The parents of Dax Locke would certainly agree. A two year-old boy from Washington, Illinois, Dax was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of leukemia in September 2009. His doctors declared he wouldn’t live to see another Christmas. The signature song of West’s new CD, ‘The Heart of Christmas,’ tells the remarkable, moving story of what happened next.
West’s song, ‘One Last Christmas,’ documents the small miracle that grew out of the love and pain of the Locke family. Upon hearing his son’s terrible prognosis, Dax’s dad determined that his boy deserved to spend one last holiday with the family. Late one night when everyone else was in bed, he got down the tree, the twinkle lights, and the ornaments from the attic, and proceeded to decorate their entire home for Christmas, inside and out.
The next day, when the neighbors saw the Locke house and heard Dax’s story, they were so moved and inspired that they too packed up their autumn and Halloween decorations, and decked their homes for Christmas. Soon local news stations began covering this phenomenon, and within weeks, the entire town was decorated in a community effort to help give Dax and his family one last, glorious Christmas season together. Eventually, people all over the world began putting up lights and sending photos of their homes and their Christmas trees to the Lockes.
Dax departed this life to be with God on December 30, 2009. But Matthew West, and the people of Washington, Illinois, have ensured that both his story and the Locke family’s amazing legacy of love will endure here on earth forever.
“Middle of September – still seventy degrees,
Daddy climbs up in the attic, brings down candles,
Hangs the lights on all the trees,
Then the neighbors started asking,
And pretty soon word got around,
First it was the neighborhood,
Before too long they lit up that whole town.
“One last Christmas, one last time,
One last season when the world is right,
One more telling of the story,
One more verse of Silent Night,
They'd give anything so he could have
One last Christmas.”
One Last Christmas, by Matthew West, from ‘The Heart of Christmas’
No doubt, West is not your typical contemporary pop musician. In fact, it’s safe to say that he’s not your typical artist in general. That’s because West, in his heart of hearts, is a prodigious storyteller who’s not afraid to tackle the toughest and most emotional subjects. If you attend one of his concerts or pick up one of his recordings, you’ll listen to the stories of people he’s met along the road, tales of hope in heartbreak, as well as the testimonies of his friends and fans across the world.
His holiday release, ‘The Heart of Christmas,’ is no exception. Yes, there are traditional carols like ‘Jingle Bells’ and ‘O Holy Night,’ but there is also a song that tells the story of soldiers who have to spend Christmas overseas in foreign countries. There’s another that relates the story of Jesus before he was born to Mary, explaining to the world, “You’re the reason why I’m leaving Heaven.” Perhaps inadvertently, West’s own story is woven throughout the songs; the story of a loving husband, father, and follower of Christ.
In fact, it’s not surprising that West’s previous album was titled, ‘The Story of Your Life,’ (now also a book). To provide inspiration for its composition, West accepted letters and emails from his listeners and then translated their stories into song. The CD features lyrics based on real-life testimonies of single moms, troubled teens, cancer survivors, and people who find hope in crisis. By using music to inspire faith and reveal purpose in everything, West proves that he is a very unique talent and has an extremely special ministry.
In a nutshell, West’s new album, ‘The Heart of Christmas,’ is the musical embodiment of the happiest, liveliest, and most heartwarming holiday celebrations you’ve ever attended. While this disk deals with the vagaries of life realistically, even Charles Dickens’ Ghost of Christmas Present would be hard pressed to find greater joy. Grounded in the Biblical story of Christ’s birth, West uncovers the deeper meaning and unfathomable comfort we so often miss when we’re swamped with the shopping, cooking, hosting, and the general chaos which usually engulfs everyone during this season.
With ease and grace he infuses well-worn Christmas carols we’ve all heard a thousand times before with so much fresh passion, unique personality, and radiant bliss that you’ll want to listen to them a thousand times again. In addition, West has composed seven beautiful new Christmas songs that are intimate, lyrically inspiring, and musically timeless.
In fact, West’s hallmark may be that when one hears him sing, one feels one is listening to the heartfelt confidences and reminiscences of a dear friend. His voice has a warm, embracing persona, combined with an exceptional range and a striking ability to transition gracefully between jazz, rock, and pop styles.
While many pop artists tend to have rather canned-sounding musical arrangements backing them up, West’s instrumentals are all well conceived and interesting from a technical perspective. One can hear big band influences, hints of good old-fashioned folk, and stirring orchestral movements that maximize West’s theatrical charisma.
Guesting on ‘The Heart of Christmas’ is legendary crossover artist Amy Grant, Gospel vocal power-house Mandisa, and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Vince Gill. Together they lend West a multi-textured array of sound and feelings, while not stealing the spotlight off the man himself.
