Hello everyone: first off, let me say that it's really great to have a Christian music thread topic! I would like to share what I've done in performing.

I played lead guitar in the church band for about 12 years. We did most of the current contemporary music coming out (well, a selection of it) the high energy praise songs and the worship songs. We had keyboard, drums, acoustic guitar, lead guitar, and several singers. For most of the time no bass, the keys covered it. The keyboard player & singer (Paster's wife) was a very good player. She could do the slow pretty stuff and also rock out with the praise songs. we also had a very good drummer on electric drums. After playing all that time, it took my lead playing up a few notches.

For several years I did a one-man band thing. I wrote about 22 songs, gospel lyrics to rock & blues music. I have 2 music sequencers that I programmed the music into. They did not sound cheesy or 'canned' but sounded like a real band. I would sing & play rhythm on my Telecaster, but I would program in Spaces to do solos on electric Violin & guitar. I didn't play this set up in church situations, rather I played for the homeless at drop-in centers and Sally Ann's etc. I was well received by the street people, because they could relate to my lyrics and style of music.

I consider it one of the great privileges & blessings of my life to be able to do both these things.

I also played the Blues bar jam circuit for about 3 years, but that's a nuther story