Do What He Tells You to Do

On the Fifth Day of Christmas Living Waters gave to yoooooouuuuu....a brand new video!

New for Christmas!

New for Christmas!

For the first time, our Christmas album, "The JOY", is available here on Bandcamp!

https://livingwaters.bandcamp.com/album/the-joy

Dive in and get refreshed!

Josh Goes Deep!

Josh Goes DEEP!

Josh with his sister, Theresa, who helped with his concert

Greg & Anne's son, Josh, just put on his Senior Composition Recital at Westfield State. Many of us in the band were privileged to hear and see it, including his sister, who flew in from Steubie U., Dave & Kath et al, Tony & Denise & Sam, Chuck & Joyce, Mike McBride & daughters & Stephen & I, not to mention all the family & friends; the fact so many of us came shows how we feel about Josh. As for the concert, he showed amazingly impressive aptitude at several widely differing skills, composing, arranging, conducting, playing. But I think what was most impressive is that so much of it exhibited such deep spiritual meaning: it was DEEP, man. As he himself said, this is music that does what music is supposed to: INSPIRE!

But I was most impressed by his choral pieces, which he arranged & conducted to exquisite perfection, especially "The Calling". Here is a picture of the concert frontispiece and the lyrics to the three pieces. DEEP words, man, more than matched by the profundity of the perfect vocal arrangements & the performance his conducting elicited:

Just read those words, and you'll get the idea. God has blessed this man. The productions he has done with Mike and myself in the group have been genius. We can't wait to see what else he will create. The whole Living Waters family is thanking God and trusting for a very bright future, enlightening many!

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

Living Waters Wins an Award!

Living Waters Wins an AWARD!

The Award is the September 2015 Akademia Award for "Best EP - Contemporary Christian", awarded for this year's two-song EP, "Alive Again", which includes "Do What He Tells You to Do". When they told us we were nominated, they told us that there had been hundreds of submissions, and that our being nominated was impressive. The review comment they left is pretty sweet, very complimentary for both songs. One song is by Lajoie, one by McBride, the original Living Waters songwriting team. Special kudos go to producer of both songs, Josh Loell; he has a miraculous talent. Also, the amazing guitar work is mostly that of Greg Loell - amazing! We invite you to find and download this EP on major outlets now.

STAY!

STAY!

https://www.reverbnation.com/livingwaters/song/24183270-stay

https://www.reverbnation.com/livingwaters/song/4768267-were-gonna-stay

Mike McBride is looking at a new song!

Dave & Kath, Tony & Denise, Greg & Anne with Josh & T: a lot of faithfulness for a long time....

Well! The latest LW production is a love song. It is called “Stay!”; one trusted listener commented that it reminded them sonically of The Cure; I hear some U2 in the guitar also. It is definitely high-quality songwriting. Its completion comes immediately on the heels of the marriage of Jackie & Eric in the group – how timely! Mike and I sang together his very first song at that wedding; it is entitled “Love Is” from I Corinthians 13. We are talking about making that our next project perhaps, making sure Mike and I sing together on it again. That would be great!

I really got a kick out of it when I noticed that our other big love song in the past was “We’re Gonna STAY”: STAY? – we’re gonna STAY? – right? Staying is something that is really hard to do, sometimes. We see Matrimony in the Lord as a forever Covenant that is an ideal place to learn sacrificial love. Genesis 2 says, “A man shall leave his mother and a woman shall leave her home, and they shall become one flesh.” However, our point is never to condemn those, even among our family, who’ve had bad experiences here. We want our fidelity to our spouse, our family and our friends to be more of a sign of hope and joy! The Lord’s help in keeping this commitment, which is eternally sure for those who make this promise before God and everyone, is something that blesses everyone else around, wherever they may be in their life. I might also say this song perfectly fits the Living Waters cry of joy and trust heard in so many of our songs.

