MercyMe lead singer Bart Millard released a CD of his favourite hymns Hymned in 2005. Having had such a great experience all around with that first effort, Millard is back with Hymned Again, this time specifically honouring the wishes of his three children who enjoyed their dad’s record so much they wanted another one. STREETBRAND's Abi Colthrust speaks to Bart Millard in this interview.
SB: I really enjoyed the preview of the album, I’m a real sucker for the old hymns, and your album brought some of my favourites alive in a new way. Do you think old hymns can offer us something today that some modern songs can’t?
BM: I think the hymns give us a glimpse of the generations before us, and what was important to them at the time. Even though they are usually singing similiar messages that are in today's music, it is good to be reminded that the message of Christ is just as much relevant today as it was then.
SB: The album is a real mixture of musical styles and genres – I bet it was a lot of fun putting it together and experimenting with what sounded good?
BM: Yes that was the best part about making this album. Going in without a clue of where the music may take us.
SB: As it is so eclectic, what do you find binds the album as a whole?
BM: We tried to maintain an "old soul" throughout the whole album. I had no desire to make them into modern pop songs. I guess in a way, allowing the songs to have a sort of "classic" feel was my way of maintaining a sense of reverence.
SB: How important do you think it is to keep the spirit and style of the original hymns in the track?
BM: I never wanted to change the melody of any of the songs because they are fantastic as they are. We just wanted to give the music a little twist here and there, but hopefully keep what the song is about in tact. No need to fix what is not broken.
SB: Which is your favourite track on the album?
BM: Ironically, my favourite song is the only one that is not a hymn at all. "Jesus Cares For Me" was a song I co-wrote with Thad Cockrell, and I love how it turned out. We truly wanted to try and write a new song that could be mistaken for an old hymn. Something that could have been written 70 or 80 years ago and I think we pulled it off. Not to mention singing a duet with Vince Gill was a dream come true.
SB: So just to give us a bigger picture of what Bart Millard is all about...You sing in your first album that you’re “walking with the Lord”(In the Sweet By and By). How and when did that start to happen?
BM: I came to know Christ when I was 13 years old at a youth camp I attended. I may not have known much about Him, but I knew I was saved by grace and that, because of the cross, I had a hope like no other. I cannot imagine life without Him.
SB: I’m guessing you’re still walking with the Lord now – what has kept you going with Him when it has been tough?
BM: Simply the fact that this is not where I belong. My hope is in Christ, my joy is in Christ and my heart is with Christ.
SB: What motivated you to create Hymed and Hymed Again?
BM: The first hymns record was a promise I made to my grandmother before she passed away. The second one came from hearing my children sing the first one at the top of their lungs. The church does not sing the old hymns like they used to, and it was way too important to have these songs somehow be a part of my kids lives.
SB: Since you started producing Christian music as a solo artist, what do you feel is the most significant thing God has taught you?
BM: To not take my band for granted. Throughout the process of making these hymns projects, I realised how much I love the guys in MercyMe, and how blessed I am to minister alongside of them. They truly are closer than brothers.
SB: If you could pass on one lesson to the young people who read STREETBRAND what would it be?
BM: Pay attention to the cross! Everything we stand for as followers of Christ revolves around that single moment in history. We breathe because of the cross...we sing because of the cross...we are because of the cross. Amen.
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