New EP!

My new worship EP has dropped! If you're interested in buying an actual CD of this new 5-song worship project, go here: http://rosskingmusic.com/home_buy.htm.

If you want to download it, go here: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/god-undefeatable-ep/id469947046. right now they have it priced too high, but it should be corrected within an hour or so. While you're waiting for the change (to $4.99), you can sample it and see what you think!

John 1:1-7 to music

These songs are now available on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play. Enjoy!

Vidyo.

Hey. Have you bought the Christmas album yet from Ross "talks about himself in the 3rd person" King? Well, you should.

But either way, watch the video below.

My good pal and resident idea-guy/consultant/creative genius Andrew Kilzer shot and edited the "bumper" thing at the beginning. We're still working out the kinks on it, but I thought it looked cool enought to try it out. It's not like I'm known for super-professional-looking videos.

Anyway, check it:

It's the "Ross Needs More Fans SALE!!!"

The Christmas record is pre-selling, at a discount, right here! Go buy it, please! And tell your friends.

Also, in celebration of the new project, I'm running a sale of my entire back catalog. Normally, my CD's are $12 at my online store ($10 plu $2 shipping), but for the next couple of weeks, I'm running a super-cheap sale. All my CD's will be $7 ($5 plus $2 shipping).

Not sure if you want to buy? Well, if you're brave enough to wade thru the retro-tastic and somewhat skank-nasty myspace waters, you can hear some samples here.

So, if you've got some friends that you want to turn into crazed, maniacal Ross King fans, this is your chance to do it at a discount. Got some family that only listen to old Carman records? This is your chance to blow their minds with musical awesomeness, while also making yourself look super-generous.

Or maybe you've got some friends who you want to fool into thinking that you're now really rich! I know I do. Well, go buy a boatload of CD's and then be all like, "yeah, it's no big deal. I just buy tons of CD's cause i'm rich." Ha! They won't know you spent 5 bucks a pop on 'em! Zing!

OK, seriously, go buy some stuff.

Oh, and I'm still working on the site, so be watching for a whole new look by the end of the week.

Thanks for your support!

New Christmas Project!!!

OK, I’m way behind with my updates, so I’ll try to catch you folks up just a bit.

The Christmas project, tentatively titled Christmas Stories, is well under way. Here is the song list. The first 4 on the list are the traditional/covers, and the other 7 are songs that I wrote:

The First Noel
Jingle Bells (a very fun duet with my wife!)
Joy to the World
Angels (this is a variation/re-work of “angels we have heard on high”)
Song of Gabriel
Bethlehem
Merry Christmas to All
Rise Up (co-written with Michael Farren of Pocket Full of Rocks)
My Christmas Eve (co-written with Jimmy Needham, and also a very fun duet with my wife!)
All Things New
Macy’s Parade (a very strange song which may end up being titled “Weird”)

Some of you may remember "Song of Gabriel" from way back when I had it for free download on my old site. And you may have heard "All Things New" here.

One thing that I'm really excited about is that, even on the songs that I didn't write, I added/wrote/re-worked something on the song to make it seem more personal and creative to me. Don't worry, I didn't ruin any classics (I don't think). I just did some fun little tweaks and additions that I think/hope people will enjoy.

I’m very, very excited about the record. I plan to release it on November 1. I’ll give more updates asap. Tell your friends!

But I will say that I’ve already got some Christmas concerts lined up, and I’ll be looking for more dates very soon. I’ll post about that asap.

That’s all for now. More updates soon!

Nice to meet you.

Yes, yes. I know. Where have I been, you say? The answer, for the most part, is that I've been writing songs. There's more to the story than that, of course, but most of the other stuff isn't all that interesting, so we can leave it at that.

I'll do my best to blog a little more in the coming days/weeks, but in the meantime, here are two things of import.

First, I am working on a Christmas CD. It will be mainly original songs that I've written about Christmas, and a few "standards." I know that no one on earth -- well, maybe my mom -- is dying to hear Ross King versions of holiday classics, so I won't fill the CD with too much of that. But I do have several new songs that I want to share, and I have some ideas for how to produce/arrange some of the familiar stuff as well.

So be looking for news on that. When I release it -- Lord willing, in late October or early November -- I'll be doing some concerts to promote it. Let me know if you're interested in hosting something in November or December.

Second, go watch this:
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=535454070421&ref=mf.


I love it when real people act crazy and embarassing on video for the whole world to see, and I love it even more when they use my music as the soundtrack to their craziness.

