Merry Christmas!

"Merry Christmas!"

December 25, 2012

www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

Merry Christmas from the Scobies! We pray you have a most blessed holiday season, filled with love, joy, and peace. 

-Kurt, Elizabeth, & Judah

"The Ride" LIVE @ Red Clay Theatre (Eddie Owen Presents)

"The Ride" LIVE @ Red Clay Theatre (Eddie Owen Presents)
December 12th, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

I stopped by the Red Clay Theatre to test out their new piano before my December 13th show. Wow! What an amazing instrument! I am super excited for this night of music. Here is an acoustic version of "The Ride" performed LIVE at the Eddie Owen Presents Songwriter's Open Mic. Enjoy.

http://youtu.be/vo1F9XHcLsI

"The Hopeful Broken" EP via SoundCloud

There are a bazillion tools out there designed help singer/songwriters like me. I can hardly keep up with them all. One of the more unique sites is called SoundCloud and I highly recommend that you check it out -especially if you are a musician. I have a profile there and have recently uploaded my entire EP "The Hopeful Broken" which you can stream FOR FREE. If you haven't yet checked it out, now is your chance. You can stream it here: kurtscobie.com/thehopefulbroken

Happy Thanksgiving

"Happy Thanksgiving"
November 22nd, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

"Best of all it is to preserve everything in a pure, still heart, and let there be for every pulse a thanksgiving, and for every breath a song." -Konrad von Gesner

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you all have a WONDERFUL day with people you care about. This is my favorite holiday because I am reminded to give thanks for all that I have, and for the people in my life. It's also my favorite because I was BORN on Thanksgiving!

I am convinced that maintaining a spirit of Thanksgiving all year long is the secret to a happy life. May we not lose this "attitude of gratitude" after November 22nd is over. Whether rich or poor, whether young or old; if you have a pulse, you have much to be thankful for. Remember that.

I thank you for your continued support of my music. Doing this for a living is a blessing and I am honored to share in this journey with you all.

Thankful,
Kurt

Fall 2012 Tour Recap

What a ride!

I am back home in Atlanta and I am proud to say that my Fall 2012 Tour was a huge success! Thanks to everyone who came to the shows and helped to make this an unforgettable six weeks! I traveled over 6000 miles, visited 13 states, and played 25 shows, all with my wife and baby boy, Judah, tagging along.

Here is a quick recap...


PRE-LAUNCH

It was a battle between musical equipment and baby stuff when packing for the tour. I think Judah won that battle.

SEPTEMBER 24TH

First show of the tour was at The Evening Muse in Charlotte, NC. Great to see so many familiar faces to kick things off! Charlotte is always so good to me.

SEPTEMBER 25TH

Quick stop to see my brother in Raleigh. Judah ran his first 5k with me at the Big Boss Beer Running Club.

SEPTEMBER 26TH

Uh oh! No thanks to the construction trucks for throwing rocks at my windshield. Also, no thanks to bumps in the road for making this crack grow. Not good for only being 3 days into the tour...

SEPTEMBER 28TH

Judah was able to check out several college options on this tour. Penn State was good to his daddy, so we'll keep them as a candidate. Special thanks to SPA for having us!

Interviewing on The Lion 9.7 FM Penn State, after my performance.

SEPTEMBER 29TH 

We got to see my artist friend Joy Ike when we came through Pittsburgh. She gave Judah LOTS of love and attention and almost didn't give him back when it was time to leave. :)

Midtown Scholar Bookstore - Harrisburg, PA. Elizabeth and Judah really enjoyed this place.

OCTOBER 1ST

Wearing the spit-up with pride! Good thing I had shirts to wear over this.

OCTOBER 4TH

Enjoyed some decent craft beers at Beer Works in Boston (right by Fenway Park).

OCTOBER 5TH

The Living Room - New York, NY.

Super thankful for baby headphones!

Before the show, right outside The Living Room. Beautiful night in NYC!

OCTOBER 11TH

University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, WI. Post show pic.

