The band members for our new group First Love are:
Charity Rouse, vocals and piano
Melissa Fleming, vocals
Jared Hendricks, vocals, acoustic and electric guitar
Jay Robinson, electric guitar
Aaron Sweely, vocals, bass and acoustic guitar
Jeff Rouse, percussion
On the recordings for my solo album Process which you are listening to on this page....
Charity Rouse, vocals and piano
Melissa Fleming, vocals
Andy Steil, bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar. He also mixed and mastered all of the songs on this page at M-Studios in Galena, IL
Jeff Rouse, Djembe
Neal Patel, acoustic guitar and vocals
Nancy Fox, Vocals
Influences
There are so many....Jennifer Knapp, Jewel, Nichole Nordeman, Evanescence, the book of Psalms, my friend Mandy Thompson-check out her website http://mandythompson.com/ , my friend and band partner Melissa Fleming, any music that has reduced me to tears
Sounds Like
Hopefully I sound like me. Take a listen and make your own comparisons.
"I have my own particular sorrows, loves, delights; and you have yours. But sorrow, gladness, yearning, hope, love, belong to all of us, in all times and in all places. Music is the only means whereby we feel these emotions in their universality." ~H.A. Overstreet
Music fills the silence inconspicuously while we walk down grocery store aisles. It calls out to us in nature in the form of birds chirping gloriously, brooks babbling, trees swaying in the breeze, and frogs croaking.
One song can bring back a flood of memories. From your first Happy Birthday to the first time you understood the beautiful lyrics in Amazing Grace. From football games to first dates, it is all written on our hearts and minds.
Music is an outward expression of our individual souls. Notes woven together in a tapestry of melodies have forever left a thumbprint on humanity. We curl up with a song when we are heartbroken. We sing from the rooftops when we are in love! We shout joyous melodies when we are praising our Lord!
Music brings us together. It is a way we can say, "You too? I thought I was the only one!" We can cross cultures and learn about the world through song. It can break racial and ethnic boundaries when we step inside the notes and let them teach us something; something about history, nations and people.
Thus explains my love relationship with music. It is all of these things and does all of these things and more. I grew up in Eastern Iowa in a small town where music was limited to singing in the church choir or at a school concert. Even from a young age it called me. Constantly beckoning me to come and sit at the piano for hours singing, playing and making up songs. Popping into my head while playing tag with my brothers or friends on our farm. It has always been a part of my life.
My professional training and relationship with music began when I was just four years old and I had my first piano lessons. From there I continued to take lessons and was very involved in my school’s music program. I was our high school’s accompanist and was involved in plays, contests, musicals, concerts, and band; if it was musical you can bet I was a part of it. After high school I went to a couple schools until I realized I wanted to go to Berklee College of Music. I moved to Boston with my belongings and my boyfriend (who is now my husband), and headed East. I graduated in 2005 with a Bachelor of Music, majoring in Music Business with piano as my principal instrument.
I worked for a flute company in the Boston area while I waited for my husband to finish school then we moved back to the Midwest. While I was in Boston God worked in my life in so many ways. He called me to walk with Him and at the time we left I was the worship leader of Calvary Baptist Church. I learned so much about myself, the Lord, and musically throughout my time in the East.
I have always enjoyed songwriting but it wasn’t until we moved to IL that I really started writing more and more. God kept giving me songs and opened the door for the opportunity to record locally. He brought forth many sponsors for my first album and I praise Him for giving me the music and the funds to share it with the world. I want to serve Him with my life and my song.
“….. For the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. ……Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. Shout, and sing for joy…” Taken from Isaiah 12:2, 5, 6
hey charity wats up, thats a wicked sic video u got up. hope all is well, tell jeff he missed a good game of football the otha day. i miss u guys hopefully i can get out there next summer with my vacation time.
doing good and summer is ok..havent really done much...josh sleeps all day and works at night...soo i just stay at home.. but i start school august 5 soo im excited about that! how are u and jeff?!
ha yea we are very excited though!!! and i hate being rushed soo i wanna get things done and out of the way u know lol and we are making our invitations well me and my girls are so that will take alot of time!!! and yea shure if u can find that ill have to give her a call...
Whoa, Charity your voice is beautiful!! It's matured so much since our days in Allston :) I am so impressed and i love the songs. I can't decide which one is my favorite, I like them all! Keep doing what you're doing because what you're creating is truly something special.
