MORE "LIFE AFTER ALL"

For those of you who have paid attention to the recording project, you might be interested to know that all the thumpin', strummin', stringin', singin', hummin', and rat-a-tat-tattin' is finished. For those of you who have not paid attention to such matters - my wife is a covert operative for the CIA. Now, for God's sake, don't tell anybody.

As for the album, we have entered the mixing stage. This is the period where MayApple maestro Mark Bilyeu performs, what Bill Thomas calls, digital witchcraft. He will take all of our raw ingredients and mismatched tomsongery, mix it with an eye of newt, and boil it in his cauldron. When it's done, beasts will be beautiful, frogs will beg for kisses, Howard Dean will know the difference between the Old and New Testaments, and Karl Rove won't be a meany head. He ain't no Gandalf, but what Mark does for guys like Todd and me is the equivalent of turning Rowling into Tolkien. No, wait, that's not right. It's like turning a sad little writing-in-his-pajamas fantasy blogger into The Lord of the Rings.


Mark, practicing his dark art.

Actually, magic had some help in this project. We have been incredibly blessed to be joined by some phenomenally talented people. Here they are...


We're thinking about using this photo for the CD cover. It is by Julie Blackmon She is a good friend, and an absolute pro at what she does.


Kenny Wirt played all the drum tracks. He plays with...everybody. He's a rock.


Todd laid down most of the bass tracks. This photo is a reminder that you should never operate heavy machinery while playing funky bass lines.


More dreamy flushed looks for Todd? It's the intoxication of playing Mark's '46 Martin.


Along with his mandolin licks, Jody Bilyeu, of Big Smith, sure beefed up things with his piano, and Hammond organ virtuosity. Oh, and he taught us how to moosh our own chips.


My usual posture: sitting around drooling, while real pros do their jobs.


Jay Williamson, warming up his bones for some old-timey percussion.


Dude, he can make those mothers fly.


Mark heats it up with some of the rock, and the roll. We hear it's what the kids are listening to these days.


In our attempt to carve our niche in the folky-pop-rock-country genre, we brought in this feller. Dean Holman has played with just about everybody who uses peddle steel guitar ( Ricky Skaggs, Tanya Tucker, Desert Rose Band,etc.) He is considered about the finest steel guitarist in Branson.)


Molly Healey is the proud mother of a beautful baby girl and a beautiful baby CD. We asked her to lend her life-giving powers to our project. Just this side of heaven, I tell you. Just this side of heaven.


It's good to know the King watches over us.



I mean, everyone needs someone to watch over them.