Michelle’s Angels

Featured Angel Artist – Winter 2012

Jon Michaels

_____________________________________________
by Kihm Winship, Senior Writer

Jon Michaels grew up a long way from country music, listening to singer/songwriters like Jackson Browne, Jim Croce and Harry Chapin in the L.A. suburbs. After graduating from Glendale College, Jon began a career as a financial planner. But he couldn’t leave behind his love for the well-written song, and by night he began  playing at clubs in L.A. In 1992, music brought him to Nashville for his first visit; he stayed a week and was hooked.

“What I was seeing was not ‘Hee Haw,’” he said. Visits to legendary venues such as the Bluebird Café and the Douglas Corner Café changed Jon’s life.  He returned to the West Coast, sold his house, packed his guitar and never looked back. “I gave up my job; I gave up everything,” he said. Jon recalls that at the time his songs were not as finely crafted as those of more experienced songwriters, but he was confident and comfortable as a performer.

“Nashville is graduate school. It’s where you really learn about songwriting.”  Along the way, a Philadelphia TV show hostess named Christina Pirello heard Jon play his music at the Bluebird and invited him to perform on Christina Cooks, her natural foods cooking program on PBS. The response was overwhelming, and in three seasons, Jon wrote and performed 52 original songs for a national audience.

And in one of his more unusual moments of fame, Jon was featured in the “Nancy” comic strip after its creators caught one of Jon’s shows.

Jon has produced three of his own CDs: I Hear a Clock, I Am Who I Am, and Stones, recorded at Douglas Corner, a live album that truly captures the spirit, grace, warmth and emotion of Jon’s music and performance.

One of many highlights on I Hear a Clock is the touching song "Until We Meet Again," co-written with Dinah Brein after her mother's passing, and sung by Michael at his own mother's funeral.

Nashville had one more gift for Jon: He met and married Jeannie, who was working as a tour manager for acts like Lone Star and Jessica Andrews.

Today, the Michaels family is back in Columbia, South Carolina, Jeannie’s hometown, where their daughter Jennings can have the kind of childhood her mother experienced.  Jon has been working again in finance, but also performing on bills with B.J. Thomas, John Sebastian and the Kingston Trio. And in good news for the songwriter, Ty Herndon has chosen Jon’s “Stones” as the lead-off single on his newest album.

Nashville singer Kim Parent, whose vocals grace Jon’s live album, Stones, recently commented on Jon’s move to South Carolina, saying, “I do miss that Jon Michaels. What a precious spirit he is.” Fortunately for all of us, Jon’s music is close by, on his website, http://jonmichaelsmusic.com/, and iTunes.

Michelle’s Angels

Featured Angel Artist – Fall 2011

Marcia Ramirez

_____________________________________________
by Kihm Winship, Senior Writer 

Singer-songwriter Marcia Ramirez credits Pam Tillis with opening her eyes to the real possibilities of a career in music. Growing up in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, and studying piano at Ouachita Baptist University, Marcia thought that there were only two ways to go in music: Stardom or Plan B.

But early on after she came to Nashville to pursue her dreams, she got a call from Pam Tillis who needed a backup singer who could play piano. On the road, Pam asked Marcia if she’d like to know what a day in the life of a star felt like, so Marcia spent the day with her, a long, long day of appearances and interviews... and they hadn’t done the show yet. “Fame is hard,” she said, remembering the experience. “I think Pam may have saved me from my own ambition.”

Since then, Marcia worked to create a career in music that also includes a home she spends time in, a family and a halfway normal life – the best of all worlds.

Marcia’s first love is songwriting. She has written many songs for other artists, including Jo Dee Messina, The Whites, Rachel Williams, Lisa Hendrich, Sonia Lee, Chelsee Oaks, and Britt Savage. But she finds the songs she writes for her own shows to be the most satisfying, the most personal, the most real. She has four albums of her own music recorded, and is working on material for a new CD she hopes to release in 2012.

