Chris Rice plays Just a Closer Walk with Thee

"Just a Closer Walk with Thee," performed by 25-yr-old Polish-American pianist and cellist, Chris Rice. "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" is a traditional hymn ... the author is unknown. Available evidence suggests that it was first heard in southern African-American churches during the second half of the nineteenth century, and possibly even earlier than that. The arrangement I play in this video is by Johnny Hodges, Disneyland's extraordinary "ragtime guy," whose playing provided the inspiration for my brother Johnny and me to start playing the piano! He's been working hard to teach me this arrangement for ... let's see ... a little over 25 years now! :-) (I first heard him play the piano three months before I was born!) Our family always spends as much time as we can with him when we're in California (he's one of our long-time dearest and most honored friends).... and, this last trip, he worked with me a ton on playing a whole bunch of his arrangements, starting with this one! I have Johnny Hodges' permission and encouragement to perform, record, and publish my performance of his arrangement.