Fernando Ortega Interview. Ryan Thomas Neace of the Huffington Post recently interviewed Fernando Ortega, one of my favorite singer-songwriters.
New Hymn from the Gettys. My Soul Longs for the Lord is a wonderful new hymn from Keith and Kristyn Getty. Check out the lyric video.
King of My Soul. Check out the lyric video for Matt Redman’s new song from his forthcoming album Unbroken Praise, recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.
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New Amos Lee Live Album Streaming Free This Week. Live at Red Rocks, Amos Lee’s first official live album, recorded with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, will be released next Tuesday. It is streaming free on the Wall Street Journal site. http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2015/06/09/amos-lee-teams-with-colorado-symphony-on-live-at-red-rocks-exclusive-album/
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Reflections on Stevie Wonder’s Songs in the Key of Life. Stevie Wonder turned 65 years old last month. He is currently touring on the Songs in the Key of Life tour and we recently watched a Grammy Salute to him that was filmed in February. This week I’ve been re-listening to his masterpiece 1976’s Songs in the Key of Life. It was stunning when it was originally released and it still sounds incredibly fresh today. The album is #57 on Rolling Stone magazine’s top 500 albums of all time.
- Fortunate Son. John Fogerty, the leader of Creedence Clearwater Revival and one of my favorite artists, releases his autobiography on October 6.
- Violin. Listen to this song off of Amos Lee’s upcoming live album Live at Red Rocks (with the Colorado Symphony). Speaking of Amos, here is his October 16, 2013 performance of Chill in the Air from the Late Show with David Letterman
- Angel of Harlem. U2, currently on the Innocent+Experience Tour, recently sang this classic song on The Tonight Show
- Don’t you wish America still had public decency standards? According to USA Today, Jennifer Lopez’s televised sexy concert was too much for Morocco. They called it a “Threat to the Moral Fabric of the Moroccan Society”. The BBC reports that prominent members of the ruling Justice and Development Party said the singer’s performance was “a breach of public decency”. The African country’s minister of communication, Mustapha Khalfi, was criticized for allowing the gig to air on public television. Local media criticized the singer for her “suggestive poses” and for being “scantily” dressed.The 45-year-old singer’s outfits and suggestive stage moves at the May 29 Mawazine Festival in Rabat, Morocco, in front of 160,000 people, have led to national outcry and even a lawsuit.According to TMZ, an education group filed a lawsuit stating Lopez “disturbed public order and tarnished women’s honor and respect.” Lopez and the concert promoter are being sued. In the highly unlikely event she’s found guilty, TMZ says Lopez faces 1 month to 2 years in Moroccan prison.
In Christ Alone
This wonderful modern hymn, written by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend, is one of the most frequently sung hymns at our local church. The music was written by Getty and the lyrics by Townend.
Here is a video of Keith and Kristyn Getty performing the song at the Gospel Coalition Conference.
In Christ alone my hope is found;
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev’ry sin on Him was laid—
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me;
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death—
This is the pow’r of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow’r of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—
Here in the pow’r of Christ I’ll stand.
“And this is all for You,
You’re making all things new,
Let all creation cry,
Your praise will never end.”
Chris Tomlin from The Saving One
