Newsletter 08/04/05


Hello Krew

Hopefully all the kinks are worked out of the newsletter mailing service now and everyone that wants to receive the newsletter is getting it and the ones that don't want it have been successful in removing themselves from the list.

This newsletter will be a bit different from the ones in the past. I am going to address an issue that I have had many questions about in the past week.

The number one question in the past week is

WHY DID YOU DO THE ARTICLE IN GQ MAGAZINE?

Here's why.

Back in January Gentlemen's Quarterly Magazine editor started calling my office wanting to talk to me. I ignored their calls for three weeks. Since my ordeal started in November of 03, I have been hounded by certain members of the press for an interview. I was advised not to speak to the press until the court case was still pending. After the court case was over, I was so tired and emotionally drained by it all, at that point, I didn't care what was happening, I didn't want to talk about it anymore, didn't have the energy to discuss it, frankly, I was OVER IT! In the early part of the year, I granted one interview from a Christian TV station in Alabama. Honestly, it was the worst interview that I have ever had to sit through. The reporter made me very uncomfortable, expected me to answer very personal questions in front of a growing audience, it was not the kind of setting for such an interview. Finally I just stopped in the middle of it and said "I've had enough." I swore that day I wouldn't speak to the press again. So when GQ started calling, I was paranoid since it is a secular magazine, that knows nothing about Gospel Music or ministry. Maybe I shouldn't say they know nothing about it, but I wasn't aware of them ever reporting anything about it. So I just ignored their calls for three weeks.

Finally the girl that wrote the article called and left a local Knoxville number. I didn't recognize her name or number so I called it. She introduced herself to me and told me that GQ magazine was interested in doing a story on me. I was paranoid. I had a million questions for her, I told her I wouldn't agree to it until I prayed about it and had a peace about it. She agreed to meet with me in person and at that meeting I began to see where she was going with the story. She assured me that GQ was not out to hurt me, they weren't writing it from a certain slant, they just thought it was a good story. Her words were "I see a strong man that loves to perform and do what he feels he needs to do, And I see you getting opposition but you continue to be true to your calling " I prayed about it for several days and finally agreed to do the article.

In all the interviews, she treated me with respect and dignity. I was totally comfortable talking to her and she was very courteous and didn't push me when I she thought I was timid or nonforthcoming with some answers.

2. DID YOU HAVE FINAL APPROVAL ON THE ARTICLE?
No, I did not. They wouldn't grant me that and that worried me for a while. But I took her at her word that she, nor the magazine wanted to hurt me further.

3. WHY DIDN'T YOU GRANT INTERVIEWS TO A CHRISTIAN MAGAZINE?

They didn't ask!

4. DID YOU HAVE A PUBLICIST THAT SET THIS ARTICLE UP WITH GQ?

I guess God was the publicist. I never approached them, they contacted me. I never dreamed that GQ magazine would print such a story.

5. HOW ACCURATE WAS THE ARTICLE COMPARED TO WHAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID IN THE INTERVIEWS?

Very accurate. There were some explanations that I gave to support some of my answers that never made the article. There were a few things left out that might have made the story better, in my opinion, but over all I thought the writer was very fair and very unbiased.

6. WHAT HAS BEEN THE RESPONSE?

Unbelievable responses! I have had hundreds and hundreds of emails from people all over the world who read the story and have made good comments. Many are from people who have allowed their own situations to distance themselves from the church. Many have let rude remarks by church members persuade them from returning to church, and continuing their walk with Christ. I have heard from Senior Vice Presidents of Major world wide companies who were moved by the story. I have heard from Doctors, Lawyers, Catholics, Atheists,. . . . . . all who have been moved by the story, most of them who desire a relationship with Christ again.

But the best thing that's happened so far is a call to my office last Friday. A man from British Columbia was planning to commit suicide. He had the pills out and ready to swallow them. He had made all the preparations. Friday morning he went to his mailbox and got his mail. The GQ magazine was in his mail that day so he thumbed through it. There he found the article and read it with great interest. He was from a church background, divorced, his children had turned their back on him because of choices he had made, He is retired, he was down to two friends with whom he had coffee with two days a week. He was at the end of his lonely rope. He was tired of it all. But after he read the article, he bowed his head and asked Christ to reenter his life and be near to him. He called the office to "thank that guy" that was bold enough to be transparent.

Monday of this week, I was able to reach him by phone and talk to him for a few minutes. That conversation was worth putting up with all the "Christian judges who think I should have answered things a certain way," It was worth all the explanations that I am asked to give. That conversation with that man, was worth all the harsh things that I have had to endure! So I say PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!!

WHAT'S NEXT?

No idea! Whatever door God opens, I will walk through it. Please keep me in your prayers.

__________________________________________________________________________

THE NEW DVD will be available in two weeks! Go ahead and place your order now and we will ship all the orders as soon as they are in the office. The DVD has the entire testimony on it, along with all the songs!

Response to the CD has been overwhelming! You can view some of those on the comment page on my guest book http://www.kirktalley.com/

I hope every KREW member will order a couple of CD's and DVD's. As I have stated, there is no distribution to Christian book stores on this project, so I need help from the Krew. First I need you to order the CD and DVD, then I need you to contact your local Christian Book Store and see if they will carry it in their store. If they will, please get their information and email it to me. We will send them a brochure and ordering information. Also, start calling your local gospel station and ask them to play a new song from the LIVE AT THE RIVER CD. They will tell you they don't have it! Then ask them if they had it, would they play it. If they will, get their mailing information and I will be happy to send it directly to them.

Don't forget the cruise! There is info on that on the website. Don't forget Next week in Birmingham, AL--an evening with Kirk Talley at East Side Bapt Church info is on the website. Aug 20th is the Trio concert in Maryville Tennessee. Anthony Burger and Shane Dunlap will join me for some "around the piano" harmony and a lot of fun. Possibly there will be TWO special guests there that night that you don't want to miss! I can't wait. Contact dottie820@ aol.com for tickets!

Keep praying for my Mom, she needs your prayers. So does my Dad! So do I.

Thank you all for being so great Kapt Kirk