*Chad Jarnagin

I am very sad to hear of Michael Jackson’s passing, on several levels…

He was THE artist that inspired me to pursue entertainment in the early part of my life. Growing up in the 80’s he was IT. I even danced around on the hardwood floors of my bedroom. In my opinion, MJ was the biggest entertainer of my lifetime. The fact that Thriller is STILL the biggest selling album of all time is just one of the reasons he has been a household name for 3 decades. His artistry was always ahead of his / our time.

I was one that never wanted to believe the accusations, even-though it was hard to imagine them to not be true on some creepy level. MJ’s story is one of great art, song, music, and blurry twisted disfunction… All the strange, out of the norm actions, stories, and obvious image…

Michael Jackson dead at 50 yrs of age. Crazy. Sad. Sobering. Fame’s definition seems to be irrelevant at the end of it all huh?

Perspective- Thousands of people died on the same day as MJ and Farrah. People, children out of public awareness.

I came across this as I was studying this morning… “Too many are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem to be more afraid of life than death…” At the risk of sounding dramatic, deaths like MJ’s should enlighten us to a urgency to live life to the full. One of the very things Jesus came to us with / for.

The thought that even the “king of pop” stood before the “King of kings” yesterday was a sobering perspective. No matter how great, talented, influential, or popular one here on the planet is, there’s always the bigger picture. What we all do with the portion of influence that we all have?

My friend Mark is a part of a great rock band from the ATL. They are going to be on The Tonight Show on July 29th. He’s a great songwriter and guitarist. He and I were a part of a mentoring group together for a few years. Mark and his wife Stephanie are great peeps. They lived here in Franklin for a while, but moved back down I-75.

Ron Roark is one of those guys that you want thinking and working for you. He has an amazing creative palet. Ron and I first met around the youth leadership at TPC. We’ve basically been friends ever since. He works HERE.

Brock is like no one else I know. He’s another guy from the mentoring group who I met at the beginning of my Among Thorns days. He has a rad ministry and travels everywhere. He can even make you disappear.

Nate is one of my young protégé. He is another crazy talented designer, as well as a musician / worship leader. Some of these guys look like him, and have the same last name. He is getting married to Callie in about 2 weeks! Find him HERE.

There are so many other people that I am blessed to call friends that I should give shout outs to, but those will have to wait.

I am very grateful to have the most talented and gifted friends. Some of you know of Josh Cassidy. He is an amazing all around artist… guitarist, songwriter, singer, painter, and one of the funniest guys I know. In honor of their release TODAY (USA), I saw Josh’s piece on these guys. I love it. BTW, Coldplay’s latest release might be my favorite of the band’s life so far.

Go HERE for more work from Josh Cassidy.

Here are some notable performers at this year’s Bonnaroo music and arts festival…

Pearl Jam, Metallica(never seen them, so would probably be fun), Jack Johnson, Widespread Panic, Kanye West, Chris Rock, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss featuring T Bone Burnett, Phil Lesh & Friends, My Morning Jacket, The Raconteurs, Willie Nelson, Death Cab for Cutie, B.B. King, Sigur Rós(yes please!), Ben Folds(for about 15 mins, then I would be bored), O.A.R., M.I.A., Iron & Wine(for about 10 mins), Stephen Marley, Robert Randolph’s Revival, Rilo Kiley, The Disco Biscuits, Solomon Burke, Chali 2na of Jurassic 5, Abigail Washburn, Béla Fleck, Janeane Garofalo(if she is still funny), Jakob Dylan (why not), and Rogue Wave

I won’t be going, but I am always interested in seeing who is going to be there in the middle of no-where with a bunch of hippies and crazy people. (please take no offense if you are going or have gone in the past… I’m just not that crazy… so maybe I’m getting old?)

In bold are those that I would be interested in.

 

This guy’s work blows my mind. One of the last times I was in NYC I saw some of his street art, and it freaked me out. Kurt is brilliant.  

Go HERE for more.