| Jerry Blair |
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Jerry Blair IN HIS OWN WORDS
The direction I believe I am heading is to try to be like a "Jack White" of Christian alternative rock playing guitar and keyboards with an edge that is real
and not always rated G because life is not rated G and there is nothing about Jesus' ministry that is rated G, meeting people where they are and trying to
rock their souls like mine has been rocked, trying to love and move everybody like Jesus wants us to without judgment at all. One of my honest criticisms
of the Church at large is that we want to pretend that we live in Disneyland, and I have seen in my life that it just ain't so. I want to move back toward the
musical liberty of the original Christian rocker, a contemporary of the Beatles, Larry Norman.
I don't have any published lyrics like this yet, but I am talking about things like Larry Norman's Why Don't You Look Into Jesus where part of his lyrics are:
"Drinkin' whiskey from a paper cup,
You drown your sorrows 'til you can't get up.
Take a look at what you've done to yourself
Why don't you put the bottle back on the shelf...
Gonorrhea on Valentine's Day
You're still lookin' for the perfect lay
You think rock and roll will set you free, honey
You'll be dead before you're thirty-three...
Shootin' junk 'til you're half insane,
Broken needle in you're purple vein.
Why don't you look into Jesus?
He got the answer."
When I first heard that song, I was actually "drinkin' whiskey from a paper cup," and it changed my life.
Gary, I know your time is precious and our relationship is very limited, and I appreciate every little contact I have with you so much because you are the
real deal, but I felt like I needed to fill in that gap of who I am musically before you do your review. I'm not a "pie-in-the-sky" kind of Christian, I'm a get
down and dirty doing love playing classic rock and slipping in one of my rockin' songs in bars kind of "hope dealer" who knows God loves us all the
same.
Thank you, Jerry
The direction I believe I am heading is to try to be like a "Jack White" of Christian alternative rock playing guitar and keyboards with an edge that is real
and not always rated G because life is not rated G and there is nothing about Jesus' ministry that is rated G, meeting people where they are and trying to
rock their souls like mine has been rocked, trying to love and move everybody like Jesus wants us to without judgment at all. One of my honest criticisms
of the Church at large is that we want to pretend that we live in Disneyland, and I have seen in my life that it just ain't so. I want to move back toward the
musical liberty of the original Christian rocker, a contemporary of the Beatles, Larry Norman.
I don't have any published lyrics like this yet, but I am talking about things like Larry Norman's Why Don't You Look Into Jesus where part of his lyrics are:
"Drinkin' whiskey from a paper cup,
You drown your sorrows 'til you can't get up.
Take a look at what you've done to yourself
Why don't you put the bottle back on the shelf...
Gonorrhea on Valentine's Day
You're still lookin' for the perfect lay
You think rock and roll will set you free, honey
You'll be dead before you're thirty-three...
Shootin' junk 'til you're half insane,
Broken needle in you're purple vein.
Why don't you look into Jesus?
He got the answer."
When I first heard that song, I was actually "drinkin' whiskey from a paper cup," and it changed my life.
Gary, I know your time is precious and our relationship is very limited, and I appreciate every little contact I have with you so much because you are the
real deal, but I felt like I needed to fill in that gap of who I am musically before you do your review. I'm not a "pie-in-the-sky" kind of Christian, I'm a get
down and dirty doing love playing classic rock and slipping in one of my rockin' songs in bars kind of "hope dealer" who knows God loves us all the
same.
Thank you, Jerry
 |  |  |  |  |
I am a songwriter and so honored to be a runner-up in Gary Allen's "Best Song In The World Contest" -
a big vote of confidence from a solid pro rocker.
I focus on Christian rock and CCM. The world is broken. I try to write songs/perform to lift us back up, to rock our
souls and feed them too! I believe that a good song is something that moves you - there must be a movement
invoked - whether it moves your body or your spirit or both, and I try to do that in what I write,
and if something I do moves people the way I have been moved, I am thankful.
