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THREE EIGHT HOUR SHIFTSDedicated to Cathy Miller from Tastries Bakery in Bakersfield, CA, and Jack Phillips from Masterpiece Cake Shop in Lakewood, CO
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THE PROBLEMThere is a story that The Times once sent out an inquiry to famous authors, asking the question, “What’s wrong with the world today?”
G.K. Chesterton responded simply, “Dear Sir, I am. Yours, G.K. Chesterton." Copyright © John thomas Oaks and Tommy Oaks, Caliora Music Publishing, ASCAP
I went home and hardly recognized my little town
Seems like everybody’s lighting fires to burn it down Throwing bricks—throwing shade Tearing down the past Makes me want to dress in black And fly the flag half mast Jimmy’s soda fountain’s turned into a liquor store Pastor Barton’s chapel stood beside that sycamore People came from miles around to hear the things he taught Now there’s just a chain link fence Around a vacant lot I need a reason for the chaos Why is there change and decay in all I see There’s an answer, and it’s time somebody said it The problem with the world is Me There’s a riot on the streets inside my ruined heart There ain’t nothing standing now that won’t be torn apart I’ve been stirring up the hornet’s nest No matter who gets hurt I wonder where I’ll go When there ain’t nothing left but dirt (CHORUS) I went home and hardly recognized my little town Seems like everybody’s lighting fires to burn it down But before I take their splinters out Or cast a heavy stone To point out all their sins I’d better take care of my own (CHORUS) |
BLOG & MABLOGIf you haven't listened to or read Douglas Wilson, you owe it to yourself to check out his "theology that bites back." The point of his blog is "All of Christ for all of life." Highly recommended.
PATHWAY: Songs for a Prayer WalkThese songs were written for the Appalachian Christian Camp Prayer Walk in Unicoi, TN.
If you visit the camp, we invite you to walk the path and stop at each Scripture post along the way to talk to God. Whether or not you can visit the actual path, we hope these songs will help you get closer to Him on your pathway, and make your requests known to Him! We hope to produce a full release of these songs in the near future, but in the meantime, please enjoy these homemade demos! Jt and Tommy Oaks 
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F.Y.I.
These are the companies whose "health care” policies include open support of the murder of the unborn at any stage of pregnancy (and even after birth), thousands of dollars
in abortion stipends and travel reimbursement, and in the case of the listed pharmacies, supplying or promising to supply abortifacients:
in abortion stipends and travel reimbursement, and in the case of the listed pharmacies, supplying or promising to supply abortifacients:
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TARGET and KOHLS are embracing the religion of radical gender theory by promoting a number of clothing items and accessories aimed at children and babies, including transgender-themed books intended for children. One book is called "Bye Bye Binary," and one is entitled "The Pronoun Book."
CHICK-FIL-A actively promotes DEI and funds radical abortion and genital mutilation activist groups like the SPLC and Covenant House.
CHICK-FIL-A actively promotes DEI and funds radical abortion and genital mutilation activist groups like the SPLC and Covenant House.
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Join the Club! Subscribe today by using the form to the left, and I will link you to a folder online that only subscribers will have access to. I will regularly upload MP3s, videos, scripts, and updates to that folder for you to access and download at any time, without limit. I will also send you regular email updates when new material is in the folder.
Thanks for your interest in my work! |
NERVOUS MAN - The New Single from SYSTEM: ANATOMY
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I have a new songwriting show on Knoxville Community Media! I have written a substantial catalog of original songs, and I hope to feature some of the best of that catalog on this program. I want more people to hear my songs because if people don't hear them, what's the point of writing them?
The show will air every Wednesday evening at 9:30pm on Comcast 12, Charter 193, WOW! 6, AT&T Uverse 99, and streaming at knoxcm.org You can also subscribe to the Jt's SONG OF THE WEEK PODCAST on YouTube. Just click the WATCH ON YouTUBE link below! 
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"[HIM] has everything...Stephen Foster, Scott Joplin, Ragtime Gal...plus Jt Oaks." -Loretta Novick.
"...the old hymns come to life in technicolour without words..." -Jim Ferrie
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Story Salad Available for Purchase Now!
The second worldwide single release from the SYSTEM: ANATOMY project I am currently producing with Vince Harris.
With the help of our incredible team, including the brilliant Robin Patrick of Think Moxie Design
and Ronnie Brookshire, audio engineer extraordinaire,
and featuring the stunning Dobro talents of Tony Dingus,
we bring you a little toe-tappin' lesson in BREAKIN' DOWN FOOD.
Best enjoyed with hors d'Oeuvres
With the help of our incredible team, including the brilliant Robin Patrick of Think Moxie Design
and Ronnie Brookshire, audio engineer extraordinaire,
and featuring the stunning Dobro talents of Tony Dingus,
we bring you a little toe-tappin' lesson in BREAKIN' DOWN FOOD.
