THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 13, 1996 TAG: 9604120068
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY FRANK ROBERTS, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
THEY ARE NOT two of a kind. Consider them as one of a kind.
Wes King and Michael Card, rebels with a cause, will bring their Community Tour to the NAB Theatre at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base in Norfolk on Sunday.
Neither one is the star of the show. Both of them are. It is oneness to the extreme, for a good biblical reason.
``The New Testament. Jesus sending out the disciples two by two,'' Card explained during a phone interview from Seattle. ``We came up with this idea together. We felt uncomfortable with the notion of promoting our own careers. The music industry is so competitive. We try to be mutually supportive.''
Both are big names in a big business. Christian pop generated $750 million in sales in 1995. King and Card are a part of that, of course, but not emotionally.
``Other people call us contemporary Christian,'' Card said, ``but we're not accepted by the industry because our emphasis is on community versus the industry.
``There's a lot of turmoil about Christian music. The industry is based on money and power. It needs celebrities. Famous people sell more records. Now, the industry is so big, it's like secular. It had to start creating celebrities. Community is on the other side of the pole.''
Card and King enjoy their communal careers ``because it gives us freedom. The industry doesn't offer that. We have freedom, including the freedom to fail. In the industry, you have one bad record, one bad song and there's a thousand people waiting for your slot,'' Card said.
``I'm doing what I feel called to do - use my gifts in a way to serve God and his people. I want to make a difference in peoples lives for eternal purposes,'' said King, an acoustic singer-songwriter and a rock 'n' roll aficionado.
He and Card, who has a master's degree in biblical studies from Western Kentucky University, have each garnered many awards and accolades.
That's great, but it's not everything.
``When I moved to Nashville I was pursuing things that had nothing to do with my call,'' King said. ``I'm back to my call, using my gift to glorify God, to encourage believers to live as Jesus taught us.''
He and Card, both members of Christ Community Church in Franklin, Tenn., offer an energetic show, but their approach is low-key.
King is closer to rock. Card takes a folk approach.
``The heart of what we do is centered on the life of Christ,'' Card said. ``That's the basis of songs from both our repertories.''
Both are songwriters, although that is not one of Card's favorite things.
``Emotionally, it's more difficult than singing. I do it because I have to. I don't enjoy doing it,'' said the man who penned ``El Shaddai.''
He doesn't even enjoy listening to his own records, except for ``The Sunrise of Your Smile,'' which he wrote for his son, Will.
Its lyrics, Card says, ``are everything I've ever wanted to say to my kids. Hopefully, they'll listen to that when I'm gone and hone in on some of that value system.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by CMA
Wes King, left, and Michael Card focus their Christian music careers
on promoting community.
by CNB