Later when I was so hugely influenced by the roots music of America I realized how much of it came from strong religious beliefs. From the joyous Gospel music of the African American churches to the simple acoustic folk music of the tiny mountain churches that sing of salvation and bad men finding the light. Powerful emotions always make good music and a genuine belief that we are fighting these demons inside us on a daily basis makes for some good listening. One of the most powerful live bands I have ever seen, The Lee Boys, came from a family band playing in The House of God Church in Miami, Florida.

Mike Farris and the Redemptive Power of Music is another band that is taking music with a strong religious bent and bringing it to an audience much wider than a handful of true believers. Mike is a man still struggling with his own demons, a history of chemical and alcohol dependency, he is two years clean and uses his music to purge those bad times and turn his life around. And what a turn around it is. The band started in Nashville and continue to play the “Sunday Night Shout” in the wonderful Station Inn. But word quickly spread about the power of the shows, the great songs and the frontman on a real mission to save himself while taking his growing fans on a musical rollercoaster ride.

Mike says the Sunday Night Shout series is “to provide musical manna to the hearts, souls, and minds of the good people of Nashville and beyond… Our wish is for every person to leave us on Sundays to go back into the world feeling excited, delighted, and loved.”

His latest album Salvation in Lights has been gaining critical acclaim since its release last year and now he is taking his band and this explosive show to an eager new audience all over the U.S. So I advise even the most hardened atheists among you to catch one of these shows in the coming months. You may not come away believing in God, but you will certainly come away believing again in the ability of music to sucker punch you right in the soul.

Salvation in Lights is available on INO Records or check out Mike’s Website at

http://www.mikefarrismusic.net/

Upcoming Tour Dates:
6/13/2008 Manchester TN Bonnaroo Music Festival
6/14/2008 Tyron NC Blue Ridge Barbeque Festival
6/15/2008 Nashville, TN The Station Inn “Sunday Night Shout”
6/17/2008 Nashville, TN Music of the Spirit with Orchestra Nashville
6/20/2008 Gaylord MI The Big Ticket Festival
6/22/2008 Nashville, TN The Station Inn “Sunday Night Shout”
6/28/2008 Pocono’s PA Creation Fest
6/29/2008 Nashville, TN The Station Inn “Sunday Night Shout”
7/4/2008 Marietta IL Cornerstone Festival
7/12/2008 St. Louis MO Off Broadway
7/13/2008 Washington, DC Grace Presbyterian Church
7/14/2008 Washington, DC Ebeneezer’s
7/24/2008 Seattle WA Creation Fest
7/31/2008 Santa Monica CA Santa Monica Pier Twilight Dance Series
8/11/2008 Highland Heights, KY WNKU’s Studio 89
8/14/2008 Kingsport TN Twilight Alive
9/28/2008 Austin TX Austin City Limits Festival
10/4/2008 San Francisco CA Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival
10/8/2008 Wausau WI Artsblock: Grand Theater
10/9/2008 Madison WI Overture Center for the Arts

11/7/2008 Murray, KY Lovett Auditorium

Nick writes “Sean Egan just released a CD, “Alone, Raining”, a dazzling album of eleven original instrumental compositions played by Sean on piano, clarinet, saxophone, tin whistle, and percussion.

You may know Sean as the piano player in the Blackbirds and the Doon Ceili Band, or as a brilliant clarinet player or as the quiet guy who plays the 5-gallon-plastic-water-bottle-drum, or as your music teacher, or you may even be related to him, as I am (and wondering why the musical genius dust didn’t get passed around the family).

I hate to use a musical cliche here but Sarah is truly a big secret in the music world. She has a singing voice that can take you from the softest sweetest melodies to soaring, powerful, blues seeped passion. Her songs are strong, melodic and beautifully crafted. Her song “Goodbye is all we have” was a hit for Alison Krauss, so the Nashville music community is well aware of Sarah’s great work but as yet she hasn’t found the popular success she deserves. She is also one of the coolest people be around in person.

So I look forward to hearing anything Sarah and Paul do together. Let’s hope there is an album in it. You can find more info on both artists at Paul Brady’s Website and at Sarah Siskin’s website

Also the band are appealing for help for another musician friend of theirs, Damian O’Kane. Here is the appeal from the website.
For all you lovers of music out there, we really need your help.
On Monday night last, 8th Oct 2007, our good friend and fantastic young musician, Damien O’Kane, had his beautiful “Erin” banjo stolen in Newcastle Upon Tyne. I’m sure you will appreciate, the true value of an instrument goes way beyond any issue of money, it’s a devastating loss. Below is a description of the instrument stolen. Please, please keep your eyes peeled for a banjo matching this description, there’s every chance it will surface on eBay or in a music shop somewhere across the land.
If you do come across it, send word to us here at Flook, info@flook.co.uk or call this number with any information you might have. Tel: 07791-141542

And finally here is a video from the band’s recent appearance on the BBC show “The Blackstaff Session”