Kerensa Gray on Apr 09, 2010 01:34PM

Latest news!

Spring is finally here and I am SO excited to get the seeds in the ground and get my hands dirty -- in fact, I'll be doing just that in a little bit! It's warm here (in the upper 70's) and we have a wonderful breeze pushing that amazing "spring" scent into the house. There are just some days that you can see God clearer than others and today is one of those days for me!

Let me be me - the newest Cd offering - has been well recieved as we travel and I have been blessed indeed to be working with some amazing Jazz musicians who are pushing me to a greater level at every turn. Check out www.youtube.com/watch?v=kBGE8tSYPEM or www.kerensagray.com to see footage from the Tues night Si Salsa Jam session in Pikesville, Md to hear me covering Ain't No Sunshine with these uber talented folks.

Now, onto great news!! I have been given the opportunity to work with Jazz Producer and Keyboard player Eric Copeland of Creative Soul Jazz out of Nashville, TN. I have been wanting to work with Eric for some time, but God has opened the door to make this dream a reality. Eric produces my producer, Drew Davdisen, so we are moving things up a notch and I am more than a little excited to see where this relationship leads. Eric will be producing one of my new babies entitled "Queen of the Wrong Thing" and you will be the first to hear it when it comes available. Please pray for us as we move forward in this endeavor as we'll have some traveling to Nashville to record and still have to raise some funds to bring it on home.

If you haven't checked out www.kerensagray.com for a while make sure to stop by and take a look as we have updated the front page a bit with some pictures and video for you to check out. Also, if you are a facebook junkie, please drop by the Kerensa Gray page where you can get daily updates and see where I will be performing. www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Kerensa-Gray/161792971701?ref=ts I would love to have you as my FB Buddie!

Upcoming Dates:

April 9 - Kerensa is sitting in with Drew Davidsen Band - Peachez in Upper Marlboro, Md 9-12

April 10 - Fundraiser at Lennerkenny in Chambersburg for Paws for a Cure - noon

April 17 - Jazzway (see the attached flyer) You DO NOT want to miss this!!! Balt, Md 8:30 (you MUST purchase tickets in advance for this event)

April 22 - Cup C Unwind - Cannonsburg, Pa 7

April 25 -

Radio News: There is a new Jazz Radio Show in the Baltimore area. It's called Ninety One One Local. This is a live Local Jazz show on Harford County Community College's WHFC 91.1FM. It airs every Sunday Night from 8-10pm and is hosted by Trish Hennessy. You will hear lots of great Baltimore Jazz Artists on this show each week! On April 25 it will be your very own Kerensa Gray!


Keep an eye on www.kerensagray.com to see upcoming dates and if I am not scheduled for your area, let me know where you want me to be and I'll do my best to make it happen.

Kerensa Gray on Feb 01, 2010 05:45PM

Light in the Darkness - Diane Fink

I remember the many times as a little girl that our electric would go off because of bad weather. Strong winds, snow storms, and heavy rains would knock out the power and out would go the lights. During the day it was no big deal, but nighttime would be like a totally whole set of different problems (for me). My mom was always prepared,for she knew just what to do to 'shed' some light in the darkness. Out came the flash light, candles, and lanterns, then in just a moment all was taken care of, and darkness was chased away. I would come close to the burning light of some source, for it always gave me a sense of safety. All the 'strange noises' that I would hear, all the 'unseen' movements just didn't bother me as long as I stayed close to the 'light source'. Now I am older, my job takes me out into the early mornings before daybreak. During my traveling the long distance between here and yonder ( as they use to say when I was a kid), the mornings can be very dark. The very rural area has no city or town lights to 'lighten' the way, so it's you, the dark, and headlights of your car to see anything. There is a ridge, or small mountain some would say that I pass on my trip. On top of this ridge someone has placed a lighted cross that gives out light even in the darkest of nights, it truly is beautiful to see! When I see that cross it just seems to give me a peace or a comfort that I recall from my 'kid days' and those stormy nights.
Today there is lot's of 'darkness' in the world we seem to be facing. From people loosing their jobs, homes, and retirement plans. Children having to come home to an empty house,(latch key kids)because it takes both mom and dad to make a living just to survive these days. That is if you have both a mom and dad in the house. Gangs are taking the places of 'families', cause they know we 'all' want to 'belong' to someone or something. Drugs , alcohol , and porno tears into the minds of all ages, bullies in school, on the internet...you get my drift...it's all darkness. Wars, severe weather, uncertainty in almost everything you hear or read. Where is the 'light' that will show us out of this darkness into safety? ....
In the Book of John, God's Holy Word the Bible, it begins telling us about the Light,Jesus, the Light that came from heaven to a world of darkness, sound familiar? As you read through the Book of John you will see how Jesus lifts the darkness from the lives of all He touches . Darkness has to flee or run away when we come close to the source of Light that shines out in our lives. You are no longer worrying over what might be making the noise or problem cause you can trust that the Light, Jesus, will keep us safe even when we can't see anything around us, but still we can trust Him to get us through all the 'scary' stuff in our lives! That feeling that all is well even when life isn't at it's best, sure beats living and staying in the darkness!
Are you tired of being in the dark? Do you want to have love, hope, peace, and comfort, instead of 'what's the use of living' feeling? Then come to the Light.. come to Jesus, and you will never walk alone or in darkness again. Will things change overnight, some will, but most is a process, a growing and learning adventure with Christ! Now stop your bumping into 'stuff' and celebrate the dawning of your brand new day in Christ!

