KEYS
A FRIEND. AN INSPIRATION. A CHALLENGE. | Ed Kerr
For 20 years Norm Stockton wrote the bass quiet in response. Eventually a hand or two you like Norm challenged those bass players
column here in the magazine, but recently was raised and a few individuals described in his clinic. This challenge is something I’m
stepped aside to concentrate on his video series their approach to practice. Then Norm said taking to heart as well, the challenge to be a
and other pursuits. For more than 20 years I’ve something that has stayed with me since. He disciplined musician. Years back I memorized a
been blessed to call Norm friend. I have lots of described his daily practice routine. Yep. Daily. verse that challenged me then and challenges
great memories of time spent with him. Painting
me today. It’s Proverbs 14:23, and it says, “All
one of my kids’ bedrooms with him as my wife I’m sure there is a day here and there when hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads
and I prepared our home in Nashville for sale. Norm’s travel schedule or other commitments only to poverty”. When I first memorized the
Enjoying down time in green rooms around won’t allow him to practice on his instrument, verse, I was in graduate school at Indiana
the country with him during our fruitful season but the essence of what he said really stuck University in Bloomington. I was preparing my
playing and teaching together in Maranatha with me. And challenged me. Norm has 24 graduate recital, a crucial part of my degree
Music’s Worship Leader Workshops. And hours in each day. So do you. So do I. Next completion. I was working full-time as a
laughing with him. We laughed together a lot. time you or I sit down to be part of a worship bookkeeper at a music store in town along with
Yep. Norm has brought a lot of joy to my life. team rehearsal, will we have a confidence that doing my coursework. You might imagine that
comes from working on the song list on our finding time to practice my piano pieces was
He’s also been an inspiration to me. And a own time? Will we call up a new sound from challenging. I kept reminding myself of God’s
challenge! A few years ago, a church in my our keyboard setup we’ve discovered on our promise that hard work would pay off, so I
hometown brought Norm in to do a bass own? Or will we be only mildly familiar with our practiced. I practiced after a full day at work
clinic for our community. Besides seeing songs and rely on sounds we’ve used many when going home and relaxing would’ve been
Norm demonstrate his amazing virtuosity times before? easier. And then I practiced again the next day.
on his instrument, I saw him exhort the bass
When time came for me to present my recital
players who’d gathered to be skilled on their There’s no condemnation in Christ, and I to a panel of faculty, I had peace. That peace
instruments. He asked the people there what certainly don’t want to bring any on you through came from me consistently disciplining myself
their practice routine was. The room was pretty this article. I do, however, want to challenge to wisely use the time that was available to me
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April 2019
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