http://victorbarden.com/news.html Victor Barden: News Jannis' PHPRss class - http://www.jannis.to/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 03:35:23 -0700 http://victorbarden.com/news.html#6 There have been a number of changes in my musical life (and other parts of my life, as well). For one thing, as of April 30, 2010, I have ended my commitment to Gospel Train. That doesn't mean I will never play with them again, only that I will no longer automatically join them wherever they go.
During the month of May Jim Hills invited me to fill in on bass with the Middle River Gospel Band at Mole Hill Theater in the middle of nowhere in New Hampshire. I was doing my solo act there, and they needed a bass player, so I brought the bass and amp as well as my guitar and a few backup CD's. Last weekend I filled in for them at the Log Cabin Church in Madison, ME, and at the Assembly of God in Waterboro, ME. After the Waterboro show, group leader Rod Lambert invited me to join them on a more permanent basis. I have accepted that invitation, so now I am a member of the Middle River Gospel Band.
My wife, Dianne, went with me for that weekend, and God did a wonderful work on our marriage. I will spare you the gory details, but we have been having problems.
I also fully intend to keep my commitments to Chad Perron (see Links). Actually I probably need both bands. Middle River is strictly country/Southern while Chad is more likely to rock out altough he doesn't mind going country once in a while.
Meanwhile, I will fit my solo ministry in where I can.
God bless you all, and as my Grampa Barden liked to say, be good to each other.

Shalom,
Vic]]> http://victorbarden.com/news.html#6 Sat, 29 May 2010 00:00:00 -0700 - Victor Barden - News http://victorbarden.com/news.html#5 For a tennis player I am ancient, also for an offensive lineman or an MTV veejay. For a baseball player I am old but not that old; players play well into their 40s now. For a President I am young; I have outlived only two, and the current President is younger than I am. If I were a woman I could join the Red Hat Society with full membership.
The 50th year has been rather eventful. In March I was laid off from a job I had held almost 12 years in West Lebanon. I essentially had the summer off from work but still had to look for work to collect unemployment.
On October 13 I began a job as a part-time janitor at River Valley Community College in Claremont, the school from which I graduated in 1997 with a degree in Computer Electronics. On that very day my old job called me back, but they only offered me a temporary position. I couldn't very well give up a permanent position for a temporary one, but they did ask if I could work any hours, so I started working there 6-10 in the morning. Then I travel to Claremont to work at the college from 11 until 4:30. I have been some kind of pooped! However, several good things have come from this situation.
For one thing, I have lost more weight as a janitor than I gained as as student. I also needed to be dealt with regarding my work ethic. I am learning to give all I do 100%. I am also trying to live in the moment; that approach has been necessary for me to maintain sanity. And then it's December, and a Christian musician is always busy in December. The pressure of trying to keep up with it all has brought out a few more things in my heart that I needed to give to the Lord -- but that's all part of His process!
I have also been dealing with other personal issues into which I won't go into detail here. Suffice it to say they have caused marital difficulties, but my wife and I are each working through our "stuff." Each of us is responsible for our own "stuff" -- I am not responsible for hers, nor is she for mine.
Until next time, be good to each other!

Vic]]> http://victorbarden.com/news.html#5 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800 - Victor Barden - News http://victorbarden.com/news.html#4 I never saw anything but the love of God come from any of the Ryans -- from Roger, Carolyn, or any of their three daughters, Sharon, Mary, and Martha. There were people from many walks of life at that service, reflecting the variety of people he touched with his life.
Through Roger Ryan I learned what a tenor was. He was singing a solo in church, and I noticed he sang higher than most men. Mom told me that was because he was a tenor. That information would come in handy a few years later, when I became a tenor myself.
The last time I saw Roger Ryan was at the Main Street Bakery in Newport, 13 days before his sudden death. I had just finished recording a "Joyful Noise" session at WCNL in Newport with Steve Guyette and Pat Mitchell, and Steve, Pat, and I were having a cup of coffee together when Roger walked in. I recognized him at once; he still looked about the same at 75 as he had at 34, when I met him. It took him almost a full minute to recognize me -- he had never seen me without hair -- but he finally did. Of course I introduced him to Steve and Pat, and a conversation ensued. Roger was still working in the investment business. He felt strongly that had to advise his customers wisely, or he wouldn't be able to face them. And he had a gem for us in light of the current economic crisis: "The pigs get fed; the hogs get slaughtered."
At this celebration it came out that Roger gave people he knew nicknames. A nephew named Donald was Don Carlos; his oldest grandson, Alan, was Aladar. I was tagged Victor Hugo. I was offended at first -- that's not my name, and Victor Hugo is dead! But Don said that his nickname built him up, and then I realized that Roger put those nicknames on people prophetically -- to call out things that he saw in them. Victor Hugo was a writer, so that must have something to do with what Roger Ryan saw in me when I was 8 years old.]]> http://victorbarden.com/news.html#4 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700 - Victor Barden - News http://victorbarden.com/news.html#3 That meant I had to put on some clothes that would be suitable for singing our national anthem, and my wife wanted to go, too, so we got dressed and went to the high school.
We went inside and found Dann at a black belt meeting, so we waited until he was done, and then I followed him to the table where all the direction was being given. They did the beginning announcements and then handed the mic over to me for our anthem.
It was 10:00 in the morning (and there wasn't time to put it in my calendar) so I sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" a step lower than I usually would. I was free to pick my own key because I was singing a capella. When Billy Joel sang the anthem at a game of the 1986 World Series, I was very grateful to him for doing it straight, so I kept it pretty much the way Francis Scott Key intended.
I got a lot of positive feedback afterward, and my wife and I got to see a good martial arts show for free.
Dann said he was going to try to get some video of the event, so be on the lookout for that. In the meantime, be good to each other -- and to yourselves.

Shalom,
Vic]]> http://victorbarden.com/news.html#3 Sat, 06 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0700 - Victor Barden - News http://victorbarden.com/news.html#2 It was about a year and eight months from the first studio session until the CDs arrived at my home on the evening of Thursday, January 4, 2007. There were times when things moved smoothly and several LONG delays -- but I guess that's life. And to quote track 6 on the new CD, "These Times Are Sent to Try Us All." More than once God has impressed me with His mastery of the fourth dimension (time), so I am expecting nothing less this time.
God bless you all,
Vic]]> http://victorbarden.com/news.html#2 Sat, 06 Jan 2007 00:00:00 -0800 - Victor Barden - News http://victorbarden.com/news.html#1
As the title says, I'm going through a lot of changes now. One of those is to the site itself as those of you who have been here before will notice. There is also a new CD that I hope will be ready some time within the next month; it will be called "Sitting on the Premises", and it has 12 new songs including my rendition of a very old song -- hence, the CD title.
On the personal side, last month I had surgery for the first time in my life. One positive aspect of having surgery was that it forced me to take better care of the vessel God has given me; I needed to bring my blood pressure down before they would operate. I had also forgotten how to relax, but after that I had no choice for about two weeks. My wife was my faithful "nurse," especially the day after the operation, when I couldn't do anything for myself beyond breathe — and even that was a challenge at times!
Gospel Train (see Links page) is about to enter a busy season. Be sure to check their calendar because where they are gathered, usually there I am also. We currently have nine people who show up regularly for our appearances, and there are many who show up and join us in singing to the Lord. Anyone who loves God and loves to make music is free to join us. We are a "train" in every sense of the word; "cars" get on and get off all the time.
Until next time, be good to each other, and God bless all of you.
Vic]]> http://victorbarden.com/news.html#1 Wed, 18 Oct 2006 00:00:00 -0700 - Victor Barden - News