The successful indie folk/pop group The Gray Havens, originally from the Chicago area, have built their entire new album around a 66-year-old autobiographical reflection by a British theologian and children’s author. Blue Flower is the band’s most literarily specific, and yet accessible, project yet – and that’s saying something! We visit with songwriter, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist David Radford to hear all about it, and then we push the Jukebox to her limits as we explore 50 years of music inspired by Clives Staples Lewis. What is it about this Oxford Don that allows his work to continue to inspire artists and songwriters today? We go further up and further in on this episode of the True Tunes Podcast! (Hear the special Spotify "mixtape" playlist HERE. Full Show Notes at TrueTunes.com/GrayHavens-Lewis

The True Tunes Podcast

The Gray Havens Dream of Blue Flowers & The Spirit of CS Lewis Haunts the Jukebox

Lately, it seems Jesus not only rocks, but He’s also a movie star too. The Jesus Music, a documentary written, directed, and produced by The Erwin Brothers (“I Can Only Imagine,” “I Still Believe,” “Woodlawn,”) traces the roots of Contemporary Christian Music back to the Jesus Movement of the late ‘60s and early ‘70s via archival footage and new interviews with Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Kirk Franklin, Michael Sweet, Toby Mac, and scores of other Christian artists and insiders. Electric Jesus is the fictional story of a Christian heavy metal band and the young ingenue that stows away on their RV and manages to steal the show. Starring Brian Baumgartner (Kevin Malone of NBC’s The Office) and Judd Nelson of The Breakfast Club, Electric Jesus has billed itself as “the 80s Hair Band Music-Comedy You’ve Been Saving Yourself For,” as it has crisscrossed the US on a tour of film festivals. (True Tunes featured the cast on an earlier episode and produced an entire special podcast series on the film as well.)   True Tunes’ founder and host John J. Thompson is featured in The Jesus Music as an interview subject and historian and served Electric Jesus as Music Supervisor and as a historical consultant. On this episode of the podcast, Thompson brings Andy Erwin (Director of The Jesus Music) and Chris White (Writer and Director of Electric Jesus) together for a wide-ranging conversation about their films in particular, the subject of Jesus Music in general, and the challenges surrounding faithful art-making in the marketplace today.   And on the Jukebox, we contemplate a slew of Jesus Music that did not come from the Evangelical underground and did not stay put in the Christian marketplace. This look at “Jesus On The Mainline” seeks to expand the conversation about just how influential Jesus has been in popular culture over the last fifty years – especially as far as music is concerned. Was CCM music the only, or even most obvious path for people of faith to take?   (Don’t miss the companion article for this episode: Jesus Music Rediscovered? A Reflection by John J. Thompson at TrueTunes.com)   Full Show Notes available at TrueTunes.com/JesusMusicMovies

Jesus Music Movie Summit (Andy Erwin & Chris White) + Jesus on the Mainline

Gospel writer, producer, artist, and worship pastor, Myron Butler shares his amazing story – from getting his first cut with Kirk Franklin as a teenager to being a part of Kirk’s smash crossover hit, “Stomp,” all the way through to his recent tribute to the songs of the amazing trailblazer, Andrae Crouch. Myron guides us not only through the essence of Andrae's influence but of Gospel music in general. Then, on the jukebox, we spin the epic 1972 live Gospel smash, Amazing Grace by Aretha Franklin – discovering a highly intentional hybrid of progressive and traditional sounds that defined a new expression of the genre right when a generation needed it. It's a long-overdue Gospel Music Meltdown on the True Tunes Podcast! Full show notes, with links, a complete song list, and photos, are available at TrueTunes.com/GospelMeltdown1 .Don't miss Myron's special Gospel Primer Playlist - also linked in the Show Notes. 

Myron Butler, Andrae Crouch, & Aretha Franklin: A Gospel Music Meltdown!

On this unexpected Part 3 of our exploration of the music behind the first episodic drama about the life and ministry of Jesus, we get to hear from Dallas Jenkins himself. Jenkins created "The Chosen" after a devastating failure as a filmmaker. He didn’t know if he’d ever get to make another project again. We’ll hear about how that failure prepared him to approach "The Chosen" with a certain punk spirit.   Who is "The Chosen" for? Where is the harshest criticism coming from? Are there similarities between the way this – the most successful crowd-funded media project in history – is growing and the way Christian music detached from the mainstream, or is there something else going on here? And how has the careful use of music supported the storytelling all along? This “bonus episode” closes out our conversation about the music behind "The Chosen" by exploring some of the most challenging issues that face faith-based artists in the marketplace today, including some core questions about what it means to be "faith-based" in the first place.   Full Show Notes are available at TrueTunes.com.    Special thanks to VisionTrust.org. Please consider joining us on the sponsorship journey today. Don't miss our conversations with the artists behind the score and songs of "The Chosen," Dan Haseltine and Matthew S. Nelson on Parts 1 and 2 of this series.   