Rich Mullins sang in his song Elijah that music "is the finest thing I have ever found." I agree, having done many
things in my life, and also being a veteran combat soldier, an award winning writer of short stories, poetry, and a
novel, practicing as a country lawyer whose caseload was primarily very poor people, and many other life
experiences. I have a lot of academic degrees, and even attended a Bible college, and people have called me
"Doc" as a nickname since I was five, but truly in spite of all that education, I still turned out alright.
I listen to and perform in every genre that I know of at one time or another. I was privileged to grow up around fervent
bluegrass, country and country gospel music artists. It was not uncommon for The Lilly Brothers, a successful
Bluegrass Band from West Virginia who toured the world and performed with Flatt & Scruggs, to come around to
my grandfather's house. It was through them I started picking on a mandolin and have been banging on instruments
since then. I have also been privileged to have crossed paths with many other greats including Billy Edd Wheeler,
member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, who has sold more than 70 million albums writing songs for Johnny Cash,
Elvis and many others. I discovered rock and the righteous soulful early work of Elton John and his gospelish fusion
of blues and rock-n-roll blew me away. Southern Rock pulled my soul. Then Contemporary Christian Music started
a big vote of confidence from a solid pro rocker.
I focus on Christian rock and CCM. The world is broken. I try to write songs/perform to lift us back up, to rock our
souls and feed them too! I believe that a good song is something that moves you - there must be a movement
invoked - whether it moves your body or your spirit or both, and I try to do that in what I write,
and if something I do moves people the way I have been moved, I am thankful.
Rich Mullins sang in his song Elijah that music "is the finest thing I have ever found." I agree, having done many
things in my life, and also being a veteran combat soldier, an award winning writer of short stories, poetry, and a
novel, practicing as a country lawyer whose caseload was primarily very poor people, and many other life
experiences. I have a lot of academic degrees, and even attended a Bible college, and people have called me
"Doc" as a nickname since I was five, but truly in spite of all that education, I still turned out alright.
I listen to and perform in every genre that I know of at one time or another. I was privileged to grow up around fervent
bluegrass, country and country gospel music artists. It was not uncommon for The Lilly Brothers, a successful
Bluegrass Band from West Virginia who toured the world and performed with Flatt & Scruggs, to come around to
my grandfather's house. It was through them I started picking on a mandolin and have been banging on instruments
since then. I have also been privileged to have crossed paths with many other greats including Billy Edd Wheeler,
member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, who has sold more than 70 million albums writing songs for Johnny Cash,
Elvis and many others. I discovered rock and the righteous soulful early work of Elton John and his gospelish fusion
of blues and rock-n-roll blew me away. Southern Rock pulled my soul. Then Contemporary Christian Music started
A Message from Gary Allen:
Dr. Jerry Blair is our first contemporary Christian artist to place so high in my Sonicbids competition, and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. A songwriter trying to make
sense of a topsy turvy world with original songs of faith and the love of God. The lyrics are clearly Biblical in nature, but they are not overpowering on their message
of faith. In fact, any of the local secular stations are playing this popular style of music these days.
Jerry's music is a little rock and roll, even some heavy metal but the message is rock solid. I can’t really compare him to anyone else I have heard. The recording is
unique and he mixes it up and expresses himself uniquely in each and every track. The Devil has the voodoo, but the Prince of Peace has your back and is on the
attack; lyrics from a personal favorite of mine called Ran Into The Devil.
The issues definitely get heavier and a little more intense in some of these tracks, but go in the opposite direction with his song from the YouTube video, Me &
Nicodemus. Jerry will be first to tell you, that one was calculated to be humorous, and it is funny. He visits photo shop and is shown alongside notables like President
Washington to
Queen Elizabeth, the paperboy to Bob Dylan.
