The music Maria plays goes straight to the heart and touches places inside of us that we thought we had shut off long ago.  Her single "Inside" is a perfect example of the power that is behind Maria's ministry.  It is a song that shines a light inside all of us to the things that we collect and build up to put a wall between who we really are and who our friends and family think we are.  In essence we really build this wall to keep God from seeing what we feel inside.  I don't know anyone who could listen to this song and not be affected by it.

But that is just one example of Maria's music.  Her CD titled "Here With Me" is stuffed with songs just as powerful as "Inside".  I highly recommend it!

But Maria is so much more than just a musician.  She lives what she sings.  In her you will find no facade.  She is the real deal. 

I was blessed to be able to spend a weekend with her and her husband Ryan at their home in Arkansas.  Ryan pastors two churches and they both often go on missions trips.  They will be heading to Chile in June.  Maria & Ryan are a great example of what God intends for marriages and it is truly an honor to know them.

With all of that explained, it still isn't what impresses and inspires me most about Maria.  Maria does almost everything concerning her ministry herself.  She books shows, arranges interviews, and essentially promotes herself too.  This is why I'm drawn to her.  It is why I support her and do all I can to help.  She is truly an inspiration to me and what I am attempting to do with Dark Horse.

So if you ever find that you are in doubt of yourself and your purpose in life, contact Maria Long.  I guarantee that she will be able to light a fire inside of you and show you God's love.  She is amazing!

Jo Hikk is a phenomenal country band from Calgary, Alberta, Canada.  They saw outstanding success even before cutting their first full album.  In 2007 they were nominated for the Chevy Rising Star Award at the Canadian Country Music Awards.

Now that, the full album, "RIDE" has been released, the band has blasted onto the Canadian radio airwaves with astronomical success.  The single "Closer" has been the main force behind the popularity.  But the guys will definitely point to the support of their fans as the fuel that is propelling that popularity.

I must say that these guys know how to make music.  It's got the stuff that you always wished you could hear come out of Nashville.  That's right!  I think Jo Hikk's music is better than anything you've heard come from Nashville in the last few years.

What I like the most about them is there sincerity, humility, and genuine personalities.  These are the guys you would want to hang out with.  They aren't full of themselves and would go out of their way to be sure that you have all that you need.

The band is made up of Kelly Sitter, Kenny Sitter, Al Rheaume, and new addition Al Doell.  Kelly is the lead singer & bass player.  Brother, Kenny cuts it on lead guitar and vocals.  Al Rheaume keeps the beat on drums, bass and guitar, while Al Doell handles duties on drums, guitar, and vocals.

Check these guys out!  You'll be hearing a lot from them in the near future.

Scott is a very blessed man of God.  Everywhere he goes with his music ministry, great things seem to happen.  His songwriting talents are among the very best you'll find anywhere as evidenced by his most popular song "Forgive Me".

There is a very interesting story behind "Forgive Me" and the way that God used it.  Scott set out to create a special song for a communion service in his church.  "Forgive Me" was the result of that effort.  But the pastor of the church wasn't sure it was the best for such a service, but Scott was given permission to sing it anyway.

Well in the congregation that day was a visitor from Australia.  This visitor was, Rebecca St. James, one of the most successful Christian artists today.  She approached Scott about recording his song.  Scott readily agreed.  Who wouldn't want a singer of such quality to record one of their songs.  But time went by and Scott didn't hear anything back from Rebecca about the song.  Then one day she finally called and asked permission to add a verse to the song.  Scott agreed and Rebecca soon released her version of "Forgive Me".  The rest is history.

Scott is currently the music minister at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in the Dallas area.  His move from Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago is also an interesting story as there was a connection made many years in advance of the move.  Since arriving at Bent Tree Scott has settled into writing some amazing songs of praise and worship.

The songs can be found on the CD "Still Amazed" which can be purchased from btbf.org or on itunes.

She is involved with several different organizations.  One More Memory is an organization that she and her mother are involved with to educate people around the world about Alzheimer's disease.  Sara's song titled, "One More Memory" is the inspiration and anthem for the events they hold.

Her latest efforts are motivation concerts called UPower - Building Character Through Lyrics.  Sara seeks to empower young people with song and motivational thoughts from her personal experiences.  Her appearances so far have generated a lot of positive feedback from students, teachers, and administrators.

From a personal perspective, Sara has had an amazing impact on my life.  She and her mom, Linda, have taken a personal interest in me and have helped me through some difficult periods, where I was hesitant to move forward, and at times wanted to call it quits.  They aren't the only members of Dark Horse that I've turned to with my struggles, but they may be the most influential.  Having someone believe in you is vital and you can't do better than having Sara in your corner.

