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ChristOnLi : Is everyone ready to begin?
ChristOnLi : Rich will be typing from an In-Store appearance in 
             South Carolina.
ChristOnLi : He is just finishing up with some fans.

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ChristOnLi : Let's all welcome Rich Mullins to Christianity Online 
             and the Globe Auditorium.
ChristOnLi : Rich, welcome we are glad to have you.
ChristOnLi : Any opening remarks for us tonight?

RichMullin : I've never done this before and I don't type
RichMullin : or have a computer yet,,,,
RichMullin : so
RichMullin : here goes....

ChristOnLi : Well for not typing you're doing pretty good so far.
ChristOnLi : Here is the first question.
Question   : When you were a kid did your parents make you 
             practice or did you want to on your own?

RichMullin : I wanted to....sort of
RichMullin : I would just sit and jam.
RichMullin : And they thought that I was practicing

Question   : Who will you be touring with on the Brothers keeper 
             tour?

RichMullin : Ragamuffin Band, is Rick Elias, Lee Lundgren, Beaker, 
             Jimmy A, and Aaron Smith....
RichMullin : Mark Robertson, and Nicki Lundgren, and Beaker wife 
             Julie.
RichMullin : Who is Aiden's mother....

Question   : Hey Rich!  Your new CD is great! Could you comment on 
             the meaning of the lyrics to the
Question   : song "Promenade"? Also, any plans on your tour to 
             come to the North Florida area?

RichMullin : Promenade just a parable.  About a guy who comes in 
             contact
RichMullin : with Christianity/life/music/goodness and is ah....
RichMullin : converted.

Question   : Rich, you have often worked with Amy Grant. Is there 
             a certain song that you both have
Question   : worked on that you prefer over others?

RichMullin : Every song that I have worked on with her I have 
             preferred over others
RichMullin : only my favorite Amy Grant song is........
RichMullin : Lead Me On.....which I only wish that I had 
             written.... LOL

ChristOnLi : Here is a question from a songwriter...
Question   : how does one get original songs to people who might 
             want them?

RichMullin : I think....
RichMullin : the people for whom your songs mean the most
RichMullin : are people that you come in contact with everyday.
RichMullin : And you should play your songs for them.  This may 
             not be the answer that you wanted...
RichMullin : to hear...but ah...I don't know what else to say.  
             Nashville is kind of over whelmed...
RichMullin : with songs. And I don't know how to get them to listen 
             to my songs.

ChristOnLi : Personal question?
Question   : Rich, this is dear old John of Bellbrook.  Had any 
             Skyline lately?

RichMullin : Ah! Yeh.....
RichMullin : I had another friend of mine from Cinci.
RichMullin : Make me some, in Colorado....

Question   : Could you tell us a little bit about how your work on 
             the Indian reservation is going?

RichMullin : I'm just getting acclimated....
RichMullin : there's a lot new rules...
RichMullin : to learn about how to be polite....etc.
RichMullin : I'm enjoying the high value Navajo's place on 
             listening but its hard when you talk as...
RichMullin : much as I do.

Question   : Hi Rich!!  Your music has been a great influence in 
             my life.  I think you are you of the
Question   : best musician/song-writers of our time.  How do you 
             keep your faith in the Lord so strong?

RichMullin : Same way that everybody else does....
RichMullin : "Read your Bible pray everyday, and you'll grow grow 
             grow."
RichMullin : Just a little something that I learned in Sunday 
             School.

Question   : Rich, what do you feel about CCM artists trying to 
             break into the pop music world, and is
Question   : that something you would be interested in doing?

RichMullin : I don't think about CCM artist that much......I have 
             no interest in doing it.
RichMullin : I want to be a teacher...

Question   : Rich—any plans to put out a video for "brothers 
             keeper" like the one you put out for
Question   : "Liturgy"? I really like those videos!

RichMullin : Thanks, ah but we are not going to be doing any more 
             video on this album.

RichMullin : I'm not as cute as I was on Liturgy.....LOL

Question   : Which comes first, the words or the music?

RichMullin : First thing that I write is the accompaniment and 
             then I just kinda hang a melody over
RichMullin : the top of it....
RichMullin : and then... and then think of the lyric
RichMullin : as subtitles for people who don't understand the 
             melody.......:)

Question   : What college do you go to and what is your major?

RichMullin : I just graduate....
RichMullin : from Friends Univ.
RichMullin : with a music ed. degree.
RichMullin : Friends is in Wichita, KS

Question   : Rich thanks for your artistic talent in your music, 
             and your  lyrics that speak to our
Question   : soul.  One ? .. what is your relationship to AIDAN in 
             Let Mercy Lead.  Keep the Faith

RichMullin : I'm Aidan's dad's best friend....
RichMullin : Aidan's dad is Beaker...... Julie's husband  ;)

Question   : Who's this Beaker guy, anyway? How did you guys meet?

