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Fresh, Fun Music for the Whole Family
Fresh, Fun Music for the Whole Family Music Spotlight Interview
with Chip Richter By Lisa M. Hendey
The gift of music is a wonderful thing to share with our
children and musician Chip Richter makes it even better. I was
so happy to discover Chips music, which Ive been sharing
lately with my own family. Chip Richter and his family live in
Ohio, and for the past ten years hes spent his summers at a
family resort called Lakeside, creating and sharing the type of
music youd be pleased to share with your children. A far cry
from Barney or even those Disney sing-along type things you may
have at home, Chips music is great in that it appeals to both
kids and grown ups! Recently, Chip has been at work recording
his new CD, Lost in Lakeside. Additionally, this summer he will
be promoting literacy and music with several library tours, as
well as an appearance at the Annual Conference of the California
Reading Association.
I had a chance to catch up with Chip and am pleased to share his
comments on his music and sharing music with our families.
Q: Chip, could you please start off by telling our readers a bit
about yourself and your music?
A: Well, Im a husband and father of three Ive always said
that being a dad is the best thing Ill ever do. Im also a
singer-songwriter and musician. I was born and raised in Ohio,
lived a few years in New York and then southern California and
now Im back in Ohio where were raising our family. I started
playing guitar when I was 13 years old and started writing songs
in college.
Q: How did you get started in music and how have you headed
towards a focus on recording "family" music?
A: My music career really begins as a church musician and
worship leader. I really never have played the clubs and bars
like you read about others doing. As a teenager I became a
committed Christian and began leading others in worship and
playing special music in church. I never started out thinking I
would be writing and performing music for kids and families.
When I released my first album, People of Destiny, an album I
recorded for adults I started hearing from parents telling me
how much their kids enjoyed some of the songs, which surprised
me but I was glad to hear it. At about the same time I was
offered a summer gig at a Christian family resort singing and
playing music for a weekly kids program. Out of necessity I
needed to write some songs for that first summer and I
discovered a brand new audience. Im still just writing whats
in my heart to write but I have to confess kids and families
have captured my heart and I love sharing my music with them. Q:
How has your own faith journey impacted on your music?
A: I continue to grow in my faith and in my musicianship and
songwriting almost simultaneously for me the two have always
been intertwined. Im not really interested in being labeled as
a Christian artist but its pretty hard to separate my faith
from my music so I dont try. I write about stuff that moves me
and inspires me. I cant think of anything or anyone who moves
and inspires me more than God the creator of all things! I
believe God is sovereign and over all things so I see Him in all
of my songs and in every aspect of life, especially family life.
Q: Can you give us some suggestions on how parents can share the
The Godly Gambler...Attributes of a godly gambler' Terry Dashner'Faith Fellowship Church PO Box 1586 Broken Arrow, OK ..... gift of music with their children while helping them to make
appropriate listening decisions. A: One of the things I would
encouraged parents to do is listen to music with their
children. Introduce your kids to the classics as well as lots of
different styles of music including some of the music that you
like it doesnt have to be Barney and Romper Room for kids to
enjoy it and get something from it. I think we sell kids short
sometimes. Ive discovered children to have a depth and capacity
that has surprised me. Heres a real life example. Over the
Christmas holiday my son and I were in the car with the radio
on. Karen Carpenter was singing White Christmas and my son
Austin commented that he really liked her voice Me too, I
said. So I looked around and found a Best of the Carpenters
album and gave it to him for Christmas hes eleven and hes
becoming a Carpenters fan go figure!
I think the most important thing for parents is to not just
assume that because the music is being marketed to children that
its really good for your kids. Ive seen and heard some pretty
awful stuff made for kids. Some of its awful because of the
production values and some of its awful because of the message
in the music! So that means parents need to listen for
themselves, which can be a harrowing experience at times. I know
theres some pretty cheesy, shallow stuff out there that passes
for kids music that most parents would want to toss out the car
window after just one listening, but theres also some great
stuff out there too. One of my goals has been to write and
produce music that parents will enjoy as much as their kids. Im
trying to write songs that will encourage, build up and
reinforce those values and dynamics that are important to
families. Im not the only one writing music with that goal in
mind. Theres so much out there that parents can take advantage
of when it comes to music for their kids but it requires some
looking. Several artists and bands that I would recommend (both
Christian and secular) Zak Morgan, Alan Root, Mary Rice Hopkins,
Dan Zanes, Trout Fishing in America, Dean-O and the Dynamos, Tom
Chapin and Glenn Colton. You may not find our music in the
record stores or Christian bookstores because we are considered
such a small niche but the internet has made it possible for us
to distribute our music all over the world and thats been very
exciting for all of us. Youll find all of these artists online.
