(Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

1997

• During his time living on the reservation, Rich begins to become a bit disheartened by the realities and challenges of accomplishing everything that he wanted to do. His comments to friends and in interviews begin to reflect a certain amount of resignation that he may not be able to do everything he wanted to do. He may end up continuing to record and tour and raise money for others to do the things that he wanted to do.
  
  
• Rich often performs the unreleased song "Charlie" (actual title unknown) during this time, typically with a comment that his record label didn't "let him" record it. Other songs performed at this time include "Nothing But the Blood" (Instrumental, on Hammered Dulcimer), Harlan County Waltz (Instrumental, on Lap Dulcimer. Written in 1977), and the traditional hymn "By the Waters of Babylon"
  
  
• Another song that Rich begins performing at this time is "Madeline's Song." The song was written and inspired by the daughter of friend James Bryan Smith. Madeline, who was born with numerous birth defects frequently held her hands as if she were praying.
  James Bryan Smith: "Our second child born - Madeline is her name, she was born with severe birth defects and she was not expected to live. But she did - she lived for a couple of years. She had this strange thing - even though she had a number of problems, her hands were often in a posture of prayer and Rich was really moved by her and her utter helplessness. In this world's eyes she had nothing going for her but she did have her hands together so Rich made her his prayer partner and he would whisper his prayers into her ears. She was profoundly deaf, but he whispered his prayers into her ears because he said, 'She's got pull with God.' Which she did. It really was moving. He was such a great friend in so many ways but for a long time I didn't know how moved he was by Madeline until one time he said, 'Hey I wrote a song for her and we want to come and play it.' We were in and out of the hospital a lot with her and we had just gotten back home and he and the guys in the band piled into our living room and played this beautiful song." (2002 Nashville)
  
  
• The Insyderz cover "Awesome God" for their album, The Insyderz Present Skalleluiah!
  
  
• Rich cowrote "A Million Years" for This Train's "Mimes of the Old West" album. Rich also sings background vocals on the track.
  
  

  January 24, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at St. Grace Brethren Church in Westerville, OH at 8 p.m.
  Set List: Praise Ye The Lord/I Will Sing, Sing, Sing/Swing Low, Sweet Chariot/When the Saints Go Marching In/I Will Sing/Hope to Carry One/Brother's Keeper/Where You Are/Ready for the Storm/Let Mercy Lead/Sing Your Praise to the Lord/If I Stand/Screen Door/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/Invention in A minor on Mandolins/While the Nations Rage/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/Creed/Hold Me Jesus/Awesome God/Sometimes By Step/It Is Well/Doxology
  

  January 25, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at East 91st Street Christian Church in Indianapolis, IN. Songs performed included "Doxology," "Step by Step" and "How Majestic Is Your Name" (Michael W. Smith)
  
  
• David "Beaker" Strasser and his wife Julie welcome the birth of their son Avery.
  
  

  January 31, 1997

• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform in Wichita, KS at the Century II Concert Hall. The performance includes an abbreviated performance of some of the Canticle of the Plains.
  Set List: I Will Sing/Sing Your Praise To The Lord/If I Stand/Awesome God/The Dream (Jimmy A)/Screen Door/The Breaks (sung by Rick Elias)/Harlan County Waltz (instrumental by Rich)/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/While The Nations Rage/There You Are (Mitch)/Heaven Is Waiting (Mitch)/Let Mercy Lead/Hold Me Jesus/I See You/Like It Or Not (This Train)/Baby, Baby (This Train)/Monster Truck (This Train)/Dance With Me Tonight (Rick Elias)/I Need You (That Thing You Do) (Rick Elias)/Invention in A minor - (J.S. Bach, from "Fifteen two-part inventions", Mitch and Beaker on mandolins)/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/Brother's Keeper/The Color Green/Elijah/Sometimes By Step/Peace/Creed/It Is Well With My Soul/How Majestic Is Your Name (by Michael W Smith)/Lord, I Lift Your Name On High (by Rick Founds)/Doxology
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  February 1, 1997

• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform at the Century II Concert Hall in Wichita, KS. Like the show on January 31st, the night included an abbreviated performance of songs from the Canticle of the Plains.
  
  

  February 2, 1997

• The world premier of Canticle of the Plains on KTLI 99 FM in Wichita, KS.
  "KTLI Light 99 Interview"
  
  

  Febraruy 1997

• Author Brennan Manning leads Rich through a three day silent retreat at Chateau Elan vineyard, north of Atlanta, GA. Manning described Rich as being in a state of emotional termoil about unresolved issues with his family - his father in particular, who had a difficult time expressing affection and supporting his children emotionally.
  Brennan: "During the retreat, I asked Rich to write a letter to his deceased father. The next day I asked him to write a letter from his father to him. Rich resided in the chalet next to mine. As he wrote, I heard sobbing and wailing so loud that I started crying myself. All John Mullins' pent-up affection exploded and came cascading into Rich's heart like a torrent of truth and love. Soon after, Rich came to my place and read the letter, tears streaming down his face.
  Next, I asked Rich to write a letter to Abba followed by a letter from Abba to him. I shall never forget our festive dinner on the last night of the retreat. His black eyes shining like onyx and his face crease in a radiant smile, he said simply, 'Brennan, I'm free.'" (from An Arrow Pointing to Heaven by James Brian Smith)
  
  

  February 10, 1997

• "Elijah" (Songs Version) debuts on the AC Charts. It would spend 13 weeks on the chart and peak at #7. Interestingly, this song was Rich's first and last singles on the AC Charts during his lifetime.
  
  

  February 14, 1997

• Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker perform at Bellevue Christian Center in Omaha, NE at 7:30 p.m. Songs performed include "78 Eatonwood Green," "Jacob and 2 Women," and "While the Nations Rage."
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  February 15, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Park School Auditorium in Chardon, OH.
  
  
• The Reporter-Times in Martinsville, IN runs an interview with Rich Mullins.
  
  

  February 28, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at DePauw University's Kresge Auditorium in Green Castle, IN .
  
• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform in South Bend, IN at Bethel College's Everest-Rohrer Fine Arts Center.
  Set List (Partial): Awesome God/Ready for the Storm/I'm Gonna Sing Sing Sing, Swing Low Sweet Chariot, When the Saints Go Marching In/Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Elijah
  

  March 1997

• Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker write "My Deliverer" for a planned new album, which at the time was referred to as Ten Songs About Jesus.
  
  

  March 1, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Landmark Baptist Church (or Tri-County Assembly of God?) in Cincinnati, OH .
  Concert Review
  
  

  March 2, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Allegheny Center Alliance Church in Pittsburgh, PA .
  
  

  March 14, 1997

• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin band perform in South Bend, IN for the television special "Live From Studio B."
  Set List: I Will Sing/Sing Your Praise to the Lord/If I Stand/The Dream (Jimmy A)/Calling Out Your Name/78 Eatonwood Green/Harlan County Waltz/The Color Green/Brother's Keeper/Man of No Reputation (Rick Elias)/Elijah/Awesome God
  

  March 15, 1997

• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform at Bethel College's Everest-Rohrer Fine Arts Center in South Bend, IN at 7:30 p.m..
  Set List: I Will Sing/Sing Your Praise to the Lord/If I Stand/Awesome God/Screen Door/The Dream (Jimmy Abegg)/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/Invention in A minor - (J.S. Bach, from "Fifteen two-part inventions", Mitch and Beaker on mandolins)/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Let Mercy Lead/Where You Are/Sometimes By Step/Dance With Me Tonight (Rick Elias)/I Need You (That Thing You Do) (Rick Elias)/Brother's Keeper/Creed/I See You/Hold Me Jesus/Heaven In His Eyes/I'm Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing/Heaven is Waiting/Elijah
  

  March 16, 1997

• A sneak preview of Canticle of the Plains is performed at Bethel College's Everest-Rohrer Fine Arts Center in South Bend, IN at 6.p.m.
  
  

  March 21, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Philadelphia College of the Bible in Langhorne, PA. This performance included the rare unreleased "Charlie."
  Set List: Swing Low Sweet Chariot, THe Old Rugged Cross, How Great Thou Art/The Other Side of the World/Elijah/Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Hold Me Jesus/If I Stand/Awesome God/Where You Are/Growing Young/Ready for the Storm/78 Eatonwood Gree/Calling Out Your Name/Invention in A Minor (Mandolin Duet)/Creed/Brother's Keepr/Let Mercy Lead/Screen Door/Charlie
  

  March 22, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Bramalea Baptist Church in Toronto, Ontario Canada .
  
  
• Rich is interviewed by David Wang, the music columnist for The Catholic Register. That interview would appear in the April edition of the magazine.
  "Interview with Rich Mullins"
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  March 23, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Texas Woman's University's Jones Auditorium in Denton, TX.
  Set List: Hope To Carry On/Where You Are/Ready for the Storm/Let Mercy Lead/Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Hold Me Jesus/Screen Door/We are Not as Strong As We Think We Are/Invention in A minor - (J.S. Bach, from "Fifteen two-part inventions", Mitch and Rich on mandolins)/While the Nations Rage (dedicated to "the President and her husband")/Land of My Sojurn/His Love is Right Here (Mitch)/the lemonade song (Mitch)/Only Love Will (Mitch)/ Jesus Loves Me (Mandolin)/Harland County Waltz (Instrumental)/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/Creed/Awesome God/It is Well With My Soul/Great is Thy Faithfullness/Sometimes by Step/If I Stand/Sometimes by Step/Elijah/Lord We Lift Your Name On High
  

  March 25, 1997

• Caedmon's Call releases their first self-titled album which includes a cover of Rich's "Hope To Carry On."
  
  

  March 25-27, 1997

• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffins spend part of Holy Week at a private retreat led by Brennan Manning.
  
  

  March 29, 1997

• The Star Tribune in Minneapolis, MN publishes a short interview and article about Rich Mullins.
  Rich: "I don't think there's anything as additictive as applause and admiration from fans. I also don't think there's anything as dangerous. After a concert, sometimes you get back to your motel, take your shoes off and gag. You think you've really faked them out. You start to struggle. You head home feeling unbelievably empty. And then yu go home and wonder if you've made an impact. The contrast from the ecstasy of performing can be overwhelming."
  Rich: "Success is doing something you love for the joy of doing it and no other reason. It isn't having No. 1 records. I feel sorry for those guys who feel like they have to prove something."
  Rich, on Moving to Window Rock, NM: "I really came here more to try to get beyond my white, middle-class Protestant upbringing and see life through a different lense. Life is really a gift from God and its only purpose and meaning is found in living. We never find real meaning in our work or relationships or in becoming more religious. It's in allowing God to be God."
  
  

  April 1997

• The Dick Staub Show airs an interview with Rich.
  "Dick Staub Show Interview with Rich Mullins"
  
  
• The Catholic Register publishes an interview with Rich Mullins.
  "Interview with Rich Mullins"
  
  
• The Wheaton Record publishes an article about Rich Mullins.
  "Rich Mullins Brings Canticle of the Plains to Wheaton"
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  April 4, 1997

• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform at the Crystal Evangelical Free Church in Minneapolis, MN at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

  April 5, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Garnett Church of Christ in Tulsa, OK.
  
  

  April 11, 1997

• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform at Edman Memorial Chapel in Wheaton, IL.
  Concert Transcript
  Set List: Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Here In America/The Love Of God/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/If I Stand
  
  
  
• Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker take part in a taping for an interview on The Exchange television program and perform several songs. The performance and interview would air on April 17.
  
