspiration in metaphors, parallels and perspective. Fatherhood certainly changes your perspective. "Kiss the Frog" is through the eyes of a toddler. My toddler, Timmy, with all his toddlerisms. The one I called my "frog" when his lil' toddler legs resembled such. But, one could easily see KTF though the eyes of an amorous bar "hopper." Folk served best, funky, through the eyes of a toddler.

"Tragedy and comedy are but two aspects of what is real, and whether we see the tragic or the humorous is a matter of perspective." — Arnold Beisser

Kiss the Frog (Timmy's Song)
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

I'd be obliged if you could help me
Your legs are long
Are you alone?
Most find it hard to live without me
A two foot frog to call your own

I search for comfort in a bottle
I don't speak English very well
Well
I guarantee we'll wake the others
I promise I won't kiss and tell

Kiss me
Kiss the frog

Pick me up
I'm getting restless
Give your hands a thorough rinse
You're in for a few surprises
Carry on your wayward prince

Gimme that
Gimme, gimme that
Gimme, gimme, gimme that now
I've been known to cause a scene
It's not hard getting everything I want
It's not easy being green

Kiss the Frog from More (The Black Album) 5:23

The Blues

2009-12-31T22:27:00.000-08:00

Blue is my favorite color.

The Blues
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Blue moon
Bluegrass
House of Blues and a backstage pass

Blue skies
Blue whales
Bloomingdale's Thanksgiving sales

Blue

Blue bird
Blue eyes
Blue jeans half my size

Blue Shield
Blue Cross
Duke Blue Devils in a three point loss

Blue

I've got the
You've got the
That's why they call it the blues

True blue
Blue Jays
Pabst Blue Ribbon draft Mondays

Blue fish
Blues Clues
Blue dot special on blue suade shoes

Blue

I found my thrill on
Ain't no cure for the blues

Something old
Something new
Something borrowed
Something blue

Pink hearts
Yellow moons
Orange stars
Green clovers
Blue diamonds

The Blues from More (The Black Album) 7:56 | Vocals: Brandon Castagna | Vocals: Jared Castagna | Bass, Vocals: Micah Davidson | Guitar, Percussion, Vocals: Tony Eltora | Drums, Percussion, Vocals: Daniel Flynn | Guitar, Keys, Vocals: Jeff Hartman | Percussion: Phill Kirby

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly '09

2009-12-31T12:43:00.000-08:00

“I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.” - Mahatma Gandhi

Wow. 2009 sucked suckable suckiness. Quit job number one for many reasons, mostly personal, after signing my way into a two-year, 60-mile-radius, non-compete situation that continues to haunt me and my fam' in this "Obanomy." Tried to do the right thing the not-so-right way and ended up losing one of my best friends. Never been kicked out of a bar or club, but found myself kicked out of his ministry and his life. Kellen knocked Coble off the top bunk and broke his arm. Kellen had urological surgery. Both twins ended up in different hospitals at the same time on the same day. Discovered then rediscovered the hard way that church friendships or relationships don't transcend church boundaries. Dad's health took a turn for the worse. Grandpa's health took a turn for the worse. An old friend of ours lost her daughter, and another, his wife. My good friend and mentor passed away. My uncle passed away unexpectedly. Now that I mention it, several folks lost loved ones unexpectedly. Our neighbors were murdered, three houses from us, 20-minutes before my oldest son stood unknowing, waiting for his bus in front of their home. Heard screams we'll never forget. Tried and failed miserably to minister, mentor and make a difference in several lives. My youngest brother fell from grace more ways than one. Quit job number two for many reasons, mostly professional, after working three, simultaneous part-time jobs to the brink of exhaustion. I heard my wife, who is the most faithful person I know, question her faith for the first time ever. My cousin, who was like a brother to me growing up in Jersey, landed in jail. Fighting my worst bout with depression since '05. Found myself in the middle of countless, moral and ethical conundrums. Carol Anne and I continue to drown in five-year-old debt. Can't afford Coble's asthma medication or adequate medical insurance. No dental. We're ushering in 2010 without a church home for the first time in 14 years. There's more, but I don't have enough cheese to go with my wine.

The good news is that so much of the bad and the ugly could have been so much worse. We're very blessed. Carol Anne's grandmother dropped a bomb of blessings on us at the start of the year. We both managed to move our "Worship Without Walls" ministry forward. I continued my seven-year fundraising relationship with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Carol Anne made tons of progress on her graphic design and photography ventures. I squeamishly accepted a pro bono, and otherwise costly, luxury medical procedure. Had the privilege of performing for Supreme Court Justice Alito at The Lafayette Room of the Hay-Adams across the street from The White House. We were blessed with an otherwise unlikely family vacation. Sold out my first original concert in over a year. Turned in a highly successful and highly reputable theatre production. Carol Anne quietly celebrated her 30th birthday. Earned a Kay Award for my role as Roger DeBris in "The Producers." We celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary on 09-09-09. The twins were accepted into a state-funded pre-K program. All kids are in school and doing well. Jump-started our Tuesday-night worship with word-thang. Thanks to family, we managed to pull off Christmas. Carol Anne performed in front of a sold-out audience for Sonya Briggs at the Newton-Conover Auditorium. We both developed an amazing relationship with the French family that we wouldn't trade for the world. As disappointed as I've been in folks not doing the right thing and making the right choices, some unlikely heroes emerged and rose to many an occasion. All in all, we're fortunate and thankful. Others experienced '09 much worse than we did. We have to remember that. We need to keep those folks in our prayers.

The "ugly" of '09 reminds me of a lesson in love from childhood that I often glaze in hope, sprinkled with naivety. Mom once posed the question, "Is this how folks treat someone they 'love?'" The answer is a big, fat "No." We can't take or use the word "love" lightly, folks. Christians pass it around like government cheese. It has to mean something. Don't call me "brother" or say "I love you" and MySpace de-friend me, facebook-block me and life-disregard my family. Help me find God or love in that. There's a list miles long of church folk and church leaders who regularly expressed their undying "love" for us and were nowhere to be found through all the "suckable suckiness." Help me find body and strength in that. Don't call me "friend" in the company of "friends" actively destroying a family and dividing a community. Help me find values and integrity in that. If a pastor turns his back on you, who won't? Help me find hope and grace in that. The pièce de résistance counter argument to our disenchantment with church has been, "Well, it's like this no matter where you go." That's insane. Then someone explain to me why anyone should go.

I want 2010 to prove me wrong. I want love between Christians and non- to mean something. I want it to know no boundaries. I want it to eclipse self-interest. I want churches to drive out their own buyers and sellers. I want them to appropriāte life and in-appropriāte lifestyle. Stop running church like a business and start running it like a foundation for Christ's teachings. Demonstrate meaningful church leadership and Christian values. Lamb and Lion. Stop confusing dissention with rebellion and disobedience. Don't pretend conformity is unity. Acknowledge and account. Compete less, connect more. Grow the Kingdom of God that is one another, not attendance, buildings and cash. Show me. I want to be able to look upon this and previous blogs with levity and an about-face.

"That’s the problem with institutions. The institution provides something more important than simply loving each other in the same way we’ve been loved. Once you build an institution together you have to protect it and its assets to be good stewards. It confuses everything. Even love gets redefined as that which protects the institution and unloving as that which does not. Its love with a hook. If you do what we want, we reward you. If not, we punish you. It doesn’t turn out to be about love at all. We give our affection only to those who serve our interests and withhold it from those who do not. That’s why institutions can only reflect God’s love as long as those in it agree on what they are doing. Every difference of opinion becomes a contest for power.

Our definitions of love get twisted when institutional priorities take over. The problem with church as you know it, is that it has become nothing more than mutual accommodation of self-need. Everybody needs something out of it. Some need to lead. Some need to be led. Some want to teach, others are happy to be the audience. Rather than become an authentic demonstration of God’s life and love in the world, it ends up being a group of people who have to protect their turf.” - Excerpts from "So You Don’t Want to Go To Church Anymore" by Jake Colsen (Wayne Jacobsen & Dave Coleman)

Eat Your Vegetables

2009-12-15T08:46:00.000-08:00

We've all heard the saying, "Sh** or get off the pot." I have a sneaking suspicion artists hear it a lil' more often than others. So, how do you sew up such colorful conviction and diligence with wavering faith in a song? Very carefully. Thank God for metaphor! I've been "paying my dues" longer than I can remember. I don't think it's something a wise artist ever believes he stops or should stop doing. There's a huge failure in my teaching and mentoring community to recognize and therefore distinguish the difference between chasing a "big break" vs. developing a career in the arts. Big breaks find you, not the other way around. This failure breeds impatience and contempt. I grew up with Mom's attached "Eat Your Vegetables" cutout on our fridge. In typical artist fashion, I had to attach deeper meaning to our refrigerated reminder and exploit its significance to any struggling artist.

Eat Your Vegetables
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Isn't complicated
It isn't complicated
I swear it isn't hard
It's not that hard to understand

Rather not be hated
I'd rather not be hated
Loosening the grip
The grip that's loosening my hand

Sit down
The seat is cold but it gets warmer
Your turn
Enjoy a New York Times best-selling novel
That's right
It's a dirty job but someone's got to do it
Stand up
Pull yourself together
Nothing to it

Don't get so excited
Don't get too excited
Good things come to those
Good things come to those who wait

Bitching's overrated
Fit pitching's overrated
Better not complain
Best you eat what's on your plate

Why does it pour when it rains
(Mainly on the plain and interrupted)
Who moves on and who remains
(Plainly the meek and the disrupted)

Give me a chance to fill the shoes I'm walking in
On bended knees I pray

Eat your vegetables
They're good for you
Eat your vegetables
They're good for me, too

Eat Your Vegetables 7/25/2009 Live from The Firemen's Kitchen HICKORY, NC 4:43 Bass: Forrest Brown Vox: Carol Anne Hartman Guitar, Vox: Jeff Hartman Drums: Phill Kirby Vox: Shannon Underwood

Dear Santa

2009-12-10T20:18:00.000-08:00

Dear Santa
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Dear Santa
You've given me so much
Everything I've ever wanted
But I couldn't live without such little things that don't compare to the way she looked at me
Whispering "I love you" as we sat beside the Christmas tree

She's probly' with somebody new
I'm home listening to Elvis sing "Blue Christmas"
One year ago
She promised me
She would be my wife
All I want for Christmas
Sir
Is her
Back in my life

Dear Santa
You've been so good to me
I just couldn't find the words to keep her here with me

It's snowing
'Twas on her list last year
Right beside the sound of jingle bells upon eight tiny reindeer

I've had too many silent nights
The mice won't stir and I want her stuffed in my stocking
The tree is bare and her memory cuts through me like a knife
All I want for Christmas
Sir
Is her
Back in my life

Dear Santa from Northern Accent 3:17 | Bass: Steve Clamp | Guitar: Tony Eltora | Drums, Percussion: Phill Kirby | Vocals: Carol Anne Hartman | Guitar, Keys, Vocals: Jeff Hartman

Erica's Song

2009-12-03T10:36:00.000-08:00

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce you to "Erica's Song." Erica Coffey was a dear friend of mine and many, taken by a car accident 22-years young, one week before my wedding. I could talk/write all day and never run out of things to say about her. "Erica's Song" is the result of so many and not enough conversations, e-mail exchanges and experiences, mine and others' with Erica, cut and pasted into a kaleidoscope of abstract lyrics and music wrestled with Celtic guitar licks and Carol Anne's ghostly vocal runs.

Erica's Song
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Erica knows what she's talking about when she says nothing at all
Regardlessly happy with
Better without
Everyone's left but I stall

She unglues me
I'm falling apart
Amuse me
I'm ready to start

Standing in line between heroes and friends
Can't please them all but she tries
From the beginning but that's where it ends
The girl with the anime eyes

I just know her
I can't explain why
Hello'd her without saying goodbye

Phone
It happened today
Alone
It happened that way

I wasn't prepared for what Christopher said
I buried my face in the sheets on my bed
Convincing myself it was all in his head
Soliciting Jesus to take me instead

God knows the difference between right and wrong
Christening strength when I need to be strong
Wishing is easy
It doesn't take long when ladybugs testify Erica's song

Left hand on yellow
Right foot on green
Violently Femme-ing the floor
The natives are restless
She's setting the scene
The locals find hard to ignore

I told her the show must go on
I told her the lines have been drawn

Poem
There's so much to say
Home
Unheralded stay

Practically perfect
I don't understand
Denying the kingdom of heaven's at hand
The cream in my Coffey is high in demand
Wearing the time when she stood where I stand

Leaping my faith where it doesn't belong
Finding I know what she knew all along
Wishing is easy
It doesn't take long when ladybugs testify Erica's song

Erica's Song from Northern Accent 5:40 | Bass: Steve Clamp | Guitar: Tony Eltora | Vocals: Carol Anne Hartman | Guitar, Vocals: Jeff Hartman | Drums, Percussion: Phill Kirby

Thank God

2009-11-26T12:56:00.000-08:00

"When you judge another, you do not define them, you define yourself." - Wayne Dyer

How many movies have we seen where something or someone is misunderstood, ostracized and all become eager to witness that shroud of ignorance lifted in the end? Cue Simply Red's, "If you don't know me by now... you will never, never, never know me..."

The art of being misunderstood isn't reserved for starving artists and rocket scientists. I'm not talking about judging behavior, not the individual; the deed, not the doer; the choice, not the chooser. We're all misunderstood and we all misundertand. How can we be so wrong about folks? How can folks get us so wrong? Some say projectionism. Others say fear or protectionism. There's a line in "Casino Royale" when M turns to Bond and says, "Arrogance and self-awareness seldom go hand in hand."

For the most part, I care little about what folks think of me. I work in a 90%-rejection industry. What gets me through the day is recognizing and acknowledging folks mostly care about themselves and are motivated by selfish altruism. Folks are far too self-absorbed to notice much. Walk from one end of Wal-Mart to the other. Folks don’t think. Seinfeld joked, "You wanna know what guys are thinking? I'll tell ya'... Nothin'." We dramatically overestimate what we do intentionally. Studies demonstrating our division of thought show 60% of our thoughts are self-directed, 30% on relationships, and only 10% is reserved for empathy.

