Cowboy Church #178

 Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church. 

Today's musical selection begins with The Sons of the Pioneers with The King's Highway. This recording comes the group's most recent album, 2024's Campfire Spirituals. 

This is followed by Kris Kristofferson with Burden of Freedom. This version of the song comes from Kris' 1972 album, Border Lord. He would later make another version for his 2006 album, This Old Road. A year before Kris wrote this song, he had responded to an alter call and this song and Why Me Lord were responses to what that spiritual experience, one that Kris himself admitted he didn't fully understand yet. Around this time a resurgence was happening with Christian music. A lot had happened in recent years and as many young people had turned to God, they brought along their own types of music, that meant something to them personally. Therefore, much Christian music was no longer hymns but mire contemporary sounding music that paid tribute to God while reflecting the world these young Christians had grown up in. Johnny Cash would often play before these audiences as part of concerts mostly made up of the younger artists. Feeling it would be good for Kris to be in such an environment, John invited Kris and his wife Rita Coolidge to perform as well. Kris would play his own songs like Burden of Freedom or Why Me Lord. Yet Kris felt decidedly uncomfortable at these concerts. He would say about the experience, "I was singing songs, I thought were spiritual, but people wanted to hear more songs specifically about Jesus. Eventually I had to tell John that I couldn't do these type of shows anymore I felt like a hypocrite." 

Afterwards is Wade Mainer and Zeke Morris with their 1936 recording of If I Could Hear My Mother Pray Again.

Next comes Bobby Helms with What a Friend We Have in Jesus. Though today Bobby Helms is really only known for his Christmas hit, Jingle Bell Rock, his career is so much more than that. This is perfectly shown from his beautiful version of this classic hymn.  Despite being Joseph Medlicott Scriven's most famous composition, when he made a collection of his writings entitled Hymns and Other Verses it did not appear. It has been assumed that the reason for this is that he probably wrote it for his mother when she was sick and not for the public. It is believed that it is through his mother that the hymn reached the public. It first appeared in 1865's Social Hymns, Original and Selected credited as anonymous. 

This is followed by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jesus Loves the Little Children.  Jesus would state, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." There is no doubt that Jesus did love the little children and he loves us big children too. If we will humble ourselves and become like little children, the blessings he has for us are immeasurable. 

Afterwards is Anne Wilson with My Father's Daughter. Blending country music and contemporary Christian music, Anne is one of the finest young Christian singers today. This is especially true as she not only writes her own songs but draws from her only life and puts her heart and soul into each song. This comes from her 2024 album, Rebel. 

Next comes Johnny Cash with Oh Bury Me Not. This recording comes from John's 1994 album, American Recordings. This was his first album for the American Recordings record label. This record label was not known for country music, but rather heavy metal and rap. The Black Crows, The Beastie Boys, Sir Mix-A-Lot and Slayer were among those he had recorded there. What drew John to this unlikely label was the complete musical freedom he would have. For this album, producer Rick Ruben had John simply record whatever songs he felt like (from any genre and any time period), just him and his guitar. This was a success and revived John's musical career which had been on a downslide commercially, critically and creatively. Reviews said that this was not just one of John's best recent albums, but one of the best albums he had ever done. John now found himself with a new young audience whose musical taste consisted of heavy metal, hip hop, punk, alternative and rap. The reason, Bury Me Not is included in this week's Cowboy Church is that it has a spoken introduction that is a prayer from the point of view of a cowboy.

Today's musical selection ends with George Strait with Love Without End Amen. This song comes from his 1990 album, Livin' it Up and reached no.1 on the Country Music charts. This song was written by Aaron Barker, who also wrote two other no.1 hits for George, Baby Blue and Easy Come, Easy Go. 

Now for a message from the Rev. Billy Graham.

Now for an episode of Roy Rogers' radio show. 

The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. Exodus 15:2

Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10 

My grace is all you need, for my power is the greatest when you are weak. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Seek the Lord and His strength; seek His presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love. Ephesians 3:16-17

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” John 11:25-26

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters. Romans 14:1

If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2

Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy Trails to you until we meet again.