"Pierce Pettis: His Life of Crime"

(Hat tip: man with black hat)

InsideCatholic is running a piece this weekend on Catholic singer-songwriter Pierce Pettis (a Pro Ecclesia favorite). The article is written by David L Alexander of the blog man with black hat, and is excerpted below:

... It is clear from his work that Pettis is a man of faith, but it doesn't stop there. In the course of getting their message across, a good many so-called "Christian" artists wear that faith on their sleeve. Pettis keeps his in his back pocket (Deo gratias), only pulling it out when the audience isn't looking. Perhaps this is neither to be shy or clever so much as a result of simply living the way he chooses, and leaving the conclusions to others.

Even without following the usual social-political whims of politically correct folksingers, Pettis has done respectably in that venue, having performed at Kerrville Folk Festival; APR's Mountain Stage; NPR's E-town, Morning Edition, and World Café; not to mention VH-1, CBS News, and the former Nashville Network. Pettis's work has also been recorded by such mainstream artists as Garth Brooks ("You Move Me" on Sevens) and Dar Williams ("Family" on Mortal City).

Pettis's songs possess a dry wit and an enduring faith despite everything, including a broken marriage around the time he switched labels. Making Light of It features his son from that union, both on the album cover and as part of a tribute to the virtue of hope titled "Hold On To That Heart," co-written with J. L. Wallace:

I saw you being born
You'll probably see me die
And in between those two points
Is so little time . . .

Hold on to that heart
Hold on to the love you know
Hold on to that heart
Child don't let go.

[More]

My Comments:
Definitely read all of David's article at InsideCatholic, and MOST DEFINITELY rush right out and buy something by Pierce Pettis.





UPDATE (3 March)
You can listen to a few of Pettis' songs in full here.


Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
The Flannery O'Connor of Singer-Songwriters