In a recent interview, West told The Business of Being Diva author Jennifer Grassman that “It doesn’t have to be Christmas to carry the heart of Christmas with you.” He also talked about everything from Amy Grant’s quirky recording studio rituals, to his songwriting techniques, and his own family’s plans for the holidays.
You can read a transcript of West’s full interview below. To learn more about West and his many projects, including ‘The Heart of Christmas,’ please visit www.MatthewWest.com. His albums are available for purchase through his official online store, iTunes, and Amazon.
One Last Christmas
Matthew West Official Music Video
Matthew West Official Music Video
Interview Transcript:
GRASSMAN: Hi Matthew! Thanks for taking the time to chat. First off I want to say, I truly enjoyed 'The Heart of Christmas.' I only review albums that I love and this one has become really special to me, so I’m very excited to get the chance to talk to you about it. Now … Recording an album is a huge project. Needless to say, you’ve been in the studio singing carols year round. So, how did you get in the Christmas spirit when it was 80 degrees and sunny outside?
WEST: Well that was a bit tricky. We had an assignment to make a Christmas CD. While lot of people might not realize this, the majority of Christmas CDs are recorded in the heat of summer. You have to finish it long before the holidays come. It was in the middle of a big heat wave and I was in the studio wearing shorts and flip-flops singing 'Jingle Bells!' Ha-ha! We did the best we could though. We brought in a Christmas tree and put lights on it. I brought a little nativity scene in …
GRASSMAN: Oh wow, that’s awesome!
WEST: Yes! Every member of the band got one figure from the nativity scene at their station! It was ridiculous! But we had fun. It’s funny, I even tried to order some eggnog and get it shipped in. You’d be amazed how hard that stuff is to find that time of year.
GRASSMAN: I bet! You’d probably have to get someone to home-make it or something.
WEST: Yeah! But despite everything, we did manage to get into the Christmas spirit. It’s amazing how Christmas music can make any time of the year feel like Christmas. We were in this log-cabin studio, and (as long as you didn’t go outside) you started to feel like, "Wow! It really is Christmas time!”
And you know, that’s really the meaning behind the title of the CD, 'The Heart of Christmas,' and the story that inspired it. It doesn’t have to be Christmas to carry the heart of Christmas with you. It was a neat underlying theme that carried through even though we were singing Christmas carols in July.
GRASSMAN: And it shows! That’s wonderful. It’s funny because I’ve always wanted to sing more Christmas carols throughout the year at church. I completely agree with you there.
Now, on 'The Heart Of Christmas,' you’ve got secular songs in addition to Christian carols. Speaking of which, I absolutely love your rendition of ‘Jingle Bells.’ How do you take a song like 'Jingle Bells,' which everyone has heard 1,000+ times, and infuse it with so much fresh energy and personality?
WEST: A lot of times artists will take a classic song and they’ll kind of try to modernize it or make it sound like their own style, but for me, I love it when they’re classic. When I think of Christmas music I think of Bing Crosby, Eddie Arnold, or Nat King Cole. Even Harry Connick Jr. or Michael Bublé. It’s the kind of music I put on when the fireplace is going and chestnuts (or whatever those are) are roasting on an open fire. You know what I mean? It’s kind of this, wrapping-gifts-while-all-is-well classic spirit of Christmas.
I undertook that same approach to the traditional carols that we recorded. I didn’t want to spruce them up necessarily, but still be somewhat inventive and unique in the approach, while keeping them classic. That's my goal. With 'Jingle Bells' we made it this big band classic version, where I got to kind of find my inner Michael Bublé. We added some spruced up energy elements and threw a little 'Deck the Halls' in there as well.
GRASSMAN: Well you sound like you’re having a blast when you’re singing it!
WEST: Oh man, we did! And we’re going to have a blast on tour singing it. It’s just fun, you know? Normally there’s a lot more pressure. I mean, as far as Christian music goes, as I just came out of a season of addressing a lot of pretty intense topics.
GRASSMAN: Sure, with your last album, 'The Story.'
WEST: Yes. And while there’s elements on this record that are bit heavy and a bit more emotional, it’s been a fun release to just sing some Christmas songs that I love and that have meant a lot to me since I was a kid, and now to be able to share that with people. Every album I make I feel is a little bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride. Hopefully people are up to taking that ride with me this Christmas.
GRASSMAN: Speaking of storytelling and instrumental arrangements, one song (which I particularly liked), is called “Leaving Heaven” and it has a nostalgic kind of folk feel. As an artist, how do you decide how you’re going to arrange or produce a particular song? How do you forecast what instruments and overall feeling you want to get behind a song?
WEST: A lot of that happens while you’re writing the song – the style of the song is created at the same time. I don’t try to overthink the style of a song, which is why my albums tend to be more eclectic. One song ends up this way, one song ends up that way. Whatever the lyrics are saying, my goal is to make the music follow that, and allow the lyrics to be communicated in the most emotionally effective and appropriate way. I had a great producer on this record, and my band that travels with me actually played on this record. All of their input was huge in creating the sound that has become the finished product.
