The Way

If You Will Believe (Maranatha 1 album)
Jesus Is All That We Need (Maranatha 2 album)

The Way Maranatha 1973
Son Come Out
You're Caught In A World
Harvest Time
Next to Love Song, The Way was my second favorite band during my high school years. They had shown up on the first two Maranatha albums and this, their debut, is a smooth mixture of folk and country rock that reminds me often of the group America. "You're Caught in a World" is a great pop while "Closer to God" is a nice worship song. Another classic early Maranatha band. DH

Early shot of The Way
Gary Arthur, Dana Angle, Ric Latendresse, Bruce Herring

Can It Be? Maranatha 1975
Days Of Noah
Do You Feel The Change
Sittin' In The Pew
With this album, The Way take a giant step by adding more of a rock edge to many of the songs while staying true to their country roots -- "Livin' For The Bottle" and "Do You Feel the Change" come to mind. I remember flocking to see them at the Knott's Berry Farm festivals because their live concerts were so 'radical' back then. Their dual guitar solos could've given the Allman Bros. a run for their money. They also recorded a non-lp song for the Maranatha 4 record in 1974. DH

Early concert

From Alex McDougall, former drummer with The Way:
"A great memory that I have is as follows...
The year was ''75 and we were between tours. In those days hotels "didn't exist" -- it was strictly traveling in a van (with the equipment), eating pizza and granola, and staying in peoples' homes. We were in California getting ready to leave for a 10 week trip of the midwest and east coast. I had been watching a UHF channel and had seen this girl illustrate with a pencil in her mouth. Upon completion of the piece, she signed in "Joni". I literally broke into tears at the time and told the band what I had seen. Several miles down the road that week, I bought a copy of PEOPLE Magazine for the long van hours. In it, was a story about Joni (the very same week). About two weeks later, while in Silver Springs, Maryland, I was backstage and the bass player (Gary Arthur) came back and told me that Joni was at the concert! I took the magazine out to her in the lobby and still have her autograph on the issue to this day." Jan 1998

Bruce Herring, Dana Angle, John Wickham, Gary Arthur, Mike Fickling (drums);
scanned from Knott's flyer, circa 1973-74