We didn’t intend to make a worship album, but
what those songs did was make all of us take
a step back and say, “This stuff is really good,
let’s record some more songs.” Along the way
I’d take these songs and show Chuck and say,
“Check out the stuff we’ve been doing with
Russ” and he was very into it, very supportive
of the whole thing. It just kind of happened that
way, very organically. At first, we didn’t have
a timeline for it, we had the good fortune of
not having a traditional record label breathing
down our back with deadlines and questions.
We picked some new songs and Russ brought
some songs to the table, and Phil and myself,
and we just started trying to make something
that sounded great, felt great, and most
importantly songs that we could play for people
that would resonate with them. It turned into
Russ, Tori and Gov. Huckabee
a Worship album in a very organic way, which
ironically, and I’ll let Russ talk about this, but introspective. You see where I’m at spiritually, from thing to thing to thing. And these lyrics
Russ had never done a traditional “Worship” you see what I’m struggling with, and where were like, “You don’t have to do that.” You can
record. I’m at, and where Jesus is in all of that. But lay back in God’s love and not have to prove
this record was none of that, it is just, “We love yourself every day. And don’t try so hard, the
[Russ] We had been working on a documentary you, and we want to tell everyone that we love work is done, it’s all in God’s name and in
for about two years or a year and a half when you, and about how wonderful you are. Isn’t God’s hands. In my relationship with Jesus, if
we started the album. We talked about worship the name of Jesus wonderful?” And I love that I can’t just lay back and enjoy every day I’m
songs, just heralding to everybody that would song, all of these great ideas of worship. I’d missing what I think Christ dies for, which is joy
listen, about the work that Christ had done in never done a record like that, and as we’d find and peace, and happiness and love. When we
me. I was just wanting to say, “Thank you, you new songs there was a hallelujah in it all that started getting to the finish of the record and
are holy, you are omnipotent, you love us, you no matter what we’re walking through there is just looking over the tunes, it was like, “Yeah, I
care for us, and I just want to praise you for all hope and there is joy, and we look for that and want to say that, and I want to say that about
that you’ve done.” Phil and Mark went out as we find it. Jesus.” I’ve never been as excited about a
well as myself, just looking for tunes that would
record as I have been with this one because it’s
say that. We wound up with a whole group of As this record came together, with all of us in not about me and where I’m at, it’s about Jesus
songs that say, “We love you, you love us”, the studio together, from song to song it was and what He has done.
like “Your Love Never Fails” and “When I Hear just exciting. Being able to bring in several Your Name”, I wanted to do a record that just different artists to sing with me… we did Amy [WM] When I was interviewing Zach Williams
glorifies Him. Grants song “Don’t Try So Hard”, and when I he mentioned you as an influence and I asked
first heard that it just resonated inside of me, him for a quote for this story, and his response
When you’re an artist, if you look back over because I’m one of those people that when I was, “Yeah! I can remember the first time I
my albums of the last thirty-five years, they’re hit it, I hit it and ninety miles per hour and I go heard “I Still Believe”, and just being captivated
“Higher Power” // Russ Taff “I Still Believe” (from Believe) // Russ Taff “No Longer Slaves” // Russ Taff
January 2019
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