Participants: C. A. Murray (Host), John Stoddart
Series Code: TDY
Program Code: TDY016057A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:06 Hello and welcome to 3ABN Today. 01:08 My name is CA Murray and allow me to thank you 01:10 once again for sharing just a little of your day with us. 01:13 To thank you for your love, your prayers, 01:15 your support of this ministry, 01:17 and to thank you for all you do to help us 01:20 do what we are called to do 01:21 and that's to lift up the mighty 01:23 and matchless name of Jesus. 01:24 I'm excited today because of our subject matter 01:25 and because of the guest 01:27 that I have with me in the studio. 01:28 This is John Stoddart, a producer, singer, artist, 01:35 player of the piano, the great individual, 01:37 and a really neat guy. 01:38 John, first of all good to have you here, man. 01:40 So great to be here by the CA. 01:42 Man, I've been looking forward to this. 01:43 We've been sitting kind of just kicking back 01:45 and talking about stuff 01:47 because John came out last year and for some of us 01:50 it was a first time for us to meet him 01:53 because he was working with some Christmas stuff. 01:56 And then we kind of liked him 01:57 so Danny asked him to stay a couple of days 01:59 and he stayed a couple of days more. 02:01 And we squeezed some more out of him. 02:03 So we brought him back 02:05 but a nicer guy you would ever want to meet. 02:07 And, John, let me jump right into this 02:08 and throw you a little compliment right now. 02:10 Oh, wow. 02:12 Because not too long ago 02:14 Jaime Jorge who you know you worked with... 02:16 Dear friend of mine. Dear friend. Dear friend. 02:17 Paid you a very, very high compliment. 02:19 In fact, when your name came up in conversation, 02:21 he actually waxed eloquent... 02:22 Oh, boy. On your name. 02:24 He just put all of our jazz stars, he did. 02:26 He can do that. He is an eloquent guy. 02:28 He did but obviously you had impressed him. 02:30 Now, one of the words that stuck in my ear was he said, 02:34 you are a professional. 02:37 Now here is the translation for me. 02:39 Okay. Low diva coach. 02:43 You know, what I mean. Listen. 02:44 When I tour with guys 02:45 and every once in a while I try to throw tantrums, 02:48 you know, they just laugh at me, man. 02:50 I try to be diva, diva, whatever the word is... 02:53 Yeah. 02:54 I just... that's not in my personality... 02:55 Yeah. Even though I try. 02:57 Having worked with you last year 02:58 and seen you over a number a days 03:00 and seeing the professionalism, the... 03:04 I'm gonna use a coolness that you bring to. 03:06 Is that something that you rehearse, 03:08 that you practice that is important to you, 03:11 or just part of the way you go about your life? 03:13 You know, I think some of it is maybe a personality thing. 03:16 But another big part of that is the people 03:19 who've influenced me. 03:20 You know, I look at the people 03:21 who I've had a chance to work with who I consider, 03:25 you know, legends 03:26 and they're just low maintenance, sort of low 03:29 and here we've been talking 03:30 before we got on air about the time 03:32 I spent working with Richard Smallwood, 03:35 who is a legendary gospel artist. 03:38 And he is a guy who, you know, 03:40 who doesn't have to have his separate dressing room, 03:42 you know, he travels with everyone else, 03:44 he is just, you know, very approachable, 03:46 you know, he is not walking around with bodyguards 03:48 and all that sort of things. 03:49 So when you meet someone 03:51 who is like that legendary that stature, 03:54 he kind of keeps it real. 03:55 You know, I worked a lot with a really renounced song writer, 03:58 producer, and artist by the name of George Duke. 04:01 And George was a same way, man, just regular guy, 04:04 amazing, just legendary. 04:07 I mean, I couldn't name a person 04:08 that he hadn't worked with 04:09 and just the easiest guy to get along with. 04:11 So when you see guys like that, 04:13 you say, "Well, if he can be..." 04:14 Right. 04:16 "You know, who am I to try to be..." 04:17 Yeah, let me keep my feet on the ground. 04:19 That's like me to have the water at 72 degrees 04:22 and make sure you pick out the orange M&M's 04:24 I only want the green ones. 04:25 Yeah. 04:27 So that ability with humility thing impresses you. 04:29 It does make, yeah. It really does. 04:31 It's made a big impact on me 04:33 and another mentor of mine the guy named Wintley Phipps. 04:36 He told, he said, "Man, I have this recurring dream 04:40 that I woke up one day 04:42 and my friends came up to me and says, 04:43 'You know, you really weren't that good.'" 04:47 We just wanted to encourage you. 04:49 Yeah. Yes. 04:50 Some kind of voice in the back of my head that says, 04:52 "Man, maybe they're just encouraging me, 04:54 just to make me feel good, 04:55 you know, so keep you grounded, keep you humble." 04:57 Yeah, you do. 04:59 You bring a spirit with you 05:00 that is refreshing and inviting. 05:02 It really is. Oh, thank you. 05:03 Thank you so much. And you prosecute your work. 05:05 You go by what you do with professionalism... 05:07 Thank you. 05:08 And you get at it and you're talented man. 05:09 You know, I'm just, 05:11 I'm full on treating on your life. 05:12 Praise God. Praise God. 05:14 Where you're from originally? 05:16 I'm originally from Philadelphia. 05:17 I grew up in Philadelphia, a great music city. 05:19 Oh, yeah. 05:21 I really enjoyed growing in musical family, 05:23 musical household. 05:24 Grandmother was a Bible worker and a musician. 