Barrie Lee Hall Jr., a legendary Houston music icon was introduced to Duke Ellington by The Big Texas Tenor, Arnette Cobb, another artist of legendary stature. Arnette played on the Jerry Stitt Stage at St. John’s many times. Hall was immediately invited into the Ellington orchestra, performing and conducting for a period of nearly four decades. Hall toured the world conducting orchestras and choirs in the performance of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts and winning Grammy’s.

Diabetes and vision problems brought him home to Houston where he took the reins of the Conrad Johnson band upon the elder Johnson’s death in 2008. He also served as music director for the Liberty Baptist Church.

The night of the wake, the Conrad Johnson Band was on deck and sitting to the side on stage left were five guest soloists. Four were from the Ellington Orchestra and he fifth was Jerry Stitt. He was intimidated by the professional skill level of the others and almost turned down the invitation, but his daughter persuaded him to do it and all went well. He was received with enthusiasm and one young lady said it moved her to tears. Jerry said he didn’t know it was that bad.

This was an historic moment for Jerry because on September 23, 2011, Thunder Soul, a film produced by Jamie Fox will be released in theaters across America. Barrie Lee Hall Jr. appears early in the film, as he played a major role in getting the Kashmere band alumni together for the film production. The inspirational film is the story of Conrad Johnson, and how he took the Kashmere High School band in a ghetto district, developed them into a first class band, winning many state competitions and a national championship. The spirit infected the entire school, whose basketball team became state champs, as did their debate team and other school organizations. Kashmere had more college scholarships that year than any other school in Houston. Thunder Soul is a must see!

Contact Information:

Learn more about Duke Ellington in Jerry’s book, Benny to Beyonce. For a free chapter and title cut from their CD, A Love Like This, (Stitt on sax and daughter Merribeth vocalist) email: jstitt2@att.net or 832-288-2323

             Vandross had wonderful memories of his early years with his father, who often picked him up in his arms and danced with him. Many times the two of them danced with his mother. The wonderful memories were shattered by the sudden death of his father when Luther was only five years old. 

Saddened by the weeping of his mother, he prayed for God to send his father back to dance with his mother again. This song contains the elements of being poignant, heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time.

            A father’s love is the most important human love essential to a man’s healthy development. Unfortunately, this is a missing commodity in the lives of so many men. A great number of boys grow up afraid of their fathers. Fathers, who are potentially good fathers, may have sons who are fearful of them because of some failure in communication, or the father’s inability to show love.

Others are abused, or the father is missing through neglect due to working too many hours. Then there are those fathers who are missing through divorce or have just plain vanished. The inability to express love is common among many fathers. All of these examples leave deep scars and the feeling of being “not okay.”    

          Here is a new message for your brain’s “iPod,” a message of healing and okayness. The message is from Almighty God, your heavenly Father and your Creator. Get this into your system by repeating it many times a day. Pray it over and over, until it becomes truth in your inner being! I have loved you with an everlasting love, I have drawn you with loving kindness. ^{(Jeremiah 31:3 NIV)}

          This word from God paints a profound picture of a love far greater than any human love could ever manifest. When you contemplate this, yes, even when you meditate upon it, you begin to feel the drawing power of the Father pulling you to Him. You have never really known love until you experience God’s divine love.

          Now my friend, here’s the capstone: Your heavenly Father wants to dance with you. Yes, you!  Check this out: The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing ^{(Zephaniah 3:1)} Can you now see God lifting you up in His arms and dancing with you while He is singing over you?

            You can read the entire story in Jerry’s book, “Benny to Beyonce – Finding God’s Perfect Pitch for Your Life,” a collection of 52 popular song titles from the Benny Goodman era to Beyonce, with interesting biographies, interviews, trivia, history, humor and healing. Lionel Hampton wrote the foreword and it is recommended by world renowned artists and personalities such as Kirk Whalum, Bill Pearce, Douglas Yeo, Dr. Aubrey Tucker, Dr. Ed Young and Don Pope. The print copy and E-book edition in 16 formats will soon be available from the Intermedia Publishing Group Book Store at www.imprbooks.com/shop and jerrystitt.com.

