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10 Questions with ... Bethany Dillon
August 31, 2009
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NAME:Bethany DillonTITLE:Singer/songwriter
Label:
Sparrow RecordsDiscography:
Stop & Listen (2009)
Waking Up (2007)
Imagination (2005)
Bethany Dillon (2004)1) Can you give us a brief recap of the life of Bethany Dillon from the past couple years? What are highlights - getting married, tours, etc.?
Oh, I will try and be brief! For one, I'm a big sharer but there's also so much that's happened, that it's hard to sum it all up quickly. I would say the last couple of years have held the most change of my life to date: a couple records, moving to Texas, getting married, establishing a new life. That's a big season for anyone, but with lots of travel and working in the midst of it, it has definitely been unique! I can look back and see the Lord's faithfulness all over it.
The highlight has most definitely been getting married to my best friend and hero about a year and a half ago. I'm pretty sure marriage is meant to change you, but you don't really know it until you experience it. And the sweet fruit that's produced through all of that tilling and planting spreads to every area of life. It changes how I write songs, the way my friendships look, the way I respond to the Lord working in me. I've loved every minute of the last couple of years!
2) What is the message you hope is conveyed through the new album "Stop & Listen"?
The song "Stop and Listen" and almost every other song on the record was inspired by the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10. I see myself in the character of Martha: she invites Jesus over for dinner, then once he's there, she's consumed with her to-do list. She runs around the house, keeping things together, and then gets so exasperated with her very at-ease sister, Mary, that she asks Jesus whether or not he cares that she's doing all the work. His response to her is stunning: "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but your sister has chosen the one thing necessary, and it shall not be taken away from her."
With the ever-growing busyness in life, it's so easy for me to take on that role: being so anxious, busy and troubled about everything that I neglect the one thing that I really need, sitting at his feet. Pure and simple. Hopefully the songs on this record draw people's hearts into the same place and ask them the same questions.
3) What's the story behind the new single "Everyone to Know"?
This was written with my good friend and producer of my last three records, Ed Cash. He'd had the melody and chorus of this song stashed away on his Blackberry. This song is deceivingly light-hearted sounding, but behind it there's a very confronting commandment. I often forget what a commandment it is to share who Jesus is in my life and what he's done. I think it's a pretty common sentiment among American believers not to want to be too pushy with their faith. I would agree that there is discernment in sharing Jesus with people, but speaking from personal experience, that quickly becomes an excuse for me to be silent. Always. In every situation.
I'm not sure it really even hit me what a coward I was about sharing the Gospel boldly until I left the bubbles of Nashville and Dallas to record in Los Angeles for a month. When you're flying solo, finding yourself in uncomfortable situations, and the "are you a Christian?" question is received with blank stares, you begin to realize how RADICAL Jesus is. How his name really does change the mood in a room. And, in the sweetest of ways, you're reminded how powerful his presence is in your life!
TRULY, it is so worthy of talking about. Really, he's worthy of talking about. Probably the biggest battle I'll ever fight in my life is pride, especially the pride of people pleasing. I learned quickly during my month of recording that seeing people with the eyes of Jesus means loving them more than wanting to be liked by them.
So, on that sunny afternoon in Ed's studio, we wrote this song, without me even knowing what a personal challenge it'd be for me in coming months. But he knew.
4) Do you have favorite song on the new album?
That's difficult! I think they all are from such personal experiences, it's hard to say. A favorite of mine, though, is a song called "So Close." It's one of those songs that happened during a really tough season, feeling distant from the Lord and having to face my own depravity. The story of Hosea has always been a place of comfort and hope for me; that there really, really isn't any way I can lose his love. That he pursues even when I'm afraid to be broken and welcomed back. That he's faithful even when I'm unfaithful and faithless. The romance of the Gospel is so powerful!
5) You recently returned from Africa. Tell us a little about that trip.
Yes! We spent about a week in Malawi and Zambia. My husband Shane (who is half of the group Shane & Shane) has sponsored a boy named Emmanuel through World Vision for the last ten years, and since the Shanes support World Vision, we got to go over with them and meet Emmanuel! It was such an amazing and surreal trip. We also got to see firsthand a lot of things that World Vision is doing in the field besides child sponsorship. It was so encouraging and mind-blowing to see how much they affect a community. It was all of our first time in Africa, and we completely fell in love with the people there!
6) How has your songwriting evolved, expanded, grown over the years? How is that reflected on the new record?
I don't really know specifically how, to be honest. Since I write about life from the perspective of a follower of Jesus, you can't help but write differently and maybe even a little more personally after knowing him longer. He really is the Source of everything I write, every melody that has ever "popped" into my head. I think the biggest change in my writing over the last four records has maybe just been more clarity. I feel like my focus and the themes are very similar, but it feels like it's coming out in a more conversational way. There are more stories to tell.
7) Any funny, inspiring or interesting stories to tell from your visits to radio stations? (We can change the names of any guilty parties if we need to.)
Ha! Of course there are! And to be honest, the funny/interesting/awkward part of most of them is me. Sad, but true. The biggest reasons for that is that a) I don't have much of a filter and b) radio visits tend to happen in the wee hours of the morning (i.e. 5 a.m.). Who acts like themselves at that hour, I ask you?
So, during my first year as an artist (15 years old), I thought loogie handshakes were hysterical. Yes, you heard me right. You spit in your hand, the other person spits in theirs, and you shake. The radio DJ shall remain nameless, but he was a good sport one morning and we shook hands over something like all of us going to Chick-Fil-A for lunch. Every time I see him now, he brings it up! Imagine that. It's one of those things that is hard to rid yourself of!
8) What does the remainder of 2009 hold for you and your schedule? I'm reading something about a tour with Robbie Seay Band...
We are going out with Robbie this fall! Dates are still being booked, but they'll be up on my website and MySpace. Other than that, the record comes out September 8, so we'll be doing shows around that week. After the RSB tour, I'll hop on the road with Shane & Shane and Phil Wickham for the annual Christmas tour that runs through mid-December. Then, the New Year and some time off for the holidays!
9) Which do you enjoy the more: the process or the performance? The studio or the stage?
Hmm, can I say both? I think I would prefer the season when things are finished and done, simply because you get to go out and share it. I really do love songwriting and how spontaneous the studio can be. It has a totally different energy, though. You're tired, your creativity feels like it's all been drained out, you wonder if you're going to finish in time. Doing shows is way more settled, obviously. You come in with a focus and you get to connect with people and tell the stories.
10) Do you have much time to listen to other artists' music? What are you listening to these days?
I've actually been wanting to get back into some artists I love. I just get stuck on a couple records and never take them out of the CD player. I've been listening a lot to our church's worship CD, Hillsong's "Mighty to Save" and Yael Naim's record. I just recently started listening again to Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzgerald. Those ladies may be my favorite voices of all time!
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