This is a quick riff about baseball and Switchfoot, two of my personal favorite things. You’re saying, “Huh?” ?
A well-known baseball exec once said that “good luck is the residue of design,” which I always took to mean that good luck comes when you’re doing what you should, which means doing your homework and going about your business.
In other words, for a music band, work hard, practice and play a lot together, even just messing around, and a song that’s good might come from it.
And one of the signs of a band on top of its game is when it trues something “untraditional,” i.e., out of the ordinary, and it works.
Think of the spoken-word “song” that ends one of the best Christian albums ever, DC Talk’s “Supernatural.”
And also think of “Gone,” by Switchfoot.
I don’t know the band or any of its members, but if I had to guess, the very cool rap by Jon Foreman at the end of the song evolved when they were doing things like working hard in the studio, listening lots to other performers, and practicing.
The ending riff to “Gone,” of course:
“Gone, like Frank Sinatra
Like Elvis and his mom
Like Al Pacino’s cash, nothing lasts in this life
My high school dreams are gone
My childhood sweets are gone
Life is a day that doesn’t last for long.”

(then, things really pick up)

“Life is more than money
Time was never money
Time was never cash,
Life is still more than girls
Life is more than hundred-dollar bills
And oh the town fills
Life more than fame and rock and roll and thrills
All the riches of the kings
And up in wills we got information in the information age
But do we know what life is
Outside of our conveinent Lexus cages
She said he said live like no tomorrow
Every moment that we borrow
Brings us closer to the God who’s not short of cash
Hey, Bono, I’m glad you asked …”

Obviously, a confident band is the only one capable of cooking that one up.
Switchfoot is about to embark on a huge tour with Third Day and Jars of Clay, by the way. Outside of huge festivals, has there ever been a better tripleheader?

It’s not exactly what you’d call a conquest of America, a la the Beatles.
But to mark Tuesday’s much-anticipated release of Third Day’s 10th studio album, “Revelation,” the band took over the home page of HearItFirst.com.
Then there’s bigger news … you night owls already know this, but Third Day were set to appear on NBC’s “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” Tuesday night, at least the second time I remember they got invited by America’s number-one late-night host.
This comes on the heels of Third Day being on the cover of Billboard magazine last month.
What’s next, Mac Powell on the cover of Rolling Stone and Spin?
Starting Tuesday, HearItFirst.com dedicated its home page entirely to Third Day content for one week.
Features will include exclusive interviews with the band about its new album, plus an online contest where fans can enter to win an official autographed tour jacket.
Consistent with their crossover recognition, “Revelation” features popular singer Daughtry (known as Chris Daughtry back when he was on “American Idol”) on the song “Slow Down.”
New Christian artists Flyleaf’s Lacey Mosley sings on tracks “Born Again” and “Run to You.”
As CrossRock mentioned last week, Third Day is about to hit the road for summer festival appearances and the eagerly-anticipated “Music Builds Tour” with Switchfoot, Robert Randolph & the Family Band and Jars of Clay.
How does a Christian rock band that has had 25 number-one singles, lots of sold-out arenas and all kinds of awards top itself?
It looks like Third Day could be doing it.

One of the most interesting new acts set to appear at the Purple Door festival, coming in just a little more than two weeks, is the band Seabird.
The piano-based, melodic Ohio band is best known for its catchy song “Rescue.”
And appearances like the one at Purple Door in mid-August will be one of the ones that determines whether Seabird is able to turn the description “interesting” into “emerging,” as in “emerging new talent.”
One national magazine, “Christian Music Today,” calls Seabird’s new “‘Til We See the Shore” a “solid debut … with catchy alt-pop and encouraging lyrics, even if it often resembles the work of several similar styled bands from the last five years.”
The song “Rescue” is a spotlight for the vocal abilities of band frontman Aaron Morgan, an already-distinctive-sounding vocalist who starts the song with a big “I’m pushing up DAI-sies / I wish they were roses.”
It goes on, in piano-based style, to paint a picture of reaching out to God for redemption: “’cause you are my rapture, you are my savior/  When all my hope is gone, I reach for you.”
Seabird formed less than five years ago, when the Cincinnati-based Seabird formed to compete in a battle of the bands contest, and have since played a variety of venues both Christian and secular.
“Christian Music Today” called the band’s style a mix of the “piano-based pop of The Fray and NeedToBreathe crossed with the Brit influences of Coldplay and The Doves.”
Hmm.
Purple Door is at Ski Roundtop Friday and Saturday, Aug. 15-16.
The headlining band will be Skillet, the monstrously popular Christian rock band also winning huge raves from mainstream fans.
Sorta like Seabird, which also had played at Creation 2008 in June, wants to do.

