Interview: John Waller
LTTM caught up with recording artist and songwriter John Waller to talk about his new album, coffee, music and what defines success. There are so many great answers from John so make sure you have a read.
Tell us a little bit about this new album of yours?
The album is called "Awakening" (at least till I change it, which can happen at the 11th hour of a release). I wrote with some amazing writers for this project including my producer Ian Eskelin, as well as Benji Cowart, Daniel Doss, Matt Armstrong, Barry Weeks, Sammy Ward and Matt Papa. Whew!! That's a lot of names. These are some of my favorite songs I've ever recorded.
Which is your favourite track on the album and why?
I have to say it's a song called "Mine" that I wrote with Benji Cowart. Once the Father says, "You're mine," there is nothing and no one that can change that. "You can run, I'll chase you down every time till you know, you are mine, you are mine, you are mine"
If you could work with any songwriter, who would it be and why?
Wow. Honestly one of my favorite songwriters of all time is Stephen Curtis Chapman, so I would definitely say he is one. But if I can add one more, I would say Chris Martin with Coldplay.
Do you prefer playing live or working in the studio?
I honestly love the creative synergy that happens in the studio. That's where creative minds and hearts see something greater than what was imagined happen.
How would you describe your style of music and what are your influences?
I'm probably more of a communicator than a musician. Music is what delivers what my heart wants to say. When I write a song, it most often starts with a message and then I frame it with the proper music vibe to deliver that message. I also allow other creative people to help me frame it.
How would you define success in your career?
Oh my. That is a good question. My definition of success has continued to evolve throughout my career. I can't define it by accolades cause I have few to speak of. Certainly not by money earned cause my nine kids have somehow absorbed most of everything I've made. Record sales and radio hits...uh...no. I define by all the people who have told me how one of my songs met them in a dark place and connected them to the Father’s heart.
We at LTTM love coffee. Tell us about 'Crazy Faith Coffee'?
5 years ago, we had 5 kids. My wife felt the Lord was speaking to her heart about adoption. I always wanted to adopt. We pursued it despite having 5. We fasted and prayed and I dreamed about a dark headed, 10-year-old girl named Anna. We discovered her 2 days after that dream. We pursued her adoption and discovered she had a 14-year-old brother. We moved forward to adopt them both. One month before completing the adoption we discovered there was also, in a separate orphanage, a 12-year-old sister. 2 days before heading to Ukraine to seal the deal, we discovered my wife Josee was expecting our 6th biological child, taking us from 5 to 9 in one year. The song "Crazy Faith" was born out of this story as well as became the concept for a coffee brand where we share similar stories of Crazy faith inside bags of coffee. We also hope the coffee helps fund the feeding of these kids as well as portions of the proceeds funding other kingdom minded people and organizations. Check us out at crazyfaithcoffee.com
What is your favorite album of all time?
I would have to say "Frontiers" by Journey. I'll never forget buying that record (on vinyl of course) and sitting in the dark listening to every single creative element that made that record so great.
You're stuck on an island, it's hot, you only have enough battery life left to listen to one song on your mp3 player. What track is it?
"Faithful and True" from Stephen Curtis Chapman's very first album. "As I looked back on this road I've traveled, there's so many times He carried me through. If there's one hung that I've learned in my life, my redeemer is faithful and true."
What does the next year hold for John Waller?
If you'd have asked me that a few years ago I probably would've given you a confident answer. Today my answer is...I have not a clue. (But "my redeemer is faithful and true”)
