Touch the Flame by Dan Dúet

My thoughts about whatever gift of music He may have given me can best be summed up in the lyrics from one of my favorite Christian artists, Bebo Norman, "I would rather be cast away, seperated from the human race... if I don't bring You glory." Whether it be through music, prayer, encouraging another person, my sole desire is to bring Him glory. I have recorded three CD's to date: "Touch the Flame" / "Cry Out to Jesus" / "Song to the King - A Christmas Collection". Let me know if I can ever prayer for you or an intention of yours. And please, please keep me in your prayers. Thank you.

The continuing music ministry of Dan Dúet

by Carol Baass Sowa

Today's Catholic

SAN ANTONIO • When minor glitches arose in a recent music performance by Dan Dúet (pronounced "doo-way"), it didn't faze him a bit. "I was just focused on giving God praise," he said, "and I was determined that nothing was going to ruin the moment, nothing was going to take away from my experience nor the experience of the audience. It was just completely in God's hands."

Dúet was performing songs from his latest CD, Cry Out to Jesus, a joyful project that marked his recommitment to the music ministry he had drifted away from for several years while caught in the downward spiral of depression. "The release of this CD marks my successful journey through the darkness and back into the light, so-to-speak," he said. "God really does perform miracles — I'm living proof."

A singer/songwriter with guitar in the Christian music genre and a music minister for more than 20 years, Dúet's musical journey began in college at Louisiana State University (LSU).

Inspired by John Denver, he purchased a guitar and took advantage of some free guitar lessons being offered at the Catholic Student Center. This blossomed into writing and singing songs for college retreats.

After graduation from LSU, Dúet at first felt his calling might be the priesthood. He moved to San Antonio for studies with a religious order here in 1987, but during the discernment process found himself drawn in a different direction. He briefly returned to his home town of New Orleans before committing himself to music ministry, which led him back to San Antonio.

Here he has been in music ministry for 10 years at his parish, Holy Trinity, as well as serving during two separate periods as a music minister at St. Pius X for a total of 10 years there. He is employed by Goodwill Industries locally as director of career development and training.

Dúet's first CD, Touch the Flame, was produced in 1999. All the songs on it were his own, with several being on the "moody" side, perhaps due to the depression that was beginning to envelop him despite his outwardly cheerful exterior. Eventually the depression caused him to withdraw from his music ministry at retreats and performing in general, both of which he had previously found joy in, though he continued to serve as a music leader for church services.

For years, Dúet's goal in life had been to record a CD of his music, and he feels that perhaps it was lacking goals beyond that which contributed to his withdrawal from performing musically. That has changed.

"Now I've got new goals," he said, smiling. "And my new goals are to have as many CDs as God will allow me to record." Currently he is at work on a Christmas CD, Song to the King — Christmas 2006, to be released in November, with another, Quiet Inspiration, scheduled for early next year. He will be a guest on "Fanning the Flame," live on CTSA, Monday, Nov. 20.

About a year ago, he became aware that God was disclosing a plan for his life, if he chose to accept it, and he wholeheartedly embraced it, returning to music as a ministry. "I wouldn't be able to list how many ways I've been blessed in making that decision," he said. "God is good."

It was the influence of three special individuals in his life that brought him back to "running the good race St. Paul talks about," he said, noting that he is currently working on a book that will detail his recovery from diagnosed depression through prayer and professional help, a book that will offer hope to Christians in particular who are suffering similarly.

Dúet's latest album, Cry Out to Jesus, was released in August. While only two of the songs on it are his own this time, all hold special meaning for him. Especially dear to him is "Healing Rain," written by Michael W. Smith, which brought to mind his family back in Plaquemines Parish, directly below New Orleans. He intensely felt the need to record this particular song as a show of support and encouragement for them and their neighbors, as they struggled to rebuild following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

His CD was technically finished when he heard the song for the first time on Easter weekend, but he excitedly called the recording engineer telling him one of the recorded songs would have to be scratched. "We've got to record this song!" he said. His decision was more than justified, as "Healing Rain" has been the song on the album garnering the most praise.

When he recently stepped in front of an audience again to perform for the first time in five years, he experienced a tremendous sense of peace and joy knowing that this time all the glory was for God. "He let me know in that moment that, as I step out in faith, he's going to be there," said Dúet.

At present he is developing several new ministries related to music, including performing parish concerts and offering parishes two-night mini-missions that would include preaching, sharing and music. He also plans to offer workshops for parishes in the various liturgical ministries, giving them the opportunity to credit up to half of any of his CD sales at the workshops toward his fee, which would save money for the parish and get his music into the hands of more people, further extending his music ministry. He has already begun doing home concerts as ministry.

He is also hoping to start an independent record label for Christian artists and Catholics in particular. "Out of the hundreds of Catholic music artists there are in Christian music," he said, "few have their CDs in the non-Catholic owned and operated Christian book stores." He noted there is also a distinct bias against Catholic artists on area radio that he hopes to overcome.

"We've got very powerful music ministers within our church," he said, "and I think it's a shame that there are not more avenues for them to have their music known." He would also be interested in working behind the scenes, helping to produce CDs for these artists through the knowledge he has gained.

More information on Dúet's music ministry plans can currently be found at http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/danduetmusic. He can also be contacted at danduet@worldnet.att.net. Plans for a permanent Web site are in the works.

Dúet likes to end all his performances with a song he wrote for his first CD, "One More Song." Its a cappella ending is appropriate, he says, "because the only gift I have to give back to God is my voice."

The song was inspired by a dream which woke him up one night. In it, he had finished performing his songs for an audience when a voice at the back of the room called out for "one more song." The person in the dream then told Dúet that he had been searching for God when he stumbled across the concert and that, with each song played, he felt himself coming closer and closer to giving his life to Jesus.

"I remember in the dream," said Dúet, "I looked at this person and I kind of shrugged and said, 'I'm sorry, but I sang all the songs I know.'" At this, the man walked sadly out of the church.

"I just sat up in bed," related Dúet, "and said, 'I will always have one more song to sing if somebody is that close to giving their heart, their life, their soul to Jesus Christ. I will always have one more song, if that will help to get them to that point.'"

Dan Dúet, in his expanding music ministry, has many more songs left to sing.

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