He sat down at the piano and what I heard next was truly transformational. Michael Gott is an amazing composer and prolific musician. His music has touched souls and been described as deeply moving leading into the truth of one’s soul. In recent years, he has shared the stage with internationally known personalities such as Dr. Wayne Dyer, Dr. Deepak Chopra, and Marianne
Michael Gott Music
Williamson. Michael Gott – his music is transformational and I’m honored to have him as a guest here on the Straight Talk Radio Interview. Micheal Gott Music featured now.
To hear Michael’s interview click here: Michael Gott Straight Talk Radio Interview
Tired of traditional talk? People pontificating about this or that? The left or the right? Sometimes the truth is just off lost in the noise. Having learned life lessons the hard way, Chuck Gallagher, international speaker and author, cuts through the noise to share truth through transparency! Get to know Michael Gott and his music.
Nationally-known guests talk about what’s important to you – your life, your concerns and your success. So tune in, turn on to Straight Talk with Chuck Gallagher.
Now, here’s your host, Chuck Gallagher.
CHUCK: Welcome to Straight Talk Radio. Hi, this is Chuck Gallagher and, Gosh, thanks for joining us on Transformation Talk Radio Network. It’s my honor and privilege to be able to bring this show to you today.
I have to say I am just so jazzed about the show that you’re going to hear. Most of the time on Straight Talk Radio it’s a conversation, it’s a conversation between myself and a guest or two that we have, but this one is something different. In fact, when Straight Talk Radio first began and I thought about the guests that I wanted to have on, the person who is going to be my guest today was at the top of the list and that’s for a reason. How do I put this? I guess there are times in life when things happen, when there are experiences that take place that are unexpected but transformative.
I want to introduce the guest on today’s show and give you a little bit of a flavor for this, but several years back, back in 2005 to 2008, my wife and I lived in Dallas, Texas. We went to church at Unity of Dallas and one Friday night there was this, it was kind of a coffee house setting within the church, but they had two gentlemen who were going to come that evening and to do a musical performance. I have to say, in honesty, being new to that marketplace, I had not heard of either, but I thought, “I love music. I started off as a music major, didn’t end that way, but stared that way.” So I sat down in my seat and the minster there introduced Michael Gott. Michael is my guest today and Michael came to the piano, sat down, ever so calmly, and began to play. I have to say it was a transformative moment.
Michael, I don’t know that you know this, but you began with the song “Move In The Direction of Your Dreams”, and I literally sat there as you were playing this song, singing this song, thinking to myself, “It is divinely inspired that I am here tonight listening to this song at this moment,” and you literally brought tears to my eyes. And from that point on, I am a raving fan.
[Michael laughs]CHUCK: Let me say this, just to kind of put this into perspective. Michael is a singer/songwriter, minister, speaker who inspires people literally worldwide. He’s traveled throughout North America and Europe singing and speaking at conferences and spiritual centers and this year was namely a senior assistant minster at Unity of Houston. Michael has a number of albums out and some of them are the most beautiful music that you will ever hear. Today on Straight Talk Radio we have Michael as my guest and we will be featuring in each segment a specific song so, Michael, we can talk about you, we can talk about the song, we can talk about how it came to be and the tremendous inspiration you bring to people literally worldwide. So, Michael Gott, welcome to Straight Talk Radio.
MICHAEL: Thank you, Chuck. I remember that night, although, honestly, I thought I started with a different song. [laughs] That was a great evening. I remember meeting you then and thank you. I’m very honored to be on the show with you.
CHUCK: Well, you may have started with a different song, that’s the one that reached in and just kind of massaged my heart and it really is amazing the depth of music that you have created and the number of lives that have been touched by that. Before we get to the song portion, let’s talk a little bit about your journey. Tell us about the journey from Michael Gott 20 years ago to Michael Gott today.
MICHAEL: Oh, my Gosh. [laughs] And how long do we have in this segment? Yeah.
[Chuck laughs]MICHAEL: I’ll give you the highlights. Let’s see… Twenty years ago I was kind of a struggling artist. I had been singing in a piano bar in the Dallas area and I had just discovered, they had actually discovered me, the New Thought Churches and Spiritual Centers. I was singing in a bar in Dallas and a minister came in and hired me and I thought, “What kind of a church sends a minster to a bar to hire talent?” I thought that might me my kind of church.
