Along For The Ride

Goings on with "Jamison"

2011-03-11T09:53:00.000-08:00

The past few months have been really great. We recently traveled out to Great Bend, KS. to play at a small book store and at a church there. We also had the chance to spend time with our bass players family. Wow...what an amazing experience. The people in Great Bend were amazing. They treated us like family, fed us like kings and received us like rock stars! It was more fun for us than for them I assure you. We had a great turnout for the concert and met tons of great people.

We are currently saving up funds to record a new CD project. We will gladly accept your donations! In return for a $10 donation we will send you a free CD!!! Go to our website to order yours now! The next one will be even better...God has been giving me tons of new songs. It will be difficult to choose 10 songs for the new album. I would encourage you to come out and see us live sometime and give your opinion as to which songs to choose! We do listen...

We will be in Joplin, MO on March 19th @ 8:30pm. Details on the website. Hope to see you all there! Till next time - Jamison

Work, work, work, work, work....

2011-01-23T20:46:00.000-08:00

While the country is in a recession, people are out of work and those looking for jobs cannot find one, I am blessed to have a great job. Sometimes, when people decide to quit, it opens up opportunities for extra shifts. While I am quick to pick up as much as I can, Once in the thick of it I question how much I can handle. While my job as a paramedic can at times be stressful, it is rare for where I am one. We run an average of 2-3 calls in a 48 hour shift and sometimes do not even run that many. It all depends on the people of the county. So, in short, a 72 hour shift or longer can become VERY long. Being away from home can be hard, especially on weekends. I miss my kids and my wife. I am very glad to have this job and a career lasting 16 years so far in EMS. I hope to retire someday to pursue my true passions...music and cooking. My dream is to earn a living from songwriting and occasional performing. But my goal is to run a small bistro style place large enough to hold about 80-100 people and host bands from time to time. No alcohol, just great food, coffee and atmosphere. A place where people can come, hang out, read a book, sip some coffee or soda and get a gourmet sandwich or salad. Open mic night every night. Book local bands and display local artwork. This is my dream...I hope to get there before I turn 50. That gives me 12 years. God is faithful...if we serve Him with all we have and are faithful with little, he will bless us with much. My much is not too lofty, but it is the desire of my heart. - Jamison

Unexpected

2011-01-16T11:55:00.000-08:00

Often times, we go about our lives with certain expectations, the sun will rise, you will have to go to work or maybe work at your home for you homemakers...the government will take taxes out of your paycheck...you get the gist. Well, sometimes, things happen that are unexpected, yet welcomed. For instance, The band and I minus Danny our drummer who had a prior engagement, went to the Coffee Loft in Garnett, KS to play an acoustic concert there. My family was going to tag along to listen and just be with us to support. Well, my wife has been psudo learning to play the drums for the past year off and on. Well, we decided to just throw the cocktail kit in the van and head out. We arrived and got all set up. Bear in mine that she had never played on many of the songs but had obviously heard them many times. Our set was to be 1.5 hours. We played away and she kept up like a champ! Played wonderfully. So that was an unexpected surprise...but welcomed.

My job often makes me miss out on some things at home and at church. The following Sunday my good friend Jay was being set in as an elder. I had to miss. My wife however was able to go. Dave Richards from England was there to deliver the message. At one point he called out to my wife from the pulpit and asked where her husband was. She told him I was working. He asked her on the spot if I was still playing guitar...she said yes. He asked her if doors were opening for me...she said yes. He then said to the church body that they needed to get behind the band, support us in any way they can. You see, most people do not have any idea what we are doing and why, so support is difficult at best to find. We soldier on and do what God asks us to do often without much support. We have had concerts in our own area where no one from our own church has shown up. Not to say that we expect people to come to every event, but sometimes we feel like we are invisible. This can be a good thing. We do not seek out glory or praise from men...but to give it unto the Lord. He sees what we do and smiles. He sees the lost that we are able to not only play for, but bless in other ways. So in short, having Dave Richards say to the church that they should support us, gives us a restored hope that they will. That our house will see what God is doing and at very least pray for us in our efforts. I am confident that they will. Don't get me wrong, I am not nor are the band members bitter in any way. We understand the business of life and even could blame ourselves for not communicating well enough with our church family. This will change. Our leadership will be kept abreast of our adventures and be aware of all goings on there in.
God has richly blessed us with opportunities to play for people both churched and unchurched and continues to do so. Please pray for us, buy a CD or 3...haha. Follow us on Facebook as we go online by subscribing to our blogs and visit the website. Also check out this link to see where we have been and where we are going to be. Thanks!!! Till next time - Jamison

New Friends

2010-12-15T09:28:00.000-08:00

If you are a follower of this blog, you are a member of a growing group. As we travel, we keep picking up new "Fans". Why the quotes? Well, as a Christian band, we believe that we should not lift up any man to a higher place. To be a fan in the traditional since, is to elevate a performer or band above others and to hold them in high regard. While it is appreciated when people tell us how much they like what we do, I prefer to call them simply friends. As we play a concert, we try to both have fun doing so as well as connect on a personal level with our audience. We are not interested in playing a "show" and running out the door. We want to build relationships with people. We want to hang out with you, get to know you. Swap cell numbers and email addresses. Simply be real with those we meet along the way. I still communicate with people we played for a year ago! They do not think of us as just a band that came to play, more as new friends they can get to know better by way of online networking sites or just by phone. That is really what it is all about...The kingdom cannot expand adequately without knitting of hearts. So, if we come to your church or event center, play a concert/worship service for you, it is not intended to gain us a legion of fans, but to bring new churches, people and ideas into the service of God.