There's a line we shouldn't cross, folks. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. said, "Your right to swing your fist ends where my nose begins." I say your right to evaluate me ends where your misrepresentation of me begins. There's a Grand Canyon-difference between a bad impression and defining others. A bad impression goes unanswered. The line is crossed when others define who we are despite our best efforts to prove otherwise. "They've made up their minds." Beliefs are stronger than facts. Persuading someone of the invalidity of their beliefs and wider agendas is difficult. Good ol' Yogi Berra said it best, "There are some people who, if they don't already know, you can't tell 'em."

At some point we all fail to resist the temptation to build a case against someone in our heads. There are so many logical fallacies, particularly evidential fallacies that apply here. One of these fallacies is Argument by Assertion: merely asserting a point, or your position, without proving it. It's surprising how often folks do it. I've had a front-row, season ticket to an inflamation of this sort of jank all year. Folks wrong about me. Me wrong about folks. Folks wrong about folks. False witnesses casting stones with planks in their eyes. There are good folks willing to divide an entire community and let, as Jim Morrison put it, "the whole shit-house go up in flames" before allowing any meaningful level of self-awareness or incontrovertible testimony and evidence disarm their pride. There are folks who will go to their graves convinced I prefer A over B and that I believe in X as opposed to Y. It's easier to assume the worst in someone than compromise your own interests.

Thank God for faithful family and friends. Thank God for the folks in my life who really, really, really know me; who love me. Thank God for truth and self-awareness. Thank God for forgiveness and second chances. Thank God for revelation.

"Little boldness is needed to assail the opinions and practices of notoriously wicked men; but to rebuke great and good men for their conduct, and to impeach their discernment, is the highest effort of moral courage." - William Lloyd Garrison

I Thought It Was Leather

2009-11-25T21:52:00.000-08:00

"I Thought It Was Leather" is one of only two "novelty" songs I've written for any album. It's less fiction than fact and laced with metaphors and euphemisms. The music is reminiscent and a mix of early Iggy Pop and rock-a-billy Grateful Dead material. It's mostly the result of a challenge, or "dare" if you will. Circa 1995 I was preparing to direct music for James "Buzz" Atwood and Foothills Performing Arts’ production of "Little Shop of Horrors." On the set of TNT’s "Andersonville" in Wilmington, NC, Buzz turned to me with a notion. He suggested two lines he’d like to see grow up to be country music songs. The second was "I thought it was leather, but it was vinyl... and it all tore up." One year later, a long, bittersweet relationship came to an end. In perspecting the accompanying emotions, I could find no better way to metaphor the experience or person involved.

I Thought It Was Leather
Atwood/Hartman

She needs no introduction
She's the one who loved me two
How could I be mistaken
The love that she was making wasn't mine
On that woman's surface lies designer leather far from genuine

I thought it was leather but it was vinyl and it all tore up
I caught them together
My house
His pants
Her bra
C cup

She's got a style she can call her own
I love her but I'm not alone
I thought it was leather but it was vinyl and it all tore up

She did it all for my protection
She is far between and few
The rule and the exception the guests at your reception love to hate
Expect the unexpected
Protect the unprotected at the gate

The fabric of my life
Suggested retail in a sea of outlet merchandise
I've seen it all before
Caveat emptor
Salvation Army sacrifice

I thought it was leather
I thought it was real
I paid a pretty penny for the thoughts I couldn't deal

It was vinyl
It was pain
It was final
It was vain

I just know
I just know
I just know

I Thought It Was Leather from Northern Accent 5:37 | Bass: Steve Clamp | Guitar, Vocals: Tony Eltora | Vocals: Carol Anne Hartman | Guitar, Keys, Vocals: Jeff Hartman | Drums, HandSonic, Percussion, Vocals: Phill Kirby

Rebel with a Cause

2009-11-18T07:36:00.000-08:00

"The free person in Christ and the rebellious will always look the same to those who labor under religious obligation, because both ignore the conventions that govern men. But there is a major difference between the two. The rebel does it to serve himself and his passions, always harming others in the process and leaving a wake of anarchy behind him. The free person in Christ, however, does so because they no longer have a need to serve themselves. Having embraced God's love at a far deeper level than any method of behavioral conformity will touch, they will guard that freedom even if it means others will misunderstand their pursuits. They reject the conventions of control not to please themselves, but the Father Himself." - Wayne Jacobsen

Tuesdays with Jesus

2009-11-16T10:42:00.000-08:00

Hi, folks! Just wanted to extend an invitation to our Tuesday evening worship. We're essentially still doing what we do in terms of praise & worship, but now graciously at the home of John & Judy French (big house), every Tuesday evening from 5:45-6:45 pm. It's a straight-up, non-life-application teaching of the word (ala Calvary Chapel) from Genesis to Revelation, in order, no jumping around, along with Carol Anne and I leading worship. We're calling it a "bible study," for now, but it's somewhere between a bible study and "church." "Worship Without Walls" in a nutshell. We'd love to see you guys there!

Again, it's every Tuesday evening from 5:45-6:45 pm and located at 3108 18th St. NE, Hickory 28601 (Lawsons Creek). All you need is your bible and a broken heart!

Since we're in Genesis, here's an interesting tidbit about "Tuesday." In Judaism, Tuesday is considered a particularly lucky day, because in the first chapter of Genesis the paragraph about this day contains the phrase "it was good" twice. Sweet.

"Bach gave us God's Word. Mozart gave us God's laughter. Beethoven gave us God's fire. God gave us music that we might pray without words." - Quote from Outside an Old Opera House

Oodles & Noodles of Blessings, Jeff & Carol Anne

Failure to Convince with a Side of Apathy

2009-11-05T07:57:00.000-08:00

"There are some people who, if they don't already know, you can't tell 'em." - Yogi Berra

"And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave as a testimony against them." Mark 6:11

“The reality of the other person lies not in what he reveals to you, but what he cannot reveal to you. Therefore, if you would understand him, listen not to what he says, but rather to what he does not say.” - Kahlil Gibran

“By far the most dangerous foe we have to fight is apathy - indifference from whatever cause, not from a lack of knowledge, but from carelessness, from absorption in other pursuits, from a contempt bred of self satisfaction.” - William Osler

“So much attention is paid to the aggressive sins, such as violence and cruelty and greed with all their tragic effects, that too little attention is paid to the passive sins, such as apathy and laziness, which in the long run can have a more devastating effect.” - Eleanor Roosevelt

“Some people confuse acceptance with apathy, but there's all the difference in the world. Apathy fails to distinguish between what can and what cannot be helped; acceptance makes that distinction. Apathy paralyzes the will-to-action; acceptance frees it by relieving it of impossible burdens.” - Arthur Gordon

"For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths." 2 Timothy 4:3-4

"A problem only exists if there is a difference between what is actually happening and what you desire to be happening." - Ph.D. Kenneth Blanchard & M.D. Spencer Johnson, "The One Minute Manager"

"Perception is strong and sight weak." - Miyamoto Musashi

“Compelling reason will never convince blinding emotion.” - Richard Bach

"It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends upon his not understanding it." - Upton Sinclair

Analyzing Cause and Effect:
a. The Inner Circle
b. Truth vs. Opinion
c. Ethical and Moral Obligation
d. Complacency vs. Constructive Progress

I've been sitting on this blog for a while. Failing to convince and apathy cooccurr. It's difficult to discuss one without the other. There's obviously a remarkable amount of amazing quotes and thoughts on this subject. I think it speaks not only to our pride, but a progressive retiring of empathy and integrity. Upton Sinclair (above) reminds us that we often lock ourselves into social and professional situations we'd otherwise be in a position to allow ourselves to understand or empathize. If I had a dime for every "Yeah, but..."; "Yeah, but this person helps pay my salary, so..." or "It's wrong, but I need the money..." or "They're evil, but what choice do I have..." There's always a choice, folks.

I'm hurting for a lot of others, right now. If I was a Star Trek character, I'd definitely be an "empath." There's also a lot of folks in my circles who don't have enough experience or courage to make the right choices or recognize a choice. My first instinct is always to save them from themselves. Maybe I should put on some tights and a mask and perch on top of one of the buildings downtown. I went into teaching for these very reasons.

Few things are more disheartening than failing to convince someone your/a point of view and/or what's in your heart. Either the person you're trying to convince "ain't havin' it" or you're "halvin'" it. The few, the proud, refuse to receive and act upon your attempts to persuade. It can leave you feeling discouraged and all things synonymous. You're not only failing to convince, you're failing to solicit something that's important to you from the other person. Whatever need compelled you to try to convince another to satisfy that need has been met with blinding emotion and inevitable frustration.

We fail to recognize and respect a fundamental need to be trusted and protected from another person's judgements. Perhaps there's a failure to convince another of your love, advocacy and support. Maybe there's a failure to expose the difference or lackthereof between what's actually happening and what one desires to be happening. It's difficult to employ effective strategies for getting those needs met when a dismissive response becomes matter-of-course. It's what you learn to expect when you're expecting to learn. It's enough to deflate and deplete you of all emotional power and motivation. What's the point of banging your head against a brick wall? Mark 6:11 permits us to walk away when all else fails.

There are "opportunities" and then there are "misleading opportunities." My "rescue efforts" crusade the latter and any adjoining charlatans. It breaks my heart to see so many folks misappropriating their time, talent and treasure. Unfortunately, politics and a fear of consequences trumps accountability. Like "truth in love," there too should be "accountability in love."

Leaping My Faith

2009-10-31T20:00:00.000-07:00

I lost faith in organized religion a long time ago. I also lost my faith in Oprah's Book Club. At 35, I'm just now gaining traction again, and to my surprise, as a worship leader. No matter what organization or category a person falls under (family, friends, white, black, democrat, republican, christian, hindu, marine, actor, musician, husband, wife, etc.), those groups or identifying marks still represent flawed human beings. Any organization contains sinning human beings, some moreso than others. Folks are always going to misrepresent a cause or a system. We're flawed. We sin. That's what we do. That's what JC died for. That's the point.

It's important not to judge others, even the judges. It's hard, but it's not our job. What's fundamental and most important as Christians is to love unconditionally. Fatherhood really personalizes and punctuates that principle. Should there be accountability? Absolutely. The form in which that accountability should manifest is where a lot of Christians differ.

My wife got a new camera (her Christian faith). It came with a manual (The Bible). She loves the camera, but may not get the most out of her camera if she doesn't read the manual. When she struggles with the camera, she can refer to the manual. What she chooses to do with the camera is her responsibility (free will). She can choose to shoot porn or she can choose to do a lot of good with her camera. The manual doesn't change and the manual isn't representative of what she chooses to do with the camera. Likewise, the manual says nothing about testifying to others that her camera is better or best. She can certainly testify how her camera has made a difference in her personal and professional life. On the flip side, she can't fundamentally, technically do or claim to do something with her camera that her camera isn't technically capable of.

There are no accurate biblical or scientific estimates as to when we or the earth were created nor how it all will end. What difference does it make? "All creatures of our God and King" doesn't exclude dinosaurs or aliens or the abominable snowman. Can same-sex couples procreate? No. I believe that is all that is meant by "God's law." Take religion out of it and it's "nature's law." Anything else is "man's law" and doesn't matter as long as it doesn't hurt anyone or invade our privacy. It's all common sense and I think way too many folks spend way too much time trying to fit the triangle into the trapezoid while hurting each other in the process. It's yin & yang. You can't have a top without a bottom, a heaven without hell, a man without woman, a child without mother and father. I think the "sanctity of marriage" was originally only meant to serve, protect and encourage that natural law. Does it mean same-sex couples aren't loved or are going to hell or should be told they are? No. That's not how Jesus rolls. Those who say it is how He rolls in His name should be ashamed of themselves. Folks shouldn't argue the opposite in His name, either. It's nobody's place on earth to judge. Religion aside, the 10 Commandments are pretty, darn-good rules of thumb for any human being of any creed to live by. When just one of those commandments isn't happening in my life, something is usually off kilter with me and that can have an enormous ripple effect on those around me. Christ simplified it even further when he said "Love thy God before thyself and love thy neighbor."

Is faith in any religion a personal choice? Absolutely. It has to be, otherwise it doesn't mean anything. That choice can also have a profound impact on those you love by how you love. Before you completely lose faith, I challenge you to join some sort of bible-study group, visit a variety of churches or synagogues and pose these questions, doubts and fears to other parishioners. Take your time. It may take years. You're not alone. Take your questions under advisement. Bounce your ideas off a man of the cloth. Take a bath in it. Make a happy, healthy, informed decision about your faith that you can feel good about. Pray long and hard for answers.

