Volume 7, Issue 2 For And About Hebron September 1, 2008 - Gulemo

YOUR VACUUM CLEANER & SEWING MACHINESUPER STOREWe Offer: • Parts • Service • Accessories • SalesVACUUM CLEANERSSebo • Miele • Simplicity • Eureka • Royal • Lindhaus • HooverElectrolux • Kirby • Kenmore • Panasonic • Dirt Devil • OreckSewing Machine & Vacuum RepairVacuum Bags & AccessoriesSewing NotionsVisit us on the Web at http://www.schillersontheweb.comSEWING MACHINESBaby Lock • Elna • Pfaff • SingerWhite • Viking • Brother • Kenmore1088 Main StreetWillimantic, CT 06226Tel: 860-423-6800Larry Norman – Bright Star of Contemporary Christian Musicby Rev Dr. Fred ShapiroChristian Music has been around in some form for almost 2000years, since the time of Christ. But what exactly is ContemporaryChristian Music? Before the early 1970’s, Christian Music couldbe categorized as either Traditional Hymns, Southern Gospel or asTraditional Black Gospel styles. From the Peace Movement of thelate 1960’s, came a time of Christian revival for young people acrossthe country. This movement was known as the Jesus Movement andit gave birth to a new breed of Christians who were anxious to tellothers about Jesus, but found the traditional methods of sharingand worshipping restrictive and out-dated. As they attempted towrite culturally relevant music, Contemporary Christian Musicwas born.Contemporary Christian Music was largely rejected in Americanchurches until 1971. It was in that year that Time Magazine featuredan article about “Jesus Music” and dubbed Larry Normanas its “brightest star”.Larry Norman was co-founder ofPeople, a band who reached thebillboard top 20 with “I Love You”in 1966. Because of religious disputeswith other band members (allother members except for one wereScientologists), Larry left the bandupon the release of People’s firstalbum.In 1969, he recorded his first solo rock album, Upon This Rock,with Capitol Records. His goal, in his own words:I wanted to push aside the traditional gospel quartet music, breakdown the church doors and let the hippies and the prostitutes and otherunwashed rabble into the sanctuary...I wanted to talk about feedingthe poor, going into the world....[I felt that] most of the modern musicwas anemic and needed a transfusion.[While Norman’s lyrics were unabashedly Christian, his music gaineda large following in the emerging countercultural movements.The Hebronian September 2008 Page 12In 1972, he recorded a second studio album for MGM recordswith help from Beatles producer George Martin. The album titled,“Only Visiting This Planet,” is largely regarded as one of the topcontemporary Christian music albums of all time. Two songs fromthat album became anthems for the Jesus People movement: “WhyShould the Devil Have All the Good Music” and “I Wish We’d AllBeen Ready”.Larry Norman’s songs addressed themes that Christian music hadnever addressed: politics (The Great American Novel), free love(Pardon Me), witchcraft and the occult (Forget Your Hexagram),and religious hypocrisy (Right Here In America).Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and John Mellencamp have claimed tobe fans of Larry Norman’s music and over 300 artists have coveredhis songs, including Sammy Davis, Jr.Larry passed away on Feb. 24 th , 2008, after a long battle with heartrelated problems. Chris Willman, columnist for EntertainmentWeekly wrote:“He had a heart for evangelism — almost to his detriment. He reallycould’ve been a star if he were singing about something other thanJesus.”On a personal note, Larry Norman was instrumental in my comingto know Jesus as Christ. I knew him as the church boy holdinghis own in the decadent world of rock music. A lot of church folkdidn’t understand Larry Norman and they labeled him “a sinner ina world of saints.” I saw him as a saint in a world of sinners.A film about his life is scheduled to be released by the end of2008.An anthology of his music - Rebel Poet, Jukebox Balladeer: TheAnthology, is now available. The 20 songs chosen for the CD serveas a fine introduction to the man Time Magazine dubbed “TheFather of Contemporary Christian Music.”E-mail your news to: hebronian@gulemo.com