Well, well...Let's see. I'm nothing more than a guy who has "been to Hell and back". Literally. Had so many vices up until last weekend when an Overdose changed my life completely. Surprised? Why should you? It's part of "Rock and Roll" and part of all the stuff that happens on the road and stuff that many before me have put in their past and survived.
Was originally 12 years old when I gave my life to Christ and played my first instrument at Colina Alta Baptist Church, an extension of Hillcrest Baptist Church in El Paso. It is here where I became involved in ministry from assisting my dear pastor, friend and mentor, Andy González (RIP) in everything from cleaning the restrooms to being the first Worship Minister in a Baptist Church circa 1989. Was known throughout the independent Baptist Church circuit as a Pentecostal-Baptist after being baptized by The Holy Spirit at a what later became my home: Iglesia Puerta Del Cielo.
From 1992 through 1994, and then resuming in 1998 through 2000, I was Worship Leader, Sound Engineer and also the Radio Producer for Iglesia Puerta Del Cielo, under the guidance of Pastor Marco A. Aguirre.
My last official event at PDC was arranging and producing the musical aspect of a Praise & Worship concert along side with the Youth Worship Team, and performing with a good friend: Juan Carlos Alvarado.
During 1991 through 2002, helped established local Praise and Worship teams in El Paso, Juárez and California and also did Missionary work in Juárez, Mésico. Have had the blessing of working alongside many good friends like, Gerardo MartÃnez (Alcance Juvenil & Fraternidad Cristiana El Paso), Jorge Váldez (Abundant Living Faith Center), and Tury Hernández (Amistad Cristiana Anaheim), and also Father FrÃas from San Juan Bautista Catholic Church.
After leaving church, went back to my roots in Rock 'n' Roll and met up with good friends Keith Gutierrez, Bryan Witting and Earl Stagger and formed Turncoat, one of the hardest working Rock bands in El Paso, and have continued performing with Keith and new friends and bandmates: James Luevane and Eddie TarÃn. I've also performed in the Tejano scene with the BJ Pando Band, Sólido, and Edenia e Imagen with Diana Sanchez, BJ Pando, Joseph Gómez, Victor Terrazas, Pete Torres and Edenia Ponce. All the "Rockstar" lifestyle eventually caught up to me in recent years...
In a way, I see my life as being close to Johnny Cash's and Bon Scott. Johnny had many drug related problems and went through a difficult first marriage which later landed him in the arms of June Carter. She in turn showed him what the real meaning of love was and stuck with her man until the very end.
Bon Scott died when he was 34 of an overdose. I'm going on 33 and had an overdose that clearly made me see the other end of the "tunnel", and after coming back from it, has opened up my eyes to what life is really about. I can't say I came "Back in Black" as Brian Johnson, Bon Scott's replacement, recorded in 1981, but will say, "I'm "Back in Red".
I'll be posting some blogs in the weeks ahead and sharing with you all that God has done since that night at University Hospital. Luckily for me, God sent an Angel to my side prior to this incident who's been supporting me and encouraging me during this critical moment of my life and other stages of it as well. I now have three angels watching over me: Chelsea, my mom and my "June Carter".
I've been given a very unique opportunity in life to live it to the max as God intended. No, no...I'm not a "religious" zealot or a "Right-wing" mindless individual, nor I intend to live a hypocritical religious lifestyle; I intend to live the life God wants me to live without ignoring my priorities and loved ones.
Though I'm a Believer (Believe it or Not), I'm no fan of Pat Robertson, Oral Roberts, Jerry Falwell (who by the way was a religious zealot and racist preacher). I'm no fan of Bush and McCain. Obama/Biden 2008!!!
