So, why make your first Christmas album at this time?

Ginny Owens: I've always figured it was a "someday" kind of project: "Someday, when I have the perfect songs and a great theme …" This past spring, I began seriously considering what that project would sound and feel like, and the theme, songs, and ideas began to emerge. I wanted the record to be intimate and gentle; I wanted people to feel like we were sitting in my living room sharing Christmas tunes and memories. I also realized that making a Christmas record would be a unique, and perhaps slightly less daunting, way to transition out of my life as an artist with Rocketown and into my life as an independent. And because I would have total artistic license, I wanted to celebrate everything I love about being a musician—playing the piano, arranging vocal parts, writing new songs, and incorporating diverse musical styles. Finally, I wanted a project that could serve as a gift—to donors who contribute to my non-profit organization, The Fingerprint Initiative, or as a means of raising funds to give away to others in need. I wanted this Christmas record to have a deeper reason for existing.

The album was sponsored by Lincoln Village Ministry, and half the proceeds go toward The Fingerprint Initiative. Tell us a little about these programs.

Owens: I have some friends at a church in Huntsville, Alabama, who work very closely with a non-profit called Lincoln Village Ministry. Lincoln Village used to be an old mill town, but it has become very run down, filled with drug dealers, criminals, and many families in need. The Lincoln Village Ministry does everything from purchasing and rebuilding homes to tutoring/mentoring to keeping a food and clothing bank. Lincoln Village supplied nearly half of the funds for Bring Us Peace, using it as a Christmas fundraiser. [Owens gave a Dec. 19 concert in their honor, hoping to raise more than twice Lincoln Village's contribution to the project.]

The Fingerprint Initiative is a service organization I started, and our motto is "Bringing hope to the world, one touch at a time." We partner with Habitat for Humanity, Compassion International, International Justice Mission, and African Leadership.

Bring Us Peace is available at your website?

Owens: Yes, and at several stores, and as a free download for those who join my African Leadership club. More info will be available on ginnyowens.com.

We can almost hear Ginny the music teacher in songs like "In the Bleak Midwinter" or "Ave Maria," because of the more choral sound.

Owens: I remember singing "In The Bleak Midwinter" as a duet with my pastor's daughter, the Sunday evening before Christmas. We were both 11 or 12, and I had laryngitis. But I got to sing that alto line, and I practiced it so much that I've never forgotten it. I think the way the two parts fit together is absolutely haunting. I also find myself close to tears each time I sing the words to the last lines: "Yet what I can I give him, give my heart." "Ave Maria" was the first foreign-language song I ever learned. I sang it as a senior in high school, and I've loved it ever since.

As odd as this sounds, Bring Us Peace feels nearly perfect to me. No, every note that was played and sung is not perfect, but the record turned out to be almost exactly what I wanted it to be—no bells and whistles covering up the vocals; solid, yet emotional singing and playing; tasteful presence of other instruments; a collage of diverse music; no rules. I'm not saying that I want every record I ever make to sound like this one; I'm simply saying that it turned out to be almost exactly what I hoped, prayed, and worked for.

Why did you leave Rocketown, and was it an amicable split?

Owens: I successfully fulfilled my contractual obligations to Rocketown. It was sad to leave after eight years, but Rocketown's brand is quite different now than it used to be. They're looking for cool bands—not necessarily 31-year-old singer/songwriters like me. The split was absolutely amicable. I still love them all very much and have many fond memories of growing up as an artist alongside them. I don't know how long I'll be independent, but I don't mind it a bit.

What's down the road for you as an indie?

Owens: My cup runneth over with ideas, but I'm trying to wait patiently, to be strong and take heart. I want to start a music education workshop for school kids around the country. I want to perform in more coffee houses and clubs. I intend to teach more songwriting seminars. I'm currently working on a book and writing the next record. I'll be on the road next year, but we don't have specific plans for a tour yet. But I've toured heavily for eight years, and I'm enjoying the regrouping process and looking forward to the future!

For more about Ginny Owens, visit our artist page. Go to www.ginnyowens.com to find her Christmas release, Bring Us Peace.

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