David Phelps

David Phelps emerged onto the scene several years ago, seemingly out of nowhere, as Bill Gaither’s handpicked tenor for the Gaither Vocal Band. Since that time, Phelps has wowed crowds worldwide with his soaring vocal range and tender heart. That God-given talent and eclectic musical palette have garnered him fans of all ages. His most recent project, The Voice, showcases Phelps in all his glory, soaring into high octaves and delivering a signature touch on timeless covers and original songs alike.

Soul-Audio recently sat down with David to discuss his latest projects, his career path, and what artists make him sit back and say, “Wow!”.

Soul-Audio: Let’s start out by talking about The Voice. It’s an entirely different effort in terms of what you’ve done before. What was the mindset behind this outing?

David Phelps: For me it’s the next step in my growth as an artist. Honestly, our goal was to make art that rocked the world. Sounds big, but it’s the truth. I think for the first time in my career I have become comfortable with saying that I want to make great art. I want to leave behind something that can be contemplated, mulled over and admired. Something that moves the soul in the way that the strokes of a great painting does. And great art glorifies God.

SA: Now, to play devil’s advocate here, let me ask you for your definition of great art. There are those who would argue that an album of covers doesn’t quite amount to that…

David: Truly it is not an album of covers. Five of the songs are covers, but they were chosen with the overall picture of the project in mind. Not only was their content scrutinized, but their form and musical progression was as well. Perhaps the first question we asked ourselves was, “Can we reinvent this song?” I didn’t want to simply cover another artist’s interpretation, but I wanted to record it as if it had never been done before. You might say painting the same subject but with a different color pallete. I would consider some great hymns projects works of art. Those songs have of course been recorded countless times.

SA: Now, in the pre-press for the album, you wrote sort of an intro the the album that included recounting something that brought you to the thinking that our “secular” moments are perhaps more sacred. Can you speak to that? What sort of things led you to this place?

David: I think I began to recognize glimpses of God in everyday moments: falling in love, staying in love, raising children, making life decisions, the loss of a loved one, a fight with a friend… If we truly are spiritual beings having a human experience, as C.S. Lewis put it, then every moment as we walk and breath each day is feeding our spirit. God is in those moments leading us and teaching us to make us better citizens of Heaven. I want to sing about the human experience in a way that it relates to and feeds our eternal spirit.

SA: I totally agree with you on this. I wonder if there have been any issues within the industry though given this line of thought? I mean, the CCM industry has at times not been the most embracing of, say, a love song or some of the other avenues that you’re discussing…

David: My music definitely doesn’t fit into a neat box. The only industry issues we have ever faced have been with radio. But those issues have little to do with content and more with style…or perceived style. On my last studio record we had an amazing radio song, “With His Love(Sing Holy).” As an experiment the label sent out the song anonymously to get a response. Every station reacted positively saying they would add it. When the official single was sent out, many replied saying they would not add the song because they don’t play David Phelps. That has been an ongoing problem, but it was the first time I got honest feedback.

This, of course, strengthened my resolve that I don’t make music for the CCM industry. I make music for real people. Real people fall in love, worry over their children, fight with their spouses, mourn the loss of a lover, rejoice in grace, and stand in awe of a God bigger than themselves. My desire is that my art mirrors those emotions and sees them through the eyes of a Christian worldview. If that fits into the CCM industry, then I am greatly honored. But if not, then I am always greatly encouraged by the incredible fans with whom God has blessed me. My fans are ferociously loyal and very active. They are notorious for flooding radio stations, booking agencies, and the record label with calls and emails. Undoubtedly, I am still out singing because of them and their constant grass roots effort.

SA: Let’s talk about song selection here. I know that you’ve said that these tracks brought you back to moments in your life but could you indulge us a bit and perhaps share something about the song selection process. It’s truly a grab bag of songs and styles…Also, how much input did you have in terms of arrangements this time out? The arrangement for “Angel Band” was simply amazing…

David: First, thank you. Song selection was a long process and it was very thought out. I called us “Song Nazis.” I simply wanted the best songs possible–whether they were written yesterday or 100 years ago. We went through literally hundreds of songs in the process. “I Want to Know What Love Is” was one that was chosen early on. I brought it to a meeting and there was no argument. It simply was right for the record. Others were more of a needle-in-the-haystack. I was looking for a gospel song that would fit in the timeless nature of the project. Sitting in the studio, I got out my stack of hymnals and started plowing through songs one by one. When I got to “Angel Band,” I knew I had found it. I read the lyric aloud and everyone just stopped and listened. They had never heard the 100+ year old song before but they were hooked.

As for the arrangements, I have always been very hands-on directing the basic structure. Normally, we form it around the vocal. This time, however, I went past that. I walked in to the studio one day and said instead of sending this off to an orchestrator, let’s score it ourselves like a movie. After some thought, the guys jumped on board. So Monroe Jones, Jeff Roach, and I spent many hours getting the orchestrations just right. I’m very proud of our work. I think it is dramatic, cinematic and unusual–the kind of stuff you don’t normally get by handing it off to a hired hand.