05:27 And you know, both mom and dad played, 05:29 you know, brother and sister taking piano lessons, 05:31 so grew up in a musical family... 05:33 Okay. There in Philadelphia. 05:34 Kind of in the DNA. Yeah. Yeah. Oh, man. 05:36 I couldn't get away from it if I try. 05:37 So Adventist home? Adventist home. 05:39 Yeah. 05:40 People when they see, at least to me it occurs to me 05:43 that you're a spiritual person. 05:45 When did your relationship with Jesus become a reality? 05:48 I mean, there's one thing to grow up in an Adventist home, 05:49 we're surrounded 05:51 by the accoutrement of Adventism... 05:52 Then you got to do it for you and Jesus. 05:53 Right. When did that happen? 05:55 Well, man, you know, I am a personality 05:58 who is very project oriented. 06:02 So as a music producer you work on a project, 06:04 the project's done, 06:06 it's out to the public, you're done. 06:08 I tell you, I had to confess, 06:10 man, that where I'm in my walk right now is a place 06:13 where I'm getting more comfortable with the fact 06:15 that this thing that we call a relationship 06:18 with Christ is a process. 06:21 And so for me growing up as in an Adventist home, 06:25 you know, it was always around 06:26 and I got baptized, I say about 13 or 14. 06:29 So that's when I think I really kind of locked in 06:31 but the beautiful thing about 06:33 where I'm now in my walk is 06:36 God is kind of freeing me from some of the... 06:41 I guess expectations or what I imagined 06:46 or thought it should be 06:48 and saying, "Hey, man, no this is really what this thing is." 06:52 And so He is bringing me to a place 06:53 where I kind of exhale a little bit and feel like, 06:56 "Okay, man, God is in this with me for the long haul." 07:00 You know, and it's really, 07:02 it's a tough change to make for me 07:05 just because of my personality, man. 07:06 But I'm really beginning 07:07 to get more comfortable with this idea 07:09 that I'm in this relationship with God 07:12 and He's gonna be here for the long haul. 07:13 And, you know, I know I'm not where I should be yet 07:17 but He knew that when we linked up 07:20 and He say, "Hey, I'm gonna walk with you 07:22 for the whole thing."` 07:23 So I feel like where I am now 07:26 is even a better place than I was... 07:28 Praise the Lord. Early on. Yes. 07:30 I'm really grateful for that. 07:31 That's a perspective, John, that comes usually with age. 07:34 Okay, it makes sense. 07:35 And with the skin in your knees a couple of times. 07:37 Right. You know. 07:38 It's like, oh. 07:40 Bandages on. Yeah. 07:42 You pick up that you were once and you know that 07:44 He's not gonna leave you, He's not gonna forsake you. 07:45 Thank you, Lord. 07:47 And you got to put the meat on that thing. 07:48 Thank you, Lord. Yeah. Yeah. 07:49 I'm grateful. 07:51 You are a fabulous singer, you are. 07:54 You're a good, good, good singer, and you play. 07:58 When did it occur to you that you have musical talent? 08:00 I mean, it's in your family. Right. 08:02 So obviously, fairly early on this kind of jumped out at you. 08:05 Right. Right, right. Yeah. 08:07 My dad actually always tells me the story, 08:08 he says he remembers one day... 08:10 Remember, I told you I had a... 08:12 Well, maybe I didn't say, 08:13 I have an older brother and sister. 08:15 They're 9 and 10 years older than I am respectively. 08:18 And they were taking piano lessons 08:20 so of course I'm very, very young. 08:22 Right. 08:23 And my dad says I was two, three years old 08:25 and I would sit and watch their piano lessons. 08:29 And he said at about three, 08:31 he remembers me crawling up on the piano bench 08:34 after one of their lessons 08:36 and just kind of banging on the piano. 08:38 And he stopped and listened he said, 08:40 "He is trying to poke out." 08:43 He realized I was trying to poke out 08:44 what I heard during the lesson. 08:46 So probably about three or four years old 08:48 when I started trying to figure out this piano thing. 08:52 And then as for singing, you know, 08:55 when I grew up in the Adventist church, 08:57 you know, now I have two young daughters 08:59 12 and 14 09:00 and I probably give them 09:02 more choice than I had growing up, you know. 09:04 When I was growing up, your parents said, 09:06 "Do this, you're gonna be in the choir, 09:07 you're gonna be in this." 09:09 And there was a lady in our church, 09:10 her name was Sister Rue. 09:12 Yes. She lives in Florida now. 09:13 I still see her every once in a while 09:15 and she ask me to sing this song. 09:17 It seemed like it was every week 09:19 that's why I love Him so, 09:21 "Jesus has promised my shepherd to be." 09:24 Man, I hated that song. 09:25 I did not... 09:28 Pastor, she every week, seem like every week, 09:31 she would ask me to sing that song. 09:32 When I figured out I can play the piano, 09:34 man, I don't think I sang in church 09:36 for about 10 years. 09:37 I was so glad I can sit in that corner and playing. 09:40 And it wasn't until I got to high school, 09:42 that I started really singing again 09:44 and writing and so on, 09:45 so now I probably do about the half and half of each. 09:49 Now you write a lot, don't you? I do. 09:52 Work as a song writer and you know, 09:54 obviously a singer and musician, music producer, 09:56 and arranger. 09:57 So it kind of depends on the day of the week, 09:59 you know, what I'm working on. 10:00 And today I could be working on, you know, 10:04 project with the National Symphony 10:06 and tomorrow I could be working with, 10:08 you know, a mainstream jazz artist, 10:10 you know, as an arranger. 10:11 So it's just kind of the gamut in terms of... 10:14 And it's such a blessing for me 10:15 because there's so much diversity 10:17 and I never get bored. 