It makes me feel a little sheepish to admit it, but the first time I heard their instant-anthem, catchy and great new song, I thought it was Carrie Underwood.
Then, the next time I heard it and was already singing along to it, I was determined to go look up who this was.
It turned out to be The Sonflowerz, a sister act that sounds about as exciting a female Christian music artist to emerge in awhile.
The song I had heard on the radio was “Edge of My Seat,” and it’s not the only good and maybe great one on the new CD, “All Over the World,” by the Sonflowerz.
“Edge Of My Seat” hit #1 on one chart the first week, and that was just the start.
There’s also a great song called “My Adoration,” an original worship song co-written by Sonflowerz lead singer and guitarist Elissa Leander, and that made the top 5 on the same chart.
There’s also “Like No One Else,” fueled by dreamy Southern-and-country-fueled guitars and the ballad “More Than I Think I Am” among the 11 strong efforts on “All Over The World.”
As I wrote about Chris Sligh recently, the Sonflowerz are an exciting new presence in Christian music, a nice addition to the quote-unqote scene in 2008 … and, it looks like, way beyond.
Hard to believe it’s been just a year since the Sonflowerz won first place in the vocal duo competition and best overall vocal group at the big aannual Gospel Music Association “Music in the Rockies” competition.
After winning that, last August, the vocal duo of Elissa and her sister Becca began work right away on “All Over The World.”
It’s only been nine years since the Sonflowerz began, when Elissa Leander began writing original worship songs at the age of 14.
Encouraged by her youth pastor to form a band with her sister, Becca (bass/vocals/keyboard), they began performing at venues across their home state of Colorado.
Their first album, “You Remain,” and single, “Crazy Love,” were released in 2002. Their sophomore effort, “Alive in You,” was released in 2005.
They’re half-British, half-American, and “the real deal,” as Alyssa Barlow of BarlowGirl said.
“Edge of My Seat” certainly is the real deal, showing lyrics that have dealt with maturity way beyond Elissa’s 20-plus years, and her throaty, husky vocal style that reminds you of the best female country stars. Without the twang.
They’re an act you’ll still be singing along to long after you hit the eject button. That’s what I’ve been doing … and I won’t be forgetting their name any time soon.

