As we rode the motorcycle this week, we couldn't help but notice all the Buck Dozier campaign signs across the county.  He is definitely the man for the job.

We have known Celeste (Dan and Latayne Scott's daughter) for many years (since the early eighties), and have really enjoyed getting to know her husband, Noel.  He reminds me of a red-headed Kevin Schaffer -- So much talent in one person.  He is hilarious too!



Go to his blog if you'd like to see some of the photos of their trip to Nashville, their visit with us and the Hawaiian wedding reception.

Several people said it was the best wedding reception they had ever attended.  The Hawaiian theme provided a joyous backdrop for all the festivities on Saturday.

"The most thoroughly wasted days of all days is that on which one has not laughed."

With all the travels, a graduation party, wedding reception, worship planning, friend/family reunions, recording schedules and such, it is pretty busy at the Lancaster household.  So much to share but so little available time.

I absolutely love to blog, but will try to catch up soon.

Acappella is leading worship at Otter Creek this Sunday.  I hope you have a wonderful holiday weekend.

Blessings to all of you!

I highly recommend Terry's blog.  He is indeed a warrior who is transparently sharing God's truth in its most powerful and undiluted form.  I've told you before how much I admire those ministers who find the perseverance to stay with one congregation for a long tenure and reach a zenith of effectiveness.  Terry Rush is indeed, one of those great men.

Bloomington, Indiana is a charming town, home to over 36,000 college students alone. The people of the North Central Church are   more »

How should we approach this sacred time?



There is so much healthy discussion about this topic and I would like to hear your thoughts.  Many teach that it should be more interactive and much more of a celebration.  Yet, even some who teach this concept end up practicing a more somber, funeral-esque atmosphere.

What have you learned that can help us with this special time?

Hey gang!  It's good to be doing another poll analysis.  So out of 13 votes, here are the results!

(For the mathematically inclined, yes, the percentages are rounded... so the rounding error makes it total 100.1%.)
-JP

A. Pitch Pipe
Votes: 6 (46.2%)

B. Tuning Fork
Votes: 3 (23.1%)

C. Perfect Pitch
Votes: 0 (0%)

D. Just Guess
Votes: 4 (30.8%)

JoAnn Dillinger was diagnosed with cancer seven months ago.   more »

I believe that Jeff Walling is a legend in his own time.  His skills as a communicator of Biblical truths are unparalleled.

Sharon and I first came across Jeff while touring in California with New Life Quartet in the late 70's.  We stayed with some folks who were talking constantly about "Jeffie Walling."  Who was this youth minister in Garden Grove, California that everyone was talking about?  We were introduced to his diverse talents when our hosts invited us to see Jeff's stellar leading role performance in "Fiddler On The Roof."

Fast forward a few decades and I can tell you it has been an invaluable experience to sit at the feet of this master communicator and God seeker.  I can think of no one in our generation who is more effective in delivering truth within the confines of public speech.

Some of the best singing I have ever experienced has been leading worship at the Zoe Leadership Conference.  Church leaders, worship leaders and excellent singers arrive before the "main" part of the conference to participate in the leadership program.  Leading these folks in worship is like leading a bunch of choral directors and musicians.  The singing is outstanding!

Leading worship at the "Impact" youth camp at Lipscomb is also a very special experience.  Hearing all those tender hearts lift their voices and hearts in enthusiastic praise is very heart-warming.

Shane Speck cracked me up Sunday during his sermon.  He asked the congregation at Hermitage what they bought their mothers on Mother's Day.  This unique table was projected on screen when he asked.

I remember when color television was a brand new technology.  But to me, there was something much more exciting - in fact, it was the best thing since sliced bread: multi-tracking.

My brother, Don bought an RCA reel-to-reel recorder with the capability of recording on each side of the stereo spectrum, one channel at a time; thus allowing one person to accompany himself.  I can remember singing and playing guitar on one track, and later singing a harmony part and playing a different guitar part on the other channel.  It was magic!  I became a "one-man band."  (I wonder if I can still find some of those recordings of my adolescent voice attempting to cover James Taylor's Country Road?)

After being limited to only two channels for a period of time, we became adventurous and pulled a speaker up to the microphone so that while recording the second channel, we could blend in the original (first voice) channel material with the second recording.  This would free up the original channel, allowing us to record OVER the original material with a third voice, because the first two were now residing on the second channel.  (This method was severely flawed, as the sound played through the speakers was such poor quality that each "generation" of recording fared worse.)

Ah . . . then came the real multi-track machines:  4-tracks. . .  Four dedicated channels to record clean audio.  (Can you believe the Beatles recorded some of their best material on a simple 4-track machine?)  I used a TEAC 3340 and a Dokorder.   I borrowed my friend's drum kit and played bass, drums, guitar, piano and sax on one song.  Then came 8 -track recorders.  We bought a TASCAM 1/2" tape machine.  Later we upgraded to a FOSTEX B-16, 16 -track recorder.  Talk about exciting! 16 tracks to play with!   We later graduated to a Studer 24-track 2" tape recorder (which looked bigger than a washing machine.)  Eventually, with the advent of digital technology, we jumped on board with AKAIs, TASCAMS and other machines until we arrived at modern-day Pro Tools.