  

  April 17, 1997

• WETN's program The Exchange airs an interview and performance with Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker.
  "The Exchange" Transcript
  
  
  

  April 18, 1997

• The Canticle of the Plains is performed for the first time for the public in Wheaton, IL at Wheaton College's Edman Memorial Chapel. CDs of the soundtrack are available for sale for the first time.
  Set List: I Will Song/Hope to Carry On/Where You Are/Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Brother's Keeper/Let Mercy Lead/New Mexico/I'm Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing/(The Cantical of the Plains Performance)/Jesus Loves Me/Creed/(unknown)/Awesome God/Step by Step
  
  
  

  April 19, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Kissimmee Civic Center in Kissimmee, FL.
  Set List: Hymn Medley:a. I'm Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing/b. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot/c. When The Saints Go Marching In/I Will Sing/Hope To Carry On/Where You Are/Ready For The Storm/Let Mercy Lead/Sing Your Praise To The Lord/Screen Door/We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are/Invention in A minor - (J.S. Bach, from "Fifteen two-part inventions", Mitch and Rich on mandolins)/the lemonade song (Mitch)/Brother's Keeper/Harlan County Waltz (Instrumental)/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/Creed/Elijah/Awesome God/Sometimes By Step/It Is Well With My Soul/I'm Gonna Sing, I'm Gonna Shout/Swing Low Sweet Chariot/When The Saints Go Marching In/Doxology
  /center>
  

  April 21, 1997

• The Chicago Tribune publishes a short article about the premiere of Canticle of the Plains at Wheaton College on April 18.
  "Mullins Takes Risk with Show on Saint, but Fans Keep Faith"
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  Early 1997

• At one point, Rich talked to Reunion Records about releasing Canticle of the Plains.
  Dean Diehl (Reunion Records Vice President): "He said 'Dean, I want you to make your best offer, and I'll take it or leave it. I won't negotiate. If you offer 'X' and I don't think that's enough and then you raise it to 'Y,' then I'll feel like you were trying to take advantage of me. Because if you can raise it, then you could have made that offer in the first place. Don't say you're going to give me 10 when you can give me 12. Give me 12.' That's some pressure, knowing the guy is either going to take it or leave it, no negotiating. I'd hate to take that approach to selling cars."
  
  

  May 3, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Peoria Civic Center Theater in Peoria, IL at 7:30 p.m.
  
  

  May 4, 1997

• Rich Mullins performs at Welch Auditorium in Grand Rapids, MI.
  
  

  May 22,1997

  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

• Rich Mullins is photographed by Jonathan A. Meyers in Tse Bonito, New Mexico. This photo shoot was an assignment for an article that appeared in "Christian Reader" September/October 1997 Magazine. Many of those photos can be seen on this page. (Used with Permission. www.JamPhotography.com)
  
  

  May 23,1997

• Rich Mullins is photographed by Jonathan A. Meyers in Tse Bonito, New Mexico This photo shoot was an assignment for an article that appeared in "Christian Reader" September/October 1997 Magazine. Many of those photos can be seen on this page. (Used with Permission. www.JamPhotography.com)
  
  

  June 1997

• CCM Magazine runs a story on AIDS, which includes the following comments from Rich: "It seems like the church has picked homosexuality out to be the ultimate evil thing, and I'm just not always sure that it is... The people that I know who are homosexual, I don't think about that anymore than I think about my friends who are overweight, who have cheated on their taxes, or have enormous egos. It's all the same thing. If I have to have perfect people in order to have friendships, I'm going to be a very lonely guy."
  The issue also included the following story...
  "A Conversation with Rich Mullins"
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  June 6, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at Exciting Baptist Tabernacle in Farmington, NM.
  
  

  June 9, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at Trinity Church in Lubbock, TX with This Train and Mitch McVicker.
  
  

  June 11, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at the First Baptist Church in McKinney, TX. Prior to the show, Rich came out and played a couple of songs solo - one of which was a song that he said he had just written entitled "You Did Not Have A Home." The song would eventually appear on The Jesus Record.
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  June 12, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Austin, TX.
  
  
  
• While in Houston, TX., Rich Mullins participates in a video shoot for Caedmon's Call's cover of "Hope to Cary On." While working on the video, Rich entertains the group with song new songs including "You Did Not Have A Home," and the unreleased "Charlie."
  Ben Pearson: "The last time I saw Rich we were working on a music video together. When he arrived, the first thing I noticed was that the tranquility that I had seen in Ireland had increased into a constant radiance. I told him that we had to talk before he left, but time did not permit a conversation that day. As we were filming I managed to ask him if he had heard the new Appalachia Waltz CD by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, and Mark O'Connor. He said he had, and that in fact he was now buying it by the case because he couldn't seem to keep a copy around for himself, since he kept giving it away. "
  
  

  June 13, 1997

• Rich Mullins is interviewed by KVNE in Longview, TX.
  
  
• A "Meet Rich Mullins" event is held at New Life Bible Book Store in Longview, TX between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.
  
• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at LeTourneau University's Assembly Building in Longview, TX at 7:30 p.m. The show was interrupted by a tornado warning sending the band and audience to a tornado shelter where the show continued with just an acoustic guitar. Eventually, the "all clear" was given and everyone returned to the auditorium to finish the show.
  Set List: Nothing But the Blood/Awesome God/Brothers Keeper/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Harlan County Waltz/Madeline's Song/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/(Tornado warning sounds)/You Did Not Have A Home (Tornado Shelter)/(Everyone returns to the auditorium)/Awesome God/While the Nations Rage/Screen Door/Ready for the Storm/Creed/Step by Step
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  June 14, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at the First Baptist Church in Southaven, MS.
  Set List: 78 Eatonwood Gree/Awesome God/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Ready for the Storm/Screen Door/Sing your Praise to the Lord/Doxology
  
  

  June 19, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Toledo, OH at, with This Train and Mitch McVicker.
  
  

  June 21, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at the First Assembly of God in Lafayette, IN at 7:30 p.m.
  Set List: Nothing But the Blood of Jesus/Awesome God/Brother's Keeper/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Madeline's Song/Calling Out Your Name/Such A Thing As Glory/Ready For the Storm/By The Waters of Babylon/Every Word You Said (This Train)/I Saw the Light/Monster Truck/I Will Sing/Sing Your Praise To The Lord/Hold Me Jesus/Why Do the Nations Rage/If I Stand/Screen Door/There You Are (Mitch)/Heaven is Waiting (Mitch)/That Great Atomic Power/We are not as Strong as we think we are/You Did Not Have A Home/Sometimes by Step/Creed/I'm Gonna Sing Sing Sing/When The Saints Go Marching In/Swing Low Sweet Chariot/Doxology
  
  

  June 27, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Birmingham, AL at the 16th Street Baptist Church.
  
