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Wednesday, November 23, 2011
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The gospel according to bluegrass Continued from Page 1 meets at Conifer Community Park at Beaver Ranch each Sunday morning. He leads them in worship in a more contemporary fashion, but on Sunday evenings the worship turns bluegrass style. “I think music is the universal language,” Blake said. “Something about music opens up the psychic self and the soul better that other forms of communication just don’t.” Blake said the idea of using bluegrass music to spread the gospel isn’t new. “It’s not just a sit-and-listen kind of music,” Blake said. “A lot of people like to play it and incorporate the music into worship.” Blake also plays the guitar, mandolin, banjo and bass, and joins in the musical celebration. When the worship segment is complete, Blake approaches the half-hour sermon with the same straightforward style. “If you don’t believe in having fun, you might as well turn around and walk out the door,” he said to the congregation. On a more serious note, Blake said the church is more than just the buildings or even the music. “It’s about people,” he said.
Making music
Golden resident Jake Mills, 16, is an accomplished violinist, but when he’s at Bluegrass Church, he’s a fiddler. “This is very cool and so much fun to be here playing with these people,” he said. Mark and Kimberle Sherak, a husbandand-wife duo, perform in the local band Troublesome Gulch. They also play in the praise band at Elk Creek Community Church and jam with Blake on a regular basis. For both of them, any kind of music is a godly gift. “It just feels like that’s what God wants us to do,” Mark said of worship through music. “I think music is soothing and words can convey thoughts, and when the two come together, the spirit comes out.” Mark, a longtime musician who just released a CD of contemporary Christian music, said everyone is welcome to come and play. “It doesn’t matter if you’re good, bad or ugly when you play,” Mark said.
The roots of bluegrass
Solomon said the roots of gospel bluegrass music got lost as the tunes were carried north from the Southern states. “In the South, there’s still a lot of that old music, but across American churches, it’s more contemporary music with electric music,” Solomon said. “Some of us prefer the old-time way.” The old-time instruments include the fiddle, mandolin, guitar, dobro and upright bass, and along the bluegrass fringe are the harmonica, autoharp and even a mountain dulcimer. The instruments bring an uplifting combination of sounds and textures. The songs played at Bluegrass Church are old hymns picked with bluegrass style. Favorites such as “Will the Circle be Unbroken,” “I Saw the Light,” “Precious Memories,” and “I’ll Fly Away” fill the Please see bluegrass, Page 9
Top: On Sunday, about 20 people gathered at Conifer Community Church to partake of Bluegrass Church, a newly begun church that features bluegrass music performed by members of the congrergation as part of its Sunday services. Left above: Kimberle Sherak plays her guitar during Bluegrass Church. Sherak is part of the bluegrass group Troublesome Gulch. At left: Arvada resident Jim Aicardi plays the resophone.
Photos by Barbara Ford | The Times