1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:03,600 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:05,600 Speaker 2: Hey Jamie, thanks for joining me. 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Happy to be here. 4 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 2: Jamie McDonald's DUB Award nominated Soulful Gospel artist. I'll over music, Jamie. 5 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 2: See the new album titled Simply Jamie McDonald coming out 6 00:00:16,360 --> 00:00:20,400 Speaker 2: in January to twenty third first album on a new label. 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:25,400 Speaker 2: What are your emotions as you anticipate this album. This 8 00:00:25,480 --> 00:00:27,159 Speaker 2: is a lot of hard work that was put in 9 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:28,080 Speaker 2: the desk, Jamie. 10 00:00:28,760 --> 00:00:31,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, it feels like a finish line for me, 11 00:00:31,280 --> 00:00:34,560 Speaker 3: even now that the record's turned in, Like, I kind 12 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,159 Speaker 3: of just feel like I've been on this journey my 13 00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 3: whole life to get to this point, and really it's 14 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:42,839 Speaker 3: the point would be to like fully open up and 15 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 3: share my story and be brave enough to like put 16 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 3: myself out there in front of the world and tell 17 00:00:49,440 --> 00:00:51,600 Speaker 3: the truth about where I've been and where I'm going. 18 00:00:51,720 --> 00:00:55,640 Speaker 3: And so it feels I do feel a sense of accomplishment, 19 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:59,720 Speaker 3: like every part of my story makes sense now that 20 00:00:59,760 --> 00:01:01,920 Speaker 3: I'm getting to this part in the story, and it's 21 00:01:01,960 --> 00:01:03,320 Speaker 3: like feels like it's all worth it. 22 00:01:04,240 --> 00:01:08,360 Speaker 2: Many people, many Christian fans, Christian music fans, learned of 23 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: your music just a few months ago. I guess when 24 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 2: Desperate was released, But of course you were singing background 25 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 2: vocals for many, many years. Tell us about that. What 26 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: artists did you sing for and maybe how did that 27 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:23,520 Speaker 2: impact where you are now. 28 00:01:24,120 --> 00:01:27,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, So I first got to know like the Nashville 29 00:01:27,880 --> 00:01:31,880 Speaker 3: music scene in twenty nineteen. I moved here for just 30 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 3: to kind of get more serious about the music industry 31 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:36,320 Speaker 3: and try to go full time as an artist. And 32 00:01:36,480 --> 00:01:40,480 Speaker 3: I was waitressing at the Cheesecake Factory here in Nashville, 33 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,720 Speaker 3: and I started getting in the room with producers and 34 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 3: writing songs and it was like my first attempt at 35 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,120 Speaker 3: being an artist, and I was blessed to be invited 36 00:01:50,160 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 3: into rooms with like some of the best people in town. 37 00:01:53,560 --> 00:01:54,680 Speaker 1: But we really like. 38 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:56,320 Speaker 3: It was tough for me to find my place in 39 00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 3: the Christian genre with my style, and at the time, 40 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 3: I think radio it was like super a little more 41 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:04,880 Speaker 3: narrow and so it was just like, Okay, this and 42 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 3: this about your sound don't work, but like if you 43 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 3: do it this way, then this will work. And I 44 00:02:09,480 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 3: was just like, ah, I don't think I can like 45 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 3: change who I am, especially since it's taken me so 46 00:02:14,880 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 3: long to find that. 47 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:18,320 Speaker 1: And so I ended up walking. 48 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:21,360 Speaker 3: Away from Nashville and just deciding it wasn't for me 49 00:02:21,480 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 3: at the time doing like the Christian artistry thing. But 50 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,160 Speaker 3: I had all these awesome sessions that I did with 51 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 3: these producers where we wrote songs and I was like, hey, 52 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,080 Speaker 3: I'm hearing a choir on this, and I was like, 53 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:35,679 Speaker 3: let me at it, and so I would stack my 54 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,000 Speaker 3: vocals to the high heavens and like, I've always been 55 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,120 Speaker 3: drawn to that choir sound. And so later on, like 56 00:02:41,200 --> 00:02:44,120 Speaker 3: they remembered that when they were looking for somebody to 57 00:02:44,160 --> 00:02:47,440 Speaker 3: do backgrounds or stack a choir type sound on some 58 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 3: of the artists that they work with. So I'm like, well, 59 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 3: we remember when Jamie was here in the studio and 60 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 3: she stacked her voice a million. 