In addition to working with Pam Tillis, Marcia has performed as a back-up musician with Rodney Crowell, Tanya Tucker, Bill Anderson, Lee Ann Womack and Patty Loveless. On any given day, she might get a call from a recording studio looking for a backup singer. And she enjoys singing at small singer-songwriter venues, solo or with friends, sharing her life and music with others, as she does with Michelle’s Angels.

Marcia was raised in the church; her first music was gospel music, and she still makes time for a Bible study group that includes her friend and neighbor Kim Parent, who was our first Angel Artist.

It’s fitting that Marcia is our Featured Angel Artist for Fall 2011 – autumn is her favorite season. “I feel more creative in the fall,” she notes. And of course, fall brings football season. “I may be happiest,” she said, “cooking chili in the kitchen while there’s an NFL game on in the next room.” Living in Tennessee, Marcia roots for the Titans. But as she is married to a Michigan native, she also joins her family in cheering for the Detroit Lions, an allegiance that speaks well of her optimism and loyalty.

You’ll find Marcia’s music on our Michelle’s Angels Jukebox and on iTunes, and some of her newest songs at her website (www.marciaramirez.com), along with the dates of upcoming concerts. Wherever you find her and hear her music, you will surely be uplifted.

Michelle’s Angels

Featured Angel Artist – Summer 2011

Tom Rasely

_____________________________________________
by Kihm Winship, Senior Writer

A conversation about music with Tom Rasely does not follow predictable paths. You will encounter musicians along the way, including Tom’s father, Charles Rasely, a teacher, singer, composer and player who lived and breathed music. And Mylon LeFevre, a gospel singer with a fascinating past that makes you wonder how he survived to the present. But you will also come across the novels of Charles Dickens, the philosophy of Lao Tzu, “The Voyage of Life” paintings of Thomas Cole, the night sky photography of Martin McKenna, and many other unexpected influences that have shaped Tom’s life and music.

Tom first picked up a guitar in 1964 and began teaching himself to play. He studied music theory in college, and then basically sought to learn from everyone he played with, indulging his natural curiosity, watching, listening, asking and learning.

As a performer, Tom has toured in the U.S. and Canada, playing in coffeehouses, in pops concerts with symphony orchestras, and even the White House. As a recording artist, Tom has appeared on over 60 projects, many with his original music. And as a teacher, Tom has taught thousands of players at his studio, in guitar schools and workshops. In addition, he serves as Music Ministry Associate and Composer-in-Residence at United Church of Christ, First Congregational, in Norwich, New York.

It was through his music that Tom first met Herb Knoll, in 1997 at an arts festival in West Point, N.Y., and again in Glens Falls, N.Y. in 1998. Herb took Tom’s music home, and recalls, “Michelle loved his music and played his CD endlessly.”

When Herb approached Tom about participating with Michelle’s Angels, Tom was delighted. Speaking of his fellow musicians and those who come to Michelle’s Angels for support and encouragement, he notes, “I hope our journey can help their journey.”

Fittingly, his most recent CD is entitled “Journeys,” a song cycle Tom has created with friend and poet Douglas V. Rose, a collection that includes songs of love and peace, songs of searching and songs of faith.

Tom notes, “My music is a neo-romantic statement of melody. My goal is to create music that is – to paraphrase Broadway composer Jule Styne – melodically strong and harmonically attractive. Recording allows me to get a quality performance into the hands (and ears) of a large number of people. As a Christian, I believe that every note comes from God; every note is offered as a gift back to God.”

And now Tom’s music is a gift to those who come to the Michelle’s Angels website for comfort and encouragement.

You can discover more about Tom and his music at his website, and at CD Baby.

 Michelle’s Angels

Featured Angel Artist – Spring 2011

Rob Harris

  _____________________________________________
by Kihm Winship, Senior Writer

Rob Harris developed a love of music while growing up in Chattaroy, West Virginia. His father played guitar, and Rob picked up the instrument when he was a student in the eighth grade. He enjoyed it, and stayed with it.

