In those heady, green, green days of 1996, before Kirsten Ludwig Beemer went national and Rick Fontaine was about as famous as he was ever gonna get, four unlikely souls converged for the cause of Christ (and cool music). Kirsten Ludwig Beemer, the sweet and cherubic co-host with those John Travolta moves; Rick Fontaine, the squirrely, irksome tag-along; everybody's favorite little brother, Randy "Don't Call Me Janice" Siitam; and the pouty and provocative Timothy Travis all gave their blood and souls to the Solid Rock Movement, so that you, the viewer, might have something to do on a Saturday night.

Hi, I'm Rick "Plugboy" Fontaine, co-host and producer of Kalamazoo Cable Access' top-rated program "Solid Rock Videos." For years, if people weren't pestering me to the inside scoop on my funky nickname, then they were beggin to hear MY version of the Solid Rock story. At last, the tales may be told.

Rick Fontaine's Top 10 Videos: (Alphabetically) "Bannerman" - Steve Taylor "Face In This World" - Mark Lowry "God" - Rebecca St. James "Goldie's Last Day" - PFR "Home Run" - Geoff Moore & The Distance "Inside" - White Heart "Jesus Freak" - DC Talk "Take Me To Your Leader" - Newsboys "This Old Man" - Guardian "Two Sets Of Joneses" - Big Tent Revival Julie Miller's interview with Edge TV

First up, now that the lovely and talented Timothy Travis has announced his (weep) departure from the Kalamazoo area sometime in July, perhaps it's fitting to share the story of our first fateful meeting together.

I first met Tim when he was just a hot-shot stable boy, soaping down the palominos. He'd always been an eager boy (and a keen learner,) so with a little faith, I brought him into my organization. Immediately, Tim showed enormous interest, as well as amazing skill, in tropical horticulture. I told him we hadn't much call for a botanist at Solid Rock, but I'd hire him anyway.

By the spring of 1847, I knew Solid Rock Videos was a force to be reckoned with. The country was at war and the bees were yelling and threatening a coup. My face had all but fallen off, and while I hadn't yet left my heart in San Francisco, my spleen was sitting in a shoe-box somewhere in San Bernadino. Amidst the melee, we heard them shout, "Congratulations! It's a boy!" And that's pretty much how Solid Rock was born.

Except for that last part.

Oh, and pretty much everything else.

I'm sorry, was this supposed to be a VJ bio? Then by all means, let's tell the scoop on my nickname, "plugboy." Actually, it has to do with hair replacement. It's an ugly story.....

See Ya in TV land!

Even as far back as 1976, in the midst of America's Bicentennial summer, sitting and listening to my local AM station broadcasting the hits, I realized that the next step in radio would be a national or world-wide radio. Sure, there was this thing called FM radio, which also broadcast in stereo, but even then, I new there was more. There was a much wider audience, waiting out there. As I realized that this would be the next step, I knew deep inside myself, that I wanted, no, in some ways needed, to be a part of this next step of radio.

A simple thought, a simple desire, born in the mind of that 14-year old boy, waited to be fulfilled. Music, as the years rolled on, became one of the

Tim's Top Seven Fave Videos: "The Vow" - Geoff Moore & The Distance "All Fall Down" - Sarah Masen "God" - Rebecca St. James "Nuts For You" - The 77's "I'll Stand" - Cindy Morgan "Go Light Your World" - Kathy Troccoli "I Wish We'd All Been Ready" - DC Talk

And Top 10 Songs Which Ought To Be Released As Videos: "Black Bird" - Third Day "He" - Jars Of Clay (Accoustic version) "Hitler's Girlfriend" - Dime Store Prophets "Just Between You And Me" - DC Talk "One Man Gets Around" - Charlie Peacock "Sparkle In Your Beat" - Eric Champion "Insult Like The Truth" - Charlie Peacock "Sweetest Thing" - U2 "Treasures Of The Broken Land" - Chagall Guevara "Great American Novel" - Big Tent Revival

most important influences in my life. Could anything, I wondered, ever affect me as deeply as my music did? Could anything cause me to peer as deeply into my soul? Could anything "rock my world" as much?

In my senior year of High School, I found the answer. Like a crack of lightening, illuminating my very essense, Jesus entered my life. As much as the sound of my favorite dj's voice called to me in the sultry August evenings, God called to me on a cold January Sunday morning. As much as the music of my favorite pop station stirred a need in me, a desire never filled, God called to the emptiness inside my soul. Then, in a realization of how much he truly loved me, he rushed in and filled my emptiness.

Now, 20 years from that hot and humid summer, the world is waiting. Waiting for the realization of that 14 year-old's dream. And waiting for the One who can ultimately fill the void inside each human.

Peace,

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