The set-up at UWW. Thanks to SEAL for hosting the show. We were well cared for that night.

Enjoyed playing on a real piano. Thanks UWW!

Master Judah, sporting his dad's cap.

OCTOBER 14TH

 Cornell College - Mount Vernon, IA was a great show! Thanks to the PAAC for having me.

Dropped my keyboard on my foot setting up for the show at Cornell College. Yup, that's blood. Yup, it hurt. Yup, I'm alright. Had a good night, regardless.

OCTOBER 20TH

University of Wisconsin La Crosse - La Crosse, WI.

Sound check! UW La Crosse took great care of me on stage. Great sound!

Me, Judah, and the activities board posing for a quick photo after the show. Thanks La Crosse!

OCTOBER 23RD

I stopped into The Froth House in Madison, WI. Great group of musicians there for the open mic! Play a few tunes on a real piano!

OCTOBER 25TH

Had a blast in Milwaukee at Marquette University! They had "inspirational napkins" :)

OCTOBER 27TH

The set-up at Ogden Church for the show in Adrian, MI.

Really enjoyed playing with these guys! 

NOVEMBER 3RD

Moral Circus did a GREAT job opening the show at Union Coffee House - Buchanan, MI.

POST-TOUR

Judah, rockin' the Fall 2012 Tour onesie!

From the Scobie family to you, thank you! We had a blast traveling around and sharing our lives with you. I hope we get to do this again very soon. We are so very blessed. Thanks!! -Kurt, Elizabeth, & Judah.

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Lullaby” (Track 6)

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Lullaby” (Track 6)
Blog Post by Kurt Scobie
October 9, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

Here we are! The final post in the 6-part series of blogs. Thanks to all who have hung in there. I appreciate your tolerance for my ramblings on this platform. I consider it a privilege. Thank you.

So... “The Lullaby”. I wrote this song for my daughter, Bella Grace, as my wife and I were anticipating her arrival. Many of you know the story. I never had the chance to sing this song to her as she was stillborn at 24 weeks.

I think about her every day and look forward to singing this song to her, one day, in heaven.

I can see it in your eyes
This world has worn you down today
Come and rest in my arms tonight
I will stay

One of the most interesting things about being a songwriter is the way your songs evolve over time. Not just during the process, but even months or years after writing, some songs gain new meaning. This song has changed for me. What was intended to be sung as a lullaby over my little girl, has now been sung over me. I don’t know when it happened, but at some point I was listening back to this song and it hit me. Just as I longed to sing this over my child, God longed to sing the same over me.

Lay your head upon my heart
That’s where I’ve held you today
And where we’ll never be apart
Come and stay

I miss her. That might be hard to understand if you’ve never gone through anything like this, but it is a true feeling. Believe it or not, you can miss something you’ve never had. You can miss someone you’ve never met. “Come and stay” is a call out to Bella. I wish she could somehow, someway, come and just be with me. If you are a parent, you understand how much holding your child is comforting to YOU, not just to them.

From when you fall
To when you wake
I will stay right here
Your fears to take
And when you call
When you arise
I will be your all

Being a parent makes you feel needed/wanted like never before. I understand this song in a new way, now that my son Judah is here. I want to be his “all”.

I will wipe away your storms
Just as I’m calming all your fears
Here is everything you need
Come and be

Every time I get to this part, “Here is everything you need”, the question “Why, God?” always surfaces in my mind. It probably always will.

Most of the anger surrounding this whole event has passed, but there is still hurt. There is still discomfort. Here I am, one year later, and I just struggle with it.

As the river fills the sea
So my love flows for you
And it’s a steady, mighty stream
Come, dream

My love for Bella reaches into eternity. I hope she knows the love I have for her. I hope she senses that love, wherever she is, in her heavenly home. She is still mine. She will always have my love.

My friend Andy has been working on a personal project, “Marked”, that highlights different people and their stories behind their tattoos. His blog OneNineImages will soon have photos of my tattoo and tell Bella’s story. You’ll be able to check it out here: http://www.onenineimages.com.

