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West Cobb Patch
Music Soothes Mom's Soul
Listening or participating, music during "me" time hits the right note.
One motto Joy Norris lives by is “Love what you do and do what you love."
So, it’s no surprise that the Powder Springs mom, vocal coach and praise team director spends her time with music, both for work and relaxation.
Norris travels around the country, working professionally with church choirs and praise teams. But that doesn’t stop her from kicking back and enjoying someone else’s efforts.
“I like to listen to jazz while I sit by the pool," she explains.
She has also taken her husband and children to concerts.
“When I had an assignment out in California, I got tickets for us to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which was wonderful," she remembers. "We all really enjoyed it.”
Norris recently returned to the Powder Springs area after spending a few years with her family in Florida. Prior to her Sunshine State tenure, she worked with the Atlanta West Pentecostal Church and Buford Pentecostal Church, coaching their singers and musicians.
“I go to local church concerts to see the finished product," she says, "but my husband teases me because it’s hard for me to not listen technically. He’ll say, ‘Just enjoy the show,’ but I’m always noticing the little things."
"I do enjoy it, though," she continues. "I’d say that’s my escape, as well as my passion.”
Norris says she and her friends have gone to listen to non-church music at the Mable House Amphitheatre in Mableton, which seats 2,000 people and features concerts ranging from Foghat to the Atlanta Symphony.
There aren’t too many closer venues for live music, although Norris says she might check out the new Open Mic Nights on Fridays at the , which holds an audience of up to 50.
Manager Tres Barnes calls the shop's music “acoustic style."
"I don’t know of any place else in the area that has live music, other than occasional fairs on old Town Square," he explains.
Barnes says a variety of performers show up.
“Some nights we’ll feature just one artist," he says, "but every other Friday, we have an Open Mic Night.”
More than a dozen people performed at , including a couple moms.
Down the road, moms who want to get into the act can catch karaoke night at on Wendy Bagwell Parkway in Hiram. Philip Dane, who works there, says a crowd always shows up.
Buffalo’s also features various local music groups on Fridays .
“We have country, rock, some pop,” he adds. “And no shy moms.”
RELENTLESS NATALIE GRANT
By Dianna Kelly
For Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Friends Magazine
Natalie Grant is rocking Christian music audiences through the summer on her “Love Revolution” tour. Her last album says it all: Natalie Grant is “Relentless.” Less than seven months after giving birth to twins, her first children, Grant hopped on Women of Faith’s “Revolve” tour. And the kids came along for the ride. Natalie admits “They do better on the road than I do!”
Grant often wonders if daughters Isabella and Grace recognize the songs she sings on tour, since they heard them in the womb. She recorded the album while she was pregnant and then took six months off. After that, she’s been on the road singing her message of the relentlessness of God’s love. She’ll be hosting the Dove Awards for the Gospel Music Channel in April. “While my husband (producer Bernie Herms) and my children are the focus of my life, I’m called to do what I do. But actually, having children has given me a greater passion to do what I do, because I’m able to influence and speak into this culture.”
Upcoming female artists have called Natalie a role model. How does she see herself? “Wow, I take that as a huge compliment! I think it’s such an honor.” However, she understands the responsibility that goes along with it, especially when it comes to the teen girls targeted by the Revolve tours. “When it comes to pop culture, it’s sad but true; so many of the people that are in front of our girls are sure not something I want my daughters to grow up to be like. So, I’d better take this seriously. This is a huge honor to be on this platform, and I pray that not only will my music be relevant, but that I will actually have something to say that matters.”
The concern for the future of her sisters in faith has led to her signing on for three stints with the Revolve tours. “I remember the first year, they said they wanted to start a conference for teenage girls and asked if I wanted to be involved. I said ‘No, I was a teenage girl once, and I don’t want to go back there! They’re a tough crowd.” She gave it further thought and changed her mind. “When I thought about it, I realized this culture is so lying to our girls, telling them that they’ve got to look a certain way, that image is what matters in order to be successful in life. The sad part is that girls are believing the lie. And so for me, because I struggled with an eating disorder (bulimia) and had such insecurity in my life, yet at the same time I discovered each day what it means to see myself as God does, I felt this was an opportunity to speak out and make a difference.”
