Chris Lucas
Hailing from Richmond, Va., Chris Lucas has spent a lifetime developing an acoustic guitar style from the influences of jazz/folk/celtic/ and classical. With influences running the gamut from Bruce Cockburn, Keaggy, Hedges, to Joe Pass, Kottke, and Nick Drake, Chris has found success in lassoing these elements into a distinctive, personal style.
Lucas\' songs delve into matters of the heart, soul, and spirit, exploring life through the eyes of a person with conviction. In other words . . . a real person living a real commitment to Christ, but also reflecting its challenges and triumphs, successes and shortcomings.
His CD AT THE SPEED OF LIFE at once accentuates complex, yet satisfying guitar work, delving into open and alternate guitar tunings as Chris is heard in several finger-style instrumentals. Then there are the songs: from the driving celtic blues of Blind Willie Johnsons\'s \"Soul of a Man\" through the ebow-enhanced depiction of prayer in \"Hanging on the wind\", to even the struggle to deal with his mother\'s Alzeimers in \"Misty Mountain\", pure and fragile statements reflect the artist\'s personal faith that we are being held in His hand no matter what the circumstances may indicate on the surface. These songs somehow bring the listener to the threshold of both joy and longing.
\"Melodies falling like dew
Words springing up from earth\'s groaning
Now find your use for the sky
Now find the tears you are owning
Each pair of eyes rolling in slumber
Yearning to be led into the dawn
Longing to hear - it\'s now ringing clear -
This morning song.\"
- This Morning Song, At the Speed of Life
Over the last several years Chris has opened shows for artists as diverse as Phil Keaggy, Pierce Pettis, Kate Campbell, Ashley Cleveland, Wes King, Burlap to Cashmere, and Cindy Morgan.
Most recently, 2/25/06, he\'s opened for Andrew Peterson and Ben Shive.
In the secular field, he\'s also shared the stage with David Wilcox, Leo Kottke, and Dave Mason.
On a personal level, Chris and wife, Sue, have raised 2 kids. Daughter, Andie, is married in North Carolina, with a new baby. A younger daughter, Lindsey, suffers from autism, and is still cared for at home.
Influences
I've added a couple of videos - This is from an appearance on THE MUSIC SEEN, a local PBS production - recorded in June, 2006 at The Canal Club in Richmond, Va. - ENJOY!
Sounds Like...
Bruce Cockburn, Nick Drake, Rev. Gary Davis, John Lennon, Phil Keaggy, Blind Willie McTell, Michael Hedges.
Thousands of people have visited my site and listened to the songs listed, although the stats aren't here anymore.