[Chuck laughs]MICHAEL: So I started singing in these New Thought Centers and Churches and discovered some of this transformational teaching, which is really what my music is now centered around. Twenty years ago things had really begun to change and I began to write music for this movement and started recording music for this movement a little bit after that and it’s been quite a ride, it really has. I had no idea that I would end up doing ministry and music. I mean, music would be [06:01] ministry part and it’s just been great. I just love every minute of it.
CHUCK: Well, I’ve heard you speak and, of course, I have heard you sing and this is going to sound kind of hokey but I’m going to say it anyway, you’re kind of my hero because I speak, but I started as a music major and I would love to have developed that completely so that I could be the full deal, because you’re the full deal, guy. It’s really quite amazing what you bring.
MICHAEL: Well, thank you. I feel very blessed and I think I had the opportunity to develop it. I think that there are native talents that a lot of people have and if you don’t get the opportunity to really practice it, it never gets developed. I luckily got the chance to– I was pretty raw in a lot of ways when I began, but I got better. I just got the chance to keep coming back and sing and learn my craft and just develop it over time. I’m very grateful for that, I really am.
CHUCK: Michael, the song that really connected with me in that Dallas meeting was the song called “Move in the Direction of Your Dreams” and I want to read just a few of the lyrics and perhaps have you talk about how that song came into your focus, but it says:
Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to look inside of you
And take the time to realize what you’re here to do?
Don’t you think the time has finally come to stand and face the fire?
To walk into the blazing sun and claim your heart’s desire?
You were placed upon this earth with a mission to complete.
Now the time has come to stand up strong and claim your destiny.
And boy, when I heard those words, I was sitting there, I was a wet noodle at that point because it spoke to me so profoundly and honestly for me it was a turning point that said I needed to move out of the corporate world, which I was comfortable in, and move into the world where I was actually doing what I was here to do. So, how did that song come about?
MICHAEL: Well, it’s interesting. I did not write that song. I do write most of music that I record and perform and you mentioned that 20-year thing, Chuck, and I think it was about 20 years ago that I first discovered that song. I was new in the Center for Spiritual Living, there at the Music [08:44] in Dallas and at the time there was a music subscription service for New Thought Centers and Churches Unity and CSL, Centers for Spiritual Living, so once a month we would get a song or two in the mail and they were photocopied. [09:02] of course, would be like electronically. It was just one of the songs. It was a piece of sheet music that came across called “Move in the Direction of Your Dreams”. I liked the title. I was really new, I was really trying to find music for this kind of positive spirituality having grown up in a little bit more of a fundamentalist kind of background, a lot of that music and the damnation and condemnation music didn’t work so well. I just played it through and I liked it. I made a lot of changes to the song because I probably didn’t know it better. Just to make it better for me, maybe a little disrespectful to the songwriter and lo and behold it certainly became a signature song for me. I changed maybe a couple of the words, just a few lyric changes and it’s re-writing on the bridge.
Later as I began to really use the music, I tried to find the writer. His name is Derek Rydall.
CHUCK: Um-hm.
MICHAEL: And I couldn’t find him. The subscription service had gone out of business, the founder had died and just I was out of luck so I just kind of went on the premise, “I’m just going to keep singing the song, recording the song and eventually I’ll find him and I’ll give him a royalty check and apologize for changing his song.” [chuckles]
So I finally did. I recorded it on my Surrender album. By this time it was a much bigger deal, it was easier to find people and I had to be the screenwriter in Los Angeles, associated with Agape International Center, and was able to send in a copy of the recording, a royalty check and an apology, which he accepted all three [chuckles] and his comment was, “You’ve improved my song. Thank you!” So now when people ask him, because he’s not singing or recording, when people ask him for the song, he directs them to my music. That’s the story of how that came about. The lyrics, I’d like to actually, if there’s time in advance, it’s based on a Thoreau quote from Walden.
CHUCK: Really?
MICHAEL: Here’s the quote, this is near the end of the Walden essay, Thoreau writes this: “I learned this, at least, by my experiment; that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. He will put some things behind, will pass an invisible boundary; new, universal and more liberal laws will begin to establish themselves around and within him; or the old laws be expanded, and interpreted in his favor in more liberal sense, and he will live with the license of a higher order of beings.”
CHUCK: Wow! Golly! Michael, I didn’t expect that. Okay, let’s do this. Let’s play the song so that people can understand what we’re talking about and then we’ll come back and wrap up this first segment.
[The song “Move in the Direction of Your Dreams” is being played]Don’t you think you owe it to yourself to look inside of you
And take the time to realize what you are here to do?
