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In memory of …
Lance C. Appleton
Sept. 22, 1952 – Feb. 18, 2015
Freelancemusic.net is now a celebration of the life, music, and ministry of Lance Appleton. Lance passed away at home with his family by his side Feb. 18, 2015 after a long battle with cancer.
He recorded 8 albums, “One God Apostolic” 1974, “Harp Warming” 1975, “So Happy” 1977 , “Run On” 1981, “Live in San Francisco”1985, “Songs of Deliverance”1995, “Unto You and To Your Children” 1997, and “Hopes are High” 2002. In addition he made two quality home recordings of his original songs “Lance Appleton Unplugged” in 2006 and a 5 disc compilation dubbed “In the Living Room with Lance” in 2008 and 2009. Lance wrote more than 250 songs, and many were never recorded in studio quality. This site is dedicated to bringing you his complete body of work some only left behind on cassette tapes, handwritten notes, or perhaps just in the memory of those who heard him playing, and singing his songs around the house. Feel free to contribute your own recollections of his unique style of ministry though the comment section of this blog.
” … even death can never change, this flesh may fade, but this song remains” – Lance Appleton This Song Remains
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45 responses to “In memory of …”
Our deepest sympathy. Lance’s music legacy and true life teaching was compelling and monumental. Many will continue to be humbled and strengthened from Lance’s songs of encouragement. Our thoughts and prayers are for you and your family. God Bless Mike & Connie Barnett
We were so shocked and sorry to hear of Lances death. Lance meant so much to Bro and Sis Roy Tubb and I’m sure they are making music in heaven right now. They often spoke of your time at Gateway and of your visits to their home. Our prayers are with your family.
Sis. Appleton, It was such a shock to hear of Bro. Appleton’s passing. He was greatly beloved and an inspiration to tens of thousands of apostolic people. Our condolences and prayers are with you and the kids at this time. We love you.
Lance was a inspirational person with songs that will live on in all of our hearts till the time we are all gathered together in the great beyond. The way he connected with so many of us though his ministry and interpersonal skills will be greatly missed. May God comfort his family at this time.
When I first heard of the power of Jesus and was baptized and received the Holy Ghost in 1977 I listened to Lance’s music a lot. He inspired me through his songs and I felt God’s presence while listening to his music. I love his music. My prayer it that God will comfort his family and friends during this time. Thank God for Lance Appleton.
To Merna and family, you are in our prayers at this difficult time. We pray that the Lord will give you the strength and comfort that you so deserve. God Bless, Ed and Sandi
To Merna and family, we give our condolences and prayers! We have unforgettable memories of Lance and you from Gateway College Days and Hazelwood Apostilic Church. What revival we had! It is unbelievable that this day has come, but we know that the Lord will give you much strength and comfort in the days to come. In love and prayer, Ron and Bonnie TownsleyTo Merna and family, we give our condolences and prayers! We have unforgettable memories of Lance and you from Gateway College Days and Hazelwood Apostilic Church. What revival we had! It is unbelievable that this day has come, but we know that the Lord will give you much strength and comfort in the days to come. In love and prayer, Ron and Bonnie Townsley
A good friend from way back. Had a lot of fun chauffeuring you all over when you first started evangelizing. Yes it was a lot of fun!
I remember growing up with Bro. Appleton’s music and ministry. He came to Springfield back in 84-85, he went out to eat with our youth after service, while we all waited for our food.. He grabbed his harmonica and we followed him around the salad bar singing “This train is bound for glory”.. prayers of peace and comfort to the Appleton family.
A One God Preacher and Singer who inspired all evangelists… then and now… to strive to keep church exciting and inspiring…Oh and the tennis shoes. May this awesome family find peace in Jesus! Our prayers are with you…
So sad. What a man. Thanks for all the inspiration and laughter!
Sorry for you and your family loss Merna. May you find peace and comfort in knowing the God he served has prepared a place for him.
Sis Appleton and Family, I was very sorry to hear of Bro. Lance’s passing. I remember him fondly during my time in Columbia. He had a passion for God and was a lot of fun to be around. Our prayers are with you and your family. Chris DeGonia
My sincere condolences on the loss of Lance. I did not know him personally but I do know his beautiful Mother, Irma. May God Bless the family during this difficult time. God is good.
Lance was a firebrand of inspiration! It was my privilege to know him. Our prayers are much for Merna; Christa, Mark and their children; Eric,Lydia and their Children as well as Mom Appleton.