61 00:02:53,440 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: Times to sound like a choir. Let's call her. 62 00:02:55,560 --> 00:02:57,560 Speaker 3: And so they started calling me for that, and so 63 00:02:57,600 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 3: I got to be this like closet choir from my 64 00:03:00,200 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 3: house in Georgia. I had like a little studio in 65 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 3: my closet and it was very minimal. It was like 66 00:03:05,280 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 3: a laptop and a microphone literally, and They're like, just 67 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 3: do your thing on it. So I just started getting 68 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 3: to do these tracks for I did quite a few 69 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 3: for Ann Wilson. 70 00:03:15,200 --> 00:03:17,440 Speaker 1: I did. She was kind of where I started. 71 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:19,680 Speaker 3: And then I started working with Zach Williams team a 72 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,839 Speaker 3: bunch and did several on his last record, and then 73 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:25,280 Speaker 3: then it just kept stacking up and I got to 74 00:03:25,320 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 3: work with I don't know, Pat Barrett, David Leonard, I 75 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,520 Speaker 3: got to sing a little bit with Maverick City, and gosh, 76 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:36,520 Speaker 3: I just I kind of think every artist there is, 77 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:41,400 Speaker 3: Megan Woods, Tarrian just like choir stuff. Actually, Rewind, I 78 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:43,920 Speaker 3: don't think I was sang for Tarrian. Maybe one day 79 00:03:43,920 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 3: I'll get to, but Megan Woods and let's see, like 80 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 3: Micah Tyler and Ben Fuller and I just started getting 81 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 3: the calls NonStop. So I was doing like just one 82 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 3: after the other and having the time of my life 83 00:03:57,200 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: with it because I just I love harmony so much. 84 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:02,760 Speaker 3: So it was like, Okay, there's no one telling me 85 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 3: like that's too many harmonies. Like I could just go 86 00:04:05,280 --> 00:04:08,240 Speaker 3: absolutely crazy. And you know it's fun too, because when 87 00:04:08,320 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 3: you stack like a home choir, you have to like 88 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:13,800 Speaker 3: change your voice and try to sound like different people. 89 00:04:13,840 --> 00:04:16,800 Speaker 3: So I'd be like, hol Lou, you know, like do 90 00:04:16,880 --> 00:04:19,719 Speaker 3: these weird voices, and then I'd be like, and you 91 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:23,400 Speaker 3: just get to be silly and have help. I think 92 00:04:23,440 --> 00:04:25,200 Speaker 3: I just really got into that and then it was 93 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:28,800 Speaker 3: cool because I was able to build relationships with so 94 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 3: many artists through singing on their songs before I even 95 00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:33,599 Speaker 3: jumped in the music scene. 96 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's really unique. Not not many artists get to 97 00:04:36,560 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 2: do that. That's awesome. Now, did you grow up with 98 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:40,680 Speaker 2: a desire to be a singer? How did when did 99 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:43,039 Speaker 2: you discover you had this gift for music? 100 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:46,919 Speaker 3: Yeah, so growing up, Like I kind of realized this 101 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:49,560 Speaker 3: later in life, but when I was young, my dad 102 00:04:50,160 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 3: loved to sing, and so we would ride them around 103 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:56,080 Speaker 3: in the car with him, and it was like nobody talked. 104 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:57,919 Speaker 1: Because the music was too loud, and so you just 105 00:04:58,000 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: had to either sing. 106 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 3: Along or I could just, I don't know, not be 107 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,239 Speaker 3: a part of it because my dad would just belt, 108 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 3: you know, Michael W. Smith and like Stepa Curtis Chapman, 109 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 3: Windows Down. I know, they just re released the song 110 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 3: Placed in This World with for King Country. That was 111 00:05:13,360 --> 00:05:17,080 Speaker 3: my dad's favorite song, and so I remember him belting 112 00:05:17,080 --> 00:05:19,120 Speaker 3: that from when I was a kid, and I think 113 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,800 Speaker 3: that was like where some of my love for music started, 114 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 3: where it was just like there's a feeling of freedom 115 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:28,360 Speaker 3: with music that it's like an escape. And my dad 116 00:05:28,400 --> 00:05:31,279 Speaker 3: and mom divorced when I was young, and he ended 117 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:32,800 Speaker 3: up like not really being a part of my life 118 00:05:32,839 --> 00:05:33,240 Speaker 3: after that. 119 00:05:33,680 --> 00:05:35,840 Speaker 1: He was a former pro boxer and. 120 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 3: He had like a lot of mental issues from that, 121 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 3: but it really was where my love for singing started. 