Today, you can easily have access to UNLIMITED tracks to record your material.  For you non-musician types, that means that a drum set may have a dedicated channel for the kick drum, one for the snare, one for the hi-hat, one for each cymbal and so forth until you accumulate over a dozen tracks dedicated only to recording the drummer.

When I was growing up, we had to walk ten miles to school in the snow - barefoot, uphill (both ways.) 


Actually, multi-tracking had come a long way when I recorded all the parts on this album.  (Yes, we made it available in LP, 8-track as well as cassette.)  This recording was done on a Sculley 1" tape 8-track machine.  The concept was such a novelty at the time, since most people were not aware of the technological possibilities of one person singing all the parts.  People would constantly ask me, "How can one person be heard up to 12 times on this recording?"

I thought we would really be "cutting edge" with the album cover and reflect the overdubbing quality of the recording with multiple shots in one picture.  It felt so advanced for the time.  Of course, now I realize that I wasn't setting any fashion trends (please hold the jokes, Lee Milam.)

You musicians and songwriters - tell me your first experiences with multi-track technology.  Were you as excited about the revolution of personal multi-tracking as it became available to aspiring musicians?

Which method does your leader use to establish the key in leading a cappella singing?


A.  Pitch Pipe?
B.  Tuning Fork?
C.  Perfect Pitch?
D.  Just guess?

This song has been the closing song of Acappella's concert for no telling how many years.  It's always a lot of fun to sing as audiences really seem to enjoy this song and join in the specially-timed claps.  I had a blast getting to sing "Well On My Way" with the guys at the youth rally in Farragut Sunday Night (What a wonderful congregation!  Thanks to Anna Williams for providing these photos.  If you have Acappella, AVB, Vocal Union photos you'd like to share, I'd appreciate it.)

We are excited to be bringing back ACAFEST (formerly known as A.C.M.S. - A cappella Christian Music Seminar) this year.  The dates are July 4 - 7.  It will be held at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.

This festival will feature a cappella artists of all styles and classes on various topics of interest to singers and singing groups.  ACAFEST will be hosted under the umbrella of Lipscomb's SUMMER CELEBRATION, which will feature excellent speakers from across the country on a variety of topics.  Attendance to both Summer Celebration and ACAFEST is free.  We hope you will make plans to join us for these wonderful days of music and celebration!

ACAFEST began in 1986.  The first one was held on the campus of Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky.  I was inspired by the Blackwood School of Christian Music, that helped us launch Acappella.  It is impossible to count how many times people around the country have asked me questions like:

"How do you get a group started?"
"What is involved in the process of recording excellent albums?"
"How do you write songs?"
"What is the best way to take care of your voice?"
"Can you tell me about the copyright laws?"
"Where can I hear a lot of the best a cappella groups?"
"How do we get our music heard by the most people?"

This is why we are assembling instructors on topics to address questions like these, in an environment of exciting concerts showcasing a host of different styles.

Here's a photo of a mid-nineties ACAFEST.  Can you name some of them?

Job Search:  Immediate job opening for an entry-level position in The Acappella Company office in Goodlettsville, TN to manage shipping and inventory.  Skills in dealing with customers on the phone is required.  Bookkeeping experience necessary.  Some lifting required.  Heart for ministry essential.  Send resume' to:   jobs@acappella.com

Yesterday, I posted a photo of the original AVB.   Why did we ask the Vocal Band to dress in white shirts and ties when we were going for the "Miami Vice" look at the time?

Acappella had "downsized" to having only two members in the group - Rodney Britt (bass) and me.  This was fine for recording albums, since I overdubbed most of the upper voices.  However, presenting concerts with only two vocalists was a challenge to say the least.

This was the dawn of widespread use of pre-recorded backing "tracks" in concert, very similar to modern karaoke.  The tracks were indeed our voices, but they didn't provide the same feel as a totally live production.  This challenge provided the motivation to form a back-up singing group for Acappella,  a "vocal band" if you will.  Thus was born the A cappella Vocal Band (AVB).

The last quiz was from the 60's.  Now we are jumping to the 80's.



Name the song AND the artist:

1.  "Everybody look at your hands"
2.  "Every generation blames the one before"
3.  "Are beautiful like a rainbow"
4.  "In a cartoon graveyard"
5.  "He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich"

For extra points:  tell us what vegemite is.

Last night, I met a nice gentleman from Morristown, Tennessee who is wanting to sponsor a Praise & Harmony workshop for many denominations in that area.  The only time I have ever been to Morristown that I can recall, was the time I learned to fly a powered parachute.


Several years ago, I tracked down an instructor who was qualified to teach me to solo in a Buckeye powered parachute.  After minimal ground school and instruction, I was thrilled to be soaring (almost floating) about the countryside on my own.  It felt more like a go-cart with a propeller in the back.  I felt very safe, because in the event that the engine failed, the vehicle would  merely float down.