Don’t you think the time has finally come to stand and face the fire?
To walk into the blazing sun and claim your heart’s desire?
You were placed upon this earth with a mission to complete.
Now the time has come so stand up strong and claim your destiny.
You must move in the direction of your dreams,
And act as if they’ve already come true.
Even when there is no hope or so it seems,
Move in the direction of your dreams.
Do you think that you’re not good enough to be a shining star?
Or do you think because the road looks tough that you won’t get that far?
Do you believe that only some are great and others left for chance?
Or maybe that it’s just too late a futile circumstance?
You were placed upon the earth with a mission to complete.
And now the time has come so stand up strong and claim your destiny.
You must move in the direction of your dreams,
And act as if they’ve already come true.
Even when there is no hope or so it seems,
Move in the direction of your dreams.
And when the world feels like it’s crashing, crashing all around you,
And the clouds of doubts are darkening your day,
Well then just be still and know that there’s something deep within you
That will always, always know the way.
You must move in the direction of your dreams,
And act as if they’ve already come true.
Even when there is no hope or so it seems,
Move in the direction of your dreams.
Move in the direction of your dreams.
CHUCK: Michael, I am amazed and so thankful. I didn’t expect this. I have to tell you I did not expect this. The song touched me. What you read is so powerful and then expressing where that comes in and how it ties into teaching today, to Mary’s teaching today, I think is absolutely incredible.
I want to read the last segment of that song, it says:
When the world feels like it’s crashing, crashing all around you
And the clouds of doubt are darkening your day,
Then just be still and know that there’s something deep within you
That will always, always know the way.
MICHAEL: Hmm.
CHUCK: This is Chuck Gallagher with Straight Talk Radio, my guest is Michael Gott. You’ve just heard one of the most outstanding songs that touched me and when we get back, we’re going to have more of Michael and talk about some other songs that are equally as impressive. This is Chuck Gallagher with Straight Talk Radio. Stick with us and we’ll be back in just a moment.
[The beginning of the song “Move in the Direction of Your Dreams” is being played]CHUCK: Hi, this is Chuck Gallagher with Straight Talk Radio. Thanks for sticking with us. I am, as I said it at the beginning, jazzed about my guest today, Michael Gott. Michael is an engaging speaker and a wonderful singer/songwriter, minister at Unity of Houston and he literally inspires and entertains people in North America and Europe and he’s kind of my hero.
I mean, when you can combine the spoken word with music and pull that together, you can literally reach in and touch people’s hearts in ways that are moving and amazing. So Michael again thanks for being part of this show and for allowing us to use your music so that it becomes more than just talk.
MICHAEL: Yeah.
CHUCK: I have to tell you, okay now, I know this is going to be a little hokey and a little bit weird, but in the last segment we talked about “Move in the Direction of Your Dreams” and you had this back story, and the back story was really cool, and it so augmented the song, but the funny side is, I think it’s “Cry Like a Rainbow” album that Linda Ronstadt did, and she has this song at the end and it’s such a beautiful song. I’d listen to this song, brought tears to my eyes and it was like oooooh. I told my wife, I said “You know, at my death you got to play this song.” It’s just such a beautiful song. And then I heard the back story, and it was written about her cat.
MICHAEL: Oh, wow. [laughs]
CHUCK: And it was like it just– The song is great, but now that I know it was written about her cat, and I love cats, cats are okay, we’re good, but it just kind of took away some of the punch. So the back story of “Move in the Direction of Your Dreams” added to it [chuckles] and sometimes those back stories don’t do that.
MICHAEL: Oh, that’s great. [chuckles]
CHUCK: Yeah.
MICHAEL: I promise I have no cat back stories for any of the songs we’re going to talk about today.
CHUCK: [laughs] Well, okay. I’ll take that. That’s good. You have a new album or CD, I guess, I’m an old guy, so I call it album, but a new CD called “Amazing Things”. And in that CD, and by the way, what an amazing CD. And for folks who are listening to the show, if I don’t do this often enough, shame on me, anybody who’s listening, go to michaelgott.com, and any of the music we talk about is available there or certainly you can go to iTunes and other places to purchase. “Amazing Things” is a great, great CD, and on there you have a song and it literally just brings me to tears. I guess I sound like a crybaby. But, the title of the song is “Do You See”.
MICHAEL: Um-hm.
CHUCK: And it starts off by saying:
Have you ever found yourself lost and set adrift,
Wandering through your life with no direction?