122 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,600 Speaker 3: And then fast forward to just like the last few years, 123 00:05:44,640 --> 00:05:47,600 Speaker 3: I got to reunite with him, and little did I 124 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:50,679 Speaker 3: know it would be us singing those same songs together. 125 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:54,720 Speaker 3: He had dementia from the boxing and ended up passing 126 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,799 Speaker 3: away in twenty twenty three. But leading up to him, 127 00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,280 Speaker 3: you know, having taken his last breath, we were singing 128 00:06:00,320 --> 00:06:03,679 Speaker 3: those same songs again and able to just like connect 129 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,479 Speaker 3: and rebuild our relationship before he passed. 130 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 1: So it was very very beautiful. 131 00:06:08,680 --> 00:06:11,640 Speaker 2: That's very beautiful. How did you come to faith in Christ? 132 00:06:11,880 --> 00:06:13,760 Speaker 2: Was that as a young person? 133 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:14,640 Speaker 1: Yeah? 134 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,440 Speaker 3: So, well, my dad obviously planted a lot of seeds 135 00:06:17,440 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 3: of faith, and even like when he would have his 136 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,880 Speaker 3: like televised fights being a pro boxer, you know, they'd 137 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:26,680 Speaker 3: give him the microphone and say, so, Jim, what do 138 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:28,599 Speaker 3: you think of the you know, your opponent, and he'd 139 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:30,880 Speaker 3: be like, well, Jesus is coming back, and you know, 140 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:32,960 Speaker 3: he would just like preach the gospel every time they 141 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,039 Speaker 3: gave him the microphone. So they finally just kind of 142 00:06:35,160 --> 00:06:37,520 Speaker 3: go to commercial and stop giving him the mic. But 143 00:06:37,640 --> 00:06:40,159 Speaker 3: he was always like a radical faith person, and so 144 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:42,080 Speaker 3: I think those seeds are planning in me at a 145 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 3: young age. 146 00:06:42,560 --> 00:06:43,840 Speaker 1: But I had my. 147 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 3: Own first experience at church camp when I was twelve 148 00:06:46,839 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 3: years old, and like I said, my dad had been 149 00:06:49,560 --> 00:06:50,679 Speaker 3: gone for a number of years. 150 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 1: My mom remarried. 151 00:06:52,360 --> 00:06:56,240 Speaker 3: And our new stepdad really didn't really didn't want kids around, 152 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,440 Speaker 3: and so when we moved into his house when they married, 153 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:02,160 Speaker 3: rule for me was no singing in the house. And 154 00:07:02,240 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 3: so I really struggled with that as a young girl 155 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:08,919 Speaker 3: who loved music to get like it, punished for it 156 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 3: at home, but celebrated at school and stuff for singing. 157 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:14,960 Speaker 3: And so I got to camp and it was just 158 00:07:15,040 --> 00:07:18,640 Speaker 3: like a really I felt rescued when I got to camp. 159 00:07:18,720 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 3: It was just like this is the family for me, 160 00:07:20,320 --> 00:07:23,920 Speaker 3: because they never stopped singing, and they also just you know, 161 00:07:23,960 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 3: they wanted me there. They said, We're so glad you're here. 162 00:07:26,360 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 3: God has a plan for you. God loves you, and 163 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:31,360 Speaker 3: so do we. And I think I felt so misunderstood 164 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 3: as a young girl in so many ways, and so 165 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:36,760 Speaker 3: I finally felt like I belonged somewhere at church camp. 166 00:07:36,800 --> 00:07:39,720 Speaker 3: And so that was like a pivotal moment for me. 167 00:07:40,120 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 3: Even though getting home from camp, I still returned to 168 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 3: the same, you know, just like the brokenness of my 169 00:07:45,920 