Cephas Hour
Episode 133
Release Date: September 25, 2024

The one that talks about being an unworthy servant.

 

There You Are Van Zant
Mountain Cathedrals Bob Bennett
God Of Wonders Mac Powell with Cliff and Danielle Young
Overflow Richie Furay
Jesus, Friend Of Sinners Casting Crowns
Bema Seat Petra
We’re Restless Rachel Wilhelm
On The Fritz Steve Taylor
What You Think I Am The Choir
Judas Within Vector
Maker Of The Universe Rachel Wilhelm and Phil Keaggy
Jesus Puts The Song In Our Hearts Love Song
Why Don’t You Look Into Jesus Larry Norman

Cephas Hour
Episode 132
Release Date: September 19, 2024

The one that talks about the Gospel of Mark.

 

Lighthouse Crystoria
Jesus Christ Van Zant
The Way Of The Rose Undercover
In The Garden Bob Dylan
All The Losers Win DeGarmo & Key
Jesus Is For Losers Steve Taylor
She Veil of Ashes
The Great American Novel Larry Norman
This Is The Way Love Is 77s
Vengeance With The Sword (Jeremiah 25) Rachel Wilhelm
Strong Hand Of Love Mark Heard
Selfish Man Oden Fong
Mansion Builder 2nd Chapter of Acts

Cephas Hour of Peace
September 6, 2024

Scriptures and songs, the way it should be.

 

Peace Derri Daugherty
Beautiful Scandalous Night Bob Bennett
Unraveling Shelly Moore
Hand In Hand DeGarmo & Key
Come Unto Me Veil of Ashes
Strong Tower Phil Keaggy
Sanctuary Daniel Amos
With The Tired Eyes Of Faith Swirling Eddies
Once And For All Whiteheart
Let Everything That Hath Breath Petra
In Paradise (In Paradisum) Rachel Wilhelm
Banquet At The World’s End Daniel Amos
She Begins To Sing Oden Fong

Cephas Hour
Episode 131
Release Date: September 5, 2024

The one talking about giving yourself a break.

 

Let Him Help You Today DeGarmo & Key
Hymn To The Last Generation Larry Norman
Peace In The Valley Chuck Girard
Mansion Builder The 2nd Chapter of Acts
20 Loves (One With Promise) Veil of Ashes
Holy Hold 77s
Everything Is Alright Mark Heard
Asleep In The Light Keith Green
That’s Where Jesus Is The Lost Dogs
We’re Restless Rachel Wilhelm
The Garden Song Bob Bennett
Beyond The Pale Kerry Livgren AD
Unraveling Shelly Moore

Cephas Hour
Episode 130
Release Date: August 28, 2024

The one talking about not believing your own hype.

 

Work It Out Undercover
Perfect Blues 77s
Some Love The Prayer Chain
Who Owns You Whiteheart
Violent Blue Chagall Guevara
You Led Me To Believe Sweet Comfort Band
Vengeance With The Sword (Jeremiah 25) Rachel Wilhelm
In Paradise (In Paradisum) Rachel Wilhelm
Grave Robber Petra
She Begins To Sing Oden Fong
Center Of My Heart Larry Norman
Great Little Dancer Crumbächer
Fast Forward Prodigal

Cephas Hour
Episode 129
Release Date: August 15, 2024

The one talking about the broken healing the broken.

 

Stand Up Petra
Grace The Choir
Sin For A Season Steve Taylor
God Good Devil Bad DeGarmo & Key
Bye Bye Babylon Whiteheart
Never Enough The Prayer Chain
Tears On The Red Veil of Ashes
Memory Lane Daniel Amos
When Love Comes To Town U2 with B.B. King
I Still Believe (Great Design) The Call
Maker Of The Universe Rachel Wilhelm with Phil Keaggy
Nobody’s Fault But Mine 77s
Come For The Children Oden Fong

Cephas Hour
Episode 128
Release Date: August 5, 2024

The one where I play a bunch of good music of different styles.

 

Strange Animals Daniel Amos
The Chicken The Choir
Bed of Roses Veil of Ashes
Tangerine Leaves The Throes
The Doing of The Thing Bob Bennett
Lord Of The Past Bob Bennett
Come and See Bob Bennett
Rise Crystoria
In the Silence Crystoria
Safe Place Crystoria
Pledge My Head to Heaven Keith Green
You Are the One Keith Green
Grace By Which I Stand Keith Green
Hallelujah Richie Furay
Wake Up My Soul Richie Furay
Overflow Richie Furay

Cephas Hour
Episode 127
Release Date: July 11, 2024

The one that introduces myself … finally.

