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Singing from Silence Rich Mullins: Love Beyond Fear
Rich Mullins was one of the most gifted musical visionaries of the twentieth century. He was thought by some to be a modern-day prophet. Others claim he was a saint. He was a radical believer, an original spirit devoted to a mighty God.
This true story is seen through the eyes of close companion and confidante Pam Richards. She presents Richard's more human side in an intense and sometimes broken friendship which called on him to demonstrate the love of God. She learned that God's love is lived out in our relationships. "The truth of our experience gives rise to our song. When it touches a heart, that song plants a seed to grow and bloom."
Years after Rich Mullins' untimely death in a car accident, the author learned firsthand that art creates lasting memorials to moments, and that love is stronger than death. Through laughter and tears, despite differences and obstacles, their friendship led Rich Mullins and Pam Richards both closer to God.
This true story is seen through the eyes of close companion and confidante Pam Richards. She presents Richard's more human side in an intense and sometimes broken friendship which called on him to demonstrate the love of God. She learned that God's love is lived out in our relationships. "The truth of our experience gives rise to our song. When it touches a heart, that song plants a seed to grow and bloom."
Years after Rich Mullins' untimely death in a car accident, the author learned firsthand that art creates lasting memorials to moments, and that love is stronger than death. Through laughter and tears, despite differences and obstacles, their friendship led Rich Mullins and Pam Richards both closer to God.
- GenresBiography
160 pages, Paperback
First published April 10, 2012
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652 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
January 31, 2014
Rich Mullins was engaged for about 10 years to an unnamed woman. The engagement was ended by the woman in approximately 1983. That overlaps the time frame Pamela Richards writes this work of fantasy. Please who KNEW Rich and were CLOSE friends dispute Pamela Richards account. Kathy Sprinkle, one of Rich's closest friend, especially disputes the accounts in the book. Pamela did not divorce her "abusive" husband until years after Rich's death. Kathy knows both Pam and her "abusive" husband (unnamed because his name would be widely recognized) and disputes any abuse. She describes him in most high praise for his conduct and personality. Pamela's account of how she introduced Rich to the hammer dulcimer is also fiction. Rich himself in multiple interviews talks of being with a group of friends in Kentucky when a group of hammer dulcimer players began to play. Rich and his friends were navigating to the outdoor music fest by canoeing down a river. At the sound of the dulcimers, he jumped out of the boat and ran up to watch the players. That was his intro to the hammer dulcimer; he went out and bought one and learned to play. I cannot attest to other claims in the book, but during the time he spent at and after Cincinnati Bible College, Rich was working as a car park attendant and as part of the Zion Ministries as a youth pastor. He had his first band, ZION, during that time. Pam's fantasy book does not line up with all the people who knew him during that time and after. It is so easy to try to profit off the dead when they are no longer here to dispute an author's claims, but there are multitudes of Rich's lifelong friends who do dispute this account. I do NOT recommend this book for anyone, whether you knew Rich or knew of him and want to learn more. Learn it from his own writings and interviews recorded on YouTube. He makes frequent references but not in naming his fiancée, and no references to Pamela. I can't find a single friend of Rich's who endorses this fantasy, but who can provide facts that dispute some of her claims. If you are into reading fantasy romances, go get fiction books at a Bible book store. Do NOT waste your time and money on this. If there were a rating lower than one star, I would assess a negative rating to this insult to Rich Mullins' memory.
December 29, 2012
In Singing From Silence, Artist and Author Pam Richards pays tribute to the special friendship she shared with gifted Christian Contemporary musician, Richard “Rich” Mullins for a ten-year period from 1974-1984. In exploring this relationship, Richards examines not only her life and spirituality in relation to meeting Mullins but also the inspiration behind many of the songs Mullins wrote and played.
The story starts out on the campus of The Cincinnati Bible College where Pam and Richard meet on the very first day and get to know each other rapidly as they exchange stories of their early lives. A strong bond is forged between these two highly creative people as they both struggle to find their way. Richard is a gifted musician with a strong faith. Pam is an artist who rebels against her mother’s wish for her to attend The Bible College. Although the relationship is described as purely platonic, one senses a deep underlying love between the two. Eventually, they both move on to different relationships. Rich’s engagement is called off and Pam’s marriage ends when she escapes physical abuse. But the bond they shared, despite differences and obstacles, serves to bring them both closer to God. Mullins was killed in a car accident in 1997, leaving a legacy of his fervent dedication to God through his music.
