On this episode of Between the Songs, Joe and Chris sit down with one of contemporary Christian music’s most influential artists, guitarist and songwriter Phil Keaggy. Phil talks with us about the 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition of his groundbreaking album Love Broke Thru, which he’s currently reissuing through Kickstarter. We also look back on highlights from his remarkable career, his memories of the late Rich Mullins, and his contribution to The Jesus Record.
Between the Songs is pleased to present, as a special bonus, the 80th episode of the Ragamuffin Archive: Revisited podcast—a 15th anniversary celebration of Ragamuffin Archive! Spotlighting some of our favorite performances that we've shared on the archive over the past decade and a half! Featuring music from Rich Mullins, A Ragamuffin Band, Hal Swift, Carolyn Arends, Mitch McVicker, Eric Hauck & The Fifth R, This Train and Rick Elias. Plus, Joe reflects on the past 15 years and shares anniversary messages from Mitch McVicker, Mark Robertson, Hal Swift and Chris Marchand.
Ep. 80 Track List:
01. That Where I Am, There You... - A Ragamuffin Band (Light House Tribute, 2002)
02. Live Right - Rich Mullins feat. Amy Grant (Slick Pop Sounds)
03. A Message from Hal Swift
04. Charlie - Hal Swift (Ragamuffin Archive Exclusive)
05. You Did Not Have a Home - Carolyn Arends (Light House Tribute, 2003)
06. A message from Mitch McVicker
07. New Mexico - Mitch McVicker (Live in Tse Bonito, 2017)
08. Ready for the Storm - Eric Hauck & The Fifth R (A 20 Year Tribute to Rich Mullins - Window Rock, 2017)
09. A Message from Mark Robertson
10. A Million Years (Acoustic Version) - This Train (A Million Years - Radio CD Single)
11. The Breaks - Rick Elias & A Ragamuffin Band (Songs from Ben's House)
12. A Message from Chris Marchand
13. The Work You Began - Rich Mullins (The Work You Began: The Last Days of Rich Mullins)
14. Awesome God - Rich Mullins & A Ragamuffin Band (Cornerstone '97)
In our latest episode, we discuss Joe's recent article, "The Search for Charlie", and how that search eventually led to Hal Swift's brand new cover of an unreleased Rich Mullins song called "Charlie". Plus, Chris sits down with Andrew Montonera to talk about a Rich Mullins exhibit that Andrew helped curate for Judson University. The exhibit—Rich Mullins: A Legacy—is currently open to the public Monday-Friday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM at The Gallery in the Harm A. Weber Academic Center at Judson University in Elgin, Illinois. It runs through November 15, 2024. Finally, Joe & Chris discuss Ragamuffin Archive's upcoming feature-length concert special, Mitch McVicker: In Concert, which premieres on Friday, November 8, 2024—on Mitch's birthday!
Show notes available at:
https://www.ragamuffinarchive.com/the-search-for-charlie-plus-andrew-montonera-talks-judson-exhibit-between-the-songs/
In this short feature, Joe Cook discusses some of the things happening this week on Ragamuffin Archive, including the latest concert release and new episodes of Ragamuffin Archive: Revisited and Between the Songs! Listen on our website: https://www.ragamuffinarchive.com/episode-66-ragamuffin-archive-revisited/
Follow us on Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/ragamuffinarchive/
Joe recently had the chance to sit down with Mitch McVicker for a very casual interview. During their conversation, they discuss Bob Dylan, some of Mitch's favorite songs, and Mitch finally gives us the definitive answer to the question "Who is Susan?" in the Rich Mullins song "What Susan Said". Plus, he shares the story behind— and plays an acoustic version of— one of Joe's favorite songs from his self-titled debut album. Before the interview, Joe & Chris discuss Ragamuffin Archive's recent rerelease of the Rich Mullins: Youth for Christ Second Saturday concert that was taped, 32 years ago last week, at Moody Memorial Church in Chicago, Illinois. Finally, they reflect on the 27th anniversary of Rich's death. More info at: https://www.ragamuffinarchive.com/
Joe Cook discusses some of the things happening this week on Ragamuffin Archive, including the latest concert release and new episodes of Ragamuffin Archive: Revisited and Between the Songs!
In our latest episode, Joe & Chris celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Reunion Records' 1994 video release, Rich Mullins: Pursuit of a Legacy. They have an in-depth discussion about the four music videos that were filmed for the project, as well as Rich's spoken segments that were included between the songs. As a special bonus, we're excited to share an unreleased portion of our interview with Russ Taff & Steve Taylor— the latter of whom directed the project. During the conversation, Steve looks back at his work on Pursuit of a Legacy, while Russ shares his memories and reflections of Rich Mullins.
