Steve Waldrip
Olive Branch, Mississippi, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2001 | SELF
Music
Press
Steve and Kelley Waldrip are going to blow you away with this wonderful country spin on 'Amazing Grace'. I already 'Amazing Grace' but these country lyrics spoke straight to my soul. Wow 'That's Amazing Grace' will give you chills! - God Vine
In every DeSoto County School classroom, you’ll find posters reading ‘In God We Trust.’ Evangelist Steve Waldrip, the man behind the DeSoto campaign, wants to take its distribution of the posters statewide. - WREG-TV Memphis Tn.
You’ve never heard Amazing Grace sang like this before. A video that will change your life. There is no addiction Jesus can’t heal. - AddictsRehab.com
HORN LAKE — Steve Waldrip, a Christian country artist, began a movement in 2003 to place “In God We Trust” posters in classrooms throughout DeSoto County and the efforts have spread “like wildfire.”
“We’re getting people to sponsor posters in memory of their loved ones and in honor of those fighting in Iraq,” Waldrip said.
Waldrip has been performing his Christian country act in local churches and venues across the Mid-South. His music speaks of love of country and family.
“We been raising money in churches but we needed to broaden our efforts,” Waldrip said. “We are fixing to have 15 new schools, due to the law passed in the Mississippi Legislature, but they didn’t provide any money for them.”
Waldrip has become somewhat of a one-man crusade to put the nation’s motto back in the classroom.
Waldrip said when he first approached DeSoto County School Superintendent Milton Kuykendall about placing the posters in the classrooms, Kuykendall didn’t hesitate.
“He (Kuykendall) was one of the first to place it in the schools when he was principal at Horn Lake High School,” Waldrip said.
“In God We Trust” is the official national motto of the United States and the U.S. State of Florida. The motto first appeared on a United States coin in 1864, but the phrase did not become the official U.S. national motto until after the passage of an Act of Congress in 1956.
Mississippi lawmakers gave the motto the state’s official stamp of approval in 2004.
“In God We Trust” is also found on the flag of Georgia, flag of Florida, and the Seal of Florida. It was first adopted by the state of Georgia for use on flags in 2001, and subsequently included on the Georgia flag of 2003. In Florida, it became the state motto during the term of Republican governor Jeb Bush, a Roman Catholic, who signed the bill making it so into law. Starting in 2007, the phrase can also be found on the license plates of Indiana, North Carolina, South Carolina and Ohio.
On May 28, 2008, Florida governor Charlie Crist signed into law Senate Bill 734, which amended the state’s specialty license plates law to include an “In God We Trust” automobile license plate as an option for residents.
One possible origin of “In God We Trust” is the final stanza of The Star-Spangled Banner. Written in 1814 by Francis Scott Key (and later adopted as the U.S. national anthem), the song contains an early reference to a variation of the phrase: “...And this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust’.”
Originally, the motto “In God We Trust” was placed on United States coins largely because of the increased religious sentiment existing during the American Civil War. Secretary of the Treasury Salmon P. Chase received many appeals from devout Christians throughout the country, urging that the United States recognize God on United States coins. From Treasury Department records, it appears that the first such appeal came in a letter dated November 13, 1861. It was written to Secretary Salmon P. Chase by Reverend M. R. Watkinson, minister of the Gospel from Ridley Township, Pennsylvania.
Waldrip said he doesn’t want the lion’s share of credit for the “In God We Trust” movement in DeSoto County.
“When you do something for God, you do it humbly,” Waldrip said. “I don’t want somebody patting me on the back for it.” - Desoto Times Tribune
FAST FACTS:
* Posters installed in 2001
* State Law mandates posters
* School growth creates demand for new posters
dennis.turner@wreg.com
(Horn Lake, MS 7/22/8) "In God we trust". It's printed on money, state flags, and government buildings... now there's a move to remind every student in an entire school system of the motto and it's importance.
The US constitution calls for a separation between church and state but when it comes to schools, lots of parents here in DeSoto County, say a little spirituality goes a long way in keeping violence down and grades up.
Now, there's a renewed effort to put a reminder in every classroom.
Donna Duncan supports prayer in schools, and says there's not enough of it. "Without God, we are nothing, and we leave out God, we've left it all out." said Duncan, of Olive Branch.
She's not alone. Many parents here believe there's too much separation of Church and state when it comes to schools.
"The name of God needs to be in DeSoto County Schools." says Steve Waldrip, who intends to make sure it gets there.
He started a drive, back in 2001, to put posters proclaiming "In God we trust" in every classroom in DeSoto county.
His efforts were so successful, they expanded to Marshall County too.
Seven years later, he got a shock when school leaders told him about the need today. "I figured they would come back and say you know we need 5- to 100 of 'em. They came back and said hey, we need 6-hundred.." Waldrip explained.
