WXGN

10/13/2024

Apologies for not posting ROCKTOBER posts these past few days, but BigBassBill has been going through some health issues and hasn’t had time to post daily. Hopefully there will be more posts during this month pertaining to featuring Christian Rock Artists.

10/12/2024

10/09/2024

On ROCKTOBER 10, Truth That Rocks invites its listeners to check out everything newsboys both 1.0 and 2.0 and newsboys united. In the beginning the group hailed exclusively from Australia and released their first album in 1988, had an uneventful second album and finally had a minor early hit from their 3rd album Boyz Will Be Boys with “Kingdom Man”. Then everything changed for the band when Steve Taylor became involved as co-lyricist and producer on their 4th album Not Ashamed, producing their first #1 single “I’m Not Ashamed” which featured John James as sharing lead vocalist duties with Peter Furler, the group’s founder, drummer, co-producer and chief songwriter. This was followed two years later in 1994 by their breakthrough album release Going Public which garnered four #1 singles, with their massive hit “Shine” outshining the others. Success of this album could possibly be attributed to Jody Davis becoming the band’s guitarist, and keyboardist Jeff Frankenstein joining the tour. Riding their new found success with a follow up release Take Me To Your Leader saw another huge #1 with “Breakfast” which became the fan favorite. Joining the band for this record was bassist Phil Joel and after the tour and film Down Under The Big Top, John James left the band and Peter and Phil started sharing lead vocal duties on Step Up To The Microphone which featured four #1 singles with “Entertaining Angels” leading the pack. The band then took a turn in popularity with the dismal Love, Liberty, Disco but came back strong with Thrive featuring the singles “It Is You” (originally written for Petra) and “Million Pieces”. Following the success of “It Is You” the Newsboys released their first worship album Adoration featuring “He Reigns” and the Christmas song “Adoration”. After this release Jody Davis took a hiatus from the band and was replaced by Bryan Oleson for the album Devotion and Paul Coleman for the album Go, both albums underselling. Changes would soon be forthcoming and In The Hands of God was the transition album that brought back Jody Davis and introduced Michael Tait. Tait would assume lead vocals on the next release Born Again in 2010, the 2.0 era with Duncan Phillips being the only Aussie left in the band. The new Newsboys proved their worth with the title track even with the total absence of Peter Furler and Steve Taylor but with CCM hit maker Seth Mosley now in the mix. Their next release God’s Not Dead would place them back at the top of the Christian music world and even spawn a film franchise by the same name featuring cameos and live performances from the band. Restart their next release didn’t fare as well but Hallelujah for the Cross was successful. Their last three efforts show their staying power, with “Magnetic” being a big hit, but it is their tours, especially the Newsboys United Tour with Peter Furler and Phil Joel, that kept and keeps them in the forefront of the Christian music industry. Note: they had a successful Christmas album with Tait as lead vocalist. Also, Adam Agee is now the bassist.

https://www.newsboys.com

10/09/2024

On ROCKTOBER 8th Truth That Rocks invites you to check out record producer, actor, label owner, filmmaker, lyricist extraordinaire with a holy sardonic witand super frontman, none other than Steve Taylor. His career as a recording artist began in 1983 with the single “I Want to be a Clone” from the album of the same name. Meltdown was next, followed by one of his more impressive works On The Fritz, featuring the single of the same name and an anti-eugenics song Lifeboat. After the album I Predict 1990, he put his solo career on hold and did a self-titled album with Chagall Guerva, followed his landmark album Squint, with hit songs: Jesus is for Losers, Bannerman, The Finish Line, The Lament of Desmond R.G. Underwood-Frederick IV, and the mini rock opera Cash Cow. 10 years later he formed The Perfect Foil with Peter Furler of the Newsboys with whom he had collaborated quite often as lyricist and producer. Steve also produced Kiss Me for Sixpence None the Richer, produced the Newsboys film Down Under the Big Top, and the Donald Miller film adaptation of Blue Like Jazz in which his crowdfunding campaign broke the record for the most funds in the shortest amount of time. He formed yet another band with Danielson, The Danielson Foil. More recently he went back to work on Chagall Guerva.

10/07/2024

On ROCKTOBER 7 we invite you to turn your attention to Jars Of Clay, pioneers of Christian Alternative Rock, exploded onto both the secular and Christian music scene in 1995 with their self-titled album on Essential Records featuring their hit single “Flood”.
Singer, and occasional drummer, Dan Haseltine proved that he and his bandmates, Charlie Lowell on keys and Stephen Mason and Matt Odmark on guitars could produce thought provoking lyrical poetry weaved into complex melodies and rhythms. They especially enjoyed much success with their Christmas songs, as well as their 7th album Good Monsters in 2007. The band isn’t really in it for the money, but rather to make an impact on the world not only through their music but also by way of their non-profit Blood:Water Missions which among other humanitarian efforts focuses on drilling wells in villages with no running water. Below you will see their 3rd and latest Christmas offering.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” - 2 Corinthians 4:7

http://www.jarsofclay.com

10/06/2024

On ROCKTOBER 6th Truth That Rocks invites you to check out Praise & Worship Rockers Crowder Music and David Crowder Band. David Crowder in both bands combines straight out rock, bluegrass, synthpop, Americana, and occasionally hip-hop to give glory to God and exalt his Holy Name! Starting as a local church band in Waco Texas in 1996, The David Crowder Band hit nationally with their own Sparrow Records imprint sixsteprecords. After 16 years fronting DCB, Crowder went solo and for the last 10 years has been continuously enjoying a successful career continuing with P&W Rock in a plethora of rock genres and sub-genres often featuring other artists on co-lead vocals. David is a self-proclaimed lover of garden gnomes and his hillbilly looks and mannerisms are a joy to watch from the audience, but make no mistake although he loves folk music instruments he is also very high-tech.

