It's been a great week for friends. I've heard from a lot of them the last few days. I consider myself very wealthy that way. I enjoy spending time, chatting with, and doing life with good friends. Some of the calls and emails have come from folks I've not heard from in a long time. I heard from one sweet lady I honestly thought was dead. I just know I read her obituary in the paper a year or so ago.
The news that prompted many of them to call with congratulations and lots of well wishes was pretty big in my view. It's the kind of thing that is made public right away, and big enough that you want to share it with as many of your best friends as possible. Out of the blue, on a regular, task-filled Thursday, with no hint at all that it was coming, I received a call from Ed Leonard at Daywind Records. He asked me what seemed like a really odd question. "What do Alan Jackson, the Gaither Vocal Band, the Del McCoury Band, Randy Travis and Kenny Bishop all have in common?" I couldn't put it together myself. I didn't see a connection. His answer; "They're all Grammy Award finalists for best Southern, Country or Bluegrass Gospel Album!" I was completely, I mean totally and completely shell-shocked.
For my part, I had some questions. Is this something we were pursuing? If so, I wasn't aware. Did the record company lobby the folks who put the nominations together? Did anyone else? Was anyone anywhere expecting this to happen? From everyone I asked, the answer was, "No, no, no and no." I asked how it happened. No one could say.
I'm not sure of the process. Someone somewhere got the ball rolling and among all of the potentials, I received enough votes to be considered a finalist. I am grateful - very, very, very grateful. I know there are many, many others who deserve the honor. Most of them more so than me.
The Grammys are not a Southern Gospel Music based award. Let me rephrase that. The Grammys are much more than just Southern Gospel Music awards. Nonetheless, that means some don't consider them legitimate recognition. I understand. But I'm grateful nonetheless, and feel like I am one of the most blessed and fortunate guys in the world - however it happened. Whether it means anything to anyone else at all, it means a great deal to me - and many of my friends.
The fallout from such a high-profile achievement has already afforded me several opportunities to share my faith and my story with those not necessarily Christian. I've been able to tell reporters and others how God loves rebels and backsliders back to faith and forgiveness. The TV, radio and print interviews have allowed me to share the Christ of the beaten up and the successful. If nothing happens at the end of the red carpet, I've done my best to take advantage of my precious fifteen minutes. I may never get another.
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