Christian Music Archive Podcast

Today’s episode is a treat for me on many levels. One of the early records in my collection as a high school student was Night Watch by Fletch Wiley. As a young trumpet player, I saw this album as a path to my potential future. Maybe I would record an album one day. On another level, as I expanded my awareness of music, I began to see Fletch’s name on other projects by Candle, Pam Mark Hall, and Marty McCall & Fireworks. Oh yea, and you can’t forget his work with Andraé Crouch as a bandleader and arranger.

If you are tuning in to today’s podcast because of my guest, I’d be interested in knowing how you know Andrew Greer. Maybe you have been listening to his music. Or maybe you recognize him from the TV show Dinner Conversations with Mark Lowry and Andrew Greer. Or it could be because you read a book or article he has written. And quite possibly, you are a listener to his podcast with Patsy Clairmont called Bridges. So, whatever the reason you are listening, I hope you enjoy our exchange.

Today’s conversation is with Michael O’Brien. Michael was the lead singer of the group NewSong for several years. He also had a successful solo career spanning more than 25 years. But despite the powerful ministry and successful career, Michael had a secret that he kept hidden from his family and friends. And that secret started to ruin his life and was about to destroy his marriage. This is a story that we can all learn from, and I hope you will share this episode with men you know who might be struggling with sexual purity.

Today I’ve connected the longest microphone cable I could find, run it across the ocean to the city of Brighton, England, and I’m chatting with Elle Limebear. Elle is a relatively new artist who released her debut EP a couple of years ago, and she's got a new album, Lost in Wonder, out last year. But for me, the story of how God called her into her music career is pretty amazing. And it all stems from her relationship with God and her experience as a kid with her famous father.

My guest today was a member of Some Band, and no, I’m not trying to be secretive or protect the identity of my guest. But, if you are a fan of early 80’s Christian pop, you’ll recognize that name as the backing group for Steve Taylor. Today, we hear from Dave Thrush about his career as part of Steve Taylor & Some Band. But, more importantly, we'll hear about how his religion changed to a relationship with Christ. Dave will share that his decision to follow Christ did not make everything go smoothly. In fact, he experienced just the opposite.

To start our second year of the podcast, I’m excited to welcome Ginny Owens to the conversation. I first became aware of Ginny in 1999 when she released her debut Rocketown Records album Without Condition. The Gospel Music Association recognized her as the 2000 New Artist of the Year, and she has gone on to win 3 Dove awards. But her music is a tiny part of who she is. She is currently wrapping up a Master’s degree in Biblical Studies and is the author of several books, including her newest, Singing in the Dark, Finding Hope in the Songs of Scripture.

Chris Christian is a substantial name in the Christian Music industry. He helped launch the fledgling Christian music industry, signing artists like Amy Grant, Dogwood, and Whiteheart. He is also responsible for Home Sweet Home Records, one of the early industry leaders in contemporary Christian music. His impact in the industry goes on to songwriting, producing, and so much more. And he credits his entire career to his praying Grandmother.

The Prayer Chain was an alternative rock band in the early 90s, making thought-provoking grunge about the same time that Nirvana was also pioneering this new type of rock. Throughout the 90s, the band released several albums. Still, like so many band stories, they started to struggle with differences of direction, not only with the record label but also between their members. I recently got to talk with Eric Campuzano, bass player for The Prayer Chain, to hear about their story. So please help me welcome to the podcast, Eric Campuzano.