The Chosen Pt 3: Dallas Jenkins

When Dan Haseltine agreed to score The Chosen, a new episodic drama based on the life and ministry of Jesus and his disciples, he immediately turned to his friend and frequent musical collaborator, Matthew S. Nelson for help. Nelson, an accomplished cellist, guitarist, and songwriter had backed up Jars of Clay, Michael W. Smith, and other Christian artists in the past, but is currently more associated with mainstream indie, country, and alternative artists such as RaeLynn, Sleeping at Last, and Cheap Trick. In this episode, we’ll hear about the musical and spiritual journey that prepared Nelson for this moment. We’ll also hear what it was like for him to learn on the job at his first scoring-to-picture project. In the end, we consider the sound behind the sound – the emotional and even spiritual role music plays in film – and what that might teach us about how we compose the soundtrack of our lives. Produced by John J. Thompson and Bruce A. Brown for Gyroscope Productions Full Show Notes available at TrueTunes.com/Chosen-Matt Special thanks to @TheChosenTV @scribblepotemus  and @thebanksnelson    

The Music of The Chosen Pt 2: Matthew S. Nelson

Dan Haseltine (Jars of Clay) joins host John J. Thompson to talk about musical roots, finding a mission, and how past experiences prepared him for his current work scoring the massively successful and critically acclaimed television drama The Chosen. From the technical and creative challenges inherent in this kind of work to spiritual and theological concerns, this in-depth conversation is about listening carefully to the sound beneath the sound. Plus, in part 2, (coming soon) we talk with Haseltine’s musical partner in The Chosen, Matthew S. Nelson. Support Blood:Water More info about JARS OF CLAY  Special thanks to @TheChosenTV @scribblepotemus  and @thebanksnelson   Also, don't forget that long-time child sponsor Jimmy Abegg is throwing his wholehearted support behind VisionTrust and offering anyone who sponsors a child a hand-painted, one-of-a-kind print for free. Full music notes, links, photos, and more on the SHOW NOTES PAGE at TrueTunes.com 

The Music of The Chosen Pt 1: Dan Haseltine (Jars of Clay)

Listen to better music, and listen to music better.   After a twenty-year break – True Tunes is back! The tools are different this time. There’s no store, no venue, and no sponsored stages at a major festival. What we have now are lots of stories to tell about lessons learned, visions caught, questions articulated, and community embraced. Join host John J. Thompson and his wide range of guests as we dig for the good stuff. And whether you were a part of the journey with us the first time around, or you’re brand new to this conversation, if you’re ready to dive into the deep end of the musical pool – where the sounds resonate in ways that defy our labels, then this conversation is for you.   Join us as we converse with musicians, songwriters, producers, and music industry leaders – from legends and obscure geniuses of the past to some of the freshest new voices emerging today. Some examples of the voices you’ve heard so far include Buddy Miller, Amy Grant, Steve Taylor, Charlie Peacock, Ian Fitchuk, Natalie Bergman, The Choir, Kevin Max, Waterdeep, Gungor, Liz Vice, Sandra McCracken, Eddie DeGarmo, Taylor Leonhardt, Jimmy Abegg, Michael McDermott, Christa Wells, Ella Mine, and rare archive interviews with Larry Norman and Rich Mullins. We also crank up our trusty Jukebox and listen carefully to some amazing music along the way. And we are truly just getting started.   So get yourself something to drink, pull up a chair, and make yourself comfortable, or maybe get your favorite headphones and head outside for a nice walk with us - as we listen to better music, and listen to music better, together.   On the True Tunes Podcast   Produced by John J. Thompson and Bruce A. Brown for Gyroscope Productions. Available on all podcast platforms. Full show notes and episode list available at TrueTunes.com/podcast-show-notes/