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 3: home and then got into like my teen years, got 170 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,679 Speaker 3: into the wrong crowd, peer pressure, started getting into drugs 171 00:07:52,680 --> 00:07:55,800 Speaker 3: and alcohol, ended up dropping out of high school, and 172 00:07:55,880 --> 00:07:58,600 Speaker 3: then really hit rock bottom and cried out to God 173 00:07:58,640 --> 00:08:01,400 Speaker 3: again and at the age to twenty one, and I 174 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:03,560 Speaker 3: just said, God, I remember you said you had a 175 00:08:03,560 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 3: plan for my life, and I know I've really messed 176 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,520 Speaker 3: it up. So if you can help me, like I'd 177 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:10,840 Speaker 3: love to start over and know what that plan is. 178 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:14,120 Speaker 3: And so from then on, like I just kind of 179 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:17,480 Speaker 3: radically turned about three sixty and I started going to 180 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:20,000 Speaker 3: church and getting into my Bible. I got out on 181 00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,160 Speaker 3: the mission field and just left that whole past behind. 182 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 3: And it took a number of years for me to 183 00:08:26,600 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 3: really heal from all of my past and to really 184 00:08:30,640 --> 00:08:34,000 Speaker 3: know who I am in Christ and not have like 185 00:08:34,120 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 3: my past define me. And so it's it's kind of cool. 186 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:40,400 Speaker 3: I'm finally getting to tell that story. But it took 187 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 3: a really long time to get here. So that's another 188 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:45,760 Speaker 3: reason why this whole sharing this new record and telling 189 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:48,319 Speaker 3: my testimony for the first time feels so huge. 190 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 2: Let me let me wrap two questions into one question here. 191 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,200 Speaker 2: You you talked about your brokenness from your youth, and 192 00:08:54,280 --> 00:08:57,800 Speaker 2: you also later in life served in prison ministry. How 193 00:08:57,840 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 2: did those two elements and may impact your music and 194 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 2: your message? 195 00:09:12,640 --> 00:09:15,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, you know, I told you, I kind of 196 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:17,920 Speaker 3: walked away from Nashville and was like, oh, the music industry, 197 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:21,560 Speaker 3: it's just I'm not finding how I fit. And so 198 00:09:22,559 --> 00:09:26,160 Speaker 3: I started to miss music and I just needed hope. 199 00:09:26,240 --> 00:09:28,600 Speaker 3: And I wrote in my journal that I'd love to 200 00:09:29,160 --> 00:09:32,199 Speaker 3: sing again, but maybe like just in a prison somewhere 201 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:34,840 Speaker 3: that's like low pressure, where it's just for the love 202 00:09:34,880 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 3: of music and there's nothing corrupting and making it confusing. 203 00:09:39,520 --> 00:09:41,560 Speaker 3: I just wanted to find my love for music again. 204 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 3: And so a week later I got a call from 205 00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 3: a random number I didn't know, and they said, we 206 00:09:46,760 --> 00:09:49,160 Speaker 3: got your number from someone who said you might be 207 00:09:49,200 --> 00:09:52,480 Speaker 3: interested in singing in a prison here in Georgia. And 208 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:54,920 Speaker 3: I was thought, well, cool, I don't know any of 209 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:56,920 Speaker 3: the Georgia prison systems. So it was just such a 210 00:09:56,920 --> 00:09:59,240 Speaker 3: god thing. And it was a choir that wanted to 211 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:02,200 Speaker 3: feature me for a performance that they were going to 212 00:10:02,240 --> 00:10:04,200 Speaker 3: do within the prison for the rest of the inmates. 213 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,840 Speaker 3: And so I show up there and I immediately felt 214 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,280 Speaker 3: at home. I mean, looking back at my past and 215 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:14,479 Speaker 3: like everyone who I was running with throughout my teen years, 216 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,560 Speaker 3: these girls reminded me of like who I grew up with, 217 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 3: you know, just like I could be right there in 218 00:10:19,000 --> 00:10:20,840 Speaker 3: prison with them, you know, for some of the places 219 00:10:20,880 --> 00:10:23,000 Speaker 3: I was and some of the you know, the things 220 00:10:23,040 --> 00:10:24,080 Speaker 3: that I was a part of. 221 00:10:24,240 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 1: And so I. 222 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 3: Think for me, it just felt like just a place 223 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:32,080 Speaker 3: to belong and I wanted to give back. And what's 224 00:10:32,120 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 3: crazy is like they ended up blessing me so much 225 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:37,280 Speaker 3: more than I thought I was going to be a 226 00:10:37,320 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 3: blessing to them, and they walked me through losing my dad, 227 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:41,600 Speaker 3: you know. 228 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:43,240 Speaker 1: They became like my home church. 