The New Age Idol Talks About His Grand Passion for Movies and the Importance of Taking a Stand
John Tesh feels compelled to follow his musical star. Why else would he have abandoned his high-profile dream job hosting television's "Entertainment Tonight"? Since the first appearance of {|LIVE AT RED ROCKS|} on PBS in 1995, his victorious theme songs and stylish showmanship have won him millions of fans, sending albums such as AVALON and ONE WORLD skyrocketing to the top of the Billboard New Age charts. But it hasn't all been easy. Despite his success, or perhaps because of it, the deeply religious Tesh -- who has talked frankly about his chaste courtship of actress Connie Sellecca -- has become a controversial figure, a target for music critics who have trouble with his genre-blending projects and his stubbornly upbeat personality. Of course, they might just be jealous. After all, his Spring 2000 release PURE MOVIES 2 sold 190,000 copies in 90 minutes during its initial offering on QVC. New age editor Carol Wright spoke with Tesh about his steadfast beliefs, his vanishing beard, and taking his lumps.

Barnes & Noble.com: Why did you decide to do a second movie album?

John Tesh: John Tesh: When we released PURE MOVIES, the fans posted on my web site that they wanted another. The beauty of the Internet for me is this email/chat feature. I was just posting to fans when you called, actually.

BN: How did you choose the pieces?

JT: These are some of my favorite themes, as well as some others that fans have requested. One of the special things about the Pure Movies series is I get a chance to work with some of the most inspiring melodies ever written. I am a huge movie fan and can remember the effect each one of these songs had on me the first time I saw each film.

BN: I just saw the DVD version of your previous album, ONE WORLD. I had assumed from the problems of outdoor locations that you rerecorded in the studio. If it's live, you did a great job!

JT: We always record our shows live, but later remix and remove wind noise. Live is more expensive, and it certainly keeps the musicians on edge! We did have to shoot each piece several times, though. I'm a real stickler with that stuff.

BN: How do you top a video of the whole planet? Do you have plans for another music-video extravaganza?

JT: Absolutely. We will probably shoot another PBS special in November for spring airing. We might do something as wacky as taking it down in scope, to play concerts in the smallest towns in America, where the audiences are so appreciative.

BN: So, about shaving that beard.... It didn't toughen your image enough?

JT: I shaved it off eight months ago because my wife and my kids wouldn't kiss me anymore.

BN: Outside of facing media criticism, what has been your biggest challenge?

JT: Media criticism doesn't bother me, because I come from the media, which lives in the world between criticism and praise. If you choose not to live in either world, then you can be anonymous. I prefer not to be anonymous, and I will be cast in either one or the other.

My personal challenge came when my dad died in 1981. I had just started traveling the world with CBS Sports, and here was a guy I had looked up to for so many years who was not going to make it. It was difficult for me to pull myself together and make sense of things.

BN: Do you have a favorite inspirational quote?

JT: Let's see, from Philippians 4:13. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." And I also believe in obedience.

BN: What do you mean by "obedience"? Following orders?

JT: Being obedient means being accountable. Some hold that you are accountable only to yourself, but it's dangerous to make your own rules. I surround myself with people to whom I am accountable, and when they call me on stuff, I am obedient to them. God first, then my family.

We live in a world of either concrete thinking or formal thinking. With concrete thinking -- which is how most men think -- you have an urge and react on it instantly. Women tend to be formal thinkers. They don't jump into things and can think long term about how best to raise their family. I'm trying to live as a formal thinker, and that means being more obedient.

BN: It seems you've taken some lumps for being an upstanding family guy. Why is it that when someone is "good," we can hardly stand it?

JT: It's so much easier to be bad, easier not to take a stand. I spend a fair amount of time in therapy -- a Christian therapist -- and his premise is the pain and pleasure response. I'm not talking about the pain of injury. If it's painful for you to be honest with your wife or to discipline your child, then chances are it's the right thing to do. It's painful to stand up and say, "Hey, by the way, I'm really trying to be a good Christian." It's painful, because you're being personal. You're not proselytizing, but you're letting people in, setting yourself up for criticism. You're not supposed to get the benefits of being a believer and reap its rewards, without dealing with this pain.

BN: Getting back to music: What style of music do you play that would surprise us?

JT: I like to play along with the radio in my office studio. I'll play with a classical station, then switch to hip-hop, pop, then rock. I try to just forget about reading music for awhile, which helps my ear develop. I can write music out or play it by ear and have a computer transcribe it.

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