So if you are reading this, do not be afraid to send us an email, we are open to travel anywhere God will take us. Sometimes that means Him speaking to you about having "Jamison" come and share music and testimony at your church or wherever! Till next time...Jamison

jamison@jamisontunes.com
www.jamisontunes.com

We are back

2010-11-11T10:44:00.000-08:00

Well, Chicago was a fun trip. We feel like we accomplished what we were supposed to. We went to the America's Got Talent auditions there and had a great time. We arrived at McCormick Place at 7am to get in line. Turns out that we were not the first to arrive. In fact, people had lined up the night before and stayed the night in below freezing conditions. A cold front had settled in and dumped 2 feet of snow on the Michigan side of the lake, but just brought cold temperatures to Chi town. We waited several hours outside finally making it into the photo free zone. We then staged in a large room and waited for 2 more hours to be called to audition. While in that room we were able to break out our guitars and play to those around us. We took advantage of that opportunity. I am sure people were being effected as we had several people approach us and say they were pulling for us. Either way, God knew who would hear what and when. Our audition was brief as expected. We are hopeful, but realize that the odds are against us. There were probably about 3000 people there to audition. We will be notified in the spring as to weather or not we advanced.

Now we are gearing up for a new opportunity. We are traveling to Nashville in February to the Band With A Mission contest where we will be singing 3 songs before a panel of music industry people and record company executives. We have 2 other events lining up while we are there. We hope to bring our unique delivery of the gospel to music city. The BWAM event has launched the careers of such bands as Rush of Fools and Sidewalk Prophets. After meeting some of those guys, I wold feel honored to be in their company. Wish us luck! Till next time...- Jamison

Getting stoked...

2010-10-31T19:14:00.000-07:00

For all it's worth, the upcoming trip to Chicago has me pretty amped up. We leave this coming Friday and we are all about to pop. We have a couple of rehearsals planned this week. I love to jam with the guys. Oh yeah...the guys...Who are they you ask? Well there is Danny (D-Hart) Hartley. Jersey born but been in Kansas for 8 years. He is a long time friend who's drumming can be best described as "in the pocket". Danny knows how to play with passion while not over complicating the music. I have played with many drummers...most believe that the drums are what make the music. Danny plays in a way that compliments it. He is very easy to work with on new rhythms and fills. He takes constructive instruction well and is humble about his ability. He has the driest sense of humor that I have ever heard. To have Dan on a trip is to have perfect comedic timing in any situation...love him.

Kent Daniel is a transplanted Alaskan. His experience on the guitar is playing in his room as a teenager then playing in a band with me called Far From Perfect back about 5 years ago. Kent is a great rhythm guitar player and is rapidly becoming a much better solo player. He is very easy to teach as well. Kent is very intelligent. He holds a degree in Biology from Pittsburg state with emphasis on wildlife studies. This means the dude can look at your boots and tell you which snake they came from and where they habitate...as if you would even care. Ha! Either way, he is a great friend who would do anything you needed up to and including giving you the shirt off his back. Great guy!

Hunter Peterson is not unlike many people in Pittsburg...He came here seeking an education and found a family in God and has decided to stay. He and his wife Emily recently bought a house and have committed to sticking it our in our church and are becoming core people very quickly. Hunter has a great attitude and sense of humor as well. His bass playing can best be described as explorative and unique. He will play whatever I ask him to but ad his own spin on it to make it that much more interesting. He is also a prolific photographer. he has an amazing eye for it. I look forward to many years spent hanging out with him and Emily and watching their family grow.

Jesse Thompson is the silent member of the band. He is our sound guy. He goes where we go. He takes very seriously the art of making us sound good. With Jesse at the mixer, I have heard many comments on how clean and clear the sound is. In fact, I have been told on more than one occasion that we sound better live than on the CD. That says a lot. Jesse will run through a wall of burning flames to help a friend in need. He is currently in brick laying school and is excelling at it. He is a great man to have around and a true friend.

