Josh Blakesley shares night of inspirational music

“The ability I have came from God and it’s my responsibility to give it back. The songs I write are for God,” the popular Catholic recording star told the crowd at Holy Name of Jesus Parish’s Life Center.

JOHN A. TORRES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Posted: 07.02.09

Josh Blakesley, Catholic recording artist, engages the audience at Holy Name of Jesus Parish’s Life Center in Indialantic, May 29, during an inspirational night of music and story–telling.

JOHN ALBERT TORRES | FC
Josh Blakesley, Catholic recording artist, engages the audience at Holy Name of Jesus Parish’s Life Center in Indialantic, May 29, during an inspirational night of music and story–telling.

INDIALANTIC | Catholic recording star Josh Blakesley enjoyed performing in Brevard County so much last year that he worked in a solo acoustic performance between a family vacation and a south Florida gig with his band this year.

Blakesley brought an inspirational night of music, storytelling and eucharistic adoration to Holy Name of Jesus’ life center May 29.

“The last time I was here, you could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit,” said the Alexandria, La., native. “This just happened to work out perfectly.”

Blakesley had just finished a seven-night stay at Walt Disney World with his wife, Heather, and children Sophie and Sutton. With a free night between vacation and a concert in Fort Lauderdale, he decided to do a show.

Blakesley, along with singers such as Matt Maher, has brought Catholic contemporary music into the mainstream Christian music scene. He’s made a mark with songs such as the New Orleans-inspired “Be Lifted High,” the adoration-inspired “Come to Jesus,” and a song he wrote after staring at his newborn daughter sleeping in her crib.

He serenaded the Indialantic crowd with “Sophie’s Song (A Thousand Kisses)” after telling them the story of picking up a guitar after realizing just how much he loved her.

“Multiply that by a million times and you’re not even close to how much God loves us,” he said.

Halfway through the performance, Father Tony Welle brought forth the monstrance and the entire crowd – including Blakesley himself – knelt down in silence for several minutes in veneration.

“Tonight, we’re doing adoration and coming to Christ in body and blood in his perfect form,” he said before the show. “I want to bring people into the quiet.”

“The quiet,” he said, is something very hard for today’s younger generation to get used to – including himself.

“I’m guilty too,” he said. “I Twitter, Facebook, iPod, all of it. I’m exhausted sometimes.”

Blakesley credits Bishop Sam Jacobs of Louisiana with influencing his formation and pointing him in the right direction to pursue his ministry. He grew up playing guitar at Mass and then during his year at Holy Savior Menard Central High School.

After going through college he decided to keep playing his special, inspiring brand of music at church.

“It’s always been a part of me,” he said. “The ability I have came from God and it’s my responsibility to give it back. The songs I write are for God.”

Of course, he also likes to have fun with his fans. On Friday he combined the “Hokey Pokey” and the 1970s disco hit “Brick House” to get the audience up and dancing.

In the end, he said the shows are an effort to inspire teens – and anyone else – to give back to God.

“I tell teens, if you give a little bit of your talents back to the Church, then you’re completing the task of what God wants you to do.”

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