UPDATE 04 Jul 99: This CD has entered "out-of-print" status.
Due to overwhelming response and requests, Rick Tarrant of Communion Communications for a long while made the tribute to Rich Mullins aired by 20: The Countdown Magazine available for purchase as a 2 CD package. A donation was made to Compassion USA for each set purchased.
All things must pass, and so goes this special CD. It is now out-of-print, and no longer available through regular resources. However, I have seen copies for sale in the normal after-market resources (eBay, RadRockers, CMX, etc.).
Note - There is a transcript of the entire original broadcast available online here, thanks to Communion Communications (permission) and Joan Slonecker (transcriber).
UPDATE 04 Jul 99: This book has also entered "out-of-print" status.
RELEASE magazine is in the process of putting together a special collector's edition book called Rich Mullins: Home. lt will be a full-color limited edition collection of the best of Rich Mullins: photos, articles, and columns written by Rich in RELEASE magazine, over the years.
This is a one shot deal, so get the orders in NOW! You may not have another opportunity, as reprints are not being planned.
At my request, here is a letter sent to us from Chris Well, Editor-in-Chief, explaining the reasons for "dropping" Rich's writings...
RELEASE magazine has always had the utmost respect for Rich Mullins. We are proud of the years he served as columnist for RELEASE, from spring 1991 to Nov/Dec 1996. When the magazine changed ownership this year, we felt the need to dedicate more pages of the magazine to up-and-coming artists who'd continually been overlooked. In order to make more room, we discontinued nearly all of our columns-including those written by Bernie Sheahan; Kevin Smith and Jimmy Abegg; Mark Lowry; Michael Nolan-and, of course, Rich Mullins. At the same time, Rich's commitment to the reservation and the children, not to mention his music, made it more difficult than before for us to maintain contact with each other. Rich was an inspiration as a writer, as an artist, and as a human being. We are saddened by his passing and look forward to reuniting with him on the other side. *** Chris Well editor in chief, Vox Publishing
updated 13 Nov 97
I have received more than one inquiry as to what happened to Bear, Rich's dog. As many of you may (or may not) know, Bear had a canine version of epilepsy, and struggled in his later years with seizures. Though Bear often went with Rich on the road, as he got older (and the seizures more frequent) he often stayed with Kathy Sprinkle when Rich was gone. Bear died (naturally) a year ago last Labor Day weekend ('96), while at Kathy's. The seizures (and age) were finally too much for him.
On a related note, the dog on the cover of Winds Of Heaven, Stuff Of Earth (1988 Reunion Records), though she looks just like Bear - is not Bear. I assumed it was Bear the first time I saw it.
(Thanks to Kathy Cote for the following info.) That dog was Curry; Rich's first dog and "the Queen of Bellsburg" (Rich's house near Nashville). Curry died of old age about a year and a half ago, and is buried under a tree she loved at the house out there facing oncoming traffic (because she used to chase the cars - only the ones she chose - up and down the property line).
Lara also reminds me (Doh!) that in the liner notes, Rich thanks "Curry for licking my chin at the exact right moments."