'Little Ricky' from 'I Love Lucy' - Where Is He Now?

It’s been almost 60 years since Keith Thibodeaux starred as "I Love Lucy's" 'Little Ricky' back in the 1950s. Today the child star is all grown up and managing a Christian ballet studio called “Ballet Magnificat!” with his wife in Jackson, Mississippi.

Thibodeaux, the only living star from the "I Love Lucy" show, played the drums and acted as Lucy and Ricardo’s son. After making appearances on the "Andy Griffith Show" after "I Love Lucy," Thibodeaux says his Hollywood life took a dark turn.

“My parents divorced when I was about 15 years old. So I left Hollywood kind of embittered,” he told Fox News.

The former child star said he didn’t want to always be known as “Little Ricky,” so in his teenage years he joined a Christian band called “David and the Giants.” That's when he realized he needed help.

“I needed a savior because I got down to the end of my rope when I was playing rock," Thibodeaux said. "And just went down into the drug world and I was clinically depressed. It was at that point that God answered my prayer - my cry.”

God came into his life to give him a purpose to live, according to Thibodeaux. “I don’t need anything else but God and Jesus in my life," he said. "Because He’s my beginning, my middle, and my ending.”

Aside from managing his ballet studio, Thibodeaux still plays the drums with “David and the Giants” and they just released a new album called “Still Rockin.”

Five Degrees of Christian Music

Christian artists are well integrated into the fabric of popular music ranging from songwriting, producing, session players, touring musicians or even new personas.  Katy Perry's transition is well documented as are the Jonas Brothers and The Civil Wars' Joy Williams.

The Sound Opinion has a nice article summarizing the connection of 5 disparate artists including new info on each.

Where Has All the Christian Music Media Gone?

The Sound Opinion has a nice post on the decline of coverage of Christian music.  It's worth a read.

CCM Artist Carman Diagnosed With Myeloma Cancer

CCM legend Carman has just announced that he has been diagnosed with Myeloma Cancer. Please keep the singer in your prayers. Below is Carman's personal letter to his fans via Facebook about the diagnosis...

I have delayed writing this but those of you I call friends and supporters, who have prayed for me and this ministry need to know about this new battle that lies ahead. One week ago I was diagnosed with Myeloma Cancer. It is incurable and I've been given a 3-4 year window of time. Tomorrow I go in for my first bone biopsy and the process will start. I used to go to movies in the afternoon, now I go see doctors. I write these things for a few reasons. First, I want to put an end to all the rumors. Second, I ask for your prayers. And 3rd, I want you all to know that I will continue to minister and win souls until I can't do it any longer. My life has always been about ministry. I have a call of God to touch lives with the gospel of Jesus Christ and that's what I will do until the Lord calls me home. Please, do not allow this facebook site to be an ongoing blog for cancer treatment remedy's. That would be depressing to everyone. If you have any insight you can message me personally. But I want to encourage you, if you can, to please come see me the next time I'm in your area. Bring someone who doesn't know the Lord or who needs to be healed. I will always pray for the sick and I'm also going to step up the intensity of my message at these events. I will not leave this world quietly and I want the devil to know that he put cancer on absolutely the wrong Italian. I have a few good years and before it's too late I want to see your faces, shake your hands and hug your necks. But mostly I want to see one of you get healed of what threatens your future and I really want to see someone you love come to Christ. Now lets get back to business, we have to work while its day for soon the night comes.
I love you all -C
By: Carman Licciardello

Best Female Christian Vocalist of All Time

Half a decade ago, I shared my thoughts on who I thought were the best female Christian vocalists of all time.

Criteria include song quality, vocal prowess, ability to play an instrument and/or craft a song, and of course my personal bias...

An updated list:

10. Nichole Nordeman

9. Crystal Lewis

8. Margaret Becker

7. Natalie Grant

6. Mandisa

5. Ginny Owens

4. Britt Nicole

3. Jaci Velasquez

2. Joy Williams

1. Amy Grant

Honorable Mentions:

Francesca Battistelli

Lisa Bevill

Christine Dente (Out of the Grey)

Brooke Fraser

Rachael Lampa

Leigh Nash (Sixpence None the Richer)

Rebecca St. James

Kathy Troccoli

Thoughts?

