Concert Vault: Halmrast House Concert, April 30, 2016

If you want to know how I got started really songwriting and performing, it's all because of my friend Josh Cave. Josh and I were meant to be friends. There's no way around that. I think we met before we ever really met, as he had a friend with whom I went to seminary, and I think we might have played disc golf in 2001 or 2002. But fast forward to 2014, and he and his family ended up at my church. We went out to lunch and the rest was history.

Soon, we started talking about music. I would go over to his house and we would play some stuff. He is a true musical genius, and for some reason saw potential in my songwriting. So we began to collaborate. He believed in my music more than I did. Eventually that led to us having late-night practice sessions in the church over beers or alcoholic root beer. That developed into performing at Iron Bank Coffee in downtown Columbus, GA and eventually led to Incomplete Dreams. There's no doubt about it, that album would not exist if it wasn't for Josh. In so. Many. Ways.

Sadly, we didn't record or video our Iron Bank gigs. There was one in particular that was fantastic and I have always chased that feeling, but without him, I don't think it's possible. He is so damn good and made me sound so much better. His piano riffs, background harmonies, and freaking melodica (!) all brought out parts of the songs that I never knew were there.

Josh ended up moving in 2016, so that ended our little band. I got the courage to keep performing on my own, but again, it wouldn't have been without the major runway he laid for me. I hope there's a future where we can perform again together. When you know you have magic with someone, it's hard to say no/never.

This might be the only show we recorded, on the Pine Mountain, GA back porch of Dave & Sue Halmrast, dear friends and parishioners of mine who also supported us in the recording of the album. This made us feel like real musicians, and it was a great crowd that gathered and listened to our stories. Take a listen to what made Jeff & Josh (or "Fathers" I think we billed ourselves as at this show only) so special.

SET 1

HEAVEN NOW

JIM, JOHNNY, & JESUS

SUCH BEAUTY

MUSCADINE

FEBRUARY SUNRISE

BALLAD OF LIAM BECKET

SALEM ROAD

SET 2

SLEIGHT OF HAND

HIDE & SEEK

I KNOW

ZION

DUST

BALLAD OF LOVE & HATE (Avett Brothers Cover)

BLACK DOG & SHEEP CROOK (traditional)

RED JEEP

TREE SONG