The new album: Passages
The new CD and music book, Passages, is now shipping. You can preview tracks and place your order by clicking on the album cover. And a blog to boot! Leave a word via the “comment” button at the end.
Hello! Thank you for finding your way here. I am so glad to have some new music and the chance to connect with you again, or maybe for the first time.
Writing Passages was far more personal. Several years ago during a period of extended silence, music began to change for me. My words (and song forms) became less resonant and the sound of a timeless Spanish guitar much more so. I found myself in communion with this instrument and somehow understood by it. New melodies have now emerged between the two of us (the guitar and me) and by this I am being delivered through a period of deep and quiet change - a passage. “The water is wide,” says the old folk song. I am sailing a wooden ship with a mast of ebony and six long ropes that ring in the wind. I expect I am crossing over to a new place.
Writing and playing this music has been a daily meditative practice for me in the last several years. It is a kind of whistling in the dark, I think. After a lengthy creative engagement with institutional religious faith, I am listening more and endorsing less. The quietness has been life-giving. My hope is that you will, in the hearing of this album, be reminded of the wordless ways of the heart, of midnight voyages on the water, and of the simple gifts of old architecture and strings on wood.
The new album contains a group of pieces called “Mission Suite,” for the five 18th Century Spanish Missions in San Antonio. These first churches and outposts of western culture still speak of the high hopes inspired by the New World and the scars and sadnesses brought in the attempt to tame it. When I walk the Mission Trail, I find myself thinking about who I am and what it means to live in the shadow of these stone walls. Somehow, we who tread upon history must listen to the story within the story to find our own hearts and voices. I’m grateful for your resonance.
I wish you well,
Billy
November 5th, 2006 at 10:07 am
I’m among a fortunate few who have been able to hear the project, “Passages,” already. And I must say that Billy has discovered an extraordinarily wonderful, new world in this music. It vibrates and ripples out from a rock-strike in his soul and very much signals a “passage” into a new life filled with new art. I look forward, intently, to what we are going to hear from this reborn voice in the coming years.
November 9th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Beautiful music. The samples are gorgeous- can’t wait to get my copy- ordered it today.
Great work billy.
November 9th, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Unless one has, as Brent Bourgeois put it so succinctly, “an ego the size of Montana and change”, an artist cannot subsist on their own work alone. Whether we admit it or not, we rely on the blessings of another’s labors to carry us on and through. I have tried to tell him as best I can: for an awfully long time Billy Crockett has graced me with incredibly important and meaningful soundtrack music to accompany and help me make some sense of this unwieldy, messy and yet occasionally glorious thing I presume to call “my” life! For those of us who know and love Billy, to see/hear him releasing new work is a VERY good thing. For those of you who may be less familiar as you read this, let me warn you … it won’t take long for you to throw your lot in with him!
November 16th, 2006 at 9:14 am
What do I know. I’m not exceptionally gifted, but with a sensitive ear for what breaks into the heart and soul of my every day steps on this earth. Today there are joyous tears and broad, toothy smiles for this new music from Billy. After a time of thirsting for more, now we are poised to be quenched in every way. I cannot wait to read the words that harmonize with the melodies, and only wish my first taste was to be live from Blue Rock. Thanks for being my friend and traveling companion along life’s road. Billy, what’s next, indeed.
November 23rd, 2006 at 8:17 pm
A few passages later. . .it is refreshing to reconnect to a voice that truthfully speaks to the depths of my soul. I am so glad that voice is still speaking and I long for the notes and cords that have been silent to me for too long. With this passage all that I am is ready for the melody, the harmony, the rhythm that connects this traveler with the Source of the music that is life itself. The silence has been painful, the light has been dim, but at the bottom of life there was always love.
December 2nd, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Hello all,
I am thrilled to hear from you about the new project.
Hope the change of the wind is refreshing to you as it has been for me.
Thanks for coming by the new site!
December 3rd, 2006 at 11:28 am
I just got the project in yesterday and it is wonderful!!
