Slim Dusty Tribute Project

Pictured: Legendary drummer John Hammond and guitarist Brent Mason with Mark, Wanda, Steve and Chris at the end of another tracking day.

Thank you to those who have been praying for and supporting the vision of the new Slim Dusty Tribute album. Bed tracks and lead vocals are all done and this week we complete backing vocals and additional instruments. Some of Nashville’s finest turned up to play on this album and we get the feeling it will be well received by country music audiences in Australia. I have to be honest and say… I still get overwhelmed with the doors God opens and the opportunities He provides to record songs in a city like Nashville. It blows me away!! Somehow Brent Mason, known as the most in demand session electric guitar player in America at the moment… found some days to dedicate his skills to the 11 songs we’ve recorded. Thanks also to John Hammond who has toured the world with many of the greats, an incredible drummer. 

Our prayer is that this project will find a brand new audience in the mainstream country music market in Australia. By honouring one of our greatest singer/ songwriters and paying tribute to a collection of his songs… I believe we will effectively reach many with the Gospel message. Thanks for believing in the dream with us.

Thank You Mark Burchfield

Pictured: Mark Burchfield of Watershed Recording Studios on Fender Bass… with his new Slim Dusty cap!!

He has played Bass guitar on my last three album recording projects. He’s a quietly spoken, laid back session musician who with his wife Wanda V Burchfield own and operate Watershed Recording Studios in Nashville Tennessee. Mark has produced and directed the Everytown, Nullarbor to Nashville and the new Slim Dusty Tribute albums. He was also a great help to Skypilot with the Distant Days album a few years ago. We greatly appreciate working with Mark and the 35 years of relationships and respect he has built up in the country music industry. Thanks mate for your passion for excellence and your love of God, your family and creating great music. It’s always a great honour working with you. http://watershedrecording.wix.com

Music City, USA

Pictured: Kerrie and Steve in Nashville’s historic Music Row

It’s a rare thing to have a weekend off in the world of music and mission. But this past weekend allowed us some time to walk the streets of Nashville and enjoy some ‘live’ music and just take in the sights, sounds and people of the iconic Music City USA. It has been a very demanding year back home in Australia… We started touring in January and finished touring in November… And yet there is still so much more to do. This 10 days in Nashville has been really good to reflect back on the year and also start praying and planning for 2017.

Kerrie and I want to say thank you to so many friends, family and supporters who have stood with us on the mission of reaching people for Christ and inspiring churches to mission. We have great expectations for the new year and really appreciate you being with us on the faith journey!! Thank you.

There is a Season

Pic by Steve

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1

I was reminded this past week how fleeting and fragile life is. Amidst the piles of millions of fallen autumn leaves that line the streets of every town in Tennessee, I found one leaf and photographed it.  As the cold winds start blowing and temperatures usher in the winter I realise the life of this beautiful leaf is over. It has served its purpose for a season of radiant beauty and is destined to return to the earth where it came from. God the creator has made everything for a purpose, everything has its season and is born to multiply and eventually come to an end. Yet at the same time you and I are created for eternity. His love for us is eternal and is reflected so clearly in Christ and all He has done for us. We have been redeemed and bought with a price that was paid at Calvary.

The simple story of Christ’s coming to earth to be born as a man.. to willingly and obediently lay down his life and die for our sin.. only to be resurrected into a new eternal season of God’s Kingdom which we are all called to be part of… That’s good news. I love that all creation and it’s beauty inspires us to direct us towards a faith in God.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

Thanks again for your prayers and interest in this past season of ministry and mission.

Godspeed.

Steve Grace

You Give and Take Away

Pictured: The fully restored Harley Davidson returned to its original owner last weekend..

It was a bittersweet moment saying goodbye to the old Harley Davidson Sportster last weekend. It was sold to assist with the recording budget for the Slim Dusty Tribute album. After an accident last year where it was damaged and purchased back as a repairable write off we’ve been able to restore the bike back to its classic look. 

Sometimes God requires us to use what is ‘in our hands’ to sow seed into the next harvest. We felt we needed to sell some possessions and sacrifice to move on to the next season. After the recent theft of our Harley Davidson Fatboy we knew it was a big call. But it’s the right thing to do. 

Thanks for standing with us in prayer for the ongoing work of the ministry. We know God has so much more for the coming years and believe He will continue to provide. He is the the God who "gives and takes away” in different seasons of our lives. So we will keep trusting in Him.

News from Ryan & Kathleen

Pictured: Ryan & Kathleen, March this year.