Do you ever find the strength to reach out
To someone who could help you?
And before we get into the chorus portion of the song, tell us the back story. What is “Do You See” about?
MICHAEL: Well, let me just kind of give a little broader back story of the album. All of, I think there are 12 of 13 tunes, all of them are co-written with the exception of this one song. Even the two songs that I didn’t write on the album are co-written. And I noticed as I was putting it together, collaboration and working with others is just vitally important to me and central to my spiritual growth and my transformation. It’s pretty remarkable that the one song that I didn’t co-write, that I wrote by myself, was written to my teacher, someone who had given so much of herself into my life. This is about Rev. Dr. Petra Weldes who is the Senior Minister at Center for Spiritual Living in Dallas, my boss, my friend, my confidant, my prayer partner, my teacher for many, many years. She’s an amazing teacher and speaker. She has a little bit of a tick, I guess. She has a thing that when she’s– She’s such a clear person, and when she’s really striving for clarity, she has an idea that she’s trying to convey so sincerely. Her phrase, “Do you see, do you see what I’m trying to say to you?” And so this “Do you see?” is sort of a catch phrase. Many of us have commented on it over the years and have sort of honored it and made fun of it. This song I wrote for her tenth anniversary as a Senior Minister and we had a big celebration. It was the fortieth anniversary of the Church, the tenth anniversary of Petra as the minister and this was my tribute to her.
The back story is that what the song is about. She is my teacher, and then in the second verse, of course, I pay it forward and I find people that I can help. And there’s a turnaround at the end of the song. It’s kind of like I love songs that have a little bit of a turn in the lyrics. The whole chorus is that she’s saying, “Do you see, there’s more to your life than you understand? You can do anything you want, you see”. And at the end I just, and I totally did it in the light and the first time she ever heard the song in this tribute, we had a couple of hundred people there, and where it says, “Have you ever had the chance to tell someone what they’ve meant to you?” and I just sang to her a cappella. I said, “You’re my partner, teacher, my friend, do you see?” and it was a big, ugly cry on the part of many of us that night.
CHUCK: [laughs] Well, let’s do this. Let’s play the song, because I think when people hear this they’ll understand what that big, ugly cry was about, because it is one of the most beautiful songs that expresses the internal ability and the beauty of the “thank you”. Michael, it is absolutely a masterpiece. So, let’s listen, “Do You See”.
[The song “Do You See” is being played]Have you ever found yourself lost and set adrift,
Wandering through your life with no direction?
Well, I have, I have, I have.
And in this time when you were lost,
Did you ever find the strength to reach out to somebody who could help you?
Well, I have, I have, thank God I have.
I found a teacher and a friend who helped me on my way,
She lifted me into the light and gently she would say,
“Do you see you are more than you believe yourself to be?
Do you know there’s a power in your head?
There is nothing in this world to keep you from your destiny.
You are not blind, you are not bound, no, you are free.
Do you see?”
Have you ever known the joy of returning to yourself,
Awakening to life after the darkness?
I have, I have, I have.
And when you were restored, have you ever turned around,
And helped someone who needed strength and guidance?
Well, I have, I have, yes, I have.
I became the teacher and the friend to someone who could not see.
I have passed along the light and love my teacher gave to me.
And I said, I said,
“Do you see you are more than you believe yourself to be?
Do you know there’s a power in your head?
There is nothing in this world to keep you from your destiny.
You are not blind, you are not bound, no, you are free.
Do you see?”
Have you ever had the chance to say some word of thanks
To this one who has given so much to you?
Well, I have, I have, right now I have.
Thank you!
You have given me your love.
You have shared with me your light.
You have given me your clarity of sight.
You are my partner, teacher, guide and friend.
A beautiful friend.
This is who you are.
This is what you mean to me.
Do you see?
CHUCK: So, Michael, let me ask you a question. At the end you do this a cappella portion. I have to assume that was done in studio as opposed to capturing this live whenever you were there presenting it to your teacher.
MICHAEL: Yeah, that’s right. It was a studio recording.
CHUCK: Well, it is so powerful. I can’t imagine what it was like to be there. I can imagine it was just absolutely wonderful, but it’s such a well-written song.
MICHAEL: Thank you.
CHUCK: It really is. The chorus portion of it, and I want to read the words just so that the people who have heard the song on the show understand the power of it.
Do you see you are more than you believe yourself to be?
Do you know there’s a power in your hands?