Thanks for reading.

-Kurt

Hope Through Brokenness: "The Romancer" (Track 5)

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Romancer” (Track 5)
Blog Post by Kurt Scobie
September 9, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

In the midst of the immeasurable pain my wife and I experienced when our baby passed away, was a peace that God provided. We sent up a lot of prayers while grieving the loss of Bella, but this song is a prayer that I prayed asking God to simply draw close to us.

Step
So softly
And hold my hand
This land is exploding tonight
Can we stand?
And just dance

When life blows up in your face, you long for an escape. You can only focus on the chaos and the explosions and the destruction for so long, before you just need a distraction. Before you just need to check out for a bit.

You are the center
And I’m spinning ‘round
You move me faster
And I’m holding on
I’m fixed on your beauty
I’ll never look away
Dance with me
And everything will be OK

This chorus may not be the most “deeply” written, but the words call out to God for the deepest level of intimacy. My prayers immediately following Bella’s passing were for a feeling of closeness with God that would mute the world around me. The pain seemed so great and lasted for so long that the only thing I could pray for was a mental escape. My desire, at this place of utmost brokenness, was for His presence. God’s closeness. Simple. Deep. Nothing else.

Shift
We’re moving
Wave on wave
So deep from your ocean
Crash to these shores
And I crave more

An overwhelming “ocean” of love flooded into my life when I prayed for this rescuer to come. I was so blown away by the ways God was revealing His love for me that I began writing it all down. From little things to huge things, God was crashing wave after wave after wave of peace and comfort into my world. The biggest of these blessings was discovering a few months after losing Bella that another baby was on the way. Even though my son Judah was only the size of a fingernail when we found out about him, that fraction-of-an-ounce of hope was enough to keep me hopeful (that is, FULL of hope).

In the community of people who have suffered the loss of a baby, if a child is born after that loss he or she is called a “rainbow baby”. The rainbow is a symbol of hope and promise. Judah’s fingernail-size life was a small and seemingly insignificant promise, but God was faithful to grow that hope and bring that MIRACLE (there really is no other word for human life) into our world.

The overwhelming waves of God’s love continue, even today. We just passed the one-year mark from when we lost our first baby. And we are continually showered with more promise and hope than we can keep track of.

Touch
So softly
Stop
I’ll wait
You’re the Romancer
Love

This dance, this prayer for comfort is ongoing. It is the perfect evening that never ends. When one song ends, the next begins. The Romancer is walking with us through this dance we call life, full of hopes, dreams, hardship, heartache, gains, losses, music, silence... and love. This is the point. The greatest is love.

You are the center
And I’m spinning ‘round
You move me faster
And I’m holding on
I’m fixed on your beauty
I’ll never look away
Dance with me
And everything will be OK

One last note. That “everything will be OK” part might be misleading. This life will always have brokenness. The person you think has everything going for them, doesn’t. We will be broken. And that is ok. Because our completeness doesn’t come from having it all or never getting hurt, but from trusting His perfect touch to bring us comfort and healing. True completeness. True hope through all of our brokenness.

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Warnings” (Track 4)

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Warnings” (Track 4)
Blog Post by Kurt Scobie
August 7, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

The warnings are all around us. Signs, messages, alerts, sirens, and the timely words of a trusted friend are all right there. The problem isn’t a lack of warnings. The problem is a lack of heeding to those warnings.

He walks up, sexy designer jeans
You wish you could read him like his drink, he’s holding
Label, pointing toward you
Trapping you in you, pinning you to you

Most people, regardless of the red flags, will do what they want to do, once they have decided to do it. I think it is a pride issue. Some of the most difficult words to say in the English language are “I was wrong”. Our pride can lead us right off a cliff.

You laugh, girl
Because you never wanted to cry, girl
Because you never wanted to
Turn around
And now he’s back, girl
Another pretty label he hides, girl
But no one ever told you
Just turn around
Wake up and see
The warnings

How far is too far before you “can’t” turn around? Does there come a point where you’ve “gone too far” to make the right decision?

