The Time Has Come . . .

Ask any college musician how to make some quick cash AND gain valuable performance experience and you hear two words: Weddings and Funerals. The pay is good and the audience is not paying much attention. Perfect. While in college I had wedding and funeral packages that I could do at a moment’s notice. After college I got out of the wedding business. Too much hassle. But funerals I continued to do. It was a pretty smooth transition since I worked at a funeral home. When a family wanted a musician but didn’t know who to pick I would step in and offer my services. I cannot begin to tell you how many times I have done the first and last verses of How Great Thou Art. (Commonly referred to as How Great the Wart.) I would step out of my funeral director duties for two minutes to sing, and then jump into the funeral coach for the slow drive to the cemetery. It was never personal. It was never special…to me. (But hearing comments like, “That was mom’s favorite hymn,” always made me feel good. Another satisfied family.)

Now, I have not worked in the funeral industry for five months. I have, however, still been asked to sing a funerals. On Friday night I was approached by a long time friend who asked if I would mind singing. A funeral didn’t cross my mind. He asked me outside of the high school as I was watching the Prom Walk-In with some friends. When I said yes I just assumed that the local Rotary club needed some entertainment for their upcoming All-American Picnic or something. But when this long time friend mentioned that his father was not going to make it through the weekend I knew that this was going to be something different.

Maybe it is because I am familiar with funeral services, or maybe it is because I am a musician, but I have frequently thought about what music I would want at my own funeral. Just so more people than me know I will share this with you. At the graveside I want a Drum Corps style group to play Amazing Grace. Now, this isn’t your average rendition. If you’re not a DCI fan I encourage you to Youtube The Phantom Regiment’s version of Amazing Grace.

Okay . . . so the funeral I’m doing this week does not involve a Drum Corps . . . or even Amazing Grace. I have been asked to sing the one other song that I have always envisioned to be done at my own service. I rehearsed it today. Honestly, it was the first time I have ever done the song. You see, it is a little sacred to me. A creed. This is not something that I take lightly, and I still have yet to get through the song without crying. But I know that come Thursday morning at 10:00AM I will be able to say that I did it . . . My Way.