Q: I loved watching the DVD and listening to the CD of "Live at
Lakeside" with my boys. How did this project come about? Tell us
about your family concerts. A: Lakeside is the family resort I
mentioned that first invited me to play for kids during the
summer. That was ten years ago and Ive played there every
summer since its been a great place to do what I do. The DVD
was shot when I did a family concert with my band The Munks
(Chip and The Munks, get it?) Anyway we had this concert booked
and thought lets capture it on DVD and record a live album as
well. So did that and it really all came together so well. In
addition to the concert we also included some special features
on the DVD like a tour of Lakeside and a look at what goes on at
a sound check before a concert as well as some music videos.
We think our family concerts are truly unique because it's not a
"kids show" and it's not an "adult show"... it's exactly what
it's billed to be... an all age event... FAMILY CONCERT! I
include songs that have been described as rollicking, fun, bash
around tunes, to songs that are very spiritual, but not at all
preachy. I try to keep everyone involved from toddlers to teens
to senior citizens with lots of audience participation. Lately
Ive been covering Harry Chapins song Cats in the Cradle and
James Taylors song Shower the People. These are for sure not
kids songs but they are for sure songs for the family and fit
well in my concert. Q: Who are some of your favorite musicians
and musical influences? Who do you recommend to friends and
family? A: Ive always been drawn to acoustic music and
singer-songwriters like James Taylor and Joni Mitchell. I think
my music has also been influenced by bands like The Beatles,
Crosby Stills Nash and Young, The Eagles and America. Phil
Keaggy has played a huge part in shaping and influencing me too.
Phil and his wife Bernadette are actually old family friends;
theyre both Ohio natives as well. Over the years Phil has given
me some good advice as well as played and sang on some of my
albums. Other artists and bands I listen to and would recommend
are David Wilcox, Michael Card, Fernando Ortega, John Michael
Talbot, Nickel Creek, Shawn Colvin, Michael Hedges, Chris Rice,
Allison Krauss and Union Station and Wes King. All of those
artists are making acoustic music and most are wonderful finger
style guitar players and songwriters which is what I tend to
gravitate to. Q: Are any of your songs particular favorites?
Why? A: Thats a hard question for me to answer because I like
different things about all of my songs. But a couple songs stand
out for me because of what they remind me of at the time I wrote
them. Ladybugs Living Room is one of those a song about
pretending that was inspired by a time of pretending with my
daughter Megan. Designed to Shine is a favorite because it came
from a time of me playing my guitar while my son Austin, then
about three years old, danced around room laughing and singing
while I played. Wonderful Thing is a song all about hugs that my
daughter Brittany inspired shes the hugger in our family,
you know the person in your family who loves to give and get
hugs. There are others every song has story behind it but those
are just a few. Q: Tell us a bit about your "Roots and Wings"
workshops.
A: Thats a workshop that really had its beginnings in another
song I wrote called My Dads Coat. I had a memory of being a
little boy and finding my dads overcoat and walking around with
it on. Thats something that is funny and even appropriate for a
child to do but as I grew up it was important for me to wear my
own coat, find my own way. It occurred to me that my faith as a
child was a lot like wearing my dads coat. Children naturally
and appropriately come under the covering of their parents
faith but as kids grow up its important that they make this
faith their own. My parents helped me to do that they passed
their heritage, faith and values to me and helped me assimilate
them into my life. Now Im doing the same thing with my kids.
The Roots and Wings workshop is designed to give parents some
very practical was to pass their faith on to their kids and help
them make it their own... passing on the roots and helping them
find their wings.
Q: Do you have plans for any upcoming projects? Are there any
closing thoughts you'd like to share with our readers? A: Yes, I
have a couple things Im working on one album of songs for
summertime another project thats going to be more for parents
than kids love songs and mushy stuff like that ugh! I
appreciate the chance to share my music with your readers.
Parenting is a difficult job but so important I hope that my
music will not only be entertaining for kids and families but
also encouraging for parents and their kids. Thats my heart
too see kids built up, parents encouraged and families
strengthened making it all more fun than a kid should be
allowed to have!
For more information about the music of Chip Richter visit
www.chiprichter.com
Lisa M. Hendey is webmaster of www.CatholicMom.com , a wife and
mother of two and a family music fan and supporter. Visit her at
www.LisaHendey.com for more information.
About the author:
My, What Big Is You Have!I made the mistake of listeningreally listeningto myself wishing the other day, and I thought (paraphrasing Red ..... Lisa M. Hendey is webmaster of www.CatholicMom.com , a wife and
mother of two and a family music fan and supporter. Visit her at
www.LisaHendey.com for more information
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