These albums, I have recently posted, are my father's. He was the original "Eddie" Eddings. He was an extremely gifted musician. He could play piano, banjo, fiddle, mandolin or guitar. I idolized him as a child. He wrote songs recorded by many country western stars including, Tammy Wynette, George Jones, Earnest Tubb, Loretta Lynn, Jack Greene and Jeannie Seely, among others. He was a talented singer as well, and had a promising career. But he was also an alcoholic and an agnostic. He mocked the faith and turned from a larger-than-life personality into a demon-possessed wife-beater. I have very few good memories of him during my childhood. But, I loved him.
My mother divorced him when I was ten. My first step-father was an atheist, the next step-father, a man by the name of Beau Deal, believed the Bible was true, although he didn't live it himself. (We actually smoked marijuana together one evening) I was a rock musician by then, and my drug of choice was LSD. God used Beau and my mother, who no longer agreed with the atheism of my former step-dad, to point me in the right direction. One evening, I came home, after taking way too much LSD, and couldn't control my mental state. While I was being carried off by paramedics, he placed an old Bible in my hands. I, of course, couldn't read in my mind-warping condition but, the pictures I could understand. I hadn't seen that Bible since my grandmother used to tell me of the stories - using the same paintings - of Jesus and His virgin birth, sinless life, death and resurrection. I gripped that Bible and wouldn't let go as I stayed up all night in the hospital going through demonic hallucinations.
When God saved me months later, I visited my dad, who lived on the north side of Houston, Texas. I gave my testimony of saving grace while I saw his visage change to a hatred that had always scared me. I was shaking, literally.
Years passed, and as I grew in the Lord, I was no longer afraid of him. I witnessed to him many times after that, as did others. As far as I know, he remained an agnostic till the day he died.
I spoke at his funeral and shared the Gospel with everyone there. I could see many country western musicians who attended who had the same problems.
His music is now being found on several CD's and rockabilly blogs. I just wanted to share a little about his life. I wasn't there the day he died. I visited him a few days before and shared the Gospel for the final time. I do miss him.