Blessings, Remember , keep looking up until Jesus takes us up!

Kerensa Gray on Nov 23, 2009 03:30PM

Changes ... blog from our favorite Diane!

Can you believe it, fall is here already! Cooler weather and my favorite, the beautiful colored leaves. The reds, yellows, and oranges mixed with the greens and browns. What an artist is our Lord! Add some cooler weather, and you have one of my favorite seasons. ( Spring comes next as my second favorite.) Notice how it all changes from green to the many different colors, and if you think about it, each season has it's own 'look' about it. Winter here in Virginia has white, for the snow, with brillent crystal blue skies. Or they can take on a grey look without the snow, but the skies have such huge clouds that look like you could step out and walk on them.
Then spring brings the flowers that start peeking their heads up through the snow, and trees that bud out with each warming, sunny day until you see different reds, purples, pinks, and white blooms, and full heads of all sorts of plants shine forth! That's just one of the reasons I believe in the ressurection, from almost lifeless, seemingly nothing comes all this beautiful and fragant plants! Once again the sky takes on a different almost 'wispy' look.
Summer is my 'green' season. Everywhere you look you see green. With it also is the heat. Not my cup of tea, but we need it all, hot, cold, rain, dry , sunshine and clouds. They each have a work to keep us and this earth we live on going to help us survive.
But it changes constantly. Just like our lives, we arrive here on this earth as a little baby, then each year brings us changes. Some good, some bad, but all is an adventure. Today's world is changing all around us. When I was born in 1952 , TV was just a baby invention. Now look around us at all the internet, cell phones, satellites that keep us in contact from here to, well I don't know how far they can go.
People have changed since I was a little girl. You use to call adults , Mr. or Mrs., you answered yes mamm, or no sir. and said please and thank you. Back talk as we called it, didn't work at all. In my home , mom said something and there was no waiting period. Today, children seem to run the house, and parents are the servants to them. Not all, but more so then in the past.
I don't have to say anything about prices. When first married we paid $65.00 a month for rent. Food for a month was only $50 to $60. Sunday was the Lord's day, or church day. America was revered as a great country, when the flag was raised, or passed by in a parade, hands were over their hearts, hats were off the guys heads, and a look of pride was in their eyes. Wow, how times have changed.
I could go on, but I say all this , to share these most important words for you to remember, and take to heart. In Hebrews 13:8 in the Holy Bible, God's Holy Word, it tells us this; "JESUS, the SAME yesterday, today, and forever." He never changes, He stays the same. When everything else, as well as everyone else changes, we can depend on Him! What He says He will do, He will do it. He can't lie, men lie, but God can't. So with all the changes about me, when I can't depend on anything or anyone staying the same, I want to know I have someone I can turn to, and know they are going to be there! That gives me a hope and a peace. In the world today it just isn't very much peace around to find is there?
So if you want to find something solid to hang onto today, come to Jesus, He will be "a very present help in times of trouble", and hope when you can't seem to find any hope.
Change is good, but Jesus is better!

Until next time, keep looking up until Jesus takes us up!
Diane

Kerensa Gray on Sep 15, 2009 04:19PM

News!

Family!!

I am so excited and I just can't wait to share with you! www.kerensagray.com is now up and running and while we are still in the process of "tweaking" the site I thought it would be great to hear what you think. Please check out the website and let me know what you see that you like and what you would like to see that you don't...we will be taking all comments in and utitlizing as many as possible. I want this site to be yours as much as mine, so please....let me know!!!

Also, we are reaching the home stretch for the new cd and are looking forward to releasing that to you soon! I'll be getting you an end date in the next couple of weeks and if you would like to hear samples of what we're up to visit www.indieheaven.com/artists/kerensagray to hear the studio tracks of what we have completed thus far. If you haven't already, we are still accepting pre-orders for the "Let me be me" project and would love to include you. Remember, when you pre-order you are not only supporting the project, but you are getting the final cd for 1/2 off along with a special edition signed copy with a special bonus track that will only be available on the SE Cd. (and you are REALLY going to want the bonus track!!! It is amazing!) Email me right away to pre-order as this offer will be ending with September!

That's the news for now. Remember that I am praying for you and I ask that you please do the same as we travel and work hard to 'walk the love walk in transparency' to shine the light of Jesus Christ in this fallen world.

Kerensa Gray on May 25, 2009 01:31PM

Memorial Day

To us that remember what Memorial Day really is about, we take this time out to remember the soldiers of the past, who gave their lives in combat, that we can enjoy the 'freedoms' we share today. Their graves get American Flags on them, and we stop to 'thank God' for the sacrifices they, and their familes gave when they were called upon to serve their Country. Plus to all the living soldiers, men and women, old and young, from whatever war or campaign you served in , Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guards, or anyother branch of the armed forces you were part of , I stand up and salute you, each and everyone! I shout and hold my head up high for all you have done for your fellow Americans, and the many other countries you have helped set free from those that would rob them of their freedoms. To me, you each deserve a medal! To those that came home from 'Police Actions' to such awful treatments from the very ones you were trying to keep safe and free, I ask you for forgiveness for actions unbecoming of the Americans we are suposed to be. I think it's kind of funny, (not in a haha way), but sad way, that you fought for their rights to voice their opinions and have the freedom to 'disagree' to the 'war' you were in. Thank you all for giving your best, when we were at our worst so many times when you came back home. You didn't have to do it, but you did. We, I have so many freedoms that are taken for granted, that we fail to remember just how we got them to enjoy. Yes, thank you many times over.

--credit Diane Fink