Bookends: Video Diaries of “Christmas Is Coming” and “Children Again”
There are two songs on “Christmas Stories” that are meant to give context and a theme for the rest of the record. I wanted to take kind of a bird’s eye view of Christmas here and now before zooming in on the characters in the Christmas narrative.
Wendell Berry, “Planting Trees”
This week I checked out Wendell Berry’s The Country of Marriage and stumbled on a poem I hadn’t read before. Just a few days ago my kind neighbor Tommy gave me permission to harvest a few maple Read More ›
A Good Scare: the Redemptive Ghost Stories of Russell Kirk
Since we’re fast approaching Halloween, I couldn’t resist an opportunity to write about one of my favorite books of the last few years: Russell Kirk’s Ancestral Shadows: An Anthology of Ghostly Tales.
Familiarity Breeds Compassion
I sat in my seat like a sitting sitter. I was preparing to watch TV with my eyes. So far, so good. On the TV? The GOP Convention, live from Tampa. Ha ha. Time for scorn. I’m so scornful I even feel scorn towards Read More ›
The Story Behind “Forgiveness Is a Miracle”
As I approached writing songs for each of the characters in the Christmas story, I felt particularly protective of Joseph, who I think sometimes doesn’t get the attention he’s due. Read More ›
A Million Holy Lamps
One night last summer Philip and I were driving back from Birmingham in our little roadster, Happiness Runs. We had been visiting dear friends and a gorgeous sunset was Read More ›
What I Learned at Hutchmoot
[Editor’s Note: Some of you may remember meeting Jonny Jimison at Hutchmoot. You might have missed the fact that he draws comics—which is awesome. Here’s a look at one of his post-Moot comics. Visit his website for more of his work.] Read More ›
Album Release — Christmas Stories: Repeat the Sounding Joy
Christmas greetings from the Gray household! I know that normally it’s a little early to be thinking about Christmas, and I’m typically a take-one-holiday-at-a-time kind of guy—we Read More ›