It's really hard not to brag sometimes, I'm just SO proud of some of my friends. I can't even tell you who but one of my friends is just legendary. He just sent me this video of Keith Green's story in Contemporary Christian Music, one of the early founders. I gave him a thumbs up in my messages like I always do, there's a group of us now who just send each other the good stuff we find. But I also said this, "I bet you have stories to tell from that period. You should write them." I'll give you a hint and put related videos in the comments. How it was in the beginning... before all the good artists, small companies, and the truth, got gobbled up by the big companies buying them and taking away our spiritual food. That's ok. We remember. We feed each other now. xo Angel
Copyright 2023 Angel Isaacs All Rights Reserved
Written February 22, 2023 at 12:40 am
Hints, here are some of my favorites from back then. And yes, I was with them. Koinonia and all. xo
This wasn't who sent me the video but I'm searching for the good stuff. My friend Dwight wrote this song. He produced my first two albums at Chapelgate, with my late husband. See what I mean. We get around...
Here's Dwight's and my friend, Chuck. He led us with our fellowship at Koinonia, where it all started. I was there when he wrote this with our friend, Robert Roberg. Robert's folk art about God is now in the Smithsonian...
This is Mary who was Dwight, Chuck, Robert's and my friend at Koinonia. We'd have open mics there and meetings twice a month, in Nashville, on Music Row, next to Belmont Church. I listened to Mary's songs and loved her. She came to Chapelgate as my special guest when Amy Grant recorded the number 1 Christian Music video for the number 1 Christian song of all time up until then, maybe even now, at my waterfalls at Chapelgate. Mary died but we kept her music and art alive. It is still serving God's church today through her friends...
Mary's website is HERE
Here's where we would meet. It has a Historical Marker now. It started the decade before me but I went there in the very beginning with my Prom date who took me after the Prom. We lived an hour away. So that means I was there in the very beginning as well. I was also quietly writing my songs on my guitar in my basement, about God, and tucking them away in a notebook, during this period, having been offered a contract with RCA at the age of maybe 14, which I had turned down. My dad had said, "It will lead you away from God." So I said, "Ok, I won't then," and told the people no. I still kept writing though and soon I was singing them at Koinonia. HERE
"Illustrator" was one of the nationally touring bands. It was the very first major band I brought to Chapelgate for a concert. My husband and I had hand built our stage. I brought my friends in on a bus from Koinonia for the concert. Then we all also had open mics in my old Gristmill. I had given my beautiful home to God and was bringing in the writers of his songs to strengthen us all.
This is Chapelgate (Evins Mill) My stage is still there. Now they have weddings on it, next to the Gristmill. HERE
Here's some of my songs I recorded at Chapelgate with Dwight and Robin. There's also one from my Orlando days: HERE
Here's the headlining group Chuck brought in for a Fellowship of Contemporary Christian Music weekend retreat in Tennessee during that period. I can't begin to name all the 200 or so recording artists and songwriters there that weekend. I was there. I was playing my songs I'd been writing since I was 14 years old. The people who send me messages and videos heard me. Article HERE
Here are some of the songs that fed us...
And last, here's Amy Grant at my waterfalls at Chapelgate, where she filmed "Lead Me On" (desert scenes at Zion/Bryce)
Amy and I at Chapelgate, sitting on the porch of my Guesthouse:
It's all captured in the stories and photos in my main book, "Chapelgate, a Spiritual Memoir."
It contains all my songs and stories from 1985 to 2009.
These are 230 plus of my original Contemporary Christian Music songs written from 1975 to 2009.
Amy Grant filming "Lead Me On" at my waterfalls at Chapelgate.
This is the collage I made for my book, "Chapelgate, a Spiritual Memoir."
The old Grist Mill is on the far left, the stage is on the building outside front in the middle, the Guesthouse is far right. I had my concerts on the stage in front of the middle building (it stored the grain and we called it "The Store." I also had open mics inside my Grist Mill. I also set up the stone room in my Lodge, up on the cliff far left but not in this picture. The little chapel is far right and not in this picture.
This is today's version of my Stone Room in my Lodge (my house) at Chapelgate. This was my bedroom with Robin. But later I set up a mic, chair, amp and my guitars in this room. I'd write and planned to host open mics here. Robin died and I went on the rest of my adventure with God, all captured in my books, "The Chapelgate Adventure Series," stories, and songs. I wound up sacrificing Chapelgate to God as well as Robin's Drilling Data Center, which I owned, and still do. Both had and have immeasurable value, millions, if not billions. That's what our God can do when you follow him all the way, Daytime/Nighttime. He'll write your story, your amazing, incredible, completely harmonious story.
The next generation, my daughter, Skye and I, at my waterfalls at Chapelgate in the 2000's.
And even the next generation. My granddaughter, age 1, playing the piano in the old Grist Mill at Chapelgate in 2018.
I kept writing my Contemporary Christian Music songs all through my Orlando years, after Robin died. 1998 to 2010.
Orlando years
Orlando years, still writing songs and books about God
Austin years, which began when Skye and I moved from Orlando back to Austin in 2010.
Austin years, I'm performing with Andy Armendariz, "Texas Tales from a Lone Star" stories and videos.
Production studios at Austin Public television, "Texas Tales from a Lone Star." 2014 to 2022.
Teaching my little granddaughter, her first pink guitar, Andy Armendariz' ranch in Texas. 2021.
Bringing Gabe from Orlando to Austin to film, "Texas Tales from a Lone Star" television episodes. He's in Studio 2 at Austin Public television, and I'm interviewing him for an episode.
My granddaughter's white guitar, which followed her first pink guitar. It matches my white guitar. Life with our Father, our adventure with God, Yahweh, YHWH, forever to be continued. xo Angel