Unhindered // Photo: Unknown
Your Name” off of the first Unhindered release
City Streets. What is it like looking back and
thinking about that song now?
[Pat] Humiliating… just kidding! It’s actually
pretty amazing to hear the subtle differences.
My voice sounds different. My writing is
different. What I mainly think about is the
stage of life I was in when that was happening.
Thirteen years ago, I was twenty, in college Pat & Chris Tomlin at Red Rocks and pre-kids. That was one of those formative there, he came up to me and said, “I’ve been going with woodland creatures?” I thought,
thinking about how amazing would it be to have “Am I really having this conversation right now?
a way to talk to your kids about what God’s I had such a blast doing it but I still can’t believe
like? Like a children’s book?” His daughter is that there is a children’s book out there that I
the same age as my daughter, so we’re in the helped write.
times. I had no idea if any of the relationships I
had then would still be in my life. I had no idea
how many more songs would be written after
that song. That’s what I think about when I look
back.
[WM] You don’t just write songs, you also co-
wrote the “Good Good Father” children’s book
with Chris Tomlin which has sold over 200,000
copies. How did this come together, and in
your wildest dreams did you ever imagine you’d
co-author a book with Chris Tomlin?
[Pat] When you say it, it sounds like a joke!
When Chris reached out about the song “Good
Good Father” he invited me to the studio to
play acoustic guitar and sing some harmonies
and BGV’s (background vocals). While we were
same life stage in that way. So, it was just kind
of a thought, but I was like, “Oh my gosh, that’s [WM] You’re heading back out on the road
genius, what an amazing gift that would be.” with Chris in the fall. Tell us about that?
I thought, “I need that right now for my own
parenting (laughs), that would be amazing!” [Pat] We’re going to do a two-week run of
That was the beginning of it, and crazy enough, dates in Canada. I’ve gone there a bunch to do
I wrote a children’s book with Chris before I ever ministry, but to be there again to share some of
wrote a song with him. these new songs, I’m really looking forward to
it. This past tour, “Worship Night in America”,
If you haven’t read the book, each town is a was just such a blast. To have that opportunity
different type of animal. I want you to imagine again, I’m just so excited about it.
two grown men having a conversation, almost
whispering, “Yeah man, so what should we do, [WM] Can you tell us about the relationship
should we go with safari creatures or are we between Housefires and Grace Midtown
Church?
[Pat] It was affiliated with the church, but wasn’t
necessarily under it completely. Regardless of
what you’re doing, being in a community is
so important. It doesn’t matter if you’re doing
music and traveling. It doesn’t matter if you’re
doing real estate or you’re an accountant,
community is so important. So when I think of
the covering of a church, it reminds me that it’s
not good to be alone. Even with a solo record
now, in no way do I feel like I’m by myself. I
Photo: Instagram.com/PatBarrett
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August 2018
feel the support of my community back home.
WorshipMusician.com