Tomorrow On Her Mind (Radio Edit)

Sapphire Creek

Julie Wuertz rocks it on this country song about new-found freedom. Same as the CD but features a drum track to give the song an extra kick!

Photo credit: 2013 Carla Dee Tomorrow on Her Mind (Radio edit) Words & music by Doug Hanks. 2014 Lambs in the Meadow Music (BMI)

Doug's notes about the song: "Tomorrow on Her Mind" - First write was in

Julie Wuertz rocks it on this country song about new-found freedom. Same as the CD but features a drum track to give the song an extra kick!

Photo credit: ©2013 Carla Dee Tomorrow on Her Mind (Radio edit) Words & music by Doug Hanks. ©2014 Lambs in the Meadow Music (BMI)

Doug's notes about the song: "Tomorrow on Her Mind" - First write was in 2008. I put this on Blue Sky Sliding, too. The first line is the schoolyard mantra about teachers on the last day of school. I probably got the idea around the last day of school that year and made it about a girl who explores her newly found freedom.

Sapphire Creek is Doug Hanks and Julie Wuertz. The duo also performs as part of The Silverados, a 7-piece southern California country cover band. “We just wanted to do something a little different,” says Julie. “We’ve sung off and on as a duo for various events for many years.” Doug adds, “Now, we’re finally recording it.”

JULIE – Though she is from the 80's generation, Julie's musical roots go much deeper than that. Born and raised in Southern California, she grew up performing in a great music program at her church which allowed her to sing, act, go on tours, and even record children's albums. As a featured singer with The Silverados, her interaction with an audience keeps them riveted. "One of the best things at the Concerts in the Parks is having all of the girls come up and sing with us for a song. What a blast!" When Julie isn't hanging with the band, she is with her husband and two (nearly grown) children, and you can still find her singing on a Sunday morning at the same church she attended as a child.

DOUG – Music started early for both Julie and Doug. Doug started at age 14 when he sang with a folk group. At 18, he formed a his own folk group that traveled through northern California. Later, he paired with Jim Blanco to form Blanco & Hanks – singing all the hits of the 70’s while accompanying themselves on acoustic guitars. Throughout the 80's and 90's Doug traveled extensively. In 2011, he released Blue Sky Sliding featuring Julie on three songs – a preview of things to come. Doug also released Walking in the Father’s Love in 1982, which received airplay in 55 markets across the US.

Both California natives, Doug and Julie were influenced by the soft-rock of Laurel Canyon and evolving folk music– Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and their contemporaries. And the country favorites of their parents – Cash, Williams, Owens, and Haggard -- added to the mix.

As part of The Silverados, they have shared the stage with Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, John Michael Montgomery, and Shiela E.

The song features Drums on Demand loop tracks.

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Sapphire Creek

Sapphire Creek

Their debut CD - the simplicity of two voices and acoustic guitars. Doug Hanks and Julie Wuertz combine their love of 70's Laurel Canyon folk-rock and classic country to deliver close harmonies with a peaceful, easy feeling.

Sapphire Creek’s Doug Hanks and Julie Wuertz weave their voices together in a tapestry punctuated with finger-picked and

Their debut CD - the simplicity of two voices and acoustic guitars. Doug Hanks and Julie Wuertz combine their love of 70's Laurel Canyon folk-rock and classic country to deliver close harmonies with a peaceful, easy feeling.

Sapphire Creek’s Doug Hanks and Julie Wuertz weave their voices together in a tapestry punctuated with finger-picked and staccato strummed acoustic guitars. Their harmony-rich arrangements of folk-pop, folk-rock, country, and Americana are sure to please. The duo also performs as part of The Silverados, a 7-piece southern California country cover band. “We just wanted to do something a little different,” says Julie. “We’ve sung off and on as a duo for various events for about twenty years.” Doug adds, “Now, we’re finally recording it.”

JULIE – Though she is from the 80's generation, Julie's musical roots go much deeper than that. Born and raised in Southern California, she grew up performing in a great music program at her church which allowed her to sing, act, go on tours, and even record children's albums. As a featured singer with The Silverados, her interaction with an audience keeps them riveted. "One of the best things at the Concerts in the Parks is having all of the girls come up and sing with us for a song. What a blast!" When Julie isn't singing with Sapphire Creek, she is with her husband and two (nearly grown) children, and you can still find her singing on a Sunday morning at the same church she attended as a child.

