Samuel Hunter Smith
7 lbs. 5.5 oz. - 21.5 inches - Curly brown hair
Thanks for all of your prayers!!

Hunter

“Glory Be” was a song we felt strongly about from the beginning. One day Chris came to me and said he had an idea for a mid-tempo worship song. One of the things you always look for in a song meant for corporate worship is singability. Can you’re average person hear it a few times and be able to keep up? Does it stay in your head, etc? We were in our church’s old sanctuary when Chris played and sang the foundations of this songs chorus for me. I liked it immediately, and in the end the final version of the chorus ended up being just about exactly what he sang for me that day. It had a very wide open, melodic, and passionate way that made it a joy to sing over and over throughout the process of writing it.

There are definite roles when a Connersvine song is written. Chris is forever committed to the search for great melodies and I am a lyric man. This makes for a great song writing dynamic. We both write lyrics and melodies, but we both know our specialties as well. Usually about 10 to 20 percent of a song will flow quickly out of “fireworks” inspiration.

Then, the next 50 to 60 percent will flow out of the excitement about the fireworks you’ve just experienced. That gives impetus for the bulk of the song. However, the last 20 to 30 percent requires the “grind”. Most great songs that never happen never happen because artists do not have the discipline to finish a song. They allude to cliche lyrics and melodies that taint the entire work. After patching a bunch of junk on to the last verse and bridge they shrug and declare “good enough” then move on.

We’d like to believe we’ve never done this to a song. We treat each one as a gift that should be opened up all the way regardless of how much time it takes. Because of the simplicity and passion of the chorus we wanted the verses to be packed with great visuals of God and His nature, power, love, and sacrifice. My favorite sequence of the first verse is the combination of the second and third stanzas:

Glory to the one whose feet could walk beyond the shore
Glory to the voice that calls the storms to rumble in the sky

I picture these two at the same time. Jesus walking on the water while a storm brews in the dangerous sky above Him. It works for me anyway.

As we headed into the second verse the idea of God having a memory came up. I don’t know if He calls it that, but I think being all knowing qualifies that there is an amazing memory within God. The most important part of His memory is that he has never forgotten us. We have forgotten Him but he is incapable of forgetting us. Never were we remembered more than during His sacrifice on the cross.

Glory to the heart that died alone
Glory to the memory that would not let us go

And finally, one night in our home office came the bridge. It was one of those rare times when I write something that I really feel is average and Chris disagrees. Typically we are on the same page with whether something is good or not. The truth is there wasn’t much of a grind to this one. It came almost spontaneously. Maybe that’s why I didn’t feel strongly about it? Maybe in my pride I thought great lyrics should take more work? However, it is God who inspires, not us. Chris loved it and it has become one of the highlights of the album for me.

My favorite lines:
Kingdoms rise and kingdoms crumble
Men are high and men are humbled
After all has fallen let our only anthem be. . . . . . .Glory Be

“Glory Be” met a lot of resistance with one of our producers. It was actually added to the album toward the end of the whole process. We are glad it was. And, we’re glad it’s the 1st track on the album. For us it clears up any questions about who the glory belongs to right from the start.

Hope y’all enjoy this. Let me know your thoughts. Need more? Less? If everyone says “boo” to the idea of an album commentary through a series of posts then I’ll quit it. Sure is fun for me though.

“Lay Down” is next!

-Hunter

Baby #2 is on the way!

My wife and I are having this one on this coming Tuesday, the 4th of March. That is actually our other sons birthday as well. Please pray that all goes well. We are very excited!

I have an idea for a series of posts about our album. Chris and I worked hard on this album for a long time and it would be special to me (if nobody else) to write a little bit about each song’s story. Chris is out on the road working hard finishing the tour so this is least I could do. (in my nonexistent spare time!) By the way, this is in no way a plug for people to buy our album, but………well………….ok, just buy our album. That way the story behind each song will make sense to you. It doesn’t matter to us how you purchase the album. If you’re worried that I’m using some manipulative tactic to sell albums then, well, you’re right…..I guess. However, you’re not being duped for our own selfish benefit. We believe in the message of our album.