I am honored to have been asked by Sara to do several design projects for her.  These projects range from bookmarks, posters, and the cover of her "Freedom" cd, to the re-design of her web site and myspace page. 

I highly encourage you to not only buy her cd, but to also consider booking her for a show, and even more importantly, get to know her as a friend.  She will impact your life as you would never expect.

I had the distinct pleasure of meeting Lauren and her grandmother while they were on vacation here in Florida.  We spent the day talking, in the condo on Sanibel Beach where they were staying and then when we went out to lunch.  I was amazed at the maturity of this young lady as we discussed her past experiences and the dreams she has for her future.

But her ability to carry on a conversation is not what is going to impress you the most.  Lauren is a songwriter as well as a singer.  She plays guitar and piano, as well as being an accomplished dancer.  She has an ability to put emotions into words and then blend them into wonderfully constructed songs that touch your heart.

The gift that I personally feel is what makes this young lady worthy of your time and attention is her voice.  When I first came across Lauren on myspace I notified a very prominent producer friend of mine an email asking him to take a listen.  I didn't expect a reply for a couple days, but he got back to me in a matter of minutes.  He wanted to know her age and was astounded when I told him that she was 16 years old.  He believed her to have the voice of a mature 24 year old.  Lauren's voice is solid with depth and control that is rare in even the most experienced singers.

Lauren also has experience performing.  She has been on national television shows, competed in well respected gospel contests, and performed regularly in Branson, Missouri.  She is a regular on local tv in her area.

Lauren is currently working on a country album with all self-written songs.  So keep an eye out for this young lady in the very near future.

Jeremy is one of those nice guys that people say don't exist anymore, but I can tell you for certain that they do!  I don't think Dark Horse would still be in existence if it wasn't for the support and encouragement of this man. 

He is also becoming very active in working with the other members of the Dark Horse family.  He performed with Brittany Sexton at the Summer Reunion event in Nashville in June.  They were both a hit with the audience and have since been discussing doing more together in the future.  I can tell you that I'm excited to see what comes for them both.

Jeremy is from an old coal mining town in southern Ohio.  My grandparents grew up in that same town and so he and I have developed a kindred friendship.  I am looking forward to doing many things in the future with Jeremy.

His songs are amazing stories about life that any listener is able to relate to.  This is what first attracted me to his music.  "Missed Out On A Good Thing", his intended single from his upcoming project is a song for the working class.  Everyone who has ever had to put work and paying the bills in front of having a good time with friends, will find this song an anthem for their lives.  "Old Photographs" will also take you to a place of introspect on your life.  These are all inspired by Jeremy's life, so that knowledge of realism gives you a personal connection to him.

So keep an eye on this guy because he has everything that it takes to make a positive impact on the music world.  I am completely honored to have him be a part of the Dark Horse family, but more importantly to have made a true friend.

 Keith's talents and abilities are unbelievable.  You're not going to find a better vocalist anywhere.

Those may be strong statements, but once you hear Keith sing in person, you will definitely agree.  Why this man isn't the top selling artist is beyond me.  Nothing stands to reason in the music business sometimes and Keith is a perfect example of that.

He has experience.  Keith had some hits in his younger days on Christian charts and has written top award nominated songs with his good friend Mark Harris of the Christian group, "4Him".  So it isn't for a lack of experience.

Keith has top notch players on his mainstream country project "China Grove" that top selling artists wish they could have play on their projects.  People like, Mark Harris, Mike Childers, Mark Childers, Chris Rodriguez, and he even had Grammy award winning engineer, Jon Jaszcz of Kirk Franklin fame work on the project.  The project was even done in Michael Omartian's studio.  These are heavy weights in the industry folks, so it isn't for lack of quality production.

But Keith isn't after fame & fortune.  Keith's true gift is his willingness to help and to share his gifts with others.  I cannot tell you how much support this man has given to the Dark Horse family.  His confidence in himself is never shaken and he continues day in and day out writing music.  he often travels to Nashville for writing sessions with some of the best in the business.

Pick up Keith's CD - "China Grove".  You will be amazed, astonished, and fully entertained.  You have my word.

I was lucky enough to include a stop in Lubbock, TX and spend some time with Penni.  I saw her work in the studio, put on a show and do some of her most important work.....being a mom.  I knew then that this lady deserved as much help as I could possibly give to her.  I have been blessed ever since by one of the most important friendships that I've ever had.

Penni has been performing her entire life and has had experiences that no one will ever have again.  Her father ran an opry show in Missouri back in the prime of the Grand Ole Opry and had the greats stop in perform.  Dolly & Stella Parton, Roy Acuff are just a couple folks Penni met as child.  She was a playmate of Stella's son and Roy would pick Penni up to hold her. 

