It Just Takes One!

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Christian, Composition, Faith, Guitar, Hymns, iTunes, Jesus, Just Do It, Music, The Cross

Well, here we are. Smack dab in the middle of the Holidays and saying “Where did those last 2 months go”?

I wanted to share a quick post because of the impact that your work can have regardless of your “Plan” or “intent”. And with the way the Music Industry is changing, what can happen next is anyone’s dart throw!

My “intent” was to release a new Hymn for solo acoustic guitar about every 2 months give or take in 2018. If you’ve been following along, that didn’t quite happen. C’est la vie! “Life goes on”, pick your favorite. That project will roll again (at least that’s the intent) in early 2019.

I routinely check my plays on streaming services to see where I’m getting play, age group, etc. and one day this large amount of streams came in on “According To Thy Gracious Word”, a large enough amount to make me investigate. Come to find out it was all from one country and that this country is primarily a different belief than Christianity. Well hallelujah! No matter if it was a Christian (and hopefully it wasn’t) or not, and whether or not I make enough money to buy my next meal from streaming (insert hearty laughter here!), my work impacted people for the eternal! In the world view, meh, whatever, but in the eternal, the everlasting, a deposit into the bank of goodness came from this project. Amen!

It is good to share the good, and I wanted to share this moment with you. In addition,  thank you! Thank you for continuing to play these Hymns on all platforms, and for purchasing too.

Well, your probably thinking I’ve got to get back to that 50% off deal online so I will close here and say, Pray. Pray unceasingly! That not only will the #HymnsForSoloAcousticGuitar continue on it’s path of blessing but that our work and example in other peoples lives will have an impact.

Blessings –

Rhon

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“Abide With Me” Now Available!

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Amazon, Christian, Christian Music, Classical Music, Crucifixion, Faith, God's Word, Google+, Guitar, Hymns, iTunes, Jazz, Jesus, Music, Music Blog, Presbyterian, Songwriting, The Bible, The Cross

Announcing my latest Single for the ongoing project #HymnsForSoloAcousticGuitar is now available! “Abide With Me” is now on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, Apple Music, and all other major music retailers. There are links below to listen, purchase, and share or you can Click this link – Newsletter – for the story behind this release as well as artwork and more. I pray that this release is a blessing to you!

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Hymns For Solo Acoustic Guitar Webpage

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Release Date 1/29/2018 for “Abide With Me”

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Amazon, Christian, Christian Music, Classical Music, Crucifixion, Facebook, Faith, God's Word, Guitar, Hymns, iTunes, Jesus, Music, Music Blog, Praying, Presbyterian, Recording, Songwriting, The Bible, The Cross, YouTube

One week from today my 2nd release for #HymnsForSoloAcousticGuitar will be available worldwide!

The 2nd release is “Abide With Me” and will feature a stark guitar tuning that weaves through an emotional ride of several styles. This Hymn is a standard song that speaks truth and peace to the soul and I am very excited about this version.

I have included the Artwork for this release in this Blog Post so be on the lookout for this picture one week from today.

All my Newsletter subscribers get all release details, videos, artwork, and more before Social Media. You can sign up here Newsletter Sign Up to get the Newsletter delivered to your email inbox so sign up today!

Your prayers of blessing for this release are appreciated!

Blessings,

Rhon Van Erman

• iTunes 
• www.rhonvanerman.com 
• #HymnsForSoloAcousticGuitar – Webpage
• Spotify 
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Hymns Newsletter!

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Christian, Faith, Guitar, Hymns, Jesus, Music, Piano

Hymns For Solo Acoustic Guitar Newsletter I have started a Newsletter for all the creative aspects and details of my recording for Hymns For Solo Acoustic Guitar! I will be posting periodically with videos, artwork, and the details of how I’m writing and arranging these Hymns. You can get this Newsletter send directly to your email inbox at rockin@rhonvanerman.com 

Just click the link above for a .pdf version of my latest Newsletter. You can also comment below or send me and email. Hymns For Solo Acoustic Guitar Webpage.

Blessings –

Rhon Van Erman

First Performance of “According To Thy Gracious Word”

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Acoustic Guitar, Amazon, Christian, Classical Music, Faith, God's Word, Guitar, Hymns, HymnsForSoloAcousticGuitar, iTunes, Jesus, Music, The Bible, The Cross

 

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A man, a guitar, and a Hymn. A simple combination that came to fruition with the first sharing of “According To Thy Gracious Word”, a Hymn For Solo Acoustic Guitar.

