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Making The Music

Thank You to our Lord for bringing this all together. Then allowing us to work in one of the most historic recording studios on Music Row in Nashville, Sound Shop. The wonderful writers for letting us use your music. DAN ROBERTS & LUKE REED for "Horses in Heaven" a song dear to Mikes heart as we know is to yours. Thank you Dan & Luke for your testimonies! ROY ROBINSON for "The Cowboy Song" & letting Mike add his own heart in recitation. ERIC HORNER, long time friend & former "Girls Next Door" Band member for "Watch Over Those Who Are Watching Over Me" that is for our son Cheyenne, a dedicated United States Marine! PAUL OVERSTREET for your spirit & your songs.

MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY for his time he spent with us, surprising us in the studio & for the awesome song "Kill Pen" & then singing with Doris on this song! WOW! What a treasure! And many more writers & songs that made this project possible! "Girls Next Door" our dear friends & sisters! Diane (Williams) Austin, Tammy (Stephens) Smith & Cindy (Nixon) Psanos. Thank you so much for being part of our music. It was such a thrill for us to sing together again in the studio, as we have always been told "our voices are a match made in heaven". And re-cutting our first single... great memories.

Ron Hemby, our very talented Christian artist & producer who did the work for us contacting musicians, engineers, and getting us ready for the studio. The talented studio musicians who prayed for us, realized our vision, style of music & gave us that unmistakable "Nashville Sound". And to get to work with Bobby Blazer, a former "Girls Next Door" drummer, what a blessing! Dirk Johnson for your humor & kind spirit with our vocals & overdubs. Steve Allen & Aaron Minick for your awesome ears & tireless attitudes during recording & mixing! For the prayers & encouragement of family, friends & all the folks at Cowboy Crossing Church. Tony Figueroa, our daughter, for the wonderful photography for the CD and additional photos by Gloria Carver!

We have taken every opportunity to pray for guidance and direction for this ministry and feel this is where God wants us to be! After about 3 years HE made this music project a reality. We prayed about our material and chose some favorite songs that touched our hearts. Then God brought us some awesome writers that love the lord and live the cowboy life style! Their music fit perfect!

The LORD brought together some of the most talented players, producer and engineers available, and were all believers in The LORD! Before each session they gathered around for a word of prayer and the music began. We could have never reached this place if this project had been about us. This is a tool to further the ministry that we have been so blessed to be a part of. All the awesome events that have surrounded this project can only be GOD. It is our prayer that the music encourages you, makes you smile, brightens your day, and has a message that touches your heart to spur you on to have a relationship with THE LORD!
Mike & Doris Merritt

IN THE STUDIO

Here are those wonderful and talented folks we had the opportunity and privilege to work with in the studio. We think you will enjoy taking time to get to know them!
 
Produced by Ron Hemby – Producer, artist, singer, musician, writer. Formerly with the "Imperials" and "the Buffalo Club"
Executive producers: Mike & Doris Merritt (you know them!)
 
MUSICIANS: "The boys that made the noise" (and girls)
Steel & Dobro: Al Perkins - www.alperkinsmusic.com  Scotty Sanders - www.allmusic.com/artist/scotty-sanders
Fiddle/Mandolin: Andy Leftwich – www.skaggsfamilyrecords.com/artists/andy-leftwich
Acoustic Guitar/Fiddle/Mandolin: Bruce Watkins www.allmusic.com/artist/bruce-watkins
Electric Guitar: Tom Hemby - www.tomhemby.com
Bass Guitar: Ron Hemby www.allmusic.com/artist/ron-hemby  Mike Merritt (that's our Mike)
Drums: Bobby Blazior – Drummer, producer, also plays for "MICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY" and played for "Girls Next Door"!

Engineers & Mixing:
Dirk Johnson - www.linkedin.com/pub/dirk-johnson
Steve Allen - www.squareonestudio.com
Aaron Minick - www.aaronminick.com
Brett Huus - Strations Studio Brownsville Minnesota
Back Ground vocals: Ron Hemby & Doris Merritt
And "Girls Next Door" the group Doris sang with, our dear friends & sisters!!
Diane (Williams) Austin, Tammy (Stephens) Smith & Cindy (Nixon) Psanos.

THE WRITERS and OUR MUSIC

We are so thankful for these talented writers and for their songs. We are very blessed they let us record their music.

Michael-Martin-MurphyMICHAEL MARTIN MURPHEY: Who's successful music career has expanded the decades and well known for performing & writing "Wild Fire" and many other great songs! www.michaelmartinmurphey.com
Wrote the awesome song "Kill Pen" & then singing with Doris!

DAN ROBERTS: www.lonestarmusic.com/DanRoberts
A cowboy, award winning cowboy artist and writer of cowboy songs and "Garth Brooks" hits! Like "Beaches of Cheyenne" and more.
Along with LUKE REED, another wonderful writer & cowboy!
They wrote "Horses in Heaven" a song so dear to Mike's heart!

CheyenneERIC HORNER: www.erichorner.com
Christian artist, writer, musician and producer. Played with "Lee Greenwood" and was a "Girls Next Door" band member!
Wrote "Watch Over Those Who are Watching Over Me"
This song is for our son, Cheyenne, serving our Country in the United States Marines

ROY ROBINSON: Has to know the "cowboy life" to write a song like the "Cowboy Song". Also recorded by Garth Brooks and others. The Lord gave Mike the inspiration to write the recitation during the song!

PAUL OVERSTREET –DON SCHLITZ wrote "I Won't Take Less Than Your Love"Mike-and-DorisMike and Doris sing together on this one.

BILL MACK: www.billmackcountry.com
wrote "Clinging To A Saving Hand"
Bill Mack closed his famous radio show every night with this song

SAM LORBOR-TIM DUBOIS- JEFF SILBAR:
wrote "Love Will Get You Through Times Of No Money"
Girls-next-DoorThis song was for "Girls Next Door", the all-girl country group Doris sang with. It was their first single released to Country Music and went to #14 on the Bill Board charts! It was also requested and played on the Christian radio stations. The "Girls" reunited in the studio and recut their song.

PAUL OVERSTREET & DON MOEN: wrote "God Is Good" And He is good all the time!!
One of our favorite songs we have done live for a long time.

Another one by PAUL OVERSTREET & FRED CARPENTER & BILLY PRINCE
"Till The Answer Comes" (Gotta Keep Praying) and we do!
It was fun to sing with the "Girls" on this one.

FAY FOSTER- AL GOODHART- FLORENCE TARR: wrote "The Place Where I Worship"
We cut this with a "western swing" style and the lyrics sure fit the "cowboy life style".

PAUL WESTMORELAND: wrote "Detour" in 1945. In 1946 it was originally cut as a western swing ballad by Spade Cooley and spent 11 weeks on the country charts. In the 50's, Patti Page recorded "Detour" and stayed there for 16 weeks!
We cut the song with a cool retro sound with western swing and a touch of Hank Thompson.

This is an old ROY ROGERS & DALE EVANS song.
"May The Good Lord Take A Likin' To "Ya" Fun, fun song to sing
and the fiddles and do shine!

IRA F. STANPHILL & SINGSPRATION: "I Know Who Holds Tomorrow"
Another wonderful old song we just had to record. It is very special to Mike and I and it is my testimony song. The "Girls Next Door" did an awesome job!