She is putting the finishing touches on her debut album.  That's right, Penni has yet to release an album although singing has been her entire life.  Her emphasis has been on performing and not recording.  She has been working on this project for a year, fine tuning it to match the quality that you get at one of her shows.

After stepping in the studio in Nashville to record some of her songs with the legendary Charlie Craig to throw out the scratch vocals, the engineer commented that they were perfect and didn't see how she could improve the vocals any more than that for a final cut.  I attribute that ability to all of her years of performing experience.  You don't get second chances on stage and so Penni has the ability to hit every note on key the first time.  It  makes her perfect for the studio.

Be on the lookout for Penni's album & definitely try to see one of her shows!

My introduction to Caitlin came in the form of a message on myspace.  She was truthful right from the start and never too proud to express her desire to sing at a Dark Horse event.  That sold me on her.  It's the funny thing about all of the artists of Dark Horse, I've never doubted that God brought each one to me.  Caitlin has been a wonderful friend ever since.

She and I have had several opportunities to hang out and I can tell you that she is a typical teenage girl.  There is no sense of her feeling more special than any of her friends because she has such a gifted talent.  I spent an entire day with her family on July 4th and even though she performed at her hometown's celebration, she did what probably every girl in America did that day.....she went shopping!!!  And then after singing, she ran around with her friends.  That's why I call her an all American country girl.

Her talent doesn't stop at singing.  Caitlin co-wrote several of the songs on her debut CD which just happens to be titled, "Country Girl".  She has been writing songs ever since I met her and have had the privilege to have her sing some of those songs to me.  Let me just say, you folks are going to love all of the new material that she is preparing for her next CD.

She writes true to life lyrics, from personal experiences and emotions and then puts cool, up beat, rhythms to those lyrics.  The future is amazingly bright for this young lady so please keep an eye and an ear out for her.

You'll want to pick up her CD before they are gone.  It's guaranteed to be a collectors item one day and do what you can to catch one of her shows!  She is quite the entertainer on stage also.

Lisa is the whole package when it comes to a music career.  She is an astounding writer using everyday language that is very appealing to listeners.  She is also a adept at playing guitar.  And with one listen you'll hear one of the sweetest voices you've ever heard.  Oh yeah, I guess I should mention that she is also very attractive.  She has top model looks!

But what I find as her greatest asset is her stage presence.  This lady is going to grab you from the moment she walks on stage to the moment she walks off stage.  She is a professional in ever sense of the word.  Her flow from one song to the next is smooth and she is never caught without knowing how to keep the attention of the audience.  I highly encourage that you catch one of her shows if you can.  You will be highly entertained.  And this is just by a girl & her guitar.

Thankfully, I am going to get my chance to hang out with my friend while she is in Nashville.  That is where we first met so long ago.  I was able to hang out with her for a couple days and catch two of her shows.  So I'm looking forward to a repeat performance.

Lisa is working on advancing her career while she is in Nashville.  She is always writing, but she is getting together with some of Nashville's finest now, so the outcome is bound to be even more amazing than her previous work.

If you haven't picked up Lisa's album, you really should.  That album is full of emotion & motivation.  It will take you through several of life's situations with anthems for those who have experienced both joy and heartache.

Some samples of the album as well as some of her new works can be found on her myspace page.  Check them out now!  HERE I COME LIS!!

Brittany is an accomplished fiddle player who I could listen to for days on end.  I have been lucky enough to see a couple of her performances.  I am amazed at how this young lady can share what is in her heart through the use of such a difficult instrument to play.

She is also doing a lot of songwriting.  Two of her songs can be heard on her myspace page.  You will easily recognize her talent as a lyricist by these songs.  I'm anxious to hear the rest of her compositions.

What I like the most about Brittany and the direction that she wants to take her career is her humility.  It takes a special person to get in front of crowds and perform.  A desire to be in the spotlight and have the attention of everyone can definitely help a performer.  Although Brittany loves to perform, she isn't seeking the spotlight.  She would be happy playing in someone else's band.  I find that very commendable in a person.  People who would rather serve than be served will always find a place here at Dark Horse.

These are the reasons that I fully expect Brittany to achieve her dreams.....not to mention why so many of her fellow Dark Horse members respect and admire her as a person as well as an artist.

So if you ever want to know what it takes to be a member of the Dark Horse family, then simply take some time to get to know Brittany Sexton.  She would be the person that I would choose to use as a role model of what we are all about.  She's not the only one by any means, I admire every member of Dark Horse, but Brittany would be at the top of my list.

Chilli is also one of the sweetest people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.  The only negative thing about our friendship is that we have yet to meet in person.  That is something that I plan on rectifying in the coming year.  If I could drive to her home, I would, but there is a pretty big pond in the way that my car just wouldn't be able to jump.  You see, Chilli lives in jolly old England.