Dear Sis. Merna, Sis. Crista and Bro. Eric–our hearts and thoughts and prayers are with you. Bro. Lance has run his race! We must run on–in Jesus’ name. We love you all so much! Bro. Dave & Sis. Gayle
One Lord, one faith, one baptism….one Lance Appleton! Forever changed the course of my life the day he came to be with us in Port Arthur in Brother McCoy’s church! Jesus is good… Thank you, Appleton family, for sharing your husband, father, son, friend with the rest of the Apostolic world. Praying for you…
Travis and I are so sorry to hear of your loss and pray that God comforts you through this time. Bro. Lance’s music is something I have grown up on and treasured through my life and I have to say I can’t relate any modern Pentecostal music to it. Some of the songs have kept me on the right path through the years. I will pass his legacy on to my children and introduce him to them in glory.
Dear Merna & family, words cannot express my sorrow for your loss. Lance was a bright spot, wherever he showed up. May Holy Spirit’s peace wrap each of you up like a warm blanket. May you know the presence of Christ deeply during this time of grief & sorrow. God bless & sustain each of you.
Appleton Family, On the behalf of, Curves for Women Fitness Center, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Mrs. Appleton I was able to know Lance, through their love and the anointing on his life to teach. But the greatest, he was a ‘living epistle’ read by MANY! His endurance, having the faith of God, courage, faithfulness to call, enabled him to Finish his race in VICTORY, with MANY jewels in his crown, to lay at Jesus’s feet.
My family and I had the honor of meeting Lance Appleton and his Family in the mid 80’s at our church camp. It was a very enjoyable experience. We think of him often. His services at our church camp was an experience we will never forget. Our Heart and prayers go out to his family. He will be sadly missed. He was one of a kind.
I met Lance in El Dorado, Arkansas and I can truly say that Lance changed my life. I will always be grateful for his encouraging music.
Sending my condolences to all the family in this time of loss. The first time I heard Bro. and Sis. Appleton was at Turning Point in Poway, Ca. every song ministered to me as a young person, and my all time favorite was I’m A One God Apostolic! Thank you both for letting God use you to minister to us! Sending love and prayers your way.
My heart is heavy. As a young aspiring musician in the 90’s, an early teen, I was overjoyed when the Washington district asked to use my keyboard so Lance could play it at a camp meeting. I was awe struck and so inspired by his music that I bought and studied all of his CD’s. My keyboard became known to me as the instrument that Lance Appleton played. Somewhere in my stuff I still have a harmonica that Lance signed from that encounter. He was truly a gift and such an important part of who I am today. May God bless and comfort the family.
you are in our thoughts and prayer. We treasure the times we were blessed by your family ministry. We will cover you in prayer now and in the days ahead as you honor Bro. Appleton’s life. He will not be forgotten. He’s pain free now. Hugging you in prayer, Nadeen McAlpin Pagano
My family has been blessed by Bro. Appleton through song, preaching and having him minister in prayer. My father actually helped him come up with a verse in one of his songs. We will miss the opportunity to hear Bro. Appleton preach and sing again, but we’ll do it all again on streets of gold one day and it will be for all eternity. To the family of Bro. Appleton, I am so sorry for your loss and I pray that the Lord ministers to you in the days to come. Thank you for sharing such a wonderful man with the Kingdom of God. Kim and Morgan Gregory
My deepest condolences to Sister Merna and your children at the passing of a man who had such a great impact on my life many years ago. I so appreciated his kindness and the time he took to speak with a couple of kids from Pennsylvania, who quite frankly, idolized him. I wore out my copies of the first 2 albums he recorded, learning all the songs by hard. When I heard of his passing this week, I found those recording on Youtube. Haven’t wept that hard in a while as memories flooded my mind. He had an uncanny way of being real. Gob Bless Bro. Lance Appleton. Rest in Peace!
I just wanted to say thank you to his wife and family for sharing Lance with the everyone he came in contact with. I attended a revival as a young Christian where he played and ministered. It was truly a blessing. I have enjoyed his music for years now and I know heaven is rejoicing at his homecoming.
Our prayers are with your beautiful family today, knowing how much you will be missed. You have fought a good fight and heaven is your resting place..Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city. Rest in peace my good friend until we meet again.