Rob attended Marshall University and found he could make a little money by playing his guitar in clubs and coffee shops (“before they were cool”), treating the patrons to their favorite James Taylor, John Denver and Dan Fogelberg songs. Rob left Marshall with a degree in Broadcasting, but he felt called to go into the ministry, and attended Kentucky Christian University to prepare. After graduation, he was an ordained minister with a guitar, ideally prepared to reach out through his music, a career he pursued with joy for more than 20 years, leading worship at churches and events around the country.

He was serving as Worship Minister at Franklin Christian Church when he met Herb and Michelle Knoll, and got to know them both. Of Michelle’s coping with cancer, he notes, “I was privileged to know Michelle, to be touched by her strength and spirit. She fought with such grace, such a positive attitude.”

Rob has long supported Michelle’s Angels, most recently by traveling to West Virginia with other Angel Artists, playing at a church, hospital and hospice there. One gentleman spending his last days at the hospice asked if the visitors would play “How Great Thou Art” for him, and Rob and his fellow artists obliged. “We had hymnals with us,” Rob remembers, “so we were able to do every single verse.” His last wish granted, the man died soon after. Rob said, “It’s humbling to think that we were able to do that for him.”

Today, Rob is a full-time songwriter with Identical Entertainment in Nashville. Two of his songs, "Who I Am Ain't Who I Was" (written with Mark Narmore and Angel Artist Tonja Rose) and "Hearts Are Made to Give Away" (written with Rory Lee Feek and Greg Johnson), were recorded by Tonja Rose in 2009 on her CD The Heart of Me.

And there are unexpected projects as well. For a film in development, Rob worked with country duo Joey + Rory to arrange a beautiful acoustic version of the rock anthem “Freebird,” a collaboration that led to a lovely cut on their CD The Life of a Song.

Rob is still listening to James Taylor, and lists his favorite guitarists as Doyle Dykes, Tommy Emmanuel and Chet Atkins.

In his own words, Rob is grateful to be Lara’s husband and proud to be Bailey, Emily and Amanda’s dad. He loves spending time with his wife and girls, going to movies and collecting autographs and all things Batman.

Like every Angel Artist, he’s a gift to us all. 

 Michelle’s Angels

Featured Angel Artist – Winter 2011

A. J. Masters

  _____________________________________________

A.J. Masters was born in Walden, New York, not too far from the Hudson River, but grew up in Southern California, in Compton, a community of many minorities. Masters recalls his contemporaries as largely made up of “Dustbowl kids and grandkids from Oklahoma, Texas and Arkansas.” It was a truly American mix.

At the age of 14, A.J. began playing bass guitar in his brother’s band, “The Hustlers.” The band played parties, covering songs by the Everly Brothers, the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Zombies, the Animals and other popular bands of the era. At 16, he picked up the guitar and began writing his own songs, folk-rock tunes with a bluesy edge. Then as now, A.J.’s songwriting would be vital to his career as an artist.

In the 1980s, A.J. signed with an independent record label, Bermuda Dunes Records, and within three years had 10 charted singles. In 1986, he was voted Independent Male Vocalist of the Year and was nominated by the Academy of Country Music for Best New Male Vocalist. In 1987, he performed on the New Faces Show with Lyle Lovett, Dwight Yoakum, Keith Whitley, and Sweet Hearts of the Rodeo. Speaking of his awards as an independent artist, A.J. observes wryly, “I was at the top of the bottom.”

In the 1990s, A.J. played acoustic guitar for the great Charlie Rich, and he kept on writing. His songwriting was honored with the BMI Millionaire Award for “Change My Mind,” a multi-platinum award for “Love Ain’t Like That,” recorded by Faith Hill, and an Independent Song of the Year award for “We’re Here to Stay.” More than 100 of his songs have been recorded since 1984, by The Oak Ridge Boys, Randy Travis, Diamond Rio, John Berry, Charlie Rich Jr., and many other artists.

