1999 was the beginning of “Sound Of The Trumpet” which is best described as easy listening, uplifting and inspirational trumpet music. Joel was born in NW North Dakota in 1965. He was involved in the family farm and graduated from Divide County High School in 1983. He studied music two winters at Eastern Montana College in Billings, Montana and farmed with his father and brother in North Dakota for three years prior to moving to California in 1987. He moved to help with a home mission church (Victoria Community Church) in Rancho Cucamonga as a volunteer. In 1989 Joel married June (daughter of former missionaries Lu and Addie Mathison.) He worked in commercial construction until August 1999. Since then Sound Of The Trumpet has been a full time ministry. That has included recording seven albums (“Sound Of The Trumpet,” “Silver Christmas,” “Trumpet of Praise,” “Sound Of Freedom,” “Trumpet Of Hymns,” “Trumpet Of Worship” and most recently “Waves Of Worship”), one DVD (“Soundscapes”) and over 950 performances throughout the United States and Canada. He has studied trumpet under retired MGM principal studio trumpet player Uan Rasey, originally from Glasgow, Montana. Some of his influences include gospel artists Phil Driscoll, Dan Oxley and Chiz Rider. Other artists include Maynard Ferguson, Chuck Mangione, and Doc Severinson. In 2001 June resigned her position as a CPA in California. She now works fulltime for Sound Of The Trumpet providing administrative and tech support. Together Joel and June enjoy sharing this ministry throughout the Country. They now share this experience with their children Joy (5) and Josiah (3) . You might be interested in June’s blog 4jfinnesgards .