This story has many layers: a behind-the-scene-look into the life of a gifted Christian musician who patterned his life after St Francis of Assisi; the spiritual journey of a young woman; abuse; the impact of music on our lives and all the lessons learned from Rich, whom Richards describes is a modern-day prophet.
Richards writes with an artistic flair, capturing the richness of the experience through vivid imagery and honest reflection. This is not a book I read in one sitting. I read it slowly and savored the passages, often rereading parts. It is also a book I would read again. I had never heard of Rich Mullins before reading this book but after reading it, I not only feel like I have had the privilege of meeting him in person but I know him by the profound impact he had on Richards’ life. In dedicating this book to their friendship, Richards pays tribute to the power we all have to influence one another in a positive, life affirming way.
The story starts out on the campus of The Cincinnati Bible College where Pam and Richard meet on the very first day and get to know each other rapidly as they exchange stories of their early lives. A strong bond is forged between these two highly creative people as they both struggle to find their way. Richard is a gifted musician with a strong faith. Pam is an artist who rebels against her mother’s wish for her to attend The Bible College. Although the relationship is described as purely platonic, one senses a deep underlying love between the two. Eventually, they both move on to different relationships. Rich’s engagement is called off and Pam’s marriage ends when she escapes physical abuse. But the bond they shared, despite differences and obstacles, serves to bring them both closer to God. Mullins was killed in a car accident in 1997, leaving a legacy of his fervent dedication to God through his music.
This story has many layers: a behind-the-scene-look into the life of a gifted Christian musician who patterned his life after St Francis of Assisi; the spiritual journey of a young woman; abuse; the impact of music on our lives and all the lessons learned from Rich, whom Richards describes is a modern-day prophet.
Richards writes with an artistic flair, capturing the richness of the experience through vivid imagery and honest reflection. This is not a book I read in one sitting. I read it slowly and savored the passages, often rereading parts. It is also a book I would read again. I had never heard of Rich Mullins before reading this book but after reading it, I not only feel like I have had the privilege of meeting him in person but I know him by the profound impact he had on Richards’ life. In dedicating this book to their friendship, Richards pays tribute to the power we all have to influence one another in a positive, life affirming way.
May 11, 2013
My introduction to Singing from Silence and its author, Pamela Richards, came as a result of an interview with Pam on Kathy Pooler's blog, Memoir Writer's Journey. I then began visiting Pam's blog, A Candle to the Sun, and in a giveaway won a copy of Pam's book. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect.
Prior to reading Singing from Silence, I had never heard of Rich Mullins or his musical accomplishments. As I opened this book, Rich and Pam were total strangers to me. What I encountered is a book which could be categorized as nonfiction, biography, memoir or any combination of the three.
As I read, the layers upon which this story builds and unfolds multiplied. The book begins in 1974 as Pam, a young and talented artist, begins her college experience at Cincinnati Bible College, much to her consternation. Her parents' choice, not hers. On her first day there, she meets Rich Mullins, whose first question to her is, "Do you like music?" And here begins a friendship at times warm and loving, then suddenly broken apart, then together again. Always a hint of something more, but never commitment. Pam and Rich agreed to the latter. However, a sense of a deep love jumps from the page. Their friendship that lasted 10 years through relationship and life changes for both Pam and Rich.
With Pam's marriage around 1978, their paths diverged somewhat into separate worlds and contact was minimal. Rich becomes engaged, and then the engagement is broken. His musical career moves him to Nashville. And Pam suffers what appears to be abusive treatment by her husband, as shown in these quotes from the book:
"One time my husband struck me." (p. 88)
"We [Pam and her children] each held our breath. The moment he woke up and started howling, we knew our world was shattered again." (p. 89)
During this time in their lives, both were always seeking the spiritual life. Many described Rich as a modern-day prophet following the beliefs of St. Francis of Assisi. Pam eventually ends up in a church where an anonymous character in the book, a former friend of Rich's, begins to deliver messages from and about Rich.