https://www.crowdermusic.com/

10/05/2024

On ROCKTOBER 5th, Truth That Rocks invites you to check out the Christian Rock Band that paved the way for all other Christian Rock Artists, Petra! Guitarist extraordinaire Bob Hartman was the driving force behind the band for most of its six decade long career and has been the group’s chief songwriter. After the first Petra album on which he sang lead along with guitarist Greg Hough, Greg X Volz with a full range powerful voice joined the band as lead vocalist on a couple of album cuts, and became its permanent frontman from 1980-1985 and featured plenty of anthem rock songs and soft-rock ballads. Their next incarnation brought in an even more powerful rock voice in lead singer John Schlitt who remains Petra’s frontman to this day. Hartman himself retired for a season but has since come back to once again play aggressive leads much to the delight of fans. Their most popular albums are Beyond Belief (they are working now on a film by that name) and Wake Up Call, the first produced by The Elefante Brothers who were both involved with the progressive rock group Kansas and the latter by Brown Bannister. Petra went through many line-up changes over the years and Greg X Volz formed Classic Petra to tour behind his signature Petra songs, but they have continued on to this day from their pioneering blues-rock album Petra to their world wide 40th Anniversary Tour which is ongoing. www.petraband.com

10/04/2024

On ROCKTOBER 4th Truth That Rocks invites you to give a listen to one of the spokesmen of a generation, poet extraordinaire Bob Dylan. His expansive career from the 60’s to the 20’s is full of thought provoking anthems and introspective ballads, as well as a four album run of Gospel Rock songs during which time Dylan professed his faith in Christ. He later did a Christmas album replete with Christmas Carols about the Christ Child. Ever enigmatic, Dylan has given us plenty to ponder upon during his career.

http://www.bobdylan.com/

10/03/2024

On ROCKTOBER 3rd Truth That Rocks invites you to listen to the band that changed modern praise and worship forever, delirious! Starting out as a youth group band for their local church in the UK, their fresh approach to P&W soon took the world by storm making them international Christian Rock stars fairly quickly. Since the BBC plays both secular and Christian artists, they became a staple on the airwaves and even represented Great Britain at the Summer Olympics in Greece. Meanwhile here in the States deliriou5? skyrocketed to prominence topping charts, going gold and having sell out tours until they disbanded. Fronted by Martin Smith the band was comprised of guitarist Stu Garrard (Stu G), keyboardist Tim Jupp, bassist Jon Thatcher and drummer Stew Smith (later replaced by Paul Evans) they will go down in Christian Music History as frontrunners of change in Christian Rock Praise & Worship and as a Christian Rock band.

10/02/2024

On ROCKTOBER 2nd, coinciding with tonight at sunset Rosh Hashanah beginning, Truth That Rocks remembers perhaps the most pivotal and profound Christian Rock Artist of all time, the Jewish believer in Christ, the prophet of a generation, the songwriting pianist genius that is Keith Green. No matter where you are in your walk with Christ, Keith has a song that will meet you right where you are. His influence on the Christian recording industry and the Jesus Movement is of historical importance. https://lastdaysministries.org

10/01/2024

Blessed ROCKTOBER 1st! On this day Truth That Rocks invites you to check out the greatest guitarist the world of Christian Rock has ever known, Phil Keaggy! With a career spannning nearly 6 decades as a professional recording artist, Phil is known for his outstanding prowess on the guitar as well as his beautifully melodic singing and his affability with fans. Phil is not only the greatest guitarist in the world of Christian Rock but one of the greatest guitarists in all of the Rock World, up there with Hendrix, Beck, Clapton, Page, Santana, SRV and Van Halen, etc.
www.philkeaggy.com

09/11/2024

9-11 Never Forget!

08/30/2024

TONIGHT!!!

Tonight is the NIGHT!!!!!

08/29/2024

TOMORROW! Post! Share! Be there!

08/29/2024

Bill Link Health Update - Three things:
1) Please pray that the immunotherapy I received today does not affect me like it did after my last treatment 3 weeks ago when I had a stabbing headache and was completely disoriented.
2) My MRI yesterday, 8/27, showed a new nodule in my brain measuring .8cm x .4cm while the tumors treated with gamma knife radiation therapy 25%-50% but the vasogenic edema at both increased.
3) I will find out on Thursday 9/6 whether or not I can start driving again.

08/22/2024

Each year John Pojawis C.P.A. donates Phillies tickets for WXGN to raise money for the station. This year the tickets are for an Astros game on 8/28 at 4:05 PM Section 132 Row 26 Seats 5 & 6 and a Preferred Parking Pass. Cost is $165

07/19/2024

A prayer request from Phil Keaggy: "Hello...early tomorrow morning, July 19, I will be having surgery on my left thumb. I’ve been having issues with my thumb locking up like "trigger finger," and also a bone spur on top of my knuckle, which has limited my ability to play quite a lot, especially in the last month. I ask that you lift me up to the Lord in prayer that this surgery will be a success. I recently also had an appendectomy and that went pretty smoothly so I thank God for great surgeons and great hospital staff. My wife Bernadette has been the best nurse ever and she’s keeping me in good care during this time."

07/11/2024

ISO a couple strong volunteers to square off and clean up a foundation hole for a radio tower ASAP at Word of Life Christian Fellowship.