Intersect

Mark Robertson is an American musician and record producer. Robertson is most well known for playing upright and electric bass in Nashville-based Legendary Shack Shakers, a "punk blues" band, from 2002 until 2015, a band which he was also the primary record producer for. He plays bass live for the Eskimo Brothers and frequently plays with country artist Derek Hoke. He is also a member of The Dixiecrats, alongside Shack Shaker J. D. Wilkes and members of Los Straitjackets. He has also been a member of This Train, The Dirt Daubers, as well as Flesh Vehicle with Tom Pappas, formerly of Superdrag and Rich Mullins & The Ragamuffin Band.

Christian Music band, A Ragamuffin Band, are the featured guest on Intersect for this week. The band was formed back in 1993 by Rich Mullins. What started as a concept album has become much more. The band got it's name from "The Ragamuffin Gospel", a novel by Brennan Manning. Listen as Aaron "A-Train" Smith speaks to this famous band.
https://www.facebook.com/A-Ragamuffin-Band-Appreciation-Society-266749879696/

The late Rick Stevens, was the former lead singer for Tower of Power. Rick has served a 36 year prison sentence for killing three men in a botched drug deal and talks about his search for redemption and reuniting with TOP.

Mr. Stevens passed on September 5, 2017. The interview was hosted last year by Ms. Dänna Wilberg on her TV program, “Story Connection” and I am grateful for her permission to broadcast the audio here on Intersect.
For more info on Ms. Wilberg and her work, she can be contacted at:
dannawilberg.com
Twitter: @dannawilberg
Facebook: Author Danna Wilberg
Good Reads: Danna Wilberg

The founder and frontman of Princeton Revival, Gregg’s love for music expressed itself at a very early age. Deeply influenced by his father’s jazz vinyl collection, he picked up his first pair of drum sticks at age two and eventually won first place all-state jazz drummer in his home state of New York. After High School Gregg toured as a founding member of His Band with best friend, Bill Randall. His Band played with several acts including Amy Grant and David Meece. Gregg also wrote the #1 CCM single “Father” with Morgan Cryar and “If He Goes Before Me” with Barry Graul—a #2 hit for White Cross. He earned a Master of Divinity in Pastoral Studies from Southern Seminary and served as the Senior Pastor of two churches. He was a founding board member of The Augustine School, a Christian Classical school in West Tennessee, and also served as the Dean of the Emerging Leaders Program in Southwest Florida. Gregg’s burden is that men discover how the Gospel transforms their lives and roles by growing in their knowledge of God through His Word and in community (with a fine cigar and microbrew whenever possible)

Sean Michel is a black soul singer in a long-bearded white man's body. He mixes passionate, soulful vocals with screaming electric slide guitar and then lights himself on fire for the world to watch him burn. He has toured the world, captivating audiences in every culture with his spiritualized performances that cut right to the soul of anyone who hears. His songs attack the evils in the world but also offer hope - simultaneously piercing the heart while uplifting the spirit.

Joe Cook currently serves as the manager of the Radio Broadcast Department for Western Indian Ministries (http://www.westernindian.org/) in New Mexico and Arizona. He and his family moved out west in 2015 to do ministry on the Navajo Reservation. As a teenager and new Christian, Joe's life was impacted by the music ministry of the late Rich Mullins— himself a missionary to the Navajo Nation. The story of Rich's work on the reservation planted a seed in Joe's heart that grew for nearly two decades, leading he and his family to answer God's call to serve in Navajo missions. Prior to this, Joe spent nearly a decade working at an Oldies radio station in his home state of New Jersey. He and his wife Abbie have been married for 12 years and they have a 10-year-old son named Joey.

Kevin Max is an American singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known for being a member of the Christian pop group DC Talk. As a solo artist following the 2001 dissolution of DC Talk, he has recorded eight full-length studio albums, one Christmas album, and four EPs. From 2012 until 2014, he was the lead singer of the band Audio Adrenaline.

Kevin Max  is an American singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known for being a member of the Christian pop group DC Talk. As a solo artist following the 2001 dissolution of DC Talk, he has recorded eight full-length studio albums, one Christmas album, and four EPs. From 2012 until 2014, he was the lead singer of the band Audio Adrenaline.