Here we have a story of love, faith, music, heartbreak, abuse, depression, and confusion in two lives laid open on the pages of this book. Pam Richards has eloquently told this story, and we must take her word for its veracity as Rich Mullins no longer lives among us other than through his music, a clear statement of his devotion to God.
If you have been a fan of Rich Mullins' in the past, there are some who would lead you away from this book; they declare it is unfair to Rich Mullins' memory. However, I say that only you, the reader, can be the judge of that.
For me the clear message in the book is that "[w]here there is life there is hope," "[w]here there is awareness of eternal life, there is faith," "[w]here two or more are gathered in his name, there is love." (p. 134).
Prior to reading Singing from Silence, I had never heard of Rich Mullins or his musical accomplishments. As I opened this book, Rich and Pam were total strangers to me. What I encountered is a book which could be categorized as nonfiction, biography, memoir or any combination of the three.
As I read, the layers upon which this story builds and unfolds multiplied. The book begins in 1974 as Pam, a young and talented artist, begins her college experience at Cincinnati Bible College, much to her consternation. Her parents' choice, not hers. On her first day there, she meets Rich Mullins, whose first question to her is, "Do you like music?" And here begins a friendship at times warm and loving, then suddenly broken apart, then together again. Always a hint of something more, but never commitment. Pam and Rich agreed to the latter. However, a sense of a deep love jumps from the page. Their friendship that lasted 10 years through relationship and life changes for both Pam and Rich.
With Pam's marriage around 1978, their paths diverged somewhat into separate worlds and contact was minimal. Rich becomes engaged, and then the engagement is broken. His musical career moves him to Nashville. And Pam suffers what appears to be abusive treatment by her husband, as shown in these quotes from the book:
"One time my husband struck me." (p. 88)
"We [Pam and her children] each held our breath. The moment he woke up and started howling, we knew our world was shattered again." (p. 89)
During this time in their lives, both were always seeking the spiritual life. Many described Rich as a modern-day prophet following the beliefs of St. Francis of Assisi. Pam eventually ends up in a church where an anonymous character in the book, a former friend of Rich's, begins to deliver messages from and about Rich.
Here we have a story of love, faith, music, heartbreak, abuse, depression, and confusion in two lives laid open on the pages of this book. Pam Richards has eloquently told this story, and we must take her word for its veracity as Rich Mullins no longer lives among us other than through his music, a clear statement of his devotion to God.
If you have been a fan of Rich Mullins' in the past, there are some who would lead you away from this book; they declare it is unfair to Rich Mullins' memory. However, I say that only you, the reader, can be the judge of that.
For me the clear message in the book is that "[w]here there is life there is hope," "[w]here there is awareness of eternal life, there is faith," "[w]here two or more are gathered in his name, there is love." (p. 134).
May 27, 2014
Interesting details about Mullins college years. However, as the book wears on, feelings of obsession, narcissism, and delusions of love lost grow. Richards makes an awful lot of claims as to her influence on Mullins' lyrics that frankly are difficult to believe.
November 7, 2012
This is the review I posted on Amazon:
5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful and compelling 'work of art', 29 Sep 2012
By
Richard von Hippel (Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Singing from Silence: Rich Mullins: Love Beyond Fear (Paperback)
Before I commence this review I have to be truthful and say, for reasons we don't need to discuss, I have held a deep and abiding aversion to all things `Religious' for most of my life and I was not exactly made ecstatic by the idea of reading what appeared to be, in the vulgar vernacular, another call to do some `God bothering'!
However, (and it is a big however), once I'd left the opening paragraphs and started moving into the body of the work I found myself becoming more and more fascinated with the totally unexpected world I was being drawn into. The deeper I went the more compulsive I found the read, until there were times I didn't want to be dragged away, by more mundane demands.
Whether you are Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jew, Agnostic, Atheist, or practice any other belief system it matters nought. What lies on the pages of this beautifully crafted work makes it well worth taking the time out to read.