In a world that seems to be filled with bad music your album is a breath of fresh air. Whether it’s a vocal album or an instrumental album please keep recording!! Thanks for always putting out quality work and I will always look forward to any new material you put forward.
It was a long wait for your new album but well worth it!
December 11th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Hello Billy,
I’ve been a big fan of yours for many years! I’m so glad to see you have a new project for us to enjoy.
I do have one question for you…would you mind elaborating on the statement you made in the synopsis for your new project? “After a lengthy creative engagement with institutional religious faith, I am listening more and endorsing less.”
I hope this doesn’t mean you’re distancing yourself from Christianity.
Thanks again for all the years of wonderful music!
December 13th, 2006 at 10:38 pm
Terry,
Thank you for listening to my music over the years. I’m grateful for your question.
The new music is probably more articulate than I will be but here goes. I’ll tell you why I love being an artist and what is alive in my faith. I am interested in the essence of the thing - the thing that sings through the words and plays through the strings. When you get double goose bumps in a passage of Bach or a song by Pierce Pettis, or when reading the poetry of Anthony Machado, or the story of the mother and child at Advent, something transformational is happening. There are elements of surprise and familiarity. You may recognize yourself but somehow you see better or truer. And maybe you laugh or weep to be known so intimately just when your guard was down.
What is going on when this happens? Something we may call the Spirit lives and expresses through the poet, the voice of the actor, the lover, and maybe even the preacher. The language of analysis breaks down here and fails us. So we speak in metaphors and tell stories. But we are known and changed and made new.
What I hate is how the fresh word, the original instinct, the different and thoughtful is continually trivialized, ostracized, or ignored in our culture and especially in our churches. Commerce does this. Fear does it. Packaging wins. The same three ideas get cloned over and over. Now I’m coming around to an answer to your question. I have never voted the party ticket for the institutions of American Christianity or the industries that support them. But I am ‘endorsing less” now because, with some detached clarity, I am troubled by more.
The artist has a responsibility (and probably all of us do) to remain somewhat apart. At least that’s how it seems to me now. May I grow in wisdom.
Thank you for asking about stuff that matters. I wasn’t sure anybody was actually reading what I wrote! I hope you enjoy the new music.
Yours,
Billy
December 14th, 2006 at 8:01 am
Billy,
It has now occurred to me that for over 15 years (or nearly two thirds of my life), your music has richly blessed my life and for it I will call myself a “thankful boy”. It has been my companion in quiet places and open spaces. It would not be inaccurate to say that you composed the soundtrack for many moments in my life. Through hope, despair, fear, the longings and misunderstandings of a typical teen, one truth has always been with me…”There will always be a fathers love.” I’ve been listening to “passages” for about a week now and felt as though I have reconnected with an old friend. Surely change and growth have come with the new music, but somehow (or especially) without words I seem to have participated in a most cherished conversation. I have heard a voice that I comfortably recognize, but seem to only now hear things you have long tried to communicate. I hope this will not be the last of our conversations.
May God bless your work, for it has blessed me,
Dan
December 31st, 2006 at 6:12 pm
I have memories of sitting in a dark concert hall in Nashville on a cold January night back in 1991 listening to Billy singing songs from ‘Any Starlight Night’. I was even invited up on stage with some other folks while Billy sang ‘Here’s To The Day’. He gave me about 15 minutes of his time after the show and listeded intently as I rambled on about the impact his music had on me, how much he inspired me, etc. Your basic groveling…What I have learned in the 15 years since that night is that Billy is simply a man like me with joys and sorrows, hopes and dreams and the grace that God gives us all. I am glad to have the opportunity to listen to his music once again and am certain that ‘Passages’ will add to soundtrack to my life. Happy New Year!
Randy
February 8th, 2007 at 6:26 pm
Here here from the “I grew up with your music” crowd. The excerpts are lovely, and I can’t wait to get into them. Here’s to less certainty, more grace, and really, really, really excellent guitar-playing.
