Steven Curtis Chapman

My siblings and I have always loved the song "I Will Be Here" by Steven Curtis Chapman. It is a beautiful song. The live version, not the original version, which has way too many instruments and is kind of cheesy. This live version that has gone on many a mix tape and mix CD over the years. I've never known any of his other music. Wait, I take that back. The summer at camp when I was a junior counselor, the summer between junior and senior years of high school, we learned "When You Are a Soldier" in sign language. (Learning songs in sign language = big thing at camp. And at school -- I still remember "We Are the World" from fifth grade. Anyway.) But other than that, I've never really known much about old Steven Curtis Chapman.

I just watched his family on Larry King, and I have to say first and foremost that Larry King is a complete creep. I am sorry. But if you are interviewing a family about their child who died tragically, please get the child's name right. And when you are politely and graciously corrected on the child's name, please don't get it wrong AGAIN. WHAT AN ASSHOLE. I am so disgusted with him right now. One the one hand, we had Robin Roberts interviewing them on "Good Morning America." And she was, as she always is, gentle and sharp and completely believable in her kindness and empathy. The contrast between these two interviewers was striking and shocking. Larry King is shocking! Am I the only one who feels this way? He is horrible! Like, way to make the grieving family feel even worse, Larry!

Steven Curtis Chapman has a beautiful family. My parents believe like they believe, and I think it is a beautiful thing. To me, it seems sort of delusional in a way, but I don't mean that in a mean way. I really do think it is beautiful. If that is how the family is getting through this, more power to them. They seem like warm, loving, wonderful people.

I'm not sure if the live version of the song is available through iTunes or what album it came from. I don't even know where we originally got it. I hope it's available somewhere because it's really beautiful. It doesn't have organ or violins or anything cheesy ... just acoustic guitar and some piano, I think. Okay! This just in ... it's on "The Live Adventure" album. It's the perfect wedding song to me, but it's also a song that makes me think of friends and family members. It's just about loving people your whole life through.

Searching, searching, searching ... okay! Here it is. Beautiful song.

You're nice, Steven Curtis Chapman & family. Suck it, Larry King.