This album truly began four years ago with a few hymns that held my heart together during a season of great trial and unknown. When I was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor, a friend sent me "Be Still My Soul." That hymn calmed my spirit with such hope and assurance. After recovering from brain surgery, the first song I sang in church was "Holy, Holy, Holy." That same summer, when my fiancé was going through long days of chemotherapy, his nieces sweetly sang for us "He Leadeth Me." Less than a week after Jamie finished his cancer treatment we said our marriage vows. Our wedding hymn was "Be Thou My Vision." When our miracle baby was born 15 months later, we started singing to Joey at bedtime, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus," which has become our family lullaby- the anthem of our hearts every night.
Five months ago, in March, we set out on a journey to record these hymns along with other favorites that hold so much meaning, promise, and enduring truth. From the very beginning of recording, this album was different. It has been so raw, authentic, and centered on worship. We have tried to focus on simplicity and the inherent beauty of these beloved songs, without altering the text or tunes too much. It has been such a privilege to carry on the legacy of these hymns through this project. It has also been an honor to add my own style and compose arrangements to these exquisite pieces of music.
In searching for a title for this album, it became quite clear to me early on that it must be all about worship- all about magnifying and lifting high the name of Jesus. Last Christmas, our baby Joey began saying "Hallelujah." He absolutely loves to worship, and it is not uncommon to see him lifting his hands in praise whenever he is around music. He reminds me daily that we are made to worship. So that was it! Hallelujahwould be the title of this CD. It captures the essence of this album's journey and purpose. It simply speaks a word of praise to our Heavenly Father, Savior, and Lord.
We want you all to be able to get a copy as soon as it is released, so we decided to do this special pre-order. That way you literally will get it immediately when it is released (possibly even before the official release date)! I wanted this pre-order to be something special, though, so we are offering 2 CDs for the price of 1...If you order Hallelujah: A Collection of Hymns, you will receive a second copy for free so you can give it away to a friend! Because of your amazing support for my music and mission, I want to thank you with this gift for you to share with someone who might need encouragement or a reminder of hope.
I wouldn't have made this album if it weren't for you- my dear friends and listeners. I recorded these songs with the hope that many souls will be drawn into deep moments of worship through both listening and singing along with voice and heart. As many of you know, it is a leap of faith to embark on a project like this as an independent artist- it takes a huge monetary investment as well as countless hours to complete. We took that step of faith in belief that God could use this album to impact lives with gospel truth and eternal hope. We are on the home stretch of the project now. I am done in the recording studio, and my producer/engineer is putting the finishing touches on the mixing and mastering before it is sent to production. We are on target for a fall release, and it's hard to believe that it will be completed so soon! Thank you again for all your prayers on this journey, and for supporting this album through this pre-release order!
With Deep Joy,
Caitlin Jane