And speaking of "Juicebox," who has ideas on how to get Juicy Juice to use my song as their jingle? How hard can it be?

Shameless.

Wanna hear me show off my jingle-writing chops? Wanna see cute pics of my kids? how about a look at the ukulele that my in-laws got me for Christmas? All that and more (well, there's actually not much more, that's pretty much it) if you watch the video below:

New Christmas song, etc

Three things of import!

First, it’s my awesomely hot wife’s birthday today, so if you haven’t already told her happy birthday, do so now on her blog or, if you’re her “friend,” tell her on facebook. Or, and this is really crazy, call her on the telephone. I know, I know. Who uses telephones anymore?

Well, I do, but only to shoot videos. But I’m getting ahead of myself. More on that in a sec.

Secondly, I have confirmed that the CD will be delivered to my home/office – and available for download – on Friday. Expect to be barraged with info on my various networking sites. And hey, if you want your pal Ross to sell tons of records, get on the aforementioned facebook and tell all your friends to be a “fan.” And if you’re not a “fan” yet, that’s just sad.

Thirdly and finally, here’s something I’ve been working on. Lots of folks have been asking me about my “regular” songwriting career. You know, the songs for grown-ups that I used to write. Well, as I’ve said a few times lately, I am diligently working on those kinds of tunes for a new record that I will hopefully record in, I don’t know, 6-7 months and maybe have out late in the summer. I’m just guessing here, but that’s my plan at this point.

Anyway, in the meantime, I’m going to try to be better about sharing new songs as I work on them. I like the idea of my closest fans/friends/supporters being in on the creative process. It’s a little scary to show things to the world before they are completely done, but I’ve been writing songs – and being critiqued as I do so – for over 15 years now, so I think I can handle it.

Having said that, I’m not totally sure this is the “final” draft of the song, in terms of writing. There are aspects of it that I’m not sure I love yet. It’s not really a song about anything specific (I mean, other than the Christmas story), and that’s not my usual way.

Whatever, I’ll let you be the judge.

Other thoughts, as you listen: I’ve been fascinated for a while with 3 distinct aspects of the Christmas story. In no particular order, they are angelic encounters, massive cultural change, and “favor.” I’ll explain.

Angels encountering humans:
In the Christmas story, there are several angelic encounters. And it seems like every time the angels appear, they have to assure the humans who are seeing them that there’s no need to fear. I think that’s interesting. Are angels scary? They’re never scary in Christmas plays, cartoons, Christian bookstores, or TV shows? I don’t know. It’s just interesting. Some of you may have heard another Christmas song that I wrote called “Song of Gabriel.” I used to have it for free up on my site. Anyway, that song is pretty much centered around the idea that angels are scary beings with weird jobs. I’ll record it formally someday and you can hear it.

Massive cultural change:
This one is simple, but it’s something that I don’t know that I ever thought much about until recently. When Jesus arrived on the scene – as a baby born in a barn, no less – people must’ve had a terribly hard time believing that this was the promised messiah. A messiah coming changed everything about their world and their view of life. Moreover, a messiah born as a baby in a barn changed things further, because it wasn’t at all what most people expected. I won’t go into this too much, because there are countless sermons and books (and probably songs) that cover it in depth. But I just think it’s cool, and I sort of wish I could understand what it felt like to be there in that world at that time. I wonder if I would’ve believed it.

Favor:
The angel tells Mary that she’s “highly favored.” The scriptures then tell us that she was very troubled by that message. Isn’t that strange? Mary was told that she had high favor from the Almighty God, and it troubles her. Boy, I wish I had some context for that one. But then you jump ahead 9 months or so, and she’s shivering in a barn with her carpenter husband, squeezing out a baby with sheep manure filling her nostrils. You have to wonder if she thought, “favor, huh?” I mean, I’m not doubting Mary’s faith or her tenacity or any such nonsense. Don’t worry. Again, it’s just interesting.

OK, anyway, that’s enough set up. Go watch/listen. Here’s the tech talk, if you care. I recorded the video on my iPhone. I recorded the acoustic and vocal at the same time with my Edirol handheld recorder. And I added the production with Ableton Live. The production isn’t anything fancy. Just some stuff to make it sound more interesting. Oh, and I didn't edit any of the singing, so beware of pitchy notes here and there.

If you have thoughts, feel free to share. But I warned you that it may not be finished yet. I’m being vulnerable here, so don’t beat up on me too hard.

More new CD info coming as I get it!