Why do I put this information in this blog? It is to introduce you to my friends, my band and to announce that "Jamison" is no longer a solo artist. It is now a full on band. We expect great things in the future and look forward to what God will do with this mix of guys on the road, in churches, bars, coffee shops and wherever he will place us to preach the good news of Jesus to the world! Till next time... - DJ

Crazy fall

2010-10-19T21:42:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a while since I have blogged, so I thought I should. The band and I have been busy boys this summer and fall. We have had tons of events scheduled and continue to book more of them. God is doing great things and we are hopeful that He will continue to use us to speak to His people. I have been working a lot of hours of late and saving up money for an upcoming trip to Chicago. The band and I will travel to Chi-town along with my daughter and my wife to audition for "America's Got Talent". My daughter Shelden has written a song and will sing it acapella for the judges. The band and I will do 90 seconds of "Psalm 33" from my CD.
I am absolutely loving touring with the guys. Danny, Hunter, Kent and I really enjoy spending time together and cutting loose. I have seen much improvement from the guys in their skill level and level of relaxation on stage. They have really amped it up. They have taken to jumping around on stage and having fun while praising God. This makes me smile. I am glad they feel they can do so. They do not do so to entertain man, but to express their hearts of worship before man...If you are reading this blog, and are in an area where we will be playing, please come out. We would love to rock with you! Till next time - Jamison

New things a coming...

2010-08-14T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome to the land of no comments! Haha. I know some of you are reading this...please make me feel like you care...leave a comment once in a while.

Exciting news. "Song Of Creation" was chosen out of hundreds of song submissions as a top ten finalist in a national talent search. My band and I get a chance to play at the Rock The Light festival in September! Average attendance is 3-5000 kids and youth workers! How cool is that!!! We will get passes to the festival included with it too. We will play 1 song then be judged. If we win, we will get to go to Nashville and play for a panel of record label people with Word Records. It is a long shot, but hey...It will be fun. Wish us luck. Jamison

Home Sweet Home

2010-08-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

I decided it would be very memorable to take a slight detour to Roanoke, VA to see the blue ridge parkway. I guess the weather had other plans. The normally picturesque drive through the blue ridge mountains was thwarted by a layer of dense fog. I mean seriously??? We could not even see the guard rails...I had my eyes glues to the road. This was some serious fog. We took like 1 picture before it was just too dense to see anything. We drove for 10 miles then just hit the interstate. West Virginia was very beautiful, but the drive was insane...18.5 hours from Roanoke to Pittsburg. We decided not to stop and just forge on to get home. We arrived shortly after 1:30 am. We took out only what needed brought in and hit the hay. We slept in till about noon today...whew...what a trip. We had a great time, made lasting friendships and had several chances to play music and blessed some people in the process. I was very well received and blessed my self with many compliments. Back to the grind tomorrow. Working 96 hours this week starting tomorrow. I am playing at the "Love Bubble" here in Pittsburg on Friday night at 7pm. It is a local radio station with a retail shop in the mall. Thanks for following the blog and checking in. Jamison

Heading for home

2010-07-31T18:33:00.000-07:00

Last night was our last night in New England. We were very sad to say good by to our new friends there. We have made great connections to several families in the area. The Webers hosted us sight unseen the first several nights. We made fast friends with them and will miss them greatly. The Beenes hosted us the remainder of our visit in their home in Bristol, CT. We were treated very well and have made good friends with them as well. We made connections with many people there and were welcomed with open arms. Thanks very much CLC for all of your sacrifice. I truly hope to return the favor some day.

We spent the evening last night in Springfield, Mass playing at "The Underground Cafe" there it is a cool little place where on Friday nights a local church there hosts an open forum style coffee shop, music venue and radio station. It was pretty cool. I met some new friends there and hope to return sometime in the future.

After an amazing trip to the northeast, meeting new friends, playing music in big cities, visiting several new states and seeing the beautiful countryside, we are once again on the road. We have decided to take the scenic route going home instead of the suicidal pace I had originally planned. We took a detour and are currently in Roanoke, VA. We drove about 10 hours and arrived about an hour ago. I have long desired to drive the blue ridge parkway up from Roanoke. So tomorrow we will get up early and head out to enjoy the artistry of Gods hand in Virginia. We will then cut over and travel through West Virginia, Kentucky and finally end up in Missouri late tomorrow evening. I will post pictures of the trip on my face book page as we travel Verizon network permitting....thanks for reading and keeping up. Jamison

and on the 8th day...

2010-07-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

Even God made a day for rest...We have been traveling since the 19th. We arrived in Connecticut on the evening of the 21st and have been non stop ever since. Today was spent having a great lunch with the Pastor of Christian Life Church in Berlin, CT and his family followed by some shopping and general running around town with Keith. Then we went to the church for service. We have decided to just veg out here in Bristol tomorrow. Maybe a little shopping, but not much else. We just need to rest. Tomorrow night we are having a get together with some new friends from the area here in Bristol. Looking forward to some pork chops and Maine lobsters. Yum! Yeah, I know you are envious. Seriously though, we have made some real connections here and cannot wait to continue building relationships with the people here in CT for years to come. -DJ

Updates

2010-07-28T07:15:00.000-07:00

Ok...A good nights rest will do wonders for you...We traveled all over the east coast of Mass, New Hampshire and Maine for the past 2 days before driving a very scenic back road through the mountain country of New Hampshire, into Vermont and then south back to Connecticut. Whew...that was a nice drive. Got in late last night and passed out. Slept in and are just relaxing in the home of the Beenes, our host family in Bristol, CT. They have graciously allowed us to stay in their home on a mountain overlooking the city of Bristol and surrounding areas. I will be posting photos later of our trip. Today we will be having lunch with the pastor of the Christian Life Church and his family. They have asked me to lead worship again tonight at the church. That will be fun as they told me it is fairly free and up to me how to take the praise and worship for the meeting. If any of you know me, you know that means it will be a little louder than normal....The church worship team is a great bunch of people who learn very quickly and have fun playing music for the Lord.