There is nothing in this world to keep you from your destiny.
You are not blind, you are not bound, you are free.
Do you see?
MICHAEL: I’ve never heard it read. I just really got, I got a lump in my throat. I’ve never heard them spoken. Thank you, Chuck, wow. I’ve never heard the lyrics like that before.
CHUCK: I’m just amazed. I mean, that line that says, “There is nothing in this world to keep you from your destiny,” is just– I feel like Renée Zellweger in Jerry Maguire, “You had me at hello.”
[Michael laughs]CHUCK: You had me at “Move Me in the Direction of Your Dreams” and now you nail me with “Do You See” and I’m like “Oh, my goodness”. Such an incredible song. It has to be–Well, okay, so I’m hearing the music telling me that I guess we’re coming up on a break here. So, I’ll come back with the question in a second, but, this is Chuck Gallagher with Straight Talk Radio and my guest is the incredible Michael Gott. You’ve heard two great songs. Stick with me, there’s more to come. This is going to be one more for the record books. Chuck Gallagher with Straight Talk Radio back in just a moment.
[The chorus of the song “Do You See” is being played]CHUCK: This is Chuck Gallagher with Straight Talk Radio and if you have been with us for the first half of this show you have heard two incredible songs in their entirety by the wonderful singer/songwriter, speaker Michael Gott. Michael is a senior assistant minister at Unity of Houston. So if you happen to be in the Houston area, you need to take just a visit. I promise you it’s absolutely, absolutely worth it. Michael, I’m so thrilled to have you on the show.
MICHAEL: Oh, thank you, Chuck. I’m so happy to be here.
CHUCK: You wrote or co-wrote a song entitled “Finding the Key”. Now, somewhere in the process– How many albums do you have at this point in time? Ten?
MICHAEL: Ten, yeah.
CHUCK: Ten. Okay. So, for those that are listening, you can find Michael’s recorded music at michaelgott.com or of course iTunes or anywhere that you choose to go buy music today. Michael, I guess, I’m old enough at this point in time. I remember going to the record store to buy 45s, then 33s, then CDs and now it’s just somehow transmitted through the air and it ends up on a phone and we put ear buds in and we hear it and it’s amazing.
MICHAEL: It’s kind of cool.
CHUCK: Yeah, it is kind of cool. But you sent out something some time back, whenever your album was set to come out, and I bought the pre-release version and for those people that are listening to the show, my background is a little bit odd. I’m not saying wrong, just odd. I made some incredibly poor choices in life that ended me up in federal prison. People have asked me “Gosh, if you had to do it all over again, would you do that?” and the answer is no!
[Michael laughs]CHUCK: You know, that was not fun, but I will say it was probably the most powerful time of my life, because everything disconnected and it was a time to go inward and find out who is Chuck Gallagher and what is it that I bring to the world. So, Michael, when I heard the song “Finding the Key”, boy, talking about just reaching in and saying, “Oh, that’s interesting! Was that written for you?” because it starts with,
Locked here in this tiny room barely air enough to breath,
I remember those who have been hurt by my mistakes
And those who have hurt me.
I’m looking for the key.
And that spoke to me about that prison experience as clearly as anything I have ever heard. So, what’s the back story?
MICHAEL: Well, this song I co-wrote with a young guy from, at the time I was living in Reno, Nevada, my first ministry at a seminary. I was an assistant minister there with Rev. Lisa [35:00] Garcia, and there was a young man in that community, Mathew Andrew. He and I were just writing some music together and this was our first, maybe our second song that we wrote. It is about the prison experience, like really from a more of a metaphorical understanding so you’re the first person to kind of relate it to literally being confined. I think it’s the same. I think the idea’s that we, whether it’s literal stones and bars or if it’s– In this song it’s really talking about our unforgiveness, our resentment, the way we hold on to past wrongs of our own and of others that keeps us from the freedom that life is supposed to be. So that’s what the song is really about.
CHUCK: It’s interesting to hear you say that because so many times today, when I have the opportunity to talk with folks, I want to make sure that it becomes real clear. When I’m talking about a prison experience, for me, it was physical. It was real and literal and physical. Yet, so many people are imprisoned by their choices.
MICHAEL: That’s right.
CHUCK: You don’t have to be behind bars or in a small cell to be so imprisoned and so unhappy. It is about the choices that we make, but before we go further with “Finding the Key”, let’s take a listen.
