We’ve Been Living Upbeat — The Story Behind “Rain”

The Story Behind Rain

JR & MARTY

After 56 years together, you gather up a whole lot of life — small moments that turn into big memories. I married me a guitar-pickin’ man, and we’ve been living upbeat ever since.

The song Rain is one of JR’s. He wrote it back in the 80s — just one of many stories scribbled in a little notebook that lived in the bottom of his guitar case for years. He used to copyright his songs and even signed up for BMI, back when that felt like the dream. But the world didn’t hear them — except our friends, sitting around a backyard campfire.

JR played live for years. If you’ve ever loved a musician, you know the toll — late nights, hours of practice, hauling gear, getting home at 2AM just to clock into a day job a few hours later. It cost us, but our family was worth more than any bar gig. Our three kids and I made sure of that.

He taught himself guitar by ear. His mother could strum a little and pushed him to keep at it. He got his first real guitar and a book called 5,600 Chords — that was his teacher. But the real roots were deeper: a mother who planted the Holy Spirit in him early on. I’ve got the pictures from his catechism days to prove it.

Eventually, the late nights faded. The dream of making it big turned into quiet moments in the bedroom, pickin’ for no one but himself. The music never left — and neither did the man. He’ll tell you himself, “I wish I’d learned more technical stuff,” but his music still flows, and these days he can record a tune with a click of a button.

Today Rain is out in the world for the first time — raw vocals, no fancy polish, just the heart of a man who kept the music alive for the ones who mattered most.

Maybe someone out there will hear it and feel what we feel. Maybe they’ll remember their own late nights, their own campfire songs. Maybe they’ll know they’re not alone.

Either way, this is our song. And it’s out there — just like it was meant to be.