Flyleaf Revealed
Like Never Before In New Book
Carl Phelan, aka “Pop,” is the grandfather of Jared Hartmann of Flyleaf. Jared serves as one of the band’s original members and guitarists. He’s been around since the beginning, in other words — and so has Carl. Carl is not only a great grandfather, he’s Flyleaf’s biggest fan. In fact, he’s such a big fan he wrote a book about the band.
In Carl’s new book FLYLEAF SPREADS THEIR WINGS: THE STORY OF A SUPERNATURAL ROCK BAND FROM TEXAS, he has shared his deepest memories and eye-witness accounts of one of the greatest Christian rock bands to ever grace a stage. His love for his grandson and his band Flyleaf is represented to the fullest in this collection of in-depth memoirs. If you love Flyleaf, this book is a must-have, no doubt about it.
You can pick the book up at Amazon here. The Facebook page for the book is here.
I am personally a huge Flyleaf fan, and Carl did me a true honor: he gave me an excerpt in the book in which he recounts one of my stories with the band.
Carl is not only a beloved supporter of the band, he’s known and respected in the Christian music community. Lacey Sturm, in her book THE REASON, mentions Carl as one of the earliest and most appreciated supporters. Lacey writes about one of the band’s earliest shows:
The most encouraging person in the audience was Jared’s grandpa, Pop. He stood up above everyone leaning on the guardrail with his rock fists up the entire set. ‘Pop thinks we rock,’ I thought to myself . What else really matters? It made me smile like a goofball.
In a recent interview I had with the 83-year-old, Phelan says this about his reasoning behind writing the book:
My main reason is my grandson Jared Hartmann, who is one of the guitarists in the band. I am 83-years-old, a retired school teacher. I started on the book around 2005. That was when Flyleaf released their first full-length CD. I have a room in my house — a spare bedroom that is called the Flyleaf room; it is covered from wall-to-wall with the band articles, pictures, and band memorabilia. My wife and I have been to all of their concerts within driving distance. We could not make them all; they have been all over the world and have seen more than 25 different countries: places like Russia, Japan, and Australia. I have a map above my computer with pins in it of all the places they have ever performed.
The book has chronological dates of performances, band experiences, one-of-a-kind pictures, and a beyond-rare glimpse of the beginning stages of the band — as seen from the eyes of the band’s very first fan and V.I.P.
Carl said of the early stages of Flyleaf:
I knew from the beginning. I am not saying that just because it was my grandson’s band. I had noted musicians come up to me during Flyleaf’s performances and tell me that the band had something special and that they would take it all the way. In the beginning, I watched them pray together before and after practice. They practiced all the time, asking God to take them as far as He wanted them to go and to make sure their hearts and music were all for his glory.
I walked away from the book with a deeper appreciation and education about the band and what they have gone through to get where they are now. But, in addition to that, I walked away with a deep admiration of the band’s love and devotion to God. And it’s impossible not to notice, with a sense of amazement , how much unconditional love that Carl “Pop” Phelan has for the band.
1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 sums up the spirit of this book, both from the perspective of the band’s love for God and Carl’s support for the band:
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
Pop, from one journalist to another you have done a great job, you have extended my knowledge of a band I have adored for a very long time, and you have taught me lessons about unconditional love and what it takes to truly care for the people in my life. I hope to one day break bread with you, pray together, and discuss more stories about Flyleaf.
Not only do I endorse this book, but I can confidently say that Flyleaf would not be who they are if they did not have Pop as a part of the plan. Amen.
Be sure to pick up your copy of this amazing book at Amazon or other digital book outlets.
