Crowd shot masthead ApologetiX Logo Keith Haynie plays bassBill Hubauer plays lead guitarJ. Jackson sings leadJimmy Vegas Tanner plays drums
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03.18.24Get Multiple Downloads for One Donation
03.18.24USBs Include New Single & Next CD
03.18.24How to Donate Online or by Mail
03.18.24Over 1650 Tracks for $100
03.16.24Influential Albums: 1402-1408
03.16.24New CD Slightly Delayed, BOGO Continues
03.16.24How to Get the ApX Library, USBs, Multiple Downloads
03.16.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
03.16.24Easter Season Playlist 2024
03.12.24This Week's News Bulletin
03.09.24Influential Albums: 1395-1401
03.09.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
03.09.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
03.05.24This Week's News Bulletin
03.03.24New Single: '74 Solo Smashes
03.01.24A Serious Problem We're Trying to Address
02.29.24All About Our Next CD
02.29.24Influential Albums: 1388-1394
02.29.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.29.24Clues for 2024 Single #5
02.25.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.22.24Get Ready for Our Next CD
02.22.24Influential Albums: 1381-1387
02.22.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.22.24Wayne Is Retiring, What's Next for Him and Us?
02.22.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
02.19.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.19.24New Single: Billy & The Beach
02.16.24Influential Albums: 1374-1380
02.16.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.16.24Remembering ApX Friend Paul "Doc" Nigh (1956-2024)
02.16.24Clues for 2024 Single #4
02.10.24Influential Albums: 1367-1373
02.10.24Fans Making Plans to Attend Our Big Show September 1
02.10.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.10.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
02.06.24This Week's News Bulletin
02.06.24New Single: '74 & '83
02.03.24ApX Lead Singer/Lyricist Shares His Testimony 36 Years Later
02.03.24Influential Albums: 1360-1366
02.03.24This Week's Bible Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
02.03.24Latest CD Added to iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Etc.
02.02.24Clues for 2024 Single #3
01.29.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.26.24Influential Albums: 1353-1359
01.26.24How to Get the ApX Library, USBs, Multiple Downloads
01.26.24This Week's Bible-Reading and Rock Thru the Bible
01.26.24Flashback: J.'s Vision for ApologetiX in 2014
01.26.24J.'s Vision for ApologetiX in 2024
01.26.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
01.24.24Checking in With ApX Alum Drummer Fred Behanna
01.22.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.22.24New Single: '70s #1 Hits That Remade '60s Top 10 Hits
01.19.24Influential Albums: 1346-1352
01.19.24Encouraging Message from Longtime Fan in Oklahoma
01.19.24This Week's Bible-Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
01.15.24This Week's News Bulletin
01.12.24Influential Albums: 1339-1346
01.12.24The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
01.12.24Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
01.12.24New Testament Reading Started Wednesday
01.11.24New Worship Songs Available from ApX Alum Bill Rieger
01.08.24New Single: '81 & '83
01.08.24New CD BOGO Ends Sunday
01.08.24New USB Thumb Drives on the Way
01.05.24Clues for 2024 Single #1
01.05.24Influential Albums: 1332-1338
01.05.24Have You Heard About the Other Music City Miracle?
01.05.24This Week's Bible Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
12.29.23Influential Albums: 1325-1331
12.29.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.28.232023: A Record-Breaking Record-Making Year
12.28.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
12.26.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.26.23New Single: 1974 & 2008
12.23.23Influential Albums: 1318-1324
12.23.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.23.23ApologetiX Updated Christmas Playlist
12.18.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.18.23New Samson CD Mailed to Fans, New Orders Sent as They Come In
12.16.23Influential Albums: 1311-1317
12.16.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
12.16.23New Story
12.16.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
12.11.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.11.23New Single: '83 & '84
12.11.23ApX Apparel: Order by Tuesday with Express Shipping
12.07.23New ApX Apparel and More: Order Soon for Christmas
12.07.23Influential Albums: 1304-1310
12.07.23Just Reword CD Added to iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Etc.
12.07.23Clues for 2023 Single #25
12.04.23This Week's News Bulletin
12.02.23Influential Albums: 1297-1303
12.02.23This Week's Bible Reading & Rock Thru the Bible
12.02.23The Stories Behind the Songs on This Single
12.02.23New Shirts & Other ApX Merch Coming Soon
12.02.23Rock Thru the Bible with ApX This Week
11.28.23This Week's News Bulletin
11.28.23New Christmas Single: All '80s
11.24.23Influential Albums: 1290-1296

In Memoriam: Chris VonBartheld
Fri., Dec. 10. 2021 8:19pm EST

This is J. Jackson, lead singer and lyricist for ApologetiX.

