One of the oldest Christian music expressions may again become one of the hottest – if the term “hot” can be applied to hymns.
One of the oldest Christian music expressions may
again become one of the hottest – if the term “hot” can be applied to
hymns.
In the coming months, several top Christian artists will release their own unique versions of classic hymns.
Folk rockers Jars of Clay and Ashley Cleveland,
MercyMe leader Bart Millard, and urban sister trio Out of Eden all are
rolling out their first recordings of hymns. Amy Grant is releasing her
second such project.
In recent years, hymns have been the almost
exclusive domain of singers such as Bill Gaither and Andy Griffith, who
appealed to a decidedly older audience.
But with the worship music craze hitting a
saturation point and churchgoers desiring more lyrical depth in their
worship, hymns seem poised to retake a respected place among all age
groups.
Veteran artist Fernando Ortega has included hymns on
each of his recordings, blending them with his own songs. He says he
finds a richness and history in them that is absent from more modern
music.
“They connect the church to our own history,” Ortega
notes. “These were songs that people rallied around, that the
church has done for centuries. Good hymns have really withstood the
test of time and seen the church through all kinds of circumstances.
… It’s our theology in song.”
Andrea Baca of Out of Eden agrees.
“With the worship trend, I think you want to get to
the root,” she notes. “These are really powerful and are kind of the
root of modern worship today.”
Baca cites hymns’ broad appeal, which enable artists
to connect with persons across age and racial lines, she explains. She
says she and her sisters envisioned their hymn project both as a break
from their urban-flavored pop and as a tribute to their mom, even
sitting down with her to pick out songs. The selections include
“Immortal, Invisible” and “Fairest Lord Jesus.” The results are more
solidly adult contemporary with a slight R&B flavor.
At the other end of the musical spectrum, Jars of
Clay’s members delved deep into church history, pulling out more
obscure songs, like “Let Us Love and Sing and Wonder” and “God Be
Merciful to Me.”
“They’re involved in a church that loves the old
hymns, and reinventing hymns has been part of their worship
experience,” explains Dean Diehl, senior vice president of marketing
for Provident Label Group.
Indeed, listeners will find songs both obscure and
familiar, given a distinct Jars spin, like the Beatles-esque version of
“It Is Well.”
Keyboardist Charlie Lowell explains, “A lot of
people associate it with sad events, so, it was interesting to pull the
hope and longing out of it in the midst of trials.”
With their new release, Jars of Clay chose a song
most would not recognize as a hymn as its first single – a brisk
version of “God Will Lift Up Your Head.” The song is testing well with
radio audiences, Diehl says.
Out of Eden already has seen a strong response to
its first single as well, a tame version of “Fairest Lord Jesus” that
quickly was added to radio playlists.
Audiences seem primed.
Millard says when he started working on his “Hymned”
project, it took him to a place spiritually that he had not been in a
long time. “It’s paying respect to where you came
from,” he explains. “My grandfather was a Baptist preacher. Since my
grandmother passed away, this has been something I’ve wanted to do.”
The release of so many hymn projects at this time is
“a reflection of what’s happening in the church as a whole,” suggests
Jeff Moseley, president of INO Records.
He and Diehl say churches are moving away from
worship choruses – sometimes lyrically slight – and toward combining
praise and worship with hymns in services.
“People are recognizing that old hymns contain
timeless truths and are blending those truths with music that has more
relevance for today,” Moseley says.
He stresses that will involve casting hymns in a new
musical context. “The truth’s relevant, but the containers are dusty,”
he explains.
“When we’re at our best is not when we try to invent
artists or fads but wake up and realize what’s going on around us – and
that’s what’s happening.” (RNS)