| John
Balch A native of Florence, Alabama, John Balch now resides near Nashville, TN. John is a veteran of the old-time music scene having served for two decades as Chairman of Judging for the Uncle Dave Macon Days National Old Time Banjo Championship. In more than thirty years of playing clawhammer banjo, John has developed a unique compositional style that is thoroughly modern and yet firmly rooted in the old-time music tradition. “Like new annual rings on an ancient tree,” John’s original music is honest, emotionally charged, and immediately appealing. In the summer of 2000, John was working on home recordings to document his original banjo compositions when he was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, an illness which threatened to end his musical career. During that time, the cry of his heart was that God would restore his abilities and enable him to carry on this work. The release of his two CDs is testimony to the fact that these prayers were answered beyond his expectations. johndbalch@hotmail.com John Balch’s Discography: Happy Land (2005 Pa’s Fiddle Recordings), ~HOT~ Biscuit Jam (2004 Pure Mountain Records), Carry On John (2001 Whippoorwill Records), John’s original banjo music is included on a CD which accompanies the book: The Voice of The Heart by: Chip Dodd (Sage Hill Resources 2001), First Jug The Pure Mountain Water Band (1979 Pure Mountain Records). A personal Note from John… Do you believe in miracles? I have been fortunate to have very few ailments. So when I first experienced significant physical limitation, I was unprepared for the experience…especially the blessings that I would gain and the truths I would learn. One otherwise ordinary morning, I noticed numbness in my legs. The discomfort quickly worsened and extended from my shoulders down. It soon affected my every action. Within days, I could hardly walk. When tests revealed multiple sclerosis, my world seemed forever changed. Initially I worried that I might lose my mobility. But, by God’s grace, my recovery was swift and I quickly regained most normal functions. The numbness that lingered was limited to my arms and hands which remained far too stiff to continue practicing music. All my life I have loved music. There have been few days that I missed making music in some way. Although it has never been my occupation, music has always been my passion. I must admit questioning why God would allow a disease to affect, of all things, my hands and my music. Why the things that meant so much? But, I am stubborn. Being determined to continue enjoying my hobby, I immersed myself in the recordings of my musical heroes. With so much time to listen and reflect, I began to feel quite inadequate. I felt defeated because after years of practice my abilities fell so far short of those great artists whom I admire. On top of that, I believed I would likely never play again. After several weeks of this limitation, a good friend, Carl Keating, brought me a demo of his songs we recorded before my illness. It was really fine music, well written and fun to play. I was pleased with how good the recording sounded. I was also absolutely overwhelmed with grief. Listening to Carl’s CD, I finally felt the full weight of a profound loss. However, my sadness quickly gave way to a much unexpected feeling. For the first time in my life, I felt equal to my musical heroes. Obviously, I would never play like them. But in that moment, I finally saw that I loved music just as they do. At last, I understood that the true worth of my music was not in its quality or whether anyone else appreciated it. The value of my music was that I loved it so. I also immediately realized that this truth was much larger. The gospel teaches that our worth is not in any merit we possess. Our value is in the simple fact that we are loved. “For God so loved the world … Today my recovery is virtually complete. The numbness that remains is hardly any limitation. I now play more music than ever and I do so with newfound purpose. I give God full credit for all of these amazing experiences. Truly, this music is my miracle. Listen to the work of my hands…but hear the voice of my heart. |
||
| ©
Copyright 2005 John Balch Music. All rights reserved. |
||