And in this fast-growing area, the need is more pressing than ever.
Waldrip says the district is building 15 new schools like this, adding 6-hundred new classrooms. By state law, "In God we trust", is to be displayed in every classroom, but the state provides no money to do it.
So he's asking businesses, and individuals to pitch in. "For ten dollars you can sponsor a poster in memory of a loved one, in honor of someone serving overseas in Iraq, or just in the name of your business. And ten dollars will buy about three posters." said Waldrip.
But Waldrip's not standing still either, he's putting HIS talents to use too. "I'm singing in churches and donating whatever I got for singing in churches to buy these posters." he explained.
And parents say the message the posters send should remind students what's really important. "I think that kids will pick up on that and know that God does reign and we need to let people know that God reigns." said Duncan.
Waldrip is looking for help from any and all parts of the mid-south. - WREG-3 TV Memphis
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Steves love of music runs as deep as the mighty Mississippi, born in Memphis Tennessee, home of Sun Studios which has turned out some of the most legendary artist of all time. Steves love of music was and always has been second nature. At the tender age of eight years old, his family moved even further south into the Mississippi delta. Just a stones throw away from Clarksdale Mississippi, the home of the blues, and where legend has it blues guitarist Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil. Music ran in his blood, he had a passion for the sounds, the stirring of the soul, which only an acoustic guitar and a bluesy voice can produce. That is until he formed a personal relationship with God. The quiet stirring would become an eruption of unequivocal love, for the one, and only Father in heaven.
Steve, even though born into a family who had a deep appreciation for music, not one, had any natural born ability in creating it. Every dog in the delta could be heard for miles, howling with the familys rendition of Happy Birthday, dear, so and so. His brother had a bit of a knack for playing guitar, but as far as seeing his face on the Grammys.not likely. Steves brother one day decided to pass on his ole Sears Silver tone onto his younger brother, just as older Brothers do, a rite a passage, so to speak. And try as he may, Steve couldnt hit a lick.
Squirming in the sanctuary of Longcrest Baptist church, just like any young boy, most of the praying was for the preacher to stop preaching so he could go home and play. This one particular Sunday, the preacher woke that young boy up from his somewhat comatose state, when he uttered the words if you want God to give you something, ask God for it, and tell him how you will use it for him. A light bulb went off in that little boy, more like a flashing neon sign. He ran home and dropped down to his knees, guitar not far away, God if youll teach me to play this thing, and sing, Ill play and sing for you. And he did! But it was short lived to say the least,
As Steve grew into an adolescent, he learned first-hand how cruel kids could be, bullied and picked on for having an afro and adorning coke bottle horn rimmed glasses, Steve was the butt of many a joke at school. He threw himself into his music as an escape, but when people heard him play, they realized, this kids good. The more the in crowd accepted Steve, the further away from God he got. Steve found himself in the circle of Memphis's most elite of musicians. And has had the privilege of sharing the stage with the likes of Randy Travis, Carl Perkins, etc. Writing songs for professional sporting teams, as well as penning a song for the Mississippi flag fight, entitled Youll never take the rebel out of me, that gained southeastern radio play. He was widely accepted as a singer/songwriter, but his heart always remembered the covenant he had made with God.
In Steves early twenties, Steve supported his already growing family by playing in local clubs. A prominent strip club owner approached him one night, and made a proposition Steve couldnt refuse, and with it, a downward spiral that would almost cost Steve his life. Steve found that he also had a head for business, and within a few months was managing the club he was working in, and would work his way up to general manager. His love of playing guitar and singing, and his relationship with God, by now had become just a fleeting memory. Steves was at the height of his career in the adult entertainment industry, and even though Steve was immensely popular, respected and successful in his career, he was miserable. Now a full blown alcoholic, recreational drug user, and surrounded by beautiful women, he was alone. Steve found his life hanging in the balance of a home robbery gone wrong. Bruised and beaten horribly, he plotted revenge against his assailants.
After recovery from his injuries, he sat out for revenge. Booze in his blood, and fire in his eyes, he sped down a Mississippi highway to where his attackers had been hiding out. Fate stepped in and before he reached his destination, Mississippi's finest stepped out. Now jailed for a DUI, Steve had reflected on the events that had transpired, and realized, God was calling his prodigal son, to live out the covenant he had made with him, not only on his knees that night, but also when he gave his heart to Jesus as a youngster at the Bill Rice ranch.
With the knowledge that God had his hand on Steves life, he became a warrior for Christ. He put his passionate love of God in every song he wrote, only to find himself shunned by the musicians who at one time, had held him in high regard, because of his new life in Christ. Steve wouldn't be deterred, with God leading the way; he started youth groups, a Sunday morning television show, and most notably, started a crusade to put In God we trust posters throughout Desoto and Marshall county schools.
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