Maybe no band has been as big an influence — or generated as much anticipation — for me in following Christian music over the last 15 years as Third Day.
What an incredible message, with constantly catchy music that runs the gamut from slightly harder, guitar-driven to acoustic ballads, all with a very clear faith front and center. And to look around the full arenas when the band plays here, and to look at the music charts, a lot of people agree!
And all led by one of the best singers around, the sometimes-powerful, sometimes-gentle Mac Powell, who’s way too humble to admit or even care that he’s among the top vocalists in popular or ‘religious” music.
And few albums will be as anticipated in 2008 as Third Day’s upcoming “Revelation,” which launches on Tuesday, July 29, a week from today.
The latest word has it that Third Day’s new song “Call My Name” is currently the No. 1 Christian song in the country.
In just a dozen years, it’s Third Day’s 25th song to reach the top position on a Christian music chart.
And in those same dozen years, speaking personally, it’s been fascinating to watch the Atlanta-area band mature and develop in millions of exciting, and looking back at where they started, unexpected, ways.
They’ve traveled quite a ways, from a very Southern-rock-sounding — very good, but a little nervous — band that I first saw at a Baltimore-area megachurch in early 1997 to the fully-assured chart-toppers playing a wide range of ballads, worship and guitar-led rock I saw in packed arenas in 2000, 2002 and 2004.
There are few better songs to hear in concert than “Consuming Fire,” “Come Together,” “Your Love Oh Lord” or really just about anything from their “Offerings” worship CDs.
And “Revelation” is arriving in stores with a lot of the same promise.
Following the release of “Revelation,” Third Day will hit the road for summer festival appearances and the highly-anticipated “Music Builds” tour with Switchfoot, Robert Randolph & the Family Band and Jars of Clay.
Are members of the media allowed to say “Wow!” ?
Visit www.musicbuildstour.com for updated information on the tour, which for now is coming closest to hear in Washington, D.C. and New Jersey.
Along with those two-dozen-plus No.1 radio singles and more than 6 million albums sold, Third Day has won countless Dove Awards for best album, song and band of the year.
And it’s a trademark of how good they are, that when you ask fans to pick a favorite song, 10 people might give you 10 different answers.
Third Day’s veteran fans will notice the absence of former guitarist Brad Avery.
Third Day and founding member Avery decided to part ways, the first lineup change since the quintet came on the Christian music scene.
The rest of the familiar faces are there, starting with frontman Powell. There’s also excellent, group-sound-defining guitarist Mark Lee, Tai Anderson on bass and David Carr on drums, and joining the band is a touring member, Scotty Wilbanks on keyboards.
It will be interesting to see where this always-fascinating, always-insightful, band atop the Christian charts defines itself here in 2008.

Michael English signs off the letter on his Web page “In Christ Alone,” and it’s appropriate for more reasons than just because that’s the name of his best-known song.
“In Christ Alone,” in fact, could be the metaphor for English’s new redemption as a Christian music artist.
With his new hit “Feels Like Redemption,” on top of the earlier “The Only Thing Good In Me,” shows the wondrous, God-given skills of a man with a rich, lustrous voice.
More importantly, it’s the voice of a man redeemed … a prodigal who’s come home.
English was on top of the world of Christian music in the early to mid-1990s … six Dove Awards, including the highly coveted Artist of the Year.
He had just won a Dove when, just the very next day, an extramarital relationship English had with a female singer in another group on tour with English was revealed.
A furor resulted, and English returned his Doves amid a very public fall from grace.
He was divorced, also had problems with drugs, and was seemingly disgraced when he had a life-changing encounter with God four years ago.
His life was dramatically renewed.
English grounded his Christian rebirth in pastoral accountabilitity and reliance on the Gospel.
And he sang … oh, how he sings, with an unsurpassed balladeer’s voice that can cover many ranges and styles.
The result is the aptly titled “The Prodigal Comes Home.”
English on his new record brings the same powerful singing voice that marked “In Christ Alone,” a song that’s one of the true staples of modern Christian contemporary music.
English said in an interview how he hopes the songs on his record “tell simple truths that people can relate to, and provide hope even when it feels hopeless.”
English remarried in 2002 (his wife is Marcie), and has two daughters.
As his Web page adds, “Not only has English been completely delivered from all substances, but (he’s) also experienced a second chance at starting a family (he also has an older daughter), which he credits as the ultimate miracle.”
There have been many miracles of redemption for one of Christian music’s most-talented singers, whose return is  a welcome new addition.

It’s pretty hard to capture the story and still-being-felt influence of Keith Green in one package, but Sparrow Records has given it a good shot.
The record company has opened up the vaults and uncovered hundreds of hours of unreleased live concert recordings, festival recordings, television performances, teachings, photos, videos, and even new songs that have never been heard … until now.
The result is “The Live Experience” and a greatest-hit project, which try to capture the immense legacy of Green, who died in a plane crash 26 years ago next week.
Along with Rich Mullins, Green is the best-known Christian artist called home to heaven at a young age.
And, like Mullins did later on, Green left a legacy of well-known songs as well.
His best-known were “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful,” “There Is a Redeemer” and “Your Love Broke Through,” all of which are church, radio and worship standards today.
Along with “The Live Experience” CD is a four-hour-plus DVD, including never-before-seen live performances from TV appearances, festivals, concerts, and more.
There’s also an hour-long documentary, “Your Love Broke Through,” which tells the story of Green’s life, from a child prodigy performer who came to faith in Christ and then was bolder than bold in his faith.
There are some in our area who will remember seeing and hearing Green at McCaskey High School and elsewhere in the region, while there are many Christian music fans who were not yet born in 1982.
Both will benefit from this new look at one of Christian music’s most-loved and influential artists.