These are not songs of struggling with faith but more a revealing celebration of life with acoustic, and classical style keyboard sprinkled in. These instruments seem to
make it all more intimate in the process. Jerry has found a comfortable formula that keeps each track interesting. Not a second is left bare, and repetition is rubbed
out almost flawlessly. These songs reflect the biblical truth “they’ll know we are Christians by our love”. A vehicle of praise with the call to life to be a light in the
darkest night.
While expressing wonder and being inspiring, there is no question where Jerry's heart lies. It is possible to love and commit to Christ despite "seeing it all.” Though
our first and most natural inclination is to be cynical about life, love, redemption, and hope, may it be said of all of us that we never cease to be amazed by God. Jerry
Blair reminds us of that, and will continue to challenge and inspire listeners with his uplifting musical worship experience.
Congratulations and God bless you on your musical journey!
-Gary Allen (The Charlie Daniels Band/JJ Cale/Stonewall Jackson)
Dr. Jerry Blair is our first contemporary Christian artist to place so high in my Sonicbids competition, and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. A songwriter trying to make
sense of a topsy turvy world with original songs of faith and the love of God. The lyrics are clearly Biblical in nature, but they are not overpowering on their message
of faith. In fact, any of the local secular stations are playing this popular style of music these days.
Jerry's music is a little rock and roll, even some heavy metal but the message is rock solid. I can’t really compare him to anyone else I have heard. The recording is
unique and he mixes it up and expresses himself uniquely in each and every track. The Devil has the voodoo, but the Prince of Peace has your back and is on the
attack; lyrics from a personal favorite of mine called Ran Into The Devil.
The issues definitely get heavier and a little more intense in some of these tracks, but go in the opposite direction with his song from the YouTube video, Me &
Nicodemus. Jerry will be first to tell you, that one was calculated to be humorous, and it is funny. He visits photo shop and is shown alongside notables like President
Washington to
Queen Elizabeth, the paperboy to Bob Dylan.
These are not songs of struggling with faith but more a revealing celebration of life with acoustic, and classical style keyboard sprinkled in. These instruments seem to
make it all more intimate in the process. Jerry has found a comfortable formula that keeps each track interesting. Not a second is left bare, and repetition is rubbed
out almost flawlessly. These songs reflect the biblical truth “they’ll know we are Christians by our love”. A vehicle of praise with the call to life to be a light in the
darkest night.
While expressing wonder and being inspiring, there is no question where Jerry's heart lies. It is possible to love and commit to Christ despite "seeing it all.” Though
our first and most natural inclination is to be cynical about life, love, redemption, and hope, may it be said of all of us that we never cease to be amazed by God. Jerry
Blair reminds us of that, and will continue to challenge and inspire listeners with his uplifting musical worship experience.
Congratulations and God bless you on your musical journey!
-Gary Allen (The Charlie Daniels Band/JJ Cale/Stonewall Jackson)
and carried me away. I was in Huntington WV when the great Michael W. Smith started his journey - I remember his first band’s “I AM”. I was there when songwriter
Chuck Lawrence had his “He Grew The Tree” accepted to record by Barbara Mandrell - she sent him flowers with a card that said "He Grew The Tree is my favorite
song." ["He grew the tree-that He knew would be-used to make the old rugged cross" - great writing.]
My influences are sincerely too numerous to name, but certainly my fellow West Virginia boy, the great artist Michael W. Smith, and the incomparable Rich Mullins
have been a blessing to me beyond words, as was Larry Norman, the father of Christian Rock. I studied a lot of guitar from the music of the Rolling Stones and other
rock greats, and piano mainly from Elton John's amazing works. I am an "old school" musician who believes in helping other musicians and exchanging "licks" and
negativity has no place in my life. I believe in Jesus Christ, and I know the world is broken and I want to do my part to repair it and lift people up, and I mean loving
one another as a verb and not pie-in-the-sky philosophizing. My attitude is that I'll play any venue - a bar of any kind the same as a church of any kind, a back room
or a stadium, because I believe that is what Jesus would do - I'll go where people are, I "do" love and don't judge them, and rock our souls and try to feed them too.