In lean times, A.J. turned to his skills in laying carpet to tide himself over. As with every talent, it came in handy at an unexpected time. While recording in Michael McDonald’s studio, he was told that Michael wanted a hardwood floor but hadn’t gotten around to having it done yet. A.J. said, “Oh, I can do that,” and he did.

“I work all the time,” A.J. says. A typical day might include recording demos, which involves writing the charts, going over the songs with the other artists, playing guitar and recording, sometimes creating as many as four demos in just three hours of studio time. The other half of that day might be spent writing more songs.

“It works out to about 50 cents an hour, but I’d be doing it anyway.” On writing a hit, A.J. notes, “It’s like playing the lottery. Sometimes you just know, you can feel you have a hit, but it may take years before other people discover the song.”

Today, A.J. can be found singing and playing songwriter shows, festivals, and house concerts throughout the country. “And I have a family,” he notes, with whom he lives on a small farm just outside Nashville.

Amazingly, in the midst of all his writing, playing and singing, A.J. Masters has made time to contribute his songs and his talents to the Michelle’s Angels Foundation. Music Director Ken Harrell brought A.J. into the fold, and he played the Foundation’s first benefit concert at the Bluebird in Nashville in September 2005. They say if you want something done, ask a busy person. That would be A.J. Masters.

 Michelle’s Angels

Featured Angel Artist – Summer 2010

Ken Harrell

  _____________________________________________

Ken Harrell has been with Michelle’s Angels since the beginning, and, in fact, even before the beginning.

In December of 2004, Herb and Michelle Knoll took in a show at Nashville’s famed Bluebird Café. One of the evening’s performers was Ken Harrell. During the show, Herb and Michelle were each touched by Ken’s music, and could hardly wait to tell each other how much they had enjoyed him. Herb bought Ken’s CD to take a little of the evening’s magic home for Michelle.

Two weeks later, Michelle received her diagnosis and in January of 2005 underwent surgery at the MD Anderson Cancer Center, in Houston, Texas. While thinking of ways to lift Michelle’s spirits, Herb remembered Ken Harrell and gave him a call. After hearing Michelle’s story, and how “angels” around the world were coming to Michelle’s aid, Ken said, “How can I help?”

Herb said, “My bride needs a song. A song to lift her spirits.” Without hesitation, Ken offered to pour his soul into a song for Michelle and said he’d find some of the best musician’s in all of Nashville to help him record it. At that moment, the musical outreach program of what would become the Michelle’s Angels Foundation was born.

On September 17, 2005, Michelle Knoll was the guest of honor at a surprise party at the Bluebird Café, surrounded by friends and supporters from across the USA and

featuring five of Nashville’s singer-songwriter elite. Up to this point, Michelle had no knowledge a song had been written for her. But at the end of a wonderful two hours of music, Ken gifted Michelle with the debut performance of Michelle’s song titled Michelle’s Angels with music and lyrics by Ken Harrell.

An extraordinary gift and just the first from this acclaimed singer and songwriter.

Born in Amarillo, Texas, and raised in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, Ken has always been involved in music. He broke into the business at the age of 3, singing on TV commercials. He picked up the guitar at the age of 12 with help from his brother Mike and immediately began crafting songs. He attended Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College on a full music scholarship, destined for a career in music.

After a stint as a singer and emcee at The Ozark Country Jubilee in Branson, Missouri, Ken moved to Nashville to pursue a recording career. But after only a few months in Nashville, Ken was offered a hosting spot on a national shop-at-home network (today’s QVC). After two years of that, the lure of the music business brought Ken backville.

In Nashville, Ken met famed tunesmith Mark Alan Springer, who taught him the do's and don’ts of writing. Ken soon began selling songs to major labels, for artists like Stacie Orrico, Sonya Isaacs and Brian McComas. And in the course of singing, writing and producing, Ken met Herb & Michelle Knoll, and became the music director of the Michelle’s Angels Foundation.

