A New Beginning

The Beatles had a hit song in 1970 called The Long and Winding Road. When I was working at the Bonanza Steak House in Nashville, I would play that song on the juke box and think about my girl back home. Her name was Darlene and she lived on 49 Hill which was located near a small town north of Wheeling, West Virginia. The drive to the top of that hill was just like the Beatle song said, a very long and winding road. I couldn't wait to see her and I'll never forget that first visit. We sat out on her back porch and kept touching each other on the face. We didn't even talk that much at first. We were so happy to see each other. I left there that night knowing that I loved her and that I wanted to be with her for the rest of my life. I soon ask her to marry me. Dar's response went something like this, "I'm not sure that I can live with you but I don't think that I can live without you." That was close enough to a yes for me and so we were married on June 12, 1971 at a little country church in Beech Bottom, West Virginia. That was a wonderful new beginning. I had a goal. It wasn't all about me anymore. I wanted to make Dar a good life. This was better than any rockin' roll that I ever played. I didn't regret my decision about Nashville. So Dar and I set out to make a life together in the panhandle of West Virginia. I remember our first apartment in the little town of Follansbee. We had three pieces of furniture. We had a reel to reel tape recorder, a guitar and a mattress. We were set for life!

I started working at Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel in Follansbee. I worked all three shifts and was glad to have a job. I still enjoyed playing music and writing songs. There was a definite shift in my songwriting. I started writing songs about Jesus. I knew nothing about Jesus other than a little bit of television that I watched as a kid. I remember Dar asking me why I was writing songs about Jesus. I really didn't have an answer. There wasn't a strong lyrical content about Jesus but a lot of references to Him in my music.

Here's the beginning verse of one of the songs that I wrote back then.

Turn the pages of my book. Look it over. Take a good look.
It's the story of a man who crossed this land just to see what he could find in our own mankind.

This was very unlike any of my previous songs. They were lighter and simpler. I felt a growing curiosity in my heart whenever I would pick up the guitar. It wasn't about entertaining somebody or getting ready for a gig. It became very personal. It was a soul searching experience. I could care less if anybody was around to hear me. I wanted to write what was in my heart and I wanted to keep it kind of private. Most of my friends wanted to hear my old stuff anyway.

I remember Dar and I sitting beside the Christmas Tree on our first Christmas that year. I proposed a toast to Jesus on His birthday. Dar and I clanged our beer glasses and downed one for the King, not knowing that within one week we would have an encounter with Him.

Next up

New Years Eve Party