(Since the New Era ran out of room to run this review in Monday’s newspaper — there IS a presidential candidate coming here, after all — here it is in its entirety, plus some extra lyrics, for CrossRock readers)
Andrew Peterson joked that he’s about to release an album called “Resurrection Letters, Vol. II.” — even though there was never a Volume One — since he wanted to “do a George Lucas.”
Lucas, of course, was the Star Wars creator who sometimes released his epic sequels and prequels in the “wrong” order.
Hey, don’t laugh, the very talented singer/songwriter Peterson told an audience of 1,100 people who were doing just that on Saturday night at Lancaster Bible College. “It made HIM rich.”
Peterson’s not in it to get rich, but to touch lives and help people along the path of their sometimes-lonely Christian walk, especially college-agers and other young people.
And that’s what the entertaining, thoughtful musical troubador did at LBC.
Peterson, best known for his 2000 CD “Carried Along” and its best-known song, “Nothing to Say,” gave a rousing, uplifting and spiritually encouraging two-and-a-half-hour concert at LBC’s Good Shepherd Auditorium.
The show in the newly-renovated auditorium was offered for free by the college, on Eden Road in Manheim Township, in celebration of its 75th anniversary.
Peterson, mostly on acoustic guitar, was joined by bandmates Ben Shive on piano and Andrew Gullahorn, who’s married to Christian artist Jill Phillips, joining him on acoustic guitar.
As much as his music and light, easy-to-take-yet-distinctive voice, Peterson was impressive for his humble spirit, introducing one “song that’s about what a jerk I am.”
That song, “The Chasing Song,” was a favorite of Peterson fan on hand Saturday, Josh Galinato of York, who’s 25 and loves the deeper-than-usual lyrics, and deceptively simple, approach in Peterson’s music.
Galinato, who as a teen joined the Army just before 9/11 and served in Iraq and Afghanistan, said being in the two war zones, especially Iraq, “was a really tough time for me spiritually.”
Pointing to Peterson, who after the show waited a good hour to meet all the fans who lined up to thank him, pose for pictures or get autographs, Galinato said it was Peterson’s “Carried Along” CD that did just that … carry him along.
“And in some moments when I was ready to just say ‘Forget God,’ He’s forgotten me,’ (Peterson’s) songs really helped get me through,” Galinato said.
“I’m sure there are other solders who have talked to him before” and thanked him for his music, “but I wanted to at least him know, in case he hadn’t.”
Peterson, in jeans, boots and a black T-shirt under a green workshirt, seemed tireless as he performed, and clearly touched listeners’ hearts.
Fellow guitar guy Gullahorn battled through a bad bronchial infection that left him raspy so he could be there.
Peterson, who’s also become an author in recent years, told the audience of how he was born in Illinois and grew up in Florida, and was trying in luck in a mainstream rock band when that outift (”Thank God,” he said Saturday) disbanded.
Peterson went to Bible college, looking down his nose at quote-unquote Christian music, when he was introduced to the music of Rich Mullins.
Mullins, who was killed in a car accident 11 years ago this month, wrote a song, “If I Stand” that left the college-age Peterson in tears, “because I’d never resonated with somebody’s heart that way before,” he recalled.
Years after Mullins’ death, friends came across demo tapes of a bunch of the late singer’s songs. and Peterson was honored to be asked to record one, “Mary Picked the Roses,” which he performed Saturday.
Said fan Galinato, “I love the way (Peterson) expresses things like ‘I know that falling down isn’t graceful, but I thank The Lord that falling’s full of grace.’
“That really gets to me.”
The lyrics to that song show just why Peterson strikes a chord, sorry, with so many people:
“Now and then these feet just take to wandering
Now and then I prop them up at home
Sometimes I think about the consequences
Sometimes I don’t.
“Well I wish that I could say that at the close of every day I was happy with the way that I’m behaving
‘Cause Job, he chased and answer
The wise men chased the Child
Jacob chased her 14 years and he
Captured Rachel’s smile
Moses chased the Promised Land
Joseph chased a dream
David, he chased God’s own heart
All I ever seem to chase is me …”
Peterson’s show was free, thanks to LBC, but it would have been worth every penny at regular concert prices.
Click here to visit Peterson’s Web site.