Best enjoyed with hors d'Oeuvres
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...and in case you missed it, here is the first release, entitled CIRCUMNAVIGATION
for those of you who like their directions with an extra dash of funky spice.
for those of you who like their directions with an extra dash of funky spice.
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Also available on Spotify, Amazon Music, and everywhere else you get your digital music fix.
change a life
Bless your life, your family's life, or the life of a friend by sponsoring a child (or children) through Living Proof, a ministry of the Hippo Valley Christian Mission. HVCM currently has twenty-seven schools, where over 19,000 students receive a top-notch education that includes Bible-based, Christ-centered curriculum. Their orphanage (Chiredzi Christian Children’s Village) supports 60+ children, and includes a Halfway House for orphans age 18 and over who are still completing school or serving job apprenticeships. HVCM has also planted and now helps support 20+ churches across the low-veld of Zimbabwe. They also have helped start and support four church plants in Mozambique.
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Engineered by Steve Gulley and Bryan Turner, and featuring Barry Bales, Mark Boling, Dale Ann Bradley, Justin Moses, Tim Stafford, Adam Steffey, Ron Stewart and Jenna Weaver. Also featuring the writing talents of my collaborators, Andy Corbitt, David Cornue (also a co-producer), Sam Holtzapple, Jerry Hughes, and Brian Woodbury.
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BLUE YORK: "A pure country/bluegrass album with its feet firmly planted on Manhattan island! Here you'll find it all; complex harmonies blended with direct storytelling peppered with lyrics that are unique in their ability to turn a phrase." - -Tom Ollis, November 11, 2008 "Imagine the technical excellence of bluegrass as played by the Del McCoury Band, melodies as if written by Jimmy Webb, story lines Spielberg would be proud of, hook-filled lyrics that set the scene like they came from the pen of Hal David - this'll give you some idea of what to expect from this excellent "no-filler" offering from JtO." - -Jim Ferrie and the Studio Dawgs, February 15, 2009. Engineered by Trevor Reddick, and featuring Jeff Zona on guitar, Gary "Biscuit" Davis on banjo, Tim Caudill on bass, Tony Dingus on Dobro, Kevin Moore on fiddle and mandolin, Amos Oaks on harmonica, Robert Allen on guitar, Jimmy Bryant and Lakieta Bagwell on background vocals. Collaborators include David Cornue, Andy Corbitt, Sam Holtzapple, and Amos Oaks. Also featuring a Larry Norman song to commemorate his death the year this album was released. In his podcast, David Van Biema called "THE DAY THE MARKET FELL" his song of the year.
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"Knoxville banjo player and singer John thomas Oaks recalls his years in the big city on Blue York, a solid set of contemporary and classic bluegrass songs based on Oaks' recent stint in the music and theater world in New York. Oaks and his band effortlessly swap back and forth between traditional barnburners ("Goin' Up to Harlem"), country-inspired ballads ("Worth It All," with lovely lead vocals by Emilee Cook), and bluesy stomps ("Roseangela"), never straying too far from their roots in smooth, Blue Highway-like (and audience-friendly) pop bluegrass." [Matthew Everett, METRO PULSE]
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Artwork and design by Amos Oaks and Michael Hendrix
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This double-CD cast recording of the country-western musical revue LOVE AUSTIN features the talents of Jimmy Bryant singing the role of Austin and Melissa Greene singing Katy's role. Also appearing on the CD are Bryan Sutton (featured on Dolly Parton's LITTLE SPARROW CD) and a stellar group of backup singers (Dirk Donahue, Elizabeth Ledger, Carter Maysilles, Dave McCutcheon). Also featuring the harmonica prowess and artwork of Amos Oaks, the guitar stylings of Jeff Zona, solid bass tones by Stuart Weed, and the brilliant beats of J. Vincent Harris.
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Rob Harris is one of my favorite songwriters of all time. Download Rob's "Winnebago," and be sure to listen to the final track, "How to Bend."
Here is my interview from Steven James' podcast, THE STORY BLENDER. Steven James is a critically acclaimed novelist and author of more than 30 books of fiction and nonfiction. His Thriller THE BISHOP, was Suspense Magazine's Book of the Year, and EVERY WICKED MAN was the winner of 2020's Christy Award for Mystery/Suspense/Thriller.
I hope you enjoy the interview! CLICK HERE! or HERE! |
The Broadway to Main Street Podcast from 88.3 FM in Southampton, NY recently featured the talents of Sutton Foster.
I wrote a song for Sutton when she won the Tony Award for her performance in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE in 2002. This song was also featured in the podcast (beginning at 30:30). Click HERE to download THE SONG OF SUTTON FOSTER from Jt Oaks' first bluegrass album, BLUE YORK. Feel free to send the link to all your friends. |