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10 Questions with ... Daniel Doss Band
February 20, 2012
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
LABEL:
- Mission House Music
DISCOGRAPHY:
- Beyond My Reach (2010)
1) How did you connect with Mission House Music? What about the label inspired you to join forces?
I (Daniel) had just moved to Valparaiso, IN to help start a church, and the band had also just finished up our record, which was mostly recorded and mixed at Zodlounge studios in Nashville. The folks at Mission House heard our new record, discovered that we were not signed and gave me a call. I had been with another label previously and was apprehensive about signing with anyone that point. After hearing how they wanted to work and about their approach to artists and ministry alongside being a label, I was sold. They have been great to work with.
2) What's the story behind your new single "Stained Glass Windows"?
My wife and I got married when we were in college. We had plans to do ministry together, buy a house, have some kids, grow old, have some grandkids and go to heaven. However, we found out that we couldn't have children. We walked a tough road of infertility, which led us to open our hearts to adoption.
Our adoption journey proved to be even more challenging. We felt a baby kick that eventually fell through; we had a shower for a little girl; we had countless phone calls and road trips, and even had a baby in Georgia for a week over Christmas. All of those opportunities fell through including the last one that ended with us taking our son to a lawyer's office in Atlanta and driving home New Year's Day 2010.
We mourned. It was the darkest day and season of our lives. A couple of months later we got a phone call about a baby boy that was born about 45 minutes from our house. We left immediately, met a birth mother to whom we will forever be grateful, and then met our son. We named him Oliver Emmanuel Doss. We call him Manny. We are so overjoyed to have him in our world. It scares me to think that my dreams could have worked out. If they had, I would have never met Manny. God took something that seemed broken and made something that was more beautiful than we could have ever imagined.
3) Is there a message or theme to the album Beyond My Reach?
Second chances
4) Do you have a favorite song off the album?
"Once and For All" - This song has a lot of themes throughout it from the book of Romans. It is beautiful to see a group of people get that reality and celebrate, declaring that Jesus paid our debt of sin. It is cleared and over; our sins will no longer be held against us.
5) Tell us a little about the church plant you started in Valparaiso. How are things going? What's the community like there?
Valparaiso is about 1.5 hours southeast of Chicago. I have never lived so close to such a massive city before. However, Valpo has a very small town feel. The city takes pride in its downtown scene. They just built a plaza and amphitheatre that hosts many concerts throughout the summer months.
My wife and I moved here in May 2009 and helped launch GracePoint in September. I did not know one musician when I moved here; it was quite a journey looking for players that could help us with our worship music. But about two years later, we have a GracePoint band and we sold out the Memorial Opera House in downtown Valpo in Summer 2011 with our first album release "Live at GP."
The volunteers at GP are really what will blow you away as soon as you walk in though. We have a semi-truck that pulls in at 5 a.m. and a team of people that unload it and begin setting up as soon as it arrives. It takes about 60 volunteers on any given Sunday to make sure everything runs smoothly. We see many people walk through our doors who have not been to church in decades. It is exciting to see people come to know Jesus and watch their lives be transformed week after week.
6) Do you have any inspiring or humorous stories from radio visits, past or present?
I remember playing cornhole at WJIE/Louisville with Chris and Jim. I still can't believe I did so poorly, especially considering we played in a hallway. It was like we were bowling with the bumpers up and I still couldn't hit a pin! Embarrassing to say the least.
7) Where is your favorite place to play?
Glorieta, NM. For a few years our band led worship for FUGE camps at a Southern Baptist Retreat center called Glorieta. It felt like I was on vacation most of the time; it is simply beautiful out there. Hanging with students, worshipping together, and playing putt-putt with my band mates, there is nothing like it.
8) Fill in the blank: I can't start the day without:
Silence
9) What song do you wish you had written?
"Manifesto" by The City Harmonic. Simply epic. I love epic.
10) Do you have much time to check out other artists' music? What are you listening to right now?
Mute Math, Hillsong United, Coldplay, Jeff Buckley, Needtobreathe, and Snow Patrol are what I've been turning to lately. I try to keep music fun. I'm not methodical about it; I just listen to stuff I like.
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