Tomorrow is pretty free for us so we will just have to figure out what we will do, or we will just hang out and do nothing. Sounds like a plan to me...Looking forward to the rest of the week and then heading back to Kansas on Saturday and Sunday. Please leave comments to let me know if you are keeping up with the blog. Thanks! DJ

Boston...ub boy...

2010-07-27T20:02:00.000-07:00

We awoke this morning after our very long day yesterday and decided to go back to Boston to see more stuff. With the traffic and lack of parking, we did not see much...But we did see the USS Constitution. That was cool. Very tired tonight...will post more about todays trip in the morning.

Boston

2010-07-26T19:43:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a weekend of firsts. It was my first time playing in New York City, and the first time I have ever played with another churches worship team in a worship concert setting. I had the chance to run through several of my songs with the team from Christian Life Church in Connecticut. I made some great lasting relationships with several guys, Gary, Dan, Troy, Isaac and Thomas as well as the pastors wife Cathey and his daughter and son (twins) Chanel and Luke. They were awesome to work with and very patient with me. The morning on Sunday found me leading the church in 2 worship services, then we had a special service that evening as an outreach of the young adults ministry team in the community. That was when we really amped it up...good times. Had a great turnout and received many kind words.

Today we awoke at 5:30 am to get an early start at our trip to Plymouth and Boston Mass. We went to Plymouth Plantation and got to walk through there and visit with people whos job is to learn every minute detail of the character they are portraying and to make them come to life for visitors. It was pretty cool. It was like stepping back in time. Very unique experience. I highly recommend it. We then munched on some great seafood and headed to Boston. I had a coffee house/bookstore event scheduled. Unfortunately, the manager had no idea we were even coming. I guess someone dropped the ball. Either way, I set up in the bustling coffee shop of a downtown boston Borders book store and played some hard hitting christian music along with my 13 year old daughter acoustically to a room full of people who could care less....until the last song. It is one called "One". It quite bluntly proclaims that Our God, Jesus Christ, is the only true God. The only One...that seemed to turn some heads and make people make some faces...Some even walked out. You see, this part of the country is known for it's liberal ideals and value system. It was obvious to me that we were a light in a very dark place. I could not help but notice how clean the city was...how people seemed content. I heard God while preparing to leave...He told me how easy the enemy can deceive people into thinking they were fine, no need for Godly things...Nice clean exterior with garbage on the inside....

We are of to some sight seeing in the Boston area as well as Salem Mass and on up into NH and Maine. Till next time...DJ

New York, New York.

2010-07-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Well today was a wonderful day of sight seeing in the Big Apple. We left out about 9 am and drove to New Haven, CT. From there we caught a train to the city. We got off at Grand Central Station. That was an experience all in it's self. To be from the mid west and see something as huge and bustling as a big city train station makes one feel quite small.

We proceeded up to 42nd street and made our way to Times Square. All the things you hear about in NYC are actually very close together. We saw Broadway, the Hershey building and several famous buildings along that strip. Then before we knew it we were at Central Park. So we just kept on walking. We saw the Trump Tower and the insanely expensive property along Central Park West. We walked through the south end of the park and then made our way to 5th Avenue. We attempted to hail a cab to take us the 20 blocks south to the Empire State Building, but none had room for 6. So we just kept walking. We saw FAO Schwartz, Gucci, Armani and all the high end retailers there. There were literally millions of people walking around the streets. The classic taxi's, buses, police cars and people driving all over honking and yelling. It was classic New York.

We finally reached the Empire State Building and caught the subway downtown to see the World Trade Center sight. Unfortunately, we missed the last boat to the statue of Liberty by over an hour...so we only saw her from distance. We went back to Times Square for some chow and came back to our host families house for the night. After walking over 10 miles, we are pretty pooped. Going to go to bed as tomorrow Keith and I will return to the city for another round and a concert at a NYC record store as well as a CD signing. I am looking forward to it. Keep checking the blog for updates. - DJ