Then There Was Three

2009-10-31T05:42:00.000-07:00

Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Once upon ten years in a land of only children
East of Brunswick
Three houses on the right down Kerschner Lane

Imagine if you will a boy without a brother in love with the idea of making the room
The moment would arrive when 1985 returned a boy

Then there was three
Much to their surprise
Wish I could bottle the look in their eyes

I'll never be lonely
This much we agree
I once was only
Then there was three

Fast Forward 20 years in a land of only children
North of Carolina
South of anything considered home
Imagine if you still a boy without a brother completely unaware he's making the room
The moment would arrive when 2-double-zero-5 returned a boy

Then there was three
Much to my surprise
Wish I could bottle the look in my eyes

He'll never be lonely
This much we agree
I once was only
Then there was three

I never needed any one but
Two by two the Saints came marching in and pulled me through thick and thin
Father, son, we begin

When there is three
Much to our surprise
Wish I could bottle the love in His eyes
We'll never be lonely
We all should agree
We once were only
Then there was three

Then There Was Three 7/25/2009 Live from The Firemen's Kitchen HICKORY, NC 4:34 | Bass: Forrest Brown | Guitar, Vox: Jeff Hartman | Drums: Phill Kirby

Move On

2009-10-30T09:41:00.001-07:00

Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

I don't have much to say these days
I don't have very far to go
She tells me they will never change their ways
I tell her where I think they all can go

Looks like I was right about some things
Sounds like I was right about some too
Feels like there's no wind beneath my wings
The truth is I don't know what I should do

Move on
Things will get better
I know
Seems like forver
Oh Lord
I was mistreated
Almost defeated
But I'm seeing things in a different light
Walking away from a losing fight

A lot can be said about making the bed that we sleep in
Drawing the line before others define who you are
Close your eyes
I don't want to hurt anymore

Cross me off your list of things to do
Cross me off their list of games to play
The real estate is prime but there's no view
There's evidence of crime but there's no pay

Move on
Things will get better
I know it's taking forver
Oh Lord
I was mistreated
Almost defeated
But I'm seeing things in a different light
Walking away from a losing fight

Move On 7/25/2009 Live from The Firemen's Kitchen HICKORY, NC 4:34 | Bass: Forrest Brown | Vox: Carol Anne Hartman | Guitar, Vox: Jeff Hartman | Drums: Phill Kirby

It's Your Move

2009-10-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

"People make mistakes." While it’s certainly true that people make mistakes, it’s a fallacy to imply that the fallibility of people is a justification for mistakes. Often, when folks err in a way that hurts people, it is rationalized to be okay because folks are only human and people inevitably will make mistakes. The "people make mistakes" fallacy can create a blame-the-victim mentality when people are hurt by folks.

“God is in control.” The phrase implies that no matter what happens, God is behind the movement, so any abuses are either justifiable or not worthy of further examination. “God is in control” is a fallacy. As Mary Alice Chrnalogar points out in her book, "Twisted Scriptures: A Path to Freedom from Abusive Churches," there is a big difference between saying “God is sovereign” and “God is in control.”

"A sovereign king doesn’t control the individual decisions of all those in his realm. If God didn’t allow free will, then we could say that God is in control. Saying that God is in control denies the existence of free will. The next time a disciple hit me with 'God is in control,' I asked, 'Does that mean God is responsible for your sin? If God isn’t responsible for evil, then you can’t say God is in control, you are.' God in his sovereignty allows evil as a consequence of free will, so don’t say he is in control unless you honestly believe that you don’t have free will."

In reality, folks have the ability to make correct or incorrect choices, and to behave ethically or unethically. It is fallacious to brush things off by saying, “God is in control.” If folks make incorrect choices or act unethically, it is not God’s error. God may be sovereign, but folks are in control.

"Sovereign Lord,... you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them... Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus" (Acts 4:24, 29-30).

Lessons Learned

2009-10-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Life good. Family's best. I have a nasty habit of measuring performance against potential. I'm definitely guilty of that. You're either incredibly uninformed or a disseminator of misinformation. Forgiveness does not necessarily qualify for relationship. Written contracts good. Oral contracts bad. Don't assume all of the risks when you invest in and for other people. Never take long shots. Talent means nothing in this game if you don't make the right choices. There's plenty of talented people out there who never see the light of day. It takes discipline because this whole game is one big long shot. If you don't have the discipline to stay away from the "flyers" or from the "gambles" or whatever else you wanna call a "stupid move," then I'm afraid to say one day you'll go down. It's inevitable. Make a list of everything you want now and then plan on spending the next 25 years of your life getting it, slowly, piece by piece. Most importantly... trust in God.

September Song

2009-08-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

"You wonder how these things begin.
Well, this begins with a glen.
It begins with a season which,
For want of a better word,
We might as well call - September." from The Fantasticks

"September Song" is about commitment. In 9 days I will be celebrating my 9th wedding anniversary on 09-09-09. Carol Anne and I met on stage in the spring of 1996 and soon fell in love during fall production of "The Fantasticks" at the Green Room Community Theatre of Newton, North Carolina. I asked for Carol's hand in marriage with the cloak and dagger help of friends and family on the second Saturday night in September of 1999 and wed one year later on the ninth day in September of the year 2000. Our ceremony was held on stage in the Charles E. Jeffers Theatre of Hickory Community Theatre at 3 o'clock. Our vows were Shakespeare. A celebration immediately followed downstairs in the Firemen's Kitchen. Guests were encouraged to dress medieval and bring to share a photograph of themselves with one or both of the "betrothed."

*September Song
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Lights up
Enter "Nothing Left to Give"
I can't go on like it's not ending
There's no one here you'd be offending if you took
Take me home and tuck me in

Gives up
Enter You
Where there's a "Will" there is a way
Where there's a go there is a stay
Stay

Could've been meat
Could've been cake
Could've been her
Could've been me six feet under ground

Why I
Well I wanna testify
Sanctify on artificial holy ground
All the king's men
All the things then
"He who brings ten
Among nine bad if one be good"

Gotta choice
Gonna make it
Gotta chance
Gonna take it
'Round and 'round and 'round we go

Doubt the stars are fire
Doubt the sun doth move
Doubt truth to be a liar
But never doubt
Never doubt
Never doubt
Never doubt I love

Time's up
Put your pencils down
No more questions
No more answers
Dress the stage and hire dancers dancing
Dance
I hope you do

What's up must come down
Happy Ending
Happy Days
Leaving lovers fifty ways

It all depends on what you pay

I love the way I hate the way I love the way I didn't have a choice
Alone was my intention
I didn't care for your invention
But the thrill was unexpected
Time stood still
I stood corrected

Well aware of the infection
Soon withdrawing my objection
Wait
The weight was overrated
Bearing crosses unrelated

You are water
You are heat
You're Polaris
You're September
You are sunlight
You are moonlight
You are mountains
You are valleys
You are love
You are love
Love
You are

September Song from The Black Album 7:18 Bass: Micah Davidson Guitar: Tony Eltora Drums, Percussion: Daniel Flynn Guitar, Keys, Percussion, Vocals: Jeff Hartman Percussion: Phill Kirby

*Contains an interpolation from the composition "Metaphor" written by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, Chappell and Co., publishers.

Worship Without Walls

2009-08-12T07:54:00.000-07:00

Getting to Know Our Music Ministry

We want folks who are interested or already involved with praise & worship to know specifically what is expected of them and how or where exactly he or she enters the mix. As we move forward in growing the kingdom of God, it is important to define expectations and goals. With you in mind, we are publishing these criteria and guidelines.

The worship team exists to grow the kingdom of God, edify and encourage the body of Christ within this church (1Cor 12:28). Our goal is to praise and worship God, not just in worship, but with our lives so that "the words of our mouth and the meditations of our heart" are acceptable to the Lord (Ps 19:14). Within worship, the goal is to bring the congregation into the presence of God (2Ch 7:1,2; 1Pet 2:5) and set the stage for the preaching of the Word of God with the ultimate goal of changing lives into the image of God (Rom 12:1,2; 2Cor 3:18). Music is a powerful tool for achieving this purpose.

What We Do

• We position worshippers and present music on a platform before God and the congregation in a very intentional and transparent way

• We coordinate and communicate tech, instrumentation, arrangements, charts, demonstration music and most importantly, people in cooperation with youth praise & worship, outreach, the pastor's message and the theme of the service or sermon series.

Goals
• Build a directory of able singers and musicians
• Project a calendar of music ministry events
• Develop relationships and establish communication
• Grow and regularly present a contemporary choir
• Outreach music in coordination with calendar events
• Regularly rotate musicians, including and in coordination with outreach and youth praise & worship
• Separate adult and children’s choir nights

Limitations
• Space
• Sonic clarity
• Site lines
• Volume
• Gear
• Time is limiting
• Technical consistency is an issue with any "mobile" church.
*We will continue to make every effort to intentionally dress any stage and enhance any service with choirs and alternate instrumentation when applicable and appropriate with respect to our limitations.

Some Things to Consider
Before folks approach and ask if they can be part of the team, we strongly encourage those folks to consider the following and evaluate where their hearts are.

• Desire & Motivation - Ask yourself, "Am I in it for His glory or my own?"

• Membership - Music ministry is not the right of the talented but a privilege extended to the committed and faithful. We are not limited to those committed to this particular body of believers, but the regular, ongoing and leadership nature of this ministry should require a strong commitment to the people and leadership of this church.

• The Heart of Worship - To qualify for the worship team, one must be a worshipper. Every member, musician and singer alike, must have a love for praise and worshipping Christ. As a leadership ministry, we are committed to maturing in Jesus. Encourage and challenge one another. Everyone involved in worship ministry is a leader of worship.

• Proficiency - Musicians and vocalists need to be skilled enough to follow the order of a service and improvise in the Spirit of God. Keep in mind that the team and the material will only be as musically proficient as the individuals that form the team. It is also not enough to say one can play a guitar. One must demonstrate technical proficiency. Such is the nature of any instrument and related gear.

• Commitment - Rehearsals, practice and prep before each rehearsal and ministry are mandatory. In addition, there are outreach opportunities which will require equal, if not more, time commitment and availability.

• Unity - Worship ministry is a team effort. All involved must be willing and able to take direction and work as a team. We are a single unit with a single purpose. Our heart attitude should not be to shine forth our own technical skill but to use that skill to enhance the team as a whole.

The Road to Rotation

• The Approach - Please express your interest(s) or intentions as specifically as possible directly to the music director or worship leader.

• Interview - Make arrangements to meet with the music director or worship leader to discuss your interests and establish a personal connection.

• Auditions - Further arrangements will be made for you to audition prior or following any given rehearsal.

• Trial Period - There may be a trial period at the discretion of the music director during which the individual will attend rehearsals but will not play/sing with the team during service. The purpose of this directive is to ascertain genuine interest. In the spirit of unity, this period also allows time for the individual and the rest of the team to gel.

• Rotation - If all’s well, we will consider entering you into a rotation for one of the following music ministries.

*Where the Opportunities are
• Adult Worship Team
• Youth Worship Team
• Choir
• Tech
• Outreach
• House or Community Group Worship

Nuts and Bolts

• Communication - Direct contact and communication with the music director and worship leader is a must. In-person or via phone is the preferred means by which to communicate thoughts, ideas and concerns. Unifier and email is very much the preferred means by which to communicate plans,
calendar conflicts, etc.

• Weekly Rehearsals - Whenever team members are scheduled to minister at a service, they are required to be in attendance according to the following table.

• Punctuality - If it is not possible to make a rehearsal on time, please notify and communicate
directly with the music director or worship leader in advance and as soon as possible so other
arrangements can be made accordingly.

• Outreach & Youth Praise - Team members may also be needed to serve tech, youth praise or outreach programs.

*Spiritual Prep - Our spiritual preparation has a direct effect on our effectiveness as a music ministry team. We need to come ready not only to sing and play music but to worship the King and minister to His people. The essential element in any ministry is our relationship with the Lord. Without a close relationship to the Lord, the worship team will not be effective regardless of musical proficiency.

Drawing a Line Before Others Define Who You Are

2009-08-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

“What's right and good doesn't come naturally. You have to stand up and fight for it as if the cause depends on you, because it does.” Bill Moyers

“All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” Edmund Burke

Take your pick. I once wrote, "I think it's easier to write when you're younger because you have a certain arrogance, a certain confidence. You don't question your beliefs when you're young. You look at things in terms of black and white and as I get older, shades of gray tend to creep in. 'Maybe I'm not 100% right.' 'Maybe the other guy's got a point of view.' You tend to become a little more rabbinical. The more I find out the less that I know." James 1:19 says, "Be quick to listen and slow to speak." It's a good lesson we learn over and over again. The question becomes, "When do you put your foot down?"

I recently wrote the lyrics, "A lot can be said about making the bed that we sleep in; drawing a line before others define who you are." I tread heavily in an environment filled with ambition trumps relationships trumps ethics, etc. I've seen kids, parents and colleagues alike bend at will with stars in their eyes to the power of ambition.

Some folks refuse to eat meat. Some refuse to step foot on the internet or jump on the social networking bandwagon. Some folks refuse to eat at a particular restaurant as a result of poor service. My wife recently lifted her very own personal boycott on Pizza Hut after a terrible experience. I still give her jazz about it. It's unfortunate the frivolous battles we choose and the virtuous battles we choose not to fight as Christians. My "boycotts" are far between and few and often passive protests in the spirit of something JFK once said, “It is in the American tradition to stand up for one's rights, even if the new way to stand up for one's rights is to sit down.”

Folks aren’t likely to quit eating because of a bad meal, but most of us know someone who stopped eating a certain food or going to a certain restaurant. Would you ask a food-poisoned person to keep ordering the same dish at the same restaurant or would you acknowledge his right to consider alternatives? When someone experiences spiritual “food poisoning,” is it their duty to keep coming back for more? Quite often the answer seems to be “yes.”

Although I wasn't a fan of the late Jerry Falwell, his son said something recently that makes a lot of sense.

"It has become common in the modern culture for people to defend wrongdoers when those individuals are members of their team or their political party or their family. Sadly, I have seen this culture even invade the church.

So what’s the problem? I chiefly see this as a dilemma that can infect our children while further serving to break down our national morality.

Let’s examine a hypothetical situation. Let’s say a father is a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan who has raised his son to also be a loyal team supporter. When it is revealed that Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz have used illegal performance-enhancing drugs, the father says, 'That’s okay. Those guys are part of our team.'

The son’s views on baseball, sportsmanship and even the law are affected by the father’s sentiment. Does the son grow up thinking it is alright to defend others' misdeeds or even his own wrongdoing? Maybe drinking and driving, cheating on his taxes, cheating on his wife? Sin often begins small but the cycle can become unbreakable.

We need to teach our kids that misconduct bears, or at least should bear a cost. Our personal ethics should not be attached to who is affected by what we believe. Rather, our ethics should remain in place no matter whom or what is affected by those standards. Ethics that change with the situational tides are not ethics at all; they are policies of convenience.

