I recently saw a Facebook post from a fellow music pastor that mentioned that he was doing a concert with Don Moen. Don and I travelled together for eighteen months in a group called Living Sound. He was the music director for the team and a very hard-working guy.
Don drove our bus, and wrote and arranged most of our music. On top of that, he played trombone, electric guitar, harmonica and violin for the band. In fact, Don taught me to play harmonica. It is such a cool instrument. I remember buying a Honer Blues Harp and asking Don for lessons. To this day, I always bring the harmonica on my hiking trips and it’s always a big hit when I bring it out for the country music time during the Calgary Stampede… In fact, I have a recording of it on one of my CD’s playing ‘The Happy Song’ while touring in Denmark.
Mentors are great. Sometimes they do not even realize they are mentors. Another one of my Living Sound mentors was Larry Dalton. I remember him joining our tour in South Africa. I would stand behind him in the band and watch while he did amazing stuff on the piano. When he needed a music copyist, I volunteered. Not only because it paid a bit of money but because I was hungry to learn how to write music and orchestrations. It is great to learn from the best.
Larry was an incredible piano player. I remember attending a huge Music Pastor’s Conference in San Diego (Music California) and seeing Larry play as a guest soloist. One of his favourite audience pleaser was to take requests from the audience (Movie themes, TV themes, hymns, songs.. anything… think.. ‘Theme from the Flintstones’ to ‘What A Friend We Have In Jesus’) and make a 7-10 minute medley that would leave the audience cheering and standing on their feet! He was amazing.
I’m thankful for all the amazing mentors in my life… Doug Moody (my first piano teacher, music pastor and big band director)… Mrs Robinson (my high school band teacher)…. Glen Geary (my incredible piano teacher from UBC.. I was scared to go into a lesson without having practiced 3 hours per day)… Dan Burr (the leader of the first music group that I was in at Glad Tidings ~ New Dimensions and Liberty Brass)… Jim Gilbert (my Living Sound Director on the Asian Tour.. I remember him singing lead while playing pump organ in a Korean garment factory.. I also remember him writing ‘I Love You With The Love of The Lord’)..
Mentors help you see the possibilities of who you could become. They become role models for the dreams that God has put in your heart. God uses mentors to show us the way forward!
Question: What mentors have influenced your life? Is there someone who you are mentoring?
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