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"Let them hear You through me, Let Your words be mine. Let them see that Your love is the reason I'm inspired, And when given the choice, May they recognize Your voice. Let them hear You through me, O Lord."
Let Them Hear - Ginny Owens
MQ: We're big fans of yours, ever since your first record.
GO: Thanks...
MQ: We just have some questions about your songwriting. I've read some articles where you've said that you're kind of a last minute song writer and the lyrics are something you struggle with - you know, piecing it all together. Where do you go to find inspiration? Do you have some sort of routine?
GO: My inspiration usually comes from - whether it is conversations I've had with people or things I'm struggling with or things that I'm studying. It's usually very personal experiences that bring about song ideas. I always say my songs are kind of my journal entries and they are my conversations that I am too inarticulate to actually have, so I write them in music. But they come from lots of different places. A lot of times the songwriting process begins with me just writing down a little nugget here or there or a little thought or idea and kind of work with that over the course of years. I've always found that my best songs come over time. They are not rushed. So, I may edit a song or change it a million times before I ever get it where I want it to be.
MQ: Are you a perfectionist? Do you have a sound you are shooting for when you go into the studio or do you just go with the flow?
GO: A little bit of both. I had a little bit more, well probably quite a bit more of a specific direction when I went in to do this record. But, then I'd kind of tell Monroe that and let him run with it ... 'cause he is way cooler than I. I'd put a drum loop on everything and a little acoustic piano and that would be about it. So it's just neat to see what he carves out of things. I kind of turn it over to him. I'm there everyday so I definitely have opinions but for the most part I kind of go with the flow.
MQ: A few more songwriting questions. What do you love most about music in general?
GO: What do I love most about music in general? I think, that it exists - and I get to play it everyday and have fun. I love the way that music expresses things. We've been spending a lot of time on the road lately so we do lots of watching music DVDs - just seeing the different ways people express themselves. We've been watching a Genesis DVD....and we've been watching ColdPlay... and Ben Folds. They're all so different, but just to see the way that their music kind of expresses who they are is really fascinating, I think. And so I think for me, music is my means of expression. It's an outlet for my thoughts and feelings and all of those things.
MQ: When you sit down and ponder God, what things amaze you most about Him?
GO: Aw, man. I think that just that He is who He is.
There is something about traveling the country
and meeting so many different people and being at
so many different places and hearing different
prayers and hear people talk to God and talk about God. It gives me a tiny bit of
perspective on how many people are talking to Him at
the same time. Just how many people there are in this
world. And I just think, 'Man, He's busy!' I don't
know. It's just a funny thought to me just to think of
how many prayers are lifted up at the same time and
how many people are constantly asking God or begging
God for things. Or, just how many people are - how
all of us are kind of struggling to move forward in
our faith everyday. I don't know - I just think it's
amazing how God works, how He moves,
and the fact He can continue to be present in all of
us and helping all of us.
MQ: What do you believe your spiritual gifts are?
GO: I don't know. I think maybe encouragement. I like to be a cheerleader for people. I like to be a listener. I don't know that that's a spiritual gift, but I enjoy doing that. I like hospitality. I like making food for people. I'm not home as often enough to do that as I'd like. I enjoy doing that.
MQ: I heard you say you're a home body.
GO: I am! I'm not as much now - I don't get to be but I've definitely have been in the past. That's for sure.
MQ: What can people expect when they come out to see you on tour?
GO: You never know. It's different everyday. Typically it's me and two players, a drummer, and a bass player, and I play piano. It's fun. It's kind of an interactive, intimate living room setting type show where we're just laid back and laughing with the crowd, playing songs, sharing some stories about songs, having a little worship. It's fun!
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