Awesome time so far

2010-07-22T20:55:00.000-07:00

Well, we have been in Connecticut for 2 days now and are loving it. We come from a relational church in Kansas. What that means is that our church is a big family. We live lives together, we spend time together outside of the walls of the church. We laugh together, cry together, help one another and serve each other whenever possible. It is not the typical American church you could say. In fact, it is quite rare. We found it several years ago and have never looked back. It is home. Coming to the North East was purposed 3 fold for us. We have never been to New England, so the chance to do so with our kids was a big part. To see the history come alive in their eyes at the same time it will come to life in ours is awesome. To see things that we have never seen before...Like Niagra falls, New York City, Boston and the North East coast of the Atlantic...wow. Also to promote my CD by playing at several venues in the area. But our primary goal was to spend time with a good friend who moved out to Connecticut 6 years ago who once was a part of that church family we love so much. Keith Marshall has been a friend of mine since college. We reconnected in Pittsburg and have been close friends ever since. When he left to move to New England, is was as if I was loosing a good friend. In fact, we gained more friends because he moved out here. Our visit here has been a blessing in that Keith, having found a church in Connecticut not that different from our church back home, the transition has been quite easy. We have been staying with the Webers here. They opened their house to total strangers based solely on the words of our friend Keith. This is what is called relational living. They have been most gracious to us and have not only opened up their home, but their hearts as well. it is truly good to know that the family of God is wide reaching...this is a relationship that will not be lost with absence. Once we leave, we will continue to keep in touch with them.

We travel tomorrow to NYC and are very much looking forward to it. We are traveling by train from New Haven, CT to the city. I guess parking is a booger there....So till next time...Jamison

We made it!

2010-07-21T19:01:00.000-07:00

Dennis and I were too tired when we made it to New York last night to blog, and we have been non-stop today driving to Connecticut. He stayed after church tonight to practice with the worship team, so I will blog tonight. :)

The first 10 minutes of our trip will HOPEFULLY be the worst of it. We loaded the van, and at 9:45 p.m. got in to head out. The van didn't start. The battery ran down (a new battery!), so Jesse helped us charge it. Off we went. We just crossed into Missouri, and we were pulled over for speeding. No ticket...just informing us it is 55 mph, not 65. Whew. The rest of yesterday was many hours of driving. Dennis drove until Indianapolis, I drove from there to outside of Cleveland, then he drove into Buffalo. We checked in, went and saw Niagara Falls, ate, then crashed.

We got up this morning and drove through beautiful countryside of New York, saw the Erie Canal, Massachusetts, and arrived in New Britain, Connecticut this afternoon. We are staying with a lovely family who graciously opened their home to strangers. But, because we are brothers and sisters in Christ, it felt like we have known each other for years. Keith Marshall, our friend for many years, met us for dinner at our host family's home, then we all went to church. We met very nice people and have made plans to get with several of them. Their church is going through 1 Thessalonians. The pastor spoke about it verse for verse, then we broke into small groups and discussed it further. I really enjoyed that.

Tomorrow we are meeting Keith and his sister for breakfast, then we will check out things locally. We appreciate prayers so far, and please continue to pray that God would use us on this trip and for our safety.

VACATION!!!

2010-07-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Well, that magical time has come...the summer vacation. I have been so incredibly busy through the summer starting in May with playing events all over the midwest, working countless hours and saving my pennies in anticipation for this particular time. We (my family and I ) are about to set sail on a voyage aboard the USS Big Red. Translation, our 1993 Ford Club wagon van. It is a huge van purchased for the sole purpose of touring and long trips with the family. There is enough room for the whole band and all of our gear. I found it on craigslist for $1500! This van is in amazing shape...New motor, tranny, exhaust, ignition system, battery and 4 brand new tires. Been to the shop for a full on inspection and it is ready for the road. So tomorrow at 8pm we leave the heat and humidity of S.E. Kansas for the lush mountains, sandy beaches and sprawling cities of New England. I have booked 5 events out there to promote the CD release. I have a concert in New York, 1 in Boston, another in Western Mass. and 2 in CT. So needless to say, I am pretty stoked about just getting to play. On top of that, we will be doing extensive traveling in the area taking in all the sites. I will be posting photos on my facebook profile as we go so check that out if you want to see where we are.

August is building up to be a busy month of playing all over the local are as well. We have been blessed to have several opportunities to play and have been blessed by those who have hosted us. I look forward to the next few months as the band and I play and hopefully reflect the relational church message that we sing about. Thanks for checking in! Till next time - Jamison

Amping up

2010-05-27T15:27:00.000-07:00

I know, I know...I am the worst blogger on earth...but some exciting developments are happening. My record company makes a video trailer for all of their artists in effort to get the word out on their project. I sent final approval 3 days ago on it and today I get a call from the company telling me that it aired on VH1, MTV2, Comedy Central and CMT and played a total of 7 times on those networks today! Pretty stoked about it...You can see it here...

On another note, we are really getting the music down now...we have been playing as a band at all of the events so far and I love it! I realize that I will not be able to bring a band everywhere, but I sure love it when they can be there. I am pulling from my friends who play instruments to play the dates with me. My old band "Far From Perfect" has gotten back together in support of the CD and have really pulled together well. Thanks to Kent, Daryl, Danny, Dakota and the occasional Hunter on bass for joining me on the road. I hope to play many more events in the future with them. Till next time...Jamison

Away we go...