  

  June 28, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Stone Mountain, GA at Moubt Carmel Christian Church.
  Set List: Right Here, Right Now (Mitch)/Freedom (Mitch)/The Lemonade Song/Only Love Will/Take Hold Of Me/Nothing But the Blood/Awesome God/Brother's Keeper/Boy Like Me/ Man Like You/Madeline's Song/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/Such A Thing As Glory/Ready For the Storm/By The Waters of Babylon/I See You/You Did Not Have A Home/Every Word You Said (This Train)/Whether You Like It or Not (This Train)/I Saw the Light (This Train)/Monster Truck (This Train)/I Will Sing/Sing Your Praise To the Lord/Where Mercy Leads (with special guest, Beaker)/Hold Me Jesus/While the Nations Rage/If I Stand/Screen Door/There You Are (Mitch)/That Great Atomic Power (This Train)/Hope (Mitch)/Bound to Come Some Trouble/Sometimes By Step/Creed/No Not One/It Is Well With My Soul
  

  July 1997

• CCM Magazine Includes an interview with Rich about the musical that he wrote with Beaker and Mitch McVicker entitled Canticle of the Plains.
  "Rich Mullins: The Dreamer and the Saint
  
  

  July 2, 1997

• Rich Mullins appears with Caedmon's Call at the Cornerstone Music Festival in Bushnel, Illinois.
  Derek Webb (Caedmon's Call): "The last time I saw Rich was at the Cornerstone festival. It was hard to not get right into the spontaneity that surrounded him. A perfect example of it occurred just before our set that night. I was stressing out about the fact that I didn't have nearly enough material to play when Rich very casually suggested that he could come and play some if I needed him to. Being up there with Rich that night filled me with a feeling that I can't really relay. I wish I could've told Rich then how much I loved him."
  
  

  July 4, 1997

• Prism/ESA releases Demonstrations of Love which includes a track by Ragamuffin Jimmy Abegg, "Aliens" and a song from Canticle of the Plains called "There You Are".
  
  
  
  

  (700 Club Out-take)

• While at Cornerstone, Rich gives an interview to two representatives of the TBN television program the 700 Club, for a segment called "On the Road with Pete and Roy". Only a brief portion of the interview was aired. Pete and Roy also spend time with Swirling Eddies and Daniel Amos frontman Terry Scott Taylor who gives a tour of the festival grounds to a cardboard cutout of Pat Robertson. When asked to say 'Hi' to Pat, Rich uses some colorful words that makes the message unusable. :)
  Rich (Aired Segment): "Well for me, one of the things that I most enjoy about the Cornerstone festival is you have a broad range of ages - for one thing, it's so cool to see a guy with a mohawk sitting next to a grandma."
  Rich: (Unaired Segment): "Well for me, one of the things that I most enjoy about the Cornerstone festival is you have a broad range of ages, I mean you have everything from - like I know grandparents that are here and kids and... people from lots of different denominations. In the best sense possible, they're all together in that it's not that they don't think doctrine is important but they all have enough humility to realize that their own particular take on doctrine may be inaccurate. And that's so refreshing when you're around... uh... people that are certain that they're right, even if ... you know.. at whatever cost, they have to be right. For one thing, it's so cool to see a guy with a mohawk sitting next to a grandma. I feel like the whole camping out thing is very wholesome - you know, my parents took me camping a lot. I mean looking right down there, you see two moms with their kids holding hands and walking down the thing... putting these kids in a social environment where they're not turned loose for the village to raise them, but... you see a lot of parental care here and that's a wonderful and inspriring thing to see."
  
  
• Rich Mullins joins This Train on stage for "Great Atomic Power" during their performance at the Cornerstone Festival in Bushnel, IL.
  
  
  
  
• Rich Mullins and the Ragamuffin Band perform at the Cornerstone Music Festival in Bushnel, Illinois. Rich performs the song "Jesus," which was written in the early days - but previously unheard by most of Rich's fans.
  Concert Transcript
  Set List: Hello Old Friends/Sing Your Praise To The Lord/Where You Are/Brothers Keeper/I See You/The Dream (Jimmy Abegg)/Aliens (Jimmy Abegg)/Calling Out Your Name/Big And Strong/A Place To Stand/The Color Green/Dance With Me Tonight (Rick Elias)/I Need You (That Thing You Do) (Rick Elias)/Man Of No Reputation/Jesus/Sometimes By Step/Creed/Awesome God
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Canticle of the Plains is performed at the Cornerstone Music festival shortly after the Ragamuffin's mainstage performance.
  Copies of the album were available at the show, but sold out very quickly.
  
  

  July 7-11, 1997 (Date Unknown)

• Rich Mullins and the Kid Brothers of St. Frank perform for a Christ in Youth Conference.
  
  

  July 4-17, 1997 (Date Unknown)

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform for a Christ in Youth Conference in Gunnison, CO.
  Set List: Brothers Keeper/Screen Door/Here And Now (Mitch McVicker)/Freedom (Mitch)/I will Sing/Praise to the Lord/You Did Not Have A Home/Baby Baby (This Train)/Monster Truck (This Train)/No Not One/Creed/Bound to Come Some Trouble/Sometimes By Step
  
  

  July 18, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Oklahoma City, OK at eagle Heights Church.
  
  

  July 19, 1997

  
  