Oh and what’s inside him kills you baby
Impairs drive and operation
Who’s your king? And are you the queen?
And who will take the wheel? Tell me how you feel

A working title for this song, at one point, was “Government Warning” because of the warning label you see on a bottle of alcohol. Those people that sometimes show up in our lives, that are “bad” for us, should come with a warning label, shouldn’t they? They impair our vision, operation, and some are just poison to our lives. No, the warnings aren’t as obvious when it comes to people. But they are there. We just need an awakening in order to see them. What is impairing your vision?

Wake up and see
Who he’s going to be

And who are YOU going to be? Do you need to “wake up”? The warnings are there. Are you paying attention?

Hope Through Brokenness: "The Night" (Track 3)

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Night” (Track 3)
Blog Post by Kurt Scobie
July 29, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” -Plato

I wrote “The Night” a few years ago after I learned that the idea of divorce was lingering in the life of someone I knew. Marriage is hard. And this couple had much to overcome. When I heard that there was a period of separation (with kids involved), I knew that this “crash” would leave a mark.

Can you breathe?
Can you move?
Can you see how many fingers I’m holding up?
The baby’s fine
Hold my hands
And blink twice if you understand

We are all wrecked. We’re battered. Broken. Beaten. After the impact, all we can do is ask “Am I alive?” “Am I ok?” The world moves on, it seems, and we’re just... in shock. All we can do is sit. And stare.

It happened fast
When you crashed
The other driver walked away without a scratch
And no one spoke
And faces cried
With tears that come from deeper than eyes

The song “Breakeven” by The Script says “when a heart breaks, no it don’t break even”. When we’re broken, all we can see is our own brokenness. Everyone else is fine. The guy in the other car walked off the scene untouched and all we can think to do is cry.

And your mama prayed
And your daddy’s heart stopped beating

And all anyone else can do is pray. And cry. And hurt for you. All of which seems to be pointless. But... it’s not. What else can be done?

And this is the night
You’ll never forget for the rest of your time
And it hurts right now
And it’s not just your life you saw flash before your eyes
And tonight’s the night you died
And you came back to life

For me and my wife, September 8th (and the 6th) will always be a day we “never forget for the rest of our time”. When we went in for the gender ultrasound on September 6th, 2011, we had no idea that our lives were about to change, forever. We were blindsided when the ultrasound revealed that our little girl had no heartbeat. And now “Bella Day” will be every year on her birthday (September 8th) in the Scobie household. The pain we feel isn’t near as strong as those first few months, but the emotional scars we have from going through the loss of our baby will always be there.

These crashes in life bring about a new normal. A part of us dies. A different life is born.

You were out of bed
And off your crutch
When I came by to see how you were holding up
And days turned years
Almost forgot
Your need to heal from the inside out

This is the long stretch. The part we rarely talk about. We love to tell/hear stories about the big moments of failures and the big successes. But what about the in-between space? What about those weeks or months or years of “blah” between the time you fall and the time you’re back at full speed? Those parts usually get paraphrased or skimmed over in stories. But, those “boring parts” are where true growth happens. Healing takes time.

By the way, most of the people who said “Oh my gosh, I am SO sorry” on your Facebook post do not remember, years later, that you even went through such a hard time. True friends continue to check in on you through those “blah” times.

And you are almost strong
Wounds become scars and the weakness is gone

Almost.

This is the night
You’ll never forget for the rest of your time
And it hurts sometimes
But everyone’s talking about how you survived
And tonight’s the night
You died and you came back to life

By the grace of God, the couple I mentioned earlier were reunited and their marriage was saved. My wife and I have seen renewal in our journey as well. But those moments, “the night” we died and came back to life, we will carry with us forever.

