From singing gospel songs with his family to jamming with George Harrison - and eventually ending up cleaning toilets with purpose... Mylon's story.

Live Forever
Mylon Le Fevre, with Christi Le Fevre
110 pages, hard cover
Heritage Builders (pub)
ISBN-10: 1939011515 ISBN-13: 978-1939011510

The name Mylon Le Fevre might not exactly be a household name but he certainly comes close, having been associated with some of the most recognizable names in rock royalty. Live Forever is Mylon's story – the story of a boy growing up in the heart of the Bible Belt, part of a successful Christian musical family act, and how he ended up in the middle of the world of sex, drugs, and rock and roll, eventually finding The Truth that had eluded him all those years.

Experiencing all of the angst of adolescence but with the added pressure of seeing the hypocrisy of the gospel touring circuit produced inner conflict in Mylon's artistic soul. Growing pressure from his father, who expected Mylon to fit the gosple mold only served to put more distance between the young man and his family. Having to re-adjust eleven times to new schools (including boarding schools) made enlisting in the army at seventeen almost a relief. It was at that point that Elvis Presley recorded "Without Him," a song written by young Le Fevre. Presley allowed Mylon to retain the rights and the rest was history – and a gateway to a new way of life free from the pressures of demanding religious expectations and family.

Fellow baby-boomers will instantly recognize names and images of such rock legends as Felix Pappalardi (bassist for Mountain, producer for Cream), Ron Wood (Small Faces, The Stones), Greg Allman (Allman Brothers), Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac), and many others – including no less than George Harrison, who played with Mylon as "Hari Georgeson" due to contractual restrictions. Although the name dropping can go on and on, Mylon's closest friend was Alvin Lee, whose iconic performance with Ten Years After in the Woodstock film is etched into the collective memory of a generation.

Not unlike fellow southern rockers Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, Mylon's influence and contacts stretched far into the rock world, if remaining somewhat under the radar. Also like Delaney and Bonnie, Mylon introduced some of the first legitimate "gospel rock" into the mainstream, having grown up in a church culture knowing about Jesus but not really knowing Him as a loving savior.

Not big enough to be called a coffee-table book, Live Forever is nonetheless generously filled with black and white and color photos chronicling the author's early years, rocker days, and current life in Texas as a minister of the gospel. The images feature everyone from Little Richard to Clapton to Harrison – a treat!

Certainly not a deeply theological book, Live Forever, a fast and enjoyable read, is more of a scrapbook testimony about Mylon Le Fevre's prodigal journey. There are really four parts to the story: conflict and rejection, journey and indulgence, return and starting over, forgiveness and resolution. After indulging in all of the vices available to him, Mylon comes to the end of his prodigal journey still seeking love and eventually finding it in the real, accepting, forgiving, loving Jesus that he had only seen as a religious caricature growing up. From lounging in castles to cleaning bathroom floors in a church, to working with youth, to his forming of his CCM band Broken Heart, we get to share Mylon's journey.

You may or may not share Le Fevre's theological slant but you won't doubt his sincerity. The last portions of the book, reading more like religious tract than the rest, are designed to invite the reader to experience the same saving grace that Mylon himself now enjoys. Whether or not you agree with the 'faith movement' leanings presented at the end, it certainly seems to have worked for Mylon.

Bert Saraco

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