Let the Mountains Sing
My work in progress is Let the Mountains Sing, an exploration of Richard Mullins' creative process. There's a lot to say, because Richard was a child prodigy who grew up to be a creative genius. Not all prodigies have what it takes to make that transition, which has little to do with raw talent. I wish I could say there was a formula that any one of us could follow to travel Richard's creative path, but I don't want to mislead anyone about what the book is meant to do. I believe Richard was one-of-a-kind. And so are all of us.
The prodigy can certainly inspire us, but my premise is that he is meant as a sign to send us in the right direction, not an example to follow slavishly or an idol to adore.
Let the Mountains Sing focuses on the time frame of his formative years as an artist during Bible College. It concludes some time after that, but prior the release of the Rich Mullins album.
I believe one of the stunning things Richard can teach us is that not only can we survive our worst experiences, but that we can use them to fuel the creative process. God can make our obstacles into our allies when we Let the Mountains Sing. The book develops along themes demonstrating Richard's challenges as well as his innate gifts, elaborating on some of the life experiences that molded him during what I think of as his hidden years.
I will also be including some perspectives from a musician who played with Richard during this time. He's bringing his own gifts, speaking from the personal experience of playing with Richard, and assisting with articulating the musical side of his songs. Both of us have a pre-Zion focus, because that was the time frame of most of our direct first-person experiences with Richard's process. Someday there will no doubt be plenty of material written about Zion. There were so many people involved in that project, it's hard to believe none of them will have an inclination to write about it.
I also hope to include a good representation of Richard's "unknown" songwriting, describing and discussing some of his earlier works in some depth. Although these songs are presently not released in the form of an album, they deserve consideration, as many of them were created with greater artistic freedom than can be expected in a more commercial setting.
In addition, I intend to include these and other resources in the appendix: a professional analysis of Richard's handwriting, a timeline of life events, and a complete transcript of the WETN interview with Artie Terry, which was broadcast about five months prior to Richard's unexpected death.
It's going to be a journey, and I hope you will come along.
--Pam Richards
The prodigy can certainly inspire us, but my premise is that he is meant as a sign to send us in the right direction, not an example to follow slavishly or an idol to adore.
Let the Mountains Sing focuses on the time frame of his formative years as an artist during Bible College. It concludes some time after that, but prior the release of the Rich Mullins album.
I believe one of the stunning things Richard can teach us is that not only can we survive our worst experiences, but that we can use them to fuel the creative process. God can make our obstacles into our allies when we Let the Mountains Sing. The book develops along themes demonstrating Richard's challenges as well as his innate gifts, elaborating on some of the life experiences that molded him during what I think of as his hidden years.
I will also be including some perspectives from a musician who played with Richard during this time. He's bringing his own gifts, speaking from the personal experience of playing with Richard, and assisting with articulating the musical side of his songs. Both of us have a pre-Zion focus, because that was the time frame of most of our direct first-person experiences with Richard's process. Someday there will no doubt be plenty of material written about Zion. There were so many people involved in that project, it's hard to believe none of them will have an inclination to write about it.
I also hope to include a good representation of Richard's "unknown" songwriting, describing and discussing some of his earlier works in some depth. Although these songs are presently not released in the form of an album, they deserve consideration, as many of them were created with greater artistic freedom than can be expected in a more commercial setting.
In addition, I intend to include these and other resources in the appendix: a professional analysis of Richard's handwriting, a timeline of life events, and a complete transcript of the WETN interview with Artie Terry, which was broadcast about five months prior to Richard's unexpected death.
It's going to be a journey, and I hope you will come along.
--Pam Richards
