“So we did it two weekends in the fall and had a blast,” he said. In fact, when NewSong’s Eddie Carswell called and asked if they wanted to join the Greatest Hits Live tour, the Longs told him it could only be for a couple of weekends because they couldn’t miss church. Their most popular songs include “Testify to Love,” “Everything to Me” and “New Day,” and after a couple of decades of touring regularly, they stopped about 10 years ago when the Longs accepted the position of worship pastor at a church in Houston, Texas. She was touring with Avalon and I was touring independently, and it became pretty clear that I should maybe lay aside my solo stuff and become a part of this band.” 1 songs on Christian radio, but Janna and I fell in love. “For me, it was about family,” Long said. His wife, Janna, was a founding member of the band. Greg Long joined the group in 2003 after a successful career as a solo artist. Being involved in that helped me feel the pulse of what’s happening today and it definitely impacts the writing for my new project.”Īvalon is a Christian quartet that was founded in 1995. “A lot of people write to them online that struggle with suicidal thoughts, cutting, hopelessness. “They feel very called to write songs that are filled with hope,” she said. That’s something her brothers do with For King and Country, and something she grew to love while she toured with them. I’m very aware of how different the world is, and part of the process of God calling me back into it is writing songs that are filled with hope.” A lot of people today are needing hope and encouragement. “They take you back to a place in your Christian life that feels a little sacred,” she said, “that impacted you at an earlier point in your life. James, is that there are a lot of songs that have impacted people’s lives. What makes this Greatest Hits Live tour special, according to St. Her next album is a worship album with a different kind of “sonic, fresh approach,” she said. I learned the hard way about the importance of rest and sabbaticals and taking time to renew so you have something fresh to give.” You feel like you can handle it, or you need to handle it. But when you’re a kid, you don’t understand balance as well. I probably would have paced myself better. “At certain points, I was touring and writing a book and working on an album. “Not pushed so hard and said yes to so many things,” she explained. If she could change anything, she said she would have built in more rest time. “It was a different season of life and I felt called to lay it down.” When she initially took a break from touring, she thought she may never sing again. I’m excited to see what he’s going to do.” I felt that he called me back into it, which was surprising. “It made me realize that I miss that connection with him when I sing. “About a year and a half ago, I had an experience on stage with my brothers for a particular show, and encountered God in such an amazing way while I was on stage,” she said. When she went into music full-time at the age of 16, she said it often seemed like people expected her to have it “all figured out.” Taking time away from the industry has been good and refreshing for her, but stepping back into the music world doesn’t sound as exhausting as it once did. “I have to pray otherwise I couldn’t handle it.” Prayer has always been a big part of what I feel like I can handle,” she said. Then when we got to the first show, I just remember being flat on my face asking God for the strength to do it. “I felt young in some ways, but I felt like we practiced for weeks and that I could do it. “I realize how little I was.” She said that despite the pressure and hectic schedule, prayer got her through the rough patches. “It’s pretty crazy to think that when I first toured I was only eight years older than my daughter is now,” she said. James and her husband Jacob Fink, bassist for Foster the People, have two children: Gemma, 5, and Imogen, 10 months. One of those was the first round of the Greatest Hits Live show and the other was with For King and Country.”įor King and Country is a Christian band formed by two of her brothers, Joel and Luke. “Soon after I got married, I pulled off the road,” she said. James said she has not toured consistently for about seven years, but is feeling called to return to her songwriting and singing roots. The Courier News published an interview with NewSong on March 27, and had the opportunity to speak with other bands for this week’s edition. Some of the most popular bands in Christian music history will perform at Second Baptist Church on April 25, including NewSong, Rebecca St.
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