Album Notes

KL Williams began using drugs when he was 12 years old, shortly after his mother died from ovarian cancer. In one of is last phone conversations with his mother from her hospital room, KL recalls her saying, "Of all the kids, I worry about you the most." Her words seemed almost prophetic. Shortly after her death, KL began sniffing glue and drinking wine to dull his emotional pain.

KL's father was a nuclear engineer and later remarried. He moved the family from Walnut Creek, California, to Kennewick Washington. It was the '60's and KL found artificial solace in the hippy counter-culture movement. Like a thirst never satisfied, drug use multiplied throughout his high school years – prescription narcotics, marijuana, LSD, and eventually heroin. KL hung out with other addicts, went to concerts and played guitar, all the while becoming more alienated from his family.

The hippie culture grew more decadent, and KL became very disillusioned with the lifestyle. He recalls one night lying awake in a Seattle homeless shelter with other addicts sleeping on rows of mattresses when an elderly man next to him started convulsing with withdrawal symptoms. To KL's horror, the man jerked on top of him, pinning him to the mattress as the mans arms and legs flailed uncontrollably. The experience was terrifying, but the next day, KL went out looking for the next score.

Heroin ate up the years. Two decades had passed when KL found himself with absolutely nothing and living on the streets. He had been to several rehab facilities and behavioral modification treatment programs. Nothing worked. He was checking out of a government-run rehab center for the tenth time when he called his dad to try and get some money. (His drug habit was beckoning him for another fix.) When his step-mother answered the phone, she told him they wouldn't give him any more money. She also told KL that his dad was in open-heart surgery at that time, and that much of his health problems were because of all the worry KL had caused. KL was devastated – he hadn't realized the toll it was taking on his family. It was time to change.

He went straight to a Narcotics Anonymous meeting and started the long road to recovery – one day at a time. In realizing that he was powerless to quit his drug use and change his lifestyle, KL turned to Jesus for healing and victory. He met his wife, Dawn, and became very involved in a church.

Through his wife's encouragement, KL began to explore his musical talents. He started writing gutsy blues music and lyrics about his life with Jesus and his battles with the devil. KL's gravelly voice and rhythmic blues guitar combined for a musical treasure that comes from the heart – a life truly surrendered and one gripping onto God's grace.