Are We Winning Yet? Spring 1999

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Awesome God: A Tribute to Rich Mullins, (Word, 1998).

Rich Mullins, Songs, (Word, 1996).

Collective Soul, Dosage (EMI/Atlantic, 1999).

What becomes a pop star most? From a record company's standpoint, the answer to that one just might be "an early demise." Consider the Hall-of- Fame-type status instantly conferred upon such diverse souls as Buddy Holly, Sam Cooke, Selena, Patsy Cline, and Kurt Cobain at their premature deaths. In each case the performer's sales and fan base while alive pale by comparison with their postmortem notoriety.

Though he belonged to the quirky parallel universe of gospel music, the case of Rich Mullins appears to be no exception. Fans of CCM will know his work. But Mullins was otherwise unknown on the music scene at large before he died in an overturned Jeep last year.

Since then the buzz about Mullins has grown to a roar. His peers gave the guy—who in his lifetime never won a Dove Award (read Christian Grammy)—more attention than any of the living at last year's ceremonies. His Ragamuffin Band called in the biggest names in the industry to supply vocals for a final, posthumous recording (the overblown if understandably earnest Jesus Record [Word, 1998]). And now long-time collaborative producer Reed Arvin has delivered the requisite tribute album.

Awesome God: A Tribute to Rich Mullins presents eleven artists' covers of eleven different Mullins tunes. Its intentions are in the right place: Mullins always considered himself more a writer than a singer. The Rock Church-goers and youth leaders who know only his worship refrains might be surprised by some of his best material, which suggests a mix of Bruce Springsteen's everyman pathos, Elvis Costello's wry wit, and the devotional sensibilities of Oswald ...

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