SA: One thing that really struck me about this release was that, with maybe one or two exceptions, there really wasn’t a song that I saw fitting in as a radio single on CCM radio. At this point in your career, are you worried about radio hits and all that sort of thing? This time out it sort of felt as though you were simply creating music that you loved, that you wanted to make…

David: You got it. In fact, we went in to the first meeting saying that we were not going to aim for radio. I didn’t want to be locked into a format that didn’t feel natural for the project as a whole. In fact, everyone, including the label, came to the table with that in mind. My goal was to attempt to create a timeless piece of art and let the chips fall where they will. I have to be true to who I am and sometimes that means not fitting into certain boxes.

SA: Speaking in terms of your career, are you in the place that you thought you would be? You obviously crafted a huge following in the GVB and followed in some big steps too with the likes of Michael English, Jonathan Pierce, and even Larnelle Harris having come out of that melting pot. Are you happy with the success you’ve had thus far? What else would you like to see happen?

David: If there is one thing I’ve always had trouble with it’s being happy where I am. I’ve gotten closer to that this past year than I’ve ever been. It’s a delicate balance of finding joy in today and having a forward vision. I’m always one to reach for the stars…something that seems unattainable. Recently, I sent a text message to my manager out of the blue and wrote “we should make a concert video for The Voice at Carnegie Hall with the symphony.” I smiled as I sent it, but it’s a starting place. Sometimes we fall short of our goals, but many times we get there. A dream is a real driving force. The challenge for me is to enjoy the journey.

SA: Do you find yourself playing that comparison game at all? Like, why aren’t I where they’re at? Or are your struggles more in just that you have more dreams than time?

David: Both…and. I’ve done both at any given time. My wife, Lori, is the great grounding agent in my life, though. She is quick to spot me going down that road and reminds me that my path is unique. All the great iconic artists had unique paths. There is no great, wide thoroughfare to artistic success–just a bunch of narrow, unpaved paths. And in the end ’success’ for me is being able to rest enough in my career that I can enjoy time with my family.

SA: Let’s talk about Bill Gaither’s influence for a moment if we can. How much has Bill helped you since you left the band? I know he’s been a mentor to many an artist. What is it that makes him the mentor that he is? How’s he helped you as an artist, a person?

David: I’ve always said that I was a bigger fan of Bill’s after I joined the GVB than I was even before. He’s the real thing…not perfect, but real. I positioned myself as a student during my time with them. I listened and learned about performing, business deals, relationships, mistakes, theology…the list goes on. I still quote him at times. I think my time with the Gaithers and the Homecoming crew could be summed up in the word ‘perspective’. Getting to work with historic giants and having them feed into your life is a rare thing. It gives you a sense of your place in the grand scheme of things–how the decisions you make matter–how you learn from your mistakes and move on. The man is in his 70s and still going. In this industry full of tweens and twenties, it gives hope for a long future to see someone still making a difference.

SA: I’m curious about the theological impact Bill had on you. Could you share about some of that?

David: I grew up in a family where my father stressed the importance of the Word–not only reading it, but always questioning what a speaker or preacher said in relation to it. Every Sunday after church we would get in the car and begin discussing the sermon. Sometimes we disagreed with the preacher. Sometimes we disagreed with each other. But the discussion helped us internalize the content. Time with Bill and Gloria was a continuation of this. Discussing the words of Paul or an interpretation of the Revelation over breakfast and coffee was a regular thing. We didn’t always agree, but the discourse was great.

SA: Shifting gears again, you’ve got yet another project following hard on the heels of this one, another Christmas project. What is it about Christmas music that continues to draw you in? And why do you think this music is so suited to your voice? And what’s the challenge of taking on some very well-worn songs and making them your own?

David: My first record was a Christmas record. Something about the classic nature of my voice just fits it. It’s not something we’ve forced. Fans have just gravitated toward it. It’s become a very big time of year for me. Oddly enough, it has never been a challenge to come up with material or put my spin on loved classics. In fact, it’s hard to get them all in.

SA: The other thing that seems to be a hallmark for you is the live recording. Do you feel that your live shows trump your studio work?

David: From the beginning, I have always been told that something special happens when people see me sing. I started on the stage as opposed to the studio. Live performance is what feeds me. There is a soul connection that happens that I guess you could say I’m addicted to. I’m very proud of my studio work, but when the opportunity came to record the first live recording, they could barely hold me down. There is a life in those projects–the drama and emotion–that couldn’t be captured another way.

SA: I’d like to ask you about the singers and performers who make you stand in awe. You’ve wowed so many of us with your considerable talent for a while; who are the artist’s that make you stand and applaud? What’s on your iPod right now?

David: I listen to a lot of different kinds of music. Generally I am drawn to artist and composers that can draw me in emotionally. Sometimes that is done with a full orchestra, sometimes with screaming guitars, a great vocal, and sometimes it’s with raw, vulnerable honesty. Classical: I love Beethoven, Debussy, Verdi; Country: Dolly Parton, EmmyLou Harris, Carrie Underwood; Pop, etc: Maroon 5, Celine Dion, Harry Connick, Tony Bennett. That’s a start at least.

SA: Tangibly, what’s happening around these releases?

David: That question may be better answered by the marketing team. I will be touring the new music in the Spring after an extensive Christmas tour. I guess I’ll do what I do best and leave the rest up to them.

• www.davidphelps.com
• www.myspace.com/davidphelpsmusic

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