Suite101 spoke with Christian singer Mark Harris, where he opens up about his latest album Stronger in Broken Places. It was released on October 18, 2011, and it features a duet with his teenage daughter, Maddison.
Mark Harris Talks About “Stronger in Broken Places”
On his newest album Stronger in the Broken Places, Harris states, “for anybody that is going through a struggle, and when the winds of life blow and they break us, on the backside of that breaking, God mends us and heals us. When you’ve been through something like that [a breaking], then you are stronger than ever before!”
“It’s been four years since my previous album. That’s the longest period of time that I’ve ever had spent writing and being creative. I really had more opportunity to write more, and I had twice as many songs as I typically would had.”
Harris noted that his wife, record company, management, producer, and several friends helped him select what needed to go on this project.
“It was a very different process for me, since before I was extremely hands-on in choosing songs,” Harris admits.
“This is the most comprehensive solo project that I’ve had. I had more time to focus in and write, and approach everything from an individual perspective. I think there is more variety on this album, and it has the best mix of lyrics, songs and melodies. I am excited for people to hear it. I think it’s the most honest album that I’ve had,” Harris shares.
My favorite song is the last track “Cold Water.” “It’s special to me since I am a worship pastor in a church. It’s a great reminder to anybody that is a believer,” Harris says.
Regarding the poignant tune “Heaven’s Sweet Forever,” he remarks, “that one has a special place for me, since I wrote that following my father-in-law’s death. The song came from the emotion of losing my father-in-law. It was a huge loss for us.”
Mark Harris Duets with his Daughter
“An Offering” is a duet with his daughter, Maddison. “It’s a song that I had written for worship services. I knew that I wanted to be unique in the way that we treated it for the album. I wanted to put my daughter on the song with me. Once I put her beautiful voice with that pure tone on it, it was a perfect fit,” he admits.
On his daughter’s vocal ability, Harris acknowledges, “I think she’s better than her father. At that age, I wasn’t nearly as good as her. She has a unique and beautiful talent.”
Mark Harris’ Proudest Professional Moments
“We were elected to the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. That is a big one for me, because I am from Alabama,” he reveals.
In addition, Harris has also won eight prestigious DOVE awards throughout his lengthy career in music.
Mark Harris' Future Plans
“I’m going to tour to support this album, which will take me about one year. I’m a dad, and I have two children in high school, so right now, parenting is keeping me busy.”
“I would love to sing with my wife,” Harris states. “I love Sandi Patty’s voice. Her new album blows me away. She’s absolutely incredible,” he adds.
For more information on Mark Harris, please visit his official website.
Source
- Telephone Communication with Mark Harris. October 20, 2011.
Markos Papadatos - Markos Papadatos holds over six years journalism experience, authoring over 700 articles, many of which are feature profile interviews.