Written in a deceptively minimalist style that uses no unnecessary words, the author somehow manages to conjure such vivid images of people and places you could easily be there, yourself. And when it comes to describing situations and feelings Pamela Richards is just as adept with her sparse choice of words. Here an example:
"By the time I was packed for college, I was ready to spit. I couldn't imagine a more bizarre emissary to bolster the family name than an unwilling, free-spirited, socially undeveloped pagan daughter set loose on "Heaven on the Hill."
And that is how Richard and I both attended Freshman Orientation at the Cincinnati Bible College."
This is not so much as a written work but more a tapestry, where the scenes have a greater impact through simplicity, and it is through those scenes that you are initiated into an otherwise closed world, in which the two main characters struggle to make sense of a world they did not choose to be born into, their faith, the depth and breadth of great artistic talent, on both sides (as evidenced by this work), their very identities, the meaning of their intense and indefinable feelings towards each other, and how to heal themselves of angst, confusion, bewilderment and, in a way, betrayal by those who had a duty to help them find a way through the bramble fields of emotional self-discovery.
This is no simple story of unrequited love and though there are many references to faith this is not an exclusive work of faith, in the same way that although Romeo and Juliet has a pwerfully political base, it is not an exclusively political play.
Much to my surprise, I found Singing from Silence - Rich Mullins: Love Beyond Fear, By Pamela Richards to be a compelling, compulsive read, written with exquisitely balanced prose and thoroughly deserves 5 stars.
Richard von Hippel, Author of NOT AGAIN
5.0 out of 5 stars A powerful and compelling 'work of art', 29 Sep 2012
By
Richard von Hippel (Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Singing from Silence: Rich Mullins: Love Beyond Fear (Paperback)
Before I commence this review I have to be truthful and say, for reasons we don't need to discuss, I have held a deep and abiding aversion to all things `Religious' for most of my life and I was not exactly made ecstatic by the idea of reading what appeared to be, in the vulgar vernacular, another call to do some `God bothering'!
However, (and it is a big however), once I'd left the opening paragraphs and started moving into the body of the work I found myself becoming more and more fascinated with the totally unexpected world I was being drawn into. The deeper I went the more compulsive I found the read, until there were times I didn't want to be dragged away, by more mundane demands.
Whether you are Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, Jew, Agnostic, Atheist, or practice any other belief system it matters nought. What lies on the pages of this beautifully crafted work makes it well worth taking the time out to read.
Written in a deceptively minimalist style that uses no unnecessary words, the author somehow manages to conjure such vivid images of people and places you could easily be there, yourself. And when it comes to describing situations and feelings Pamela Richards is just as adept with her sparse choice of words. Here an example:
"By the time I was packed for college, I was ready to spit. I couldn't imagine a more bizarre emissary to bolster the family name than an unwilling, free-spirited, socially undeveloped pagan daughter set loose on "Heaven on the Hill."
And that is how Richard and I both attended Freshman Orientation at the Cincinnati Bible College."
This is not so much as a written work but more a tapestry, where the scenes have a greater impact through simplicity, and it is through those scenes that you are initiated into an otherwise closed world, in which the two main characters struggle to make sense of a world they did not choose to be born into, their faith, the depth and breadth of great artistic talent, on both sides (as evidenced by this work), their very identities, the meaning of their intense and indefinable feelings towards each other, and how to heal themselves of angst, confusion, bewilderment and, in a way, betrayal by those who had a duty to help them find a way through the bramble fields of emotional self-discovery.
This is no simple story of unrequited love and though there are many references to faith this is not an exclusive work of faith, in the same way that although Romeo and Juliet has a pwerfully political base, it is not an exclusively political play.
Much to my surprise, I found Singing from Silence - Rich Mullins: Love Beyond Fear, By Pamela Richards to be a compelling, compulsive read, written with exquisitely balanced prose and thoroughly deserves 5 stars.
Richard von Hippel, Author of NOT AGAIN
March 16, 2015
Pamela Richards' memoir, Singing from Silence, explores the friendship between the author and the well-known Christian singer-songwriter Rich Mullins. The two were soul-mates during their college years in the 1970's, and then were separated by irrevocable choices. The exhilarating but perplexing emotional and spiritual connection that they experienced during their youth remained palpable through their years apart, even after Rich's tragic death in a car crash in 1997.