DOUG – Music started early for Doug at age 4, but when he was 14 he performed with a folk group that traveled through northern California. Later, he paired with Jim Blanco to form Blanco & Hanks – singing all the hits of the 70’s while accompanying themselves on acoustic guitars. Throughout the 80's and 90's Doug traveled extensively throughout the US. Doug also released Walking in the Father’s Love in 1982, which received airplay in 55 markets across the US. Through the 80's and 90's he continued to sing at camps, conferences, and churches. In 2011, he released Blue Sky Sliding featuring Julie on three tracks – a preview of things to come.

Both California natives, Doug and Julie were influenced by the soft-rock of Laurel Canyon and evolving folk music – Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Eagles, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and their contemporaries. And both were inspired by the country favorites of their parents – Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard.

As part of The Silverados, they have shared the stage with Tim McGraw, Montgomery Gentry, John Michael Montgomery, and Shiela E. Now, newly formed in 2013, Doug and Julie look forward to a rich adventure as they share their music.

In their debut CD, all vocals: Julie Wuertz & Doug Hanks. All guitars: Doug

Each guitar recorded on this CD is acoustic (except the Fender P-bass.) The acoustic guitars Doug played are Taylor guitars and one Gibson: • 420 Koa Limited Edition equipped with K&K pure mini pickups • 1997 514C equipped with K&K pure mini pickups • 1992 710 with no pickups • the "MercyMe 810" equipped with a Fishman under saddle pickup • a customized GS Mini mahogany with K&K pure mini pickups • a 1967 Gibson J-50 on the intro to "The West."

The Gold Tone Banjitar played on "Love's Gonna Rock Your World" uses a modified Nashville tuning -- the low E and A strings are tuned an octave higher and the high E is drop-tuned to D.

The J.R.R Tolkien Orc-estra under the bent baton of D. Richard Henrys is actually samples from Los Angeles Scoring Strings (LASS), Garritan Personal Orchestra 4, and Garritan Instant Orchestra. Drum and percussion samples are Drums on Demand.

Doug would like to thank: • The many friends and neighbors who encouraged us at the house concerts used to hone these songs, especially Shel & Bernice Clark for the use of their lovely garden home. • Nathan Brown for his continued support to be poetic and artistic. • James Hood at James Hood Guitar Repair, Escondido, CA (formerly Buffalo Bros.) for his work on the Gibson J-50 and Taylor 514C (They sound fabulous!) • The Silverados (Mike, Steve, Scott, Ray, Audrey) for their fine work throughout the season. • The Friday 6 A.M. Brandon's men for their prayer throughout the year. • Koen for making me laugh when he counts off songs to twelve and then, at the age of three, plays like he's a rock star. Good job, Big Boy! • A special thank you to Julie for agreeing to try something new in music (though we had been doing this for over 20 years together.) • And most of all, thanks and love to the lovely Mary for listening to hours and hours of the same music as I recorded and mixed the CD. We did it!

Julie would like to thank: • My dad, Norm, for always being my #1 fan. For always encouraging me and coming as often as he could to see us perform. • My mom, JoAnn, for recognizing that music and singing was my passion at a very young age. And for carting me around for rehearsals, performances, and recording sessions for many years. (Extra thanks!) • The Silverados-- my second family-- and for being part of my life for the last 20+ years. Love you guys! • To Bill, my husband, for everything you do for our family and me. I love you, honey! • Daniel and Sarah for just being my wonderful kids. Love my babies! • The biggest thank you to Doug for all of his work and creative genius putting this project together. And for that email that started it all: Maybe or Maybe not??

Song notes from Doug: "Tomorrow on Her Mind" - First write was in 2008. I put this on Blue Sky Sliding, too. The first line is the schoolyard mantra about teachers on the last day of school. I probably got the idea around the last day of school that year and made it about a girl who explores her newly found freedom.

"Love's Gonna Rock Your World" - I remember playing this in Y2K for some friends at a camp, but I wrote it in 1999.

