Perhaps the most visible and arguably the most influential entertainment entity of the 20th century, The Beatles started out as a local musical combo from Liverpool, England, who took American rock and roll music and sent it back to the states and to the rest of the world in a hip British package. Yeah, yeah, yeah!

Mike Deasy was born in the Los Angeles area just at the right time. He grew up as the southern California area started it's boom and was in his teens when he got called upon to use his extreme talent on guitar for the rising stars of the day who were creating a new genre of music: rock and roll.

He was there in the beginning, backing up notables such as Ricky Nelson, The Everly Brothers, Duane Eddy, Eddie Cochran and Richie Valens. As the 50s melted into the 60s, Mike was drafted into the exploding music studio scene, where he became a first call guitarist to the stars. These musical legends included Elvis, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Simon and Garfunkel, The Jackson 5, Diana Ross, Billy Joel, The Turtles, The Association, The Mamas & The Papas, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra and hundreds more.

But as was the case with too many, fame brought fortune, and money lead to excesses, including drug abuse. Deasy came close to death several times and in his search for help and an answer, found himself going forward when the invitation was given at the 1969 Billy Graham crusade in Los Angeles. Though the road was not easy the next few years, he found himself yet again at the forefront of another musical revolution.

During this "Jesus Movement" that was setting the Christian world on fire, those converted now desired music to listen to that reflected their newly discovered spirituality. Most of these new Christians were young and accustomed to listening to the pop and rock artists of the day. So almost overnight, a new genre of music was birthed, with Deasy once again right at it's inception. Originally referred to as Jesus Music, and later industrialized as Contemporary Christian Music, this style of Gospel music took off immediately ammoung the righteous youth and the search for singers and players was on, resulting in such early CCM pioneers as 2nd Chapter of Acts, Barry McGuire, Andrae Crouch and the Disciples, Keith Green, Larry Norman, Janny Grein, Scott Wesley Brown and Phil Driscoll, all of whom Mike recorded with and sometimes toured.

Since then, Mike Deasy has played guitar and sang on, written songs for and produced many Christian albums. He's toured around the world many times with his message of hope, and today, is a pastor of The Rock Church, S.E., in Port Arthur, Texas, where he's still using music to touch the hearts and minds of people like he always has, one at a time.

I hold nothing against Amy Grant. She actually stoked the fires of the Contemporary Christian Music industry, forcing it out of the closet, from the cottage classification of Jesus Music, which basically was made up of ex-hippies and 60s rockers, and moved it into the massive business it is today. IF, that's a good thing.

Grant started off as a kinda cute, home-grown church girl who strummed a huge guitar and sang with a timid voice. She eventually, with the help of first husband and then manager, Gary Chapman, would take the Gospel Music world by storm.

But Amy and Gary said that they never actively pursued the stardom of secular fame. To them, when the crossover opportunity presented itself, it was a sign from God and his doing, not theirs. So when that door opened, they walked through it.

All these years later, after a failed marriage and a languishing career, Grant can only wonder if it was the right decision, or if it was just "them" that mishandled the fame and stress and made a mess out of their lives.

Doesn't really matter now, though. Amy's place in Gospel music history is solid. And her music isn't half bad either!