  
• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Lufkin, Texas at Carpenters Way Christian Fellowship.
  Portions of this concert was later released on the Homeless Man video. This performance included the rare and unreleased "Charlie."
  Concert Transcript
  Set List: Here And Now (Mitch McVicker)/Freedom (Mitch)/The Lemonade Song (Mitch)/Only Love Will (Mitch)/Take Hold Of Me (Mitch)/
  Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus */Awesome God/Brothers Keeper/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Harlan County Waltz (Instrumental)/Madeline's Song/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/Such A Thing As Glory/Ready For The Storm/By The Waters Of Babylon (Traditional) */I See You/You Did Not Have A Home/Charlie */Monster Truck (This Train)/I Will Sing/Sing Your Praise To The Lord/Hold Me Jesus/While The Nations Rage/If I Stand/Screen Door/Heaven Is Waiting (Mitch)/There You Are (Mitch)/That Great Atomic Power (This Train)/Hope (Mitch)/Elijah/Sometimes By Step/Creed/No Not One */It Is Well */Hymn Medley: a. I'm Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing/b. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot/c. When The Saints Go Marching On/Doxology (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow)
  Lee Miller (Tech Director at Carpenter's Way Church): "That afternoon, we were expecting Rich and the guys to arrive about 2 or 3pm. While we waited inside the church, one of our high school students hung outside watching for them. It was one of those 100 degree days in Texas and Trey came back in the church and reported that they were not here yet, but he did note for us that a scraggly looking guy in a t-shirt and gym shorts wearing no shoes and driving a jeep just zipped into the parking lot. We immediately recognized that description!
  We went out to find Rich in the parking lot taking off his t-shirt and opening up a brand new box of running shoes. We greeted and he asked if he had time to jog around a while. Noting that it was his show and the remainder of the guys were not there yet, we grabbed the dulcimers out of the back and sent him on his jog.
  The church is located in a former strip mall and behind the church is a gear manufacturing facility that had a couple acres of property with nice trees and grass, a great place to jog thought Rich.
  The guys arrived and we got the band set-up and sound check was ready, but no Rich. Finally, after some time, Rich returned to the church. While he was out jogging, on the industrial property, they went home for the day and closed the eight foot security gates to the road locking Rich in the facility. He finally scaled the fence and returned to the church."
  
  

  July 24, 1997

  
  
  

  (Joplin, MO "Screen Door". Photo by Lorinda Gray)

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at Christ Community UMC in Joplin, MO.
  
  

  July 25, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at St. Matthew Church in Belleville, IL.
  
  

  July 26, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at Southwood's Christian Church in Overland Park, KS.
  
  

  July 28, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Stone Mountain, GA.
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  July 29-31 1997 (Date Unknown)

• Rich Mullins and band performs for a Christ in Youth Conference in Bolivar, MO.
  
  

  August 1997

• Rich goes for a walk in Nashville with Keith Bordeaux.
  Keith: "Rich shared with me some simple but profound thoughts on the subject. "Music is my occupation. My life is my ministry," he said. "Ministry is everyday. For example, how do I leave my hotel room when I check out? Do I leave dirty towels all over the place, empty cans on the floor? Do I leave the room destroyed so that when the maid comes in she thinks to herself, 'I am just a maid. My life is not important. I deserve this mess.'? Or do I pile my dirty towels in a corner and empty my own ashtrays? Do I clean up my trash so that when the maid comes in she thinks to herself, 'I am a maid. My life is important. I have dignity.'"
  
  
• Caedmon's Call releases Intimate Portrait, which includes their cover of Rich's Hope To Carry On" as well as video clips of Rich, interviews with CC about Rich, and the Hope To Carry On" Promo Video filmed earlier in the year.
  
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  August 1, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in West Carbondale, IL at the Lutheran Church of Hope.
  
  

  August 2, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in West Central, IL at the Lutheran Church of Hope.
  
  

  August 3, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at the Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines, IA.
  
  

  August 7, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at Waterloo Church of Christ in Waterloo, IA.
  
  

  August 8, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at First Assembly of God in Rockford, IL.
  
  

  August 9, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Naperville, IL at Calvary Church. Songs included "If I Stand" and "While The Nations Rage."
  
  

  August 10, 1997

  
  
  
• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at Green Bay Community Church in Green Bay, WI .
  A portion of "Nothing But The Blood" from this concert would later be released as the ending to the Jesus record.
  Concert Transcript
  Set List: Here And Now (Mitch McVicker)/Freedom (Mitch)/The Lemonade Song (Mitch)/Only Love Will (Mitch)/Take Hold Of Me (Mitch)/Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus */Awesome God/Brothers Keeper/Boy Like Me, Man Like You/Harlan County Waltz (Instrumental)/Madeline's Song/78 Eatonwood Green/Calling Out Your Name/Such A Thing As Glory/Ready For The Storm/By The Waters Of Babylon (Traditional) */I See You/Whether You Like It Or Not (This Train)/I Saw The Light (This Train)/Mimes Of The Old West (This Train)/Monster Truck (This Train)/I Will Sing/Sing Your Praise To The Lord/Hold Me Jesus/While The Nations Rage/If I Stand/Screen Door/Heaven Is Waiting (Mitch)/That Great Atomic Power (This Train)/Hope (Mitch)/Bound To Come Some Trouble/Sometimes By Step/Creed/
  No Not One */Hymn Medley:a. I'm Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing/b. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot/c. When The Saints Go Marching On/Doxology (Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow)
  

  August 12, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at Elmbrook Church in Milwaukee, WI.
  Set List: Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Screen Door78 Eatonwood Green/Awesome God/If I Stand/While the Nations Rage/I See YouBoy Like Me/Man Like You/uch a Thing as Glory/Sometimes by Step/Hold Me Jesus/Creed/Ready for the Storm/Madeline's Song
  

  August 14, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform at the First Assembly of God in Fort Wayne, IN.
  Set List (Partial): 78 Eatonwood Green/Nothing but the Blood/Calling Out Your Name/Sing Your Praise to the Lord/I Will Sing/If I Stand/While the Nations Rage/Madeline's Song
  

  August 15, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Plymouth, MI at temple Baptist Church.
  Concert Transcript
  Set List: I Will Sing/Sing Your Praise To The Lord/Hold Me Jesus/While The Nations Rage/If I Stand/Screen Door/Heaven Is Waiting (Mitch)/ There You Are (Mitch)/That Great Atomic Power (This Train)/Hope (Mitch)/The River/Sometimes By Step/Creed/No Not One/I'm Gonna Sing, Sing, Sing
  
  

  (Photo by Jonathan A. Meyers. JAM Photography.)

  August 16, 1997

• Rich Mullins, the Kid Brothers of St. Frank, This Train and Mitch McVicker perform in Crystal Lake, IL at Evangelical Free Church of Crystal Lake.
  
  

  August 17, 1997

• The Wichita Eagle runs an ad for auditions for a performance of Canticle of the Plains. Auditions were helod at the Alexander Auditorium Whittier Fine Arts Center between 7PM and 9PM on the following Thursday and Friday.
  
  

  August 20, 1997

• Rich Mullins signs a recording contract with Myrhh Records.
  
  

  September 1, 1997

• Rich Mullins, Mitch McVicker and the Kid Brothers of St. Frank perform at the ECC Arts Center at the Elgin Community College in Elgin, IL. (Note: This would turn out to be Rich's final public performance).
  