[The song “Finding the Key” is being played]Locked here in this tiny room,
Barely air enough to breath.
I remember those who have been hurt by my mistakes,
And those who have hurt me.
I’m looking for the key,
I’m looking for the key.
Trapped here in this tiny room,
My own hands have laid the stone.
The world is small and these walls are closing in.
Will I always be alone?
I’m looking for the key,
I’m looking for the key.
Love and forgiveness, fall down over me.
Love and forgiveness, set me free.
Set me free.
I know it hasn’t always been this way.
I know something has been lost.
I hope I can find the world outside again,
But I know what it will cost.
I’m looking for the key,
I’m looking for the key.
Love and forgiveness, fall down over me.
Love and forgiveness, set me free.
Set me free.
Set me free.
And know the stones have crumbled at my feet.
The chains have fallen from my heart.
I remember this is what it feels like to be free.
The walls have gone and I, I can see so far.
Love and forgiveness, fall down over me.
Love, love and forgiveness, have set me free.
I am free.
Love and forgiveness, fall down over me.
Love and forgiveness, set me free.
Set me free.
Set me free.
(Love and forgiveness)
Set me free.
(Fall down over me)
Set me free.
(Love and forgiveness)
Set me free.
(Fall down over me)
Set me free…
CHUCK: Now, I don’t know about you listening to this song, but I have to believe that there are people listening to Straight Talk Radio today thinking they were going to hear a talk radio show and having been touched by the combination of music and words. In that song, Michael, you say “Love and forgiveness, fall down over me. Love and forgiveness, set me free.”
MICHAEL: Um-hm.
CHUCK: And that is so true. You serve as senior assistant minister at Unity Houston and so I have to believe that so many times you have the opportunity to hear people that are imprisoned by their choices, by their beliefs and if they could only find that forgiveness, some of this stuff just washes away.
MICHAEL: It does. It’s a slight correction, I’m a senior associate minister, I’m not sure exactly what that difference means, but that is the title. I am senior associate.
CHUCK: Got it.
MICHAEL: It is true. There are– And what occurs to me in this moment of conversation, Chuck, is you know we build our lives on our behaviors, our choices and people really get stuck in these rigid ways of thinking and ways of acting and so it is like prison. The bridge of the song is what is my favorite part. It says, “And now the stones have crumbled at my feet. The chains have fallen from my heart. I remember this is what it feels like to be free. The walls are gone and I can see so far.”
I get inspired. It took me about eight or ten years to finally work that idea into a song. I was actually in a 12-step meeting in Dallas, years ago, and I heard somebody say in the meeting that when it all falls apart, the view gets so great. And I just think that sometimes we have to let old structures in our life fall apart. And it’s our resentment sometimes that’s kind of the mortar holding these old, rigid structures for life, and if we can invite forgiveness and love… Maybe things have to fall apart. Maybe marriages have to fall apart. Maybe the job that isn’t serving us has to go away. Those things, even though some of them are painful, they’re safe and we have to let some of that go and let it crumble, and then we have this “we can see so far”. Yeah, I just had to share that part of the story. I’ve never told anybody that part of that song. I’ve been wanting to write that lyric for eight years. [chuckles]
CHUCK: Oh, I think that’s amazing. You know. How the creative person that you are captures something and says, “Okay, there it is. Now I’ve got to just be able to pull this forward and use it somewhere,” and obviously spirit led that to be used here. That’s to me quite incredible, and it is true that we get so tied down by our thoughts and our beliefs and our choices, and yes, you are right, many of those things need to fall away. And sometimes, and I am evidence of that, easily we hang on to them because of that comfort. It would be a lot easier if we let go of them easier instead of having to go through the pain of the collapse, but then again you know, if it weren’t for the collapse, in many cases we wouldn’t be where we are today, living and moving in the direction of our dreams, to go back to the first song.
MICHAEL: Yeah. The breakdown becomes the breakthrough. [46:13] teachers say it, yeah.
CHUCK: Wow, I love that. So, Michael, let’s do this. One of the things that I love about your music, I love the idea that you were talking about collaboration. Before we go to the last song, you said that you collaborated on most of the songs there. Obviously there must be some energy and some interesting experiences that you’ve had with collaboration. Can you share some of that with us?
