Ahh! There's so much I can say about these two. But first, some backstory. Chris and Steph had just signed with Discovery House Music and were tasked with turning their EP into a full length (e.g. record more songs). They had already recorded 6 songs with producer Joe Causey (Colony House, Jillian Edwards). I remember listening to them and thinking, “Man, this is really good. I’ve got big shoes to fill.” Joe is a genius and the recordings were beautiful. So, with great excitement and a little anxiety, I got to work.
A little about Chris and Steph (AKA Team Teague). These are special people. They have one of the most incredible stories I’ve ever heard. The name “Out of the Dust” is hardly hyperbole. How many people do you know that fell in love, got married, things quickly fell apart, got divorced, were miraculously reconciled, REMARRIED EACH OTHER and now have 2 kids? I only know two.
They embody this beautiful hope. The kind that is only born out of suffering. Chris and Steph are “real deal” people. And I loved recording these songs with them. I almost titled this post "Working with Out of the Dust" per usual, but it didn't feel wholly appropriate. My wife would come home from work and ask how my day was and I would often reply, “Good! I laughed all day. But I think we got some good work done, too?”
So we were cutting vocals for a song called Radicals. Chris and Steph have 2 kids who had been watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse videos in abundance. Chris took a liking to a particular character named Pete, who he would imitate gregariously from time to time. Pete has this over-the-top form of expression that we all found really funny. So! Steph had just finished her vocal, Chris steps up to the mic and this happens:
I don't know if you can hear it, but if you listen closely I can be heard laughing and falling out of my chair.
And that's basically what making this record was like. I’m really proud of it. And proud of them. They’re the kind of people who are so easy to root for. I’m blessed to call them friends.
Their self-titled album “Out of the Dust” is available now. Get into it!
(Recording POWER OHs on "Radicals" while Chris, obviously unbeknownst to me, is filming)