            Somehow, (my dreams are not as detailed as some) we get into a discussion.  I begin to share God’s love with them, explaining that God is hilariously in love with them; telling them that Jesus loves them so much that He chose to go to the cross to pay their penalty for sin, that they could be free from sin. No more guilt!I give them each a toothpick, explaining that God desires a broken and contrite heart. (Psalm 51:17). Webster’s Dictionary describes contrite as sincere remorse, or a deep sense of guilt and desire for atonement (to be at one with the offended one-God).

            I sense these guys are really listening to me, and taking it all in, so I ask them to break the toothpick as a symbolic gesture of their willingness to be broken in repentance, which they did. Wow, wouldn’t it be great if it were that easy in real life? Now I give each one (I think there were four or five guys) a small handful of toothpicks, explaining that there are many negative things attached to their lives which need to be broken off. To move their lives forward, I ask them to break a toothpick, giving it the name of a habit or hurt from which they want to be free.

This procedure is repeated over and over again, until they cannot name anymore encumbrances. They each have some toothpicks left for future realignment, as God reveals it to them. This is where my dream ends.

6 Steps to move your life forward

Acknowledge the pit you are in. Examine the roadblocks to progress.  Remember, no one is perfect. The good book says we all have sinned. We all fall short of perfection. (Romans 3:23) If one is a Christian, then he or she is the “righteousness of God,” but still a work in progress. The big challenge in life, after receiving Christ, is continuing to progress. Life is filled with hurdles and stumbling blocks such as fears, anger, addictions – food, drugs, alcohol, nicotine, procrastination, grudges, unforgiveness and whatever. As some Greek philosopher once said, “Know thyself.”

Surrender your life to Jesus Christ. I was listening to a national TV channel one day, when I heard a funny story about a lady I know in Florida. She was walking across the parking lot of a shopping center when she ran into a man she knew. He complained of pain in his back, so she began to pray for him. She placed a hand on his back as she prayed, and he lifted both of his hands heavenward as an act of surrender to God. Now enters the wonderful world of cell phones and the police. I laughed until I cried when I heard this story. In reality, it isn’t funny though, because that man was serious in receiving God’s blessing – lifting his arms as an act of faith.

Surrender is actually the act of repentance, which means you turn to walk in the opposite direction, forsaking the sinful way you once walked, breaking toothpicks, if you will. I heard about a painter who bid on a church painting job. The problem was he underbid it and discovered he didn’t buy enough paint to finish the job so he began adding water to the paint. Just as he was finishing the job, a heavy rainstorm came upon the scene and all the paint began to wash off the building. He cried out, “Lord, what am I going to do?” At that moment there was a clap of thunder, accompanied by a voice proclaiming, “Repaint and thin no more!”

Praise others – your spouse, your children, your friends and even your enemies when there is a reason to compliment them. Above all, praise God because He inhabits, dwells in and is enthroned in the praises of His people.(Psalm 22:3) To have an intimate relation with God, begin praising Him. Sing praises to Him. It will move your life forward. Praise others. It will help move their lives forward.

Inspire and encourage others (1 Thessalonians 5:11) with words of kindness and caring. Life is a struggle, especially in these days. Share uplifting, positive stories. Eliminate negative words from your vocabulary. In my book (Benny to Beyonce – Finding God’s Perfect Pitch for Your Life), read about Diana Ross belting out “Don’t Nobody Bring Me no Bad News,” from the Broadway play, The Wiz.

There is an inspiring story in my book about a quadriplegic friend, Ron Heagy, a jock, whose neck was broken at age 17. He has accomplished more thus far than 90% of adults do in a lifetime. As a public speaker, he has held millions of listeners spellbound. He has a whitewater camp for handicapped kids. He is a mouth brush artist, commissioned by Nike, fetching $3000 for his canvases. He is a highly successful businessman, author, father and motivational speaker. You will read about him in my chapter titled, “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” Aspire to inspire someone before you expire.