"When You're Dancing" - Wrote it in 1999 for the wedding of ballet dancers Chris Bonomo and Sarah Spradlin. Now for the mere fun of it, they hike the John Muir Trail through California.

"Stay at Home" - Inspired by an episode of NPR's Story Core - a mom told her daughter of her past life as a sex slave in the U.S. She ran away from home as a teen, got kidnapped in a park, drugged, and worked for nine years as a prostitute. Never stay at home if you are being abused; seek help today! But if it's just a fight with Mom over your iPhone, it's safer at home than out of the mean streets. Some people who can hurt you very badly for a long, long time prowl around out there!

Because human trafficking is considered to be one of the fastest growing criminal industries, the U.S. government and academic researchers are currently working on an up-to-date estimate of the total number of trafficked persons in the United States annually. With 100,000 children estimated to be in the sex trade in the United States each year, it is clear that the total number of human trafficking victims in the U.S. reaches into the hundreds of thousands when estimates of both adults and minors and sex trafficking and labor trafficking are aggregated. (www.polarisproject.org)

"The West/Sun Hangin' Low" - First write on this was in 1998. I always intended to record it with an extended orchestral beginning -- a prelude reminiscent of Copland's "Open Prairie" or something like Randy Newman writes for period films.

The three covers on the CD are songs we love. Julie sang "Country Roads" as a child blaring it as loud as she could on the car stereo, and one of the first songs Doug learned on the guitar was a chicken-pickin' version of "Jackson." Edie Brickell's haunting lyrics and Steve Martin's claw hammer banjo on "Remember Me This Way" made this song an easy choice for their songlist.

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Blue Sky Sliding

Doug Hanks

This music veteran brings a blend of styles (contemporary Christian, soft rock, folk, Beatlesque, even some classical-tinged instrumentals) to his latest release. Upbeat, yet contemplative, you'll be inspired to reach the higher things that life offers.

DOUG HANKS Doug formed his first band when he was twelve and never looked back!

Raised on Merle

This music veteran brings a blend of styles (contemporary Christian, soft rock, folk, Beatlesque, even some classical-tinged instrumentals) to his latest release. Upbeat, yet contemplative, you'll be inspired to reach the higher things that life offers.

DOUG HANKS Doug formed his first band when he was twelve and never looked back!

Raised on Merle Haggard and Buck Owens, Doug's upbringing 30 miles north of Bakersfield established solid roots in country music. Later, The Beatles, Larry Norman, James Taylor, and Jackson Browne rounded out his musical influences. He is an active member of the Nashville Songwriters Association, International.

Blue Sky Sliding is Doug’s newest CD release-- a mixture of contemporary Christian, country, and pop.

A veteran of the stage, his 1983 release, "Walking in the Father's Love" received extensive airplay in the U.S. and Canada. It featured Joe English on drums (home from playing with Paul McCartney & Wings). He has also published songs with Maranatha! Music.

ALBUM TRACKS Cross the River (For Tim Hunt) During the summer between sixth and seventh grade, Tim Hunt, Rick Lovett, and I took our guitars to summer camp and learned three songs-- Gloria, House of the Rising Sun, and Rain. We instantly formed The Red Barons (We all had red hair!) and played a talent show and two Sunday school parties. We listened to Beatles records and learned every Beatles song. We learned to play in the cracks. We played off and on through junior high school-- the last time getting together to rehearse the chord changes for The Beatles’ Revolution.

In the early nineties, I got a call from a childhood friend that Tim had died in a tragic car accident. I started writing the song that night. A little while later, I saw a funeral procession on the freeway and noticed that the other cars rushed by at their usual raceway speed, seemingly apathetic to the pain of the mourners. For some reason, the song came back into my mind as did all the memories of that week near the Bear River in California when I was twelve.

I am the sole surviving member of The Red Barons.

A Distant Friend (for George Harrison) The Beatles taught me how to play guitar; I listened to the radio and their records and learned every chord in every Beatles song. The George songs taught me how to play diminished chords (root + minor third + minor third.) On the day that George Harrison died, the line “A distant friend is gone” stuck itself in my head. At the most surprising moments, I still find myself singing his songs, especially the weird Indian stuff. (I paid tribute [ripped off] to the intro to “Taxman.”)