It was my honor and privilege to play my first release of the ongoing project #HymnsForSoloAcoustic guitar at the Presbyterian Chapel of The Lakes in Angola Indiana. This was the first sharing of the first of these Hymns live and apropros that it should be done at the place that it all started! The Hymn was played in both the morning service and the second service in the old Crooked Lake Schoolhouse where the idea for this project began. It was great to play “Live” again, especially in God’s house!

One of the great things about this day wasn’t that it was 33 degrees and snowing outside, or that the only thing heating the little Chapel/Schoolhouse was a very stoked wood burning fireplace, it was that is was just real. People gathered to hear God’s word and worship and me to share the gift He gave me with just an Acoustic guitar. Simple.

And that is where God has been hitting me lately, in the simple. Thank you Lord! I, and maybe sometimes you, seem to complicate each day by a list of “got to do’s” and “must get done’s” only to find ourselves wound up so tight that we’re missing most of the goodness of each day! I read in my Daily Devotional the other day to “Give thanks when you’re in line and in a hurry and give it to God. Say “thank you God for this time I can turn to you instead of turning into a piece of work because someone is not fitting into what I planned today”!! There was a nice slice of humble pie for me : )

As the old acronym states – K.I.S.S. = Keep It Simple Stupid. Like, just a Hymn and an Acoustic guitar. Not a chart topper on the Billboard Hot 100 but a place of peace to concentrate on things eternal.

I will be doing just one more sharing of this first Hymn over the Holidays and then releasing the second Hymn “Abide With Me” with more special music dates to come in 2018! If you know of a Church that would like to sponsor me to come play my guitar and share this story please contact me at rockin@rhonvanerman.com . In the meantime please share this blog and your playlists on iTunes Music, Spotify, and wherever else you play these Hymns with your family and friends. My hope is not only that this project gives a place of peace from the chaos but also reaches those who need to hear it at just the right time!

Blessings! – (Pictures below)

www.rhonvanerman.com – Hymns Page Link

It’s Live! #AccordingToThyGraciousWord

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Acoustic Guitar, Christian, Christian Music, Classical Music, Facebook, Faith, God's Word, Google+, Guitar, Hymns, HymnsForSoloAcousticGuitar, iTunes, Jesus, Music, Music Blog, Presbyterian, Recording, Songwriting, The Bible, The Cross

Today is Release Day! My first “Hymn For Solo Acoustic Guitar” is available digitally at all major retailers and streaming services. This is a day I’ve been looking very forward to because of one of the great benefits of this release is – Peace from the chaos. 

In a time where we have busied ourselves with whatever we can crunch into 24 hours that seems important at the time, we are losing one of the most important things to our health, well being, and eternity – Quiet Time. 

It it my hope that the Hymn “According To Thy Gracious Word” will make you pause even for 2:40 of your life to reflect, reset, and focus on what’s most important. Even though music is what I do for a living, the power of these great old Hymns has been very moving in their creation. A time of purpose, re-dedication, and taking in what is now.

Let me know how this song blesses you. You can email me at rockin@rhonvanerman.com. There will be a “Behind The Music” video soon and more releases in the coming months. There are links below to some of the major digital retailers and Spotify. Other companies will be added in the coming days. As always, thanks for listening and supporting my music!

Blessings,

Rhon

iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/according-to-thy-gracious-word-single/id1296625188 

CD Baby – https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/rhonvanerman5 

Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/user/rhonve/playlist/0KdY4Ah7dDhtYIMCwFU1mo

Website – http://www.rhonvanerman.com/Hymns-For-Solo-Acoustic-Guitar.html http://www.rhonvanerman.com/Hymns-For-Solo-Acoustic-Guitar.html 

 

 

#HymnsForSoloAcousticGuitar

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Acoustic Guitar, Amazon, Christian, Classical Music, Faith, God's Word, Google+, Guitar, Hymns, HymnsForSoloAcousticGuitar, iTunes, Jesus, Music, Music Blog, Recording, Solo Acoustic Guitar, Songwriting, Studio, The Bible, The Cross

Yep, that’s a hashtag. A virtual way of following all the releases, videos, photos, and more for the singles I’m about to release digitally. I’ve even started a special page on my website dedicated to this release here – Hymns For Solo Acoustic Guitar. So we’ll call this a virtual CD. There will be new Hymns released about every 60 days or less in an ongoing project that I hope will add peace, clarity, and a fresh listening experience for you! Please bookmark, share on social media, and add these songs to your playlists on Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and more! And if you’re a bit nostalgic, you can buy each track too! I will be creating a video soon about the story behind this project.

