My Dad used to lead the singing for Sunday evening services. When I was around 13 years old (circa 1976), I was the pianist for Sunday night. I did what I could to suggest songs that I could play, for there weren't many at that point...and heaven forbid they take requests!! Burdens Are Lifted - had only 1 flat, my favorite key at the time. I don't think I even was aware of the actual key (F). So I am pretty sure we did this song many times, but it was strictly because I could play it at the age of 13, in public!

"And Can It Be" is the last track on the 'Music Lessons' CD. I placed the song at the end, because it was what I always understood to be my Mom's favorite hymn. Now - I don't mean I moved it to last instead of first to prove any point! Save the best for last, right? Well, this is not what I consider the best recording on this CD, but meant it to be a special ending for Mom. As a young child, it was my parents' vinyl 78 record of a pipe organ ("A Mighty Fortress... an album of hymns for organ; Porter Heaps at the organ) that literally propelled me into music. I wanted to be able to play such a majestic, powerful instrument! However, starting piano lessons at the age of 6, I was not able to take organ lessons until I was 12 - until my legs were long enough to reach the organ pedals! In 1982, I altered the arrangement a bit of "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" off this very album to play for competition, placing 2nd at State and 1st at Nationals. I have been blessed to play many great church and pipe organs in my lifetime. This song was recorded with a mix of pipe organ settings from both my Hammond XK-2 and Kurzweil PC-6 keyboards, using various pipe organ sounds. "And Can It Be" deserves an enormous pipe organ sound, as did my Mom on this track.