Tokens brings music, laughs to Alumni with ‘The Birds and the Bees and Loving Thee’

Thursday night, a mixed crowd of Lipscomb students and those from around the Nashville community got a taste of a locally-spun variety show hosted by campus’ own Dr. Lee C. Camp. Tokens, described by Camp as a “theological variety show,” brought its newest broadcast to Alumni Auditorium, taking on a potentially uncomfortable-yet-always eye-opening subject with “The Birds and the Bees and Loving Thee”. The new recording was a bold, high-spirited celebration one of Christianity’s most ‘hush-hush’ topics. Unafraid to reach deep into the Bible to share some of the “post-Sunday School” offerings (i.e. Song of Solomon), Camp used the show to take an awkward subject and make it light, funny and most importantly, discussable.  Not only did this episode of Tokens offer some of Nashville’s finest musicians and storytellers a platform to share their talent, but the audience was given enlightening insight into the true meaning behind a few noted passages and their true intent: to shed a light on our longing for God’s love. Camp kicked off the show and appeared periodically as the event’s emcee. The host and his sidekick and leader of the house band (The Most Outstanding Horeb Mountain Boys) Jeff Taylor, provided snarky and well-supported banter throughout the program. Some of Camp’s ‘fact-sharing’ segments had audience members gleefully cringing. The great harmonica player Buddy Greene joined the band for the evening’s show. Starting the night off right was the duo of Sugar + the Hi-Lows, a folk rock team. Their peppy “Two Day High” brought a finger-snapping energy into the auditorium, with the house band backing up in fine fashion. They also performed a...
Ty Russell follows role model, mom Karen Kingsbury, while finding his own way in music industry

Ty Russell follows role model, mom Karen Kingsbury, while finding his own way in music industry

With his own song on iTunes and a mother who is known as “the queen of Christian fiction writing,” sophomore Ty Russell is ready to be a bright light for the entertainment industry. Russell’s mother, Karen Kingsbury, has written over 50 novels appealing to all ages. Russell said his mother travels a decent amount for book signings and conventions. And although some people may think that would have a negative effect on the family, Russell insists that it’s not a factor. “She puts family first. … Even if she is on a deadline and someone needs help with homework, she helps with the homework because she is a mom first,” he said. Russell said he looks up to his mother as his role model in many different ways. “It’s cool that she has a platform but is still so humble.” Transferring from a bigger campus in Virginia called Liberty University, Russell said he is ready to see what a small campus in a big city has in store for him. “I like to get plugged in and know the faces around me every day,” Russell said. Even though his family moved to Nashville in the summer of 2011, Russell still attended Liberty for the 2011-2012 school year. “It was weird coming home from school for Thanksgiving break to a new place,.” he said. Music City seems to be a central location for Russell and his plans for the future. After asking around to try to find a smaller Christian school, Russell said Lipscomb was the most popular response. “Everyone is so nice, warm and welcoming,” he said. “Everyone is...