As a Christian father, I find myself continually examining my life to ensure that I am a living example to my children, who are certainly scrutinizing my actions more than I realize. I don’t want to ever send the wrong message to them through my carelessness or self-serving ways of life. My personal ethics should be based on God’s Word, which does not change, and not on the existential policies of man that are constantly compromised.

I Corinthians 10:31 says, 'Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.' (NKJV).

As Christians, we need to take this verse very seriously. Instead of being wishy-washy people who will selfishly counteract our ethics or our doctrines on a whim, we must live joyous and holy lives that point to Jesus Christ as the lone source of our personal conduct. That’s the ethical core our children must see every time they observe us through their always watchful eyes."

I think there is this idea that standing up for something means you have to chain yourself to a tree or march in circles for twelve hours with a goofy sign. It can be as simple as turning your attention to something or someone else. I often think of it in terms of television. Change the channel! If we don't contribute to the ratings, they'll seriously reconsider their programming. Think the opposite of Nike's famous slogan, "Just don't do it."

"And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave as a testimony against them." Mark 6:11

“I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.” Abraham Lincoln

When Saturday Night Met Sunday Morning

2009-07-15T09:43:00.000-07:00

This is a subject I've been discussing and debating for many years with friends and colleagues (and my wife).

I have a Shania Twain CD Maxi-Single that came out years ago. "From This Moment On" is the name of a song. What's interesting to me about this single is that there's two versions of the same song on the CD. It came out during the "crossover artist" boom in the mid-'90's.

• "From This Moment On"
• "From This Moment On" [Country Version]

So, what makes the "country version" "country?" Answer: A steel guitar. The rest of the song is exactly the same. What makes a "rock song" "rock?" I'm sure most sensible folks would disagree with the following statements.

"Rock music is sex. The big beat matches the body's rhythms" - Frank Zappa (Life, June 28, 1968)

"That's what rock is all about - sex with a 100 megaton bomb, the beat!" Gene Simmons (Entertainment Tonight, ABC, Dec. 10, 1987).

Do folks at our church associate rock with sex? I doubt it. A hammer can be used to build a house for a family, or it can be used to kill someone and destroy a family.

I mention all of this, because I often say to myself, "Self, what makes a 'Christian song' 'Christian?'" Is it the word "Jesus?" Is it the songwriter? Is it our perspective? If we were told that "My Father's Eyes" was written by Chris Tomlin as opposed to Eric Clapton, would we have given it a second thought? If so, why? Most of the time we don't know who the songwriter is. 9 out of 10 tunes these days, "secular" and "Christian" are written by union songwriters. Scan the credits. What do we know about those songwriters and their lives? Does it matter? "Third Day," one of the top selling Christian-rock bands out there today, used to be a bar band called "Nuclear Hoedown."

There are so many layers to this debate. I am also a secular artist and I think most responsible secular artists have an interesting take on this. I look forward to opportunities to bring my Christianity to a secular music situation and vice versa. My perspective is layered even further since I do a lot of weddings and wedding receptions as well. It never ceases to amaze me the different combinations of music folks involve in their ceremonies to represent their love and their vows before God. A recent wedding I performed involved the following in the ceremony...

• Prelude: "Braveheart Score"
• Processional: "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" from The Wizard of Oz"/"What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong
• Bridal March "Annie's Song" by John Denver
• Recessional: "Everlong" by Foo Fighters

Kudos to this beautiful couple who used such a wide variety of music in such a spiritual, uplifting way!

A good friend of our once sang "Morning Has Broken" at a funeral. I'm fascinated by the journey this song has taken through sacred and secular circles, artists and attributions (from Wikipedia)...

"Morning Has Broken" is a favorite and well-known Christian hymn, especially popular in children's services. Cat Stevens included an acoustic version on his 1971 album Teaser and the Firecat. It became a signature song for Stevens when it reached number 9 in the charts in 1972.

The lyrics were written by Eleanor Farjeon in 1922 and are found in the hymnals of many denominations. The original poem can be found in the anthology "Children's Bells" under Farjeon's original title A Morning Song (For the First Day of Spring), published by Oxford University Press in 1957. The tune to which it is normally sung is called "Bunessan," based upon a Scottish Gaelic traditional melody. Before Farjeon's words, it was used as a Christmas carol which began "Child in the manger, Infant of Mary," translated from the Gaelic lyrics written by Mary MacDonald. The English-language Roman Catholic hymnal also uses the tune for the hymn "This Day God Gives Me."

Writing credit for "Morning Has Broken" has occasionally been erroneously attributed to Stevens, who popularized the song abroad. The familiar piano arrangement on Stevens' album was performed by Rick Wakeman, a classically trained keyboardist with the English progressive rock band Yes. In 2000, Wakeman released an instrumental version of "Morning Has Broken" on an album of the same title.

The familiar piano intro and general structure of the piece may be attributed to Stevens or to Wakeman. Although some sources report that the song was released on Floyd Cramer's 1961 album Last Date, discographies of the artist demonstrate that the song is not on that album. In fact, Cramer did not record the song until 1972, when he used the arrangement that he attributed to Cat Stevens.

The song has been recorded by numerous other artists, including Judy Collins, Floyd Cramer (twice), Dana, Neil Diamond, Art Garfunkel, Nana Mouskouri, Aaron Neville, Kenny Rogers and the First Edition, Sister Janet Mead, Roger Whittaker and Ellen Greene recently on Pushing Daisies.

Cat Stevens converted to the Islamic faith in 1977 after a near-death experience and officially took the name Yusuf Islam in 1978. "Morning Has Broken" continues to be attributed to Cat Stevens or ... "Yusuf Islam."

I appreciate but respectfully disagree to a certain degree with anti-secular music sermons regarding professed Christian artists who sing other lyrics that undermine Christian faith and values. My focus is mostly, and I believe has to be, on the message of a particular song, secular or religious, and less the artist or songwriter or the "label." I believe God works through all folks whether they know or like it or not.

Here's an interesting article on this subject by Pastor Tim Stevens...

http://www.pastors.com/RWMT/article.asp?ArtID=9948

My favorite part is... "Paul did this when he quoted from a famous poet of his day (Acts 17:28). He wasn't saying, 'I agree with everything this poet wrote.' He wasn't saying, 'Read all of his poems.' He was just using a well-known secular poem to connect with his listeners in order to help make a change in their lives."

Something Borrowed, Something True

2009-07-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

“It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.” Mark Twain

The non-imposition of any particular morality is itself the imposition of moral relativism, which allows man to rationalize whatever moral behavior he wants (moral license). Whose morality? The answer is very simple. We shouldn’t impose "my" morality or "your" morality; we should impose "our" morality - the one inherited by us all. So when someone protests, “Don’t cram your morals down my throat!” - after pointing out that their position actually does that, simply respond by saying, “These are not my morals. I did not make them up. I didn’t make up the fact that abortion is wrong, that murder is wrong, that stealing is wrong. In fact, if it were up to me, I might like it if some of those things were not morally wrong! Abortion might help me get out of trouble and theft could solve my money problems! So, I’m not imposing my 'personal' morality on you any more than a math teacher is imposing her 'personal' math when she teaches her students that 2+2=4. Morality, like math, is not based on subjective feelings. It is based on objective facts.”

If they say, “Well, that’s just your interpretation!” Respond this way, “Of course, but that doesn’t mean my interpretation is false. I also interpret that Mother Teresa was better than Hitler, and that interpretation is certainly true. Second, your position is also an interpretation. Why should your interpretation go unchallenged? The question is not about who is interpreting; the question is: 'Whose interpretation and conclusion best fits the facts?' This is the morality inherited by all of us, but only accepted by some of us. It is our common morality. Facts are hard things." Frank Turek

Selling Out

2009-07-10T09:39:00.000-07:00

"Those who stand for nothing fall for anything." Alexander Hamilton

“Try not to become a man of success, rather try to become a man of value.” Albert Einstein

I've been in the professional performing arts business for 15+ years. If there's one thing I've learned the hard way, it's that values are typically the first thing artists "sell out" in terms of money, success and the prospect of opportunity. I see it all the time. Been there, done it. Artists by nature put themselves in a position of needing to take what they can get at any cost. I do my best to encourage my students and colleagues to sustain their values and integrity in the industry. It's hard to convince folks that success in the Lord often means leaping your faith and forfeiting earthly, misguided goals and misleading opportunities. It's a hard pill to swallow when the wrong folks are telling you exactly what you want to hear. It's even harder teaching the art of identifying these things. Such wisdom is only born in the wake of making our own mistakes.

"Seek to increase God's success and He will give you your own without selling out your values, without sacrificing your family and all for His glory." Nicholas J. Davidson

Luke 12:22-34

22Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

You CAN Handle the Truth!

2009-06-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

“It is easier to find a score of men wise enough to discover the truth than to find one intrepid enough, in the face of opposition, to stand up for it.” - A. A. Hodge

I recently pulled up behind a car at a stop light as I was returning home from a church staff meeting with the kids in the car. It was a beautiful day. We left the staff meeting on a high. God is good! The light turned green, but the woman in front of me was noticeably texting and paying no attention to the light. We sat still for a good 20 seconds or so in the middle of this green-lit road. I wasn't in a hurry to be anywhere, so it really didn't bother me to the extent that it may have bothered the folks behind me. I tapped my horn, with an emphasis on "tapped," to draw her attention to the green light. She lifted her head up, threw her phone down and gave me the finger as she sped off. I'm sure this sort of thing has happened to all of us.

Drama unfolded when I stuck my neck out for a friend of ours. Accountability gone wrong. I made a discerning observation in an effort to draw one friend's attention to his inadvertent insensitivity towards another mutual friend and keep them both from going down a delicate road they'd been down before with each other. Classic case of "stuck in the middle." This insensitivity was manifesting in the form of jabs of antagonism and dismissiveness via phone conversations and email exchanges over the course of several weeks. There was an obvious level of unbeknownst enthusiasm and joy suffering at the hands of his insensitivity; unbeknownst to him, evident to others. That's the point. It happens. We're human. Again, it was inadvertent and nobody thought any less of the guy.

The accountability was met with a level of pride and posturing I've never experienced. Even more unexpected was the absence of culpability when Carol Anne and I became the subject of inappropriate conversations and were subsequently hung out to dry in the wake of decisions that were made about and without us. He chose to marginalize us sans any solicited advisement from anyone who should be council to such a decision.

Hours of subsequent conversation left us feeling broken and humiliated. I'd never been dressed down and sanctioned from anything in my entire 34 years of life and a "home away from home" was the last place I'd expected to set that sort of precedent. I thought our time and dime and love, at the very least, earned us the benefit of the doubt in any matter or matters of miscommunication. It became apparent he'd grown sensitive to all things "Hartman" for rhymes and reasons that escaped us and we failed to understand any peripheral bullet points of "contradiction" that didn't defy rational explanation such as compromising atypical work/family schedules, preparation and defining weekly expectations as atypical volunteers. These were and always met with love, grace and compromise. If there was a subjacent issue with me or any rudimentary lack of understanding, it was not and had not been communicated. It's all in black and white and a blog for another day.

At some point we all fail to resist the temptation to build a case against someone in our heads. Some folks have a talent for infallibility and a remarkable way of reflecting responsibility. Forbearance isn't my thing and it's the biggest reason I prefer to evanesce until the tide recedes. It's painful as a father to think anyone could ever believe I have it in me to purposefully hurt anything or anyone when it's obvious to anyone familiar enough with me or the situation that all I was trying to do was keep these guys from resenting one another any more than they already did. Cue "Friends are Friends Forever" or "If You Don't Know Me By Now" and a closeup of an indian crying.

It's both frustrating and discouraging believing this could have been received and handled differently. I've never seen anything more blown out of proportion considering other blatant, explosive situations and outbursts we've personally witnessed go unchallenged. We're considering that mountains made out of mole hills could certainly be the Lord's way of making us uncomfortable for reasons we'd never have otherwise anticipated or even noticed.

It's obvious I lost a lot as a result of this. My family lost a lot. It hurts. It sucks when it comes at a time when I've never felt more joyful and triumphant as a Christian, a father, a husband and a professional. Despite promises of reparation and "reinstatement," Carol Anne and I were immediately replaced and our names removed from his website, among other melodramatic social networking website maneuvers including blocking me on Facebook. I was personally denigrated and my family was swept under the rug. Prayer requests and olive branches continue to be ignored. Despite my low expectations, they're ostensibly too high. It's unbelievable. We're all supposed to be battin' for the same team! We sat patiently in prayer for months. We decided it was time to move on when the phone didn't ring and there was never a knock on the door. When a shepherd separates sheep from the flock, there's little the sheep can do. We swallowed enough pride to kill an elephant for the sake of unity and moving forward. I believe he owes my entire family an apology, but I haven't issued a warrant for that apology.

At what point do you draw a line in the sand and speak the truth in love? Do you tap your horn or wait in traffic? Do you tell your date she has mustard on her chin? The truth is, "truth" is a gamble. That's why we experience so little of it. You might get the finger. You might get a hug. You might get smitten with their ghosts of Christmas past. You might change someone's life. I have no regrets. I'll do it over and over again if I have to. Such experiences makes me appreciate the flourishing relationships in my life that I often take for granted. My wife is a great example. I can always count on my kids for a dose of reality. "Daddy, you're stinky. You need to take a shower." High school BFF's like Jason and Jerry come to mind. Contemporary relationships with folks like Michael and David. I'm very blessed. 'Dems me scruples! Thank you. The truth is, I can count on these folks for truth in love that doesn't rip a hole in the fabric of space and time. We don't tell each other what we want to hear. We tell each other what we need to hear. We make each other better. Our intentions are understood. Our love is God's love. Like six million dollar men, we can rebuild one another. We have the technology. We have the capability. I will be that man. Better than I was before. Better, stronger, faster. Honk the horn.

"He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue." Proverbs 28:23

"It is too easy to spend time only with those who will pat me on the back and say, 'You are so right and such a great person.' It is so much harder to be in the company of those who challenge my convictions and even presuppositions. But it is also necessary." - Pastor Bob Thompson

JC is the HD!

