The Acoustic Session was recorded a week before Larry Joe Taylor's Texas Music Fest in 2012 and was sold mostly out of a backpack. Only 300 copies were made. The files you're hearing came off the last CD.

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One Monday night October 2011 Casey Berry called my up and offered to drive me to Lubbock to play The Blue Light's Songwriter Open Mic. I was still a full-time worship pastor, but had this notebook full of songs I never intended to share. I had heard of The Blue Light and knew about the Open Mic, but wasn't really all that familiar with either yet. Actually, the entirety of the Texas music scene was completely alien to me. The whole two hour drive there I tried to dig for a little info and Casey just kept saying "It's no bid deal. Just think it would be good for you play some of your songs for people. No pressure!"

When we arrived I realized that Casey had entered me into The Blue Light's Songwriter *COMPETITION*. Fast forward to another Monday night in November 2011 and I'm standing on the stage after winning the contest following a 3 tie-breaker ending. On the drive back to Amarillo, Casey was trying to explain how big of a deal winning was, and that playing at LJT was going to be "kind of a big deal." It was decided that I needed a recording of some kind to share with throngs of new fans I'd be undoubtedly making after my Thursday morning acoustic set at the Allsup's Stage.

Glen Storlie at Covenant Recording Studios came to my rescue. We did a quick set up with just a Microphone for my voice, a mic for my guitar, and then a direct line from the acoustic guitar pickup. The whole record was recorded live in an hour or so. A couple days later Glen and I burned the 300 copies on his 4 disc duplication machine and packed all the sleeves and cards by hand. A few days later I arrived at LJT blown away by the mass of fans there to support indie music.

We arrived Wednesday morning and after pulling through the artist gate, Casey, Charlie Stout, Craig Ames and I winded through the maze of campers and firepits and I realized that this LJT was in fact kind of a big deal.

By the time we left on Friday afternoon my head was spinning with the realization that there was a home for my music in Texas. The CD's were mostly gone and I could never imagine that some of my longest friendships and favorite people would start right there at that fest. (i'm looking at you Ben Ryan and Nick Verzosa.)

This stripped down record is mile marker 1 on my journey as a songwriter and musician. Thanks for being along for the ride.