Mike felt a wonderful, deeper truth in the song he was given. Here’s what he said:

Stay?  This song is for anyone.  It's about speaking up.  A proclamation.  Commitment.   An exciting expression of letting love flow.  It makes me feel grown up.  It's for anyone; my children, my parents, my friends, my soul mate, my God.  Without them, where would we be?

True that, Mike! I also include the link for “We’re Gonna Stay” recorded in the early 90’s, which we also reprised at the latest wedding.

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

www.livingwatersband.com

https://www.reverbnation.com/livingwaters/song/24183270-stay

https://www.reverbnation.com/livingwaters/song/4768267-were-gonna-stay

A New Living Waters Wedding!

A New Living Waters Wedding!

Eric Dodson & Jackie Bourque were joyfully married, on August 14th, 2015 at St Elizabeth Seton Church, in Bedford, NH. This is a view from the choir loft of Dave walking Jackie down the aisle.

Having so many of us Living Waters types in the choir loft playing & praying music together was truly special and a gift from Heaven. The Holy Spirit inhabited the music; everyone there knew it was extraordinary and blessed. It was a sign of that New Covenant in His Body. This was the team up above:

Mark - 12-string & vocals

Mike - keyboards & vocals
Chuck - horn & vocals
Josh - trumpet & bass
Greg - guitar
John & Stephen - male vocals
Denise & Caroline - female vocals
Tony - Percussion

And these were the selections, several of which we had done for the many weddings we have played, but which seemed so brand new and alive on this wonderful day:

Prelude Music:
Wherever You Go (Weston Priory)
Peace, Joy & Happiness (Wise)
Magnificat (Mark Lajoie)
Love is Patient (Mike McBride)
When Love is Found (Waly Waly)
We're Gonna Stay (Mark Lajoie)
The Servant Song (Gillard)

Wedding Party:
Without You (Wendy & Mary)
Wedding Song (Stookey)

Bridal Procession: Pachelbel Canon in D

Psalm: Set Me Like a Seal (Landry)
Gospel: Joyful Heart

After Vows: Wedding Prayer (Wendy & Mary)

Recessional: This is the Day (Scott Wesley Brown)

(We ended up reprising The Wedding Song at the end.)

But what made this extra special for us was that it was for Dave & Kathy's wonderful daughter, Jackie. Dave was a founding member of Living Waters, who knew Mark, Mike, Dave, Chuck and Danny back in Maine. Kathy was one of the original liturgical dancers who passed that American Idol-style audition back in the 70's (even though Dave voted against her!)  Jackie reflects their wonderful faith and talents. She discovered her own dance identity, and became a physical therapist, whose entire persona is summed up in the virtue of kindness. Eric Dodson seems a wonderful match for her and her family in so many ways, and the Dodsons seemed very happy to become a part of the Bourques and LW.

It was great for our wide, extended family to see some relatives and friends whom we had not seen in a long time. The conversation was joyous, spiritual, heartfelt and humorous. One amazing surprise was hearing Dave's voice on tape as he danced the father-daughter dance with Jackie - so cool! The Bourques LOVE dancing, and boy did all the young ones enjoy themselves at a fantastic reception. The bond we have been blessed with goes very deep and fills every level of incarnation. The second reading urged us to "Rejoice! Again I say, rejoice" - that is what we are doing. Blessings for the young couple on their eternal journey....

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

Living Waters Honors Norma Rossignol!

Living Waters Honors Norma Rossignol!

Living Waters would like to take the time to honor a very special woman for us. Chuck's mother, Norma Rossignol, passed away this week. Chuck says it was a notably holy and joyous passing; that's not surprising because she lived her whole life the same way, with deepest faith and joy. She was a surrogate mother to Living Waters. I remember a bunch of us kids, including Mike , Mark, Dave, Jimmy & Danny going up to the the farmhouse in Waterville, and spending hours praying and singing, and writing songs, with her warm heart enveloping all of us. She & her family blessed all of us so much. She was VERY involved in music & service & worship at her parish and elsewhere. I was not surprised when she was named Maine Mother of the Year in 1990. Without people like her and Nancy McBride and so many others, Living Waters would not be what it has been and is. How could hers have NOT been a happy death? Her faith, hope and charity were undeniable, and they bore unmistakable fruit, here and beyond. We love you, Norma Faith (Hubert) Rossignol! Requiscat in pace!