I play with different bands and do sets of classic rock, blues, and Christian Rock. It's about the music, the message, and His love - not about me.
I just recently submitted 2 songs to your new contest "Ran Into The Devil" is in memory of Larry Norman, the father of Christian Rock, and exemplifies the bluesy
"dirty guitar" style that I love. "29 (for the miners)" is a piano/string song in honor of the 29 miners killed at Montcoal, WV earlier this year in an explosion - I knew
one of those men as a child, and it has been described by fans as a "beautiful and fitting tribute" and I think it could be a crossover or country "hit." I haven't heard
anybody else do a song about that national tragedy yet. In fact, I think you were still with The Charlie Daniels Band when I was a teenager playing at the base of that
mountain at Montcoal at a UMWA miner's rally, and rocked some of those to-be victims - the whole area came out for the performance. God bless you for giving so
many people that rapture we call good music.
I haven't had the privilege of recording in a studio yet, I'm still standing in front of a computer and a tin can often laying down guitar and keyboard tracks and mixing
them. I had a stroke a couple of years ago and am fully recovered except for some occasional residual vocal problems which are being healed and getting better
daily. Because of my current vocal "limitations," I primarily regard myself as a songwriter and seek established artists to want to do my songs.
Chuck Lawrence had his “He Grew The Tree” accepted to record by Barbara Mandrell - she sent him flowers with a card that said "He Grew The Tree is my favorite
song." ["He grew the tree-that He knew would be-used to make the old rugged cross" - great writing.]
My influences are sincerely too numerous to name, but certainly my fellow West Virginia boy, the great artist Michael W. Smith, and the incomparable Rich Mullins
have been a blessing to me beyond words, as was Larry Norman, the father of Christian Rock. I studied a lot of guitar from the music of the Rolling Stones and other
rock greats, and piano mainly from Elton John's amazing works. I am an "old school" musician who believes in helping other musicians and exchanging "licks" and
negativity has no place in my life. I believe in Jesus Christ, and I know the world is broken and I want to do my part to repair it and lift people up, and I mean loving
one another as a verb and not pie-in-the-sky philosophizing. My attitude is that I'll play any venue - a bar of any kind the same as a church of any kind, a back room
or a stadium, because I believe that is what Jesus would do - I'll go where people are, I "do" love and don't judge them, and rock our souls and try to feed them too.
I play with different bands and do sets of classic rock, blues, and Christian Rock. It's about the music, the message, and His love - not about me.
I just recently submitted 2 songs to your new contest "Ran Into The Devil" is in memory of Larry Norman, the father of Christian Rock, and exemplifies the bluesy
"dirty guitar" style that I love. "29 (for the miners)" is a piano/string song in honor of the 29 miners killed at Montcoal, WV earlier this year in an explosion - I knew
one of those men as a child, and it has been described by fans as a "beautiful and fitting tribute" and I think it could be a crossover or country "hit." I haven't heard
anybody else do a song about that national tragedy yet. In fact, I think you were still with The Charlie Daniels Band when I was a teenager playing at the base of that
mountain at Montcoal at a UMWA miner's rally, and rocked some of those to-be victims - the whole area came out for the performance. God bless you for giving so
many people that rapture we call good music.
I haven't had the privilege of recording in a studio yet, I'm still standing in front of a computer and a tin can often laying down guitar and keyboard tracks and mixing
them. I had a stroke a couple of years ago and am fully recovered except for some occasional residual vocal problems which are being healed and getting better
daily. Because of my current vocal "limitations," I primarily regard myself as a songwriter and seek established artists to want to do my songs.
| Jerry Blair's Website: www.wordsofchristinred.com |
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| Tennessee Concerts Song Contest |
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