10:19 Because, everyday it's something else 10:20 I get to work with great artists like Jamie 10:22 or my first record as a producer 10:24 was Wintley Phipps, "The Power of a Dream". 10:26 He's been a real blessing to my life. 10:30 So just, you know, 10:32 here and there everyday it's something different. 10:34 Just out of curiosity, I'm gonna... 10:36 A question is popping in my mind 10:37 to lay on you just a minute. 10:39 But what is the role, the job of a music producer? 10:43 I think probably the best way... 10:45 I get that question every once in a while. 10:47 I think the best way to explain it is 10:51 if you have a song, 10:55 in other words you can sit down at the piano, 10:57 where you can just sing a song in a voice recorder, 10:59 you can come up to me and sing a song. 11:01 The producer is the person who takes it from that thing 11:05 and makes it to what you hear when you buy the CD 11:08 or when you hear it on the radio. 11:09 So whatever... 11:10 So you actually got a lot of creative control over that. 11:12 Yeah, whatever that process is, 11:13 you know, sometimes you have producers who play a lot. 11:15 So they, you know, they'll sit down and play 11:18 and actually do the arrangements. 11:19 You have other producers 11:21 who don't play an instrument at all. 11:22 They just have a vision of what it should be. 11:25 I worked with the legendary R&B producer 11:29 by the name of David Porter. 11:30 He worked in the stacks area. 11:34 He was one of the original stacks producers 11:36 but he doesn't play anything. 11:37 He is a guy who will sit, he always come to me John, 11:40 just go and play this or kind of do this, 11:43 kind of do that. 11:45 And he just had this, he could hear it all in his head, 11:47 he couldn't play a thing. 11:49 So you get different types of producers, 11:52 who have their different approach 11:54 to getting it from that seed, that idea... 11:56 Right. To what you hear in the end. 11:58 And sometimes they're more involved and even creating it. 12:01 Sometimes the song becomes part of the whole, 12:04 sort of all evolves together the song, the production, 12:07 you know, are you gonna put drums in it, 12:08 you're gonna have violins, or you're gonna have 12:11 a choir on it or you're gonna have guitar, 12:13 or you're gonna have, you know, whatever instrument. 12:15 Does a producer have the platform, 12:16 the power to tell the artists, sing it this way? 12:20 They do, you know, it depends on the artist 12:22 that you have to tread softly... 12:25 Yeah. 12:27 Depending on the artist but, you know, a big part of it 12:29 because it's a very vulnerable thing. 12:30 You're standing there in front of that microphone 12:32 and you're bearing your soul. 12:33 So big role of the producer is to really try to pull the best, 12:37 be out of that artist... 12:38 Yeah. 12:40 You know, you want to make sure they feel comfortable. 12:41 You got to know just how much to push, 12:43 just how much to kind of caress and make sure 12:47 that they are feeling good, you know. 12:48 And it's nice being an artist because I get to be 12:50 on both sides of that, so I can be sensitive to a person. 12:53 You know, it's a vulnerable place to be as an artist 12:56 behind that microphone and people can listen 12:58 to your every crack and every mistake 13:01 at that one fight on pitch, you know it, man. 13:06 You are surprisingly vulnerable 13:07 to what's being said on the other side of that glass 13:10 and they could build you up 13:11 or they can tear you down, man, that's rough. 13:13 They hit the button and say, "Just a second." 13:14 Then you just hear a silence just staring at the room, 13:17 you're like and what are they saying about me? 13:19 Yeah. 13:20 They are talking about me and is that good. 13:22 So they can really work with your head. Yeah. 13:26 Let me ask you this, John, and I tend to ask 13:28 this kind of one of those 13:29 high concept ontological questions 13:31 we ask every now and again. 13:32 Okay. 13:34 Talk to me about the intersection of performance 13:39 and ministry. 13:41 If that is in your mind, and I ask a lot of artists this 13:44 because in other words, God has given you a gift. 13:47 It's your job to improve that gift. 13:49 Right. So that you perform well. 13:51 Right. 13:52 But where is the intersection of your ability and ministry 13:55 or performance? 13:56 What is a performance and ministry? 13:58 Right. 14:00 I'm going to answer that question 14:03 in maybe a way that it's a bit unusual, 14:06 particularly in this context. 14:08 I do a fair amount of working 14:12 what we call the mainstream music industry. 14:13 In other words, I am not always performing in churches. 14:15 I perform in concert venues and other types of arenas 14:18 all around the world. 14:19 And I'm not always intravenous 14:22 where I am labeled a gospel artist. 14:26 All right. 14:29 So part of my calling is to take the message of Christ 14:34 into those arenas. 14:37 And a big part of what gives you credibility 14:42 and let say, a jazz festival, 14:46 is if you are good at playing the piano let's say. 14:50 So no one wants to hear anything about 14:54 what you have to say or believe in that context 14:57 if you aren't good at what you do. 15:00 You understand what I'm saying? Yeah. 15:01 So for me the intersection between performance 15:06 and I'll even expand that 15:07 to say proficiency or ability... 