I never thought one day I would go back to studying after my one year at Hillsong College. I thought I was done with being a student. But little did I know how wrong I was after recently moving back to the Sunshine Coast with my wife Kathleen. I started a new job building fences, things were going good, we just moved into our new house. About 2 weeks ago I showed up for work as usual and to my surprise was layed off due to not enough work. I’m not gonna lie I was a bit angry and confused with God and on the way home from work had an interesting conversation with God. He basically drew a line in the sand for me and said, "When are you gonna start believing in the calling on your life and stop ignoring it".

I had told people about the church that God told me to start awhile ago with a built in rehab centre in it called, Freedom Centre.  A church where people will not only find freedom from there broken heart but from there addictions as well.  Just like I did for you.

He told me it’s time to start taking steps towards it, not just always talking about it. So I have enrolled in a dual diploma of drugs alcohol and mental health. This will give me the qualifications to work in a rehab centre and when the time comes start my own. Kathleen and I would greatly appreciate your prayers and support for this new season. It’s a big step of faith but we believe its a step towards our future. 

Thanks Ryan & Kathleen Grace.

They Grey Nomad Culture

Pictured: The Ford Fairlane and caravan that Slim and Joy travelled in for decades.

There are approximately one million grey nomad’s travelling Australia every year. Retired folks who have dreamed of experiencing their beloved country Australia and purchased a 4X4 vehicle and caravan and set out for who knows where? Thats the dream. Just living life out on the road with no fixed agenda. It is a special part of the Australian ethos of life. The joy of becoming a vagabond, a swagman, a wanderer, a gypsy… It is just built in to the way we are. We love to travel. 

Ironically the centre piece of the Slim Dusty Centre south of Kempsey is the beloved Ford Fairlane and caravan that Slim and Joy travelled in for decades across Australia.

It is a spectacular symbol of what ‘freedom’ means to millions of Australian people. It is with this spirit that we are compelled to record a tribute album that we pray will reach many in this ‘grey nomad’ culture. They all love Slim Dusty music so we pray this new tribute album will connect and captivate the hearts of the travelling culture.

Thanks for your prayers and support for this new venture.

Nullarbor to Nashville

Pictured: The western edge of the Nullarbor Plain… You drive a long way to get this picture.. But it’s worth it every time..

It’s not too many times in life you can drive across the endless Nullarbor Plain in Western Australia and a few week’s later board a flight to Nashville, Tennessee. The title track of the last album is a captivating song that tells some interesting little stories of the past 30 years of music ministry and life on the road. So we were pretty excited to camp out at the Nullarbor truck stop and begin filming a video clip that will be completed when we arrive in Nashville in the coming days. From the windy treeless plains of the desert to the spectacular colour and chaos of Music City USA. You can look forward to a fascinating video clip that will encompass the song. And we are just so grateful to everyone who has supported our ongoing vision to reach people for Christ and excite local churches to mission across Australia. Thank you.

Remembering a Legend

Pictured: Songwriting sessions and final preparations for the Slim Dusty Tribute project

 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

He was Australia’s pioneering King of country music who lived his childhood dreams out in the real world. At the age of 11, David Kirkpatrick, the son of a hard working Irish farmer from Kempsey, NSW dreamed of singing his songs to people. He even came up with a stage name ‘Slim Dusty’ believing one day he could record songs and play country music. When World War ll ended his Dad had promised him he would help him record his first record in Sydney. But sadly in 1946 Dan Kirkpatrick passed away. Soon after Slim Dusty recorded his first song and was signed to EMI, the beginning of a life long music career. Slim Dusty sold over 6 million albums in a country with a population of 20 million. He became the heart and soul of Australia and released over 100 albums until a battle with liver cancer took his life in 2004. 

In my own journey of life I’ve looked back to see where the inspiration and influence has come from. Slim Dusty happens to be one of the icons and heroes. I only ever got to meet him once and yet felt like I knew him as a good mate from my early teenage years.

There was a spirit of freedom about the life of Slim Dusty. He dreamed… he believed and he accomplished.  I greatly admire that in the life of a person. Slim had a faith and determination that impacted the lives of millions. I think that’s why I’m recording this new tribute album for him… in the hope it will reach millions with the good news of Jesus.

 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5: 22-23

Remembering people who have made such an impression on history is always a risk… as they were basically human and flawed like all of us.. But I do take it as a great honour to record some of the songs that one of my heroes sang. I’m inspired by the life of Slim Dusty. Thank God for people willing to believe and pursue life to its fullest.

Thanks for your prayers.

Godspeed,

Steve Grace