2009-06-12T10:04:00.000-07:00

I remember the first CD my father brought home to play on our brand-spankin' new, family CD player. It was 1986 and the CD was "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen. The sound was incredible. Just when I thought cassette tapes couldn't get any better, compact discs changed the way I heard music forever. Fast forward a decade when I experience DVD for the first time. Wow! The clarity, the sound, the features! Just when I didn't think home video could get any better, DVD changed the way I viewed movies forever. Just when I didn't think home entertainment could get any better, Blu-Ray and hi-definition have arrived. All of this got me thinking about Christ. When Christ is at the front of the line and the center of our lives, he clarifies everything. He is the hi-definition in our lives. We appreciate everything more. We pay a little more attention. We love a little bit deeper. "The day is brighter," "the night is lighter." JC is the HD!

Willing the One Thing

2009-05-28T09:46:00.000-07:00

Writing, arranging and recording is a full-time gig. Space and focus is everything if you want your music to be the best it can be. My last studio album, between touring, took me exactly one year (August to August) to complete. I'm currently sitting on a new live album, a new studio album and a new praise & worship album. Why? Because I know I can't devote the necessary time and resources to any of them with respect to my current schedule and other commitments. The last thing I want is for others involved to be more involved and available than I can be! When the time is right, Carol Anne and I will pave a way and sacrifice to make them all happen.

I had to choose between theatre and music at some point. Can you do both? Absolutely. I'm living proof. But not simultaneously. One suffers the other. Both annex too much time and commitment. It's a question of quantity vs. quality. Some might say it's a question of insanity vs. sanity!

From a spiritual and scriptural point of view, “Willing the One Thing” comes to mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KJ4p_mfi18&feature=related

Parenting is a full-time gig. Praise & worship is a full-time gig. Teaching is a full-time gig. Building and maintaining strong, Christian relationships with family and friends is the full-time gig. I need to work on "willing the one thing" in my life. God steers us in new and unexpected directions. Say "no" so that you can say "yes."

Sometimes it's more obvious to others what one should be doing with his or her time. I got that speech later than sooner. This idea of throwing as many career paths against the wall and wondering which one sticks is slows you down and gets in the way. Sigh. In the immortal words of Nike, "Just do it!"

Weapon of Choice

2009-05-23T09:50:00.000-07:00

"If you can't tell me what you'd like to be happening, you don't have a problem yet. You're just complaining. A problem only exists if there is a difference between what is actually happening and what you desire to be happening."

I was heavily schooled for many years on piano. I was reciting classical compositions at nine, accompanied by six years of classical training. I tackled five years of comprehensive music theory. I studied vocally with many, many musical theatre vocal instructors from Princeton and Julliard, among others. It's a pleasure working with other schooled musicians like Scott McCloud and Phill Kirby, for example. We all share a language and communicate on another level. There's a chemistry there. It's much different working with musicians with no formal training. It's not a lesser experience by any means, just different.

I did the jazz-thing in college. I did several variations on the cover band-thing for many years. It all boiled down to one thing. Original music. I can play a half-dozen instruments. So what. It doesn't matter if I play the piano or the guitar or the kazoo. I can play an *ss-load of cover tunes. So what? To exploit a cliché, "it's all about the music." Sting is a bad-*ss bassist. He plays half-dozen instruments. So what. It's his songwriting most people think of when Sting comes to mind. Tantric sex is a strong second.

I'm an accomplished actor. I struggled many years choosing which road to make a heavy commitment to. What persuaded me to take a serious music plunge was the difference between being myself and pretending to be somebody else. As an actor, you're given the lines and given the direction. There are elements of yourself you bring to each character, but it still isn't something you can call your own. Henceforth, when the time came to choose between cover music and original music, I came back to the same notion of being myself vs. pretending to be somebody else. Therein lies the ultimate resource for developing your own music and vocal style.

If half your show involves Sting or Police tunes, people are going to say you sing or sound like Sting. Why? Because you're singing like Sting. You're singing Sting tunes. If half your show involves Dave Matthews tunes, people are going to say you sing like Dave Matthews. Why? Because you're singing like Dave Matthews. You're singing Dave tunes. If I wear an McDonald's uniform long enough, people are going to think I work there. Just sing. Stop listening to other artists if you must. What's missing from most artists these days is themselves. There are no risks. It's karaoke at this point. What would Sting say? Seriously.

There are occupational hazards you can't avoid. There are those who compare me with Dave Matthews. I beg to differ. One night a girl said to me, "You sound like Dave Matthews." I said, "If I played the same songs on the piano all night, would you think the same thing?" She said, "Come to think of it, no." One night a guy said to me, "You sound like Bruce Hornsby." I said, "If I played the same songs on the guitar all night, would you think the same thing?" He said, "Come to think of it, no."

What all this leads me to is this. From my experience, what pitfalls artists often go through has nothing to do with anything! It has to do with involving yourself in a project or a situation that you honestly believe in. That's going to involve investing a serious amount of time and taking an ample amount of risks. One of the keys to my success is keeping things simple, willingness to travel, consistency, setting short and long-term goals and taking risks along the way. Sometimes I make good money. Sometimes I don't. Sometimes I win. Often I lose. But sometimes I win. I have to take the good, the bad and the ugly. Business before pleasure. There are bad guys, but there are good guys. There are no shortcuts.

When I started, I knew it would be at least ten years before I noticed any serious results. Convincing a unit of musicians to pay their dues with you for more than three is another story. Some local artists and musicians are a prime example of what not to do. Some begin projects, fold their cards six months later and then start something new. Some change their name every week. Six months is a grain of sand in the large scheme of things. I think about some of my idols or heroes. What coarse did they take? Did they make it in six months? Did they jump from project to project? There are exceptions, but I think you'll be hard-pressed to find any success story in the music industry under 5 years of commitment. Let me add that remaining in a project for a long period of time doesn't mean you can't evolve in and around that project. In my experience, it makes it easier to evolve. It gives you a rock. Too often musicians fail to challenge themselves and blame the marriage they should maintain with other band members.

Cover bands are a dime a dozen. Bar bands are a dime a dozen. Bars are a dime a dozen. They come and go like porn stars. I can cover material 20 years from now if all else fails. So why on Earth would I do it now? Money? Bills? Then I'm too comfortable. Modify and simplify your situation. Only you can avoid day jobs. Drive a used car. Save. Think about it. I'm young. They say if you put 10% of every paycheck you make in savings starting when you're 30 years old, you'll have a million dollars by the time you're ready to retire. I try approaching music the same way. Most importantly, approach God and family that way. Invest the time you spend making music more wisely. You'll get out of it what you put into it. I'll make my colleagues a deal. 20 years from now, if none of us have risen to any level of notable success, we'll get together and start some kind of tribute or cover band.

In God We Trust

2009-05-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

I can't think of any other time in my life when I have been more disappointed by folks I love and pleasantly surprised by folks I hardly know. Heroes become human. The expected renders unexpected. The extraordinary turns standard. There's no such thing as Santa Claus all over again. It's unfortunate we're forced by age and experience to lower our expectations of others.

I'm a fan of the 80's series Dallas. I suppose one quality I admired most about the fictitious Ewing family was their ability to define their enemies and rally in support behind one another, despite their differences, when the **it hit the fan. I'm a child of the action hero 80's. Where on Earth did my generation's sense of good vs. evil, right vs. wrong, freedom vs. communism, special forces vs. terrorism, Rocky vs. Drago, etc. go? What happened to defending others regardless of whether or not an issue directly relates to or effects us personally? Today it's, "until it happens to you."

Secular progressive dissenters of illegal immigration reform, tough interrogation techniques and a no holds barred war on terrorism could take a cue from a good, cheesy Schwarzenegger film. It gets worse before it gets better. It takes time and it takes cohones. There isn't an administration on Earth or a person, short of Jesus Christ and maybe Jack Bauer, that can change the world in five years.

In August of 2005, the **it hit the fan. Without going into very personal detail, I became very ill in more ways than one. Carol Anne and I were also forced to bear the financial burden of my estranged business associates, void of any written, contractual obligations. Carol subsequently lost her job and we were forced to liquify some assets. Lines were drawn and it quickly became apparent who's who among family and friends. Few have taken the time to connect with Carol Anne and I over the events leading up to what we refer to as "D-Day." Less have offered support. Less are interested in the truth. I imagine it's easier for others to ignore than wrap their brains around something they don't understand. It's arguably the best and worst thing that's ever happened to us. We no longer live with a false sense of realism and we're much more centered and focused on what matters. Our faith and trust in God is stronger than I can remember.

This brings me to a larger point. 9/11. Defining our enemies. The **it hit the fan in September of 2001. We're facing an unprecedented war on terrorism. Our enemies don't play by the rules. Our enemies wear khakis. There's no template for what we're up against. It's too easy to blame Bush and/or Clinton. It's a clear indication you failed Political Science. Mistakes are made. I hear more about the mistakes both administrations made and less about what we're doing or going to do about it. Don't discuss one without the other! I'm no conservative. I'm definitely a traditionalist. The Left pour all of their time and energy into poking holes in Bush's policies, much like the Right did Clinton's. The conspiracy theories are enough to make you scream! The opposition, Right or Left, need to suggest alternatives to current policies. I'm not hearing it. I'm not reading it. I'm not buying it because there's no product on the shelves. Bush said, as many folks have often said, "Do you have a better idea?" The answer at this point is, "No."

Trust in God. People disappoint. Governments disappoint. Our trust in God is well placed and the only place worth placing our trust. I often say coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. It's no coincidence we're faced with what's on our plates. In God we trust. Our forefathers may have been on to something.

Professionalism for Christ

2009-05-22T09:52:00.000-07:00

Music doesn't come natural to me. I work hard at what I do and I take the music I perform, particularly for Christ, very seriously. It's an awesome responsibility. I'm always overwhelmed by the notion that some folks can spend so much of their week on football games, television and social networking websites and only devote one hour of prep for music which accounts for half the average service. Our local community theatre is volunteer-based, yet folks rehearse three hours/night for 6-8 weeks and pour an insane amount of time into what they need to do to make things happen. That's 18/hours per week for something that doesn't really matter in the end vs. one hour from the average worship team for something that means everything.

What is Hip

2009-05-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

I used to wonder whether or not my disdain for what is considered hip on the charts was a clear indication of my age. I've come to the conclusion that there is a fundamental lack of class, respect and intelligence in music and on the streets today. Pop culture or art is usually a reflection of society. I find myself flabbergasted at the level of grammar and use, or rather "misuse," of the English language on music award ceremony broadcasts. These "artists" sound ridiculous when they got on the mic. Their grammar and English reminds me of an old skit on SNL with Phil Hartman as Frankenstein, Jon Lovitz as Tonto and Kevin Nealon as Tarzan debating the merits of fire. Our kids worship these folks!? Problems with the music industry exist from top to bottom. Check out my blog called "Raising the Bar." I discuss several of these issues including Nelly Furtado's last "masterpiece." There is also a reference to an awesome article by a popular jazz artist discussing similar issues. I'm either getting old or everyone else is getting stupid. I'm probably getting old.

Raising the Bar

2009-05-19T09:52:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by an article titled "What the F**k Happened to Black Popular Music?" by jazz pianist Kenny Drew, Jr., to discuss low standards in local music. So, "What the F**k Happened to Local Music?"

I began appearing on the local North Carolina music scene professionally circa 1994 while seeking my undergraduate degrees. What a difference ten years makes. I don't know what's worse; the bands or the folks who hire them.

Before I dive in too deep, let me preface this by saying I believe there is an incredible amount of talent and fellowship on the scene. I experience it every day. I also believe there are many layers to each music scene. You have singer/songwriters, original bands, cover bands, jam bands, tribute bands, jazz cats, etc. However, each layer experiences similar problems and the bar has been set so low that I dare compare my issues with local music to the country's immigration problem! I believe there is a place for all music and all who make music in this world. There is no right or wrong. Music is subjective. I only part company with those who interpose the profession of music.

I'm not going to discuss in too much detail the lack of musicianship and poor songwriting I see on a daily basis. Kenny covers most of those bases in his article and I second that emotion.

The "it's who you know" problem has been around since cows ruled the Earth and unfortunately will never go away. That problem exists in every walk of life. I admit I'm not more successful because I don't kiss ass very well. I am definitely my own worst enemy and I take risks and roads less traveled. I'm not the best at what I do, but I do my best. Sadly, there are groups out there right now cashing in nonreciprocal favors, skipping from point A to point C while hard working folks like us wrestle with point B. Eat your vegetables. Pay your dues. Shortcuts will come back to haunt you. I still support throwing bones to up and coming bands. I'm "simply" jaded. Unfortunately, I've been on the short end of the "not returning the favor-stick" one too many times. "Your pain, their gain."

After a series of wonderful Walt Disney World performances and the successful release of my second solo album, a pitiful conversation (a conversation of pity) erupted between the then newest member of my band and me over the measure of our progress. He tried to convince me that, in spite of our individual past projects, we were on the same visceral level. I beg to differ. It's apples and oranges. A singer/songwriter pays a much higher price than say, a bass player. A bass player has the luxury of leaving one project for another on a whim and may continue to do so until he or she reaches a much higher rung on the ladder of success. We may have been in the same boat, but I'm very proud to say I've earned most of my opportunities the old fashioned way and literally from scratch. He answered an ad and joined my regularly scheduled singer/songwriter program already years in progress. Singer/songwriters deserve a different grade of respect.

The other problem at hand is simple. It's become too easy. "Weekend warriors." There are bands in Charlotte who perform 12 times/year max, whom you've never heard of, will never see, will never hear, sporting completely unrelated careers, winning "Best of" recognition in local music publications because they invoke enough votes from friends and family. There is no judge, jury or review process involved. Those who turn to these publications as a source or guide to entertainment in Charlotte are the true victims. Any joker with a computer, enough cash for a lousy PA and a truck load of obnoxious friends can score a gig. Musicianship, vocal quality, sound quality, recording quality, songwriting, stage presence, experience and any combination thereof are hardly considerations. Listen to the radio. Listen to current Nelly Furtado. It isn't any different at the top of the food chain.