229 00:10:43,400 --> 00:10:45,720 Speaker 3: And I started I joined like part time staff at 230 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:48,480 Speaker 3: the prison so that I could keep coming back weekly 231 00:10:48,559 --> 00:10:52,240 Speaker 3: and I was teaching songwriting and just changed my entire life. 232 00:10:52,320 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 3: So I think it was really full circle because some 233 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:59,440 Speaker 3: of my friends did go to prison back when I was, 234 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,439 Speaker 3: you know, off the rails, and so to be able 235 00:11:02,480 --> 00:11:05,600 Speaker 3: to now go into prisons and share my faith and 236 00:11:05,600 --> 00:11:07,840 Speaker 3: share my story. I was able to connect with them 237 00:11:07,880 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 3: so quickly because I've been there, you know, And so 238 00:11:11,559 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 3: it was cool to see too, how like how Christian 239 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:18,199 Speaker 3: music has kept them filled with faith in there where 240 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:21,200 Speaker 3: you wouldn't know they're in prison by the way they 241 00:11:21,280 --> 00:11:23,720 Speaker 3: talk and the way they act, because they're just so 242 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:26,839 Speaker 3: filled with hope. And Christian music is a big part 243 00:11:26,880 --> 00:11:28,959 Speaker 3: of that. And so I thought, oh my gosh, if 244 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:31,720 Speaker 3: I could get a song on the radio and like 245 00:11:32,120 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 3: maybe go back to Nashville and try this thing again, 246 00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:36,280 Speaker 3: like I could reach all the prisons at once, because 247 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 3: I was seeing just how much one song, you know, 248 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:40,480 Speaker 3: can like carry them in there. 249 00:11:40,480 --> 00:11:43,160 Speaker 1: So I thought, Okay, I think I have my why now, and. 250 00:11:43,160 --> 00:11:45,679 Speaker 3: It's no matter what I have to do to like 251 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,480 Speaker 3: do this industry thing, Like I know why I'm doing it, 252 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 3: and so I think it made it all click into place. 253 00:11:51,600 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 1: It makes sense for me. 254 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:56,839 Speaker 2: So the prisoners impacted where you are now that you're 255 00:11:57,080 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 2: the ministry and the people you met there, oh yeah. 256 00:12:00,600 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 1: And they still do. 257 00:12:01,320 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 3: I mean I have them in mind with everything I'm 258 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 3: doing and everything I'm writing. 259 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:09,040 Speaker 2: Wow, what a story. Let's talk about your sound, because 260 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: your sound is very unique. How would you describe your sound? 261 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:15,960 Speaker 2: Is it a blend of I don't know, multiple different genres. 262 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 2: What would you say? 263 00:12:17,320 --> 00:12:17,560 Speaker 1: Yeah? 264 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:21,120 Speaker 3: I mean growing up, I loved Mariah Carey, So that 265 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:23,680 Speaker 3: was like just that early on. 266 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,160 Speaker 1: That kind of R and B soulful sound. 267 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 3: Right when I heard like her Christmas record and my walkman, 268 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:31,200 Speaker 3: I was like, what is this? 269 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 1: And I'm like, I have to learn how to sing 270 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:33,280 Speaker 1: like that. 271 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:37,079 Speaker 3: And then I saw the movie sisterrect Too, and I 272 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 3: fell in love with like that choir sound, and I 273 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:42,440 Speaker 3: was just like, oh, like no one in my town 274 00:12:42,559 --> 00:12:44,719 Speaker 3: was listening to this music, but like this is how 275 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:45,800 Speaker 3: I feel on the inside. 276 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:47,920 Speaker 1: And so I was just like, I've got to know 277 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:48,439 Speaker 1: how to do it. 278 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:51,920 Speaker 3: So I started studying like her voice and not saying 279 00:12:51,920 --> 00:12:55,760 Speaker 3: I sing like Mariah Carey, but I tried. I'd learned 280 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:58,199 Speaker 3: how to do runs, you know, where I'd like manipulate 281 00:12:58,240 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 3: my voice to be like, okay, I have to learn 282 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:01,840 Speaker 3: how to do those little curly cues. 283 00:13:02,320 --> 00:13:05,680 Speaker 1: And then just like over time, you know, as I gave. 284 00:13:05,559 --> 00:13:09,000 Speaker 3: My life to christ I started finding more gospel influences. 