2010-05-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

Well, May has begun and has started off great! I played a worship concert on the 1st with my old band "Far From Perfect". It was a great time of praise and worship. It really felt good to be back with the guys playing again. We have played a few places before this event, but not much as a group. We seemed to gel very well. There were about 30-40 people there, so it was very intimate in nature. It was funny when after the service, there were some tweenage girls running around trying to get autographs...My friend and guitar player Kent was asked to sign the back of their hands...They were laughing and saying how "cute" he was...I was ROLLING!!! Myself nor any of the guys are really about signing autographs or self glorification, but that was such a classic moment, I HAD to blog about it.
I am looking forward with great anticipation to playing another 8-10 events in the next 2 months. Several bookings are opening up in August and on into the fall. The CD comes out officially on June 1st. Pretty exciting stuff. I am optimistic that God will show his favor on the album and put it into the ears of people who need to hear it.
Please check the dates on my website for more event dates. Till next time. - Jamison

Looking forward

2010-04-10T22:08:00.000-07:00

Have not blogged for a while, but I have had a busy past month or so. I try to get on the Twitter thing, but i do not think anyone is reading it anyway. My April has been fraught with many long hours at work. We have a man out with a wrist injury and he is not slated to come back for a month. While the extra time has been hard to deal with, and being away from my family has been even harder, I feel that the overtime pay is truly God's provision for me. You see, next month marks the first time in since, well ever...that I have multiple bookings set up within a month. I am excited to get out and play the songs that God has given me to people all over the area. I am also negotiating with several booking agents to retain their services in order to gain event bookings nation wide over the summer. Lets hope for a good one to help in this effort. Touring costs money, a LOT of money. So as often as I can I am either working to save up or playing in hopes of selling enough CD's to raise funds for the events. Please pick up the CD, if you already have, please plug it for me! I need every one who is praying for me in this venture to also be proactive and tell your friends. Till next time...Jamison

Work Work Work...

2010-03-31T20:39:00.000-07:00

It has been a crazy month...Working 70-90 hours a week can flat out kill a guy. I am putting in OT at work because we have a guy out with an injury. I am saving up for the events that I feel God will be helping me to book this summer and beyond. Hoping to go to Canada for a week, have been talking to several festival organizers and have booked a few things. Really hoping things pick up on the record sales front. Seems like a lot of people just have not heard it yet. Getting some radio play as well. So things are looking up. Still, I am admittedly impatient. HAHA. Well, thanks for looking in. -Jamison

Hitting the road

2010-03-13T11:40:00.000-08:00

This weekend marks the beginning of my family vacation. We are headed to Miami, OK. for me play a worship service at the Ottawa Indian Baptist church. Once we have finished there, we are off to spend some quality time together, just me, my wife and my 3 kids in Branson, MO. Planning on a pretty laid back week. No real big plans. Hang out in our cabin, take walks, watch movies, eat in and out. Really, it is mainly a chance to just be...Then it is back home on Sunday. I have been busy setting up booking for myself and the band. Check out the website for further dates.

What to call it

2010-03-06T10:47:00.001-08:00

As a musician, terms like gig, show, performance, concert and the like are common to words to describe when the artist plays an event. As a Christian artist, I find it somewhat perplexing as to what to call it. I do not like the term "show" as I am not attempting to entertain people, yet take them to a closer understanding of God. The word "performance" indicates that what the artist doing is not real, or is more of a staged pre-determined order of things with no room for spiritual input. The term "gig" lends itself to create an impersonal vibe as though the artist is just playing another "gig", then it is on to the next one. "Concert" to me just screams "I AM HERE TO SHOW YOU MY TALENT!! LOOK AT ME!!! Not good...As Christians, we are to be humble, not proud. While there are many very talented Christians, those who put there talents out there in a vain attempt to showcase themselves rather than the Lord they serve are what I would consider misguided. So what to call it. How does a Christian artist describe accurately what the listener will be attending, what will happen while in attendance? I am up for suggestions....
-Jamison

The Wait

2010-03-01T14:32:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we as humans tend to be a bit impatient. I am VERY impatient. I am one of those people who likes instant gratification, instantly...now. Right now!!! Well, God is not a God of instant gratification. He has shown me in recent months how to be more patient. I am tested on this daily.
If you put a pot roast in the oven for only an hour, what you have is a very tough piece of meat. You can eat it, but your body will have a much harder tie with digestion, not to mention chewing it up....But if you let is simmer, over time, what you get is so tender you can cut it with a fork.
While things in my life seem to creep by, even sometimes just stop, I know that God's timing is perfect. I only have to put the meat in the oven and wait it out. Soon, what I really desire will come to me. A life with more tender moments, better flavor and one easier to digest. If I live in His will, wait for Him to make the move, things will be way better. - Jamison

Things happening

2010-02-16T21:04:00.000-08:00

As I continue to seek God on the direction for this time in my life, He continues to tell me not to get discouraged. You see, God knows me better than anyone. He knows that I am a terrible public speaker. I cannot play guitar and talk at the same time. I know that sounds strange as I can sing and play all day long. But as I go out into the world and play music, I am woefully aware that I will indeed have to speak to groups of people. Most of the time I will not know anyone in the audience. One would think this would make it easier, but I wonder.