The organizers now busily getting ready for the 2008 version say it’s “to show that creativity does have a place in the Church.”
Creativity, and a showcase for up-and-coming and established artists from a wealth of Christian music genres, has indeed been a trademark of the Purple Door Arts and Music Festival over the years.
The event was planned and began in Lancaster, in the big open fields at Lancaster Mennonite High School, and after an other stop or two now has become an annual end-of-summer rite on the other side of the Susquehanna, at Ski Roundtop in Lewisberry.
The 2008 version is being held Friday night and all day Saturday, Aug 15-16. And for this year, expect some top “name” acts (like Skillet and, to a lesser degree, Disciple and Red) along with some new bands and solo artists deserving of wider attention.
Looking back at Purple Door’s history since 1996, it’s a little hard, as someone who has gone to most Purple Doors, to pick a favorite moment or band I liked better than others.
I remember Jars of Clay from the first year, in August 1996 at LMH, and Third Day from the following summer.
There was a very pregnant Leigh Bingham Nash of Sixpence None the Richer (before “Kiss Me” was a hit) singing her heart out.
There was a member of the immortantal Supertones giving his testimony during a rainstorm, after they had to cut the power back for safety reasons.
There even was discovering a still-new Lancaster-area band, Jawbone Hill, during an excellent show from the early years.
Purple Door tends to have a more youthful-ish crowd, and this August it will host three music stages, speakers, an art gallery, a skate park, paintball and more.
But another favorite moment was not the music, but the fans … in 2001, just before 9/11, the newspaper sent me over to talk to parents who volunteereed at Purple Door, giving directions and taking tickets, that sort of thing, while their sons and daughters were enjoying the show.
It was a great multi-generational moment, showing the diversity of the church crossing artificial age and other boundaries. And maybe one of us Boomers got to like a millennial’s favorite band.
Starting a month from tomorrow, Purple Door will have a main stage, (featuring Skillet and Emery, among others), an HM Stage offering heavier like bands August Burns Red and Haste The Day, and a Gallery Stage for more “eclectic artists,” according to organizers.
The eclectic stage will include the band Seabird, which won kudos at Creation last month, and artist Dennison Witmer, who will be playing at his 10th Purple Door, the most of any artist.
Tickets for Purple Door are available online at iTickets.com, for $39.50 by Sunday, Aug. 10, and will $45 at the gates on Aug. 16-17.
For more information, visit www.purpledoor.com.