15:10 I like that. 15:11 Or virtuosity, let's call it that. 15:13 Yeah. 15:14 I think they're very closely related 15:16 because that's what opens the door in that context, 15:20 especially for someone for you to be able to say, 15:24 "Hey, man, you know, 15:25 the reason I practice this way or the reason 15:28 where I have the work ethic I do is because of my faith." 15:32 My faith. Yeah. Right. 15:33 So but if you're not good, no one cares. 15:35 Precisely. Yeah. 15:37 If you're sloppy then no one is listening to you. 15:38 Yeah. Yeah. No one cares. 15:40 And I think it's also interesting 15:41 that we probably have 15:47 more entertainment 15:49 in our worship experiences 15:52 and some of these other experiences 15:54 then probably we realize. 15:55 Yeah. 15:56 You're much more likely to connect and enjoy 16:00 and takeaway from a preacher who is entertaining, 16:04 who is interesting to listen to you. 16:06 Yeah. You know what I mean? 16:08 And in some places that's a dirty word... 16:09 Right. 16:10 But you are competing for the ear of your public 16:15 who is getting a lot of messages during the week. 16:17 So if you don't culture your message in... 16:20 I mean, we had a great preacher... 16:22 No, he wasn't a great preacher, he was great theologian, 16:25 Uriah Smith 16:26 and even a General Conference president said, 16:28 you know, we got spirit, we got truth. 16:30 He is good on truth. 16:32 Yeah, you need to work on the spirit part. 16:34 Yeah, you need to work on that spirit part little bit. 16:36 So, yeah, the fact is that you have to hold your audience. 16:40 So that you have to put your wine in a bottle 16:43 that is attractive... 16:45 Right. To your audience. 16:46 So and music especially 16:47 because your audience is getting all kinds of messages. 16:50 So you can give them truth but if they're asleep 16:51 then I couldn't get it. 16:53 Here is another analogy, 16:57 if you gonna have cake with icing, 16:59 there's nothing wrong with the little bit of icing. 17:01 Just make sure there is some cake there too. 17:03 I like that. Yeah. You don't want all icing. 17:04 You don't want all icing. Yeah. 17:07 You want some cake. You know what I mean? 17:11 So that's kind of the way I think about it, man. 17:13 And again the context that I work in most of the time, 17:17 we'll get a moment to share our faith. 17:20 You know, as oppose to say a church service 17:22 where the whole thing is geared, 17:23 so we have our moment. 17:24 So everything is sort of crafted 17:26 particularly with a lot of the guys that I worked with 17:28 who are also people of faith 17:29 working in this sort of mainstream paradigm. 17:33 We know that, hey, the reason we're here is 17:35 for that moment where we share our faith. 17:37 Yeah. So we're crafting everything... 17:39 Okay. 17:40 To bring people's attention and to tear down walls 17:43 and to just, "Oh, man, I'm having 17:44 such a great time and, oh, man, 17:46 I'm really connecting with the people upfront 17:48 and I'm enjoying this music." 17:50 And then you take them to this moment 17:51 where you get to share... 17:53 Yeah. 17:54 That faith and then you go back. 17:55 Yeah. Yeah. What you're doing. 17:57 And I think that... 17:59 again our experience has been that you're in position 18:04 to be able to have that degree of influence with them 18:07 because they have so much respect for me 18:10 and those hours that because you realize 18:12 this is a gift that God has given you 18:14 that you're off when no nobody is looking practicing, 18:16 you know, working on your craft and so and so forth. 18:18 Yeah. I appreciate that answer. 18:20 And it does give a whole new ministry aspiring 18:24 to what you do? 18:25 It's part of the ministry. Yeah. 18:27 It is not another thing over here. 18:28 It's all part, it's all one thing. 18:30 Predicated on your ability that you put in the time 18:32 to do the work to be legitimate. 18:34 Yeah. Yeah. 18:36 Your first worship is in the practice room. 18:39 All right. Yeah. Well said. 18:42 Your first worship is in the practice room. 18:43 Speaking of worship in practice. 18:45 Let's go to some songs, man, because... 18:46 We're talking... 18:48 We can talk this whole thing out. 18:49 Yeah. 18:50 Have you ever been lonely? Is that an original song? 18:53 That is an original song that I wrote 18:55 with a good buddy of mine by the name of Joey Kibble. 18:59 He sings with this up and coming group. 19:01 Yeah. Yeah. 19:02 If they stay at, they're gonna really do well. 19:04 I think it's a little group called Take 6. 19:06 Take 6. Yes. 19:07 I always encourage them and say, 19:09 "Guys, if you stick at it, 19:10 you're gonna be something someday." 19:13 I'm joking. 19:14 But, you know, I have such 19:15 profound respect for those guys. 19:17 Joey is a good buddy of mine 19:18 and he was so gracious to help me on this song 19:19 and it was inspired by the text 19:23 in Hebrews 4 where God talks about... 19:26 where they talk about "We don't have a high priest 19:28 who's not touched 19:29 with the feeling of our infirmities." 19:31 So I always tell people when they're listening to this song 19:34 because it's written sort of in the first person 19:36 to imagine Jesus himself singing these words to you. 19:41 There is so much loneliness in our world, 19:44 even with all the social media and Twitter and Facebook... 19:46 Yeah. Yeah. And all these. 19:48 But sometimes it feels like, man, 19:50 people are even more disconnected than ever. 19:53 And so well, we wrote the song called 19:55 "Have you ever been lonely?" 19:56 And it's just an encouragement where Jesus is saying, 20:00 "Hey, you know what? 20:01 I know how you're feeling." 20:02 Not that you are out there somewhere and I'm with you, 20:06 and I've been through what you've been through. 