True Tunes Podcast Official Trailer

The Choir has been crafting their own unique brand of otherworldly alternative rock for nearly four decades now. While it’s not uncommon for big-time acts to keep at it – playing their hits and cashing in on nostalgia – most artists who have endured the perpetual uphill climb that guitarist/vocalist Derri Daugherty, drummer/lyricist Steve Hindalong, and sax/lyricon/atmosphericist Dan Michaels have faced would have given up long ago. But The Choir has just released an album many fans count among the strongest of their inspired career. Deep Cuts contemplates the journey, the wounds, the healing, and the scars of life with a remarkable amount of humor, joy, and grace. On this episode of the True Tunes Podcast we sit down with The Choir to talk about their roots, their new music, and what keeps them going this far into such a challenging journey. (You'll also hear the debut of a new recording of their 1986 single "Render Love" created especially for the Electric Jesus film.) PS: We also find out that long-time child sponsor Jimmy Abegg is throwing his wholehearted support behind VisionTrust and offering anyone who sponsors a child a hand-painted, one-of-a-kind print for free! Full music notes, links, photos, and more on the SHOW NOTES PAGE at TrueTunes.com 

Singing Along with The Choir

Call him a creative polymath or the quintessential Soul Man, but Jimmy Abegg (Rich Mullins' Ragamuffin Band, Steve Taylor & The Perfect Foil, The Charlie Peacock Group, Vector, etc) has been a reliable source of musical and visual beauty and coolness for over forty years. And now, with his vision fading, this veteran side-man and accomplished craftsman is settling into his new role as a blind visionary; still painting – still making music – and still offering graceful sketches of beauty in a damaged world. Join us as we visit with him in the brand new East Nashville studio built for him by friends far and wide who have been blessed by his work. You'll hear what a few of them have to say as Amy Grant, Charlie Peacock, and Steve Taylor drop by to offer a few words on Jimmy as well.  On the Jukebox, we consider the massively successful, and yet still somehow meaningful, 1986 mainstream breakthrough by Peter Gabriel. What secrets might So have for us to unpack 35 years after its release, and what mysteries might indie-folk artists Lowland Hum have uncovered in their recent homage to the classic LP. Full song list and Show Notes available at TrueTunes.com.  Produced by John J. Thompson and Bruce A. Brown for Gyroscope Productions. Please consider sponsoring a child through VisionTrust.org and drop us a line if you do.   

Renaissance Man Jimmy Abegg (+ Peter Gabriel & Lowland Hum on the Jukebox)

Through countless slings and arrows, and her own mainstream pop superstardom, Amy Grant has remained the defining face and voice of contemporary Christian music for over forty years. She was the first CCM artist to have a platinum record, (followed by five more platinum albums, three multi-platinum albums, and four gold albums.) She was also the first CCM artist to have a #1 pop single and has placed 17 hits on the Top 40 Adult Contemporary chart. She has earned 6 Grammy Awards and numerous Dove and other statues. With sales in excess of 30 million units, Amy Grant is the best-selling contemporary Christian singer of all time. But beyond all that, she crafted and delivered songs that spoke honestly, and vulnerably, to a generation. Amy Grant is currently marking the 30th anniversary of her breakthrough Heart In Motion album as well as a brand new collaborative worship album, Faithful that finds her working alongside a slew of talented young women, including True Tunes Podcast alums Taylor Leonhardt, Christa Wells, and Sandra McCracken. She graced the cover of the original True Tunes News in 1993 and is back with us for this very special episode of the True Tunes Podcast.   As the Christian subculture seems to have become defined by that to which it is opposed, its political meanderings, and any number of culture wars and distractions, Grant’s legacy as a person of warmth, generosity, grace, and hospitality only continues to grow. What might young artists, songwriters, and listeners have to learn from someone with such an unlikely story?   And on a special extended edition of the True Tunes Jukebox, we welcome two guest commentators to reflect on many of Grant’s most significant songs from very different perspectives. Industry veteran and radio expert Chris Hauser and singer-songwriter (and childhood Amy fan) Michelle Lynn Thompson join host John J. Thompson for a comprehensive dive into the deep cuts and musical watermarks of Grant’s amazing career. It’s our longest, fullest, episode yet. Full Show Notes, including a list of all songs and a special Spotify mix, available at TrueTunes.com.

