Brandon Heath
6 min read ⭑
“I like to say inspiration is a butterfly. If you don’t have the net ready, it’ll fly away. To me, creating something out of nothing still feels like a glimpse of God at work.”
Brandon Heath is a Platinum-selling singer/songwriter known for popular tracks such as “Give Me Your Eyes” and “I’m Not Who I Was.” He’s earned five Grammy nominations, eight GMA Dove Awards, and other prestigious accolades, but what matters most to him is the people he meets and the lives he impacts through his music. The latest of his nine albums, The Ache, explores the tension of loss and longing while we wait for our heavenly home. Join our conversation with Brandon below as he gets honest about deep wounds, the artists and authors who have shaped his inner world, and the most impactful practice he’s picked up since COVID.
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
Food is always about more than food; it’s also about home and people and love. So how does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind your web bio?
I was born and raised in Nashville. These days, it’s known for hot chicken, but that only became a thing about 15 years ago. Back then, we were better known for our “meat-and-three” restaurants. Your choice of a protein and three Southern sides like sweet potato casserole or mac and cheese. Most were buffet-style, always with sweet tea and incredible desserts.
My favorite was Barbara’s Home Cooking just south of town. The moment you walked in, it smelled like fresh-baked bread and fried chicken. Exactly like my Nana and Papaw’s house. It made me feel instantly known. Sadly, it closed about a month ago, so now I’m on the hunt for a new favorite. Pray for me.
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QUESTION #2: REVEAL
What “nonspiritual” activity have you found to be quite spiritual, after all? What quirky proclivity, out-of-the-way interest or unexpected pursuit refreshes your soul?
Believe it or not, I rarely connect with God through listening to music. Writing and creating, absolutely, but not so much in a worship service setting. I have my own hang-ups around song structure and performance; that’s just my wiring.
What I love most is walking in the woods. That started when I was a kid, exploring my grandparents’ backyard. That’s where I feel closest to God. Where I can feel small in the best way. There’s something about nature, the water and everything he’s created that draws me in. My favorite place in Tennessee is Radnor Lake. I always leave feeling restored and reconnected.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness; every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re all broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you confront its power?
My dad left when I was around 3 and started a new life with another family. I met them about a year later, but it left a mark. He eventually came back into my life and really pursued a relationship with me, but the damage had been done.
Through years of therapy, I’ve realized that my core wound is feeling like I’m “not good enough.” Not good enough to stay for, to keep, to choose. It’s taken a lot of understanding, forgiveness and grace to work through that. My dad and I are in a good place now, truly, but every time something hits that part of my identity, I find myself choosing to forgive him all over again.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?
I’m currently working on my 11th studio album. I used to say ninth, but if we’re counting the Christmas records, which were full of work and heart, it’s 11.
For years I’ve been playing backyard shows every spring. It started as a passion project, and during COVID, it became a necessity. Along the way, I’ve met incredible people, literally on their home turf, and seen corners of the country I never would have otherwise. Those experiences have deeply shaped this next album, “Going Places,” which comes out next year.
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Whether we’re cashiers or CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need God’s love flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I get ideas all the time, and when I do, they go straight into my phone as voice memos. Usually, a phrase paired with a melody. Some of those ideas make their way into writing rooms with other songwriters and producers, and some don’t.
Either way, it’s both a discipline and a joy. I like to say inspiration is a butterfly. If you don’t have the net ready, it’ll fly away. To me, creating something out of nothing still feels like a glimpse of God at work.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you in this season?
A few years ago, I read through the Old Testament for the first time. I’ve always loved history and genealogy. I’m an only child, and I’ve always wanted to know where I come from. So I find myself really connecting with those stories. In a way, it’s my history, too.
I’m not always consistent in reading Scripture, but I often listen through the Bible App while I’m driving or flying. I also use a few guides, like “Every Moment Holy.” Its rich liturgy and guided prayers help center me in the Spirit. I’ve learned I need help with a lot of things, prayer included.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed reality and changed your heart?
I’ve been incredibly blessed by mentors and friends throughout my life. Looking back, I can see that God has always provided exactly what I needed and often far more than I could have imagined. More often than not, his provision came through the people he placed in my life.
Bob Goff is one of those people who’s had a huge impact on my life. In the early 2000s, we put together a plan for me to go for it as an artist, and here I am 20 years later. Anything he writes is worth your time.
Allen Levi was influential in my life in the late ’90s as a Young Life musician, and it’s been amazing to watch him grow into such a respected fiction writer. “Theo of Golden” is a must-read.
Dave Barnes, one of my closest friends since college, hosts a great podcast called “Dadville.” Our kids are in school together, we co-write often, and he makes me laugh harder than just about anyone. And if you’re looking for music that really moves me, Andy Gullahorn is worth a few hours of your time. I’m biased because they’re all my friends, but I stand by it.
QUESTION #8: dream
God’s continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
You may see a little less from me in the future. I have two daughters who are growing up quickly. They are 7 and 8, and I can literally hear them playing in the backyard right now.
More than anything, I’m asking how I can give them more time, more attention and more love. I’m not done making music, but for this season, it takes a backseat to them.
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven” (Ecc. 3:1, ESV).
As Solomon so astutely pointed out, seasons come and go. Each one might look different from the next, and God might call you to different actions, ministries and relationships as our lives march forward.
For Brandon, that means moving into a time of focusing less on music and more on his family. What season are you in right now? How is God calling you to shift your focus? What new adventures might he be stirring in your heart?
Five-time Grammy®-nominated, eight-time GMA Dove Award-winning, and Platinum®-selling singer/songwriter Brandon Heath continues to inspire audiences with heartfelt songs rooted in faith, hope and authenticity. Following his first full-length album in five years, Enough Already, which featured his sixth No. 1 hit, See Me Through It, Heath is set to release his ninth studio album, The Ache. The project explores themes of loss, longing and the hope of eternal life, reflecting the values that matter most to him — faith, family and community. Best known for his Platinum®-certified hit Give Me Your Eyes, Heath has earned numerous songwriting honors, including BMI Songwriter of the Year, and has been featured by major national media throughout his acclaimed career.