285 00:13:09,040 --> 00:13:10,680 Speaker 1: A big one for me is cc Winans. 286 00:13:11,080 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 3: Natalie Grant was somebody that I found early on in 287 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:16,160 Speaker 3: my faith journey where I was switching over from secular 288 00:13:16,200 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 3: to Christian music and I'm like, all right, what do 289 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:20,280 Speaker 3: we got out here? And so there were two people 290 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,360 Speaker 3: that were big staples and just teaching me how to 291 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:26,120 Speaker 3: sing from my soul and sing for God. And so 292 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:29,840 Speaker 3: cc Winans is still one of my biggest heroes to 293 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:30,320 Speaker 3: this day. 294 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 2: So amen to that. I think everybody's a fan of cc. 295 00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:36,719 Speaker 2: Let's switch to the album. Jamie McDonald is the name 296 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:39,679 Speaker 2: of the album January twenty third. One of the songs 297 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:41,520 Speaker 2: that I of course I haven't listened to the entire 298 00:13:41,559 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 2: album as a connect had, but one of the ones 299 00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 2: that I really enjoyed was My Family. I've never heard 300 00:13:46,920 --> 00:13:48,960 Speaker 2: a song like that. It's it's kind of like a 301 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 2: Christian anthem about bringing a family back together that's broken. 302 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,000 Speaker 2: What's the story there? I mean, was that influenced by 303 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:57,600 Speaker 2: your own childhood? Oh? 304 00:13:57,679 --> 00:13:58,480 Speaker 1: Yeah for sure. 305 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,040 Speaker 3: And you know, for so many years I've had a 306 00:14:01,040 --> 00:14:04,719 Speaker 3: broken family and it's been an area that I've at 307 00:14:04,760 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 3: times tried to mend together. Myself, and you know, there's 308 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:11,160 Speaker 3: times when certain family members don't talk to each other 309 00:14:11,200 --> 00:14:13,719 Speaker 3: and I'm like, hey, you should talk to her and 310 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:16,680 Speaker 3: like try to get them, you know, get everybody back together. 311 00:14:16,920 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 3: And even generations pass, you know, there's been family members 312 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,400 Speaker 3: that just split up and don't talk and it just 313 00:14:24,440 --> 00:14:27,720 Speaker 3: breaks my heart, especially, you know, just knowing like if 314 00:14:27,720 --> 00:14:31,040 Speaker 3: we could all forgive and like move forward, we could 315 00:14:31,080 --> 00:14:33,680 Speaker 3: actually like it's not too late for us to have like. 316 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,560 Speaker 1: The family that God intended. And so I think I tried. 317 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:41,520 Speaker 3: To carry that sometimes and this was a song of 318 00:14:41,560 --> 00:14:44,160 Speaker 3: surrender in the midst of some of my hardest times 319 00:14:44,160 --> 00:14:46,480 Speaker 3: with my family in the past couple of years, to 320 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:49,400 Speaker 3: just finally give that back to God and say, like, 321 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:52,280 Speaker 3: if you know how to move mountains and parts seas, 322 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:56,200 Speaker 3: surely like you're strong enough to restore families, and you care. 323 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:58,800 Speaker 3: You care about it even more than I do. So 324 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:01,440 Speaker 3: it felt good to give that back to God. And 325 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,720 Speaker 3: what's cool is like I think sometimes when you have 326 00:15:04,760 --> 00:15:07,640 Speaker 3: a broken family, you and you look around, it seems 327 00:15:07,640 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 3: like everyone else has a perfect family, and we can 328 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 3: like make the mistake of assuming that people don't have 329 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 3: problems by the way they look on the outside, especially 330 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 3: like in the Christian world and that church and stuff. 