She and I tried like heck to get her back in the states to attend our Dark Horse Summer Reunion back in June, but it just wasn't meant to happen.  She has also extended me a few invitations to come to England, but having never been out of the country, I'm a bit gun shy to take that step.  But as I said, Chilli & I are going to meet one way or another this coming year.

Chilli was in the US a while back to work with country legend Charlie Craig in Nashville.  She and Charlie did some writing together and then also took a trip to Galax, VA to do an in studio interview with our good friend Bruce Hodges of the Night Ride Radio Show.  I'm so jealous of Bruce & Charlie!

But since then Chilli and I have been very good pen pals.  We stay in touch pretty regularly.  I was even lucky enough to be asked to help her design a new layout for her myspace page.  Chilli has essentially reinvented herself since her "Waterfalls" cd release.  She has a new image, worked on new stuff in the studio, put out a wonderful video for her single, "Out Of My Mind", and is continuing to work on a new tour schedule by herself.

Doing things for one's self is what I admire most about anyone and Chilli has gone over and above this past year.  Of all the things one could choose about Chilli as attractive, her work ethic is what I find most attractive about her.  She never expects favors, she doesn't need them.  She takes care of her own business and that is what is going to make her a success!

God gave Morgan many gifts.  She is full of love which she shares in many ways.  As a loving daughter, she dedicates herself to her parents, grandparents, and brother.  As a loving wife, she lives for her husband.  As a child of God, she uses her gift of song to worship her Lord and touch the lives of those who hear her.

My introduction to her was an act of God.  I was searching through the artist friends I had on myspace one day.  I was trying to organize them into genres so that I could keep track of them.  I came to her page and the Holy Spirit touched me.  There was a reason for me to contact her.  I didn't know what the reason was, but I knew the Lord wanted me to get to know her.  She had a couple rough cover songs on her page and not many friends.  So I followed God's lead and sent her a message.

Well, lots has happened since that day!  Through the help of Bruce Hodges at the Night Radio Show, we ran a songwriting contest to find her an original song to record.  Fellow Dark Horse artist, Jeremy Burchett stepped up and helped arrange a recording session for her in Nashville.  He also contributed a few of his own songs for her to record.  She is now well on her way to having a full album recorded.

She has made dozens of friends in the music industry and is touching every life she comes in contact with.  She is living her dream, but I know it is only the beginning of what God has planned for her.

Stop by Morgan's myspace page to listen to her wonderful voice and allow God to touch your life through this amazingly talented young lady.  You will be blessed!

Bill is one of the most sensitive people that I've ever met.  And speaking of meetings....well our first meeting is quite a story.  After discovering Bill's myspace page and adding him as a friend, Bill asked me an unusual question.  He asked if I handled management and what I might be able to do for him.  This peaked my interest in learning more about him.  I had no intention of being a manager, but something inside of me felt as though God had something planned.

It just happened that I was about to take a trip to visit Maria Long in Arkansas.  I was literally going to be leaving the next day.  So I took a closer look at Bill's profile and discovered that he lived in Douglasville, Georgia.  I didn't know where that was so I went to find out using an online map.  That's when God really began touching my heart.  So I stopped and said a little prayer.  I asked God to confirm with me if he wanted me to meet Bill in person on this trip that I was about to take.

So I went ahead and typed in Douglasville, GA into the map search.  When I zoomed out from the city view I discovered that it was just minutes away from the route I was going to take to Arkansas.  Now God's presence was really weighing on me.  It was obvious to me that Bill & I needed to meet in person.  I sent Bill a message asking him to call me and what was taking place with me at that moment.

Bill called me an couple hours later.  He was amazed at the story I had to tell him and welcomed me to stop in on my way to Arkansas to meet him and his family.  It was a very pleasant experience.  His testimony was truly inspiring. 

A paraphrased version goes something like this:
Bill had been a rocker in his early years and he was recognizable in his local area.  He had a very lucrative business and was taking care of his family very well.  But a time came when he put his guitars away and focused completely on worldly things.  In time his successful business fell on hard times and he had little else to do but lean on the Lord.  Experiencing a terminal illness in his father in law, Bill discovered a new calling on his life.  He asked for the Lord to guide him in his steps to find his purpose.  God soon required that Bill give up everything, pull his guitars back out from under the bed and start a music ministry.  God not only provided the means for this ministry, but also other band members to get the ministry off and rolling.  Ever since God has continued to provide  the means for this ministry to grow.

Bill's music will touch your heart & your spirit.  It will minister to you and awaken you to needs all around you.  I have been blessed to visit with Bill a few more times since that first visit and each time I come away with the sense of being with a man who's heart is similar to my own.  I encourage you to listen to Bill's music and also befriend him on myspace.  This is a man you will enjoy having as a friend.  I know I do.