MICHAEL: Well, you know I think it’s– I’m just collaborative by nature. I’m an extrovert, I’m a connecter and I’m really lately drawn to the work of Brené Brown and what she says, you know, that we are hardwired for connection, and it’s our shame that keeps us from connecting to others. I’m hardwired to do it. I don’t know when I really discovered that the co-writing was the best way to write songs. I think it really just started as more practical. If I have an appointment to meet with someone to write a song, generally the song gets written. And if I’m just doing it on my own, waiting for the schedule to clear up and for inspiration to descend upon me, the songs never get written.
CHUCK: No kidding!
MICHAEL: It started out of a practical place and then once I started doing it, it just– Even people that are not “songwriters” or “musicians”. I’ve written a lot of songs with people who would not consider themselves musicians, but they’ve got ideas and there’s something magical. One plus one is much more than two. That’s just the only way I know how to say it.
CHUCK: Oh, that’s incredible. Okay, so I have to ask this question. It’s fascinating that you said that. So if you make an appointment to write a song, you go write a song. That’s amazing. Not long ago, I was out in Vegas and heard Elton John at “The Million Dollar Piano” show that he has. He was talking a bit about Bernie Taupin gives him words, he goes into another room, sits down, thirty minutes later he has a song, which I’m just baffled by. But there must be something when you and a person sit down together that just allows that to flow from you. How is that experience for you?
MICHAEL: Well, it’s wonderful. It’s art, you know? Sometimes it just comes easily and flows and sometimes it doesn’t, you know. Then you’re just like, “Oh…” Even with two people, it’s a struggle. I’ve written, you know, probably a couple of hundred songs at this point in my life and every one of them is a different experience. Some of them are just like they are transmitted somehow. It just all comes so easily and it’s very little changing. It’s just all just kind of land fully formed, like springing from Zeus’ forehead, you know.
[Chuck chuckles]MICHAEL: And then some of them are just laborious and some of the songs that you really work and struggle with, you can feel the work and struggle, they never quite get off the ground. Then some of them that I’ve worked and struggled with, they feel effortless. I don’t know. It’s always different. I just kind of show up and see what shows up.
CHUCK: Amazing. Well speaking of amazing, you wrote a song and this is the title of the CD “Amazing Things”.
MICHAEL: I did not write the song. This is another cover.
CHUCK: Okay.
MICHAEL: But I love this song.
CHUCK: Well, it’s an amazing song. It seems like it’s kind of effortless. It just flows so nicely and is so uplifting. Okay, so where did the song come from that ends up becoming the title of your CD?
MICHAEL: Yeah. As I said, I think there are twelve or thirteen, I don’t remember how many songs, twelve probably, on the album and ten of them are original and then two are covers, and this is one of the covers. The other one is by Michael and Rickie Beckwith, I believe. But this one is, it’s written by two amazing songwriters, friends of mine, Jana Stanfield and Megon McDonough. The first time I heard the song, I was music directing a conference in Chicago and Megon is a local up there and so I hadn’t met her, but I was put in touch with her and told that she was fantastic and I should have her come see me at the conference.
She came in and I met her and loved her. She’s an amazing presence and we were talking about which songs and she was describing and said, “Well, this is a really strong song. I think you will want to put this in this place”. Then she would persisted to sit at her piano. I was working. I wasn’t in one of those moments where I was going to be transformed by a performance like you were with “Move in the Direction of Your Dreams”, but that is exactly what happened. I sat there, you know, in my work mode, hoping that people love this, the right choice, the musician, and people [51:08] the conference, the song, and I was absolutely transported. It’s just an incredible song. It’s just– Something happens and I’m not sure it really translates into recording. I mean, it’s a great recording. I love it, but in the live performance it just changes the room, it’s just something.
So, I love these women and I finally have a chance to sing it for Jana. A couple of years ago, I was at Keno for a Positive Music Conference in Orlando and she was kind of in seeing this concert when I’d sing the song and I’m just so grateful that she finally got to hear me do what I do with her tunes and she was very pleased.
CHUCK: Well, it’s an amazing song and let’s just, for the audience, some of the words Amazing, amazing. You will do amazing things.
You will do amazing things with each choice each new day brings
And with every step you take bless the progress that you make.
The reason you live is there in every gift you give.
Love your life, love your dreams.
You will do amazing things.
Let’s take a listen.
[The song “Amazing Things” is being played]Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
You will do amazing things with the choice each new day brings.
And with every step you take bless the progress that you make.
The reason you live is there in every gift you give.
Love your life, love your dreams.
You will do amazing things.
Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
All the places you will go and the people you will know,
Don’t worry when, where, or how,
You don’t need to know that now.