331 00:15:18,920 --> 00:15:21,960 Speaker 3: But what I've learned through releasing this song is just 332 00:15:22,000 --> 00:15:25,560 Speaker 3: like so many people have brokenness in their family and 333 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,880 Speaker 3: things that aren't okay, that they still don't know how 334 00:15:28,920 --> 00:15:32,160 Speaker 3: to come to terms with God with where things are at. 335 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,040 Speaker 3: And so it's been cool to see people find a 336 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 3: tool to give it back to God and trust him 337 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:39,600 Speaker 3: even when you know you might not be able to 338 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:42,320 Speaker 3: see what you want to see, like in your current season. 339 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 2: And then to that I left it in the river 340 00:15:44,600 --> 00:15:46,360 Speaker 2: of course, is also on the album. Now, there's many 341 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:48,440 Speaker 2: many new songs on the album For those who haven't 342 00:15:48,520 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 2: checked it out, What do you hope listeners take away 343 00:15:51,400 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 2: from your new album? You want them to enjoy it, 344 00:15:53,720 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 2: of course, just an entertainment project, but what are some 345 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 2: themes that you want listeners to take away. 346 00:15:59,200 --> 00:16:01,880 Speaker 3: Well, you know, there's a lot of songs on this 347 00:16:01,920 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 3: record that was like my first time talking about these 348 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:09,200 Speaker 3: parts of my story, and like writing the songs has 349 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:12,960 Speaker 3: healed me a lot in certain areas, and so my 350 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:17,200 Speaker 3: heart is that like those same songs would then heal 351 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 3: other people and get them to have something to hold 352 00:16:20,240 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 3: on to. If they're walking through some of their hardest things. 353 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:26,800 Speaker 3: And then of course I sprinkled in the bops where 354 00:16:26,840 --> 00:16:29,560 Speaker 3: they can enjoy and find joy even on a hard 355 00:16:29,640 --> 00:16:32,800 Speaker 3: day and connect to God. Really, my heart is that 356 00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:35,120 Speaker 3: they would just connect to God and connect to what's true. 357 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 3: When I think all of us are facing a lot 358 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 3: that people don't see. 359 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:42,600 Speaker 2: You know, tell us about your style. You're aesthetic. You 360 00:16:42,600 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 2: certainly stand apart in terms of you know, your hat, 361 00:16:45,600 --> 00:16:49,200 Speaker 2: your your glasses, everything. How did that develop? And I 362 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 2: guess how many different shades of glasses do you have 363 00:16:51,240 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 2: for your for your tour? 364 00:16:53,960 --> 00:16:57,560 Speaker 3: Oh? Yeah, well wow, I've always had to wear glasses 365 00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,080 Speaker 3: my whole life, and so I just like, I think, 366 00:17:01,360 --> 00:17:03,080 Speaker 3: I just thought, if I'm wearing something on my face 367 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,439 Speaker 3: every day, I got to keep it interesting and enjoy 368 00:17:06,480 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 3: it myself too. So I've tried contacts I don't really like. Honestly, 369 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 3: I was bad at like taking them out at night. 370 00:17:12,840 --> 00:17:14,679 Speaker 3: I just like sleep with them in and then my 371 00:17:14,720 --> 00:17:18,159 Speaker 3: eyes got irritated and I just thought, no, this is 372 00:17:18,200 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 3: not for me. So my grandma, though, used to wear 373 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 3: crazy glasses when I was young, and she would actually 374 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,879 Speaker 3: like per outfit. She would paint the rims of her 375 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,240 Speaker 3: glasses to match her shoes or to match part of 376 00:17:31,240 --> 00:17:34,080 Speaker 3: her outfit with nail polish, and so like, say she's 377 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:36,560 Speaker 3: wearing like red shoes that day to church, she would 378 00:17:36,640 --> 00:17:39,720 Speaker 3: like quickly before church, just paint the repaint the rim 379 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 3: or red color. And so I think maybe some of 380 00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:45,200 Speaker 3: that came from my grandma. I realized that kind of recently. 381 00:17:45,760 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 3: And then I actually used to work in an eye store. 382 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 3: So after I ended up getting my GD and getting 383 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:55,359 Speaker 3: certified as an optician's assistant, and so I worked in 384 00:17:55,400 --> 00:17:58,520 Speaker 3: a few eye stores with the dispensing side, and so 385 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:01,159 Speaker 3: I got really into glasses that way too, And my 386 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:04,199 Speaker 3: mom now works in an eyeglass store. So I think 387 00:18:04,280 --> 00:18:06,760 Speaker 3: it's just a thing that an I shop online for 388 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 3: mine and I get to pick the tint. So these 389 00:18:08,840 --> 00:18:10,080 Speaker 3: are all prescription glasses. 