RichMullin : Beaker is my best friend and ah....co-writer and
RichMullin : we met when he was in the 7th grade.
RichMullin : I was in College.... really!!!
RichMullin : His youth pastor,
RichMullin : was a friend of mine

Question   : Is Rich's band with him?

RichMullin : Yes...
RichMullin : No, not in this very room....
RichMullin : but, I think that they are in Greenville....I hope ?
RichMullin : The first concert of the tour is in Greenville, SC 
             but it will not be online.....

Question   : Rich, when did you cut your hair?

RichMullin : A couple of years ago in Europe, because it was HOT!

Question   : Rich: How has being on the Indian reservation 
             affected your music? Trying anything new
Question   : musically?

RichMullin : Well....
RichMullin : Listening will certainly affect my music...
RichMullin : and since I'm learning more about listening....
RichMullin : but I doubt that I'll be using any tom 
             tom's........soon   :)

Question   : Who are some of your musical influences when you were 
             growing up?

RichMullin : All the 70's/60's guys.......
RichMullin : Stephen Stills, Cat Stevens, James Taylor, ah......
RichMullin : Blue Cheer...... the band that my mom hated.......
RichMullin : ah.....
RichMullin : Joni Mitchell, ah..... Carol King.
RichMullin : Bob Dylan.... I love Bob Dylan, I just turned Mitch 
             (a friend of mine who was born to late
RichMullin : on to Bob Dylan and he just bought about 10 tapes of 
             his.... that's a slight exaggeration.
RichMullin : I never liked southern rock.... jazz...... ah....
RichMullin : or.....
RichMullin : gospel.
RichMullin : But just about everything else was great with me....

Question   : Rich, which of your albums is your personal favorite?

RichMullin : Newest one.....it's always the newest one..... or the 
             next one.

Question   : Rich, what's the story about you quitting the music 
             biz and becoming a missionary to
Question   : Indians-is this true?

RichMullin : LOL
RichMullin : Lets see..... I moved to the reservation......
RichMullin : I hope to teach in a couple of different mission 
             schools
RichMullin : as a volunteer....
RichMullin : so..... I'll have to keep making music.... to support 
             myself.
RichMullin : Otherwise I'll have to get a job......:)

ChristOnLi : We have time for a couple more questions.
Question   : Mr. Mullins..  St. Augustine, FL here.  I'm an aspiring 
             Songwriter.  How did you get into the
Question   : field of Contemporary Christian songwriting/playing?

RichMullin : In a former life.......
RichMullin : I murdered a church organist....
RichMullin : and now I'm paying for my sins..........
RichMullin : Actually....
RichMullin : I love being a Christian musician.
RichMullin : Started playing church music when I was in the first 
             or second grade
RichMullin : and just kept on playing.
RichMullin : I'm no more a Christian musician now than I was back 
             then
RichMullin : I just make better money.....

ChristOnLi : Thanks for being with us tonight Rich, any final 
             comments for the audience?

RichMullin : Hold on everyone....
RichMullin : Rich is going to type his finally comments or closing 
             arguments.....
ChristOnLi : Oh Lord be with  us...
RichMullin : I make an awefull typer but.....
RichMullin : it,s very flattering to think that you guys are 
             interested enough to wait for me to get th
RichMullin : get these answer----how do you backspace?
ChristOnLi : Thanks for joining us tonight everyone!  Please drive 
             home safely...
RichMullin : answers typed out.   I appreciate this all very much 
             and i kind of feqr it.  FEAR IT that
RichMullin : is......
RichMullin : Nothing is more deadley for attention freaks than 
             attention.... but, I will try to do
RichMullin : something worthwhile with whqat   (that,s "WHAT"}  
             you,ve given me here.
RichMullin : So, as I write on every autograph, I,ll just try to 
             encourage you to "be God,s",
RichMullin : and to know that He makes us His, and He does a good 
             job of it--better than we can.
RichMullin : It,s funny to me how little able i am to give 
             accurate answers about myself--it,s scarey t
RichMullin : scarey to think that people so often want me to give 
             answers about God.  Thanks for
RichMullin : avoiding theological questions--I could only sound 
             more stupider talking about all that
RichMullin : than just merely going on and on about myself.  I am 
             sure that God is good, that God
RichMullin : real, and that God is love... that life is a giflt 
             and (with or without an extra "L" in it
RichMullin : an adventure and wee all do the best we can, we,re 
             all in this together and we're all
RichMullin : weirdly alone too.  Be thankful.  That I guess is 
             about all I can think of to say.
RichMullin : next