Greetings, my friends!
I trust you’ve all had a wonderful, energized summer. I know I have!
You might have noticed that I haven’t been out on the road much this year, but it’s not what you think. I haven’t escaped to any romantic beach. And to allay your fears that I might have again decided to run away Down Under, let me reassure you that it’s winter abroad, so I decided to summer in the good ole USA. No…while you’ve been sipping your sweet, cool cocktails beside the pool, I’ve been hard at work behind the scenes.
I’ve been quietly slaving away at some very exciting projects. I’m about ready to bust a gasket over the joy of it all. While it’s not quite time to spill the beans of what we’re planning over here at jenniferknapp.com, we’re getting really close to revealing all the news that’s fit to print!
The most obvious is that I’ve been obsessing, writing and polishing songs for the new record. I’ve had the chance to play a few special shows throughout the summer that I like to call “Smash-or-Trash.” It’s always my preference to get new songs out into the open, playing them for you lovely folks, and letting them find their footing. Not only do I get to see your faces when you hear them for the first time (which is a true pleasure), the songs also get a chance to grow. You might have seen a few live performances posted on YouTube, but don’t get too comfy…at times, the lyrics have evolved, merged and sometimes even taken radically different shifts of direction. I can honestly say at no time in my life has the music that’s come to me led me down such an adventurous path. They are challenging and inspiring my own journey in ways I never imagined possible and I can’t wait for the day when we get to harness them together and enjoy the ride!
So buckle up, stay tuned, and keep an eye out! I’ll need all the help I can get to make it through this Fall. There’s so much to do! There will be tons of Inside Out Faith events, some more Christmas shows with Margaret Becker and of course…recording a new record! Who knows what else we’ll dream up together?….
I can’t say it enough. I couldn’t dream of doing this without your love and support. It’s been a long journey back, but I’m finding my stride. Thanks for all the hugs and good cheer. Now let’s go have some fun!
Much Love,
Jennifer
Visit the shows page for the full list of fall tour dates.
Hi Jennifer,
As an Australian living in Canberra and a fan of your wonderful music, you’d be welcome back down under with open arms! In fact, it would be terrific to see you tour Australia next year. I applaud your courage in being openly proud of your identity in all of its beautiful complexity and uniqueness. As an open-minded and loving Catholic Christian man, I know how much God loves us all regardless of what some in society may think. I recall watching an interview with you on CNN a few years ago in which a fundamentalist Christian pastor attacked you as being abhorrent in the sight of God. Such people are often ignorant, small-minded, and hypocritical. As such, they are unqualified In my view to represent our loving Saviour on earth, who embraces everyone with unfathomable love and mercy. Thank you for sharing yourself, your faith and your passion through your music. It has enriched my life and millions of others I’m sure. On a lighter note, I must confess to being slightly disappointed when I discovered you were homosexual only because (I hasten to add) I’m a heterosexual man who found you gorgeous and realised you probably wouldn’t be attracted to me! Forgive me for my selfishness. Oh well, I still think you’re gorgeous and I’ll just have to find another woman! As our orientation is only one element of our multidimensional identity, let me finish by saying that you are an immensely gifted musician and singer and that is the primary facet of your character with which I am familiar. I am a writer and English teacher and like to believe I am gifted in these areas of my identity. I play the keyboard as a hobby but would love to be half as talented as you are at music. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what others think of us, although it is nice to love and be loved. We can all be assured of the love of Jesus and He is the only One we ultimately have to answer to. Thanks again, Jennifer, for your inspiring music and life and may God bless you and all of your loved ones. And if you ever come to the capital of Australia (yes, Canberra not Sydney!), please visit me. You can stay in my guest bedroom and be my guest of honour. All the best and keep up the great music! You’re one of the best singers on the planet and you better believe it cause it’s true. Love, Shane