The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

River of Life Assembly of God will host a Christmas Concert featuring American Idol Finalist Phil Stacey on Friday, December 14 at 7 p.m.

Phil Stacey's first appearance on the sixth season of American Idol was a memorable one, as it was revealed that the United States Sailor was missing the birth of his second daughter in order to audition for the show in Memphis. It was a memorable introduction to the American public, presenting the Jacksonville, FL, native in a very appealing light. Of course, it helped that Stacey (age 29 at the start of the show in 2007) had one of the strongest backstories of any of the Top 24 contestants. The son of a pastor, he had been singing in church since childhood and continued to pursue music as an adult, taking lessons while he was in college at Lee University. He married his wife, Kendra, who gave birth to their daughters Chloe and McKayla (the latter being born the day of his audition), and he supported his family as a U.S. Sailor, remaining on active duty as he appeared on the TV show.

Stacey truly hit his stride during country week, which set the stage for his subsequent career as a recording artist. Following Idol, he signed with Lyric Street Records and began working on an album, the first single from which, "If You Didn't Love Me," was released to country stations early in 2008. His self-titled debut followed in April. Stacey toured in support of the album and returned to the studio several months later, where he chose to focus on his Christian upbringing instead of the Nashville-influenced sounds of his debut. Released in August 2009, Into the Light fused religious themes with pop/rock songwriting.

He is, as you might expect, a man doing music for more than selfish reasons. "I feel my job as a singer," he says, "is part of my job as a human being. I'm supposed to be touching other people's lives, doing the best I can to be a positive force in the world." And there is no doubt that as an artist and as a person, he will be a great addition to the music world.

Pastor Mark Phillips invites everyone to attend. “Phil has a God-given gift. Come celebrate Christmas with us at this unique opportunity,” he said. The church is located at 45 Main St. in Cathlamet. Call the church office for more information: 360-795-3465.