FALL 2008 - McMurry University

Shaping aMelody of Hopefor the FutureBurgundy Road(Phillip Cole ex ’02, Cody Brotherton ’05, Nik Shehu ’04,Jason Bray ’07, Trey Glaspie ’07)The popular Christian praise and rock band, BurgundyRoad, has a lot of maroon connections. All five of theband members are McMurry University graduates whoare vocal about their appreciation to the McMurryfamily who helped them develop the gifts and talentsthey gained here to minister to youth and adultstoday. The band plays both original music and familiarworship songs and currently has a new album out withall original tunes.The band started when Phillip Cole and twoother students, Deb Smith and Tyson Alexander, beganplaying for a McMurry Bible study called Prayer andPraise. Burgundy Road has come a long way from threeMcMurry students who “would have made God coverHis ears,” said lead singer Phillip Cole with a laugh.Cody Brotherton (bass) and Nik Shehu (rhythm guitar)joined the band the next year. Drummer Jason Brayjoined the group the following year, and they met TreyGlaspie (lead guitar) at McMurry while doing a benefitconcert 3 ½ years ago. They have been performingtogether for more than five years now.Originally called Yesterday’s Tomorrow, the groupdiscovered there was another band by that name. Thename Burgundy Road developed from a sermon Phillipheard at Aldersgate United Methodist Church regardingJesus’ road to Calvary and how “our lives will havesuffering, sacrifice and servanthood, as well as blessingand joy. So the name of the band is ametaphor for the Road to Calvary.”The band continued to learn anddevelop as they played in Texas YouthCommission facilities across the stateover the next three years. Talent andperseverance led to opportunity. “Thingsstarted happening without us necessarilyasking for it or even wanting it,” saidPhillip. “God started having plans for us,and we told Him we would go where Hewanted.” The five members of BurgundyRoad lead worship at River ValleyChristian Fellowship in Bastrop andall hold the position of worship leader.Phillip expressed the band’s commitmentto their church by stating, “We arecommitted to leading worship at thatchurch. Even if we have been performinglate on Saturday, wherever we are, wewill drive in for church on Sunday.”Burgundy Road also travelsfulltime as a worship and concert bandat summer camps and youth events suchas Disciple Now. “It’s really busy,” saidPhillip. “The band likes to perform at Christian campsbecause we have time to invest in the kids and get toknow them better.” The band’s popularity may havesomething to do with their work ethic and their obviouslove for the youth they work with. Phillip shared thefollowing experience: “In our last camp, a missioncamp called Mission Serve in the South Oak Cliffneighborhood in Dallas, we woke up at 6:00 a.m. withthe kids, had worship at 7:00. Then we went to workfrom 8 until 4, and then led worship at night. Our bandmotto for ministering to youth is ‘90 percent offstage,10 percent on’. You have to get people to trust you.”During their tour last summer, the groupincluded a return to McMurry for one of their summercamps. “It was great to be back and see where it all cametogether,” stated Phillip, and then reflecting back on theband’s time at McMurry, he continued, “McMurry was4 McMurry University