Today, Ken Harrell is the father of six lovely daughters and grandfather to two wonderful grandbabies. His latest CD, We’re All the Same, has received great reviews, including this plug from Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers, who said, “Ken has a fresh and unique approach to songwriting that attracted me to write with him right off the bat. I know the fans will enjoy his simple, positive perspective on life, and I look forward to writing with him for many years.”

Of late, Ken has co-produced a hot new Modern Rock Band named "Fools For Rowan." They are quickly garnering national attention with major market airplay... a current video of their new single "Dead"... being played worldwide on FUSE channel... and a summer West Coast tour of California, Oregon and Washington. Major label interest in FFR is very keen... and Ken invites everyone to check them out at foolsforrowan.com.

The obvious excitement of this new venture is good news, but Ken remains committed and most proud... of his connection with MAF. Following a series of appearances including a Christian Country Hope Concert the MAF staged in Elkins, W. Virginia, Ken said... "This is THE most important work I can do with my music talent that God gave me. These folks need and really appreciate the soothing and comfort that music provides. I am so thankful for the opportunity to serve alongside the Foundation’s giving team of Angel Artists as we attempt to provide love, hope and assistance to those who quietly suffer.”

In announcing the selection of Ken Harrell as the Michelle’s Angels Foundation Featured Angel Artists – Summer 2010, Knoll offered…”Ken Harrell is a very special man with a huge heart…especially when he sees those who suffer. Without Ken’s continual support, I dare say there wouldn’t be a Michelle’s Angels Foundation today. He is truly one of the pillars upon which this Foundation has been built. And for this…we love him dearly.”

You can write Ken Harrell at kenharrell60@gmail.com.

 Michelle’s Angels

 Featured Angel Artist – Winter 2010

 Tonja Rose

 _____________________________________________

By Kihm Winship
-Angel Writer

        Tonja Rose took the stage at the age of three – singing “Jesus on the Mainline” with her father’s gospel quartet – and she’s been singing ever since. From her family’s home in Pinetown, North Carolina, she traveled to homecomings, family reunions and revivals. Piano lessons furthered her musical education, but singing always came first. By the time she graduated from high school, she’d won talent competitions and was ready to pursue a career in music. 

        Fueled by the love and support of her family she packed up and went to Nashville. No stranger to hard work, she polished her skills as a vocalist and, though it did not come easily, she began songwriting in earnest, drawing inspiration from her own life, the people around her, and her deeply felt personal beliefs.

        “If I want my songs to be true,” Tonja says, “they have to come from real life experiences so others can relate. I want my words to touch people’s hearts. I want my songs to have a positive effect on people and give them exactly what they need when they need it."                         

        Through her friend, encourager and fellow song writer Ken Harrell  (“He’s a real trifecta,” she notes), Tonja was invited to sing at a Michelle’s Angels benefit at The Bluebird Cafe in 2005 in Nashville, and has been an active supporter of the Michelle’s Angels Foundation sever since.

        “I thought I knew Michelle,’ Tonja recalls. “I was even asked to sing at her memorial service. Then that day, I learned even more about all she had done for others, even while she was ill, and her example inspired me even more. I thought, What if I changed a life, made a difference with my music, just as Michelle did with her smile.’”  And as a Michelle’s Angels supporter, she surely has.

        On stage, Tonja has shared the playbill with Gretchen Wilson, Trace Adkins, Tanya Tucker and others in venues large and small. Her favorite places to sing are the Listening Room in Nashvilleand Puckett’s Grocery in nearby Franklin. Of Puckett’s she adds, “They have the best cheeseburgers in the world.”

        Tonja recently signed a recording contract with Identical Entertainment in Nashville. Wherever you are, you can be inspired and encouraged by Tonja’s new album, The Heart of Me, available on CD and digitally at Amazon, iTunes, and elsewhere.  There’s a full list of outlets available on her website.  You will however have to make your own cheeseburger.