The first Hymn will be “According To Thy Gracious Word”. A hymn that we sing A Capella quite often at Presbyterian Chapel of The Lakes Church. The guitar is tuned differently to give a Celtic drone with the melody being played at the same time. The dynamic starts low and builds to the 3rd verse with an intimate verse 4 that builds to a harmonic peak. It was quite cool to arrange! The release date for this first Hymn is Thursday November, 2nd and will be available on all digital retailers and streaming services.

One of the unique qualities about this adventure is I’m doing it all from start to finish. Like cooking from scratch. The arranging, recording, mastering, artwork, copyrighting, licensing, upload, and PR! (I’m tired already!) Not so I can wave my flag, and not only to keep costs to a minimum (although that’s awesome!), it keeps everything real, like it is in Church when we sing it, or when I sit back in the Lazy-Boy and put in my earbuds to just listen and get two minutes and thirty-nine seconds of peace! This allows me to be even closer to God because I’m laying everything in His hands on these releases. That…is the place I need to be!

I truly hope this music will be a blessing to you and hope that you will write to me and let me know your thoughts. Here’s my email rockin@rhonvanerman.com 

As always thanks for reading and listening and blessings to you!

– Rhon Van Erman  www.rhonvanerman.com

 

 

Give The Gift Of Music!

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CD, Christmas, Christmas Music, Christmas The Reason, Rhon Van Erman, RhonVanErman

Is it the weather? (This has been one of the best Novembers I can remember). Is it me? Or (fill in the blank)…? I’m not sure, maybe a combination of many things, but I know that Thanksgiving came up on me so fast that I just haven’t been able to get “in the Spirit” or “in the Holiday mood”, and now it’s here! So I thought to myself “I’ll get my Christmas EP – Christmas The Reason and pop it in the CD player”, (don’t laugh, I still like CDs, hey, I even love vinyl!). And there it came. The mood, the Spirit, which is why I recorded it in the first place. The contemplative place I like to be when Christmastime is upon us. Phew, that was close. I was beginning to think I’d grown numb to what should be one of the greatest times of the year. So as I reflect on it’s meaning again, I am thankful this Thanksgiving weekend for the gift of music and how it is transcendent to time, places, people, etc. That is awesome!

As we prepare ourselves for the day we call Christmas I want to encourage you to take some “you” time and reflect on the true meaning of Christmas and how it affects you, and how you respond to it. It always puts things into perspective for me because all the hype, parties, and “I want’s” can cloud the truth pretty doggone quick!

So I am thankful this Thanksgiving as a listener and a writer/player. It’s the combination of just the right notes and memories that can give meaning and perspective to a time that means so much.

Happy Thanksgiving & Merry Christmas!

Rhon –

Visit this link to listen and purchase Christmas – The Reason  

“Shouting About The Quiet”

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CD Baby, Christian, Christian Music, Classical Music, Crucifixion, Faith, Good Friday, In The Quiet, Inside The Music, Instrumental Music, Jesus, Music, MusicBlog, RhonVanErman

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rhonvanerman4

Yes! Yippee! Thank you God! Woo-Ho!

Well, that was my first reaction when my song In The Quiet finally posted to iTunes and CD Baby five days after the release date. A lot of hard work goes into every release and it’s always a dichotomy of excitement and unknowing that floods the day. So this was an occasion to shout about something that was meant for quiet time. Hmm, that’s an odd statement, but this release has been just that, not a “normal” release, so I will expound a bit.

First of all, thank you! Thank you to a patient God who’s wisdom is beyond the thoughts of man. It was His patience in which I had to rest because mine was about spent. Every time I’m challenged to it, my “A” personality rears it’s ugly…. (no pun intended). To a my Engineer Daryl Powell (Studio D), who always comes through in the clutch. One phone call and a master CD was made and sent over night to my distributor. A woman named Sally, who works at CD Baby, and whom I will probably never meet or speak with personally, but who loaded the full length version of my song to be available to the world. The fans who purchased the song on the original day of release, you are my “Super Fans” that fuel my inspiration further! And to my Angel In Disguise, my wife Tonya. Your embrace and words of encouragement are a blessing I can never repay.

