Triumphs to Tragedies, These 10 Hymns Have Become a Soundtrack for These Genre-Bending Band Members’ Lives
“One of the freshest sounding, exuberant bands in all of the known acoustic universe” – NPR’s Bluegrass Breakdown
Genre-bending acoustic quartet Act of Congress brings its unique blend of pop, folk, gospel and bluegrass to The Hymns That Made Us, a full-length album available at digital and streaming outlets everywhere and through Centricity Music’s new distribution arm, Residence Music.
This self-produced album, The Hymns That Made Us, was mixed by four-time GRAMMY Award winning Ryan Freeland (Bonnie Raitt, Ray LaMontagne) and reimagines timeless classics that invite listeners to worship with thanksgiving, confession, prayer, lament and praise.
“The Hymns That Made Us is our tribute to the timeless songs that have become the soundtrack of our lives; the triumphs and tragedies. We hope you love this album!” collectively exclaims the band consisting of Connie Skellie (violin, vocals), Adam Wright (mandolin, vocals), Chris Griffin (guitars) and Tim Carroll (bass).
Among the 10 hymns selected by the band members for this album is “Christ the Solid Rock,” which has proven especially poignant for Skellie as she teaches her kids that their identity is anchored in Jesus and not in their circumstances. Both of her sons were born with an incurable eye disease.
Carroll and his family lost their home in a catastrophic fire last year and have found comfort singing, “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’” Carroll found a new depth in the beloved “It Is Well” after reading the story of hymn writer, Horatio Spafford, who lost everything in the Chicago fire of 1837.
“I became a believer during college while studying guitar. Hymns were unfamiliar to me, but I would use those timeless melodies as practice,” says Griffin, who leads worship at the nation’s second largest church, Church of the Highlands. “‘Come Thou Fount,’ in particular, was a song I would sit on my front porch swing and play, exploring alternate chord progressions and harmonies. Along the way, the lyrics, Teach my heart to sing Thy praise, really sunk in.”
“The songs we’re writing now and the album we just released have so much to say about who we are and what we believe,” sums up Wright, who shares lead vocals with Skellie. “I want people to see authenticity. I want them to feel served. I want them to find the joy we feel in this music.”
The full The Hymns That Made Us track listing follows:
01) Nothing But The Blood
02) Come Thou Fount
03) It Is Well
04) How Great Thou Art
05) Christ The Solid Rock
06) Wondrous Love
07) I’ll Fly Away
08) Dear Refuge
09) Turn Your Eyes
10) Amazing Grace
Dave Higgs of NPR’s Bluegrass Breakdown calls Act of Congress, “one of the freshest sounding, exuberant bands in all of the known acoustic universe.” Based in Birmingham, AL, the group has been touring as a band for over 15 years. Releasing five full length albums and two acclaimed Christmas EPs, their songs have received Showtime and Google placements, they are consistently voted a “Must See Live Act of Alabama” and have been the featured artist in the state’s “Keep Alabama Beautiful” campaign.
Performing at SXSW and the International Newgrass Festival where their full set is still in regular rotation on National Public Television, their global audience has also continued to grow after completing five tours as U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassadors in countries such as Thailand, Oman, Palau, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Philippines, Bali, Liberia and Jordan.
Playing on stages with Toby Keith, John Mayer, Sara Evans, Edwin McCain, Taylor Hicks and many others, Act of Congress are regularly invited to play with symphonies, having put together a must-see Christmas show and a “Bluejeans and Bluegrass” pops concert. They have also been featured guests on the nationally syndicated Rick & Bubba Show and Woodsongs Old Time Radio on SiriusXM.
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