Note Liners on Dear Jesus Album on Soundclick

Artist’s Page
Dear Jesus Album Page

Father Roel, also known as Fro, is a Roman Catholic priest in the Archdiocese of
New Orleans. Ordained in the Philippines in 1984, he came over to the United
States bringing with him his gift of joy and music. Father Roel has been writing
songs since the late '70s and had performed in many different venues as a
soloist or as part of the singing priests from his home Diocese of Tagbilaran in
Bohol, Philippines, even before he became a priest. From guitar folk singing to
high powered Philippine ballads to performing within the setting of the Liturgical
genre and even Rock music - he seemed to have tried them all!
In 1992, after he bought his first HRS (Home Recording Studio), Fro set his sight
on producing records that meant a lot to him, the Paring Bol-anon music. After
experimenting on liturgical music for his debut album, "Mass of St. Rita" (1992),
he almost immediately followed it up with newly written materials which at that
time he called "real songs" for the mere fact that they were actually written as
songs and not prayers-turned-into-songs which he was so accustomed to doing.
Titled, "Dear Jesus," from a prayer he wrote for school children at St. Rita School
in Harahan, Louisiana, the album began to evolve as a collaborative work of not
just a few but many throughout the whole process: school children, teachers,
parents, parish office workers, CYO members and others. It was something
Father Roel truly felt was the work of the Holy Spirit empowering the faithful to
take active part in recreating and proclaiming the "Good News" of God's joy
through prayer and music!

Do you play live?

When time in active ministry allows me, yes, I do. But I don't seek them now like
I used to as a young performer. (".)

How, do you think, does the internet (or mp3) change the music
industry?
Oh, its just wonderful. There's a lot of "good" about it that works for insignificant
people like me... It used to be just God who listens to me, in the bathroom, but
now the whole world can if they know how to tune in to this stuff.

Would you sign a record contract with a major label?

Nope! But my songs could, if they could even make it to the door of a publisher
or a record label. (LoL)
Band History:
I started writing in 1978 'til about 2001. I still think about going back to it when
the right opportunity comes. As for performing, oh my, I used to treat the
microphone as something "to die for." But as I grew older, and wiser, I realized
songwriting meant more to me than performing. Even listening to others perform
became an even more in-depth obsession for me from which I self-taught myself
to the art of music arranging and record producing. But my! I still do sing "live"
when forced to by circumstance. (".)

Your influences?
Honestly, I don't know anymore since I do listen to all kinds of music. You be the
judge!

Favorite spot?
The birthplace of Jass -- New Orleans! And of course, my home sweet home,
Bohol, a real accent of heaven. Other than these two, they're Salzburg, Austria
and Leuven, Belgium.

Equipment used:
Akai 8-chan HD, Alesis 16-chan, Alesis efx, gate, all kinds of cheap (pawned)
guitars, Yamaha and other cheap keyboards (intawon pod!) and my "sintonao"
voice

Anything else...?
Guest soloist on "Dear Jesus (v1) - Sara Estes; back-up vocals by Fr. J. Roel
Lungay
Piano on "Dear Jesus" and "The Morning Star - Peggy Estes
Guest back up vocals on "Look At The Trees" - 1993-1994 St. Rita School
Kindergarten Classes 1 & 2
Lyrical editors - Barbara Henry; Patricia McKinney
All songs (except otherwise noted) are composed, arranged and performed by
Father Roel
Copyright (c) 1994 by Fro's Music

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=650022