It's doable but nearly impossible to make a living as a musician because there are so many folks out there working day jobs in completely unrelated fields, performing once a month, packing houses with fellow repressed co-workers. As previously stated, I don't disagree there is a place for those who use music in this context as a release. However, the scene is flooded in every sense of the word and it's handicapping and undermining real, working musicians. "Hi, I manage a restaurant 60 hours/week, but I'm really a musician." You might as well say, "I'm not a musician, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night!"

There are fake books and real books. There are fake musicians and real musicians. The terms "full-time musician," "professional musician," or "working musician" are certainly used carelessly and liberally. I dare say 10% of all musicians in Charlotte are full-time, working musicians. Who's responsible? I lean toward those who book or encourage and even reward these aforementioned characters. Demand is low for trailblazers.

There is a flip side. What is the answer to 99 out of 100 questions? Money. Ten years ago I could earn 1K/performance for my band at a particular local venue. Today, you're looking at averaging $300/night at the same place. Why? 9-11 (self-explanatory), to a degree, and area venues are booking horrible bands willing to play for scraps or nothing over good bands charging what they are worth. Decent, working artists are forced to play for less and more often or seek second careers.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are incredible local musicians, mostly jazz cats, rotting their careers away because they won't take risks or step foot on any stage for less than $200. These artists are denying themselves and others in the community an awesome responsibility to raise the bar and make a difference by participating in something more than the same jazz standards week in and week out.

There was a time when PA stood for "Professional Audio." "Do it yourself" is the theme, today. When I started out many moons ago we had a sound man, a lighting man, a merchandiser, a manager, a booking agent, recording engineer, etc. We prepared for a show. We prepared for a campaign. We dressed up! "Do it yourself." I wish I had a dime for every geek with a computer and recording software who has dropped me an email in an effort to convince me he can engineer a "studio quality" album. "Do it yourself." Notice 9 out of 10 Charlotte bands use the same font and typesetting? "Do it yourself." I could be here all day. Believe it or not, there is little place around here anymore for this sort of professionalism because venues don't want to deal with the hassle of early setups, equipment, merchandise, flyers, lights, sound checks, etc. You're forced to minimalize in order to compete for a venue's favor.

I make no apologies. I set high, professional standards for myself, my students and those I choose to work and surround myself with; often to the point of insane resentment. Music and theatre are crafts I've nurtured since the age of nine. I'm 35. My skills pay the bills and feed my family. I have little patience for those who take the talents God has blessed them with lightly and make it difficult for someone like me to develop a career. Dustin Hoffman once said, "How dare you tell me that take was good enough."

I seriously doubt anything I've discussed here surprises anyone familiar with the industry. An old, retired Motown cat once advised me from his boat in Florida not to pursue a career in music. He exclaimed, "It's a difficult life!" It is. The arts are often the most disappointing and most rewarding jobs on Earth.

I'd like to leave you below with Nelly Furtado's last work of art. Number one, I might add. Sigh. God bless.

Promiscuous Girl by Nelly Furtado featuring Timbaland
Am I throwin you off
Nope
Didn’t think so

How you doin’ young lady
That feelin’ that you givin’ really drives me crazy
You don’t have 'ta play about the joke
I was at a loss of words first time that we spoke

Lookin' for a girl that’ll treat you right
You lookin’ for her in the day time with the light
You might be the type if I play my cards right
I'll find out by the end of the night

You expect me to let you just let you hit it
But will you still respect me if you get it

All I can do is try
Gimme one chance
What’s the problem
I don’t see no ring on your hand

I be the first to admit it
I’m curious about you
You seem so innocent

You wanna get in my world
Get lost in it
Boy I’m tired of running
Let's walk for a minute

Promiscuous girl
Wherever you are
I’m all alone
And it's you that I want

Promiscuous boy
You already know
That I’m all yours
What you waiting for

Promiscuous girl
You're teasing me
You know what I want
And I got what you need

Promiscuous boy
Let's get to the point
Cause we're on a roll
Are you ready

Roses are red
Some diamonds are blue
Chivalry is dead
But you're still kinda cute

Hey
I can't keep my mind off you
Where you at
Do you mind if I come through

I’m out of this world
Come with me to my planet
Get you on my level
Do you think that you can handle it

They call me Thomas
last name Crown
Recognize game
I'm a lay mine's down

I'm a big girl
I can handle myself
But if I get lonely I’ma need your help
Pay attention to me
I don't talk for my health

I want you on my team
So does everybody else

Baby we can keep it on the low
Let your guard down
Ain’t nobody gotta know
If you with it girl I know a place we can go

What kind of girl do you take me for

Don't be mad
Don't get mean
Don't get mad
Don't be mean

Hey
Don't be mad
Don't get mean
Don't get mad
Don't be mean

Wait
I don't mean no harm
I can see you with my t-shirt on

I can see you with nothing on
Feeling on me before you bring that on

Bring that on
You know what I mean

Girl
I’m a freak you shouldn't say those things

I’m only trying to get inside your brain
To see if you can work me the way you say

It's okay
It's alright
I got something that you gon' like

Hey
Is that the truth or are you talking trash
Is your game M.V.P. like Steve Nash

Promiscuous Girl
Wherever you are
I’m all alone
And its you that I want

Promiscuous Boy
I'm calling your name
But you're driving me crazy
The way you're making me wait

Promiscuous Girl
You're teasing me
You know what I want
And I got what you need

Promiscuous Boy
We're one in the same
So we don't gotta play games no more

I'm only 5.00313111545988 years-old in dog years!

2009-03-30T13:33:00.000-07:00

Much thanks and love to those who took the time to wish me a happy birthday and remind me that I'm one step closer to death.

Our good friends Rob and Jeanne spent some quality time with us at the house on Saturday. Rob surprised me with the pictured cookie cake. It really surprised me when he picked up the icing and personally wrote "Happy birthday to you, Jeff" in spanish. I've never felt more ethnic.

We celebrated Jersey-style in the foothills with family on Sunday with a polish schmorgesborg. Carol Anne and the boys continued to spoil me on Monday with all my fav's. Jeanne returned again on Tuesday with more ethnicity in the form of a birthday card and gift certificate.

At a time when we feel forsaken by many friends and colleagues, you all made a big, bright birthday difference. Thank you. Best wishes and blessings to all.

Weapons of Mass Destruction

2009-03-25T10:10:00.000-07:00

You're either incredibly uninformed or a disseminator of misinformation. The President makes a misinformed decision to liberate Iraq in light of Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction program. No weapons of mass destruction are found. Is the President to blame or are those he trusted were providing him with accurate information and expert testimony?

If it's a question of responsibility, the buck stops with the President. He assumes ultimate responsibility. He's the President. That's the way it is. This doesn't excuse the disseminators of the misinformation. If it's a question of guilt or blame, you have to consider that the President placed his trust in the hands of the folks providing him with the misinformation. He had no reason to believe otherwise. He made as informed a decision he thought he could make.

There's a huge difference between being "uninformed" and "misinformed." If we're uninformed, there's no escaping guilt or blame. It's our responsibility to make informed decisions when we make important decisions. There's nothing worse than making a misinformed decision, especially when it involves friends or family, because we make choices and take risks behind that faith and trust. It hurts everyone involved in ways few take the time or even want to understand.

We've all gotten screwed at some point. We all make mistakes. I'm no car expert. There is an incredible amount of trust I have to place in a mechanic who tells me something's wrong with my car and it needs to be repaired. If the mechanic does a terrible job or screws me, am I to blame? Am I the bad guy? I trusted the mechanic. No matter what, I'm ultimately responsible for making the informed decision to leave my car in this mechanic's hands. Assuming all of the responsibility in the world doesn't excuse the mechanic or make my car situation any better. I can forgive the mechanic all day long, but I can't recommend him and I certainly won't be taking my car back to him unless he's willing to give me my money back and make all necessary repairs. In the end, it's reasonable to assume I won't be allowing this mechanic to service my vehicle in the future following these circumstances.

After all is said and done, you're still faced with that nasty "guilt by association" clause. If this mechanic works in association with a dealership down the road, are you going to feel comfortable buying a new or used car from that dealership? After all you've been through with this mechanic, would that be making a responsible, informed decision? This isn't a question of one bad apple spoiling the whole barrel. That would mean never trusting another mechanic as long as you live. That's certainly a treatable symptom.

It is said we are defined by the company we keep and the reason we keep it. Patience is a weapon of mass destruction that forces deception to reveal itself.

Original Music, Original Theatre

2009-01-21T09:56:00.000-08:00

Original Music, Original Theatre
Jeff Hartman meets Molly Bass

HICKORY - The email said, "This is all new stuff, so you would be able to add and help with the music process ... you can create the combo and make the music your own, in your style!" For an original music advocate and musical director, this was like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit!

Hickory's own Jeff Hartman has been touring and promoting original music professionally for 15 years. Teaming up the award-winning music director with award-winning artistic director Pam Livingstone and award-winning playwright Molly Bass at Hickory Community Theatre for an original musical made perfect sense.

"All music and theatre is original at some point. Putting a local, personal stamp on it is what turns me on."

Hartman is also an accomplished actor having most recently portrayed director Roger DeBris in HCT's production of "The Producers."

"I struggled many years choosing which road to make a heavier commitment to. What persuaded me to take a serious music plunge was the difference between being myself and pretending to be somebody else. As an actor, you're provided the lines and given the direction. There are personal, truthful elements you have to bring to each character, but it still isn't something you can absolutely call your own. Henceforth, when the time came to balance others' material with my own, I came back to the same notion of being myself vs. pretending to be somebody else. Therein lies the ultimate resource for developing your own music and style. An original musical like Molly's allows someone like me to work the best of both worlds.

"Some artists are a prime example of what not to do. Molly Bass a prime example of what to do. What's missing from most artists these days is themselves. There are no risks. It's recycled. In my experience, what pitfalls artists often go through has nothing to do with anything! It all boils down to involving yourself in a project or a situation that you honestly believe in; that's going to involve investing a serious amount of time and taking an ample amount of risks. One of the keys to my success has been keeping things simple, willingness to travel, consistency, setting short and long-term goals and taking risks along the way. It's huge to be able to say that there's a time and place for a project like this to manifest in Hickory.

"Collaborating with Pam and Molly is a pleasure. We've been tweaking, rewriting and rearranging almost everyday since auditions. Those familiar with Molly's comedies should know she's a good songwriter! What's important to note is that the actors have had a hand in influencing and inspiring those changes. That's priceless. We've been blessed with an amazing cast including Tim Bolick in the lead role of Steve."

"Christmas Eve with Steve" is a new, original musical comedy written for the entire family by Molly Bass. Steve is disenchanted with Christmas, but discovers its true meaning on one magical, crazy night when the coach drags him out of the video store and back to church for a special, and especially hysterical, Christmas Eve service. Santa Claus meets the Tooth Fairy!

Jeff Hartman is an ASU alumnus. Jeff has worked professionally as a musician for over a decade across the country, having appeared in recent years with Steely Dan and Michael McDonald at Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre. Hartman most recently headlined the singer/songwriter stage at Hickory's Oktoberfest and appeared at McGlohan Theatre at Spirit Square in Charlotte for the Metrolina Theatre Awards. He earned Best Actor in competition at the 2006 North Carolina Theatre Conference for his stage work in "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change." He is finishing his fourth studio album and settling down, if that's possible, as music director and instructor for Clater-Kaye Theatreworks in Mountain View. His latest album is available on iTunes and Amazon.com. jshartman.com

Christmas Eve with Steve
An Original Musical Performed on the Mainstage
Hickory Community Theatre
30 Third St. NW
Hickory, NC 28601
828-327-3855
hct.org

Performances:
8:00 pm Fridays & Saturdays, November 28, 29, December 5, 6, 12 & 13
7:30 pm Thursdays, December 4 & 11
2:30 pm Sundays, December 7 & 14

You can order tickets online and choose your own seats by visiting hct.org. Special promotions and group rates are available!

God bless you and thank you for supporting performing arts.

Connect with Jeff Hartman Online at:
jshartman.com

--
Jeff Hartman
jshartman.com

The Code of the Road

2008-10-11T09:00:00.000-07:00

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." — Hunter S. Thompson

"There's people in my life who I disagree with. There are other people in my life who bug me. There are people in life who I think are karma compromisers. If you hang out with them, you literally put yourself in harm's way, as far as karma, because they are that bad a person." — Dennis Miller

I've toured for many years with many musicians. For those of you who don't know, "The Code of the Road" or "COTR" is a lot like "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." You don't talk about it. So... let's talk about it. I'm naive and I wish someone prepared me spiritually and psychologically for the relationships and the positions "the business of music" faces you with.

My first, and too many COTR memories concerned infidelity and attempted infidelity. You're subsequently thrust into situations where you often have to look the collateral damage in the eye. Drugs and/or alcohol weren't as much of an issue early on, although we had a few roadies who insisted on running up outrageous bar tabs on a regular basis that we all were ultimately responsible for at the end of the night. Too common.

Some years later I was forced to fire a series of musicians for insisting on traveling and surrounding our performances with heavy marijuana use. Call me crazy or conservative or whatever you want to, but anyone who says pot isn't addictive or damaging to themselves, their reputation or the relationships in their lives, is full of it. I'm not here to debate legalization or the science behind Mary Jane. In my experience, users absolutely fit all of the stereotypes — neurotic, bipolar, underachieving. They could not go one day or get through one performance without burning one. I've heard all of the excuses. I've seen it destroy marriages and careers. I've seen it circumstantially alienate those with children. I've seen it cripple motivation. It's all some look forward to. They revolve their lives around it. Come on, let's face it. It's juvenile. Grow up! My reputation was collaterally bent on more than one occasion. I turned every cheek I had and always approached the issue with love and a great deal of care. I had to borrow cheeks to turn! These cats cost me gigs and opportunities they will never know about. Damage control was ongoing. I have a family to feed and a job to do and I was considered "the bad guy" for pushing the issue on a regular basis. My family and my reputation, which helped feed my family, was worth pushing the issue. I have to consider the "what if's?" "What if we get pulled over?" "What if I'm held responsible for your problem?" Cocaine popped up further down the road when certain fans or "regulars" entered the picture. Ironically, it didn't become an issue for any of my bands but rather played an indirect part in many circumstances surrounding my band. That's a blog for another day. Let's just say "Just Say No" is the way to go! The after-school specials are right.

