Side A
artist profile   • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• Name: Graham Kendrick

• Age: 54

• Birthplace: Blisworth, Northamptonshire

• What instruments do you play? Primarily the guitar, which was self-taught. I can’t read music, because I’ve always been good at playing music by ear. I also play the piano.

• What do you do in your spare time?
Spare time? (chuckles) I am travelling quite a lot so when I get home, I try and spend that time with my family.

• What do you do to relax?
Playing on my guitar and songwriting. Others are skiing & snorkelling - I find these activities really relaxing as they are engaging and make you focused. However, I don’t get to do those often as I live in Croydon!

• One of your most inspirational moments?
Doing something called Incense Rising which is reading Scripture and improvising it with music. It may just be one verse and I would ask people to repeat it after me and just go with what happens. It’s like going on a journey and helps one to engage with Scripture. It’s also very liberating - you just don’t know where it can lead. I usually do it at a summer event called Revive.

• Your favourite book & why?
As well as the Bible, a favourite of mine is the Methodist Hymnbook -1850 Edition - I often read the old Wesley hymns as they cover inspirational subject matters such as holiness and many more.

• Your favourite verse?
I have had many - depending on the situations I’ve been in - at this moment, depending on the situations I’ve been in - at this moment, it’s 1 JOHN 1:1.

Side B
album   career   faith   • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• Tell us about your latest album Sacred Journey. Is it similar to your other recent albums What Grace and Do Something Beautiful?
It’s quite different to the others. Firstly, is that it is a live recording of the Cathedral Tours I was doing. Second, it’s an album that has half praise & worship songs and half performance concert songs. It actually works and sounds well together on an album. Also, there are older songs on the album that have not been on record. All in all, the album covers a whole span of songs that I’ve written/done since 1972.

• How have you responded to the changes to worship music over the last decade?
Well, the 90’s saw a new generation of worship leaders burst onto the scene, which is a positive thing, for every generation needs an expression. This has allowed me to shift into the role of being a spiritual ‘father’ and ‘mentor’ to them.

• What things have you learnt from working with the likes of Martin Smith, Matt Redman, Darlene Zschech and Tim Hughes?
Refreshing - working with them has allowed me to see from a different perspective and help me relate with today’s generation.

• How do you feel about the impact that your songs have had?
I’m amazed, and find it very uplifting and encouraging. It’s very humbling when people take the time to write, and tell me how God has used a particular song to affect their lives in a significant way. You can be tempted to think, “wow, my song did THAT”, but you quickly realise it’s not really anything you’ve done - it’s the truth of God’s word that is powerful in people’s lives.