  

  September 2, 1997

• Rich Mullins and Mitch McVicker begin staying at a home in Elgin Ellinois for about a couple of weeks. While at the house, Rich writes the final song for his next album, "All The Way to Kingdom Come."
  
  

  Early September 1997

• CCM Magazine Reviews Canticle of the Plains.
  Album Reviews
  
  
• Rich Mullins spends time in Roswell East Studio in Chicago with Mark Robertson and Mitch McVicker recording Mitch McVicker's first album. He also uses this time to flesh out the remaing tracks that would be planned for his next album, The Jesus Record.
  
  
• Rich records what later became known as The Jesus Demos in an abandoned church near the studio in Chicago. After playing through the entire set of songs, Rich realized that he had forgotten to take the tape recorder off of "pause." Instead of giving up, he started the recorder and played through them again. These were the working demos of songs for what would later become The Jesus Record (at the time, simply known as Ten Songs About Jesus.) The plan at the time was to start recording the full album in a few weeks. Mitch McVicker joined Rich on guitar for the demo of "All The Way to Kingdom Come."
  
  One song, included on the demo is "Jesus," which was actually written in early 1974 and known by the name "Rolling Stone." Mitch McVicker and Dana Waddel helped Rich to flesh out and finish the song for the planned album.
  
  
• According to Fr, Matthew McGinness of the Diocese of Wichita, Rich stated that he had finally made up his mind and decided to be received into the Catholic Church. (Source: ""Asymptotic Catholic", First Things Journal, March 12, 2013)
  
  Father Matt McGinness: "In the Fall of 1997, Rich was in Chicago working on his next CD and doing a lot of recording. He would try to call me and would miss me. I'd call him back and he'd be recording and not available. We missed one another close to ten times. I remember at one point Rich laughing on his message and saying, 'Fr. Matt, this is the longest game of phone tag I have ever played in my life.' When we finally hooked up, he said, 'Fr. Matt, this may sound strange, but I HAVE TO RECEIVE THE BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST.' I told him that it didn't sound strange at all but that it sounded wonderful. I told him that he had gone through RCIA so that all he needed to do was to go to Confession and to make a public Profession of Faith. I also remember saying, 'We've talked about everything; you can go to Confession with me.' And he said, 'Ah, no, we haven't...' So, I said, 'No problem, I'll hook you up with another priest friend.' I set up an appointment for Rich to go to Confession to Fr. Paul Coakley who is now Archbishop Coakley of Oklahoma City. He was going to make his profession of Faith at the 7:00pm Mass on September 21 at the Newman Center at Wichita State University where I was chaplain for several years. On Saturday morning Sept 20, his agent called me to tell me that he had been killed in a car wreck. I remember feeling like I had been kicked in the gut."
  
  

  September 6, 1997

• Rich, Mitch and Eric perform a private house concert in Elgin, IL. as a "thank you" to the family for hosting him and Mitch. Rich and Mitch were staying at the house while recording in Illinois.
  Set List: Sing Your Praise to the Lord/Bach Concerto/Here and Now (Mitch McVicker)/Only Love (Mitch McVicker)/Screen Door/Step by Step/Lemonade Song (Mitch McVicker)/You Did Not Have A Home/Hard to Get/The Breaks/Song for Mary (excerpt)/If I Stand/Creed/Calling Out Your Name/Gospel Rain (Mitch McVicker)/Harlan County Waltz/Ready for the Storm/Back's Cello Suite 1 in G Major (Eric Hauck)/No Not One/NWhat Trouble Are Giants?/Awesome God/
  

  Early September 1997

• Rick Elias produces Randy Stonehill's Thirst album in Nashville, TN.
  Randy Stonehill: "I was working on a song called 'Hand of God' and I said I hear this as Stuart Adamson of Big Country - the guy who played electric guitar like it was a bagpipe or something. I hear Stuart Adamson meets Rich Mullins. And Rick smiled and said, 'I know both of those guys.' I said, 'You know Stuart Adamson?' and he said 'Yeah he lives in town now. But you know, Rich is going to be coming to town to start preproduction on what we now know became The Jesus Record. I know he'd love to play on your record. A lot of people underestimate him.. but Rich is really good and he is always happy when he gets a chance to do that.'"
  
  

  September 13-14, 1997

  
  Jim Chaffee, Judith Hubbard and Rich
  
  
• Rich spends a weekend with Judith Volz and Jim Chaffee (from Myrrh Records), Rick Elias (whom Rich wanted to produce his next album), Jim Dunning Jr (Rich's Manager), and Keith Bordeaux (who worked with the William Morris Agency to book Rich's tour dates) as a time to plan for his new album. He also played the tape of demos recorded earlier in the month in Chicago.
  
  Rick Elias: "He put it in one cassette deck and it wouldn't play, The tape got caught in the deck; he stared pulling on it and there was all this tape coming out. I rewound it with a pencil and said, `You'd better put it in another deck before it breaks.' "
  
  Keith Bordeux: "I was with Rich at his home in New Mexico the weekend before his death. He had not been home in six months because of summer touring and he was excited to be back. He was like a child in his enthusiasm to show his guests everything about his life among the Navajo Nation. The trip was scheduled to be a planning time for the new project Rich would be recording... By the first day, he had the entire weekend planned for us. He definitely wanted everyone to hear the new songs and he wanted to discuss direction for the album and touring. But his primary love was evident in the amount of time he had blocked for us to see the Navajo Nation. We spent four hours on Friday discussing business and the rest of the weekend experiencing the reservation. We saw Window Rock, where the central government of the Navajo people is located. He took us hiking in Canyon de Chelley to experience the beauty and grandeur that inspired 'Cry The Name.' We slept in his hogans, traditional eight-sided Navajo dwellings. We picnicked with his Navajo and missionary friends, and we visited a museum for the Navajo Nation. One of the highlights of the weekend for me was late Friday night, lying on the futon in his trailer with him and Judith and watching his favorite movie, Brother Sun, Sister Moon about the life of St. Francis."
  
