Wild Olives releases CD

The finishing touches have just been added, and Wild Olives has released its first CD. About four years ago, Dwight Parker ran into an old friend, Eddie Jenkins, in search of old band equipment.

They decided to start the group Wild Olives and networked to recruit others. On and off again throughout the past four years, this particular group of musicians came together last August and have been writing and singing songs together since.

The group plays together three to four times a year for different functions. Their first gig was Fearless Factor, in 2004 and later played for Operation Rescue Liberia. For the past couple of years they have played at the Taste of Madison Festival in Madison, Virginia.

The band is comprised of six band members from different areas including Warrenton, Culpeper, Madison, Orange and the Gainesville area. All of the band members are active in their own churches. Parker, Mike Platt and Damon Lomison are worship leaders and John Jewell and Russ Craig are in their church praise bands. Jenkins is a sound tech for his church.

Parker, rhythm guitarist for the band, credits the members’ different perspectives to the success of the group.

“We come from diverse backgrounds to offer very good music,” said Parker.

Jewell, of Jewell Tone Studios in New Baltimore, and lead guitarist for the band, describes the songs from the album as Christian from a rock perspective.
Each member of the band writes and sings their own songs. In addition to Parker and Jewell, the other band members include Platt on keyboard, Craig on bass, Lomison on drums, and Jenkins managing live production.  Some local community members had their hand in the production of different aspects of the CD including Steve Reza who did the graphics design on the album cover and Miriam Halsey who is the executive producer.

All the songs on the CD are original except the first song, “Touch,” which they always perform and received permission to use. Projected release date for the CD is Sunday. Parker will be performing some tracks from the album that day at the Raven’s Nest Coffee House on Davis Street in Culpeper.

CDs will be available for sale at the Raven’s Nest , Praise the Lord Christian Bookstore on Main Street in Culpeper, the church office at Culpeper United Methodist Church, and Classic Axe Guitar Gallery in Gainesville, owned by Craig. 1000 copies of the CD are being made and will sell for $10 each. Proceeds from the sales will go to various missions.

The group’s name was inspired by Romans 11:17 which says, “but you being a wild olive …” and speaks of a foundation of faith. The title of the album, “Worship in the Now,” was an idea received by Parker from a sermon that he recalls which said, “we are called to do things now, not sit around and
think about it over and over. When you receive the call, ultimately it is a call to action.”

Wild Olives may do a live recording in the future. That is, they feel, where their element is – out there with the people. They will continue to focus on the purpose of the group which is “to take the talents God gave us and use them for His glory.” 

To listen to some rough copies of the songs once the CD is released, go to purevolume.com/wildolives. For more information, or to attain the chord chart for any of the songs to use in worship, contact Parker at .

Amy Wagner covers church news for the Star Exponent. Have a story idea? E-mail her at

Band members
and their churches
Dwight Parker — Culpeper United Methodist Church
Mike Platt — Orange Church of the Nazarene
Damon Lomison — Warrenton Baptist
Russ Craig — Gainesville UMC
John Jewell — Old Dominion Baptist
Eddie Jenkins — The Summit of Madison.