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Hospital Chaplain Rick Lee James Releases Heaven Is Full of Criminals Featuring Phil Keaggy

New single inspired by years of walking hospital hallways explores God’s grace for imperfect people

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Most weekdays, Rick Lee James can be found walking hospital hallways with a guitar slung over his shoulder.

As a full-time healthcare chaplain, he celebrates births, comforts grieving families, sits beside patients wrestling with addiction and fear, and listens to questions many people have never spoken aloud.

Those experiences became the inspiration for his new single, “Heaven Is Full of Criminals,” available today on all major streaming platforms. Featuring legendary guitarist Phil Keaggy, the song reflects on one of Christianity’s oldest truths: none of us comes to God because we’ve earned the right.

“Serving as a hospital chaplain has reminded me that beneath all our different stories, many of us ask the same questions,” says James. “‘After everything I’ve done, could God still want me? Am I beyond saving?’ I wrote this song for people carrying those questions.”

The title may surprise listeners, but James says it points directly to the message of the Gospel.

“There is a quote attributed to St. Augustine that I often return to: ‘Do not despair; one of the thieves was saved. Do not presume; one of the thieves was damned.’ The song reflects on the thief beside Jesus, along with Peter, Paul, David, and so many others whose stories remind us that God’s grace has always been extended to imperfect people.”

Before its official release, Heaven Is Full of Criminals reached the Top 10 on the PLAY MPE daily streaming and download charts, receiving early support from Christian radio programmers across North America.

The recording also features acclaimed guitarist Phil Keaggy, whose expressive playing brings added depth to the song’s message.

“Hello friends—Phil Keaggy here… I’m excited about this new song by Rick Lee James called Heaven Is Full Of Criminals! Give it a good listen, as it really tells the story of mercy and redemption. Whoever you are, whatever you have done against God’s loving commandments, still His mercy endures forever! Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners—not the healthy, but the sick. I feel blessed to have played guitar on this special song!”

“Having Phil on this recording is an incredible honor,” says James. “His musicianship, humility, and encouragement helped bring this song to life in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”

Rick Lee James is a singer-songwriter, author, speaker, podcast host, and full-time hospital chaplain at Springfield Regional Medical Center in Springfield, Ohio. His songs explore grace, hope, suffering, and redemption through a blend of Christian faith, Americana, and folk music. He recently contributed electric guitar to “Guitar Tree” from Antonio Vergara’s Grammy-nominated album The Fury and will appear on CFN Live, the flagship television program of the Catholic Faith Network, on August 11, 2026.

Hear Now – Heaven is Full of Criminals: https://rickleejames.hearnow.com/heaven-is-full-of-criminals

Watch Phil Keaggy discuss the song:
https://youtube.com/shorts/GNN95caOkSs

Watch the official lyric video:
https://youtu.be/gAroFyT16ZI

Read the complete story behind the song:
https://www.louderthanthemusic.com/document.php?id=17353 

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Rick Lee James Music
Email: [email protected]
www.RickLeeJames.com

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