Second of all, I have to say that this has been one of the oddest things I’ve been through. Not only musically, but Spiritually. I have come away with something that my “A” personality really struggles with, but I believe over time is making me what God wants me to be. – “To put my head down and run, only to look forward on the path I’ve been given. Not of it’s outcome, but the wisdom gained that puts me closer to the One who is wise. To let gratefulness over rule expectation, for in this I have truly been blessed”.

Good Friday is April 3rd 2015. I have attached the CD Baby player of the song In The Quiet above for you to contemplate this day and your reaction to the crucifixion of Jesus. I pray that it is a blessing to you. The iTunes player is below (the full version is available but the player only plays a clip), and other digital music retailers will soon have this song available. You can always email me if you have questions about where you wish to purchase this song. I am hoping to have a video of this song by Good Friday so stay tuned. Please share this blog with others and comment below. Thanks for reading and listening!

Blessings,

Rhon –

https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/in-the-quiet-single/id976161054

Quiet – Need Some?

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Christian, Christian Music, Classical Music, Crusifiction, Gethsemene, Good Friday, Guitar, Guitar Solo, In The Quiet, Instrumental Music, Jesus, Jesus Praying, Music, MusicBlog, Piano and Guitar, Praying, RhonVanErman, RhonVanErmanBlog, The Cross

We live in a very interesting time don’t we? I’m sure all generations have said this, however, that little rectangular thing you can’t leave home without has changed everything we will ever be. Albeit good or bad. And as always, we are daily given a choice to use it for something good or bad. Kind of like a volume control, loud or quiet? With the previously mentioned device I could use a little of the latter in my life. How ’bout you?

Several years ago I was in my kitchen prepping a music lesson with an old sight reading book I hadn’t looked at in quite a long time. The morning sun was shining in, and the anticipation of Spring was filling my bones with overwhelming exuberance (that means I was fairly excited). The neighborhood dogs weren’t barking, the phone wasn’t ringing, and my little rectangular thing was turned off. Quiet time. The world was on pause for a bit and that was good.

Teaching music enables me to give back but it also allows me to look back. The excitement of first’s. The first time playing a chord that moves my very being. The first time being able to confidently play a solo with all the notes I was thinking at the time I was thinking them (musical conversation). And the most important thing this time was, playing three chords that transcended me into an event that I yearly commemorate, but I was never able to express the emotions until the notes came out. It was very moving. And once again I was the instrument playing the instrument for the emotion to have sound. Anguish, tension, abandonment, weeping, torment, hoping, on a level that we most likely will never know. The quiet had given me the time to reflect on something that was done for me that I’ll never be able to repay. Good Friday.

I want to encourage those that are not Christian, or are Christian, not to click off right now. This is not a post to preach to you, but, to engage you to take a quiet moment and ponder for yourself what Good Friday is. I’ve often looked at paintings of this horrific event and had to turn my head at the shear brutality. How can this be “Good”? But the question that really hit me this time was, what was Jesus going through? The personal side of Jesus. Not what I thought, but what he felt. And how do I react to that? It is said to know another’s life you must walk in their shoes. The thoughts of Jesus on this day I will only read, and never fully understand. And this is the story for the “Inside the music” of the song, “In The Quiet”.

Today all the things that needed to be done for the release of is this song were finished. The uploading of audio, artwork, and distribution. The biz stuff. So now all is good with the technical world, and on the release date you’ll be able to purchase something called an mp3, load it into that little rectangular thing you can’t leave home without, and take a moment from the spinning of your world and listen. “In The Quiet” is an all instrumental of just piano and guitar. Just the intimacy of the two instruments speaking the emotion of the song. My hope is that when you listen with no distractions, the song will help you reflect on Good Friday and it’s true meaning. This will be a digital release only, no CD (yet), and available at all the major music retailers like iTunes, Amazon, CD Baby, etc. The date will be posted in my next blog. If you have any comments or thoughts you’d like to share you can leave them below or email me at rockin@rhonvanerman.com 

www.rhonvanerman.com