Refuel your life daily. You can’t run on fumes. Keep in touch with your power source – God. As a teenager, one of my favorite verses was Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”Our car needs fuel to keep going and so does our inner man, our spirit. Attend small group Bible/discussions. You may make Sunday or Saturday worship a regular part of your life, but more effective yet is daily worship. This is a great way to jump start your day and move your life forward.

Enlarge your horizons. What is your life plan? Did you know that God has a plan for your life?  “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11) Aspire to discover God’s plan for your life and move forward. If money were not an object, what would you really like to do with your life? Think outside the box. Think big. What are you passionate about? How can you follow that passion to gain fulfillment for your life? Are there toothpicks that still need to be broken to achieve your unfulfilled destiny? Think about it.

 I was a green teenager and self taught sax player when I auditioned with the pastor’s wife, Mrs. Jewell Lanahan. She was a fabulous pianist and well known throughout the denominational Conference. Furthermore, she was attractive, happy, and upbeat with a smile that put everyone at ease. The entire church dearly loved her.

Her husband, Dr. Lloyd Lanahan was a noted speaker and powerful influence in our community of Anderson, Indiana, and a top leader in the Conference.     

My father was a pastor, so I was reared in the church. However, in the rebellious years of ages 14-15, I came to believe one could have no fun if a Christian. Consequently I began seeking “fun” in the wrong places.

For no earthly reason, I found myself for the fist time in this church on a Sunday evening. I had my sax with me. I knew no one in the church, which was a mystery known only to God at that time, why I was in that particular church.

 The music was accompanied by a grand piano, a magnificent pipe organ, and a reasonably good choir. I was impressed.  

The preaching had no influence on me, but I met a young man who invited me to his home following the service. They raided the fridge, while a young lady, destined to be my bride, played the piano, and I joined in with my sax as everyone sang.

Riding the bus home that night, I came under deep conviction that those kids were Christians and they were having fun. I must admit, I too had fun. By this time we had lived in nine or ten parsonages, some of which I had little remembrance, but the home of this night is still etched on the Etch-a-Sketch of my brain.

Disembarking the bus, I bounded up the porch steps in a decided hurry, racing through the empty house, into my bedroom, sliding my sax case across the floor. I fell to my knees at my bedside, with tears of repentance rolling down my cheeks. I rose up a new person with Jesus Christ as Lord of my life. Through His power living in me, I became a Christian leader in high school.

Mrs. Lanahan molded me as tender clay. She shaped me, pushed me, made me stretch, and play in keys with which I was uncomfortable, as we prepared music for worship services.

She was an encourager of youth, especially budding musicians. When our worship leader, went into the military to serve our country during World War II, I was pressed into service to lead that great congregation of 500 plus for the next two years. My love for the Lanahans and their church never waned.

After college and during seminary, I became music director for the annual conference. Because of Jewell Lanahan, I was privileged to minister with music on four continents, including performing for eighteen thousand people in Vienna, Austria. There will be many jewels in Jewell’s crown for all the youth she influenced.  

My ministry later took me to Houston, Texas, where I’ve been for 30 years. My wife and I drove up to Anderson 19 years ago and had a lovely visit with Jewell. Her husband had passed on many years before, and we found her countenance to be that of a “school girl” in love with Ellsworth Rittenhouse, a man she had known many years. “I am so in love.” she said, “I never dreamed I would ever feel like this.” It was beautiful and we were thrilled for her! That was my last contact with her until sixteen years later.

Now for the serendipity part; I wrote a book, Benny to Beyonce – Finding God’s Perfect Pitch for you Life. I belong to a Christian writers group and on this particular evening we are having a Thanksgiving read-around.

Here I am, sitting at my cluttered desk, reading aloud the chapter I plan to read for the group. I am rehearsing, “Thanks For t   he Memory,” Bob Hope’s theme song, in which I chronicle the major influences in my life for which I am thankful, which, of course, includes several paragraphs on Jewel Lanahan, who by this time is Jewell Rittenhouse

As I am reading aloud, the shrill ring of the telephone rudely interrupts my concentration. I wonder who it could be, interrupting the cadence and flow of this great masterpiece. It is a voice from the past. He was the cutest eight-year-old kid, running around the church all those years ago, when I was receiving inspiration from Jewell. I hadn’t heard from him in seventeen years. In our conversation, I asked, “I suppose Jewell is no longer with us, is she?”