I look forward to how God may use me to "speak to people" in a group setting. I am confident that the music will speak volumes. Thus, I will continue to promote the music as it promotes the truths of God. I will trust Him for the words to say and who to say them to. I welcome any opportunity to play. Bring on those living rooms! Down with comfort zones. - Jamison

Sad Day

2010-02-12T01:21:00.000-08:00

I have been on the truck for 15 years now. EMS that is. Not many days come much sadder than 2-10-10. We along with several others were called to work an accident wherein the fire chief of the local lake community was killed. It was a simple accident, but it resulted in the death of a beloved man in the community. I pray for his family that they can find peace and for the man driving the truck that killed him that he find a stable place in the chaos that at this moment must be on his mind. Life is fragile. We only get one ride on this ball, then it is off to wherever our lives have led us. I am sure that chief Stan is walking where angels trod and is at peace. A good man was lost, a nice man, a fireman. Thank you Stan...you will be missed.

Exciting events

2010-02-10T08:05:00.000-08:00

Well, as the release date for my CD approaches, there is much excitement in the Jamison camp. Last night I did a radio interview on Rapture Ready Radio and had a good time doing that. Many thanks to Matt at RRR for his kind words and for having me on. One of my favorite worship artists Jared Anderson was recently on the show...so I feel I am in good company. You can visit their site above to hear it or simply click here to listen to the interview and to "First Woman" as broadcast.
I have been gaining a small fan base on Jango radio over the past week. My songs have been played over 1500 times! I have been getting notifications all week from fans in over 10 different countries! How cool is that! I hope to begin going out and playing different venues soon. I have a couple of events on the books already.
Feb. 18th 8pm @ Wheat State Pizza, across from PSU in Pittsburg, KS.
March 5th @ "The Love Bubble" in the Pittsburg Meadowbrook mall. 6-8pm.
There will be a radio promo for that even broadcast on 99.1 KSEK FM radio in the week leading up to the event. Please come out if you get a chance. I will have CD's on hand at both events.
I am also looking to book events wherever will host me. So if you know of any churches, organizations of coffee houses...whatever! Please visit my website to contact me directly.
Thanks for reading! - Jamison

Getting so close

2010-02-04T18:07:00.000-08:00

Well, the CD is all finished! I have placed my order for the first 500 copies. I will have them in hand in less than 2 weeks. They will then be available on the website and in local music stores in Pittsburg and Joplin. I will also have some at my church, Covenant Harvest Church as soon as I get them.

I have 2 songs in rotation on Jango radio now! Pretty cool service. I have been getting people signed up as fans! I have 4 fans at home, but have never had any outside of that! Too cool....Looking forward to playing live. Looking into some coffee houses and churches to play at in the near future. Thanks for reading...Jamison

Weather or Not

2010-01-30T19:55:00.000-08:00

I awoke on Friday morning to the sound of my little girls voice saying "I had a bad dream". Bear in mind, that this was shortly before 4am. I had planned on getting up at 5 to get ready for work. My wife prayed with her and assured her it would be ok, but nonetheless, she returned moments later asking to sleep on the floor or to in some way stay in our room with us. Since we have a queen bed, the prospect of having her with us in the bed would have meant that no one would really be able to sleep well. So, I decided to give her my spot and go ahead and get up.
It was a good thing, in the night, mother nature decided to drop snow and ice in the area, thus elongating my trip. The trip to work normally takes me an hour and 15 minutes. It took just over 2 hours. The snow continues to fall behind me and as I am told, there is about 1-2 feet now. So as I return home tomorrow, I will drive into worse weather than when I left. I hope to get a chance to go sledding with my kids...Either way, I will be home with them and that is what I am eagerly awaiting.

Anticipation

2010-01-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

I just received the tracking number for the package containing my proof copy of my CD. It is basically the completed project all done up and ready for stores, I just have to listen to it, look over all the artwork, lyric sheets and then make noted on any needed changes. I then send it back to the company and it is ready for print. This means I should be able to get copies as soon as the second week in February! I cannot wait to get it released. Copies will be available as soon as I get them from my website . The actual release date will be in about 3 months. Then it will be available on iTunes and in stores. I am stoked about getting closer to the final product. Please pray for this project, that is reaches those who need to hear it. - Jamison

2010-01-25T12:50:00.000-08:00

Well, one more week and I will be in possession of a hard copy of my CD to go over. Once I have approved the cover art, insert artwork and lyric sheets, the CD will be ready for production. I am very much looking forward to getting started playing events and doing some radio spots. My website is up and running now. Many thanks to Keith Marshall of Marshall Graphics. Still more content to go up. Soon people will be able to order the CD directly from the site and pay via Credit card or paypal account. Keep checking the site for updates.
I have some time off after my long weekend at work and I am working on some new songs. I am often bewildered at the timing that God has. I wrote a single line down this weekend to remind me of an idea that I had, then it was like God just took the pen and started writing. It was about a man sitting in a restaurant observing a woman in obvious pain then watching her slip out the door without hearing the gospel. How often do we see such things but ignore the urging of God to act upon them. We are here for one reason...to tell all we see the good news! Why are we so afraid to do that? Why do we let those opportunities slip away...it is simple. Do not try to save them, just tell them about what Jesus did for you...He will do the saving part.

