Awed by the Lord: Billy Sprague Discusses the Goals, the Joys, and the Challenges In the Making of His New Album

Beloved multi-Dove Award winning recording artist and worship leader Billy Sprague has announced the upcoming release of his latest musical project, Songs in the Key of Awe.  

Funded through the innovative crowd-sourced Kickstarter program, fan donations shattered Sprague's initial goal in half the allotted time, and ultimately provided more than $35,000 toward the project's production costs. The remarkable outpouring of support far exceeded Sprague's expectations. "So many gracious people shaped, supported and made this happen," says Sprague. "We are humbled and grateful. In the midst of a jam-packed year of change, challenge and blessing, at last here it is!"

Hallels: Congratulations on your upcoming release of your new worship album "Songs in the Key of Awe." For our readers who may not be familiar with your style of music, how would you describe it? And who would you say are your influences?

Having been raised on the pop, rock and acoustic music of the 60s and 70s I'm a big believer in melodies and choruses you can easily remember and sing. I write mostly on acoustic guitar but play electric as well. My influences include King David (the ultimate Psalmist), the Beatles, James Taylor, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, The Eagles, Sting, and more recently Switchfoot and singer/songwriters like Jason Mraz and Michael Gungor.

Hallels: What is your goal or hopes for this new record?

As a worship project, the goal is, in a phrase, to amplify the awe of the Lord, by moving people to intimacy with Him. Acts 2 describes the believers this way, "every soul was filled with awe." They were in awe of the magnitude of who the Lord is, what He had done, His great love and His presence and power through the Holy Spirit. I want this music to move people into that awe of Him and the reality of His constant presence.

Hallels: Tell us about the making of this record. What was the greatest joy and the greatest challenge in making this new release?

Songs in the Key of Awe is a harvest of the best crop of worship songs created as a weekly worship leader over the last 8 years. With the best soil and climate that's the kind of time it takes to plant a vineyard and serve the first vintage.

One of the greatest joys is to see my family play such key roles in the whole process.

The greatest challenge has been steadily pressing on not for months but for years. As an independent artist now, there is no one to fund and give it wings except my family and those who came alongside me in 2014 through a Kickstarter campaign. I call them my Tribe of Awe. They are another great joy in this creative journey.

Hallels: I believe your own family was very much involved in the project too. Can you tell us more about their involvement?

Yes, how rich for a daddy's heart to see my daughter, Willow, soon to turn 17, stand at the microphone and sing harmonies and even take the lead vocal on two songs. You can imagine how excited I am that one of her songs, Overflow, will be the second radio single. Wyatt, 15, and Sawyer both have rhythm in their bones. Wyatt is a terrific drummer. He played his African djiembe on "Thank You, Lord," which Willow sings on as well, along with Phil Keaggy's blazing guitar work. My wife Kellie, took all the photos for the CD cover and Sawyer, 9, danced and poured joy on the whole project. To see all their gifts bloom together has added to the awe.

Hallels: On your press release, you encourage listeners to listen to the album from start to finish, why is this so?

Like a worship service these songs can create an experience or worship environment. The songs take you to different places...energetic celebration, prayer, confession, gratitude, adoration, and proclamation. I even included two short instrumentals for reflection and meditation to create space to simply "breathe deep of his grace." AW Tozer wrote in 1961 that the church was losing its sense of majesty or awe and the ability to approach God in "adoring silence."

With this recording I wanted to create a wide range of expression from blazing guitars and thundering drums to spaces where the tenderness and soft whisper of the Spirit can reach a listening heart, and be changed by that encounter.

Hallels: Being a worship leader, what advice do you have to give to other worship leaders who may have people in their congregations who are just not into singing? How do you encourage congregation members to worship?

In the contemporary western church especially, we tend to put a lot of emphasis on the wow of the presentation instead of the awe of His presence. A lot of that "wow" centers on music and visual production and talent level. The assumption is "impress them and they will come and enter in". This can create a lot of consumer spectators of worship, "fans" of worship styles.

For instance, in order to be attractional to the culture some churches limit the colors on the worship palette. They decide not to do hymns, keep things hip, energetic, seamlessly moving, avoid spontaneity and non-musical elements. I encourage worship leaders to honor the authority of their pastors while painting with an array of colors, including scripture reading, responsive interaction with the congregation, pray through a scripture or song lyric before singing it, be nimble with what the Spirit may prompt, and vulnerable with a brief encouragement or testimony.

And how about this one? Silence. For those who are not as musical as those on the platform, approaching God in "adoring silence" can be done by the most off pitch croaker among us. Encourage the melodic and rhythmically challenged among us to focus on the lyrics by simply speaking them as the songs roll out. Or give them permission to just go ahead and make a joyful noise. In any case, as worship leaders we want to help people enter the awe, not applaud the wow.

Hallels: For our readers who would like to purchase your new album or find out more about you, where can they go?

Songs in the Key of Awe officially releases April 28 on ITunes and other internet platforms. The same day the second single, "Overflow," goes to radio. That is exactly one year from the day my dad went gently to heaven. This project is dedicated to him and my mom so that timing seems a fitting tribute. Until then the whole project is available as a pre-release at my website: billyspraguemusic.com

And on my bio page you can also see my changing hairstyles (and volume) over the decades.

 

 

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