Chapter One - Yesterdays

A Look At Yester-today

Early in 1978, all eyes were upward as the news that the Soviet made Cosmos 954 spacecraft with an onboard nuclear reactor was undergoing an uncontrolled de-orbit, and was bound to land just about anywhere on the Earth. The satellite reentered Earth's atmosphere on January 24, but before it hit the ground in the Northwest Territories, Canada, spreading its radioactive fuel over a 370 mile path, Robert Matson was inspired with a song. In retrospect, he sees that the breakup of a relationship with his girlfriend, "the sky is falling" feeling everybody had at the time, a down turning economy, and the general sense of insecurity during that 'Cold War' era, led him to sit down on the tailgate of his pickup to pen the words and pick out the tune to the song, The Piper.

What makes this recording interesting after more than thirty years, besides being in it's original tape recorded format (distinctly intimate, including discernible tape artifacts) is that it fits in so well with today's issues. Space junk falls into the atmosphere fairly often any more. The economy is now on the verge of a serious meltdown, and we still seem to need to have an ongoing war. Robert's advice? If you keep on following the Piper (as opposed to Truth) you'll never get home...

Listen to this original version:

• The Piper

-cvw

The White Buffalo -

I first met Tisha at Lake Francis CA, a long time ago. She saved me from the white buffalo that was haunting me one night (such are the trials of a man with a deranged mind who is searching for his heart). We became friends then, and we ever will be.

Her family allowed me to camp out in my truck on their 'north forty' for a while. It was because of their encouragement to go to Nashville to record that I finally got off my keester and moved to Tennessee to do just that. While I was there, this song was polished up.

Through the years of knowing you, Tish, through your smiles and tears I always hoped the best for you. And I always saw you as the beautiful woman you are. Thank you for your friendship and love.

Anyway, Tisha, thanks for helping to save me from myself and that white buffalo :-) I'm so happy you found a good man to take your hand.

• Tisha's Song (A Song For You)

Tisha

Coming Soon...Who's Who?, Falling In Love All Over Again, It Ain't Easy (Good Years).

-ram

Recording The Crystal Sea

Here are some photos of my friends who were absolutely essential in the recording of The Crystal Sea at the Dixiana studio in Nashville:

Don and Me

Dave Dunseam

Steve Bryant

-ram

Welcome to Chapters In Time...

...where Robert Matson shares with you a lifetime of music and experience on his path toward personal peace.

As I put together this site for Robert (who freely admits to being stumped by computers and the Internet like a badge of honor!) I can't help but see the similarities in his interests and mine. The difference being of course, that while we both have been drawn to penning prose and song lyrics and honing our musical capabilities, he has actually become excellent at what he does. Robert is an unsung artist who has been waiting in the wings for a long time for the moment of his arrival to the public eye and ear.

Frankly, Robert's life has been one that has gone from hell-raising to being heavenly-bound. He's the first to tell you that he has made mistakes. He has the kind of personality that bounces in mood (like we all might, I suppose), which tends to either endear or to push one away. But those who have known him for some time have remarked to me of his amazing spiritual turnaround, as the inspired words he has written have finally come to fruition in the man. He has dropped the chains that have long bound him by firmly taking up the easier burden of the Lord.

This blog focuses on Robert's successes now as he matures in spirit. Here, he remains open to your encouragement and critique, looking forward to the posting of his work online for your feedback, enjoyment, and inspiration.

We'll be updating this site often with many years worth of his music, assembled as clickable music files, videos, lyric sheets, photos, and news. First, we offer his song The Crystal Sea. It was recorded in Nashville a while back, and has now been turned into a music video in association with Johnny Karls, the producer of "Stop And Think, the Movie". The video is available here and on Robert's page at YouTube.com. It should soon be available on disc. We'll be organizing the various "chapters in time" about his life on this site in what is hoped will be an interesting and fun visit for you.

It's Robert's desire that the message of his music gets to the widest possible audience. As we publish it here, it is hoped that we'll be able to offer top-quality, full renditions of his work to anyone for whatever they are willing to offer in return. Whether that is enough to buy a meal, or even simply a promise to 'pay forward' something to someone who is in need of one, anybody desiring a copy of his material should be able to receive it. We'll work on how that looks and works, later.

Please return in a few days when more content is added. Thanks for stopping by...

cvw
Merriam Road Productions