Tales From The A Trip Bio – Keith Waggoner

keith@libertyquartet.com
http://www.libertyquartet.com

Keith Waggoner is the tenor vocalist for Liberty Quartet (Boise, ID).  Born and raised in Indiana, Keith grew up listening to and singing Southern Gospel music.  His introduction to Southern Gospel was a Kingsmen concert at age 4:  he’s been hooked ever since.  He attended God’s Bible School & College in Cincinnati, OH and graduated in 1999 with a BA degree in Church Music. Since that time, Keith has served as a high school choir director, assistant orchestra director, youth pastor, and worship leader.

Keith and Lori now live in Caldwell, ID with their son, Trey, and daughter, Kassady.  Most of his spare time is spent hanging out with the family.  He occasionally gets to coach his children’s sports teams, which is one of his greatest joys.  The Waggoner family attends Grace Bible Church in Nampa, ID.

Keith is the self-proclaimed “techno-geek” of the quartet.  Fortunately, the other members of Liberty are digitally-impaired, so they’re convinced Keith’s a genius when he explains tough concepts like attaching pictures to emails.  He also owns a design company, normanKmedia.  He’s an avid fan of Indiana University basketball, Boise State football, and Cincinnati Reds baseball.  If you want to take Keith out for dinner, he’s probably going to suggest Skyline Chili (if you’re anywhere near Cincinnati), Red Robin, or In-n-Out Burgers, where he will order the same menu item every time.  He dares you to treat him to dinner and find out for yourself.

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Recently at a concert in Katy, TX Liberty sang these words from one of our favorite hymns:
When peace like a river attendeth my way; when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot Thou hast taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul.

"It Is Well" reminded me once again that wherever I find myself my hope, my comfort, my refuge is in Christ.  I know that many of you reading this article have been through it in the last 12 months.  Whether it's the loss of a spouse or someone close, a financial crisis, a relationship struggle, or maybe a report from the doctor that devastated you, you've been knocked around.  Life happens to all of us.  My hope and prayer, though, is that you can still say "whatever my lot...it is well with my soul".

In all honesty, we had plenty of storms, real not metaphorical, blowing around us on one of our most recent trips.  When we’re touring a long way from home, we’ll often park the bus at an airport and fly into Boise and back out for our next date.  Well, our flight in to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was a bouncing, shaking, rollicking one.  I endured enough turbulence on that flight to last a lifetime.  I also learned an important lesson:  do not drink a lot of apple juice when there’s even the hint of bad weather.  Not good.  It was pretty cool to watch God's light show out the window, though.  There were thunder storms just a few miles from us and the awesome lightning display was breathtaking.  We were all relieved to touch down, however. 

Then, next morning on the way to the Friday evening concert, the bus broke down.  I wish I would have had my camera to capture how miserable the situation was.  The rain was gushing down drenching Dan while he worked under the bus.  He was lying in a puddle of water doing a backstroke just to stay afloat.  It was just terrible!  Fortunately, after a couple tortuous hours Dan got us back on the road.  The rest of us helped by asking rhetorical questions such as “How’s it going, Dan?  You getting anywhere?  Are you planning on cleaning up before you get on the bus?” and camping out at a McDonalds across the street.  Yeah, we’re a helpful bunch.

Fortunately, we made it through the weekend and traveled home (29-hour trip, mind you) without any further incident.  Dan decided to take the bus into the shop here in Boise to get it serviced.  While it was in they discovered that the gearbox is shot and just about ready to give.  So, we’re not going to have the bus this weekend.  God has more than one way to make us realize how blessed we are.  I’m just glad they caught it in time.  We’re going to be traveling through the Nevada desert this weekend and that’s the last place you want to be stranded.

So, really, everything considered it’s all good.  Storms are going to come, life’s going to happen.  While I’m sure many of you are going through something more significant and life-changing then getting soggy or stuffing 6 guys in a conversion van for 2000 miles.  Just remember, whatever it is (big or small) you can still sing in your heart “it is well, it is well with my soul”.

In closing, let me invite you to one of my favorite events of the year:  The Great Western Fan Fest held in Fresno, CA at the lovely Save Mart Center April 30-May 2.  If you come, be sure to stop by the Liberty Quartet booth and say hello.  Here’s wishing you more May flowers than May showers. 

Blessings,

Keith