He replied, “Yes! She is ninety-nine years old and living with her new husband in the Methodist Home in Franklin, Indiana.” My heart leaped with joy within me! What good news.

The next day I was able to visit with her on the phone and in the conversation she said, “Jerry, I would really love to hear you play again.”

“Jewell,” I answered, “My lovely daughter, Merribeth Stitt Deaton and I are working on a CD project titled, A Love Like This,”

Jewell asked. “Are you on it?”

“Yes, and I promise to send you the very first copy. Also,” I interjected, “you will love Merribeth’s singing.  She never fails to bring the crowd to their feet. Meanwhile if any of your friends are on the internet, you can her sing on www.myspace/Merribeth.”  Jewell then put Ellsworth on the phone. 

“Jewell has told me so much about Jerry Stitt, the sax player.” This amazed me because it had been more than sixty years since we worked together.          

My daughter and I were recording in a studio that took eight hours on the road each trip, and there were many trips. Little did we know it was going to take eight months to complete it? Realizing Jewell was nearly one hundred, I prayed, “Lord, help us get this finished in time for Jewell to enjoy before she makes her heavenly appearance.”

At last, I got a copy of the master, called the Home, asking the receptionist if Jewell were still alive.

“Yes!”

Hallelujah!

In our conversation, Jewell said, “Jerry, I turned one hundred years old three months ago, and am in a wheel-chair full time.”  However,” she went on to say, “I plan to learn to walk again. I’m running ahead of everyone else in therapy.”

Now, that is spirit! That rings of faith, hope and confidence in the future. She is down for the moment, but not out. She knows the plans God has for her. Then, Jewell asked wistfully, “Jerry, I don’t suppose you’ll get back to Indiana again?”

“No, it’s not likely.”

“Well, I still would love to hear you play again.”

“You will, in just a few days. I am mailing the CD in the morning.” The next day I took a love package to the Post Office, which included the first copy of the CD, A Love Like This, and a copy of “Thanks For the Memory.” Because someone sowed time and encouragement into a teenager’s life, that long, time consuming, boring, Post Office line was transformed into a time of joy, expectancy and wonderful memories.

Look around you for someone into whose being you can sow life-changing encouragement. This investment of time and caring will reward both of you for eternity. The exciting mystery of your impact may never be known in this life, but again, you may make that joyful discovery, as did Mrs. Jewell Lanahan Rittenhouse. Give it a try, you’ll love it. Aspire to inspire before you expire. By the way, she lived to be 100 years and 6 months.

Mementos of his legacy were nearly destroyed during World War II by the Nazis and Communists. Then, Leipzig was nearly leveled by Allied bombs that rained down thundering destruction.

The story is told that during the rebuilding of the city, workmen restoring St. Thomas Church found a casket in the debris. Curious, they took a pry bar to the casket and discovered inside a figure dressed in 18^th century clothing, surrounded by music manuscripts. The person was in the process of using a large rubber eraser on the scores. One of the men stuttered, “Who, who, who are you?”

“Bach.”

“Wha-, what are you doing?”

“Decomposing.”

That, my friend, is one of the problems with part of our contemporary music, and as you know, decomposition emits a foul odor.

I want to take you back before W.W. II to get into this story.

When I was a kid we sat around our floor model Philco radio to listen to the National Barn Dance, the news, the Brown Bomber Joe Lewis boxing matches, and the Major Bowes Amateur Hour – the original gong show. The Major Bowes’ announcer always started with the words “The music goes round and around, and where it stops, nobody knows.”

I’ve got news for you. It doesn’t stop. In the book of Revelation, chapter 5, we find millions of people in heaven singing praise to God. Music originated in heaven and the chief musician was Lucifer. God inspired Ezekiel to write in the 28^th chapter that Lucifer was full of wisdom and perfect beauty. He was the choir and orchestra conductor, leading the angelic host in praise and worship of God.

