Contemporary Christian music

So for me, this was like something different was like, Oh, this, this is cool.

These are like, different types of songs than the normal praise and worship, but they're still really overtly Christian.

So this is the only Amy Grant album I actually own, so I'll keep it up there.

But then the next album came out.

She's getting a little bit more into getting a little bit, even further away from just the traditional praise and worship type songs and getting a little bit, a little bit more poppy.

Like this is sort of, she's starting to transition a little bit into more mainstream.

Now it's still overtly Christian music.

um but it's maybe just getting a little bit more where you're like oh this and see what you what people that don't understand is and chris you're you your parents i don't think we're this hardcore with it um but with with well but so with ours it was like even the christian music it was like if there was any sort of it was questioned all the time it was questioned all the time of like Yeah, you remember that, right? I

But in the 1990s, something unexpected happened.

There was a window of time where both CCM and Ska bucked tradition and hit a huge surge in popularity.

Witness the crossover appeal of Jars of Clay.

But if I

I'm Andrew Gill, a music journalist raised on Christian rock.

And I'm Leah Payne, a religious historian and author of God Gave Rock and Roll to You, A History of Contemporary Christian Music.

In each episode, we look at how Christian music has shaped the world we're living in now by focusing on one specific aspect of the music known as CCM.

Today on the show, can a Christian ska band strike the perfect balance between spreading Christianity while also accepting people where they are?

Bill Jack in studio.

And Bill, as I was preparing this, I was also reading Larry Norman's biography, The Father of CCM, Contemporary Christian Music.

Biography, Why Should the Devil Have All the Good Music? Larry Norman and the Perils of Christian Rock.

That's his latest biography.

I think it just came out a few years ago.

Anyway, I was reading that.

And I got to thinking, CCM sort of follows the same arrow, follows the same trajectory.

Because Larry Norman does come out with a positive view of homosexuality early on, early on.

But I'm going to make an exception with this episode.

This is a fascinating conversation with Todd Agnew, who burst onto the CCM scene in the And I know you're going to love the next hour.

But before we jump into that, make sure to hit that subscribe button, leave me a review, and visit my website, andychrisman.com, to find out where I'll be on tour and all the other things that I have going on.

Okay, hey, thanks for joining me for another episode of One Degree of Andy.

I'm Andy Christman, and I'm the host of the One Degree of Andy podcast.

In my nearly 40 years on the road touring in Christian music with the group 4HIM, I've met a lot of amazing people who have some remarkable stories to tell.

From CCM artists to legendary producers and industry executives to comedians, actors, and authors, I've got a Rolodex full of names that you'll recognize, men and women who have made us sing, laugh, and cry through the years.

And just like you and me, they've had their faith tested along the way.

Yeah, it must have been like three years, because I think in 92 is when the band officially started, so she would have been 16 at that time.

And they were signed to a label that was under the CCM banner, and for our listeners, CCM is Christian Contemporary Music.

It was a very particular type of music, beyond being like...

Well, Christian and contemporary.

I mentioned this to Chris that we potentially had Matt Slocum's hotmail address and then he immediately just sent me Matt Slocum's phone number.

while we're sitting

here so yeah depending on how this goes well or bad we might be calling matt slocum in about an hour to ask him questions about this song they end up out of their record deal with i think it was platinum entertainment who had bought out their record company and they end up signing with steve taylor's squint records yes Now, Steve Taylor is a big deal in the CCM world because he wrote all the Newsboys lyrics for their major albums.

Okay.

And he offered her a record deal.

She had a record deal in the CCM Christian world, but they didn't really get her songs or her singing.

As a matter of fact, it wasn't they didn't get it.

They didn't like her singing.

And as is usual these days, Blaine doesn't really have a lot to say up front.

But he does let us know that in addition to today's theme being Jesus, tougher than nails, our musical guest for the month is going to be none other than CCM King.

Michael W. Smith.

Alec, did you know anything about Michael W. Smith coming into this?

She's not drunk, right? She's being anointed in these final days with a special language to unite us all, right? So this verse is crucial, I think, in understanding a lot of what's going on in the church body broadly today, right? Speaking of church bodies...

That's right, Alex.

It is time for us to talk about one of the 10-ton gorillas of the CCM world, Mr. Michael W. Smith.

Again, Alex, you've never heard of this man's work at any point.

Like the teeniest, tiniest toes that were dipped.

That she dipped into the CCM world.

Okay.

Which was really just that.

I never heard of this band.

Of King Country.

Nina is, of course, a huge CCM band hailing from Australia.

This is Rebecca St. James' brothers.

In verse 3, and through covetousness, That is money grubbing.

Shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you? The music industry, the rock music industry, the CCM, Christian Contemporary Music Industry, is not driven by the Holy Spirit.

Not driven by what the Bible says.

It's driven by profit.