Twenty years ago, a born-again believer named Charlie Peacock emerged within a fledgling Christian music industry. It's unlikely that anyone at the time could have guessed what deep influence the young musician would have in the years to come, serving others in so many ways—as an artist, songwriter, producer, mentor, record label executive, author, and visionary. In early 2004, Peacock released Full Circle through Sparrow/EMI, an album that celebrates his musical legacy with the artists whose lives he's most affected over his career. Also in stores is his new book, New Way to Be Human, which challenges readers to live an authentic Christian life the way God intended it to be. We were graciously invited to visit Peacock's home to talk about his artistic career and the direction of the music industry today.

Congratulations on 20 years in Christian music. Let's start with Full Circle. Most artists aren't usually involved in their own tribute album, but you were a part of the production and performance of every track. What inspired that decision?

Charlie Peacock: I kind of bristle at the idea of a record company rehashing old material to sell it again. And I don't think I'm done making or producing music anymore. So it just made more sense for me to participate in the album as a collaborative process with the people that I love and respect—both people that I've influenced and those that have influenced me. It's more celebratory that way, and [it allows] us to celebrate as a community both the grace that God extends to us all, as well as the privilege of creating music.

Tell us something you know now that you wish you knew 20 years ago.

Peacock: I wish I did a better job combining my pursuit of artistic independence with a stronger sense of community and caring for others. In the early days, I was so focused on experimentation and being adventurous, I'd tell people, "If you like it, great. If you don't, tough." But as I grew older, I began to care more about people. It wasn't as if I didn't care before, but I didn't have a really fleshed out musical theology about how to love people through my music. As I've come to understand all of this "human enterprise," I realize now that it needs to start with what it means to love.

How has the music industry changed the most over your career?

Peacock: It has in so many ways! I think the loss of eclecticism is No. 1—partially due to issues like branding and marketing, so that people are expecting just one thing musically.

In that context, how are you defining "eclecticism"?

Peacock: It's basically that which draws from a number of sources to make up many new kinds of music. When I was growing up in the '60s and '70s, an artist like James Taylor would have been clearly pigeonholed as folk pop artist. But then he'd have [jazz saxophonist] Michael Brecker do a solo on his record, or maybe [jazz guitarist] John McLaughlin play. He'd mix up the genres.

We don't live in an environment anymore that values the mixing of musical styles and genres. That celebration of diversity inside of music making has been lost, and any remaining diversity is left up to individual styles. For example, if you're going to do hip-hop, it should be clearly done like Jay-Z. If you're going to do rock, you need to follow the popular sound of Creed. If you depart from that, then you're not doing that genre.

But I grew up with an environment where you weren't bound by these shackles of genre that have very narrow conventions about what is or isn't that kind of music.

Who would you describe as eclectic in Christian music today?

Peacock: I'm not sure if there's anyone today who's truly eclectic [in Christian music]. I think they'd have to redefine the word to qualify. Switchfoot is in some ways giving a nod to the past with their eclecticism, but they're doing so within the context of a modern rock band.

The only really eclectic music in America today is hip-hop, because it's the only one that's drawing from a number of influences to create it. Historically, African-American music has always done that, and it's been beautiful in the way that it keeps opening up all of these new ways of expression. Yet guess which genre of music the Christian industry has yet to fully embrace?

That's unfortunate, since Top 40 radio used to be so eclectic—rock and rap mixed in with pop ballads and dance. But now it's all so compartmentalized. You'd think Christian music radio would be eclectic because it's capable of being so diverse.

Peacock: Right, which begs the question of what is it that they're really marketing or promoting. Is it a celebration of the diversity and complexity of music under the gaze of God, or are they marketing and selling something else?

Was Christian radio once more diverse?

Peacock: I hate to say this, but Christian radio has never been diverse or very experimental in trying to promote music. It can't because by its very nature it's a copycat system of the world—even more so today.

Most Christian stations have gone to the same sort of testing formulas that mainstream pop stations use. Like 7-second call-outs. That's when they have a list of people that they regularly call upon and play them short portions from a list of five songs. If we really value wholeness and the creation of art and music, then what does that say about us now that we're willing to test a song after just seven seconds to determine whether it should play on the radio or not? To me, that's utter foolishness.

You've had a rather eclectic career. Is there a particular album or period of your career that you're especially proud of?

Peacock: I really love listening to Everything That's on My Mind (1994) because of its consistency. But I also love the diversity and soulfulness of Love Life (1991), and I like a lot of the experimental things on Strangelanguage (1996). So I guess I like different parts of each one for different reasons—probably because I have eclectic tastes.

You've been producing albums for a long time too. How have you grown as a producer?

Peacock: I've learned that I have a strong musical personality and that I need to be intentional about when I use it (or don't use it) and to what degree I use it in the process. Early on, I think you would have heard me in other people's recordings in a dominant way, and it wasn't necessarily something I intended or could control. Now I've learned to control that with more of a valve.

Who was the last artist you heard that you knew you wanted to produce?

Peacock: Sara Groves, for sure. When I heard "The Word" on the radio, I went to her Web page and sent her an e-mail. I told her that it was fantastic and that I'd be willing to serve her and her art anytime. It's one of the few times I've ever done that, but a couple years later she called me and we worked on The Other Side of Something together. "The Boxer" on that album is a good example of the collaborative process I'm talking about. It's clearly me in some of that song, but it was intentional in wanting to mix our styles.

It's been five years since you wrote At the Crossroads, which attempted to challenge the artistic path of the Christian music industry. Anything you wish you'd added?

Peacock: Someone asked me that the other day, and if I would change anything about that book, I'd put a little more teeth back in it. I had written it with teeth, but then I backed off on it because I felt like I wanted to have a more pastoral tone and not come down too hard on every issue.

I wanted to present the information, and let people see the answers if they were obvious to them. I also didn't want to constantly critique people with harshness and use specific examples. But now, I think a revised edition is in order, because a lot of things in this business have developed that need a hard word spoken out of love.

For example?

Peacock: The growth of worship music. Instead of worship music coming in and starting an authentic movement of God in the church—which is great and necessary for the church—it's taken over the industry for the time being. We've forgotten the need to be salt and light in the culture.

Your new book, New Way to Be Human is very different—sort of like an intellectual version of The Purpose Driven Life. Who's your intended audience?

Peacock: I've not read that book, but I've actually heard that from other people. It's definitely intended to be a user-friendly mixture of the same kind of material—a re-invitation to live the authentic Christian life, unburdened and set free from the things we attach to our faith that don't really have anything to do with it. I felt that borrowing Switchfoot's song title was really the best description for Jesus's invitation to model the right way to live—to receive his free gift and follow in the way.

The promise in the Scriptures is to make us a new being in the image of Christ. My inspiration for it is just people—including myself, with my own silliness and foolishness. I want to be God's kind of man, and I end up waking up each day asking myself, "What does that mean again? Oh, right." It's something I'm constantly forgetting. My hope with this book is that people like me—the foolish with a love for God—will be reminded of his plans for our life, [and thus] be pointed in the right direction.

For more about Charlie Peacock and his extremely diverse career, visit our artist page for him, where you will also find a review of his latest recording, Full Circle. Visit Christianbook.com to hear sound clips and buy his music. While you're there, don't forget to check out his new book, New Way to Be Human.

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