Grant says there are a lot of girls who feel ostracized by their peers because they want to be good and follow their faith instead of trends. But, she adds, in the Revolve arena, they realize “’I am one of thousands who believe the same way, feel the same way, think the same way.’ It’s a moment for these girls to feel charged up and see they’re not alone.” Grant notes at the conferences, the girls realize “we’re an army when we’re together...we need an event that hits these girls where they’re living and talks about things that are relevant to what’s going on in their lives. But at the same time, the Revolve tour is rock’n’roll.”
Natalie looked up to Amy Grant and U-2 while growing up, and is impressed with what Bono is doing for those in need. “This is what Christianity actually looks like. You get outside of yourself, and you give your life away. One person can actually change the world.”
Grant thinks the teen girls she sees are getting the message. World Vision has been part of the Revolve tours and encourages teens to sponsor children in need in third world countries. “And you wouldn’t think these teens would do it,” Grant comments. “But at the Revolve tours, thousands stepped forward. And World Vision says the retainment rate of teenage girls is better than any other age group. These girls are world changers! It’s just incredible to see!”
World Vision and teen girls aren’t the only groups getting Grant’s support. She’s active with the Home Foundation, a non-profit group dedicated to eradicating sexual slavery of women and children both domestically and abroad. Natalie also backs Mercy Ministries.
Grant isn’t afraid to push boundaries, both with her music and her messages. It’s part of the reason she was named the Gospel Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year for the last three years. The woman is relentless in her compassion. Bono should be proud. No doubt, some day her twins will be.
Douglasville’s Got Talent Pulls in Crowd
by Dianna Kelly Monk – Douglasville Patch
A picture perfect Saturday and the promise of lively entertainment drew a substantial crowd to the downtown Douglasville Plaza, as the third annual “Douglasville’s Got Talent” competition got underway.
Vendors set up along blocked off sections of Church Street, and kids frolicked in a bounce house while waiting for the competition to begin.
“It’s basically set up like a block party,” Iteeah Pounds of Mainstreet Douglasville said, scanning the crowd before taking her seat at the judges table. More than a dozen acts took the stage, ranging from dancing to rapping to flagpole juggling (mixed with dancing) to guitar playing and singing.
“It’s a nice range,” emcee Tashira Mead commented. “I can’t believe it’s been three years.” Mead greeted the crowd, commended the contestants and judges, and asked for a moment of silence and prayer for the victims of the recent tornadoes that whipped through Georgia during the past week.
Three years of experience smoothed most of the kinks out of the program, which flowed relatively smoothly.
The Explosion Children’s Choir took first place in the Junior category for their song, dance and rap version of “Joyful, Joyful.”
Nine-year-old Jasmine Hammock has been performing with the group for two years. This was their second competition, she says. “The hardest part was having to move with everyone while singing. That was tough.”
Tatnika Ball, who guided the group, thanked the kids for “working so hard to pull it together, and my sister for helping me.”
Ball and her sister, Shante, won the Adult category for their song-and-dance rendition of “Alabaster Box.”
Justin Martin and Kayla Hansen won the Teen category for their dance and color guard routine, done to the tune “As Long As You Are Mine” from the hit musical “Wicked.”
The event coincided with the Douglasville Spring Homes Tour, which was going on throughout the day with the Downtown Douglasville Association.
Living with AIDS
By Dianna Kelly for Connecticut Associated Press
You might call the '80s the "Age of AIDS," a killer disease linked to sex and drugs in a decade filled with both. The headlines have panicked many, making those who have contracted the virus pariahs among their peers.
But Hartford AIDS educator John Mers explains you need blood-to-blood contact to get AIDS. Aside from getting tainted blood in a transfusion, which is becoming less and less likely as blood donations are more heavily screened, Mers says, "You will only contract the disease if the partner you are sharing needles with or having unprotected sex with is a carrier."
Dr. Richard Melcrit of the Connecticut AIDS Program says it's not easy to determine who has the virus. AIDS can be in the body for ten years before the symptoms pop up. "You feel run down, and you start to have big lymph nodes, some diarrhea and a chronic flu." Melcrit cautions that people should not diagnose themselves; they should get a test.
The Hartford Health Department offers AIDS testing for those worried about exposure to the virus. Dr. Luiz Perrera underscores the confidentiality of the results. "We don't give any information to anyone except themselves."
How many test positive? Melcrit reveals, "Over 900 people have been diagnosed with AIDS since 1981, and we estimate there are between 12-thousand and 36-thousand who have been infected with the AIDS virus in the state." Melcrit says they've been working with a network of people to bring services to those hit with AIDS. Perrera adds the best way to help is to prevent people from getting the disease in the first place through education.