A lot of Christian music fans of “a certain age” probably remember the first time they heard a song by Petra and were probably startled.
There’s a hard-rock band that sounds this good and still sings music for The Lord, they probably wondered.
Petra was led for nearly 20 years by John Schlitt, whose powerful vocals defined the band’s sound and was a perfect complement to Bob Hartman’s guitars and the band’s overall straight-ahead rock n’ roll attack.
Long before DC Talk did the same, Petra “was Christian rock when Christian rock wasn’t cool!”
But they started out a long time before Christian performers used rap and thrashcore to express the Gospel message, and Petra took plenty of heat … some believers even prayed that the group playing “the devil’s music” would somehow be stopped.
God’s answer was no … and Petra won countless awards, was a staple of CCM radio and made inroads in popular music before calling it a career three years ago.
But the awards for Petra, and Schlitt, haven’t stopped.
Schlitt this summer joined Michael W. Smith, David Meece, the late Dottie Rambo, the band Stryper, Ed Enoch, Lou Wills Hildreth and the Staple Singers as one of the newest inductees in the Christian Music Hall of Fame.
The honor for Schlitt, who was inducted last year as a member of Petra, comes as he has just released a new CD, “The Grafting.”
Produced by his son-in-law (!) Dan Needham, the 10-song record is playing to good reviews, and has an initial hit song, “Face of God.”
It features the same strong voice from Schlitt, now 58 (! again), that Christian-music listeners grew to love on huge hit songs like “Beyond Belief,” “Just Reach Out” and “Wake Up Call.”
He wants his new CD to “appeal to folks who grew up on Christian rock ‘n’ roll, an album for folks who want some tension in their music, but not too much.”
Petra started in the early 1970s as a rock band that could “reach those around them in a way that they could relate.”
And in their late-2005 farewell tour, they performed at an appropriately named church here … Petra Christian Fellowship, near New Holland.
Schlitt was once a singer on mainstream radio, also facing a major drug and alcohol problem, before he was saved.
If you’ve ever listened to a classic-rock station, you probably heard him singing on the band Head East’s “Never Been Any Reason.”
In May, Schlitt toured India, playing eight dates in six cities with an all-new backing band, playing a mix of Petra favorites and songs from his solo CDs.
And in the often-tumultuous world of music, from which the lives of Christian music performers aren’t exempt, Schlitt’s home life has been a model of stability … he’s been married to his wife Dorla for 37 years, and they have four children.
He remains down-to-earth, and has some excellent advice for young would-be music performers: “Don’t despise small beginnings. Know that if God has put it on your heart to be a musician, it is an awesome responsibility and takes a lot of preparation and work. But, it is very rewarding in so many different ways.”
Sounds like someone well worth his new honor.

Chris Sligh is often known as the guy who smart-mouthed perpetually-caustic judge Simon Cowell a few years ago on “American Idol.”
But like Carrie Underwood has gotten as much or even more attention for hits like “Jesus, Take the Wheel” and “Before He Cheats” than for winning Idol, Sligh is starting to become known for more than being in the top 10 on America’s popular show.
As well he should.
With his newest effort, “Running Back to You,” Sligh has a tremendously uplifting, “listen-able” and poweful new statement … a statement of both his faith and his talent.
His is a classic sound … catchy songs usually built around guitars and his clear, easy-to-take and easy-to-understand - and also powerful - voice.
And Sligh has obviously spent some time thinking of his spiritual journey, to hear the 13 songs on “Running Back to You.”
Located somewhere in the ocean-wide musical range between hard rock and easy listening (”power pop” or “pop-rock” is what most would call it), “Running Back to You” is a tremendous work, sure to make many 2008 top-10 lists.
And it’s a good place to invest $12.99 or what have you.
There will be few better Christian contemporary songs in 2008 than “Empty Me,” the big hit so far.
It begins with a soaring guitar but then is a showcase for Sligh’s excellent voice, and lyrics that seek God’s help in losing “the foolishness inside … the poison of my pride” and other such vices.
But “Running Back to You” is no one-hit wonder.
It starts with Sligh’s plaintive-turns-into-powerful voice on the first song, “Arise,” as a Sonicflood-ish verse suddenly morphs into a David Meece chorus.
It continues on “Cry Tonight,” as strings turn into a grunge-sounding guitar.
And it keeps right on the piano-led ballad, “In A Moment.”
Sligh wrote or co-penned each of the 13 songs, and also plays some electric guitar, piano and synth.
The 30-year-old South Carolina native is a talented guy, a powerful singer a little along the lines of David Meece or Petra’s John Schlitt over a bed of guitars, and he has a lot to say.
And he says it well … especially when he changes keys, you can tell he’s a great vocalist, especially on the third song, “I’m Clean.”
“I’m clean … through no good of my own,” he sings, “but when You look at me You see Your Son, and I am clean.”
Sound pretty clear, spiritually-speaking?
His 15 minutes of fame from Idol will give him an open door for music fans who are curious, Christian and non-Christian alike, and may give his new work a listen.
They will find “Running Back to You” to be a good place to hang out.