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chuck girard

In the 60s, Chuck Girard sang with the group THE CASTELLS which had 2 national top 20 hits, 'SACRED,' and 'SO THIS IS LOVE'. He later recorded as lead singer of the HONDELLS who had a hit with 'LITTLE HONDA'.

After a 5 search for spiritual reality through psychedelic drugs, Eastern religion and the typical hippie lifestyle, Chuck finally found true reality in Jesus Christ. In 1970, he and four friends began the group LOVE SONG. They became the first group to play rock-oriented Christian music.

In 1974, Chuck began his lengthy solo music ministry that has included such favorites as 'SOMETIMES ALLELUIA'. He currently ministers at churches through worship and teaching. His current release is a worship album called, 'VOICE OF THE WIND'.

Chuck took time out of his busy schedule to talk about music and ministry. Enjoy!

crosshome: What are some of your favorite memories from the Love Song era?

Chuck Girard: The innocence and purity of the whole movement in general. The hippies were really GRATEFUL for their salvation and were committed to sharing the gospel with others. Worship was simple and pure, the music was very genuine and from the heart. It was a good time in the life of the church.

crosshome: What do you think makes the Jesus Music of the 70s different from today's CCM?

Chuck: The music of the '70s was really from the heart. There were no charts, hardly any radio stations playing the music, so these things did not factor in to the thinking behind writing songs, etc. The songs came right out of the heart, and were unquestionably about Jesus. It was even called "Jesus Music", remember? Today's scene is quite different. Music production is driven by executives who, for the most part, don't have a clue about what God is doing, signing youthful artists with little to say, and even if they did, it will be watered down by the same executives. The mentality is bottom line..demographics, marketing, cloning the currently popular secular acts.

It's really pretty pathetic from a spiritual standpoint.

crosshome: In 1974, you went solo. Was that hard for you after being part of such a popular band?

Chuck: Actually, it was quite easy, because God blessed it. My first solo abum was purposely non-confrontational, and contained "Sometimes Alleluia", which turned out to be my most successful song. Radio embraced the album, fans embraced it, and it did really well. However, even though my solo work has been more long-lived and successful overall than Love Song, people still are more excited about the memory of the group than over my current work. Just one of the realities of coming out of a succesful group identity. It's ok though, because my work with the group was a great season in my ministry/career.

crosshome: You've recorded a praise album recently. Can you tell me about that?

Chuck: It came out of a growing awareness of the anointing for worship that rested on my music. As I came to a greater understanding of that area of my anointing, songs began to emerge from my times of worship. I finally got it all together to record some of it live, and that became the foundation for "Voice of the Wind". I minimally but selectively edited the overall recordings, and musically embellished the overall sound. It has been received with great response from the listeners who have discovered it, but has not been a great commercial success. It is a well-kept secret, as we say.

crosshome: What's your next project?

Chuck: When funds permit, which always is the driving factor in my ability to record, I would love to do Vol. 2 of "Personal Worship". I also have a concept brewing to do an album called "Drifting" which would include a song of that title, and a bunch of low key, minimalist poetic songs, along the line of "I Will" from "Voice of the Wind". I would also love to do another general release regular album, some rock'n'roll, some ballads, etc.

crosshome: I know you minister a lot in churches. In your opinion, how can churches foster a more meaningful worship experience?

Chuck: Back to the basics would be a good start. We've been blown a bit off course by the big flashy worship band experience which has been the paradigm for the last 5 years or so. There's lots of praise and little worship, lots of soul and little spirit. People need to remember that worship is a matter of the heart, and we could worship effectively stranded on a desert island with no CD player, no guitar, no anything, if our heart is in tune with God. Less external, more internal would be my suggestion.

crosshome: What advice would you give a person wanting to go into music ministry?

Chuck: The key word here is "ministry". Know you are called into the ministry is the first step. Purpose to serve God, and he will direct your steps. You need to decide between the ministry or the industry. The two are rarely compatible. If you choose the ministry, prepare for some rejection, loneliness, and spiritual resistance. But also prepare for great rewards because you did it God's way.

crosshome: What do you think the greatest needs are in the church today?

Chuck: To focus out. The church is very ingrown right now. It is largely a "bless me" club with Christians going to church to receive. Nothing wrong with receiving if we remember to give out as well. There's a dying world out there that needs to hear what we have to say. You mention evangelism or street ministry to the average Christian today and he'll run away and hide. I don't have any real stats, but my guess is that probably 90% of the Christians truly born again in the last 10 years have never led anyone to the Lord. But still, it may be a very faulty church, but it's still the church. We need to be a part of the solution, not to alienate ourselves from the rest of the body because we may not like what's going on.

crosshome: How would you most like to be remembered?

Chuck: I never really thought about it. I suppose it would be enough to be thought of as having tried my best to serve God, realizing that my best still reeks. It's all by His grace and mercy...without Him we truly wouldn't have done anything worth remembering. Life is but a vapor, we're all dust. Jesus is all that matters.

- Jason Mitchener

Don't forget to visit Chuck's web site: http://www.chuck.org