soulshine

Johnny Mannion Band

Soulshine

For many years, the only thing I believed in was my music. I played and practiced and sat alone in my
room, just me, my guitar and the blues. I had money, I was playing the blues, I could walk into a club and
the musicians knew me. I had everything I thought I wanted. Money, music and notoriety. What I didn't
have was peace inside.
I had many questions as to why I was here.
I met Denny Serra, the woman of my dreams in December 1984. We became best friends. and did
everything together. 7 years later we started dating. We got married and we have two beautiful daughters,
Sadie and McKinley. As good as my life was, I was missing something. Something I couldn't put my finger
on.
One night at a gig and old friend of mine, Mike Chavez showed up and he gave me a tape and said "I think
you'll like this." It was a Glenn Kaiser tape. Now I knew who Glenn Kaiser was because back in the 70's I
had listened to his band Resurrection Band.
This album was called "Winter Sun" and it was all pure blues but the lyrics were different than "My"
blues. Mike would be a major part of my finding my way.
Time went on and I was missing an old friend from Tom Cats band, Eric Bowen. I searched and searched
for Eric, I knew he had moved to Austin, Texas to play drums for WC Clark.
I had no luck finding him. I spent the better part of a year searching online for Eric. Finally I found a link to
him at a Church.
Now when I had known Eric, he was a "liberal "in every sense of the word. A church was the LAST place I
thought I would find him.
I emailed him and he emailed back. We talked and talked and caught up on our lives and families.
Then he said, "I am a Christian, I am loving Jesus!"
Eric and I talked a lot after that and I asked him questions about his conversion to Jesus. He was always
full of love and never talked down to me, or judged me. Eric was a person whom I had really grown to love
and admire over the years and he had what I wanted. We used to sit and argue after gigs about politics
and such, now, we were again arguing but our stances had changed, I was now the liberal and he was the
conservative.
We laughed at that many times.
Finally I asked Eric, what I needed to do to find my way home again. He told me to pray with him. I
grabbed the phone and went
into the garage so my wife wouldn't hear me. (She later also accepted Jesus into her life) We prayed and
we cried and he told me to just let go.
I don't know that I ever said thank you to Eric and Mike,
so I will here...
Mike thanks for never giving up on me... all the times I said no, and you just smiled and said no problem.
Every time you saw me you would say something uplifting without preaching to me, that was an awesome
tactic on your part. I could have argued your points all day long, but it turns out I was powerless to your
prayers.
Eric, my brother... I love you so much. You are one of the most inspiring people I have known. You have
been and always will be a part of my family. I thank God that He sent you into my life those 20 odd years
ago. I owe you my life brother.
Not long after this a friend of ours invited us to a service at Eastlake Community Church. I changed that
day. I had never had this kind of feeling before, there was a peace in my heart, my mind and my soul. That
day I gave my heart to Jesus. Now I have a peace inside.
Today I am a happy man. I am in love. I am a dad, and while the money is now a little tighter with the kids
and a mortgage, we have enough to get by most of the time. I have my music, and I have my Saviour . I
have found a love that only Jesus can provide.
No matter what I have done in my past,
I am loved. I am forgiven. I am valued.
I have a wife who loves me more than life itself and I love her.
I have two beautiful daughters who make me smile and laugh... what more can a man want.
I am very satisfied.
Johnny