Dan Ryan Brooks

Dan is another of the little known artists from this era, primarily because he didn't have records then but has finally had the opportunity to put out an album at the age of 40 and it was so long it coming, therefore the title - "A Long Time Comin'." Though the album came out in '95 (on Filadelfia Records), both current songs and songs that stretched back to my writings of the early 70s are included.

Dan became a Christian during the Jesus Movement, in 1969 and shortly after, starting performing locally, in the Long Beach area, doing acoustic rock and impressions of Elvis and the Bee Gees. During these years he attended services at the original small Calvary Chapel, pre-tent days.

Once he started writing music, he gave up singing in restaurants and a traveling assembly show for schools called the World of Illusion (for which he actually was included in for the impressions part :) ). Dan turned his music completely over to the Lord in 1974 and wrote a string of about 40 songs in just a few years, singing them at churches, camps and Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowships for a number of years.

Dan actually sang on the same night at various churches including Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and First Baptist Church of Lakewood, and many others, with the likes of Darrell Mansfield, Parable, Karen Lafferty and Children of the Day. Chuck Smith referred to him as "little Elvis" in his introduction and that night Bill Sprouse of the Road Home came up to speak with Dan and called him the same! Dan recalls how Chuck was always so generous in allowing people to share his platform and to give opportunities to grow in new ministries.

Some of Dan's highlights included singing on the Kids Praise The Lord Program on TBN (Ch. 40)television , live on Saturday Mornings. A tour in Arizona 1978 that included a night at a coffee house near the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson. Another highlight was working with John Moffett and Dale Samuelson in a country rock group called Changing Heart ('75-'77), wherein they used his songs and made a number of appearances at CMA, Assembly of God and Baptist retreats for youth and college age.

After a year long stint as a youth pastor in N. Cal., Dan went back to school and became a public school teacher and eventually, a principal of a public school. Eventually, Dan went back to soloing, and leading worship, which persists to this day where he's still "small time" and loves to sing his Jesus Music in coffee houses out in the Riverside, CA area.

To reach Dan and/or order his CD write to: danstune@juno.com