We are very sad to report that ApologetiX alumnus keyboardist Chris VonBartheld passed away on Saturday night, December 4, after being hospitalized for COVID on November 22. He was 58.

All of us in ApologetiX are in shock. Everything happened so suddenly. We loved Chris very much. We are certainly not alone ... in his all-too-brief life, he was a member of many bands and worship teams, and even served as a pastor.

Chris is survived by his wife, Brandi. He was born and raised in Long Island NY, but was living in the Pittsburgh PA area when he joined ApologetiX. He moved to Florida in October 2015 and then to South Carolina in November 2021.

Chris played his first concert with ApologetiX in Cherry Tree PA on June 22, 2013, although he actually started traveling with us on May 17, 2013. I began calling him "CVB" shortly thereafter, and he embraced that right away and would refer to himself as such in all of his correspondence with me.

After a brief internship with ApologetiX, during which he got to observe and spend quality time with both of his predecessors (Todd Waites and Bill Hubauer), Chris became an official member in July 2013. We stopped touring regularly after Chris moved to Florida, but even so, he flew back to play with us for special concerts in 2016 and 2017.

Chris also continued to participate in some of our studio recordings until the spring of 2018, when Rich Mannion joined the band as our new keyboardist, and he made Rich feel very welcome. Chris was always up for a new concert, a new recording, or a new song. And the lyrics we were singing mattered to him. And that's a good thing, because he was our main back-up vocalist during his tenure with the band.

He stayed in touch with us over the years (I still have all of his emails to me) and had been hoping to attend our annual Christmas get-together in 2020 with Brandi, but it was cancelled because of COVID.

Now I'd like to say a few things personally about him:

Chris was one of my favorite people who has ever been a part of ApologetiX. He and I shared many late-night (and early-morning and midday) one-on-one conversations on the band bus and elsewhere. He was so bright, thoughtful, insightful, well read, and knowledgable.

Although he was by no means a chatterbox, CVB could talk about virtually any topic without ever seeming like a know-it-all, whether it be the Bible, music, sports, movies, history, whatever.

More importantly, he was strong but gentle and easygoing ... and such a loyal, good friend. I am so blessed to have known him. Last year, he surprised me at Christmas by sending an old bobblehead he found in a store of one of my favorite Pittsburgh sports figures from the 70's. He remembered that I liked that player, and said he just had to get it for me when he saw it.

I talked with him a number of times two years ago when he was at an incredibly low spiritual and emotional point in his life. At that time, before he met Brandi, things were so bad that I know he would have welcomed a quick exit from this life.

I know that for a fact, because he told me plainly while it was happening. Chris had always been so upbeat, but he went through a terribly trying time. Nevertheless, he persevered by the grace of God. Last December, on the day he married Brandi, he sent me an email with the subject line "What a Difference a Year Makes."

I am so glad he got those two extra years, and I am so glad for the eight and a half years I got to know him. His favorite song to play with us live was our Elton John parody "Talk and I'll Walk" (he loved Elton), but his favorite line in any of our songs came from "Lived the Day You Died," an Eminem parody:

"Though I'm just a slimeball, took me in when I called — yes, I'm enlistin' as a Christian disciple."

He had that quote posted as part of his Facebook profile for quite some time. Even though he didn't write those words, they say a lot about his attitude — he was a humble man who was well aware of his need for Jesus, and He listened for what the Lord had to say to Him.

We will all miss him terribly, although we know we will see him again. Please pray for Brandi, who only got to spend a brief time with him. This Sunday, December 12, would have been their first anniversary.

Rest in peace, Chris. Until we meet again.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.