videos for the modern worshiping church), the and Graham Jackson and we wrote the song “Here for You” is a song I wrote with Matt
Alive and Breathing series combines a hybrid “Run to the Father”. Redman, that we wrote for Passion. I’ve co-
of live recordings and new studio recordings.
written a lot of songs with him for the Passion
Alive & Breathing is the culmination of several So all of a sudden it felt like the year had a Movement. “Lord I Need You” is one of those
bundles of songs that started releasing in the compass. March came around and I was on songs, I’ve always wanted to do a recording
Fall of 2019. Some of these tunes have never a road show. In February I was kind of staring of that. “Come As You Are” is the same thing,
been recorded and released, like “Soul on Fire”, down at that tour, I’ve done that tour so many and that one was started on two cracker barrel
“Come as You Are”, and “Here for You”. You’ve times. I had been talking for years about trying rocking chairs on the front porch of my house.
also included some new studio recordings to go back and re-record some of the songs that including “Run to The Father”, “Light the Way” I’ve co-written that I’ve never recorded. That’s So we made these new arrangements of these
and the current radio single, “Alive & Breathing”. one of the recent developments in worship older songs and it was great because it was
Please tell us about this series of releases. We’ll music that I really enjoy is how much younger new material for me, but it was familiar material
break down some of the songs next. artists now are kind of sharing songs. Sort of for people. We got done with it and the tour
saying, “We wrote this, why don’t you record and we decided to record it. All of a sudden it
[Matt] I think my life has seemed to move in it and I’ll record it and let’s both promote it?” I sounded really good, so we released that. I was
seven-year increments since I started following really enjoy that. “Soul on Fire” was written with still writing throughout the year, and someone
Jesus. It wasn’t even something I was really Third Day, we wrote that at a festival called Big came up with the idea of releasing it in bundles
aware of. It first started when I graduated Church Day Out, and finished it. They already where each one has a new song with two of
college in ’99. I walked into the church that had most of the song written with Brenton these live songs. So that’s kind of how it came
I worked at, the first day of work, and was Brown, and Mac played it for me and I felt like together. It wasn’t a plan all along, which has its
kneeling in the chapel and praying, and I felt there wasn’t a part that sounded enough like plusses and minuses I would say.
like God said, “Seven years.” I worked there for Mac Powell. He has such a distinctive voice. seven years full time. Then that ended in 2006 So we ended up writing the verse there at this [WM] “Run to the Father” has some really
and I signed a publishing deal with Capitol, English manor. stirring lyrics. I must say that it’s a beautiful sung
started releasing my music on Capitol, and prayer. “My heart needs a surgeon, my soul
Worship Together. I had done a Bible study at needs a friend, so I'll run to the Father, again
my church in 2005 on John 17, which is Jesus’ and again, and also, “I don't have a context
prayer for unity. By that point Chris Tomlin and I for that kind of love, I don't understand, I can't
had recorded “Your Grace is Enough”. comprehend”. What can you tell us about
this song?
Anyway, my life has moved in these seven-
year increments, so I moved from Phoenix
to Nashville and it felt like the start of a new
[Matt] It’s a really beautiful song, and its one
All the People Said Amen
of those that while you’re there in the process
chapter. We decided to make a live project of writing the song everyone knows its going to
of a bunch of the sings that I’d written. One be special.
of the common comments I got from people
was, “I love your albums, but I really love you [WM] Provident Label Group has released
live.” So that album was sort of a hybrid, and the single “Alive and Breathing” to great
it just felt like I had stumbled onto a format radio acceptance. You co-wrote that will
that I really enjoyed of mixing live music and Elle Limebear, and it’s a perfect song for
studio music. So we just decided to go back
Run to The Father
congregational use, whether as a stripped
and do that similar format again. The process down or full band expression. What can you tell
was really in some ways developed in the dark. us about this song?
I felt like I was not lost, but a little bit unsure. I
started the year last year, we were out of our [Matt] I think it’s rooted in Psalm 150, and that
house, we were remodeling, so I felt a little bit definitely is the inspiration. I was walking with my
displaced, and I wrote “Alive and Breathing” daughter the night before and I said, “Daddy’s
with Elle Limebear at the end of January. The going to write a song tomorrow, what should
next day is when I co-wrote with Cody Carnes Alive and Breathing
26 March 2020
he write about?” And she said, “Everything.”
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