20:08 So I feel from a very personal place, 20:09 "Have you ever been lonely?" 20:11 You know, like you said Joey Kibble, and I said, 20:12 I'll stick and send thereof, 20:13 those guys are from Buffalo, New York, 20:15 that's my home church we grew up with those guys, 20:16 the Willis's, and of course I'm little closer to Mark, 20:18 and Avon, Karen and all those Willis's, yeah. 20:22 Good people, man. All are from Buffalo, New York. 20:23 Great people, great friends, amazing artists. 20:25 Very much so. "Have you ever been lonely?" 20:28 Let's hear it. 20:45 I can feel your pain in my side 20:48 I can see the tears you can't cry 20:58 I know sometimes you feel all alone 21:02 I could pray into the sky of stone 21:11 But you never know how much you mean to me 21:17 And how forever my love can be 21:24 Have you ever been lonely 21:28 Then I know how you feel. 21:31 When the nearest hugs a million miles away 21:37 When you're looking for sunshine 21:41 In the middle of the day 21:45 Then I know how you feel 21:49 But it's gonna be okay 21:55 Oh, thank you, Jesus 21:59 I know all about your heartache 22:03 And all the love you try to think 22:08 Without breaking 22:10 Just breaking down 22:13 I felt gonna to with those days 22:16 With no matter what you do or say 22:20 Nothing's gonna stop the pain 22:25 But you never know how much you mean to me 22:32 Until you see me at Calvary 22:37 Have you ever been lonely 22:41 To being alone, how you feel 22:45 When the nearest hugs a million miles away 22:52 When you're looking for sunshine 22:55 In the middle of the day 22:59 Then I know how you feel 23:04 But it's gonna be okay 23:07 'Cause I'll never leave you alone 23:14 I know the sun is gonna shine again 23:20 And I can tell you 23:23 How the story is gonna end 23:25 You're gonna make it 23:33 Have you ever been lonely 23:37 Jesus knows how it feels 23:40 When the nearest hugs a million miles away 23:46 When you're looking for sunshine 23:50 In the middle of the day 23:53 Then I know how it feels 23:58 Have you ever been lonely 24:03 Then I know how you feel 24:06 When the nearest hugs 24:08 A million miles away 24:13 When you're looking for sunshine 24:17 In the middle of the day 24:20 Then I know 24:22 I know how it feels 24:27 But it's gonna be 24:30 It's gonna be okay 24:34 It's gonna be 24:36 It's gonna be okay 24:48 Well done. 24:50 Good song, good message. Oh, Praise God. 24:51 Yeah. Well done. 24:53 We're sitting here and kind of talking 24:54 and you know, once you get in the Adventist loop... 24:57 You're right. Exactly. 24:58 Everybody knows, everybody know you. 25:00 You start pulling out names, yeah, I know him. 25:02 I know him. Oh, you know him. Oh, wow. 25:04 That kind of thing. 25:05 What impresses you when you're writing? 25:08 Where you're trying to go? Where you're trying to take? 25:10 Because in preaching you've seen something, 25:12 you've been some places, 25:13 you're trying to bring your audience to that place. 25:16 Is it the same when you're doing music? 25:17 I think so, you know, 25:19 I write a lot from personal experience, 25:21 you know, so obviously that's a big part of... 25:24 I think for a lot of writers 25:25 you're writing from some sort of 25:27 either something you've witnessed, 25:29 or something you've experienced. 25:31 So a lot of my writing is inspired by that... 25:35 I did a project called 25:37 "Faith Hope Love" a few years ago. 25:39 And it was essentially a chronicle 25:42 of maybe the first 10 years of my marriage. 25:44 Oh, wow. 25:45 And it was really, really turbulent, you know, 25:48 I use that word because we're on television 25:51 I probably can't use a different word 25:54 to really describe what it was like. 25:56 But it was just really, really tough 25:59 and after my wife and I came through that 26:01 and we began realizing that, 26:03 man, we're not the only ones who've gone through this. 26:07 And we wanted to share the story 26:08 especially for younger couples 26:09 who were going through what we went through to say, 26:11 "Hey, okay. 26:13 This is a tough time 26:14 but happens to all of us, hold on." 26:16 You know, latch on to an older couple 26:18 that can kind of help shepherd you through it. 26:20 Yeah. 26:21 And you go and make it just hang in there. 26:23 And we had some people do that for us, 26:25 so we're just trying to share that... 26:26 So that was an example of writing 26:28 from your own personal experience 26:29 and how it can help the music. 26:31 I want you to talk about a song. 26:32 It's not on the list, we're not gonna hear today. 26:34 Okay. 26:35 But you did it last year that knocked us out, 26:37 "Only on Christmas Day". 26:38 "Only on Christmas day". Yeah. 26:40 When you play that we're like, wow. 26:42 That was a fun song, man. Yeah. 26:44 I wrote that again, co-write with another amazing writer 26:47 by the name of Hallerin Hilton. 26:49 You know Hallerin? 26:50 Went to school with this brothers, 26:51 Holly and Bryon. 26:53 Oh, what an amazing song writer. 26:54 I'm such a huge fan of his. 26:56 And he just did a really great job 26:58 of helping me craft this image... 27:00 Yeah. 27:02 Of sitting in that kitchen, watching my grandmother make 27:04 you know, the rolls. 27:06 My grandmother used to make these cinnamon rolls, man. 27:09 And she was such a woman of incredible not only faith 27:13 but what I call practical... 27:16 Yes. Christianity. 27:18 You know, my grandmother was a type 27:20 who was and what we call the herd, 27:23 and everyone knew her. 27:24 Okay. Yeah. She wasn't just a visitor. 27:26 That's where she hung out because that was where 27:29 she was caught in ministry, she was feeding people. 