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Troubadour Oshkosh bound

Oshkosh concert What: "An Evening of Praise and Worship" with top Catholic recording artist John Michael Talbot. The concert, offered by Father Carr's Place 2B, benefits the Holy Family Villa, a new shelter for women and children. When: 7:30 p.m., Saturday, March 15 Where: Park Plaza Convention Center, 1 N. Main Street, Oshkosh Tickets: $20 in advance or $22 at the door. Call (920)231-2378 or purchase tickets at the Bethlehem Inn, Oshkosh; Lighthouse Bookstore, Green Bay; St. Patrick's Bookstore, Appleton; or Basic Bookstore, Oshkosh.

John Michael Talbot's method for choosing songs for concerts differs from most artists. He doesn't put together a tour list. He doesn't select songs to promote sales of a recent album. He prays.

"I haven't prayed about Oshkosh yet," said Talbot in reference to his March 15th concert at the Park Plaza Convention Center. "I will spend some time in prayer and decide what songs to do. I'm looking forward to it. I always enjoy Wisconsin. Way back when I was with Mason Profitt, we loved to go to Wisconsin."

In 2003, Talbot celebrates his 25th year as a Catholic recording artist. To mark the anniversary, he is releasing an updated biography entitled Signatures and a collection of songs, under the same title, he will record with the London Symphony Orchestra. Both the book and CD are due out this summer.

"The book is an updated version of my previous biography, Troubadour for the Lord," said Talbot. "It fills in the missing years. I share my personal experiences and my experiences meeting different people."

"Going back to London to record is a good thing on a cultural, artistic and spiritual level," he added. "The musicians are so disciplined. It's been a long time since I've been there. It will be nice to see some old friends."

Talbot, an award-winning author, compares writing music with writing books.

"The process is similar," he said. "The books that I write focus on the text that is touching my heart. Music comes out of my prayer time."

Talbot's musical career traces back to his childhood. As a 12-year-old, he joined his brother Terry's band as a rhythm guitarist and vocalist. The band evolved into Mason Profitt, a country-rock group that drew as many as 20,000 fans and performed with such artists as Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead. Despite the band's success, the rock star life did not fulfill Talbot. He left Mason Profitt in search of spirituality.

Following years of prayer and religious exploration, Talbot joined the Franciscans in Indianapolis in 1978. In 1982, he moved to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, and founded "The Little Portion Hermitage," one of 10 communities in the world to include celibates, single people, married couples and families. All live lives of chastity, poverty and obedience.

Talbot's Oshkosh concert, entitled "An Evening of Praise and Worship," will benefit Holy Family Villa, a new shelter for women and children operated by Fr. Martin Carr's Place 2B. He performed in Manitowoc in 2000. Much has changed in the world and the church since his last visit to the Diocese of Green Bay. Talbot noticed changes in his audiences following the terrorist attacks and the sexual abuse scandal in the church.

"I played in Manhattan shortly after 9/11, not far from where the attacks occurred," he said. "People were very subdued and confused. In response, more and more, I don't say much during concerts. Previously I would speak more, but now I find that people just want to sink into the music. I still do some speaking, but my main gift is the music."

Talbot said he hopes people focus on the good work done by the majority of the Catholic priests rather than the cases of abuse.

"The reforms in the church are healthy," he said. "The main thing to remember is that for every one priest that is guilty, 100 or more are faithfully going about sharing the gospel all over the place. The majority do their work in a humble manner. For those priests that are accused, there must be due process. We cannot act as a vigilante group. They have rights. We have entered into a time of healing by Jesus. We must also heal each other."

Among recent highlights for Talbot was performing at the Vigil service at World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto. He had previously performed for Pope John Paul in Los Angeles. Talbot said that he continues to be inspired by the Holy Father.

"It's absolutely amazing how he keeps going while stooped over in constant pain," he said. "He doesn't want to stop. I get the sense that he believes that Western society has gotten a little soft, so he wants to keep going. No other religious figure in the world can draw these crowds and unite people. The drawing power of this man on levels of faith and morality is incredible."

"I was very troubled, though, when I witnessed people passing out in the pope's presence," he continued. "I saw this type of hysteria in the rock and roll world. It concerned me at first. I didn't see it as spirituality, but as hysteria. As I reflected on it, I reached a conclusion that we as people need to get together in large crowds and get emotional. You see it at football games and concerts. If we can fulfill that need, while gathering in faith, that's a good thing."

The reward for Talbot, who has recorded 45 albums and sold nearly four million records, is the opportunity to share God's salvation through his music.

"I have a sense of how the songs touch people," he said. "I've found it very moving when people have selected my music for special occasions or to have it played when they pass away. That's why I'm so excited about Signatures. It will include songs that I believe have had a penetrating effect on people on a spiritual level. I hope people enjoy it."