Anyone who knows me well knows that I have loved Steven Curtis Chapman since 4th grade. My Aunt Deanie introduced his music to me when our family lived with her the summer of '91, when I decided that the song "I Will Be Here" would be played at my wedding (it was). We whistled in the kitchen to "You Know Better" and I fell asleep every night to my Walkman playing "His Strength is Perfect."
I've seen him a total of 14 times in concert now, and his is the first concert I remember attending (Sandi Patti at 2 weeks old was actually my first concert). I was on my dad's shoulders at some county fair, and Steven still had a mullet. My Uncle Ed banged on his trailer door at another county fair concert (he was working security) and insisted he come out to meet me my freshman year of high school. My mom says SCC commented about how I had my homework with me (I guess it was a school night), but I don't remember that. I saw him in the front row at DC/LA in '95. I think my friend Jordan had something to do with that one, if memory serves. I saw him at Women of Faith with Mary Lou just after he lost his daughter, Maria. These are just a few of the good shows and memories with Steven Curtis Chapman.
I had a wall of fandom dedicated to him in my Taylor University dorm room. In fact, my roomie, Melissa, and I used to write notes to each other on a white board using lots of SCC song titles. I wish I had written some of them down. They were genius. :)
So many of his songs have been the soundtrack of my life, especially ones on the albums Real Life Conversations, For the Sake of the Call, The Great Adventure, Heaven in the Real World, Signs of Life, and Speechless (my late 80s and 90s streak). Most recently, his album Beauty Will Rise (2009) has meant a lot to me.
Anyway, my 14th concert was no disappointment, and I got to see him with some of my favorite people, my parents and Nathan.
We had a little dinner at Jake's Tex Mex first. Awesome.
Yummy food is a necessity before singing one's guts out at a concert.
We got to see him and Laura Story and Jason Gray at the beautiful Fox Theater in Bakersfield. Thanks for coming to see me in my own hometown, Steven. You've still got it.
If you're not a Steven fan yet, you can start with this song, "The Great Adventure." You're welcome.
3 comments:
I still think of you every time I hear SCC! My first (and only) SCC concert was with you. A county fair somewhere in Ohio. And it was AWESOME! Actually, it left me "Speechless." :)
I love it, Hillary! I don't even remember that one, but I'm sure glad you took me up on "The Invitation". :)
I am just so shocked that I'm just now finding this out. Oh, how much we could have enjoyed together these last years (years, really it took me years to learn this!)! Anyhoo...we'll have lots of catching up to do next time I see you. I'm a HUGE SCC fan myself, and have been to many of his concerts. I was introduce to him at camp back in 1991 and fell in love. I thought I could marry him, as he looked only 18 on his cover..little did I know he was married with kids already. All that aside, his music has meant so much to me at so many points in my life. Love him, and LOVE that you love him, too. Just one more reason to love you, my friend.
Post a Comment