Production

2010-01-22T07:32:00.000-08:00

I am posting this just to keep anyone reading this blog notified as to what is going on with the record. I received the cover art and approved it on Thursday this week. I am thrilled at how it turned out. I like it for several reasons. 1. The colors are very soothing. 2. The detail is slightly obscure due to shading. 3. The Title is in a nice font and size. 4. While I am in the photo, my face is not. This lends itself to my personal dislike of self promotion. While it is required for any artist to promote their recordings, I feel it more important to promote what the album is about. For me, that is the music therein, which in turn promotes Jesus. So while the cover is a bit ambiguous and un flashy, I appreciate how it accomplished that goal while looking really professional. Thanks to Cole Roberts at Tate publishing for his artistic vision for this project. Also thanks to Keri Butler for her vision in the photography. You will see a lot of this image both on my face book page, myspace and my website that is being built. www.jamisontunes.com
Please comment on any of my posts to let me know you are reading and I will continue to post things as I can. Thanks to all those supporting me in this venture. - Jamison

Shaping up

2010-01-13T15:26:00.000-08:00

Things are shaping up in many ways. On the "Fat Guy" front, I am committing to dropping 50 lbs in the next 6 months. Please pray for me as I begin the road to a needle free life. I have been on insulin now for a few months and am not liking it much. If i can drop 50 lbs, I believe as does my Dr. that I will no longer have to take these shots.
On the music front, my CD is in the artwork phase and things are coming along. I am making connections in different areas of the country and have begun to make potential bookings. I am optomistic that the CD will be well received. I guess we will see. I will be content at playing weekly events and selling a few hundred CD's a week. HAHA.

Past and Present

2010-01-11T17:23:00.000-08:00

This weekend has been pretty up and down. Up in that through the magic of Facebook, I have re-connected with a good friend from high school. Kelly and I were thick as thieves back in high school. We also went to junior college together for a year. While in high school and college, we had the chance to sing together. I always remember how well our two voices blended and how we could switch who was doing melody and who was doing harmony without even thinking about it. It was cool.
This Sunday, Kelly and his family came to our house to visit. I had not seen him in 15 years. We had a nice lunch, visit and then began to play music on our guitars and sing. With the upcoming release of my CD, I thought it would be cool to have Kelly sing with me when I was playing in the area. So when I book a gig somewhere in southeast Ks, or in that general area, Kelly will be on stage with me. I am excited for this prospect. Kelly is hard at work now learning all of the songs and practicing the chords. I will post local appearances as they become available. Thanks for reading.

Inspiration

2010-01-05T09:34:00.000-08:00

I have been a paramedic now for 15 years. I have worked for 3 different EMS services over the years and have had the pleasure of visiting with several members of the "Greatest Generation". That is of course the generation who served during WWII.
I have always been interested in that conflict. I am not sure why, but I have. So when I am able, I like talking to both men and women who served. I had the chance to visit with a gentleman once on the way to the VA hospital in Wichita, KS. He had been fighting in France and through fate, wound up on the wrong side of a grenade. During a battle, his unit was being attacked, during this, a German soldier had thrown a grenade into the structure that he and his unit were in. In a snap decision, he leaped onto the grenade to save the lives of his fellow soldiers and the grenade went off. He lost both legs, both hands and his sight. He also sustained damage to several internal organs and lost 11 feet of his colon and his spleen. Needless to say, this man was in rough shape. He barely survived. Fast forward to the year 2003. Now an old man, he needed to go to the VA to get treatment for an infection. I drew the card. The conversation was interesting and heartbreaking to say the least. He was the first person to bring to my attention to the inscription that is located above the entrance. He told me, "Now I have never seen it, but I believe it with all that is left of me" He chuckled and told me, "look up as you enter the front door of the hospital." I did so. Right there in bold letters, where one would think I would have noticed it after standing in that very spot dozens of times, it read..."Herein lies the price of freedom".
This vet was not complaining, nor was he trying to make a point, however, he did. My view on the Greatest Generation as well as all of those who serve in the US armed forces changed that day.
This was brought to my remembrance today and I wrote a song about it. I plan to record it soon and post it on my website as soon as I can. - Jamison

New things coming

2010-01-04T21:28:00.000-08:00

I have started this blog to inform people of new things coming up for me. I have recently finished recording my first studio album and it will be released sometime in the next couple of months.
There will be a CD release announced both here on this blog and on my facebook page. I will also be launching a new website. It is up and running, but content is still being added thanks to Keith Marshall www.kmarshall.com
Please feel free to visit my website for other info and tour dates as they become known and to purchase my CD "All Of Me" when it comes out. Thanks and God bless.

NOTE: URL has changed for the new website. it is now www.jamisontunes.com