In 1983 and later on in the 80’s, Bro. Appleton preached revivals at First Apostolic Church in Bremerton, Wa. In recent years, he came back to what is now called First Apostolic Church in Bremerton. He was with Bro. & Sis. Garza (his daughter). It was a three night revival and I could only be there one night because I had to work. I play the Hammond organ and I was so thankful to play accompaniment with Bro. Appleton. He told me and another brother that some day we’ll be jammin’ in heaven! I can’t wait, Bro. Appleton! Soon and very soon! I’m still a one God Apostolic tongue talkin’ holy roller born again heaven bound believer in Jesus Name! To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord! Bro. Appleton, you fought the good fight and great is your reward! We love you Bro. Appleton and you will be missed. Your music lives on, however, and that part of your ministry will continue! I’m thankful! As the lyrics in his song, Revival of the Name: “There’s only one request our Master made. He said this Gospel must be preached to every nation. The only reason why we’re here today is to proclaim the only Name that brings salvation.” That was Brother Appleton’s calling and ministry and commission. His ministry is fulfilled although his music lives on forever. Lord, help us to take the baton and continue reaching the lost and to proclaim the only Name that brings salvation! In Jesus Name! My favorite son: “Father Let Them All Be One.” John Chapter 17. That’s the heartbeat of God!!! Again, thank you! God bless the Appleton family!!!!
We are saddened to hear of the passing of this great man of God. We have never met a man so exuberant in his worship of God and radiant in his love for people. He came to our church in the late 90’s and through his harmonica gave fresh meaning to the verse “let everything that has breath praise ye the Lord! Brother Lance is now enjoying Jesus forever more for his works do follow him! May God’s abundant grace embrace the beautiful Appleton family. Roger, Dawn, Hope Davis of El Bethel Apostolic Tabernacle.
Although I had always loved music, it was not until Lance Appleton preached a revival at our church in Lexington, playing, singing, leaping in the air, that I came to appreciate how important worship in song and music was to the Lord. Even though it was 38 years ago since That revival, my memories are both fond and fresh. Thank you to the family for sharing this wonderful man with so many other, “one God Apostolic tongue talking holy roller born again Heaven believer in the liberating power of Jesus name”.
There aren’t any words to say how wonderful a gift Lance has been,along with his family, to true spiritual life. But I just want to share this 1 reminder if I may, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord(2nd Cor 5:8).”And there’s No telling what kind of Glory is going on there!
I remember Bro Lance preached in the service at UPC in Columbia that I gave my life to Jesus.I remember him as kind and friendly. My prayers go out to the Appleton family.
The first Pentecost Preacher I heard when I came to God in Springfield Mo.
Merna, I’m so sorry for your loss. Lance will be “forever young” in our hearts and minds as we remember you both singing in the church on Benton Street during the 70’s. So glad I got to know you both while I was a student there. Lance’s faithfulness is a wonderful testimony and encouragement for the rest of us. God Bless You, Christ and Eric.
Merna, my deepest sympathy to you and your family. I’m saddened by Lance’s passing but comforted to know he is now with the Lord. I’m so thankful for Lance’s music ministry. I can still hear my son singing, “I’ve got my feet on the rock, my name on the roll, Jesus in my heart and salvation in my soul.” when he was only 5. I believe that seed came to fruition last November when he was baptized. I pray that you and your children will be comforted by the Peace that passes all understanding and look forward to that glorious day when we’re reunited with our loved ones.
I’m so sad to see him gone, he was a great man, he sang and preached a revival in our church. Harp warming is my favorite. Any plans to make it available for download?
Yes we hope to have all his music available in digital form soon. I will let you know when it is.
I think about Lance all the time and re-connect with his music from time to time… Lance inspired me to make my own music and I’ll always remember what he gave… He gave his soul to this earth… May his soul love forever in Freedom…
As an 80 year old woman, yes, I am a Christian lady and I have loved the younger generation”s music for many years and encouraged my children in the mucic of their choice. And of course their choice was about the love of God. No matter the beat or tune. so yes Lance Appleton music is still an encourager through his testimony, his music and his love of God. My children were about his age and did not have the oopertunity to hear hI’m a’s teenagers but there were others. And there are the other half who were young enough. I am enjoying Lance Appleton music on you tub may God bless you all for making his music possible.
How do I buy the “Unplugged” music you mentioned.
Thanks
Robert SimonsWith permission from Merna, James Simms recently remixed Lance Appleton’s “This Train” as the theme song for Kids Power Hour’s “All Aboard the Apostolic Express.” To hear it, go to http://www.pentecostalpublishing.com/kph. Let us know what you think, and spread the word to fellow lovers of Lance and his music!
I love The music of Lance and his beautiful wife!
I remember so many wonderful songs they did, I was truly inspired to learn the harmonica thanks to Lance, and he is deeply missed, but I also know His music led many to Christ and now He is in glory with God, so greatful for his dedication and live for Jesus, and thank you to the Appelton family, all of you for your love for Jesus and the gift of God that shines through you!
I live you all in Jesus!
God Bless You!I just found this; I called your dad every day during his illness.I loved your dad so very much; I still miss him; was his friend from 1977 until!
Wanted you to send contact information;Pastor Joe Barnhill!
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