For his latest album, I Promised God, William did his recording at the Nomad Recording Studio located in Carrollton, Texas. We wanted to ask him a few questions about the process of creating a new CD.

[Web]: What do you have to say about Nomad? Is it a good place to do your recording?
[WLN]: Absolutely! I have done work in a few recording studios and Mr. Gary Long and his engineers are extremely professional! Although it is a business place, they make you feel as if you are a part of their family. That sure makes you feel good and it also helps you to do your project in a more comfortable surrounding.

[Web]: Who is the man at the console and what does he do? [WLN]: His name is J. T. Longoria, everyone calls him J. T. He is the one who does all the instrumentals on the "I Promised God" CD. While I was having my first meeting with Gary, the owner of the studio, J. T. walked in. Gary introduced us. Then he adds, "this is the man that can give you what you will need, he plays all kind of instruments." Gary immediately assigned him to work on my project, which he gladly accepted. Now some people would readily say that it was my lucky day that J.T. came in when he did, but luck has nothing to do with our lives. It is God. He is the one who works things out for us, and He does so by using people around us.

[Web]: Can you say something about the process of producing an album? How do you get the idea for the music?"
[WLN] It is very difficult for an unknown person in the music world, such as myself. It is a struggle to come up with the cash to take on such a large project. The person you are living with has to be an extra ordinary person, who will stick by you through those hard times; thank God I have a caring and understanding wife!

I will now address the second part of the question. Sometimes the music and the lyrics come to me in my sleep, by the way of dreams. Other times by seeing things around me like the birds, the sky, the rivers, plants, by coming close to dying or being killed a few times or by witnessing tragic events just to name a few things. Those are some of the things, which convinced me

that truly there is a God, who is alive and full of love and compassion for us here on earth. You will also hear me give thanks to God for His blessings, in some of these songs that you will listen to.

[Web]: Do you come up with words or music first or at the same time?
[WLN]: I have over 300 lyrics and 99.9% percent of them are delivered to my brain through the Holy Spirit, with words and music at the same time. All I have to do is to assemble each block in their right place, which the Holy Spirit helps me with also.

[Web]: What part do you do at home and what part at the studio? [WLN]: I do all my rehearsing at home, on the road, or wherever I may be. The professionals in the recording studio do everything else. I just sing, play my guitar and make sure that things stay as close as possible to the original ideas I had in my head. [Web]: How long does it take to record one song? [WLN]: It varies. The last song I did which was "I Promised God" took us almost five hours. Some take less than that, others more. "Empty Room" took us over seven hours to do; I almost gave up on that one.

[Web]: Are you still working on I Promised God album?
[WLN]: We finished putting the final touches on the album the second week in April. It went to press and is now available on both CD and cassette.

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[Web]: Why are you giving away your music on the Internet for free? [WLN]: Let us refresh our memory on the title of the CD, which is "I Promised God." I have been praying to the Lord for more than 20 years, asking Him for His help. In my pleas I attached a promise. I promised Him that if He got me back into the recording studio, I would donate half of the profit from the album to be use to help the needy and to help finish His work here on earth. Well, God came through for me and I aim to live up to my part of the bargain.

 After all I did promise God.

The words of each of these lyrics contain a message for all of us and one simple way for these messages to be heard is to let them loose on the website.

One love,
William

If you have more questions to ask the Forestman, please send them to:
William at theforestman.com