Backstory:
Portly Priest was originally formed in the small town of Pine Creek, Michigan by two high school friends, Calvin “Cal” Hartley and Thomas “Tommy” Dewitt. As the sons of two local pastors, they spent their youth in the town’s church choir, but felt the call for something more. When they discovered their shared love for old vinyl records and the sound of classic rock, they decided to form a band. They spent years playing in the garage of Cal’s family home, with neighbors often complaining about the noise, until they were discovered by a small town music producer during a high school talent show.
Genre:
Classic Rock Revival
Title:
“Sermon on a Sunday Night”
Full Song Lyrics:
[Verse]
C F C G
Underneath the steepled sky,
C F C G
No secrets here, we can’t tell no lies.
C F C G
Heaven knows, in the preacher’s choir,
C F C G
Our souls are set on a holy fire.
[Chorus]
C F C G
Sermon on a Sunday Night,
C F C G
Underneath the pale moonlight.
C F C G
Can you feel the spirit’s might?
C F C G
It’s our sermon on a Sunday night.
[Verse]
C F C G
In the town where the bells do toll,
C F C G
We found rock n roll, it saved our souls.
C F C G
Beneath the cross, and the holy light,
C F C G
We found our rhythm in the still of the night.
[Chorus]
C F C G
Sermon on a Sunday Night,
C F C G
Our music is our guiding light.
C F C G
With every chord we play so right,
C F C G
It’s a sermon on a Sunday night.
Favorite Fan Testimonial:
Meet 19-year-old Linda Mckay, who has been a diehard fan of Portly Priest ever since she heard their first demo in a record store. “No other band speaks to my soul like they do. It’s like they’re singing right from the hymnals of my heart. Their music helps me navigate through my life. It’s like a guiding beacon, offering comfort, inspiration, and joy. The song ‘Sermon on a Sunday Night’ is particularly special to me – it feels like a prayer set to a rock n roll rhythm. I just can’t imagine my life without their music. It’s like church and a rock concert rolled into one, and I absolutely love it.”