Amy Grant's Secret: 2 Jobs & A Prayer

Third Man Records artist Natalie Bergman joins host John J. Thompson to talk about her stirring, vulnerable, and exceptionally cool new album, Mercy, and the heartbreaking tragedy that inspired it. Bergman, who until recently was best known as one half of the alt-pop band Wild Belle, has crafted a collection of songs that has more in common with the Jesus Music of a half-century ago than anything released since. With that inspiration, we have loaded up the Jukebox with long-lost Jesus Music obscurities and will get a first-person account of what those days were like from our own producer, Bruce A. Brown.   Fifty years ago a generation of young people was reeling with confusion and pain as the American Dream unraveled at the seams. Millions turned to a counter-cultural understanding of the rebel Jesus and found comfort, peace, and community in his words and story. Bergman, who is navigating a devastating loss of her own, reminds us of a time before Christian music became a subculture or industry, and offers a new way for us to understand the potential of Gospel music.   Check out our PATREON PROGRAM here. Sign Up On Our EMAIL LIST! (Major Prize Pack Giveaway Coming Soon!) SPONSOR A CHILD THROUGH VISION TRUST

Natalie Bergman's Jesus Music for a New Generation

Singer-songwriter Taylor Leonhardt has been on some big stages lately, playing guitar with Amy Grant, Andrew Peterson, and others, and has a slew of collaborations over the last couple of years. Her “star” is certainly on the rise. But as she prepares for the release of her third independent solo album, this Texas-born, Carolina-bred, new Nashville resident is leaning into her Americana roots, and her circle of friends, for both her songs and her sound. In this episode, we get to know this engaging artist as we explore the power of community and influences in the pursuit of our voice. We also talk about the difference between taking some classes, and really learning a language, and what Taylor’s adventure in Paris might teach us about listening to understand.   On the Jukebox, we survey four of the artists cited as influences by Leonhardt and featured in her specially curated and corresponding playlist. Carole King’s Tapestry, Emmylou Harris's Wrecking Ball, Patty Griffin’s 1,000 Kisses, and Krauss & Plant’s Raising Sand. We also consider some wisdom about Southern Writers from Flannery O’Connor on our Soapbox feature. It’s a full episode, for sure, but you can handle it. We believe in you. (Full Show Notes available at TrueTunes.com)   

Taylor Leonhardt Learns a Language (+Tapestry, Wrecking Ball, 1,000 Kisses & Raising Sand on the Jukebox)

In Part 2 of this special episode we hear from our late friend, mentor, and guide, Rich Mullins via a long-lost interview conducted at the old True Tunes record store in Wheaton Illinois in 1995. We also check in with Mitch McVicker, Phil Madeira, and Derek Webb, and we listen to Andrew Peterson on the Jukebox. Rich’s Ragamuffin bandmates Jimmy Abegg, Aaron Smith, and Mark Robertson come back to close things out as well. It’s our longest and fullest episode yet and we are excited for everyone to hear it.   This newly restored interview is 25 years old, but as we hear host John J. Thompson and Mullins talk about the struggle to pursue honest artistry and personal spiritual growth amidst evangelical fundamentalism and the benefits and beauty of exposing ourselves to challenging ideas and people, it seems like it could have been recorded yesterday.  Visit TrueTunes.com for the full show notes and please spread the word. (And don't miss Part 1, where the Ragamuffins set the stage so beautifully.) 

Rich Mullins: The Lost Interview Pt 2 (Rich + McVicker, Madeira & Webb + Andrew Peterson on the Jukebox)

To many, singer and songwriter Rich Mullins was a favorite artist; the man behind songs like “Awesome God,” “Creed,” and “Hold Me Jesus.” To others, he was an enigma—a beautifully inscrutable amalgam of passion, authenticity, vulnerability, and transcendence. To some, he was a friend, a benefactor, or even a brother. On this special two-part episode of the True Tunes Podcast we will revisit the legacy of this unlikely pilgrim through conversations with some of his closest compatriots, and by hearing from the man himself – in the form of a previously unheard, and recently unearthed interview conducted in the old True Tunes record store in 1995. In Part 1 John J. Thompson visits with Rich’s Ragamuffin Band members, Jimmy Abegg, Aaron Smith, and Mark Robertson to help put it all in perspective. On Part 2 (coming soon) he sits down with Mitch McVicker and Phil Madeira, and talks with singer-songwriter Derek Webb who, though he has moved away from Christian music, recently released a cover of Mullins’ “We Are Not As Strong As We Think We Are.” On the Jukebox, we dive into the obviously Mullins-haunted career of Andrew Peterson.   24 years since his passing, might we find some guidance from Rich about navigating the complexities of faith, doubt, and mystery by asking better questions and listening more carefully to the sounds around us?  

Rich Mullins: The Lost Interview (The Ragamuffins Set The Stage - Part 1 of 2)

Rich Mullins: The Lost Interview Pt. 1 (The Ragamuffins Set The Stage)

A deep-dive conversation about the good, the true, and the beautiful in music and culture.

hubhopper

The True Tunes Podcast

hubhopper