 

Destined To Win DeGarmo & Key
Do It Again Steven Curtis Chapman
Spend My Life With You Phil Keaggy
Waiting Abbey Sitterley
Sail On Sailor Mustard Seed Faith
Lord Of The Past Bob Bennett
We’re Restless Rachel Wilhelm
Gold In Me The Hollybells
Safe Place Crystoria
Faith:Action Oden Fong
Searching For Love Sweet Comfort Band
Once And For All Whiteheart
Let Everything That Hath Breath Petra
Thunder Beach Crumbächer

And Now, After 126 Episodes, I Finally Introduce Myself!

Back in the day—1987, to be precise—I became the first and only music journalist covering Christian rock for a “secular” publication. The magazine in question was called PULSE! and its publisher was the Tower Records chain.

I wasn’t there because there were fans of the genre on staff. I was there because they hoped I’d bring advertising dollars from the Christian music industry. Which, though no fault of my own, seldom, if ever, happened. The Christian music industry had no qualms about pitching stories and artists to me in hopes I would cover suggested artists and albums. However, when it came time to put their money where their mouth was, they’d throw it away on glorified vanity house organs like Harvest Rock Syndicate, which reached only the existing fan base. I was out there trying to preach about the band named The Choir while they were content preaching to the choir about the band named The Choir. They hung me out to dry and then complained I wasn’t correctly watering their secret garden.

On the rare occasions when anyone at PULSE! spoke to me, the staff there made it quite plain that I was the rat bastard on board. They had nothing nice to say about my writing and barely, if ever, acknowledged the music itself. Somewhat offputting, but I persevered. I loved the music and artists, so whatever it took to get the word out is what I did.

Despite the open animosity, one day, out of the blue, one of the higher-ups at PULSE! asked me to write a feature story about Steve Taylor. I did so. for the November 1988 issue. Suddenly, the Christian music industry took full notice of me. I had offers to do stories for assorted magazines, write artist bios for new releases, etc. I wrote quite a bit for CCM Magazine and other publications, talking to many of the high-flying artists of the time: Michael W. Smith, Sandi Patti, Steven Curtis Chapman, and others. The only one I never spoke to was Amy Grant, and I had an interview scheduled until her management canceled it because they subsequently booked her for Good Morning America the day I was going to talk to her and said they’d reschedule my interview. I’m still waiting.

Even with the above, I never really fit in. I was too rock-oriented for the labels and too artist-oriented for the publications. In 1994, it all fell apart; the industry and I walked away from one another. Still, I had a good run.

Fast-forward a decade plus. After attending a 2005 concert in Southern California featuring bands such as Undercover, The Choir, Altar Boys, and Crunbächer, the writing bug hit me again. Now free to cover who I wanted how I wanted, I wrote a book featuring interviews with the artists I wanted to do stories on back in the day but seldom had the opportunity to do so. The book took a while, but it finally came together in 2009. I released an updated version in 2019. I also started doing Cephas Hour, a show that plays music by artists who have meant so much to me. It was initially on an Internet radio station; it’s now a stand-alone podcast.

Long story short, I was there. I’m not bragging when I say I was not an insignificant part of the scene. I’ve had artists long after the fact tell me a review I did in PULSE! of one of their records made a massive positive difference in sales, far more than anything in any Christian publications. So, yeah.

On Cephas Hour, I enjoy playing and promoting current independent artists who carry the artistic and spiritual integrity torch in addition to classic songs and artists. With that, back to the music.

Cephas Hour
Episode 126
Release Date; July 4, 2024

The one that says goodbye for now to a friend of the music.

 

People Tend To Forget Pantano and Salsbury
Grave Robber Petra
Go Tell Them The DeGarmo & Key Band
Well, Haven’t You Heard The 2nd Chapter of Acts
Independence Day Whiteheart
The Great American Novel Larry Norman
Don’t Tread On Me Richie Furay
America, America Richie Furay
It’s Hard To Take The Front
Hide In Your Love Tykus
Mask Of The Great Deceiver Kerry Livgren
In The Silence Crystoria