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Preview of Rich Mullin's last
concert in Tulsa
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This Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Rich Mullins will be in concert at
the Garnett Road Church of Christ. The "ticket" for this
concert is a t-shirt to be worn to the concert. The shirts cost
$10 and are available at Mardels.
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Since this is a preview of a concert by Mullins, I should
probably give you a taste of what to expect. But how do you
begin to describe a persona such as Mullins?
He takes events in his life like Christmas as a child; traveling
with a friend in a pick-up truck; eating his mothers gourmet
meal of cornbread and beans; staring at his nose to determine
which direction to go - "but the direction changed every
time I went and turned my head" - and turns them into
powerful ballads.
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He writes much more than just ballads. His praise and worship
songs such as "Awesome God" and "Step by Step"
have touched thousands who have no idea who he is.
Rich Mullins also has the unique ability to tackle meaningful
topics with his deep verse, vocals and catchy rhythm. They also,
much like a well-crafted diamond, have many facets that I still
don't fully appreciate.
From the religious devotion found in "The Color Green"
to the human weakness and longing found in "The River,"
Mullins' songs have touched many.
Mullins' discology includes eight original albums, and his most
recent release Songs is a compilation of some of his most popular
songs, with two new ones.
Rich Mullins has another catch: his music is really good. Not
just "good lyrics so we deal with the bad music," but
all around awesome stuff.
His style is hard to place. My best bet is a little folksy, with
a tad of hillbilly, R&B, country and rock 'n roll, all wrapped
in a depth of soul not often found.
Now, for sheer concert experience, Rich is hard to ditch. He
has a personality that, while being professional and entertaining,
is also very personable and draws the audience into the concert.
All of this makes Saturday's concert one you don't want to miss.
Note: I missed it. I had made the previous year's concert (the
best concert I had ever attended) and meant to attend this concert
as well. I missed it, expecting to catch him the next time he came
thru town. Rich Mullins never made it back. He
died less than six months after this concert.
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