Interview with Phil Wickham - Part 1 [Gourmet Music Report #36]

Next week, INO Recording Artist Phil Wickham will be releasing his 3rd studio album, titled "Heaven and Earth." I had the opportunity to sit down with Phil and get to know the man behind the music. Here's part 1 of our conversation:

DT: When did you know you wanted to pursue music as a full time career?
PW: Ever since I picked up guitar [at age 12], I think I wanted to play music full time. But did I ever believe that could be a possibility? That probably came a lot later. I was never the guy that had to send out a CD or ask to play anywhere, doors just opened. And it wasn't like it went from nothing to all of this overnight, but little-by-little God prepared me for the next step and the next step, and now I'm doing interviews and playing around the country. When I really think about it & where I was seven years ago, just leading worship for my high school group, it's just mind blowing and is humbling.  

DT: Is the theme of "thankfulness" important to you as a songwriter?
PW: Not necessarily... probably not as much as it should be. There's not many songs that are the theme of thankfulness, but there could be. I feel like the Lord really sticks a theme in my heart for every record and I wouldn't be able to say that till I've been through three CDs now. I think the first one [Phil Wickham] was [primarily about] a personal relationship with God, an intimacy that can be experienced. If we knock, He will open; and if we seek, we will find. And the second one [Cannons] was seeing God in creation and the majesty around us, and the way that creation makes us respond to Him.

DT: So what's the theme behind your new CD "Heaven and Earth"?
PW: On this new one "Heaven and Earth," the music is more talking about the story that we are a part of - we were lost even before we were born, but now because of what Jesus did, we have the possibility of being found. I've got heaven on my mind all the time. I love talking about it, I'm reading these books about it and making sure everything I'm singing about on the record is all theologically correct. I'm just really, really excited about the whole theme of eternity.

DT: What would you be doing with your life if you didn't play music?
PW: That stumps me, because I love what I do so much. I have no idea what else there is to do... [laughing] I'd be a loser, I guess.

Part 2 with Phil Wickham will be here next week. Phil will also be the special guest on this weekend's edition of "Under The Radar" (available 11/13/09).