We believe that God has a purpose in it and we’d love to share the origins of each song. Once I was talking to some guys from a large and very well known band about their album. We were talking about the process of writing the songs. One of them said, “Well, we knew we had the single (meaning the big radio song) so the rest of it was just filling up the tracks.” This was hard for me to hear. I believe that we as artists are entrusted with a unique responsibility to express an important message to people. Furthermore, I believe God is worthy of more than
just a bunch of “filler” so that we meet our deadlines. We have been touched by God through the process of writing and recording this album and we believe others will be touched also through the process of listening and understanding it’s journey.

We’ll start tomorrow with the first track, a song called “Glory Be”. Until then!!

Hunter

Well, since you asked. This is one of the craziest elections in the history of our nation. Never before has there been so much diversity among, in my opinion, so many unqualified candidates. It’s like
sometimes when you’re watching American Idol. You know, it’s the top 24 and someone goes out there and sings like Barney and you’re asking “this is the best y’all could find in all of those people?”

I realize we are talking about something much more serious here, but really. Where, in all of our educated elitest American culture are the leaders? And I don’t mean people who talk a good game. Or have some kind of history that supposedly qualifies them. Or were kinda chosen by default. I’m not naive enough to think that the men of old were all completely stalwarts of character, integrity, and purely motivated leadership.

I do, however, think that there has been a steady decline in the overall character of our system and it’s leaders. And, as a result of declining leadership, the character of our country is slouching as well. So much so that somehow we are swayed in our voting by the support of the “culture clowns”. By that I mean the rock stars, actors, and personalities who pledge their support for a particular candidate. The sick thing is that we listen and care about what these people think, and somehow, in the election booth, let the opinions of these uninformed, disconnected from normal American reality, bought out, jabbering political prostitutes effect decisions that will alter the reality our children will be forced to endure.

What does Kanye know about what it takes to run a country? I haven’t seen his senate voting record but I’m pretty sure it’s nonexistent. This is not a plug for or against a particular candidate. But where we gain our political perspectives says a lot about where we’ve turned as a nation. We give preference to the opinions of the clowns that entertain over the proven, trustworthy principals of those who govern.

I guess the real issue at hand is that there are so few proven or trustworthy leaders in this generation. Maybe if there were we wouldn’t let the mere words of people with remedial political ideologies effect our vote. I will vote because it is my civic duty. But, all the while I will pray that God raises up better leaders in the next generation and a population who votes on character and leadership, not popularity.

Hunter

Chris is on his own. Tonight in Oklahoma City and the rest of the tour he is all alone on the big stage. Of course he will get someone to accompany him, but he IS Connersvine from here on out. Pray that he continues to do what he has done all along. Pray that worship flows from him and the presence of God is thick in the place. It’s gonna be great.

By the way, who do y’all like for president? Don’t be afraid to be opinionated! (yes, very random..)

Hunter

Well, my tour is over.

The doctor says another weekend is too much given how far along my wife is in her pregnancy. She is measuring 39 weeks already! I was reluctant to go this past weekend but I took our son with me on the road and she got to just chill for the weekend. She needed that. So now Chris will carry the torch for these last few weekends. It’ll be great. (the kids like his voice better anyway!)

I’ve had a wonderful time being on the road, but I’ll take home any day. Especially if it involves another child. I’ve found nothing in this natural life that comes even close to the thrill of having children. My wife and I agree that it has even made marriage better which, if you’d asked me before, I’d have said was pretty hard to do. But now there is this little walking, laughing, playing, talking, singing representation of our love! (eating too…….lots)I am grieved by people who see their children as a hindrance to their selfish lives. Every story I hear about another abandoning, or even worse, abusive parent increases my belief that their is real evil in this world. Fortunately, there is also a real God among us.