Show notes available at: https://www.ragamuffinarchive.com/pursuit-of-a-legacys-30th-anniversary-between-the-songs/
Listen on Mixcloud: https://www.mixcloud.com/ragamuffinarchive/ Listen via our website: https://www.ragamuffinarchive.com/episode-62-ragamuffin-archive-revisited/ Ragamuffin Archive: Revisited is a weekly podcast hosted by Joe Cook. Each week we do a deep dive into the archive—and beyond— to curate a playlist featuring music by Rich Mullins, A Ragamuffin Band & other adjacent artists! New episodes are released every Sunday night at 9pm ET! Intro/Outro Music: Screen Porch by Ted Yoder. Music available at https://tedyoder.com/
In celebration of Independence Day, Between the Songs podcast is excited to bring you this special presentation of Ragamuffin Archive: Revisited— Rich Mullins In America. This two-hour episode features songs by Rich that focus on the beauty he found all across America, as well as songs that deal with his journey as a Christian in the United States. Author/Podcaster Christopher Marchand joins us to share his reflections and insights on many of these songs. Ragamuffin Archive: Revisited is a weekly YouTube radio program hosted by Joe Cook. Each week we do a deep dive into the archive—and beyond— to curate a playlist featuring music by Rich Mullins, A Ragamuffin Band & other related artists! New episodes stream every Sunday night at 9pm ET on the Ragamuffin Archive YouTube channel! Intro/Outro Music: Here in America from Ted Yoder's album Lean In. More info at www.tedyoder.com
In honor of the 25th Anniversary of The Jesus Record, Joe & Chris share a previously unreleased 90 minute interview with Ragamuffin Band bass player, Mark Robertson— taped back in 2017. They also discuss Joe's new weekly Ragamuffin Archive YouTube show, the upcoming vinyl reissue of Rick Elias's first album, and Chris shares some reflections on The Jesus Record.
This episode features an extended interview with renowned musician and songwriter Phil Madeira. Phil comes on to talk about how his band Red Dirt Boys (backup band for Emmylou Harris) is doing a crowdfunding campaign for two new albums. But he also tells us about his storied career in the music business, how he found himself being the band leader for Rick Elias' tribute concert, and why he liked Rich Mullins but not his music. Please check out Phil's website for more of his story and where to purchase his music. This episode also features a longer version of Jimmy Abegg and Ben Pearson's reflections about Rick Elias which was in our previous episode.
April 2, 2021 is the two year anniversary of the death of Rick Elias. This episode is a tribute to his life and work and features a long list of people sharing their stories about all the beautiful, conflicted moments they got to share with him over the years, including: Jimmy Abegg, Aaron Smith, Mark Robertson, Phil Madeira, Ben Pearson, Phil Keaggy, Margaret Becker, Randy Stonehill, Bryan Duncan, Carolyn Arends, Mitch McVicker, Sammy Horner, Chris Hauser, and many others.
This episode features a conversation with Rick Lee James, a singer-songwriter and recording artist from Ohio. In 2019 he was given the opportunity to record the Rich Mullins song "Thunder," which was written in the early part of his career and was later re-written by Lowell Alexander and Phil Naish. James put the song on his latest album, which he named Thunder, a heartfelt collection of modern hymns and narrative songs. The interview goes into the meaning of the song, the recording process, when James first heard of Mullins, and the influence he has had on his life. You can discover more of James's music at this website: https://www.rickleejames.com/
This episode features two interviews with Mitch McVicker, one with him discussing the Kickstarter campaign for his new album A Shrugging of the Shoulders, and the other a kind of radio special that goes in-depth into his previous album The Acceptance of And.
This episode features an interview with filmmaker Andrew Montonera about the new Rich Mullins documentary "The Work You Began: The Last Days of Rich Mullins." The film features new interviews with artists and friends, as well as the family he stayed with in the weeks before he died, and offers the story surrounding the last concert he gave, Mitch McVicker's first album, and how the songs of the Jesus Record came together. It can be viewed at the Ragamuffin Archive YouTube page.
Our next bonus episode features interviews with Andrew Osenga and Jeremy Casella, two artists greatly affected by Rich Mullins' work, and who are currently trying to fund their new albums on Kickstarter. Joe was able to talk with Osenga last fall in the lead up to the Window Rock Tribute Concert and Chris spoke to Casella a few weeks ago for PostConsumer Reports (the full interview with Casella is available there). Please check out their Kickstarter pages and consider supporting their work (links will be on the Between the Songs website).
To start the new year we have a very special bonus episode featuring a lost interview of Rich Mullins from 1992. A tape was recently discovered at KHAC radio that contains a lengthy interview Mullins did with Chuck Harper (of Western Indian Ministries and Christ For Native Youth) a few years before Mullins moved out to the Navajo nation to do ministry work. The episode also features an interview with filmmaker Larry Handley of Little Brown Dog Productions who filmed and edited the concert film of the 20th Anniversary Window Rock Tribute Concert.
Bassist, song-writer, and producer Mark Robertson was not only a member of Rich Mullins' Ragamuffin Band and the lead singer of This Train, but he also recorded He has just released an album with his new band Prayer Flags and so we decided to take the opportunity to talk about the new music, his long history in the music business, and his time with Mullins. Although today's bonus episode features some of his reflections on Mullins a majority of that section of our interview will air on future episode of Between the Songs.