27:31 So I have these images in my head, 27:33 you know, I remember, growing up with my grandmother 27:35 and so helping to write that song... 27:36 Yeah. "Only on Christmas Day." 27:38 That's a big part of what helped me 27:39 develop my faith watching it 27:41 in action with someone like my grandmother. 27:43 The song is, it's in a sweet place. 27:44 Yeah, man. Just feel good. It's a nice song. 27:48 Okay. Back to business. Okay. Back to business. 27:51 "My tree", is actually what we gonna here. 27:53 Yes, my tree is a song that was written by an artist 27:57 by the name of Chris Rice. 27:58 And I remember hearing it for the first time 28:01 back in college 28:03 and it really just knocked me out. 28:06 And I don't even wanna say too much about 28:09 specifically what it is because the imagery is 28:12 so powerful when you just let the story develop. 28:17 And it's an example of a song that tells a story 28:20 and, I mean, a real life story. 28:22 Yes. 28:23 And makes the connection, we're talking a little bit 28:26 earlier about the intersection of performance and ministry. 28:31 And a big part of what we do when we're in a mainstream 28:34 especially is to disarm people, we use things 28:39 that they can relate to like working with the kids 28:44 or marriage or everyone has a job 28:45 or everyone has a difficult, 28:47 whatever difficulty with their parents. 28:49 And those types of things that they're parables, 28:52 that's what Jesus did. 28:53 Precisely. Right. He told the stories to... 28:55 And so this to me is that kind of a song 28:57 and I always said that, you know what? 28:59 One day I'm gonna record that song. 29:00 And I've gotten a chance to sing it all over the world 29:03 and it always just hits the spot 29:06 just because of how it takes a story 29:09 something we can all relate to 29:11 and uses it to be able to frame the story of the gospel. 29:16 So "My tree." My tree. 29:36 On a hill far away 29:40 Stood a tall mighty tree 29:44 Where a boy and girl used to take turns 29:48 Pushing the tire swing 29:51 I remember the pocketknife in hand 29:56 Her name in my heart 29:59 Thinkin' there ain't no way for a boy to explain 30:04 The love that he feels inside 30:10 So I carved her name into my tree 30:16 Then I carved a heart around her name 30:23 Then I carved an arrow 30:25 Through the heart 30:31 Just to say "I love you" 30:41 On a hill far away 30:45 Stood an old rugged cross 30:50 The emblem of suffering 30:54 And shame 30:57 I remember the nails 31:00 Through my hands 31:03 And your name in my heart 31:07 And how in their wordless way 31:10 The nails explain the love that I feel inside 31:16 As they carved your name into my tree 31:22 Where I wrapped my heart around your name 31:28 Then I took your arrow 31:31 Through my heart 31:36 Just to say "I love you" 31:41 I really love you 31:45 Now I can never forget 31:49 How much you mean to me 31:53 'Cause I will always remember 31:57 Whenever I see 32:02 where they carved your name 32:05 Into my tree 32:09 Where I wrapped my heart 32:12 Around your name 32:17 Then I took your arrow 32:20 Through my heart 32:27 Just to say "I love you" 32:37 How much I love you, yes I do 32:46 Oh, Jesus loves you, yes He does 34:03 Powerful, very powerful. 34:05 John, I wanna ask you a question and I don't know 34:07 if it's even an intelligent question. 34:09 Oh, boy. 34:10 It encourages me in watching you 34:13 do that particular song. 34:18 The Bible says that 34:19 God didn't have suppresses of his people. 34:21 There are certain artists 34:23 and the only way that I can articulate this is 34:27 who inhabit the music that they sing. 34:30 You appear to do that, 34:33 how invested are you in your craft 34:37 as far as watching you sing that song, 34:40 one comes with impression, number one, 34:42 you believe what you're saying 34:44 and that the song is doing something for you. 34:46 And of course, it was doing something for you, 34:48 it will do something for me. 34:49 Right. 34:50 So how invested are you in the music that you produce, 34:53 the music that you sing, the things that you choose? 34:55 Yeah. 34:56 I think that... 35:01 that's the artist's thing. 35:03 Here we talk about being an artist. 35:07 You know, as a songwriter and producer, 35:11 you're approaching it 35:15 from a bit of a different place perspective. 35:18 But if you're gonna sing or play a song 35:22 and really communicate the essence of what it is, 35:27 I don't know that you can unless you are invested in it. 35:31 I don't know how else you can do it. 35:34 And, you know, so yes, so I always did, 35:38 there're certain songs that I 35:39 gravitated toward like that song 35:40 I mentioned was the song that 35:42 I just from the very beginning. 35:44 It's like, man, that song, I just connect with the story. 35:47 How it's presented, you know, how it was put together. 35:51 So, yeah, very invested in what I do 35:56 and the music that I write 35:58 and the music that God gives me. 36:00 You know, there are times when it feels like 36:02 I'm almost more taking dictation than really creating. 36:05 Yeah, and I've heard other artists say that. 36:07 Yeah, I write stuff it's not me. 36:09 Yeah. 36:10 It's just kind of flowing through me. 36:11 Yeah, yeah. 36:13 And I understand that in and as a producer 36:15 you got to be little more clinical, little more surgical. 36:17 Little more. 36:18 Yeah, that's probably good way of thinking about it. 36:19 Yeah, but this one you can kind of just surrender 36:21 to what's going on. 36:22 Right, right. Yeah. 36:24 You're facilitating as a producer. 