The time came when the harmony was shattered by discord. According to Isaiah 14, Lucifer became arrogant and proud, saying, “I will be like the Most High.” Like many musicians who want to be in the spotlight, Lucifer wanted to become the object of worship. According to Ezekiel 28 he persuaded one third of the angels to worship him.

In speaking to musicians, I tell them that Lucifer got a third of the angels to join his union. They went on strike, refusing to worship God, and God kicked them out of heaven. I guess they have a “Right to Worship Law” there. Today, Lucifer is called Satan.

Now Satan is really steamed! He lost a steady gig in the most wonderful place of beauty and joy. Now he has to forage to find his own gigs. In heaven he was Mr. Music. Now he hates heaven, hates God, and hates himself. The beautiful angel of light has become the angel of darkness and is determined to destroy music and the makers of music – the musicians.

I classify music as sacred or demonic. The way I use this term doesn’t necessarily mean Christian or religious, it just means that all good things come from God. Admiring the Houston skyline, I have been moved to praise God for the beauty of its architecture. Now, mind you, some of the architects may have been atheists, but even without their admitting it, the inspiration came from God.

God created music, harmony and rhythm. It is all good, whether it is the strains of a majestic pipe organ, choir, symphony orchestra, jazz, R&B, country, swing, opera or pop.

Bach wrote across the top of every page of manuscript, “To the Glory of God.” When an artist thanks God (or doesn’t thank God) for the inspiration to paint a lovely landscape, that painting, in a sense, is sacred. Even the Apostle Paul said to think about things that are lovely and praiseworthy. (Philippians 4:8) Good music is worthy of praise.

The fallen archangel devised an insidious plan – destroy music and musicians. History records a group of musicians known as Club 27, whose lives were slammed to the ground by drugs. It encompasses 35 aspiring artists who died at age 27 in the late 20^th century. You may recognize the names of some, such as Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison and Kurt Cobain.

More than 355 big name musicians succumbed to life snuffing drugs. Thousands of lesser known entertainers suffered horrible deaths due to the drugs of the street and or alcohol. The typical work environment is drenched in beguiling bandit booze, saturating second hand smoke, and buxom bordello babes. So what’s a man to do? Thank God there are entertainers with strong moral standards such as Kirk Whalum, who have not caved in to the lure.

So what happened to our music? With the advent of Elvis Presley and the Beatles, bands that were once horn driven became guitar driven. There is nothing wrong with guitars. The great classical guitarist Andres Segovia was remarkable. In the big band era Les Paul held his audience spellbound. Wes Montgomery had a unique sound, using a lot of octave melodies. Other fine guitarists would include Django Reinhardt, Carlos Santana, Pat Metheny and Joe Pass, just to name a few.

The blight on music today is the limited ability of many players. Learn three chords and bingo, you’re a musician. Consequently there has been a dumbing-down of music in society and sadly in the church. Compound this trend with 60’s guitar smashing, anti-authority, and free sex philosophy. The downward spiral continued with rappers spewing cop-killer lyrics, female degradation, and language punctuated with expletives, into the 21^st century, contributing to the demise of good music. This is what I call demonic music; to call it music is an oxymoron.

As our nation drops lower and lower in academic accomplishments among developed countries, we also sink to lower depths in our morals and music. But all is not lost. Take heart. Our public schools and colleges are turning out some serious musicians. I am jealous.

My instrumental training began in the seventh grade when the high school orchestra director sent me home with a sousaphone, saying she didn’t know anything about it, but when I learned how to play, brings it back. Not even a book! Three weeks later this 7^th grader was playing in the high school orchestra. I was disappointed in the choice of instrument, but very happy much later when I spent years playing tuba in a fine symphony in Muncie, Indiana.

I taught myself to play sax at age 13 and have performed on four continents. I often wonder where my music would have taken me if I had had access to the professional training available in our schools today.

So, while much of popular music is in a retard state, there are many serious students of music, who, like salmon swimming upstream, are reclaiming lost territory.

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