  
• Rich faxes Sound and Spirit Magazine his goals and resolutions for 1998.
  Rich: "My goal is to stop being grumpy. My resolution is my plan of attack: 1) Get up before I have to so I can have a half-hour at least before I have to talk to anyone. 2) Spend an hour each early evening working out - do not hurry. 3) Unplug my phone - use my answering machine as a dart board. Throw ice cubes at it when I'm frustrated in stead of making cutting remarks to people I love. 4) Stop expecting big successes and start celebrating the little ones. 5) Chart the movements of the Big Dipper and soak in the sun as much as possible. Live in a world that is bigger than my calendar -- more permanent than my feelings, more glorious than my accomplishments (that should be easy)."
  
  

  September 15-16, 1997

• After returning to Illinois to finish recording, Rich and Eric Hauck go for a walk in Chicago prior to a planned trip to Wichita.
  Keith Bordaeux: "He felt that God was not going to allow him to be a hands on participant in the work on the reservation. He would not be able to actually do the work he had looked forward to for so long. In tears he told Eric that he felt that God was showing him that his gift was raising money through his music to support the work and wanted Eric to pray about heading up the after school programs for the youth."
  Eric Hauck: "He said 'I get this feeling that I'm not the one the one to run this Native American ministry - because he really wanted to live in New Mexico and fund and do this music stuff and ministry, and he said, 'Man, I just get the feeling that I'm not supposed to do. I'm really good at making money because I can play shows and sell CDs and I'm really good at that. That's God's gift to me. I'm wondering that instead of touring with me, if you would stay at the reservation and teach the kids music."
  
  

  September 17, 1997

• Rich began to write a book that would be released with his next album.
  Kathy Sprinkle: "He read me the first reflection for his book and I just sat there. Sometimes he scared me with the things he wrote because I knew they didn't come from him. That's how I felt when I heard this. I told him, 'It's the best thing you've ever written.' He agreed."
  
  
• Rich writes Scared of the Dark.
  
  

  September 18, 1997

• Rich phones his friend Kathy Sprinkle and mentions that he would like to spend some time at her house in Wichita. It is planned that Eric Hauck and Michael Aukofer would start driving to Wichita on their own. Rich and Mitch would join them later. Mark Robertson headed to Ohio. During the call, Rich reads "Scared of the Dark" to Kathy over the phone.
  
  
• Rich also phones Fr. Matthew McGinness of the Diocese of Wichita and makes plans to meet the following Sunday. Rich reportedly told Fr. McGinniss, "This may sound strange, but I have to receive the body and blood of Christ." (Source: ""Asymptotic Catholic", First Things Journal, March 12, 2013)
  
  
  

  September 19, 1997

• Rich and Mitch hit the road to start making their way to Wichita.
  Mitch: "I don't have any memory of the drive except for stopping to get gas and we each got coffee. It was one of those where you put your cup there and you push the button and it fills it up and when it gets to the top it stops and you walk off. So I did that, and Rich did it. It got to the top, he walked off... well the coffee didn't stop running out. And it ran all over the floor. We go up to the cash register and the guy looks to see the mess over there and then he recognizes Rich as 'Rich Mullins.' It was a great juxtaposition of him making a mess on the guys floor and him being Rich Mullins. That's my last memory. I don't even remember leaving or anything."
  
  
• Rich Mullins is killed in a car accident near Peoria, IL. Rich and Mitch McVicker were on their way to a benefit concert at Lawrence Dumont Stadium in Wichita when they lost control of their jeep and it flipped on the highway ejecting both passengers. A trailing rig swerved to miss the jeep and hit Rich. He died at age forty-one.
  
  Mark Robertson: "I was with him about two hours before he died." I was in Ohio, taking a small vacation, because Rich and I had just produced a record. The day he died was the last day of tracking the record for a new artist named Mitch McVicker. I checked my messages, and I had about 30 messages, none of which said what happened, just 'I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry'. I finally called a friend who told me to sit down, and told me the news. Basically I cried all night. I feel happy for Rich - he's where he wanted to be, where he always wanted to be, so I'm sure Rich is fine. I feel sorry for me that I have to be without him, as my friend, and I'll never get to play music with him again, and how much I would miss his friendship, and his example to me as a Christian."
  
  Jim Chaffee (Myrrh): "I was with Rich two weeks ago in Window Rock at the Navajo Nation. We had spent two days working on the songs for the new record, then took a day to hike in the canyon. We came home late that day and the missionaries who lived in the compound invited him over for dinner. We were very tired, but he felt that he should go because this was his only opportunity to see them and he hadn't been home for six months. He had dinner with them, then came back in late. We were thinking he had come back to go to bed, but he grabbed his guitar and said, 'I'll be back in a bit.' He went back to them and sat in their living room until very, very late that night and sang through the whole new record to this missionary couple and their kids because they were his friends and he wanted to share the new music with them. That was the heart of Rich Mullins."
  
  Billy Crockett (Musician, Ragamuffin Band): "In the studio Rich would say to me, 'Don't make this too pretty.' He didn't want to be sentimental. 'Hello Old Friends' says it outright: 'Let love be stronger than the feelings.'
  He was always laughing about how out-of-tune his instruments were. He played a beat-up buzzing guitar until one day somebody came to the airport and handed him a new Guild which he received like an amazed little boy.
  Life seemed trivial and dear, like some kind of holy joke. I suppose that it's no real surprise that his life ended abruptly. He did seem to live like a meteorite! The 'reckless raging fury' of God's love is what he was onto! I simply hoped for more chapters, more chances, more strange improvisational occasions to play for and glimpse the wild heart of a true believer."
  
  Michael W. Smith (artist): "Rich Mullins's life and music have impacted me more than anyone I know... Nobody on this planet wrote songs like he did, and I feel we've lost one of the only true poets in our industy. I love Rich Mullins. No one will ever know how much I'll miss him."
  
  Bob Thornton (KTLI Wichita): "Rich used to come into the station quite a bit. He had friends who worked here and all of us knew him, so he would drop in when he was in town. He would just walk in the lobby and call out to any staff that was around, 'Who wants to go to lunch? I haven't got any money!' That was Rich. He never had any money...
  As I got to know him over the years, it was because he literally gave everything away. He really didn't have anything. I've spoken with the lady who was house-sitting his Navajo reservation home. She went over on Sunday [after the accident], and she said 'There's nothing here.' Rich just didn't collect things. A few musical instruments, a jacket...
  So, Rich was just really about giving himself 100% of the time and even when it came down to something simple like, 'I haven't got any money for lunch,' it was probably because he had given everything he had to somebody that had needed it the day before.
  
