Product Description

When a young Richie Furay moved to New York hoping to make it big in folk music, God wasn’t one of his concerns. But destiny was.
Later, when he started Buffalo Springfield with Neil Young and Stephen Stills, it seemed Furay’s destiny had finally arrived. Although the band recorded only three albums, it remains a touchstone of sixties rock music–with all five band members now enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Furay remained a musical pioneer, forming Poco and recording some of the first–and best–country rock music of the sixties and seventies. His work was a major influence on the Eagles and innumerable other bands. But he still had not found his destiny.
It wasn’t until his marriage almost disintegrated that Furay confronted his need for God. After co-founding two legendary bands and recording with a rock super-group, Richie Furay finally found his destiny. The long journey took him from sold-out arena concerts to the pulpit of a Colorado church, from rock royalty to the Rock of Ages.
Destiny is often found in the places where we’re not looking. As you follow the twists and turns in Richie Furay’s inspiring journey, you’ll gain fresh insight into your own.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #354939 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-18
• Released on: 2006-04-18
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

About the Author
Richie Furay is a pioneer of folk-rock and country rock music. He was a founder of Buffalo Springfield and Poco, bands whose recordings continue to influence both rock and country music today. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Furay is coauthor of For What It’s Worth: The Story of Buffalo Springfield. Today, he pastors a Calvary Chapel church in Colorado and continues to record and perform music. Married since 1967, he and his wife, Nancy, have four daughters and four grandchildren.

Customer Reviews

Reflections of a Peaceful Mind
Richie Furay, a great musician and songwriter who arguably has one of the best tenor voices to ever grace the sounds of rock or country, has written an exceptional memoir. Fans of the post-folk era California sound, country-rock, 60's/70's rock n' roll and those faithful to Christian beliefs will all enjoy Furay's unique perspective of how music became his life, and also led him to his true vocation, the calling as a pastor with Calvary Chapel in Colorado.

For those readers who may fear too much Christian influence for whatever reason, rest easy. While Furay has woven an intimate tale of his life, illustrating how his music career contributed greatly to his ultimate religious vocation, he is honest and factual, and resists the temptation to be preachy or overbearing in his recollection of one of the greatest eras of American music. The chronology of the times, his view of former bandmates, the music industry in general and reflective behind-the-scenes insight of the groups Buffalo Springfield, Poco, Souther-Hillman-Furay, and the other bands/duos he has performed with since leaving strictly secular music behind, run the gamut, from the elation of being in the R n' R Hall of Fame, to the disappointment of being considered washed up and out of style when he embraced Christianity in his mid-30's, just as he was trying to keep his profile high as a solo artist. Richie Furay shows the same courage and conviction in writing this book that he has shown throughout his musical career, staying true to his beliefs in his talent, his wife and family and those who work closely with him. His upbeat, outgoing attitude, which was his trademark as a musician and in his songwriting, shines through in the retelling of his life, from his youth in Ohio, to stardom and frustration in southern California, to the epiphany he experienced shortly after moving to Colorado and literally struggling to salvage his musical career and his marriage simultaneously. Furay does not "sugar coat" the difficult experiences---including several major personal, familial and professional trials--- which makes the book even more appealing.

Naturally, the discography of his musical life is noted, as are interviews and other secondary resource material, giving Furay's biographical narrative a validity that other recent similar works lack. Throughout the narrative, he does not apologize for his beliefs and thematically inserts his Christian perspective in each chapter. This is a book written by a genuinely happy man who truly understands how blessed he really is, despite the fact that Poco has never received the superstar status he, Jim Messina and Rusty Young dreamed of when they formed that band in 1968, and that monetarily speaking, his musical career has not made him independently wealthy. It did, however, give him an avenue to find his true calling, and Furay makes it clear that the rewards he has found in his Christian congregation in Colorado have been the richest of his life.

For baby-boomer music enthusiasts, this book is a must. Reading it takes you back in time, and lets you enjoy the past with a positive vibe---just like the music of Richie Furay.

It Shouldn't Matter
I want to admit this right off... I have a very big bias about Richie Furay. I saw him perform live in Buffalo Springfield when I was in high school, live with Poco when I was in college and live at a church fellowship with my family when I was in my 40's. In other words, I am a big fan. And I will read just about anything about him written by just about anybody.

That said, I would be hard pressed to say which story impresses me most... his tales of being a music icon or the story of his acceptance of Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, which didn't lead to the instant rewards that so many "born again" Christians would lead you to believe is the result. The struggle to put back together a failed marriage by faith in the Lord and the story of dealing with a skeptical audience not ready for a Christian music legend is worth the purchase price. Pastor Furay's early emergence as a Christian songwriter predates the "Amy Grant" era by years and as Furay fought his own demons to bring his voice forward, his entire life was changed. But it took lots of time and lots of patience and lots of prayers.

I am not sure where I would catalogue this book if I owned a bookstore. It could fit in music, religion, inpsirational or self-improvement. The message is there for you to see. And Pastor Furay pulls no punches. Being a servant of the Lord, a husband, a father and a muse to the music industry is no easy row to hoe. But Furay's example of perseverance and faith makes this book a no brainer. It should be on your shelf and read multiple times. It is a story of faith, kindness and love that will reach those that understand... and hopefully those that are looking for an answer to life's huge complexities.

Enjoyable
this story was told with so much honesty and love for music
and faith that I could not put it down. thoroughly enjoyable!
thank you, Richie for sharing your joys and heartaches with
your fans! may you continue to create great music!