Here is the link to the obituary she wrote herself, adapted by Chuck's brother, Ken:

Obituary for Norma

Living Waters is FLOWing on Adoration Radio!

Living Waters is FLOWing on Adoration Radio!

9/4/15 As of now, Adoration has moved to "Breadbox Media"!

http://breadboxmedia.podbean.com/category/adoration-radio/

Adoration "Culture of Life" Website Address

The recently released Living Waters song, "Do What He Tells You to Do", has been featured in several broadcasts of Adoration Radio this month: July 4, July 11 & July 18. And NOW, we are told "Alive Again" will be featured soon, including an interview with Mark Lajoie about the song.

Mary Graham, the creator of Adoration Radio, is an old internet friend of the band. A couple of years ago, when Adoration was a web-style broadcast, she was very generous in including several of our older songs, and providing links to our sites; she especially liked our classic guitar brothers picture!

Unfortunately, that enterprise could not be sustained, but, now it is gloriously resurrected on Real Life Radio. In its current incarnation, it is a regular live radio broadcast, which is re-issued afterwards as a podcast with bonus material. Mary and her crew are doing yeoman duty promoting & publicizing great Catholic music, and we are praying and rooting for this show. It was certainly a thrill for us to hear our song play right after Audrey Assad and Matt Maher.

The stories on  Mary's excellent interview program, Living Witnesses, are also certainly worth listening to, including one by our own Mark Lajoie. We strongly encourage you to click through and listen to their skilled & spiritual efforts.

Peace & Love & JOY,
Mark LaJOIE!

“Living Waters” on…“Living Witnesses”!

 “Living Waters” on…“Living Witnesses”!

Living Waters on Living Witnesses - link

https://www.reverbnation.com/playlist/view_playlist/3553822?page_object=artist_866715

9/4/15 As of now, Living Witnesses has moved to "Breadbox Media"!

Living Waters on Living Witnesses - Podcast

Mary Graham has been a friend of Living Waters in the past; she had played some of our music in the original incarnation of “Adoration Radio”.  She has since pioneered a new show on Real Live Radio, entitled, “Living Witnesses”. (It is a broadcast, but, also, podcast; you can go anytime & click on the link & listen to an episode at any time.) The focus of the show is to allow Catholics to recount faith stories & blessings in an easy, conversational way. (I had the privilege of using this service when I followed their “33 Days to Morning Glory” Consecration series.)

Well! Mary contacted me and asked me to be on the show, to share some of the faith stories which I had shared on our band blog. She called me on a Monday morning and we did the recording over the phone. I talked about my conversion experience as a teen, a couple of miracle stories, and how I got the song “Make Me Free”. I then told how I met Julia and how she encouraged me to send “Peter the Rock” to John Paul II. In the last section of the hour, we talked about my recent experience with “Do What He Tells You to Do”, and how it tied into my consecration and Matthew’s health issues. Finally, I remembered back to 1974 and how I got the song “Jesus”. The basic theme was the immense Mercy of God to a poor teen, and how Our Lady, given to us as a mother from the Cross, has been so merciful in leading me and mine to The Source of Mercy, changing my water into wine. It was a wonderful conversation, and Mary Graham made me feel very comfortable.

At the head of this article, I have a link to a playlist on ReverbNation of the four songs played during the show in the order they appeared, as well as a link to the show. EnJOY!

Peace & Love & JOY,

Mark LaJOIE!

Alive Again

Worshipsong.com has published the two songs from our latest album! The Living Waters of the Holy Spirit is FLOWing! Alive Again

Download our album on major sites like iTunes or go here on Amazon:  AliveAgain/DoWhatHeTellsYoutoDo