When God reigns inside of you His priorities become yours. You care about what he cares about and seek the justice of His causes. Children are clearly a priority to Him. That is why Jesus’ message about children is one that Connersvine will always hold dear. In this world we have natural parents with children they care little or nothing about. They may say they do, but, let their words be proven by their works. On the other hand there is Jesus who, being a half natural man with no natural children, still gathered children to himself and rebuked those who tried to prevent it. He was completely opposite of our culture in every realm and on every level.

I want to love my children like the man/god Jesus. I want to feel Him rise up inside of me and empower me to live out the emotions I feel toward them. I guess that’s why leaving this tour is exciting for me. I’m home now to wait for another object of God’s affection through me. These affections are secrets the world cannot know without the voice of the one true Father.

Pray for us in this time. Sorry this is so long……….on second thought…..not sorry at all.

Hunter

My wife and I love American Idol. It really is the only thing we watch on television. Few people realize just how talented even the worst of the contestants really are. I know I used to think that anybody with a pretty good voice could make it. That is, until my wife and I held home tryouts!

One night we decided that we’d each take turns standing up in our living room with the other on the couch and give our best American Idol tryout. We would be our own judges! Jen went first and I’ve gotta say that she impressed me. I’ve always believed that she is the best singer I know. Even before we were married or really even knew each other I’d heard her sing and was mesmerized by her voice. She stood in front of me there in our living room and gave a better than Bonnie Raitt (or anyone else) performance of “I Can’t Make You Love Me” complete with stage presence, personality, and perfect pitch. When she was done I burst into a clapping attack and told her how great it was. I raved and went on and on with complete honesty about how intoxicating her voice was as it seemingly wrapped and weaved itself around and throughout my senses.

I talked about how along with her incredible talent I thought she had a certain “likeability” that few others possess. Then, in typical “Idol” form told her that she looked great, sounded great, and for sure would be going on to Hollywood. I was next. Now this took a lot out of me. You have to understand, I DON’T SING without a guitar!!! I felt completely naked and vulnerable standing there in front of her. But, I was committed to this thing so I closed my eyes and gave my best rendition of one of my favorite Keith Urban songs.

I felt like I was “on” with my performance. Even as I was singing I felt a certain “coolness” about my voice and presence. Kinda like whoever was listening was just blessed to be in the room at such an epic moment. You know, like lightning was striking twice in the same spot somewhere and she was just fortunate to have been around for the fireworks. I finished my performance, opened my eyes, and waited for Jen’s response.

She looked up, shrugged her shoulders and uttered. . . . . . . . .”a little pitchy”.

-Hunter

OK, so my wife and I don’t watch a lot of TV, but tonight we saw a show on FOX called “Moment of Truth”. have y’all seen it? What are you’re thoughts? Is it really worth it to put important relationships on the line for cash? There is the obvious answer everyone thinks they should give, but then what about the people who actually go on the show? Obviously there are people who are willing to inflict wounds on loved ones and ditch there dignity for money. Do you have a price tag? What is it?

-Hunter

Oh, and by the way… Happy Valentine’s Day

So this morning my wife and I go into our son’s room to get him up. This is always a great time of our day. The three of us layed together in my son’s twin bed and talked about life. We asked him how his night went and he had the most interesting response. I am NOT making any of this up. Apparently this was how his night went:

“I went and got my crocs on and my black guitar shirt and my pants. Then I went downstairs and went out to the woods to throw rocks and see God get the storm on. Then God came back to my room and helped my daddy get my shirts last night.”

We both found all of this to be remarkable. Somehow he was able to dress himself, leave the house, go to the woods and throw rocks, and have a powerful (and practical) encounter with God without waking us up!!

Being a parent brings more entertainment than every lifestage combined. I love hearing stories about what kids say and do. Y’all got any good ones? Let us know.

Hunter

Encounter-(a Christian teen) weekly magazine that correlates with high school curriculum… and that’s me.

-hunter