Hope Through Brokenness: "The Ride" (Track 2)

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Ride” (Track 2)
Blog Post by Kurt Scobie
July 25, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs


“If we wait for the moment when everything, absolutely everything, is ready, we shall never begin." - Ivan Turgenev

“Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.” -Alan Cohen

Track 2, “The Ride”! I am publishing this a few days later than planned, but it has been quite a “ride” lately. It was a matter of minutes after I posted the first blog in this series (“The Wake”) that I received a call from my mom. When I saw her name come up on the caller ID... I knew. My grandpa, who had taken a fall nine weeks earlier, had passed away. This was my dad’s dad, and the first of my grandparents to pass. So, my wife and I headed up to Michigan for the funeral, and we have been trying to get caught up after being out of pocket for a few days.

This is life, right? Our plans get thwarted. Our friends move on. Our loved ones say goodbye. Life happens.

“The Ride” is about that.

I am done
Waiting for the clock to tell me when
Waiting for the right time to begin
This mess I’ve made will be a mountain where I stand

I am all about preparation and timing. But, for me, the best education has been just to go for it. Failing means learning. And sooner or later, those failures (lessons learned) pile up enough to give you a firm footing.

You’re never gonna stifle this persistence
You’re never gonna stop me with your friction
Every move I make I make in the one who puts this all in motion

“The One”, by the way, is Jesus Christ. He is my source.

Ri-iide
I am living for more than the end
Ri-iide
I’m not waiting for all of the answers
before I begin

Life really is short. In his song “Better Than Me” my friend Mike Kinnebrew says “Thirty years they just took to flight. Time just pulled me like a train.” That train pulls us faster and faster every year. We get so wrapped up in our goals and just getting through the day, that we forget to pause and simply take in this gift we call life. I am all about goals and reaching finish lines, believe me. But this race, this journey, has MUCH for us to take in, in every moment! That line between point A and point B is an exciting, hilly, bumpy, peaceful, happy, rocky, frustrating, smooth, sad, unbelievable ride. Ride!

Whoa-oh-oh
Finally my eyes have vision
This open heart has a mission
Step by step by step
I follow the unstoppable leader of the hopeful broken

Throughout the process of writing, tweaking, recording, and releasing these songs I discovered even more how much every person on this planet has brokenness. I have heard nonstop story after story from friends, family, complete strangers, and random fans who have been through hell. Job losses, divorces, deaths, and broken hearts abound. I have also heard stories of people a few years removed from those same hard times. They have clarity. They are stronger. The wind was knocked out of them, and they had to start over. They had to be carried, then they crawled, then walked. Step by step by step by step by step...

This life it pulls
The ride it rises and it falls
Beyond our dreams when we were small
When we were fearless, before we lost it all

It’s sad to think that when these storms come, our “new normal”  becomes a life with a little less innocence. I can think of no other time in my life when I felt more defeated and broken, as when my wife and I went through the loss of our daughter, Bella. We got robbed. That’s not the way things are supposed to be. Fearless will never again be an approach we take when it comes to having children.

That seems like a pretty downer statement. But this is our reality. This is life. This is our ride.

Now, I believe that we will have better days of hope and happiness. I believe that these waters will calm down. I believe that we will be fearless in other areas. But, I am learning to accept the bad along with the good. The dying with the living. Complete hope, while completely broken.

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Wake” (Track 1)

Hope Through Brokenness: “The Wake” (Track 1)
Blog Post by Kurt Scobie
July 15, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

Thanks for reading! I am hoping that this series of blogs helps you (and me) better understand the songs on my new project, “The Hopeful Broken”. With each of these blogs I’ll be dissecting the lyrics, and elaborating on the ideas expressed in the songs.

So, here we go. Track 1. “The Wake”

Wake up
We’re getting out of this place
I’m breaking you out of these chains
You’re no slave
You are an heir to a throne not a grave

Somewhere along the way, whether by choice or by force, we all have fallen into a pattern of numbness that calls for a rescuer. Usually without realizing, we end up chained to our habits or hurts and we buy into a lie. “You are a failure”. “You are poor”. “Death owns you”. “You are a slave”. And we cannot come out of this on our own. We need help. We need someone to break the chains for us. We need the voice of one who is awake to tell us the truth. To bring us back.