You’re on the right track, no need to look ahead or back.
Just enjoy what this day brings.
You will do amazing things.
You don’t have to work it out, just stay in the here and now.
Let your mind rest for a little while.
Sometimes deepest answers come when you’re out there having fun.
So close your eyes, take a breath and smile.
Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
Amazing, amazing.
You will do amazing things.
CHUCK: So, Michael, “Amazing Things”. Okay. So, I have to tell you, you know, back story on my end. I got the album, signed up for the pre-release. So, when it came in, I was all so super excited and I listened to it and a very, very, very dear friend of mine was struggling with who she was and what she brings to this life and the challenges that have really played her pretty much all her life. She was going through an incredible healing process and I told her, I said, “Mary, you need to listen to this song.” And the part that really, I think, struck her was what I read a little bit earlier, “Bless the progress,” I can’t say the word, gee whiz. “Bless the progress that you make. The reason you live is there in every gift you give. Love your life. Love your dreams. You will do amazing things.” She sat there and she heard this in the car, and again she was weeping, and so I set that up as the ringtone every time she calls. So when she calls, I hear it fire off “Amazing Things” and it just sets the tone for the conversation. Again, from your end, it must be a wonderful feeling to know that you record these songs and then they’re out for the world to hear and it touches people in ways that you’ll never know.
MICHAEL: Yeah, it’s very humbling and gratifying that that happens. I’ll tell you, I know we just have a couple minutes left, I used to struggle with that. Even after I’ve been recording and selling my music, I had this idea that people were doing me a favor by buying my music, they were being nice to me and I didn’t really get that it had value. Finally, at some point I heard enough stories like that one, where people share that by listening to these songs that they have some moment of healing, of inspiration, that I finally got that this work that I’m doing is valuable and it helps people. So, now when I am off doing a gig at a church or something and I’m standing at my table, I don’t have any sense of, “Come do me a favor and buy my music. I’m just offering it. If you’ll buy it or not, I don’t care.” I mean, it’s not that I don’t care, I want them to. I just have a sense that every album that goes out there’s a chance that maybe someone will have a moment like that. They will touch that part of themselves that still believes that they can do amazing things in their life, so I’m very grateful for getting to do the thing I do.
CHUCK: Well, Michael, I have to say that there is more than a chance that what you do is going to touch people’s lives. Let me ask you one quick thing. I know we’re running out of time, but do you have any new projects? Are there any new CDs that are going to be coming out?
MICHAEL: I have committed to getting a new album out this year. I’ve got the songs. I just have to create the time in my calendar to just go to the studio. I mentioned Rickie Byars Beckwith is a friend and a mentor and idol and years ago she’d asked me if I’d ever done an album of just myself sitting at the piano with no other singers or instruments. I had told her that I hadn’t. She said, “You really need to do that album,” and she has an album like that called “Soul Fulfilling” and I love it. So that is the next project.
CHUCK: Awesome.
MICHAEL: And I have to say I have scribbled a little bit on that. There’s a cellist here in Houston. I have just fallen in love with his work, Max Dyer. So it will be myself, my vocals, myself at the piano and Max on cello and that album will be coming out this year. Guaranteed.
CHUCK: Awesome. Well, okay. So I’m going to do the unthinkable. I would love to just sit in the control room listening to that being recorded. So, nothing like inviting yourself to something that you’re not invited to, but–
MICHAEL: Oh, that will be a party. It will be fun.
CHUCK: [chuckles] Listen, I’m willing to do that and I know we’re running out of time. Folks, go to michaelgott.com to pick up Michael’s music. Michael, thank you so much for being my guest here on Straight Talk Radio. This has been an absolutely wonderful experience and again thank you for what you put out into the world that touches so many lives. It has really been a blessing.
MICHAEL: Thank you, Chuck. It’s been my pleasure.
CHUCK: And for those listening to Straight Talk Radio, we will be back next week. This is Transformation Talk Radio Network, I’m Chuck Gallagher. Thanks for listening and remember, every choice has a consequence.
You’ve been listening to Straight Talk with Chuck Gallagher. Tune in each week on transformationtalkradio.com, each Monday at 2 p.m. Pacific, 5 p.m. Eastern, as Chuck Gallagher, international speaker and author, cuts through the noise to share truth through transparency. Nationally-known guests talk about what’s important to you – your life, your concerns, and your success. Visit gallagher.pcgdev.com for more information and turn on to Straight Talk with Chuck Gallagher.
