Keith And Kristyn Getty- Revival Of Old Hymns Creates Christian Music That 'Every Generation Can Sing'

Keith and Kristyn Getty from Nashville, Tennessee, take a unique approach to Christian music writing, focusing on reviving old hymns in order to create songs for every generation.

The couple, originally from Belfast, Ireland, focuses on creating a mew appreciation for the art of hymn writing in the modern world where rock bands produce the most popular worship music, according to Christianity Today.  They are successful because their aim is to write song that "every generation can sing."

"We believe in creating modern hymns for two reasons," Keith told WorshipTogether. "First, they can teach us our faith in a fuller way through what they sing, and secondly, we want to attempt to create a more 'timeless' art form-music that people of every generation can sing now, and perhaps at best, can last throughout their lifetimes-art that transcends time and generation."

The Gettys' most famous song is 'In Christ Alone,' a song that Keith co-wrote with Stuart Townend, and, according to Christian Copyright  Licensing International, it has been among the top 20 songs sung in newer churches in the United States for the past five years, Christianity Today reports.  

The Gettymusic website says that, 'In Christ Alone,' the "world-renowned hymn has been recorded by numerous artists over the past decade-including Owl City, Natalie Grant and Newsboys-and is a classic sung in churches around the globe."  These churches include both traditional and more modern venues.

Keith Getty, a self-described classical nerd, said that hearing the hymn sung by a boy's choir accompanied by a brass ensemble and thousands of worshippers was a thrill for him, according to Christianity Today.  "We couldn't watch it here so my mom, as soon as it came on, turned up the television on full and phoned us," he said.

Mark Hosny, artistic director of the National Praise and Worship Institute at Trevecca Nazarene University in Nashville, says that what is unique about the Gettys' hymns is that they truly engage the audience, according to Christianity Today.  "A lot of today's melodies are not singable. That's why they don't stick," he said.  "There is a familiarity in hymns - that even if you are hearing it for the first time, you feel like you know it."

The inspiration for this style of music writing came to the Gettys when they settled down in Nashville and began discovering the challenges of Christian life through their discussions with people in their new church family, according to their website.  "We believe the Gospel story touches every part of life, so these new songs are a reflection of those conversations and us turning to the Gospel for guidance," Keith wrote.

"What excites us most about the work we do is seeing a song used by a congregation and hoping it becomes part of the soundtrack that follows a believer through life. As we write, it's also exciting to think about people who come to church who don't yet know the Lord and know what our faith is all about," Krystyn wrote on their website.

The Gettys most popular recordings in the United States include, 'In Christ Alone,' 'Awaken The Dawn' and 'Joy- An Irish Christmas,' according to their website.  They have performed at Franklin Graham crusades, the GMA Dove Awards, The Third Lausanne Conference on World Evangelization, and even did a feature performances at London's Royal Albert Hall and the legendary Grand Ole Opry.  The couple has also worked with musicians such as Alison Krauss and Ricky Staggs.

Their band includes "some of the top names in Irish and American folk music" and they have toured in both the U.S. and the Celtic Islands this year, according to their website.  Their news album, 'Hymns for the Christian Life,' was inspired by both the musical community and the community of believers and it showcases Irish melodies as well as American bluegrass and country influences.  The couple and their band will be doing a tour for this album in October 2013.

"At its heart, Hymns for the Christian Life is meant to join worship with daily life," Keith wrote of their new album on the Gettymusic website.

The Gettys future plans include taking a sabbatical for a few months to write more hymns, according to Christianity Today. Keith Getty said he tries to write five new ideas for melodies a day in order to try and find the combination of rhythm and notes that is just right.