390 00:18:10,640 --> 00:18:12,200 Speaker 2: And of course you I think you tell k Love 391 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:14,639 Speaker 2: that you were a big thrift store shopper and that 392 00:18:14,720 --> 00:18:16,680 Speaker 2: you liked the good stuff. Is that still the case? 393 00:18:17,119 --> 00:18:21,280 Speaker 3: Yes, I honestly, as a young girl, my dad used 394 00:18:21,359 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 3: to make us stop at every garage sale because he 395 00:18:24,400 --> 00:18:27,399 Speaker 3: was an antique dealer, and so we were always like 396 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,800 Speaker 3: whipping U turns anytime there was like a garage shale 397 00:18:29,800 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 3: that we drove by, or thrift storees Goodwill, and so 398 00:18:32,960 --> 00:18:35,639 Speaker 3: there's something nostalgic about it. Like even the smell of 399 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 3: a thrift store just like takes me back to like 400 00:18:37,840 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 3: really good memories of kind of treasure hunting and my 401 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:44,879 Speaker 3: dad always found like treasures that were actually worth money. 402 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 3: And so in my mind, like when I walk in there, 403 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:49,720 Speaker 3: I'm like, there's gold in here, we just gotta find it. 404 00:18:49,800 --> 00:18:52,320 Speaker 3: And so I think it's it feels like some kind 405 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:54,240 Speaker 3: of a treasure hunt, and I have a really good time, 406 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:55,639 Speaker 3: whether I find stuff or not. 407 00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:58,400 Speaker 1: I think that just the act of shopping in. 408 00:18:58,359 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 3: A thrift store just feels it's like one of my 409 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:04,320 Speaker 3: favorite feelings. I don't know, it's like a nostalgia, but yeah, 410 00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:05,480 Speaker 3: a lot of my clothes are thrifted. 411 00:19:06,040 --> 00:19:08,040 Speaker 1: Honestly. I shop on Amazon a lot. Nowadays. 412 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:11,680 Speaker 3: I don't have as much time to just leisurely shop 413 00:19:11,720 --> 00:19:14,960 Speaker 3: around at garage sales, but I will stop at a 414 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 3: garage sale. I was at a thrift store this weekend, 415 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:20,080 Speaker 3: and yeah, I like one of a kind pieces too, 416 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:22,240 Speaker 3: So it's like I know when I find this old 417 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:24,720 Speaker 3: shirt at an estate sale, no one else is going 418 00:19:24,760 --> 00:19:26,159 Speaker 3: to have it, you know, and that makes it kind 419 00:19:26,160 --> 00:19:26,480 Speaker 3: of fun. 420 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:29,800 Speaker 2: That's cool. Jamiemingdowald Music dot com is the website. You 421 00:19:29,800 --> 00:19:32,160 Speaker 2: have a tour coming up. Briefly give us a preview 422 00:19:32,160 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 2: of the tour for those who are fans and want 423 00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:35,080 Speaker 2: to come. 424 00:19:35,600 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. 425 00:19:36,040 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 3: So it's my first headline tour and it's this February. 426 00:19:40,080 --> 00:19:41,359 Speaker 1: We've got eight dates. 427 00:19:41,119 --> 00:19:44,120 Speaker 3: Around the country and a few are already sold out, 428 00:19:44,160 --> 00:19:47,480 Speaker 3: which is crazy. But I have Taylor Hill as my opener. 429 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 3: He's an incredible artist right here out in Nashville. And yeah, 430 00:19:51,920 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 3: I am excited to share the full record. I think 431 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,560 Speaker 3: this is a unique tour because I actually just have 432 00:19:58,040 --> 00:19:59,800 Speaker 3: the record to play and I don't have all these this 433 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:01,960 Speaker 3: backlog of songs that I'm going to pull from, like 434 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,639 Speaker 3: you're getting the record, and I'm pretty stoked to just 435 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:07,040 Speaker 3: connect with new fans and really get to tell the 436 00:20:07,080 --> 00:20:09,879 Speaker 3: story in a bigger way since I have a bigger 437 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:10,600 Speaker 3: time slot for. 438 00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:11,160 Speaker 1: My own tour. 439 00:20:12,160 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 3: Jamie, thanks so much, Thank you, Michael, it was fun 440 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:15,320 Speaker 3: hanging out. 441 00:20:17,880 --> 00:20:20,639 Speaker 4: If you enjoy today's interview, please make sure to subscribe 442 00:20:20,640 --> 00:20:23,080 Speaker 4: and share the episode with a friend. A big thanks 443 00:20:23,280 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 4: to the team at Life Audio for their partnership with 444 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:28,920 Speaker 4: us on the podcast. If you go to lifeaudio dot com, 445 00:20:28,960 --> 00:20:32,000 Speaker 4: you'll find dozens of other faith centered. 446 00:20:31,720 --> 00:20:34,840 Speaker 2: Podcasts and their network. See you next time.