Music with a Message

Phil Keaggy, Richard Branson, John Lennon, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, the Rolling Stones and Prince Charles.

These names serve as a sort of chronology of the life of Canton pastor Caspar McCloud, an artist, singer-songwriter and author who has emerged from the rock 'n' roll lifestyle to pursue his passion of sharing the gospel with the lost and hurting.

McCloud, the son of an American father and British mother, moved between countries quite a bit. At 17, the Ohio native was recognized for his musical ability and introduced to Phil Keaggy, who eventually introduced him to the Lord.

"God for some reason singled me out," McCloud said. "Phil would send me postcards and letters, and I thought, 'This guy's really popular. He plays at Carnegie Hall. Why's he bothering with me?' "

The singer’s career led him to Broadway, where he portrayed John Lennon in Beatlemania. He was getting record offers and "people were interested in making me into a rock 'n' roll star," he said. "I had just gotten married and I was gone all the time. I realized marriage and rock star didn't go together."

McCloud jumped on a plane to see his wife and apologize.

"I was on the plane, and all of a sudden, the stuff Phil was sharing with me made sense," he said. "I was thousands of feet in the air and I started talking to God for the first time. There was an empty seat next to me. I felt like the Holy Spirit was right next to me, holding me up. It was an absolutely dramatic encounter."

With a restored marriage and an eagerness to serve God, the couple moved back to England. He turned down an offer from Richard Branson at Virgin Records, and signed with Atlantic Records, which hailed him as the new Jimi Hendrix. McCloud quickly learned the folks at Atlantic weren’t on board with his newfound Christianity.

"They airbrushed my wedding band off my pictures," he said. "I used to wear crosses, and they airbrushed those off, too. They were trying to make me into something I wasn't."

As he began to listen to Christian music, he realized it didn't do anything for him.

"I couldn’t handle it," McCloud said. "I used to jam with guys from Santana and the Rolling Stones, and all of a sudden, I’m trying to listen to Christian music. It was like sugar and honey being poured together.

"That's one of the reasons I started writing music. I didn't expect people would get saved at my concerts. I was just playing music I wanted to hear."

After leaving Atlantic, he became ill with a heart ailment and received a healing that set the tone for his ministry. In 2001, he was ordained and as he was performing for a conference in Atlanta, he collapsed. Rescue workers could find no heartbeat.

Pastor Henry Wright began praying over McCloud’s lifeless body and he was revived. Later, medical tests showed that he was completely healed—not only of his heart condition, but from allergies and asthma as well.

McCloud began Caspar McCloud Ministries. At the request of a Roswell physician, he weekly meetings on the second floor of the doctor’s office. His teachings centered on spiritual ties to physical illnesses. He renamed the ministry Upper Room Fellowship. He was there for three years, then began sharing space with Church of the Messiah in August.

When McCloud isn’t teaching or performing, he enjoys spending time with his horse and painting his favorite subjects: people and horses. He said Prince Charles has one of his equestrian paintings.

"If it was just up to me," he said, "I’d be an artist and a musician. But after God does something like that, how can I not share it?"

ABOUT CASPAR McCLOUD

Hobbies: He enjoys spending his spare time with his horse. Billy Bob lives in the McCloud’s back yard. He also has written several books: Nothing is Impossible and What Was I Thinking?. The latter addresses spiritual roots to physical illnesses.

Family: Caspar and Joan have been married 34 years. They have a son who teaches at Mt. Vernon Christian School and a daughter who is an aspiring writer and a recent graduate.

ABOUT THE CHURCH

The Upper Room Fellowship meets at noon Sundays at Church of the Messiah, 415 Charles Cox Dr. For more information, call 770-475-5501.