Tomorrow on Her Mind I sent this to four country singers looking for songs. Then I sent it to the good folks at Nashville Songwriters Association, who looked at it seriously, considered it for their publisher’s luncheon, but sent it back to me. I told myself if they sent it back I would record it myself and release it.

Elvis on a Greyhound I wrote this for my sister, Squid. She is a conspirator in the Elvis Didn’t Really Die theory and she loves Priscilla.

I Remember the Night (8:46 P.M. on 9/11) On the night of 9/11, I stood in my front yard, stared into the incredibly clear southern California night, and listened to the unusual and curious silence. I live about six miles from Ontario (California) International Airport, but that night the sky was ominously still. While I was outside, a military jet flew by about 2500 feet off the deck. Its air space was unrestricted.

When You’re Not Here A friend of mine on Facebook talks about her fiancé who is stationed in Afghanistan every chance she gets.

This Love I Have for You A simple one for Mary. She likes the raspy voice.

Watch the Lions Play (Hitchens, Sunday Morning, Lyon, 177 A.D.) Many consider the era of classical Rome to be a time of great, ancient civilization, yet it had its dark side. People gathered to watch gladiators maim and kill each other and animals tear each other apart. At a few times in history, followers of Jesus were placed into an arena with wild beasts and devoured. This certainly happened at Lyon; a memorial stands in the arena to those who lost their lives.

A Mighty Fortress / A Mighty Fortress Is Our God (Psalm 9) Julie Larson’s arrangement of “A Mighty Fortress” on Revelation inspired me to do a similar arrangement. Her B section contains the descending bass part against a relative minor six chord which is so prominent in my songs. This tune is actually an ancient beer-drinking song! Luther merely borrowed it for his anthem. And about the lyrics... No, I could not find a way to fit the word “bulwark” into the rhyme scheme!

More of Ms. Larson’s music at: www.julielarson.com

Gotta Serve Somebody (Words and music by Bob Dylan. ©1979 Special Rider Music. All rights reserved. Used by permission.) The debate raged for months in the late 70s and early 80s about Dylan and his new-found belief. God is the ultimate judge of a man’s heart, so I’ll leave that part up to Him. In the meantime, I get to sing this great music from the master wordsmith.

Anyone But Jesus Download the first episode of CBS’s Survivor:China. During a welcoming ceremony, the survivors are asked to receive a gift and bow to some Buddhist idols in a temple. A woman named Leslie states that she cannot. After the host, Jeff Probst, reassures her that it is not a religious ceremony, Leslie states that the only one she will put her face to the ground for is Jesus. And this song was born.

Every Good Gift I wrote this in 1983 and used to do it with my band in Portland, OR. This is a slightly milder version.

Look at All the Children I traveled to Kenya in 2006-2007 and spent a fortnight among the people at the SamRoc School and the Children’s Home in Ilula near Eldoret. Every one of the 96 children there were orphaned by AIDS. Death from AIDS is so rampant in Africa that it is the same as 40 Boeing 747s crashing each day. Malaria, which is preventable with a simple $10 net, continues to devastate the population.

Daffodils at the Resurrection Sure, they were there! It was Passover, after all, in a Mediterranean climate!

Ode to the Penguin Café (instrumental) Inspired by “Perpetuum Mobile” by the Penguin Cafe Orchestra. I knew about them in the 70s, but when a girl used it as the soundtrack for her viral video of self-portraits over 200 days, I had to pay tribute. When the founder of PCO, Simon Jeffes, passed in 1997 the world lost a truly creative talent. The group is eclectic and not for all, but their music was clearly unequaled at the time of its inception and is definitely hard to classify. Most of you have heard a guitar arrangement of their “Ode to a Found Harmonium” in Napoleon Dynamite.

Keep Your Eyes on the Sky After he [Jesus] said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their [disciples] sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." Acts 1:9-11 Keep looking up... that’s what faith and hope are about after all.

The hidden track: The Joker Isn’t Laughing I wrote it when I was 19 or 20. I thought I would finally get it laid down.

Enjoy! I had a ton of fun making it!

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