36:25 You know, what I mean, you're sort of helping an artist 36:27 get to that place with them, you know so. 36:30 Yeah. Well done. Man, it's good talking you. 36:32 Yeah. This is great. 36:33 Whenever we got a chance, we have to just schedule 36:35 one of these about once a month as we catch up, we connect. 36:39 Man, it's just good stuff. 36:40 When you were here last year, it was work. 36:44 It is we're working, we were working with producer thing. 36:45 Good to hangout this time. Yeah. 36:47 We have a good time little bit. 36:48 "I Turn to You", set that up for me. 36:49 "I Turn to You," I wrote with a really dear friend of mine, 36:52 an artist that God connected me with... 36:55 who lives in Stockholm. 36:56 And just I can't... 36:58 I have to think about how we even met, 36:59 it feels like we've known each other forever. 37:01 But again like with Hallerin, you know, 37:03 I had this skeleton of an idea that she helped me flush out. 37:06 And I've been thinking a lot more recently, CA, 37:11 about what is the difference between 37:15 a believer and a nonbeliever? 37:17 And a big part of that, man, is 37:21 where do you turn when things are great, 37:26 when you're like, "Oh, man, I had the best day." 37:28 Right. 37:29 Where do you turn? Yeah. 37:31 When everything's fallen apart and it's just chaotic, 37:35 where do you turn, you know? 37:36 And so this song, "I Turn to You", 37:39 kind of came out of that idea of just celebrating 37:43 that we have a place where we can turn, man. 37:45 Amen. 37:47 It's just, you know, no matter if it's, 37:48 things are up or things are down, 37:50 you have a place you can turn. 37:52 All right. I Turn to You. 37:53 I Turn to You. 38:21 What can I say 38:24 Tell me where to begin 38:31 How to explain it 38:34 How I've been changed within 38:40 Amazing grace caught me in time 38:45 Gave me new life 38:48 Now it's to you that I run to Jesus 38:52 I turn to you and in all 38:55 I go through give You praise 39:02 I turn to you, Lord, the things 39:05 That You do I'm amazed 39:12 You are the joy 39:15 I'll never comprehend 39:23 What a life 39:26 I'll never face again 39:32 So when my life presses me down 39:37 I'll just hold on 39:39 And it's to you that I run to Jesus 39:43 I turn to you and in all 39:46 I go through give You praise 39:53 I turn to you 39:55 Lord, the things that you do 39:58 I am amazed, I am amazed 40:04 I turn to you and in all 40:07 I go through give You praise 40:14 I turn to you 40:16 Lord, the things that you do, I am amazed 40:21 You're worthy 40:23 Of all the glory 40:29 You're reigning majesty 40:34 Dominion empower 40:39 You're more than the world to me 40:44 To me 40:47 I turn to you and in all 40:50 I go through give You praise 40:56 I turn to you, Lord, the things that you do 41:02 I am amazed, I am amazed, Lord 41:07 I turn to you and in all 41:09 I go through give You praise, give You praise 41:13 Lord, You're worthy, worth alone 41:16 I turn to you, Lord, the things that You do 41:21 I am amazed, I am amazed 41:26 Lord, I turn to You, turn to You, turn to You 41:32 For the questions of life, for the questions of life 41:36 Lord, I turn to You, turn to You, turn to You 41:43 When I don't have any place else to go 41:46 Lord, that's when I turn to You 41:49 Turn to You, turn to You 41:53 Oh, Lord, I turn 41:57 Lord, I turn to You, turn to You, turn to You 42:09 I turn to you and in all 42:12 I go through give You praise 42:19 I turn to you, Lord, the things that You do 42:23 I am amazed 42:27 Oh, Lord, I turn to you 42:43 Amen. I like that, "I Turn to You". 42:46 That's your question and we're kind of trading a line here 42:48 because when you're writing a sermon, 42:52 there are times hopefully or preferably 42:56 that you are under the spirit of God every time you do that, 42:59 but the truth is there are times when you, 43:01 as you put the pen down or you finish typing, 43:03 you know, you got some hot. 43:05 You know, it's just like you've gotten this, 43:07 you've gone to some place, you know, 43:08 and you can't wait till Sabbath. 43:10 So during the service you have the choir singing 43:13 and they're doing announcements and you kind of rocking, 43:15 it's like get rid of this because I got something to say, 43:17 you know, kind of thing. 43:19 Does that happen in music too? 43:20 I think so. Yeah. 43:22 There for sure, there are things 43:23 that you get excited about 43:24 because you like it, you like, man. 43:26 Yeah. Doing something for you. I got to share this thing. 43:27 Right. Right. Right. Yeah. 43:29 I totally agree. Yeah. 43:30 I think so to there are things that you just, 43:32 that you just connect with. 43:34 I think that's an important part of 43:36 what helps the audience connect to 43:38 and we talked about that a while ago where 43:40 if you like it and you connect with it... 43:42 Right. 43:43 I think it makes a difference with the way, 43:45 in the way you present it and the way you share it. 43:47 You know, while we're talking little bit ago, 43:48 we got to get and plug for your wife 43:50 because you mentioned your children. 43:51 Right. But she is a doctor. 43:52 Right. Dr. Helen Powell-Stoddart. 43:55 Indeed. 43:56 And, man, she is really an amazing woman 43:59 and she is an interventional pain specialist. 44:03 But both of her parents passed away prematurely 44:06 from diet exacerbated illnesses. 44:08 Wow. 44:09 Heart disease, blood pressure, cancer. 44:12 And so she just through that develops 44:16 this real passion for wellness, diet, nutrition. 