After all these years (Journey with Arnel Pineda)

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Featuring clips from the award winning film documentary Don't stop believin': Everyman's Journey by Ramona Diaz.

I want to take this opportunity to thank Journey for their music and for believing and entrusting their songs with a man who had an amazing Journey himself Mr. Arnel Pineda.

I may be young but I did recognize and appreciate the classic hits like Don't stop, Open Arms and Faithfully. But because Journey was way passed my timeline I was never a fan back then in fact I wasn't even familiar with the band's name I only knew the songs, until their music inspired a man who never stop believin'. When Arnel Pineda's Cinderella Story hits the world the band Journey won me over in a second. With Arnel Pineda, Journey became more than just a Rock Band. They became an Inspiration. The lyrics became more than just words. For my generation, because of Arnel the Journey songs became more meaningful and alive than it had ever been.

Who was AP before Journey? Arnel Pineda's journey is an inspirational Cinderella story. A boy who never stop believing. At the age of 13 his mother's death exhausted the family to bankruptcy. Separated from his siblings to unburden his father he left home empty handed. He was a homeless boy for two years. He slept on park benches (Luneta Park), selling scrap metals, newspapers, bottles. He survived three days without food. His friends sometimes urged him to sing in exchange for food. He sang in funerals in exchange for free biscuits and coffee. Then one day they encouraged him to use his voice for a living. At the age of 15 he auditioned and became a member of the band called Ijos. When he was earning enough he reunited his family as the Bread Winner. He jumped from band to band just to survive until a record label noticed him and offered a self-titled solo album in 1999. He tried his luck and flew to the foreign land of Hongkong. Frustrated, he flew back to Philippines after more than a decade. In 2006 he was encouraged to joined the band called Zoo as the front man and the lead singer. The Zoology album was released in 2007. During their gigs using his incredible voice box Arnel covers vocally challenging songs from Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Air Supply, to Journey. At that point although he was earning viewers from Youtube yet still hasn't gain popularity in music industry. Just when Arnel was about to give up on his singing career he received a call from the Guitarist of Journey Neal Schon. The rest is history. At the age of 40 he became more than just a rock star. He became an inspiration especially for third world countries that even we live in a world full of despair we can still hold on to our dreams and never stop believing. The first thing he ever did after his international success was funding his own (AP) Foundation to help homeless and street children like he was himself. This inspired the Journey to write the song 'City of Hope' in Eclipse Album 2011. Arnel even composed charity songs 'This Christmas' in 2013 and "Charity" (in Cartoon Network) for the Typhoon Yolanda Victims. With Arnel Pineda, Journey is still touring the world and performing in sold-out concerts.

I am one of the biggest fan of his life. He will always be forever in my eyes as 'The man who never stop believin'. You make us proud AP! Proud to be Pinoy!

Ps. To haters, please don't bother leaving comments. Cos Journey is all about Believin' not Hating…

God Bless! and Don't stop believin'!