Visiting Other Worlds

On a recent cool autumn Saturday my daughter Maddie and I attended a semi-private outdoor concert in Brenham. The scenery was awe-inspiring -- we were situated on a plush and rocky hill overlooking a distant lake in a valley below.

The event commenced. All of the artists who shared seemed to get lost in the world of their passion, and they took us with them. This began with Ann, the graceful, modestly clad belly dancer who created jingling music with her artful hips.

John Hatfield, an up and coming young Christian artist, blessed my soul with his music. See www.myspace.com/JohnHatfield.

As the sun was going down in a spectacular display of wispy clouds and pastel colors, Rhett Butler took the stage. I quickly forgot about the novelty of his name as he began to play his guitars -- two at a time. Rhett doesn’t usually strum the instruments. His Superman-quick fingers evoke hauntingly beautiful music from the fret of the guitars. He also employs a tapping technique that adds to the richness of the sound.

Rhett shared about Ashley, his brother and inspiration, who has had a lifelong fight with a deadly form of cancer. Not expected to live to his third birthday, Ashley is now 27 years old and a bona fide hero.

I bought two of Rhett’s CD’s and will soon buy more via www.rhettbutler.org. I must have his joyful tune entitled January 3rd, 1999. The song commemorates the day Rhett acquired the recording equipment that helped him launch into the desired music career.

The thing about Rhett is that he has given himself over to his gift with rare abandon, and to hear him play is to know that you’ve encountered greatness.

My experience there in Brenham with Maddie inspired me as a writer that -- like all of the artists I heard and saw there as well as great storytellers of every kind -- I can also become skilled enough to transport people to other worlds.

(published November 2006)