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10 Questions with ... Dan Bremnes
October 5, 2015
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Discography:
- 2010 Your Strength
- 2012 Light My Way
- 2015 Where The Light Is
1. Birthplace, childhood, schools, jobs, current hometown?
Born in Kamloops, British Columbia (Canada) it's a mini desert in the west of Canada ( I know sounds weird... A dessert in Canada? Ya!)
Grew up in the forest with 5 neighbors. Lots of fishing, hiking, making our own fun. My first job was picking corn... Man I just realized how bizarre this all sounds... Currently living in Nashville, TN with my wife and 1 year old boy, Eli.
2. What does a normal day at home look like for you?
Woken up by Eli at 7am, devotions and coffee and home made bread with poached egg (we make our own bread:) Emails, songwriting, meetings, emails, phone calls, emails... you get the point, lots of emails. It all depends on the day though. Some days I'm touring which is totally different, and some days I'm recording which is again different, so as an artist, life is always changing which is challenging but exciting!
3. What's the song that you just can't get out of your head right now?
I've really connected with a bethel song called 'no longer slaves' there's just such a powerful truth behind that chorus that I need to keep hearing over and over
4. How much do you travel, what are the challenges? How do you juggle life on the road with wanting to be home?
I travel all the time, most weekends. The only way it works is having a wife that is OK with me travelling. Britt is awesome and I couldn't do it without her. I love being on the road and I love being home. It's a balance that I'll always be trying to master
5. What Artist or Pastor has had the greatest impact on you?
One of my first tours as an opening artist was with Steven Curtis Chapman across Canada. Not sure he knows this but he really inspired me. He was so humble, so gracious, and really an amazing example for a new artist. I pray that I can live like that.
6. What's the last book you read?
I'm currently trying to read the new testament in 30 days. I'll probably do it in 60...:) But I read through the gospels (matthew, mark, luke, John) in a few days and hearing the words of Jesus so often left me with more questions than answers. I think that's a good thing. Jesus didn't say what everyone wanted him to say and it's really challenged me to think and live differently.
7. Funniest or most embarrassing moment on the road?
I was opening for Chris Tomlin and met him for a few minutes. After the meeting was over I asked him for a 'pic' there was a long pause. He thought I wanted a guitar pick. But I was actually wanting a picture! It was awkward
8. Tell us a little about your latest project. How is it connecting with audiences?
The CD is called 'where the light is' and that's the title track. It's a song that was born out of a tragedy our family had a few years ago. We lost my mom in a car accident. For someone who grew up in the church this was probably the first time I faced darkness head on. I had to call out to God in a way I hadn't before.
Sometimes there's a lie of self-sufficiency that creeps into our minds as Christians and we forget that we need Jesus every day. Salvation is not a 'one and done' thing. It's something that's worked out daily.
So, 'Where The Light Is" and a song called 'In His Hands' seem to really be connecting with people. We all experience pain and there's some mystery as to why God would allow it. I guess both of these songs take a stab at maybe a small part of the answer.
9. What organization/service group are you affiliated with?
I've sponsored and represented through compassion for 5 years now. I love what they do because they work alongside the church. The building, the staff. The local church in each community knows the language, knows the culture, and with our help of sponsorship they are able to take poverty down one child at a time. For this reason, in my experience, they are the most effective form of missions I've ever seen
10. Person you'd most like to have a discussion with, living or dead.....Deities are excused from this question
Would love to meet C.S. Lewis. I've loved everything he's written and his words are still so relevant today inside and outside of the Christian world.
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite Bible Verse....life verse?
Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the substance of things hoped for but not seen.
This verse constantly challenges me to live a life of faith. So many decisions we make as Christians can seem crazy, and they are, because God asks us to take a leap of faith based on something we can't see. We worship a God we can't see, we trust Him for the future which we can't see, and we believe in eternity which we can't see. It takes faith to believe any of that and this verse reminds me every day that it's OK to not have the full picture.
2. How & When did you become a believer?
I was seven years old and I was at home with my parents.
3. What's the biggest "God moment" you've ever experienced? Personally or professionally, when has God shown up in a powerful way?
Honestly being a musician/artist I'm seeing this all the time. I don't really see past about 6 months of my life at a time. I have bills, I have worries, and somehow God always comes through. We have lived like this for the past 7 years. It's amazing to see how God provides.
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