February 9th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
I think this is a story of serendipidy. I am 38. When I was in college (20 yrs ago), I had a cassette (yes, a cassette!) entitled Carriers (1984). All of the songs spoke to me, but two in particular. “You are Special” I used to play over and over for a 13 year-old boy I babysat who could neither speak nor move, but could hear and see, and I’d pray he would internalize it. I believe he did. “He is the Wind” is the song that, looking back, gave me a glimpse at where my spirit really wanted to live, even though it’s taken me almost two decades to get there. My son, now 16, plays the harp and we are thinking of songs we want to sing/play together. “He is the Wind” came immediately to mind, but I knew the tape was long gone, and (brace yourselves)…I hadn’t heard any of Billy’s subsequent music (sorry! Just got a little busy raising kids and such.) Can you believe I actually FOUND the tape AND this site! Now, I have much catching up to do because, man, you’ve been busy! In the introduction to Passages, my spirit said “yes!” I, too, have recently journeyed through a very dark night of the soul, with healing found in silence, ancient mystic voices, contemplative prayer, and beauty…resources that somehow got left out of my Sunday school curriculum, but which God graced me with for the second half of my journey. Praise the Loving Creator for allowing us wider nets with which to catch his glory! I can’t wait to hear Passages for this reason. I don’t think I ever came around to the seredipity…but remembering the song, finding the tape, reading your intro, and connecting with your journey…adds to my sense that something is “afoot”…and I think it’s God!
(by the way…sheet music for “He is the Wind”?) Peace - Kerri
February 10th, 2007 at 5:21 pm
I am so glad that Billy has come out with a new album. I was surprised to see that he recorded it at Southside at Lamar in Dallas. Southside is also home to what is probably the best coffeehouse in Dallas, Opening Bell (formerly Standard and Pours). I would love to see Billy come back up here and perform Passages at Opening Bell. Perhaps I could open for him? Let me know Billy if you would be interested and I can tell you who to contact. Dallas would love to see you live again.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:25 am
Dear Billy,
My story is strikingly similar to Kerri’s statement above! My name is Gloria, and I am also 38 years old. In college, by serendipity I bought the audiocassette (1989) “Portraits” which I have treasured and carried with me everywhere through life’s unexpected journeys. Through my ups and downs, “Portraits” has always been my kind and consistent friend. Your gentle uplifting voice and the way you play your beautiful acoustic guitar has always given me strength and courage to go on, refreshing my spirit and soul. Whenever I listen to it, I am always moved and it has always stayed fresh, timeless and new throughout all these years. It has always been my favorite tape.
Today my 19 month old also discovered “Portraits”. I found my special Billy Crockett audiocassette on the floor (he crawled up onto the dresser where I keep the tape from his crib). The tape was pulled out in tangles and twists on the floor. I did everything in my power to fix it. My heart sank. I felt like I lost a best friend.
Like Kerri, I have much catching up to do because through the internet today I discovered you have had many other wonderful cds available! I was so thrilled that I ordered them all on Amazon.com in 5 minutes. I’m still seeking the “Portraits” album, though. Amazon.com knows a good thing and is listing it for over $25 to $50 (which is definitely worth that price for sure), but if any of you have an extra “Portraits” audiocassette or cd for a bit less I am ready to purchase it! I’ll keep searching until I replace it.
Your latest album “Passages” sounds so beautiful and inspiring. I will definitely purchase it today! I am so glad I found this website. I have always wanted to tell you how much your music has meant to me and my faith. Keep creating and many blessings to you! Just wanted to say “thank you” for giving me years of inspiration and peace through your audiocassette “Portraits”. Gloria
June 7th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
I think that “jamester1″ hit the nail on the head when he said “After a time of thirsting for more…” We were wandering in a desert of remakes and awaiting your return Billy! Welcome back mi amigo!