This highly complex memoir is a mature woman's reflections on how a shared passion for the spiritual path shaped the reality of two exceptionally gifted but confused young adults. Pam and Rich never expressed their deep love in physical touch, but in a higher, mystical connection. Singing from Silence is a tragedy, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, a tale of lost opportunities, frustrating gulfs in communication, emotional chaos, mysterious taboos, and fatal flaws. All of this is examined by Ms. Richards in wise, lyrical, richly layered prose that captures the joyful depths of a bond stronger than death.
This is a book that will likely make sense only to readers who are on a mature spiritual path themselves, and have come to a point of peace with their own pasts as Ms. Richards has done. It does not fit neatly into categories. There is nothing typical about the trajectory of this love story, yet it remains a love story. While the two protagonists are profoundly Christian in their spiritual outlook, heart-felt atunement with Scripture, and personal experiences of God,the spiritual reflections in the book go well beyond the glib, shallowly optimistic tenor of many Christian writings. Richards' book delves into the mystery of suffering while pointing the reader toward the supremacy of Love.
Readers of Singing from Silence will find it consistently absorbing, with loosely knit narrative structure that appeals to the poet and mystic within each of us. One has a sense of reading a love letter from one troubadour to another, in their own special language that we are privileged to overhear. Readers who allow themselves to tumble around in this bewildering universe will find themselves both intrigued and moved by all that is revealed and all that lies hidden.
This highly complex memoir is a mature woman's reflections on how a shared passion for the spiritual path shaped the reality of two exceptionally gifted but confused young adults. Pam and Rich never expressed their deep love in physical touch, but in a higher, mystical connection. Singing from Silence is a tragedy, reminiscent of Romeo and Juliet, a tale of lost opportunities, frustrating gulfs in communication, emotional chaos, mysterious taboos, and fatal flaws. All of this is examined by Ms. Richards in wise, lyrical, richly layered prose that captures the joyful depths of a bond stronger than death.
This is a book that will likely make sense only to readers who are on a mature spiritual path themselves, and have come to a point of peace with their own pasts as Ms. Richards has done. It does not fit neatly into categories. There is nothing typical about the trajectory of this love story, yet it remains a love story. While the two protagonists are profoundly Christian in their spiritual outlook, heart-felt atunement with Scripture, and personal experiences of God,the spiritual reflections in the book go well beyond the glib, shallowly optimistic tenor of many Christian writings. Richards' book delves into the mystery of suffering while pointing the reader toward the supremacy of Love.
Readers of Singing from Silence will find it consistently absorbing, with loosely knit narrative structure that appeals to the poet and mystic within each of us. One has a sense of reading a love letter from one troubadour to another, in their own special language that we are privileged to overhear. Readers who allow themselves to tumble around in this bewildering universe will find themselves both intrigued and moved by all that is revealed and all that lies hidden.
December 8, 2013
It's the authors story of her intense but non physical friendship with a gifted musical visionary. She is a gifted writer who expresses herself wondrously. It is a very personal and riveting story and one that held my interest throughout.
July 2, 2016
Singing from Silence is a deeply personal narration of the author's relationship with the Christian Country Music singer Rich Mullins. The story that ensues is a beautiful, sensitive and tragic story. It is one of the most meaningful books I have read in a long time.
December 19, 2025
Singing from Silence: Rich Mullins Love Beyond Fear is a tender, unpolished, and deeply human portrait of a man often placed on a pedestal. Through Pamela Richards’ intimate lens, Rich Mullins emerges not as a myth, but as a flawed, searching soul whose faith was lived out in real, sometimes painful relationships. This memoir sings softly yet powerfully about friendship, vulnerability, and a love that outlives loss. Honest, heartfelt, and quietly transformative.
