Pat Boone to sing updated Lipscomb Alma Mater at undergraduate commencement

Pat Boone to sing updated Lipscomb Alma Mater at undergraduate commencement

Gathered around a table in Pat Boone’s house recently, Lipscomb University President Randy Lowry and the Lipscomb-educated ’50s pop icon drafted a new version of the university’s alma mater. “My wife and I went out to Los Angeles to Beverly Hills about six to eight weeks ago, and we actually sat around a table in Pat Boone’s house and looked at the old music and then started playing with new words for the new music,” Lowry said. Lipscomb eliminated “David” from its title 10 or 15 years ago, and that was one of the major changes made to the song. In the lyrics “David Lipscomb” has been replaced with “Lipscomb University.” In addition to that change, Lowry said there were two places in the lyrics that were not inclusive for this time period. “[‘Brotherhood’] was a word that a church community would use and they would talk about all the churches ‘in the brotherhood,’ but it’s not particularly inclusive of women,” he said. With the help of Boone an updated alma mater was crafted using alternatives words. “An alma mater really tries to articulate some sense of relationship with this institution, and I think that one [the updated version] has a lot of really good stuff in it. “My sense is we always want to be alert to those moments where we can be a little more relevant, a little bit more sensitive, a little bit more inclusive, and after singing the alma mater for 10 years it just dawned on me: this is one of them,” he said. Keeping the original tune, Boone and Lowry gave the new lyrics an...

Coach Don Meyer celebrated for everlasting impact at memorial

To those only familiar with Don Meyer’s on-the-court accomplishments, the coaching titan will be remembered for his striking column of wins and his steadfast love of the game. But, to the members of the Lipscomb community and others who gathered to celebrate the coach’s life Sunday in Allen Arena, Meyer will be remembered for far, far more than his legacy of hoops. “[Meyer] used basketball as such a great ministry,” said Richard Taylor, a former Bison and member of the 1986 NAIA National Championship squad. “He changed the lives of thousands and thousands of people, and his life was such a great example for all of us.” Meyer died May 18 after a lengthy battle with cancer. To honor his legacy of excellence, Lipscomb hosted the Don Meyer Memorial Celebration Service, one of two major public services that celebrated the coach and his life. The first one was May 24 at the campus of Northern State University in  Aberdeen, South Dakota. During Sunday’s service at Lipscomb, G. David England led two songs, “To God Be the Glory,” and “The Lord Bless You and Keep You.” Lady Bisons basketball head coach Greg Brown, also one of Meyer’s student assistant coaches, read Meyer’s obituary and led a prayer. A video was shown that featured an interview with Meyer . Tom Kelsey, a former player of Meyer’s from 1982 to 1986 and the director of basketball operations at Louisiana State University (LSU), read a letter from the coach’s family. Martha Ann Hawkins also sang two songs, “My God and I” and “Peace, Perfect, Peace,” at the opening and close of the service, respectively. She was accompanied by Phil...