The first time I heard you play “Elena,” as it appears on the “In These Days Live” project, my heart was cut wide open…every word and every note was imprinted in my soul. I truly felt her “waiting for her moment of grace,” the ache in her heart, her deep desire for a miracle in her life, and in the final notes of the song, her hope for things to come. I was in a difficult place in my life when I heard the song for the first time. There are many things that “Elena” gave me, a reminder to trust that God has a plan, a vision that we sometimes must walk through the fire to get to the glory, and a conviction to never lose hope! I don’t know if I ever told you that.
“Passages” takes me to all of the peaceful places I have ever been. Certain songs carry me to different places…walking in Toledo, Spain…star gazing in the ruins of Tulum, in Mexico…walking through the missions in San Antonio…praying in the little church in Chimayo, New Mexico and hiking to the top of El Yunque en Puerto Rico. It’s a beautiful reflection of your heart and your journey too. It’s a feast for us!!! Keep it coming, or we’ll start banging our forks on the table chanting we want more!!! :) Okay, so it’s late and I had to get a little silly! Paz, abrazos, y la vida buena!
July 19th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Billy, Somewhere in the move between Denton and Midland I lost the two CD’s of yours that I had. I first saw you at the Crystal Cathedral and was taken by the purity of the vocals and acustical guitar… and of course the message! Loved both Red Bird Blue Sky, and Watermark… then lost track! You are played on the Contemporary Christian Music channel on the Cable Station here. When I heard one of your tracks… I started looking for the CD’s and couldn’t find them. Then went to a new Christian store and left my name if they could find some. SSM out of NY mailed me three!!! Red Bird, Simple Plans, and In These Days… so they are packed in my purse and I’ll get to listen to them on the way to Ruidoso tomorrow. ‘Out here in the West’ (Desert)!!! We have two major Christian Concerts every year, Rock the Desert (August) and Stream in the Desert (Spring) many of the larger contemporary chruches also have concerts. I’m actually a good motivator and would love to know if you would come and if so, how much it would cost. Then, with your permission, I can look around for a nice setting. It didn’t suprise me that you were at a folk festival in February… Your music, at least the ones that I have heard remind me of the story telling of Jim Croshy, the vocals of James Taylor, the Jazz of Joni Mitchell, and the melodies of Carly Simon. Thanks for taking the time for reflexion. Can’t wait to hear the new album! Also thanks for making yourself available to new talents. Did Watermark (the couple) get their name from you? Anyway, my best to you and Dodee… I’ll check the website and see if I can make it to one of the ’sit ins’ at your place. Suzi
September 14th, 2007 at 12:36 am
Billy- I’ve had so many mental ‘conversations’ with you, that I’m not sure whether they have made it onto paper or into ones & zeroes. I’ve sent email to Milton once or twice…
I’m delighted that you brought out another cd; I’ve listened to your music so often that I hear ‘Billy chords’ throughout Passages; and it’s heart-warming. I read your comment about ‘endorsing less’ and understand completely– at least from my own perspective. I think your global perspective is what has most impressed me with your music, and I hope we are able to share your prose/poetry again in the future. I was remodeling a friend’s house when I first heard your live album; I took it home to my wife and said, ‘listen to this guy!’ But she’s more into audio books…. sigh.
I woke up this year, and realized that I’m now 55; it wasn’t so much of a shock but a realization that there’s so much that I haven’t accomplished. I imagine your need to spend more time with your music, and less time on the road has a similar component. As an illustrator I live in my studio, and in my head; far too much, I’m afraid. I enjoyed a couple of weeks in Mississippi doing Katrina recovery work; and will be going to New Orleans in the months ahead. We found a church that ‘puts legs’ on their compassion. Not so easy to find.
I realized long ago that the musical soundtrack to my life works its way out into my illustrations. Your gifts are a large part of that soundtrack. I wish Oregon was a lot closer to Texas…
So much more that I’d like to write, or better yet, discuss over coffee… but maybe in our next life.
Blessings, Marty