October 25, 2012
This is one of the strangest, wide-ranging, and yet compelling books I've read. It is primarily about the most carnally unfulfilled love affair since Abelard and Heloise. But, it touches on religious fundamentalism, art and music theory, cultic participation, marriage/divorce, rape, Satan, suicidal children, astral travel and projection, mysticism, etc. Richards is laceratingly honest in her introspection about her own failings in various spheres of life. Yet, her idealism of the loving relation between her and deceased Christian rock legend Richard Mullins is platonic to the point that the reader is forced to question what was real outside of the author's own experience. Was Mullins's romantic love for her imagined or actual?
As to whether Mullins loved Richards romantically, much of the book is a brief arguing the evidence that he loved her so. Does she protest too much? The most direct evidence that Mullins did so love her comes through the reported appeals and confrontations with an anonymous "friend" of Rich. But, Mullins does not contact her himself, not even a phone call or surprise visit. Her case would fail in a court of law as based too much on hearsay and interpretation. And why is it so important to convince the reader that Mullins "carried a torch" for the author anyway? What he actually felt for Richards during their many years of separation is speculation. But, her love of him, his music, and his pious way of life is touching and compelling regardless of whether he loved her romantically.
While reading "Singing", I found myself asking whether Richards is crazy delusional or mystically intuitive. But, I read on. In some ways it was the curiosity of the voyeur passing the car wreck. On the other hand, there are many beautifully poetic passages. I'm not referring to the song lyrics, but to Richards passionate, descriptive, and lyrical use of language.
A few picky criticisms: Footnotes in and underlined sources in a free-flowing memoir are distracting. End notes would be less so. The editor should have required italics instead of underlined sources. Beginning and ending is a problem. The book has a Forward, Acknowledgements, Introduction, Dedication, and Afterword, Epilogue, and Addendum. Half the book is not the book!
I was only vaguely aware of Rich Mullins before reading "Singing". I come away an admirer of him and his body of work. That Richards introduces Mullins life and art to a wider audience would seem to be a fine and continuing tribute in itself of the author's love of Rich.
The ending of the Addendum references Revelation. I found it particularly apropos. Because, like reading Revelation, the reader must ask whether it is truth or imagination?
As to whether Mullins loved Richards romantically, much of the book is a brief arguing the evidence that he loved her so. Does she protest too much? The most direct evidence that Mullins did so love her comes through the reported appeals and confrontations with an anonymous "friend" of Rich. But, Mullins does not contact her himself, not even a phone call or surprise visit. Her case would fail in a court of law as based too much on hearsay and interpretation. And why is it so important to convince the reader that Mullins "carried a torch" for the author anyway? What he actually felt for Richards during their many years of separation is speculation. But, her love of him, his music, and his pious way of life is touching and compelling regardless of whether he loved her romantically.
While reading "Singing", I found myself asking whether Richards is crazy delusional or mystically intuitive. But, I read on. In some ways it was the curiosity of the voyeur passing the car wreck. On the other hand, there are many beautifully poetic passages. I'm not referring to the song lyrics, but to Richards passionate, descriptive, and lyrical use of language.
A few picky criticisms: Footnotes in and underlined sources in a free-flowing memoir are distracting. End notes would be less so. The editor should have required italics instead of underlined sources. Beginning and ending is a problem. The book has a Forward, Acknowledgements, Introduction, Dedication, and Afterword, Epilogue, and Addendum. Half the book is not the book!
I was only vaguely aware of Rich Mullins before reading "Singing". I come away an admirer of him and his body of work. That Richards introduces Mullins life and art to a wider audience would seem to be a fine and continuing tribute in itself of the author's love of Rich.
The ending of the Addendum references Revelation. I found it particularly apropos. Because, like reading Revelation, the reader must ask whether it is truth or imagination?
September 7, 2012
Hello,
I did not finished your book yet but my girlfriend is a big fan of your novel so I am hoping to give this to my girl friend!!
If I win this contest I’ll be thankful for what you have done!
I did not finished your book yet but my girlfriend is a big fan of your novel so I am hoping to give this to my girl friend!!
If I win this contest I’ll be thankful for what you have done!
November 6, 2015
I won this book on Goodreads and I really enjoyed reading about her point of view on Rich Mullins who is one of my favorite Christian singer.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews