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The Beginning of Maranatha! Music
This year marks the 52nd Anniversary of this Album, as well as Maranatha! Music. Though this Album was not the first Christian one I heard, it did have a Band that recorded a song on it that I heard the night I got saved; Blessed Hope. Today, 50 years ago, I went to a Concert at a Tent in Costa Mesa, California and heard them play. I was not a Christian, and had been reluctant in going, but that night I heard the Gospel for the first time and became a Believer! Anyway, this Post is not about me; its about this Album.
At the time it came out, there wasn’t much in the way of Christian Rock, or “Jesus Music”, as it was called then. The Groups that recorded songs for this LP had been around for a few years. They were almost all new Believers, Musicians, and had a burden to share the Good News with others. They were traveling around the Southern California area, playing at Churches (that would have them; many would not), Coffee Houses, or places that could house a band and several dozen people. But predominately, they would play at Calvary Chapel on Saturday Nights where several hundred people would gather, hear the Gospel preached, and see Hippies, Drug Addicts, and Societal Rejects come to Christ. It was an Amazing Time and would become known as the Jesus Movement.
At the right is the back cover with a list of the Groups and the Songs that they contributed. As I said, this Album came out at least 2 years before I first visited Calvary Chapel, but I did get to see most of them perform before I would move to San Diego in 1974. Let me comment on a couple of them. Love Song was the most popular at the time. They were actually a non-christian band called “Love Song” prior to their conversion. Chuck Girard, one of the members, had been in a couple of Pop 60s bands and even had a #9 Hit with the Hondells called “Little Honda”. As I mentioned, Blessed Hope played the night I was converted. Though they never had an “official” Album, they are represented on the next 2 Maranatha Albums. Years later, I worked with and became friends with the Lead Guitarist.
Country Faith had already disbanded by the time I was saved, but this particular song, “Two Roads” has a unique story. I was driving home very late one night (in the AMs) and came across it playing on KMET, one of my BC Days stations. I was just shocked to think that thousands of Stoners may be hearing the Gospel as they drove home from a Party. The Way was a Band that I probably heard the most, and IMHO, was Very Good as a Band. No doubt could have been Top 100 quality if they were not Christian. Debby Kerner would end up marrying Ernie Rettino and making several popular Kids Albums called “Kid’s Praise”. And of all the Songs, the one by Children of the Day, “For Those Tears I Died” was probably most well known. They too, were a very early group and recorded the 2nd Album for Maranatha! Music.
Side 1
- “Little Country Church” – Love Song
- “In Jesus Name” – Selah
- “Something More” – Blessed Hope
- “Two Roads” – Country Faith
- “Holy, Holy Holy” – Maranatha Singers
Side 2
- “The Shepherd” – Gentle Faith
- “Behold I Stand At The Door And Knock” – Debbie Kerner
- “If You Will Believe” – The Way
- “Maranatha” – Love Song
- “For Those Tears I Died” – Children Of The Day
