LYNN BECKMAN
With the echoes of country, Gospel and traditional music embedded in his life and career, Lynn Beckman continues to deliver his own brand of musical talent and song to each audience he meets both on record and in concerts.
Listening to Lynn sing one of his own compositions, like those from his new "LOOKIN' DOWN THE ROAD"; or his “SOMETHING Old…New…Borrowed…Blue;” or his “Father and Son: Telling The Gospel Story;” “Castles and Crowns;” or "Songs Of The Heart, Heaven and Home" album releases causes an audience to relive some special musical moment or recall a favored voice from the past.
“I consider myself to be more of a traditional country and Gospel singer,” Beckman says. “Even though my own compositions are fresh and new they reflect the music of my past and the traditions and roots of my life.”
Born in Keyser, WV, and reared in Swanton (Garrett County) MD, he cut his musical teeth on traditional music and gained his first experiences as a singer and musician mainly in elementary school and in churches. However, as a shy, quiet and reserved youngster, he recalls finding himself terrified in front of a church, school or community audience even though each performance gained him affirmation and encouragement.
It was while attending a business college in Cumberland, Maryland, in 1962 and 1963 that Beckman found himself hanging around a local radio station. It was then that he realized he wanted to become a broadcaster himself. Soon the management of the station put him on the air in Cumberland, MD, and later he landed jobs on WMSG in Oakland, MD, and later on WCST in Berkeley Springs, WV, where he also met his wife, Mary.
A big moment came for Lynn in 1964 when he was invited to Nashville as Mr. D.J. U.S.A., and he appeared on the Friday and Saturday Grand Ole Opry Shows. He also appeared with the late Grant Turner, a WSM and Opry announcer, on the Friday evening "Mr. D.J. Show" that was broadcasted live following the Friday Night Opry. It was during this visit to Nashville that he met many of the artists who have been most influential in his life and career since. Among these is country singing legend Billy Walker, who a few years before his tragic death recorded a Gospel song, entitled “For Me,” that Lynn wrote.
“It is ironic,” Lynn says, “that my most successful song to date was recorded and released by one of the first professionals I ever got to know in the music business. Billy Walker’s recording of my song has elicited many responses from as far away as Africa and has also climbed to the top of the New Christian Music Charts in Europe. Released by an English label on March 1, 2004, the song debuted at number three on the NCM Charts the week of March 11, 2004. Beckman also recorded his version of the song in his "Father & Son" Gospel album.
Up until Billy Walker's tragic death in a vehicle crash on May 21, 2006, Beckman appeared many times on the road with the Billy Walker Show and has appeared various times with the Opry legend and his band on the famous WSM Midnight Jamboree from the Texas Troubadour Theatre at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop in Nashville. “I cannot imagine how many people have heard and are still hearing around the world,” Beckman comments. “The shows were live on WSM and on the internet that Saturday night. Then, they were archived on the record shop’s website and were made available for quite some time following their original broadcast.”
Beckman has also worked shows in recent years with bluegrass master Ronnie Reno and The Reno Tradition. Reno also appears as a guest artist on Lynn's newly released "LOOKIN' DOWN THE ROAD" CD. Reno lends his musicianship to all of the tracks with special guitar and mandolin solos on traditional songs like "PICTURE ON THE WALL," "YOU ARE MY FLOWER," "DON'T THAT ROAD LOOK ROUGH AND ROCKY," and "WRECK OF THE OLD 97." Plans are in the works for a new bluegrass Gospel CD with Lynn and Reno and The Reno Tradition. A session is scheduled for late summer, 2008, in Nashville with a possible release coming in early 2009.
Lynn Beckman writes most of his materials and also has written for other artists besides Billy Walker who have recorded his works including Germany's famed country artist, HERMANN LAMMERS MEYER who has released Beckman's "HARD TO HANDLE EASY TO LOVE" in Europe on Desert Kid Records. He also has written a Gospel song recorded by LISA MEADOWS entitled, "HIS PROMISE TO ME" released in January, 2006, in the USA. The song was alsoreleased internationally on NCM Records out of the United Kingdom.
Some of Beckman’s recordings from the mid-1970s on the famed “D” Record label out of Houston, TX, were internationally released in July, 2005, in a box set by Bear Family Records out of Germany; a box set that also features country artists such as George Strait, Floyd Tillman, and many country notables who recorded for "Pappy" Daily's famous southwest record label; a label that launched many artists' careers including the legendary George Jones.
Beckman has had songs of his in the Gospel charts in Europe in recent years including “A BRAND NEW BOOK” that remained on the charts for 17 weeks following its July 1, 2004, release and “THERE WERE NO TOYS,” a Christmas song that climbed to number 2 on the Euro Charts during the 2004 Christmas season. The song charted again during Christmas 2005 as well. In more recent months the Gospel song “HE IS RISEN,” has been charted in Europe after its debut in March, 2005; and in 2006 two songs have been listed on the New Christian Music and Euro charts overseas. In March, 2006, "THERE'S A CHURCH ON THE HILL" charted and climbed to number 2, and in May, 2006, "COME AND DINE" became Lynn's first NUMBER 1 record on the international Christian Music and Euro charts. It remained at number 1 for two weeks.
Lynn's ecordings may be ordered from the "BUY MUSIC" section of this website. Songs may be digitally downloaded through over 50 internet music retailers globally including Apple iTunes; Napster, Rhapsody, Wal-Mart, Verizon Wireless, etc. A Google search of "Lynn Beckman Music" will reveal these digital download websites.
“The ‘D’ Singles Collection—Vol. 6” box set is available at www.bear-family.de (Germany) and at many other fine music retailers around the globe. The Box Set may be ordered through this website. Just CLICK ON "LINKS" and go to the "D" Record Collection -- Bear Family Records section.