  Mike Blanton: "Rich's passing is very bittersweet. I've never known anybody who so firmly had one leg already in heaven and one leg still on this earth. I don't think he ever felt fully comfortable or settled-in here, and he lived the type of life of somebody who was not settling in. I know he feels much more at home now than he ever did over here."
  
  

  September 20, 1997

• Carolyn Arends, Randy Stonehill, Michael W. Smith and others perform in North Carolina for Carowinds Christian Music Day.
  Randy Stonehill: "Carolyn Arends showed up and she had big sunglasses on. I said, 'Hey Carolyn - how you doing?' and she just shook her head and said, 'Rich was killed last night on the freeway and I've been crying all day.' I just jumped back like someone had popped me in the face. She hugged me and said, 'I can't talk about it.'"
  Randy Stonehill: "Michael W. Smith came in the main door from across the room and he saw me and in typical smitty fashion he went 'Randall!' and shouted my name across the room. He came up to me and I said, 'I gotta talk to you right now.' He knew something was up. We went into his main dressing room and I said, 'Listen man - I can't just pretend that everything is ok because it's really not and I just wanted to tell you this in private. I just found out from Carolyn that Rich was killed last night on the road.' His eyes got wide and he leaned up against the table and he grabbed his cell phone and immediately started making calls to get any information he could.... I was getting into the van from the theme park that was shuttling artists to and from the hotel - just as I got in the van, he started his set and in front of 13,000 people he started singing 'Step by Step you'll lead me... and I will follow you all of my days...' I started crying sitting there in the van."
  
  

  September 24, 1997

• A memorial sevice is held for Rich at Kentwood Christian Church in Kentwood, MI.
  
  
• A public memorial sevice is held for Rich in Richmond, IN.
  
  

  September 25, 1997

• A memorial sevice is held for Rich at Milligan College's Seeger Chapel in Johnson, TN.
  
  
• Milligan College's Newspaper The Stampede includes an article about Rich's death.
  "His Death Leaves A Void on Campus"
  
  

  September 26, 1997

• A memorial sevice is held for Rich at Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. Musical tributes included performances by Michael W. Smith ("Awesome God," and "Step by Step."), Ashley Cleveland ("Elijah"), Phil Keaggy ("Hold Me Jesus"), Rick Elias ("Man of No Reputation"), and Amy Grant (who performed her own "Somewhere Down the Road," at the request of Rich's mother Neva Mullins).
  
  
• Family News in Focus reports news of Rich Mullins' death.
  
  

  September 27, 1997

• A memorial prayer and praise sevice is held for Rich at Wichita State University's Henry Levitt Arena in Wichita, KS. More than 5000 people attended.
  Dr Stephen Hooks (Rich's former professor): "There's a Ragamuffin Loose in heaven. There are bare feet on the streets of gold. And I tell you, heaven will never be the same!"
  
  
• A memorial sevice is held for Rich at First Assembly of God Church in Peoria, IL.
  
  
• A memorial sevice is held for Rich at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA.
  
  

  September 29, 1997

• CCM Update includes an artcle on Rich entitled "Christian Music Industry Remembers Rich Mullins".
  
  

  October 1997

• "20 The Countdown Magazine" radio show airs a special tribute to Rich.
  
  
• Christian Musician publishes an article about Rich Mullins written by Keith Bordauex.
  "Rich Mullins (1955-1997)"
  
  
• Sound and Spirit publishes an article about Rich Mullins.
  "Remembering Rich Mullins (1955-1997)"
  
  

  October 4, 1997

• Billboard Magazine publishes news about the death of Rich Mullins.
  
  

  October 9-11, 1997

• "The Canticle of the Plains" is performed at Friends University's Alexander Auditorium in Wichita, KS.
  
  

  October 10, 1997

• The Chicago Tribune runs an article on the death of Rich Mullins.
  "A Christian Songwriter Who Broke the Mold"
  
  

  October 11, 1997

• John Rivers' 20 The Countdown Magazine Remembers Rich Mullins is broadcast.
  20 The Countdown Magazine Remembers Rich Mullins
  
  

  October 13, 1997

• A memorial sevice is held for Rich in Window Rock, AZ.
  
  

  October 20, 1997

• This was the date that Rich had originally planned to start recording his next album in Nashville, TN.
  
  

  October 21, 1997

• A memorial sevice is held for Rich at Seminary's Presidential Hall Gym at Cincinnati Bible College in Cincinnati, OH. Among those that performed songs and spoke about Rich included Jeff Sack, former roommate at CBC Jaimie Carmichael, Terry Fischer of the Jesus House, Jenny Wesner, Beth Snell Lutz, and Tom Weimer (all three of Zion), Professor Ron Henderson, Kathy Sprinkle, David Mullins, and Sam Howard.
  October 21 is also declared "Rich Mullins Day" in Cincinnati.
  
  

  October 26, 1997

• Our Sunday Visitor publishes an article about Rich Mullins. "Awesome Guy: Remembering Rich Mullins"
  
  

  November 1997

  
  
  
• Rich Mullins appears on the Cover of CCM Magazine. The issue includes a large tribute to Rich, with articles and rare photos.
  "As Best As I Can Remember Him, Volume One"
  "In His Own Words"
  "Requiem For A Ragamuffin"
  "Rich Rememberances"
  
  
• The same issue of CCM also includes the following article by John Fischer.
  "Barefoot in Heaven"
  
  

  November 7, 1997

• A memorial sevice is held for Rich in Boynton Beach, FL at Westside Baptist Church.
  
  

  November 8, 1997

• A memorial concert is held for Rich in Brampton, Ontario Canada.
  
  

  November 10, 1997

• LightMusic airs Part One of a special tribute to Rich.
  
  

  November 17, 1997

• LightMusic airs Part Two of a special tribute to Rich.
  
  

All pages = © 1996- Eric Townsend All Rights Reserved. Do not reproduce or publish without permission.