Stand up
Wipe off the dirt from your crown
I’ll carry you I’ll take you out
Don’t be afraid
I know the way out
I know the way

But, trust is hard. For the oppressed and imprisoned, even harder. We have been trained to believe that we are all on our own. That the only way to get anything or anywhere in life is to do it alone. The “independent woman” and the “self-made man” are our models. Complete trust in someone else to save us, is near impossible. And how are we to know this “savior” can really help us? How are we to know that his heart is good? What if she fails me? Do they know the way?

But, if we choose not to trust, is there any hope of freedom? Trusting in our own way has lead us to chains. Should we trust ourselves... to save ourselves?

Free now
I am breaking you out
Don’t look down
Come, leave this hell

Freedom. It must first be declared. Then claimed. This is the power of hope. Not “well, I hope so” hope, but TRUE hope. True hope makes a way for freedom.

Eyes wide
This is where you come alive
This is where it all turns around
There’s no shame
Whatever the ransom
It has been paid

And coming awake is just the start. Breaking free is the beginning. There is a genuine excitement when the chains of a bad habit or an addiction is broken. Wide-eyed and alive is the only way to approach each day when we realize that we are FREE. Our debt is paid. Shame is gone.

Free now
I am breaking you out
Don’t look down
Come, leave this hell

Free now
Come awake and be found
Run unbound
Come, leave this hell

“The Wake” was originally written for those affected by human trafficking. But, as these ideas grew in my head I began to recognize that this theme of ‘freedom from slavery’ is bigger than the sex-trade industry. It’s bigger than the problems of addiction and trying to kick a bad habit. I have found that this idea strikes a chord in each one of us. We all need saving. We all, in one way or another, need something that we cannot attain on our own. We all need a rescuer, a helper, a friend, to bring us to freedom.

Kurt

Blog About Another Blog

This post is just to let you know about a guest post I did for the Giving Organic Grace blog. Check out my post: "Free Song for Freedom" here: http://wp.me/p1Yi8G-6O

Peace.

-Kurt

Spring 2012 Tour Photos!

Spring 2012 Tour Photos!
Blog Post by Kurt Scobie
May 20, 2012
www.kurtscobie.com/blogs

I can’t believe it. As I sit here looking back over my schedule for the past few months I am exhausted just thinking about all of the places I have been so far in 2012. I can’t believe the tours are over. I can’t believe I went to all of those (awesome) places. I can’t believe the number of (awesome) people I met. The past few months seem like a blur, so I'm glad I remembered to capture a few photos between my playing/singing and driving.



So, here is a random collection of images from my travels over the past few months. If you were at one of these shows, please comment and tell me your favorite memory of when I was in your town. For even more photos, visit www.kurtscobie.com/2012springtour.

Enjoy!

Singing for the lovely folks at The University of Mary Washington. Such a cool space with an attentive crowd! Photo by Andy Brophy 

Some of the friendly people from Regis College (just outside Boston). Is that a ScoBEANIE?

Bates College "Village Series" was one of my favorite events! You could just tell that these folks love music!

Backstage at Ramapo College (NJ). Very welcoming crew!

My view from the stage at Ramapo College. Did you see my performance of "Free Fallin'" on YouTube?

Fun night at St. Leo University (Florida) opening for Natalie Stovall! Quite possibly my favorite event of the Spring because they had FREE funnel cakes!

Another photo from UMW. Thanks to Andy Brophy (OneNine Images) for making me look cool.

Stage set-up at Assumption College (Worcester, MA). Really fun crowd that night!

We packed the Scoburban FULL for the "Eich, Ike, and Scobie" tour. Had a blast touring with JD and Joy!

The "Eich, Ike, and Scobie" tour was AWESOME! This was from our show at Milkboy in Ardmore (near Philadelphia, PA). Joy Ike (w/  her sister Peace on Drums) and JD Eicher were so fun to travel with!

All of this driving and I only had to open a Red Bull ONCE the entire time. That's gotta be some kind of record for a musician.

More photos from my Spring tours... kurtscobie.com/2012springtour.