John J. Thompson is a 30-year music industry veteran, author, songwriter, artist, producer and teacher who currently serves as Associate Dean of the Trevecca School of Music and Worship Arts and as Director of Publishing for E One Nashville. Until recently he was Creative Director at Capitol CMG Publishing. His abiding passions for authentic, spiritually alive art, transformative community, innovative business practices, artisanal living, and home roasted coffee are explored in his new book. Jesus, Bread, and Chocolate; Crafting a Hand Made Faith in a Mass Market World (Zondervan / Harper Collins 2015) and can be found throughout his professional, creative and ministry-oriented career. “It’s been an amazing journey so far,” Thompson says. “I’m thrilled when I am able to speak into a community, a business, or a project in a way that is inspiring and helpful.”
In 1989, at the age of 19, Thompson founded True Tunes Etc, in Wheaton Illinois, a music store, magazine and concert venue, while simultaneously cultivating his songwriting, performing and worship-leading skills in his band, The Wayside. After leaving True Tunes in 2000 he accepted a position with the Cornerstone Festival, scored a ballet for a local dance school, produced several records and wrote the book Raised By Wolves; The Story of Christian Rock and Roll (ECW Press, 2000) – all while serving as a pastor at Warehouse Church, an inner-city ministry in Aurora, Illinois. “For me everything bled into one,” he explains of his varied resume. “Whether it was leading worship or preaching at church, speaking at a college, writing, or working with big music companies, or playing with my band in a pub, I thrive wherever faith, art, and people intersect and nothing gives me more satisfaction than connecting folks and unleashing vision.”
Throughout his sojourn in the music business Thompson built a solid reputation as a music critic and feature writer for many publications including CCM Magazine, HM Magazine, Christianity Today and Christian Musician. He joined Capitol Christian Music Publishing in early 2007 (then known as EMI Christian Music Group) where he managed a roster of CCM and Gospel songwriters (Andrae Crouch, Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Aaron Lindsey, John P. Kee, Fred Hammond, Anita Wilson, VaShawn Mitchell, etc) and provided Music Supervision services for films, (including the 2013 Lionsgate movie Grace Unplugged.) He is currently a contributor of music and film reviews for www.ThinkChristian.net and is a regular speaker at colleges, churches, songwriting events and festivals on behalf of Compassion International.
Although still a Chicagoan at heart Thompson loves the creative, independent spirit he has found in East Nashville, TN where he has lived with his wife (Michelle Lynn Thompson) and four children since 2007.
Blog: www.JohnJThompson.com – Twitter: @JohnJThompson – Instagram: TheOnlyJJT

John J. Thompson is a 30-year music industry veteran, author, songwriter, artist, producer and teacher who currently serves as Associate Dean of the Trevecca School of Music and Worship Arts and as Director of Publishing for E One Nashville. Until recently he was Creative Director at Capitol CMG Publishing. His abiding passions for authentic, spiritually alive art, transformative community, innovative business practices, artisanal living, and home roasted coffee are explored in his new book. Jesus, Bread, and Chocolate; Crafting a Hand Made Faith in a Mass Market World (Zondervan / Harper Collins 2015) and can be found throughout his professional, creative and ministry-oriented career. “It’s been an amazing journey so far,” Thompson says. “I’m thrilled when I am able to speak into a community, a business, or a project in a way that is inspiring and helpful.”
In 1989, at the age of 19, Thompson founded True Tunes Etc, in Wheaton Illinois, a music store, magazine and concert venue, while simultaneously cultivating his songwriting, performing and worship-leading skills in his band, The Wayside. After leaving True Tunes in 2000 he accepted a position with the Cornerstone Festival, scored a ballet for a local dance school, produced several records and wrote the book Raised By Wolves; The Story of Christian Rock and Roll (ECW Press, 2000) – all while serving as a pastor at Warehouse Church, an inner-city ministry in Aurora, Illinois. “For me everything bled into one,” he explains of his varied resume. “Whether it was leading worship or preaching at church, speaking at a college, writing, or working with big music companies, or playing with my band in a pub, I thrive wherever faith, art, and people intersect and nothing gives me more satisfaction than connecting folks and unleashing vision.”
Throughout his sojourn in the music business Thompson built a solid reputation as a music critic and feature writer for many publications including CCM Magazine, HM Magazine, Christianity Today and Christian Musician. He joined Capitol Christian Music Publishing in early 2007 (then known as EMI Christian Music Group) where he managed a roster of CCM and Gospel songwriters (Andrae Crouch, Kirk Franklin, Marvin Sapp, Aaron Lindsey, John P. Kee, Fred Hammond, Anita Wilson, VaShawn Mitchell, etc) and provided Music Supervision services for films, (including the 2013 Lionsgate movie Grace Unplugged.) He is currently a contributor of music and film reviews for www.ThinkChristian.net and is a regular speaker at colleges, churches, songwriting events and festivals on behalf of Compassion International.
Although still a Chicagoan at heart Thompson loves the creative, independent spirit he has found in East Nashville, TN where he has lived with his wife (Michelle Lynn Thompson) and four children since 2007.
Blog: www.JohnJThompson.com - Twitter: @JohnJThompson - Instagram: TheOnlyJJT