By Dr. Joe McAleer
We want You to know that we’re grateful,
For the wisdom that You teach,
For the grace of Divine Mercy,
That’s always within our reach.
Gimme, gimme, gimme, Your Cup of Mercy,
Lord, please share it with us all,
Gimme, gimme, gimme, Your Cup of Mercy,
Lord, forgive us when we fall.
The message of Divine Mercy meets Christian Rockabilly in Conversion, a part-time studio band founded by Frank Harritt, a Marian Helper in Arvada, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. The band’s newest single is called “Cup of Mercy.”
“Christian Rockabilly is primarily rock ‘n roll but also folk, blues, bluegrass, and even some reggae,” Frank says. “This song simply popped into my head, fully written, after visiting my grandkids at Easter — directly from the Holy Spirit!”
‘Make God First Again’
Frank is Conversion’s rhythm guitarist and principal songwriter. His mother-in-law’s dentist, Dr. Jack Moss, is lead vocalist, arranger, and producer with years of professional experience. Rounding out the quartet are lead guitarist J.D. Hash and drummer Roman Palomino.
“We are a lay Christian band and are happy to be so,” Frank explains. “We’re not Biblical scholars or Bible experts, just everyday Christians who in our spare time want to do our part to help spread the Good News of Jesus Christ throughout the world with a special emphasis on His Divine Mercy for all.”
The band’s motto is “Make God First Again,” inspired by Matthew 6:33: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be yours as well.” Since its founding in 2007, Conversion has been making waves on the music scene. “Mountain Man” was a semi-finalist in the 2021 International Songwriting Competition, while a Christmas song, “Christmastime in Caroline,” reached #3 in the national holiday music charts in December 2020, just behind Taylor Swift’s “Christmas Tree Farm.”
Frank is most proud of winning the Fans’ Choice Award, Bluegrass category, in the 2020 Independent Music Awards for “An American Easter (The Joy of Mary M).”
“Fans voted on the top five songs, and we won for a song honoring Mary Magdalene and her visit to Jesus’ tomb,” he explains.
Spirit-guided
A convert from Presbyterianism, Frank credits his wife of 23 years, Lyna, for his deep faith. She is a lay Dominican leader in their parish, Queen of Vietnamese Martyrs in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
“Lyna comes from a very rich Catholic heritage in Vietnam,” he notes. “When we first met I started going to Mass with her and just fell in love with the Liturgy and the prayers. Once I realized what it was all about, I wanted to be a part of it. She introduced me to Divine Mercy. We pray the Chaplet together every morning in front of the Image of the Merciful Jesus.”
Conversion is an extension of Frank’s deep faith.
“Every one of our 35 songs has been inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit,” Frank says. “Mercy is the common thread throughout. There’s so much ugliness and violence in the world today. We see God’s intimate and tender mercy as the ultimate answer to today’s problems. He is truly a loving Father, ready and willing to embrace us with His Love.”
Their 2020 single, “You Gotta Have Heart,” is a good example:
You gotta have heart, right from the start
No matter what comes your way.
You gotta have heart, cause we knew, from the start
That God’s mercy will save the day.
Harritt obtained copyright permission from the Marians to use the Divine Mercy Image as the band’s logo on their album art. “We want to generate curiosity,” he explains. “We hope listeners are intrigued and will reach out to us to learn more.”
The band’s website also contains information about Divine Mercy and promotes Fr. Chris Alar’s book, Understanding Divine Mercy.
Musical influences
As a teenager growing up in the South, Frank played guitar and banjo. “I am 100-percent self-taught,” he says. He soaked up music as diverse as the Beatles, Bob Marley, and Led Zeppelin, not to mention Earl Scruggs on banjo and Bill Monroe on bluegrass.
What do his two stepdaughters and 11 grandchildren think of his music?
“They absolutely love it, especially our Christmas music,” he says. “I have dedicated a song to each of them.
“We’re a little bit of everything for everyone,” Frank concludes. “This is our small way of participating in the New Evangelization, to bring people back to the faith and spread the message of Divine Mercy. Music might just be the way to do it.”
Conversion The Band’s music is available online wherever music is streamed. For more information, visit their website.
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