The Dream began 25 years ago in my own backyard. I started playing guitar and writing songs because of a deep yearning
to express my emotional and spiritual convictions about my faith,
family, and friends. There was a passionate inner desire to preserve
the holy moments of my life in word and song.
In college at Charleston Southern University, I began sharing these musical photographs with my friends and soon I was playing
for college meetings, churches, and schools. Soon after, a group
of friends came together and we formed "Heart of Love", our band.
Band and support group members were Mike and Tammi Gunter, Kevin and Betty Jones, Steve Johnson, Matt Buckner, Jeff Francisco, Pam Williamson, Allen Dystra, Mick Purdy, Kelly Gideon, Darryl Horne, Brian Turner, Dave and Laurie Hix, Chuck Wilson, Jake Gulledge, Allison Barteet, and our biggest fan, Binky Mead.
On a trip to Nashville, TN, in 1986 I garnered the courage to call Gene Cotton, a musical artist whom I greatly respected
and admired. I asked him to consider preserving our expressions
by helping us to produce an album. He told me what was
needed finacially to fullfill such a dream. For the next 4 years, the
band played concerts (drove a Hertz Penske truck to every small city
in South Carolina), washed cars, sold doughnuts, organized
rock-a thons, and cooked barbeque chicken to raise money for our
first album entitled "In the Hands of God" . It was produced by Gene
at Creative Studios in Nashville.
From 1986 to 1994, we travelled and played 100-150 concerts each year and developed a reputation for authentically relating
to audiences of all ages. Like all things though, we grew up and
the dynamics of our worlds began to change. We started families,
and began careers, so travelling became more and more difficult to
do considering we were not making a living through our music.
Over the next several miles, Jeff and I released two more albums... "Love Won't Leave You Lonely" and "Heart of
Love". Gene produced these in his home studio in Franklin,
TN. Through this, our relationship with Gene continued to grow
and strengthen. Our friendship led to painting Edgehill's
Childrens' Center and ultimately to our first trip together to
Nicaragua where we installed a dental station in a medical clinic
in Mangua.
These experiences and Gene's example of using one's talents and convictions, in our case music, to serve others have led us to
"Legacy Road". My dream is...to gather my family and friends around one central purpose and to use our gifts, and resources to serve the needs of those who are less fortunate, and by doing
so, make the world a better place to live.
It is with this thought, deep in my heart and soul that we embark upon this journey down Legacy Road. There is no destination...because "the dreams live on."
What is your legacy road? Won't you travel with us?
New Update
Read Patrick DeLaney's Legacy Road story on The Chronicles - A New Friend who shared his Legacy with us!!
