Meredith Andrews Album to stock – As Long as it Takes
Meredith Andrews is a worship leader at Chicago’s Harvest Bible Chapel and one of US Christian radio’s hottest new talents where her tracks like “You’re Not Alone” are getting major Christian radio play, earning her a Dove nomination and a place on A New Hallelujah Tour criss-crossing the US with Michael W Smith. Now Meredith’s third album, produced by CCM hitmaker Jason Ingram, As Long as it Takes, was released through Kingsway on 20th September. Meredith grew up in Wilson, North Carolina and
was very much a “child of the church”. She told Tracy Darlington, “I was very privileged to be raised in a Christian home. My dad is a very wise and godly man and my mom is a woman of prayer. We were at church every time the doors were open because both my parents served regularly. I say all this because I attribute my early knowledge of God to my mother’s prayers for me and my father’s instruction. “When I was five, our pastor preached a message
about salvation from God and how we are all sinners in need of a Saviour, and when he gave an invitation to surrender to Jesus, I went forward. I continued to go forward every Sunday for about the next four weeks until my mom explained to me that once I “asked Jesus into my heart” the first time, I was his forever. I guess I just wanted to make sure he heard me.” While at Liberty University in Virginia, Meredith
was leading worship and recorded her first album, the independently released Mesmerized. Then after relocating to Chicago her talent was eventually recognised by a Word Records executive, with whom she signed in 2008. Her debut Word album The Invitation was a major Christian radio success. Meredith explained how her new album As Long
as it Takes differs from The Invitation. She told www.
jesusfreakhideout.com, “The Invitation was a lot more piano-heavy, musically speaking, and kind of like pop/worship if you will - if you can use worship to describe a genre of music. But this one is a little bit more guitar-heavy and maybe some Euro. . .synth. . .whatever. I'm not the greatest to ask about music. That would be my husband (laughs). So I lay that down and then I'm like, ‘Okay let's move on and write the lyrics.’” Meredith spoke about her producer and co- songwriter Jason Ingram. “Jason has such a great heart. He's so passionate about seeing the Church
1. Toby Mac
2. The 29th Chapter 3. House of Heroes 4. Owl City
5. Victizzle/Leke 6.
7. Veetacore
8. Dance4Daddy/Jacy Mai 9. Hawk Nelson 10. Addison Road
Satellites & Sirens
worship the Lord, and he's the easiest person that I found to write with, for me. We just go in and we write a song, and it's just like, gold! Not because it's us ... it's just like there's some kind of connection the Lord has established between us. It's really cool when two perspectives come together and you're able to create this song that actually says something. But Jason's been very influential in all of this. He's my producer, he co-wrote most of the songs on the new record. I'm just so thankful to have him in my life.” Among the collaborators
on her new album are acclaimed worship leader Paul Baloche, whose credits include such anthems as “Open the Eyes of My Heart” and “Above All”. For her new album, Andrews, her husband, Jacob, and Baloche collaborated on “How Great is the Love”. “I'm just honoured that we got to do that with him because I've learned so much from him,” said Andrews. “He poured into us and fed us. I loved to hang out with him and his wife. It was the neatest experience and songwriting came really natural. We were in his living room and started praying and it just came out of that prayer. It was a really sweet day and a sweet moment.” Another of the album's highlights is “Only to Be
Yours”, inspired by Psalm 86. “You've heard that quote ‘the problem with living with sacrifices is they crawl off the altar,’” Andrews said. “That's what I was thinking when I started the song because I can be so scattered sometimes. I wanted to say, ‘Lord, just take everything that I am, everything,’ and the next day I have to do it all over again because I'm trying to live independent of the Lord. I'm trying to do it in my own strength. In reality I need God's grace. I need to allow the Lord to guide me and I want to stay on the altar.”
Tonight (From Tonight) So Good (From Louder)
Lose Control (From The End Is Not The End) Umbrella Beach (From Ocean Eyes) My Girl (From In My World)
All We Need is Sound (From Satellites & Sirens) Battle of Dogger Bank (From The Monopoly EP) Another Day (From Another Day single)
Arms Around Me (From Hawk Nelson is My Friend) Start Over Again (From Addison Road)
Chart compiled by Cross Rhythms radio based on radio airplay and sales information taken from Cross Rhythms Direct. This chart is produced to be an aid for Christian bookshops in identifying quality tracks, new and emerging artists and releases.
NEW TO YOU PRODUCT
www.christianmarketplace.org.uk October 2010 39
EMI CMG Kingsway US import
Independent Kingsway
Independent Independent Kingsway
Integrity-Provident
“It's really cool when two perspectives come together and you're able to create this song that actually says something.”
Christian Marketplace’s music section is supplied by Cross Rhythms – the leading UK independent voice for Christian music. Their website,
www.crossrhythms.co.uk, is the most visited Christian site in the UK, receiving more than 200,000 visitors every month.
CROSS RHYTHMS TOP 10
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