44:19 So she spends a lot of time working on great recipes 44:25 to help people to transition 44:26 toward a more plant-based diet. 44:28 And, man, she is researching everything 44:31 from weight transformation to slowing aging, 44:38 I mean, anti-aging it's all so really 44:40 and she is a pretty good cook too. 44:42 Yeah. We're praising that. 44:43 I tell you, man, I'm slow going out the door 44:45 when I got to go the airport. 44:47 I'm just like I got to eat at these restaurants, 44:48 I can't wait to get back home. 44:50 But, yeah, really a powerful thing that she is doing 44:52 and she recently opened her own practice and DRHelenPs.com. 44:57 D-R-Helenps.com. All right. 44:59 Just really great resources for people looking to again 45:03 transition to plant-based diet, deal with weight issues or 45:08 specific disease processes, she's helping people develop... 45:12 Praise the Lord. 45:14 Diets that will help them manage those things. 45:16 And she's keeping you trim so all is well. 45:17 Yes. She is keeping, man. 45:18 I have to chuckle because she looks so young. 45:22 I'm aging and she is looking younger and younger. 45:25 I said, man, I got to do something. 45:27 All right. 45:29 I'm gonna have to get on her anti-aging program. 45:30 Indeed. 45:32 I can say people won't look at me and say, 45:33 what are you doing with that young woman? 45:34 Yeah, we got to get her here, man, 45:36 'cause it seems like she has a lot to share. 45:37 She has a lot of great things to say. 45:39 Yeah. Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. 45:40 We got one more song "Anything," 45:41 set that up for us, John. 45:43 I recorded a record back in 2003 called 45:45 "Wings to Walk this Road". 45:47 All right. 45:48 We had to talk about that another time. 45:49 The very last song that I wrote for that record 45:52 was this song called, "Anything". 45:53 And it was one of those songs that was like taking dictation. 45:59 But it was an interesting experience 46:03 because the song sort of proclaim 46:08 something about me 46:11 that I really wouldn't at that point yet. 46:14 Oh, okay. 46:15 Or maybe still I'm not quite there, 46:16 I'm striving to get there. 46:18 So it was one of those songs that God gave me and says, 46:21 "This is the place I'm taking you." 46:22 Okay. 46:24 So I've got to sing this song "Anything", 46:25 Lord, I'll do anything for you knowing that, man, 46:29 I'm not sure if I'm quite there yet in my walk. 46:32 And so it's humbling and encouraging 46:36 all at the same time 46:37 because you sing it with the passion knowing that 46:39 God has proclaimed this over me. 46:40 So I'm gonna get there eventually. 46:42 Alrighty. 46:43 But there is a humility in singing it as well because, 46:45 you know, man, I know I'm not quite there yet. 46:48 So anything, I do anything for you. 46:51 All right. "Anything". 47:10 How do I get close to you 47:14 When you seem so far away? 47:19 What I wouldn't give to talk to you 47:23 Face to face 47:26 I have to keep believing 47:32 That it won't be very long 47:36 Till the day I can look up 47:39 And it won't be a dream 47:44 Chains breaking all around me, I can finally be free 47:50 So if you're wondering what you mean to me 47:55 You've changed my whole reality 48:00 And nothing in this world can take my heart 48:07 Because I'll do anything 48:14 Anything for you 48:17 I'll do anything 48:22 If you only ask me to 48:25 I'll do anything 48:30 Anything just to be with you 48:38 How do I keep getting up 48:41 Every time I fall down? 48:46 Such a strange kind of walking 48:50 with my feet up off the ground 48:53 But I'm not giving up 49:00 Till I make it back home 49:04 Where I know you'll be waiting 49:07 With your arms open wide 49:12 What a day for reunions 49:15 When we meet up in the sky 49:19 Somehow I know it will be worth it all 49:24 These tears I cry, the times I fall 49:28 Because you've made yourself so very real to me 49:36 I do anything 49:42 Anything for you 49:45 I do anything 49:49 If you only ask me to 49:53 I do anything 50:00 Just to be with you 50:04 And I'll go anywhere 50:10 Just to be right by your side 50:14 Give up everything 50:18 Just to look into your eyes 50:22 I do anything 50:27 Anything just to be with you. 50:32 I'm waiting for the day, 50:36 when we can fly away 50:39 Promise me you'll live inside my heart 50:47 My heart 50:52 I do anything 50:57 Anything for you 51:00 I do anything 51:04 If you only ask me to 51:08 I do anything 51:12 Anything just to be with you 51:18 And I would go I go anywhere 51:23 If I could be right by your side 51:27 I give up everything 51:31 If I can look into your eyes 51:35 I would do anything, anything 51:42 I would do anything to be 51:47 If I could just be with you 51:50 I would do anything, anything 51:58 I would do anything 52:02 Anything just to be with you 52:08 And I would go I go anywhere 52:13 If I could be right by your side 52:17 Give up everything 52:21 If I can look into your eyes 52:25 I would do anything 52:37 Anything 52:41 Anything for you 52:44 I do anything 52:49 If you only ask me to 52:52 I do anything 52:58 Anything just to be with you 53:04 And I'll go anywhere 53:10 If I could be right by your side 53:14 Give up everything 53:19 Just to look into your eyes 53:23 I'll do anything 53:46 If you would like to support John Stoddart's music ministry 53:49 or purchase his CDs, 53:51 you can do so in a variety of ways. 53:53 You can write to him at PO Box 231, 53:57 Canoga Park, California 91305. 54:00 That's PO Box 231, Canoga Park, California 91305. 54:07 You can call him at 818-222-3790. 54:11 That's 818-222-3790. 54:15 You can also email him at info@JohnStoddart.com. 54:20 That's info@JohnS-T-O-D-D-A-R-T.com. |
Revised 2021-06-01