C O V E R S T O R Y  BY BOB LEBINE As a founding member of the '70s "Jesus Music" group Sweet Comfort Band, Bryan Duncan became a mainstay on Contemporary Christian radio's pioneer stations with his unique vocal stylings. Since the group disbanded in 1984, Duncan has established himself as one of Christian music's most talented vocalists, releasing nine solo projects that have yielded over a dozen #1 hits. While Duncan's presence on the radio has remained constant for two decades, his personality has noticeable evolved -- from the arrogant tone of his early solo projects including Have Yourself Committed and Holy Rollin' to the more introspective, even humble tone of his recent releases Mercy, Slow Revival, and Quiet Prayers. His tenth solo project, Blue Skies, is already out on Myrrh.

Yeah, it's been about four years of what have seemed like some pretty stormy times for me -- not with my career, but on a lot of personal levels. But you stay faithful and you follow the guidelines that have been laid out in Scripture, and you trust God that He's gonna see you through stuff. Then when He does, it's real encouraging...I'm going, "Hey! Hey, this works!"

You've said, "Without realizing it, I went out to save the world and almost lost my own soul." Is that overstated?

That's probably understated. I think at some point when you set out to change the world, you have to assume that you're pretty much together and that everybody else has a problem. You're out there trying to get everybody else to change, and it's hard not to put your standards of Christianity on the rest of the world. Eventually you find yourself really bitter and frustrated.

In my situation, I found myself angry at God because I didn't feel like He was helping me out. It took a lot of counseling to really figure out what was making me so angry.

I think a lot of people who have heard you sing or seen you in concert would be a little surprised to find that anger has been a major issue for you.

Well, under this anger, underneath everybody's anger, is hurt. I think you're hurt first, and then you're angry later. It's a false attempt to heal your own situation. This is where Jesus comes in -- this is where you really need Him to heal the hurt.

I'm at an age now where I'm going, "You know what, I'm halfway through my life...and there are certain things that aren't going to happen the way I thought they were." It's kind of a disillusionment. That's when the truth sets you free. Disillusionment is the recognition of the truth.

Is this Bryan Duncan's mid-life crisis?

I don't know how long those are supposed to last, but if this is my mid-life crisis, it started in my early thirties! [laughter] I would imagine because I work in ministry I think about life and death and eternal life more than a great majority of people. I think even at an early age I was already more absorbed with eternity than living my own life.

I'm beginning to realize that God doesn't need me to save the world. God sent His only Son to take care of that. I can be a living example, and I can pass on the information, but I don't have to take on the responsibility of all that. That's not my job.

So is "Blue Skies" a statement that, "Hey -- I'm okay -- now"?

No. [laughter] "Blue Skies" is saying, "Hey -- there's a clearing in the sky." I mean, it doesn't always stay stormy. And sometimes you can't help but have good things happen to you, even if you're not trying. It's just a matter of recognizing them when they're there.

I hear that sailing has become one way for you really stop and smell the roses.

You know what? I do a lot of things now that I wouldn't have felt comfortable doing in the past because they weren't involved with my work. Yeah, sailing has become the all-in-all way of relaxing for me. To hear the wind blowing through the sails and nothing else...

You don't take your Walkman with you?

No. Walkman, radio, all that stuff is gone. But I do listen to music or the radio when I'm rollerblading. I'll still do that...

Did you include traces of sailing on your new record?

Yeah, they're all over the place, I suppose. There is certainly sailing terminology in the song "Blue Skies." There's a song called "The Whisper Heard 'Round the World" that talks about a tiny little bubble of air rising from the bottom of the sea. Of course, that's more about scuba diving, I suppose, than sailing. [laughter] There's also a song called "Dying To Meet You" which is about the apprehension of going through the death process. It has a lot of imagery of the sunrise...

How would you say this album is different from your last couple of releases?

Well, there are guitars on it. And there are happier statements on it. The positive element of the lyrics is probably the most noticeable difference.

One of my favorite songs on the record is "After This Day Is Gone." I like singing it, because in the chorus it goes, "I believe that after this day is gone, long after all the damage is done, there's still a place in your heart for me." That song is me reaffirming that God loves me, because it's so easy for me to talk myself out of believing that. Some days I think, well, God doesn't really love me personally. He loves the world, but that doesn't mean He loves me. So when I sing, "There's still a place in your heart for me," those are lyrics I've never sung before.

And as you make those statements, are you still talking yourself into believing they're true?

I think you always have to continue to make those statements as a way of affirming your faith. I think it's not so much talking yourself into it as it is affirming what the Bible says is true. And that's a big change in my life. In the past I'd hear people say those kinds of things and I'd think, hey, these guys are just wishful thinkers. They're just saying things that they wish were true.

I have kind of resented the fact that some people seem to be able to be nicer and happier than me. I think to myself sometimes, why do I have to argue about everything? It just seems like I have a non-conformist mentality built into my system somehow.

Have you gotten less sarcastic, or have people just gotten over it?

I'm probably less sarcastic. And I'm probably not as outspoken as I used to be either. I think staying faithful has made a difference. I'd like to think that maybe at some point somebody would recognize that this is a commitment I've made. The people who don't trust my faith because of my sarcasm -- perhaps they could see that I've been here for 20 years or something and I'm still here.

Do you listen to your own records -- I mean, again and again?

Not a chance! Even if I liked making the records, I have to sing those songs every week for the most part. And usually, when I'm performing, I sing them a little different every time. Then if I go back and hear what we actually recorded on vinyl, it doesn't sound quite right and I'm going, "You're kidding! That's the way it sounded?"

You don't ever dig out "When I Was Alone" and listen to it? Is it stuck in a box somewhere in the attic?

You know what? I carry all of those lyrics and those melodies in my heart. "Blessed Are The Tears" and "I Love You With My Life" and "When I Was Alone" and... I carry those everywhere I go.

Let's assume it's 10 years from now. Is it likely that I'll be calling you to talk about your latest record and you'll still be out on the road doing dates?

Am I still going to be singing in 10 years? I hope so, 'cause, you know, it's this or "31 Flavors."

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