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John Michael Talbot

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For other people named John Talbot, see John Talbot (disambiguation).

John Michael Talbot
Talbot in 2014
Talbot in 2014
Background information
Birth nameJohn Michael Talbot
Born (1954-05-08) May 8, 1954 (age 70)
OriginOklahoma City, Oklahoma, U.S.
GenresContemporary Christian music, country, folk-rock
Years active1970s–present
LabelsSparrow, Troubadour for the Lord
Websitejohnmichaeltalbot.com

John Michael Talbot (born May 8, 1954) is an American Christian musician, author, television presenter and founder of a monastic community known as the Brothers and Sisters of Charity.[1]

Life and career

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Talbot was born into a Methodist family with a musical background in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and started learning to play the guitar at an early age. At age 15, he dropped out of school and was performing as a guitarist for Mason Proffit, a country folk-rock band formed with his older brother Terry.[2]

Talbot embarked on a spiritual journey that led him through Native American religion and Buddhism and finally to Christianity. At this point, he and his brother, Terry, joined the Jesus movement and recorded the album Reborn, which was re-released by Sparrow Records (originally released as The Talbot Brothers on the Warner Brothers label).[3] He married his first wife Nancy in 1971.

Two solo albums followed for Talbot: John Michael Talbot (1976) and The New Earth (1977).[2] Both of these were recorded at Golden Voice Recording Studio in South Pekin, Illinois, and produced by Billy Ray Hearn. Reading the life of Saint Francis of Assisi, he was inspired to begin studying at a Franciscan center in Indianapolis. He and his wife divorced, and he became a Catholic and joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1978.[4] His new beliefs influenced his next solo albums, The Lord's Supper (1979) and its follow-up, Come to the Quiet (1980).[2] In the years that followed, he continually released new albums and became the best-selling artist in the history of Sparrow Records.[2]

He started a house of prayer called "The Little Portion". Talbot moved The Little Portion to Berryville, Arkansas, on land he had purchased during his Mason Proffit days. He founded his own community, the Brothers and Sisters of Charity, at Little Portion Hermitage as an "integrated monastic community" with celibate brothers and sisters, singles, and families. By 1989, Talbot had married Viola Pratka (with the permission of the Catholic Church), a former Incarnate Word Sister who had come to the community in 1986.[5]

In accordance with the community's general constitutions, Talbot's title is "General Minister and Spiritual Father". For many years, he has promoted the work of Mercy Corps.[6][7]

The hermitage suffered a fire in April 2008 in which the chapel, library and many common areas were destroyed.[8] On April 10, 2010, the Bishop of Little Rock, Anthony Taylor, dedicated the new buildings. On October 2, 2010, the Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage celebrated the opening of the new monastery church and common center.[9]

Talbot is the host of an inspirational television program, All Things Are Possible, on The Church Channel which is owned and operated by the Trinity Broadcasting Network.[10]

See also

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Discography

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With Mason Proffit

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Year Title Chart Position Label Number
1969 Wanted Happy Tiger 1009
1971 Movin' Toward Happiness 177 1019
Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream 186 Ampex A-10138
1972 Rockfish Crossing Warner Bros. BS-2657
1973 Bare Back Rider 198 BS-2704
1974 Come And Gone * 2S-2746

* double album reissue of Wanted and Movin' Toward Happiness

Solo

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Year Title Chart Position Label Number Notes
Top Contemporary Christian
1974 The Talbot Brothers Warner Bros. 2767 With Terry Talbot
1976 Firewind Sparrow With Terry Talbot, Keith Green, Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of Acts
1976 John Michael Talbot Sparrow 1003
1977 The New Earth Sparrow 1010
1979 The Lord's Supper Birdwing 2013
1980 Come to the Quiet Birdwing 2019
The Painter Sparrow 1037 With Terry Talbot
1981 For the Bride Birdwing 2021
Troubadour of the Great King Birdwing 2034
1982 Light Eternal Birdwing 2035 GMA Dove Award winner
Songs for Worship, Vol. 1 Birdwing 2044 Also Sparrow CD 1159
1983 No Longer Strangers 21 Sparrow 1075 with Terry Talbot
1984 The God of Life 23 Birdwing 2056
1985 Songs For Worship Vol. 2 Birdwing 2053 Also Sparrow CD 1159
The Quiet Sparrow 1254
1986 Be Exalted 10 Birdwing 1183
Empty Canvas Sparrow 1255 Also Meadowlark 7015
1987 Heart of the Shepherd 13 Birdwing 2094
Quiet Reflections Sparrow 1150
1988 The Regathering 16 Sparrow 1153
1989 The Lover and the Beloved Sparrow 1193
1990 Hiding Place 19 Sparrow 1214
The Birth of Jesus: A Celebration of Christmas 20 Sparrow 1241
Come Worship the Lord Vol. 1 Sparrow 1243
Come Worship the Lord Vol. 2 Sparrow 1244
1992 The Master Musician Troubadour 4620
1993 Meditations in the Spirit Troubadour 4621
1994 Meditations from Solitude Troubadour 4622
1995 Chant from the Hermitage Troubadour 4623
1996 Brother to Brother Troubadour 3604 with Michael Card
Our Blessing Cup Oregon Catholic Press 10075
The Early Years Sparrow 1580
Troubadour for the Lord Sparrow 1545
1997 Table of Plenty Troubadour 4624 Also OCP 10402
1998 Pathways to Wisdom Troubadour 4625
Pathways to Solitude Troubadour 4626
Hidden Pathways Troubadour 4627
Spirit Pathways Troubadour 4628
Quiet Pathways Troubadour 4629
Pathways of the Shepherd Troubadour 4630
1999 Cave of the Heart Troubadour 4632 with Phil Keaggy and Michael Card
2000 Simple Heart Troubadour 4633
2001 Wisdom Troubadour 4635
2003 Signatures Troubadour 4636
2005 City of God Troubadour 4637
Monk Rock Troubadour 4638
2006 The Beautiful City Troubadour 4639
2007 Living Water 50th Troubadour 4640
2011 Worship and Bow Down Troubadour/OCP 4641
2016 The Inner Room Troubadour/OCP 4642
2020 Songs from Solitude Troubadour/OCP 4647
2023 Adoration Troubadour/OCP 4645
2024 Late Have I Loved You Troubadour/OCP ?

