By Richard Tew/Faithful Columnist
For Indiana native Michael Eldridge, music, in particular acapella music, is a family tradition extending back generations.
Eldridge’s music background was singing in church with his family. He grew up singing acapella in church and still does to this day. As a child, his mom had him take piano lessons which Eldridge says was his introduction to music theory.
In high school, Eldridge played trumpet and sang in the choir. While a student at Purdue University, he sang in the glee club.
“I’ve heard music in my life in some form or fashion all of my life,” said Eldridge. “It really all began singing in church.”
The idea to launch his “Acapeldridge” Youtube channel started in 2016 when a friend turned Eldridge on to a app for his phone allowing him to sing multiple parts of a song combining the tracks into one song.
“It was something I had always wanted to do, so that gave me the spark to do it a little more seriously,” said Eldridge. “It (the app) gave me the ability to see what it could look like.”
Eldridge says in the beginning there were lots of sleepless nights and long, hard days producing music and building his fledgling channel. He says the decision to stay with the acapella style music was partly due to familiarity, but also the sense of community and fellowship it brings with it.
“I find it brings a greater sense of fellowship in singing with people,” said Eldridge. “When I was growing up, I wanted to sing the fastest song, or the most vocally-challenging song. Now I’ve come to appreciate the simpler songs with deeper meanings. The Bible says we speak to one other when we sing and I find that is becoming true more and more for me.”
Many of the songs are hymns dating back to over the last three centuries. Many by the most prolific hymnist of all time, Fanny J. Crosby. At just six-months-old, she had inflamed eyes due to a cold. She was accidently blinded thanks to a doctor who applied mustard-poultices to her otherwise-healthy eyes to treat the discharges.
At eight-years-old, Crosby wrote her first poem and according to online sources said:
“It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank him for the dispensation. If perfect earthly sight were offered to me tomorrow I would not accept it. I might not have sung hymns to the praise of God if I had been distracted by the beautiful and interesting things about me,” said Crosby.
She is also credited with once saying:
“When I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Savior,” said Crosby.
Crosby is credited with writing nearly 9,000 hymns, many still used to this day. Both her story and music inspire Eldridge in his hymn selection. He says Crosby’s classic hymns are a staple for the faithful, and many people rely on her words, perseverance and reverence for God illustrated throughout her musical arrangements.
“You don’t know it but they are (hymns) becoming part of an arsenal, they are becoming part of a tool box you are going to use in the future and you don’t yet know it,” said Eldridge.
After uploading several videos, Eldridge says the video which took his channel to the “next level” was his rendition of “It is Well With My Soul,” which to date has over 9.2 million views. His rendition of “The Lily of The Valley” uploaded later, has racked up 14 million views so far.
Eldridge says his Youtube channel currently has 523,000 subscribers and adds about 3,000-4,000 new subscribers each month. You might think he would quit his day job and dive into making singing and his Youtube channel a career but he says he has no plans to do that. However, Eldridge says he doesn’t see that happening any time soon. He enjoys a good life balance being a husband and pharmacist along with his “full-time hobby” as a singer.
“You are not doing it because I think I am going to make a new career for myself or I’m going to reach x number of people,” said Eldridge. “You are doing the work because God has given you the ability to do work in his kingdom and he is in control of the outcome. He can take the small things we do and produce great amounts of fruit long after we are gone or he can take the small things we do and produce great fruit while we are here.”
Hymns have staying power, and are far-removed from compositions which sometimes end up as passing fads. Acapella music is an affirmation of our faith and our testimony together, says Eldridge.
“These songs have been important to people for hundreds of years and they are going to remain important to people for hundreds of years after I’m gone,” said Eldridge. “It’s only a select few songs that are multi-generational.”
Eldridge says people should look inside to what might seem like a little thing to them. He says many times people turn away opportunities to serve and grow because we are not comfortable doing them.
“What’s God given me to do in his kingdom,” said Eldridge. We just need to be open to whatever opportunity that is offered on this day whether it is a small thing or a big thing.”
“It’s about meaningful words and eternal principles that we affirm together when we sing,” said Eldridge.
When he’s not singing Eldridge works as a pharmacist for long term senior care facilities. He performs on occasion by request for residents and within his local community. Next up are two new CDs. One is called “Worthy of Praise,” and another CD will be for children. Both due out over the coming year.
To watch my interview with Michael Eldridge, go to: https://fb.watch/l6n6oSsf57/
Photo cutline: “Acapeldridge” Youtube channel creator and singer Michael Eldridge. Photo provided by Michael Eldridge for The Post Newspaper.
When he’s not writing on issues of faith, Richard Tew teaches Irish dance to all ages. Learn more at http://www.tewirishdance.wordpress.com.