Alcohol played its part. I've done my fair share of binge drinking. Mostly celebratory circumstances ala New Year's Eve, but I can think of a few particular instances when I seriously drank myself senseless during performances including the unexpected death of my producer/engineer and good friend David Black, my Great Grandmother's passing and the stress recording and touring put on my marriage in general. They were especially dark, difficult times in my life and I let it get the best of me. I didn't have the personal or professional support system I do now. I was fortunate enough to escape any sort of addiction considering alcoholism runs in my family.

Recovery was an issue. Hypocrisy and insincerity surrounded some band members, trading one addiction for another. There is a hunger to control there that fuels a desire to manipulate and it drives a fear of accountability that governs their choices. I believe it's treated irresponsibly in an absence of God. I'll leave it there.

Infidelity and promiscuity did the most damage. Cats knocking up groupies, later playing no part in their lives. Husbands and boyfriends cheating on wives and girlfriends. Band members betraying other band members... and on video! That one still gets me. Naivety meets snake in the grass. Casual sex. Group sex. Abortion. I'm married with children and stuck in the middle of all of this with my name on the marquee. What struck me most was their thirst for Springer drama. One cat touted the idea of "exploring scoring" with another cat's wife. That's only the tip of the surreptitious iceberg, folks.

Confidence in one another effected extended relationships with significant others. The Code of the Road at its best. We confide in one another about one another. Then we confide in one another about one another's significant others. It backfires. The result, to say the least, is partisanship. Some call it the "Yoko Effect." There were many Yoko's, but only one takes the cake in my experience.

Loyalty and trust, or lack thereof, can be huge. It's true what they say about doing business with friends and family... "Don't." I might add a few musicians to that list. No matter the band and the bond, put every move you make in writing. I'm living proof that verbal agreements don't pay for the risks you take. Some of these cats coin themselves as "risk-takers." The only risks they took were my family's. We're still paying for their risks — our risks.

When asked, "Do you have any advice regarding the music business?" an old, wise, retired Motown songwriter in Clearwater answered, "Yeah, stay out of it." Writing, producing and performing is one thing. It's the toxic relationships with the clowns you encounter that only good, spiritual strength and professional training can prepare you for. Can all of this be avoided? Mostly. Be steadfast in who you choose to journey with. Hold them accountable. Always treat it all with love. Make sure there's some moral fiber behind the guitar licks. Sign fair contracts, keep your standards high and your expectations low.

There's a ton more I could say, folks, but I can't and won't. In the immortal words of R.E.M., "Oh no, I've said too much... I haven't said enough." There's little to no standard of legislating and disclosing what folks should know before working with some of these cats without alienating yourself. Frustration aside, we must maintain a coinciding faith that God can and perhaps already has worked miracles in the lives of all these folks.

"There are more bad musicians than there is bad music." — Isaac Stern

George W. Bush

2008-07-14T19:36:00.000-07:00

I normally don't post political blogs. There's enough zealots out there subscribing to smear merchants such as MoveOn.org and HotAir.com spewing hatred and vitriol because "mommy didn't breast feed them long enough."

I learned a long time ago not to discuss religion or politics with certain folk. As a Christian, I am sickened by the hate and lack of respect for George W. Bush, especially by those who don't hold a candle to the man on a personal and/or professional level.

Bush is the son of a political man. Extremely difficult. Despite politics, he has maintained an incredible relationship with his mother and father. Extremely difficult. More than I can say for most of my far-left friends (and family).

George W. Bush graduated from Yale in 1968. I graduated from Appalachian State. Hmm. He earned his undergraduate degree from Yale and an MBA from Harvard in 1975. Extremely difficult. More than I can say for most folks!

Bush served as a pilot in the Texas National Guard. More than I can say for most folks I know. I served cookie-dough shivers at TCBY. Hmm. He attended Harvard Business School and then worked in the oil and gas industries until 1986 when he got involved in his father's successful 1988 presidential campaign. I play music. Hmm. He returned to Texas and was elected governor there in 1994 and again in 1998. Incredible. More than I can say for most folks.

Here is a man who rose above addiction; 20 years sober. Extremely difficult. Much more than I can say for most of my friends (and family) who can't go more than a day without burning one down.

Bush has been happily married to his wife, Laura, for 30 years. Extremely difficult. More than I can say for a lot of my friends (and family). Mr. and Mrs. Bush raised twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara. Extremely difficult (trust me). Both graduated from their respective colleges in 2004. Jenna, of course, recently married a former Commerce Department staff member who's in his final year of the MBA program at Virginia's Darden School. Not bad. I married a Burke County girl (but I love her anyway!).

George W. Bush won the Republican nomination for president in August of 2000 and became president of the United States in January of 2001. I was president of my high school drama club. Hmm. Bush was re-elected in 2004. Despite popular belief, Bush is the fourth man (not the first) to win the presidency via electoral college while losing the popular vote.

Bush has faced the worst terror attack in U.S. History (9/11), the worst infrastructure disaster in U.S. history (Miinesota), the worst natural disasters in U.S. history (New Orleans, California fires, Mississippi River floods, the 2004 series of Florida hurricanes, Southeast drought), the worst gas hikes in U.S. history, the most complicated network of terror in world history, the most bias, agenda-driven media in world history and the list goes on. How he maintained a healthy economy, a low employment rate and a sense of humor is beyond me. I couldn't handle Seinfeld going off the air!

Believe it or not, I'm not a Bush or a McCain supporter. I always play devil's advocate (better than Keanu Reeves, I hope). McCain's the least conservative Republican I've ever seen secure the Republican nomination! I'm surprised both parties don't embrace him more. I have to give folks like McCain and Bush credit for one thing and one thing only. Right or wrong, they stand for something in a profession where folks stand for what lobbyists want them to stand for. At the moment, my vote is leaning towards Obama, but I must admit, I'm less clear about what he stands for or what qualifies him to lead this country and face the aforementioned challenges Bush has been forced to face. The challenge is weeding through the "my dad didn't play catch with me" opinions and getting to the heart of what matters.

In short, Bush is a son, a father, a brother and most importantly, a human being who deserves our respect whether he can complete a lucid sentence or not.

Composition: A conversation with family, friends and fans about More (The Black Album)

2005-09-05T07:21:00.000-07:00

I think it's easier to write when you're younger because you have a certain arrogance, a certain confidence. You don't question your beliefs when you're young. You look at things in terms of black and white and as I get older, shades of grey tend to creep in. "Maybe I'm not 100% right." "Maybe the other guy's got a point of view." You tend to become a little more rabbinical. The more I find out the less that I know.

"It's amazing how in three minutes he can say what I've been thinking for months and say it exactly how I wanted to say it."

I start with the writing and I'm alone when I'm doing that. It all has to be done alone. When I'm finished with something, then I sit there and I think, "Are they gonna laugh at me?" You know, "Is it any good?" I write the music first. Then I look at it and think about what it is I want to express through this piece of music.

"When you first hear somebody, you're impressed by either vocals or the piano playing, but the songs that came out of him were tough. They had integrity, musicality and that's the kind of thing you rarely find in a combination."

I write the music first and there's some kind of emotion coming with the music. Then I look at this piece of music and I say, "What is this?" "What is it saying?" "What do I feel when I hear this piece of music?" "What does it make me want to express?"

"He's really a brilliant songwriter and he's influenced by so many areas. This is a guy that when you hear his music you can hear The Doors, Simon and Garfunkel, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin. He's like a sponge. He absorbs everything."

If I like it at the end then I think I've overcome what the biggest challenge is. That's the thing that I'm always afraid of when I'm beginning a project. "What if I'm coming up with stuff that I hate?"

Some people write every day. I got stuck once and I couldn't write. Like, I didn't feel like a writer anymore. You feel terrible. It's like a ball player in a slump. You can't hit no matter what you do. You can't call on your old skills. It's just not working. You can't put it all together. So I have to delude myself into feeling like a writer, into writing.

"He's also had an interactive thing between the band and himself. And, you know, the band is brutal. They didn't care who he was or what was on his résumé. It either worked or it didn't. If you'll notice on an album it says 'Words and Music by Jeff Hartman,' 'Produced by whoever,' and it never says 'Songs Arranged by' because everyone has their input. He usually writes, has an idea, runs it by the band, and if it flies with the band, he'll continue to write it and complete the song."

I find that on the road you're living a very unreal type of existence. There's nothing really to write about. There's no source for material. So it takes me a while to start the writing process, just to feel like a human being again.

"He had a very difficult time getting anything to come out because he had lost so much faith in everything that he believed in. He became responsive with his writing."

I think my writing about how I was feeling when those things were at crisis point, I helped myself deal with it. Sort of cathartic. Writing should be therapeutic because it's such hell on the one hand, there should be an upside to it aside from record sales and having it done. You should grow from it, learn from it and benefit from it emotionally.

I suppose one of the ideas behind this project was sort of anarchy. Let's see what happens. We started out, I wanted to create this jam band and sometimes it's not commercially acceptable. So I spoke with different people about production and I had, had a meeting with David Black.

"What he was trying to achieve, which was this, to get this homey quality and get away from Charlotte and the music business."

I recorded 11 things and listened to it back in my house. It was a great thing what we did out there. The equipment was great. It was sounding really good. I just think the band gave up at a certain time. I personally believe I could have produced another album with this unit.

"Part of what he has and still continuously has is tremendous vision but not always focused about where or what he can be."

I'm thinking like a writer and the mentality of that is "Well, that's close enough." "That's good enough." "That's pretty close to what I had in mind." "Yeah, that's fine." "Let's not overdo this." But as I got further along I realized, I said, "Is this recording doing the material justice as more than just a home demo? This is gonna be a record that people are gonna listen to."

So, my drummer tells me our engineer committed suicide. When he said it, it was like the car hit the wall and I flew through the windshield. I couldn't believe it. I had a knot in my stomach because after two albums and a year of being in the studio with the guy, I just freaked out. Enter Chris Garges.

"What I think he needed, was to be uncomfortable. Was to be taken out of everything that was comfortable for him. Was to be taken out of anything that was complacent, anything that was familiar and put in a situation where he had to react to new and different stimuli."

The thing that really got me to the point where "It's my decision," is that it says "Scott Jeffrey's Band" on the cover. I have to make the choices.

"A guy like Jeff is a great piano player. He's a great singer. He's a great songwriter. That's three jobs. He also manages himself. That's four jobs. Now how many of these jobs are you going to do well? Just being a great piano player is a phenomenal thing, a phenomenal skill to have. Now here's a guy that's trying to do maybe six or seven or eight of these things at the same time and something's going to suffer when that happens. Some element is gonna suffer."

"He writes from a certain perspective. He's a keyboard player and his songs reflect how he plays the piano. I think his compositionist style is a keyboardist's style. I think Jeff has brought a whole different rub to this, applying more guitar and a groove to the rhythm section. Jeff has his style. This album is about putting him in a slightly different context."

I wanted to bring the element of my music that we have not heard before. The funk element. I want it to sound like a small group really rockin'. I want it to have a raw, a little bit unfinished quality to it.

"Jeff's a really interesting rhythm guitar player. There's a school of guitar playing that he does which is not really heard from anymore. It's this very simple glue technique of guitar playing. John Lennon used to do it. Very unglamorous guitar playing, but it holds the whole thing together."

I wanted to find how far we can sit in a pocket, which is not something anyone else was concentrating on, but I'm glad I did because it brought out a lot of rhythmic aspects to the material, consistent rhythmic aspects that I hadn't been focusing on. The pocket's everything.

There's two ways to approach creating music. One is completely as a recording entity. The other one is totally as a musical entity. If you can play it like a classical piece, that tends to be my better material.

Popular music can be very confusing. There's an orthodox in Rock and Roll which does not allow you to really grow that much. "Well, you can't be too jazzy." "You can't have too many classical elements." "You can't be too good a musician." "You can't be too sophisticated." "You can't sing too well." "You can't do this." "You can't do that." Bologna. Who says I can't?

Criticism is one of those things you have to live with. It doesn't effect the way I write. I don't write for critics.

I've always had these great ambitions to write a concept album. This is my idea. Once I start writing, it takes on a life of its own which I have almost nothing to do with as far as directing which direction its going to go. I become a prisoner of the writing. By the time I'm in the middle of the record I realize, "Oh. It's going to be this."

"I think he was very concerned that people would walk on egg shells around him or tell him what they thought he may wanna hear as opposed to the truth about what they really think about his music and the direction and how I could help."

"He's always singing the song, so he knows if it's going to be right or not. He knows if he has that emotional connection with it because he's singing it. That means he's inside the song. Every take that we do."

I don't understand not progressing. We're not gonna try to be kids. I'm not gonna try to please everybody. There's no point in that. I have to be honest. I have to tell things from my perspective, from what I've learned. I've had a lot of experience. I'm not a little boy and I'm not going to try to capture what a 17-year-old kid would feel or think. I think that to remain a teenager all your life is a big mistake. Why not utilize all the aspects of what living is in your work?

I think that being a husband has made it very difficult to write. But being a father can only add dimension and depth to anything I write about. There's problems that come along in every stage of life and there's challenges and there's complications that happen with every phase of life and to not draw on that, to not express some of that emotionally in music is doing a disservice to what music is capable of doing.

I gotta make sure that whatever I put in that's accompaniment, it's not too busy, it doesn't run up through the range that I'm singing in and mess up the vocal because the job basically is to accompany the vocalist and to another extent the acoustic or piano.

