An Ulster couple have struck a chord across the Atlantic – taking America by storm with their musical exploits.
The News Letter reports: Husband and wife Keith and Kristyn Getty, modern hymn writers and recording artists, have just completed a sell-out tour of the USA with their unique brand of Christian music.
The two piece – now based in the country music heartland of Nashville, Tennessee – are scheduled to return to their native Northern Ireland next year and will play two nights at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
Lisburn-born Keith, 37, who carries a passion to communicate the basic tenets of Christianity through music in a universally appealing way, said he always wanted to create a “third way” for church music.
“I was challenged by a pastor in Belfast to perhaps try and bring some of what the old hymns of the faith had brought to the church through the centuries to the contemporary church,” he said.
“I didn’t set out to create the modern hymn. I wanted to write songs that contemporary, traditional and liturgical churches could all use.”
Joined by his Glengormley-born partner, Kristyn, the couple have entertained sell-out crowds across the USA in their first major Christmas tour.
The tour involved the pair playing a total of 18 concerts across 15 cities, including San Diego, Washington, Dallas, Memphis and Nashville.
“We are delighted by how our album tour has been supported across America and that we have been able to share the wonder and beauty of Christmas with so many people,” Keith said.
The former Friends pupil maintained there are two main reasons why he and his wife have made an occupation of writing modern hymns.
“First, it’s to help teach the faith. What we sing affects how we think, how we feel and ultimately how we live, so it’s so important that we sing the whole scope of truth the Bible has given us.
“The second reason is to try to create a more timeless musical style that every generation can sing, a style that relates to the past and the future.”
The Gettys, who will spend the Christmas period with relatives in the Province, are best known for penning the popular church song, In Christ Alone.
“All the copyrights of hymns are put in order — there is up to 30,000 of them sung in British churches — and it is the Number One in the UK,” Keith said.
Despite growing secularism around the world, Keith insists there will always be a market for Christian music.
Further report
Kristyn, who comes from Glengormley, is a former pupil of Ballyclare High School who began her music career singing at Glenabbey Church. She and husband Keith, from Lisburn, are delighted with the success of the album and the tour.
“Joy – An Irish Christmas’ is named after our daughter Eliza Joy, who was born earlier this year,” Kristyn told the Newtownabbey Times. “It is a collection of modern hymns, traditional carols, reels and jigs and features a host of Irish music stars including Eileen Ivers, Ireland’s national choir Anuna and the Irish film orchestra. It also showcases a number of bluegrass and session players as well as members of our band from Nashville Tennessee.”