The Campbell Brothers – Medley of Offertory Tunes.

In the beginning was the word.
And the word was with God.
And The Word was presented by Terry Christian.


I’m not a religious man – I used to think the baptismal font was Jesus’ favourite typeface – so the closest I come to a spiritual experience is listening to screaming gospel music. I’ve reasoned that if I listen to enough of it God might be tricked into thinking I believe in him and let me into heaven. It’s a bit of a long shot, what with that whole omniscience thing he’s got going on, but worth a go.

The Campbell Brothers, Philip, Chuck and Darick, began playing in their father’s church, The House of God Church in Tennessee, which has a sixty year old tradition of ‘Sacred Steel’ music. This style is based around the sound of the steel guitar which is laid flat and played using a steel bar. The steel guitar is usually associated with the gentle whining sound often heard in country music and the music of Hawaii (where the instrument originated). However, Sacred Steel music uses the instrument to create a much more intense sound to match the fervid nature of the sermons.

The Campbell Brothers were the first to take this music out of the Church and begin playing to secular audiences. Since then, Robert Randolph (who was given his first steel guitar by Chuck Campbell) has taken this music further into the mainstream. It’s not hard to hear why this music inspires religious fervour in people or why atheist fundamentalists like me love it. Of course, you don’t need me to tell you this; I’m sure you all obeyed my earlier order (which still stands – that tune is far better than today’s and far better than pretty much anything you care to mention).

It might be shallow of me but if they played music like this at my local Anglican church I’d be there every Sunday. As it is they come up with sermons that are dull enough to be the next 50 Cent single. Logic would suggest that if you knew the secret of the universe and were guaranteed an eternity in heaven you’d sound a little pleased about it (perhaps church is God’s way of preparing us for hell). Logic would also suggest that God wouldn’t have the one true faith founded because Henry VIII was bored with his wife.

Don’t interpret any of this as having a go at Christians. They have the right to believe what they believe and I have the right to believe the truth.


The Campbell Brothers – Medley of Offertory Tunes

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Download The Campbell Brothers at the Grassroots Festival