"He's using his natural musicality, his talent as to what note should come next, what the chord progression should be so that it can be satisfying when he wants it to be. In other words, when it ends up in a place of tension and release or whether he wants to hang you up for a while, he knows how to make the music do that for a while. So, in other words, he knows how to say what he wants to say in music so that he achieves a certain effect."

"He comforted myself. He found comfort in his beautiful children and realized this is what matters. The other stuff, that's business stuff. That'll be gone in a few years. This is what counts."

"He really does dream music. He can allow himself to dream again. In dreaming he can allow himself to trust people again."

On this particular album, I didn't go too far outside of my own experiences. The album unfolded as the material was written. Each song kicked off another song so there was a scenario. There's a beginning, and middle and an end that was pretty much based on my own life and my own conclusions, my own trauma.

I wasn't uncomfortable saying "I" because I thought I had something pretty interesting to say.

More (The Black Album)

David Black

2005-04-25T22:11:00.000-07:00

This week has been difficult as I'm deeply saddened by the unexpected loss of my friend and engineer, David Black of Old House Studio in Gastonia, NC. It's not easy to find someone you can identify with in this profession. David was certainly one of those individuals who shared an interest in regenerating a demand for well-written, well-played and well-sounding, original music. He was a meticulous engineer. He believed in doing things right the first time. He encouraged me to be the best I could be and do the best I could do. He's certainly been a catalyst in my career. He had a flare for the vintage and a knack for the latest. He blessed me with a rare opportunity to create two albums under extremely flexible and creative circumstances. His talent as a musician, an engineer, a producer and as a friend was beloved and will soarly be missed.

David and I spent a lot of time together over the past seven months. Long sessions would often yield late-night talks about music, life, family and friends. I can tell you he believed in me and what I'm doing and I'll never take that lightly. I'd like to leave you with something David wrote me last year.

"Hello, Jeff. I, believe it or not, keep up with you guys via mostly your newsletter and word on the street. I really like the two things you wrote in this issue. First, about your '03 year in perspective. You have performed feats of amazement. The very fact you grew up and out when the rest of the music world basically sucked down and in (I know, I never said I was a lyricist) is an achievement in itself.

I get to work with different groups and individuals pretty much on a daily basis, but you displayed talents and skills here that I rarely get to see. I know that surely sometimes you ask yourself, 'Damn, why am I doing this,' especially when things get crazy with your bandmates or bookings get screwed up. But that comes with the territory. Just keep up the good work. I believe in you and really think you have more good things coming. Most of my career has been involved with different aspects of 'making it,' getting close, but not quite there. So, for those of us who haven't 'made it,' (yet!), we pass the torch on to someone who I believe will.

The second part reminds me of what the music used to be like back in the '60's and '70's. There was this kind of sprit in the air that said 'new things, thoughts and ideas' and 'new feelings.' It was like, everywhere. There was this excitement of discovery as well as people sharing all of this. We used to get a new album, which we usually had to wait for and it seemed like forever, but we would get together at someone's house, usually whoever had the newest needle on their turntable and a great sounding system, and listen. Over and over and we would talk about all the parts and what the songs meant. It was such a wonderful time. I just hope that through my work, someone else can experience that the way I did.

BTW, Merry Christmas and I hope you and yours have a healthy, prosperous New Year!"

David Black
Owner/Engineer/Producer
Old House Recording Studio - Gastonia, NC
704-867-9166
oldhousestudio.com

Happy New Year!

2000-12-30T21:06:00.000-08:00

For those of you new to our mailing list, welcome! Well, it was and continues to be a busy weekend. Special thanks to Hal Row and the folks of First Talk on 1290 WHKY Talk Radio for having us Friday morning. For those of you who woke up early enough to tune in, you got to hear raw, sleepy versions of "Laura" and "Grey" and got to know a little bit about ourselves and what we're about. Hal took the opportunity to poke fun of Kevin, our bassist, who was missing in action, saying, "You've always got to have like the Keith Richards-kind of character."

Wonderful turnout at Drips Coffee House later that night. They actually ran out of places for people to sit! Extra, extra special thanks for the very generous tips and purchasers of our first single, "Laura." For the record, Drips was the smallest stage we've ever performed as members of any band! Despite some technical difficulties and two of us fighting the flu, we pulled it off with flying colors.

Many of you noticed Darrin, our drummer and flu victim, was missing in action on vocals. We had to cut all of his songs, harmony and try some new things. My flu symptoms caught up with me at the end of the third set and I almost couldn't finish. It made for an interesting evening. We're all taking a week off to get healthy!

We'll be returning to Drips on Thursday March 22 at 8 pm. We can't express enough our appreciation for the incredible support from family, friends and fans. You all know who you are. It's tear-jerking. There's a couple articles about sjB in the Hickory Weekend Extra and The Focus. I think you have until next Thursday to pick up a copy. That's all for now. Please forward to friends, family and/or enemies. Thank you, Carol Anne, Jeff, Darrin, Kevin

Charles E. Jeffers

2000-09-28T10:13:00.000-07:00

Monday evening I performed only my second staged reading, this one of the Pulitzer prize-winning "Harvey" with Hickory Community Theatre. For those of you unfamiliar with the show, it's a delightful comedy, world re-knowned by Jimmy Stewart's performance as Elwood P. Dowd. I won't go in to any detail about the play, but ultimately the show reminds you of a kindness inherent in us all that we often shadow with self-indulgence and societal and cultural have-to-dos. It boils down to the golden rule, the human spirit and the goodnaturedness we should all be about. I was personally reminded of a particular man's benevolence after the performance.

Prior to the show I rode up on a curb on my way to the theater. I didn't give it a second thought. Sure enough, after the reading, I noticed I had a flat tire. To top things off, it began to rain and the parking lot was far from well lit. I thought everyone else had gone. As I was greasing up and getting wet in my khakis (trying to harness what little tire-changing skills I possess), a car pulled around, rescuing my eyes with its headlights. Out stepped Charles Jeffers.

It was late. I knew Jeff had his wife with him. I encouraged him to leave but he insisted they stay and give me a hand. For the next 15 minutes, while Suzy so patiently waited in the car, Jeff stood with me in the rain doing what he could to keep me company and help change my tire. He talked about the time he flattened a tire in Europe and I talked about my honeymoon. It dawned on me during our conversation that this was the second time in my life Jeff's lent a helping hand.

In June or July of '99, my wife and I were in mid-move. Our roommate was not packed and had been staying somewhere unknown to us and we had to be out of our apartment that day. Our roommate had been doing a play under Jeff's direction at the time so we thought he might have an idea where we could reach her. He didn't, but not only did he stay with me on the phone for 45 minutes, studying phone book-maps of the area in an attempt to track her down off some ideas I had, Jeff offered to shelter her stuff in his home! I hardly knew the man, he hardly knew me yet he was willing to go to such an extreme for me and my wife. Did I mention he had a hand in allowing my wife and I to wed on stage in his theater? Unbelievable.

We don't know one another very well. I worked under his direction once in Larry Shue's "The Foreigner" and briefly helped stage manage "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." Jeff is someone I respect and I hope to leave half the legacy he continues to leave behind as an artist and good sumeritan. If you haven't met Jeff, but you do, allow him to give you one of his cards. If you should want to call him - call him at this number. Don't call him at that one. That's the old one.

Thanks, Jeff.

Re:

Dear Jeff! You made me cry...with joy. What a lovely tribute to a lovely man...and you're not too bad yourself! You have some awesome talents, among which is goodness and friendship. Love, Suzie

--

Jeffrey: When you can, pass the favor on. It will come back to you. A blissful blanket. Thank you. Our love. Jeff

In the Year 2000 | Pop's Birthday

2000-07-01T12:53:00.000-07:00

The letter Patrick refers to in the video...

July 1, 2000

Dear Patrick,

You were the Clash to my Titan, the G to my Joe and the Duke to my Hazzard. You were more than my cousin. You were my best friend and the closest thing I had to a brother (before I had a brother). You were kind enough to let me pick on you and beat you up every now and then. Now that you're bigger than me, I hope you don't remember those times the way I do. As a matter of fact, forget I mentioned it.

We've seen every horror film, together. You witnessed my first kiss. You tried to drown me, once, but it's all good. We'd camp in the backyard. We never made it through the night and ended up on the couch, but what's the difference. We helped each other decide which flying car we wanted when we were old enough to drive. We bathed with one another. Well, you get the point.

I could go on and on about the things me and you shared and experienced for the first time, growing up. I'm sorry to say we couldn't experience more together as we got older. But I'd love it if you would stand by me as one of my groomsmen in my wedding on September 9.

Love,

Jeffrey

Father's Day

2000-06-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

Originally Written and Posted for jshartman.com on June 14, 2000

"'Father,' to God himself we cannot give a holier name." - William Wordsworth

It’s impossible for me to fully express how important my father is to me. I’m afraid I’ve never communicated well enough the love and respect I have for him. I’ve been searching for the best way to share my thoughts and feelings with him while looking for the right opportunity to ask him if he would be the best man at my wedding.

I can’t begin to imagine what life was like for him growing up. He's an inspiration to anyone who’s survived or is in a similar situation. He didn’t give up. He didn’t allow himself to become his father. He set an example for his brothers and proved to them he could turn out to be a better man than he was. He made the most out of the cards he was dealt and has provided more than enough for his family. I’ve never known him to buckle under pressure or come unprepared for anything. If I had a fraction of the courage and confidence he's had in himself I’d probably be on Broadway by now! I still don’t know exactly what I want to be when I grow up. I thought I had it figured out a long time ago. The most successful man I know lived under the same roof with me for 22 years. If I turn out to be half the man and father he is, I will have achieved success.

I would rather call a song a story. For several years I’ve been working on a story my father inspired me to write. It's his story. It explores the emotions of a boy buried in a man who was forced to take charge of his family as a result of his father’s alcoholism and the physical and emotional abuse that coincides. What follows is an explosion of the sorts of feelings the subject might deny himself the right to feel over a course of many years in an effort to provide strength and stability for his family. The story is called "Better Man." In my eyes my father's the best man. I hope he’ll accept this as a special Father’s Day gift and an invitation to best man my wedding.

The story was originally written on and meant for the guitar but it’s developed into a piano piece with a Broadway musical flavor. I don’t like recording because it’s like picking out a suit you’re going to wear for the rest of your life! I'm a performer. There's a number of instruments missing in action. "Better Man" was written for percussion, bass, guitars and strings.

It took several years to write. I was very patient and let the story grow at its own pace. It will continue to evolve with my skills as a storyteller and musician. Like a mentor of mine says, all of my songs are children. Some grow up to be doctors and lawyers. Others grow up to be bums! In the end I think "Better Man" could grow up to be the star of a successful musical. Thank you all for letting me share and trust this with you.

Better Man
Words and Music by Jeff Hartman

Can you hear my mother cry while my three wary brothers ask for reasons why
their father’s come home late again?
Out is where you never should have been
There’s only so much one can take
You broke our hearts
Now you’re a choice I have to make
You’ve let the bridge burn slow
Take your matches
Go
No more
No more

Spend the pain on silver spoons
Pass the time with candled cake and cheap balloons
I know you know I don’t know how far I can make a smile go
There’s only so much one can give
Police the death beneath my appetite to live
Empty bottles
Broken vows
Damning God what he allows
What for?
What for?

I am the man of the house
Un-recognizable boy
Damned if I’m man if I’m mouse
If I’m anything less than you want me to be when you want me to
I can run but I can’t hide
It’s impossible now

I’ve got nothing to lose but the life that I choose to live without you
Making haste of the waste of time proving to you that I’m not you
And I’m not you
Rising above compromising my love
You will never get the best of me
Forgetting you
Slowly forgiving you
Setting me free

Better Man from Northern Accent 6:13 | Bass: Steve Clamp | Bass, Guitar: Tony Eltora | Guitar, Keys, Vocals: Jeff Hartman | Drums, Percussion: Phill Kirby

Amen

2000-05-28T10:14:00.000-07:00

I am reminded of the beauty and magic of good community theater in the wake of The Green Room's final performance of Godspell. It is my pleasure to testify to the wonderful emotions that surfaced in me as a result of John Coffey and Ron Chisholm's fruitful interpretation of Stephen Schwartz's masterpiece.

Every once in a while you glue a cast together with an adhesive that is too often hard to reproduce and exceeds your expectations. There was that eminent bond between the players that would envy the most professional actor or actress. Kudos to the cast and crew for communicating every sense of the music and lyric with an energy I am proud to say is still nested inside of me even a day later.

I can not express enough how sorry I am for not auditioning for Godspell. The opportunity to work with John Coffey is one I took for granted. He has been the heart and soul of musical theater in the area for 20 years. He is an inspiration to me and an icon to most. An era of unifour theater is quickly coming to an end with John's return to The Big Apple and Charles Jeffers' retirement from Hickory Community Theater.

I have been involved with more than 23 productions over the past seven years; 12 were musicals and I am sad to say only two were with John. He has had the greatest impact on me as a musical actor and aspiring singer/songwriter. He demonstrates the meaning of professionalism without compromising the sanctity of good old fashioned community theater fun. He recognizes and respects the real world engulfed in a typical community theater actor's life and appreciates every moment he or she spares for a production.

I am ashamed to say I have not better communicated my love and appreciation for John and everything he has provided in helping us all escape from our lives for a few hours every night. He has helped nurture the dreamer in me that I tend to neglect during moments of "how am I going to pay the bills" and "where is my next meal coming from."

John was there for me during production of The Fantasticks. Every personal and professional goal I set over a three year period quickly ended out of college with the close of a relationship I revolved my entire life around. John cast me as lead El Gallo and worked around my retail schedule and performances with a local band. He was sensitive to my melodramatic "crumbling world" yet firm enough to get a good performance out of me. He helped point me in a new direction.

I don't pretend to know John as well as many others. You don't have to know John as well as many others to feel a void is on the horizon no one will be able to fill. There will always be a place in my heart and a song in my dance for John Coffey. Thank you. I love you.