These are Scriptures set in song to help us live with courage, purpose, peace, and joy as we remember God’s words of comfort, edification, exhortation, and love.
You may stream the complete album here for free.
“I grew up with these songs as a little girl. My mother was a gospel singer and my father was a gigolo.
My momma gave me the gospel and my daddy gave me the blues.” — Bettie Mae Fikes
If you’ve ever been to a Bettie Mae Fikes concert, you know why we wanted to record her live–with a great band pulsing behind her and the audience giving back to her as she pours out the raw electricity of blues powered by a voice that hides nothing.
On August 26, 2009, Bettie Mae stepped onto the small stage in a barn at Ancient Lake Gardens in Lake County, California, with five of her favorite musicians and the house packed with enthusiastic fans. The result was the recording that Bettie Mae says finally captures her true voice.
On How Blue Can You Get? Bettie Mae Fikes delivers pure, vivid, gutsy, life-lived, authentic blues with authority and courage. Her heart-felt, selfless style reaches deep into the human experience and embraces the listener, letting them know they’re not alone. There are lessons to be learned here–lessons from a well-lived, hard-fought and closely examined life. A life of trials and triumphs, with Jesus the center of it all.
This is the blues… done Bettie Mae’s way.
Related links:
1. Let the Good Times Roll 1. Let the Good Times Roll
2. Your Husband’s Been Cheating On Us 2. Your Husband’s Been Cheating On Us
3. How Blue Can You Get? 3. How Blue Can You Get?
4. Rock Me Baby 4. Rock Me Baby
5. Every Day I Have the Blues 5. Every Day I Have the Blues
6. Down Home Blues 6. Down Home Blues
7. God Bless the Child That’s Got His Own 7. God Bless the Child That’s Got His Own
8. Summertime 8. Summertime
9. Dr. Feel Good 9. Dr. Feel Good
The Bible tells us to hide the Word of God in our hearts, but how do we memorize it? The easiest way is to sing it. These particular passages are not worship. They were chosen to feed, guide, encourage, and strengthen Believers as they battle their way through the trials of life.
In 1978, when Scripture choruses were just being sung and worship had not yet become more popular than Contemporary Christian music, Carolyn was given a commission to put into song Scriptures that would encourage and uplift followers of Jesus Christ as they battled through the trials of their lives. The songs on this original album, recorded in 1990, were chosen to encourage a missionary who had labored 25 years to bring the message of hope and redemption to people in China.
You may stream the complete album here for free.
• Read and download the booklet in PDF format for free: Click here
• Immediate download of the audio is available after payment is received.
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Description:
Carolyn Wing Greenlee has instructed hundreds of people to sing, and experienced singers to use their voices to their greatest potential. Most have simply not had the tools needed to strengthen, stretch and tune their voices effectively. Everyone can improve with effort and understanding.
These exercises are for warming up the voice and developing its capabilities. The 15 minutes of warm-ups are designed to stretch your range, both higher and lower, to create strength and resonance in the upper range and flexibility and lyricism in the lower range. The exercises are beneficial for all styles of singing in any musical genre.
• Use it around the house to strengthen and expand your vocal range
• Backstage before a performance
• Before tracking a vocal in the studio
• In your car on the way to a gig, or wherever
An 8-page booklet provides explanations of how the voice works and what it takes to improve the quality and control of your voice. A simple explanation of each exercise is also provided.
There are 7 safe and effective exercises:
Track 01 – Thirds
Track 02 – Snowplow
Track 03 – Stretching the Falsetto
Track 04 – Pitch Matching with Vowels
Track 05 – Staccato Octave Jumps
Track 06 – Pitch Matching with Vowel Changes
Track 07 – Octave in 3rds with Staccato Vowels
An unusual part of this CD is that the voice doing the exercises is not perfect. Instead of demonstrating only what should be, it also shows what you can expect if you are not strong and controlled. While you’re learning and growing, you’re bound to make some ugly noises. Don’t feel embarrassed, that’s simply part of the process.
Dan Worley – Acoustic guitar, Piano, Lead vocals
Carolyn Wing Greenlee – Background vocals, Percussion
Peter Wilson – Electric guitar
Dale Enstrom – B-3 organ, Piano, Keyboards
Dale Billester – Bass
Rob Watson – Drums
Additional drums by Mark King and Razz
Brass by Peter Chambers
Engineered and mixed by Dan Worley and Peter Wilson at Earthen Vessel & Lakehouse studios
Additional engineering by Greg Bell, Soundchasm Studio
Remastered 2023 by Dan Worley
Produced by Carolyn Wing Greenlee & Dan Worley
Listen for Free
toad to toad
toad to toad by Carolyn Wing Greenlee
Sometimes we just aren’t cheerful. And those that are get on our nerves. Sometimes we just feel like flops in every area of our lives. I do—a lot.
Many of the songs on this album were written when I felt the most worthless. If you get to feeling that way, maybe this album will bring you some comfort. Maybe even some chuckles and hope. If not, please pass it on to someone who feels more toad-like than you. — Carolyn Wing Greenlee
toad to toad
My Father is a Potter
Through My Flaws
Your Face Is Mercy
On Wounded Feet
Thoughts
Faithful
The Pruning Song
In the Middle
The Garbage Song
The Follow Song
I Will Bring the Blind
I Have Conquered
Father, You Know Better
Something More
Barbara’s Song