Collections

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  • 1980 Beginnings
  • 1989 Master Collection V1 - The Quiet Side
  • 1995 Collection
  • 1995 The Talbot Brothers Collection
  • 2003 Signatures
  • 2003 History Makers
  • 2008 The Troubadour Years

Bibliography

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Books

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  • St. Romuald's Hermitage of the Heart: 40 Days to Peace, Prayer, and the Presence of God — (Book Baby) (2021)
  • The Music of Creation: Foundations of a Christian Life — (Tarcher/Putnam) (1999) ISBN 1-58542-037-9
  • Changes: A Spiritual Journal — (Troubadour For The Lord) ISBN 1-883803-00-4
  • Blessings: Reflections On The Beatitudes — (Crossroads Publishing) ISBN 0-8245-1077-1
  • Come to the Quiet: The Principles Of Christian Meditation — (J.P. Tarcher) ISBN 1-58542-144-8
  • The Fire of God – (Troubadour for the Lord) ISBN 1-883803-01-2
  • Hermitage: A Place Of Prayer & Spiritual Renewal — (Troubadour For The Lord) ISBN 1-57921-040-6
  • Simplicity (with Dan O'Neill) ISBN 978-0-89283-635-2
  • The Joy of Music Ministry (Resurrection Press) ISBN 1-878718-63-0
  • Lessons of St. Francis: Bring Simplicity & Spirituality Into Your Daily Life — (Plume Books) ISBN 0-452-27834-1
  • The Lover and the Beloved: A Way Of Franciscan Prayer — (Troubadour For The Lord) ISBN 1-883803-04-7
  • Meditations From Solitude: A Mystical Theology From The Christian East — (Troubadour For The Lord) ISBN 1-883803-05-5
  • Reflections on the Gospels, Vol. 1: Daily Devotions For Radical Christian Living – (Troubadour for the Lord) ISBN 1-883803-02-0
  • Reflections on the Gospels, Vol. 2: Daily Devotions For Radical Christian Living – (Troubadour for the Lord) ISBN 1-883803-03-9
  • Reflections on the Gospels, VOL. 3: A Passion For God – (Servant Publications) ISBN 0-89283-705-5
  • Signatures (with Dan O'Neill) – (Troubadour for the Lord) ISBN 0-89283-635-0
  • The Way of the Mystics: Ancient Wisdom For Today (with Steve Rabey) — (Jossey-Bass)ISBN 0-7879-7572-9
  • Reflections on Saint Francis (Liturgical Press) ISBN 978-0-8146-3302-1
  • The World Is My Cloister: Living from the Hermit Within (Orbis Books) ISBN 978-1-57075-858-4
  • The Universal Monk: The Way of the New Monastic (Liturgical Press) ISBN 978-0-8146-3341-0
  • Blessings of Saint Benedict (Liturgical Press) ISBN 978-0-8146-3386-1
  • The Jesus Prayer - A Cry For Mercy, A Path of Renewal (Inter-Varsity Press) ISBN 978-0-8308-3577-5
  • Nothing Is Impossible With God (Dynamic Catholic) ISBN 978-1-937509-61-3

Video releases

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  • All Things Are Possible With God (2014, Troubadour for the Lord)
  • Nothing Is Impossible (2012, Troubadour for the Lord)
  • Live in Concert (2001, Troubadour for the Lord)
  • Quiet Reflections (1991, Santa Fe Communications, Inc.)

Information sources

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  • Troubadour for the Lord: The Story of John Michael Talbot by Dan O'Neill — (Crossroad Publishing) (1983) ISBN 0-8245-0567-0
  • Signatures: The Story Of John Michael Talbot by Dan O'Neill — (Troubadour For The Lord) (2004) ISBN 1-883803-10-1 (revised version of his earlier biography "Troubadour for the Lord")

References

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  1. ^ Simplicity (with Dan O'Neill) – (Troubadour for the Lord) ISBN 0-89283-635-0
  2. ^ a b c d Jason Ankeny. "Allmusic bio". AllMusic. Retrieved January 14, 2020.
  3. ^ "Talbot, John Michael", by Don Cusic, Encyclopedia of contemporary Christian music: pop, rock, and worship, p. 427. Retrieved June 21, 2010.
  4. ^ "John Michael Talbot". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  5. ^ "Musician Talbot to wed former nun 02/11/1989 | Chron.com". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  6. ^ Signatures: The Story Of John Michael Talbot by Dan O'Neill — (Troubadour For The Lord) (2004) ISBN 1-883803-10-1
  7. ^ "Be the change". Mercy Corps. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
  8. ^ "John Michael Talbot's Monastery Destroyed by Fire". Catholic Online. May 3, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2009.
  9. ^ "Little Portion Hermitage Dedicates Mission Style Chapel". Arkansas-Catholic. April 24, 2010. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
  10. ^ "The Church Channel Broadcast Schedule". Trinity Broadcasting Network. April 29, 2014. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
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