The Choir's Steve Hindalong: The Sweet Notes of Sobriety

Steve Hindalong, one of the founding members of The Choir and, at 52, one of Christian music's real veterans, says that in the last year, he has grown closer to God than ever and that he's seeing things more clearly than before.

That's what sobriety can do for you.

In a revealing interview with Christianity Today, Hindalong spoke for the first time about his 20-plus years of struggles with alcohol. But he was also elated to report more than a year of sobriety since attending his first Alcoholics Anonymous meeting in early 2011.

Read full article.

CCM Mag Confirms Dana Key's Passing

CCMmagazine.com confirms that Dana Key, of legendary band DeGarmo and Key passed away Sunday night from a ruptured blood clot. Key was a senior pastor at TLC Community Church in Memphis, Tennessee. The site also has thoughts by Clay Crosse.

CCM To Relaunch Magazine In Digital Format

CCM Magazine, which ended print publication last year, has announced that it's relaunching the magazine in digital format. According to a press release, each issue of CCM will focus on new Christian music set to release during the quarter of publication.

Apparently, the mag had a soft launch last quarter because the 'magazine' had an article about Michael Tait joining the Newsboys.

Christian Music Conspiracy?

Relevant Magazine dispels 5 Myths about the Christian Music Industry, including Christian artists can’t “cut it” in the secular world.

CDs I'm anticipating

Third Day - Revelation - July 29
Jars of Clay - Closer EP - August 5
DecembeRadio - Satisfied - August 26
Downhere - Ending is Beginning - September 23
Michael W. Smith - A New Hallelujah - October 28
Jeremy Camp - Speaking Louder Than Before - November 26
Stryper - Murder By Pride - Fall 2008
Switchfoot - untitled [Lowercase People] -- Late 2008?
Tait - Loveology -- Sometime 2008?
Lou Gramm Band - late 2008

Others of note/interest:
Margaret Becker - Air CD - 8/19
Bart Millard - Hymned Again - 8/19
Grits - Reiterate - 8/19
Phil Keaggy - Phantasmagorical - 8/26
Chris Tomlin - Hello, Love - 9/2
Brian Head Welch - Save Me from Myself - 9/9
Ayiesha Woods - Love Like This - 9/9
The Elms
Sixpence None the Richer

Delirious - the end is near

Delirious announces in their newsletter that they will disband at the end of next year.

20th Anniversary of Amy Grant's Lead Me On

EMI is commemorating one of Amy Grant's better CDs with a two-disc set that includes the fully-remastered, original "Lead Me On" project, plus a bonus CD with 45 minutes of new and previously unreleased content.

American Idol alum pay tribute to Smitty

The 39th Annual GMA Dove Awards will feature American Idol finalists Mandisa, Chris Sligh, and Phil Stacey with Idol winner Jordin Sparks and Amy Grant for a tribute medley marking the 25-year legacy of Michael W. Smith.

GMC reaches 40 million Subscribers

Gospel Music Channel has reached the 40-million subscriber mark.

Brad Avery Leaves Third Day

"Third Day and Brad Avery have made the very difficult decision to part ways..."

CCM ceases publication of magazine

Industry standard, CCM, is transitioning to online only!!

Return of Sixpence None the Richer

Her solo cd had a nice song or two, but it's great the band is returning.

CCM in TV Promos

Needtobreathe's "Don't Wait For Daylight" for World Series on Fox and “Nothing Left to Lose” in "Prison Break" and "K-ville" promos

Robbie Seay Band's “Rise” is featured in spots for FOX’s “American Idol”

TobyMac has been featured in many commercials, e.g., "The Slam" for the movies Transporter 2, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, Prison Break, ESPN, NFL etc) and "Boomin" for the Underdog movie

Most unappreciated CCM cds

What do you think are the most unappreciated CCM cds of all time? My list is in the next post, but here are two interesting perspectives from Beliefnet and Infuze. Infuze parts 2, 3 and 4 are here (their navigation leaves something to be desired.)

Great New-ish Bands

The Afters
DecembeRadio
Future of Forestry
Needtobreathe
Red
Starfield
Turn off the Stars