It seems like a lot of people are liking it. I’ve been very scared of reading critic’s reviews. It seems the critics are in the Christmas spirit because they’ve been very kind to me so far!
GRASSMAN: Well they better not be grinches! I agree with you in regards to the songwriting. I write songs as well and I think a lot of artists do tend to get into a little box sometimes as far as far a style goes, so I really enjoyed the versatility on your album.
‘Leaving Heaven’ is an original, in fact, you wrote seven out of the 12 songs on, 'The Heart of Christmas.' Do you think there’s a big difference – inspiration-wise or artistically – between composing Christmas songs as opposed to regular songs?
WEST: You know, I think there is a little bit of added challenge, because Christmas music has been written and written well for so many years. There are so many good songs! You’re tempted to say, “Oh man! There’s nothing new under the sun!” The challenge that I issued to myself was, if I’m going and write Christmas songs they better be coming from a unique perspective. The songs have to breathe something new, while at the same time preserving the old.
So that was my goal, and that’s why you’re going to hear songs on the record like 'Leaving Heaven.' It takes a few liberties, but it’s written from the perspective of Jesus on the day when he’s getting ready to come down to earth as a baby, entering into our fallen world. So he says, “I’m gonna walk around that broken earth, I’m trading in these streets of gold, and if you ever wonder how much you’re worth you should know; you’re the reason why I’m leaving Heaven.”
And you know, as I was writing it I was thinking, “God, how could you send your son down from the paradise of Heaven to the brokenness of Earth?” Just think; Jesus did that for us. I felt that this was a message God was putting on my heart, and it really made me feel so much worth and value just letting that thought sink in, and I thought putting that in a song might be a unique way to connect with people this Christmas as well.
GRASSMAN: That’s wonderful! Now, when you write a song like this do you write the lyrics or the music first?
WEST: Hmmm, usually it starts with a concept or an idea. The last couple years it’s been all about the stories I’ve been reading. So, I’ll read something in a story that sparks an idea, and then the music immediately follows. I’m typically not one to sit down and write a whole set of lyrics before putting it to music. Both elements tend to develop hand-in-hand.
GRASSMAN: OK. Now I have to ask: Guesting on 'The Heart of Christmas,' are household names like Amy Grant, Manias, and Vince Gill. For a lot of people, these are huge celebrity icons! I always find it funny when I read People Magazine or something and see the photos documenting the fact that celebrities walk their dogs, shop, and drink coffee just like the rest of us (as if that were a surprise)! You’ve got a truly insider perspective though. So what are they really like as friends and colleagues? Was it strictly business or did you guys hang out and have fun while recording?
WEST: Yes! To me that’s one of the big high-points of the whole record – the appearance of those three artists. I was just in awe. You know, Mandisa and I have been friends for a few years, so I already knew her and we were very comfortable working with each other. I knew she was going to sing as beautifully as she did. But as far as Amy and Vince I had no idea that I could even get them to sing on my record, so when they came into the studio, I was kind of giddy over it. You know? It was such a thrill and they were so humble and gracious. They showed up prepared and they were excited to be a part of the project.
It was pretty cool. So, now I’m trying to get Vince to come and sing for my church on Christmas Eve. I’m going to see if I can pull some strings. I’ll be singing and they want me to do the song that he and I did on the album, so I’m going to call him and see if he’s available to do me a favor.
GRASSMAN: That would be lovely! What church is that?
WEST: It’s a church in Franklin, Tennessee called The People’s Church. It’s my home church.
GRASSMAN: Do Amy, Mandisa, Vince or you have any funny studio quirks? For example, one of mine is whenever I’m recording vocals I have to be snacking on tortilla chips and guacamole (or as my producer calls it, “green magic”) between takes. I seriously believe it helps! Candles also help. Were there any funny eccentricities or traditions like that when you recorded?
WEST: Ha-ha! I’m not sure I could do chips and guacamole, but I know Amy has one tradition sort of along the lines of yours. I’d always heard that she’d have a bag of Lays potato chips to eat before her singing. When I went into the studio, sure enough, there was a bag of Lays potato chips! So I started doing that too, but then I was like, “Wait a minute. I’m going to put on 30 pounds while I’m recording this Christmas album!” I don’t know how she does it! She keeps her figure, but I sure wouldn’t be able to.
GRASSMAN: Yes, you want to sing about Santa, not look like him!
WEST: Yeah! This time around, since I was sitting there recording vocals for Christmas songs in July, it was all about finding ways to create a Christmas-y vibe. We were lighting candles, and even though it was 100 degrees outside, I’d come in and wear a sweater. Just, anything to try and make it feel like Christmas!
GRASSMAN: I’m sure! It’s funny, I was an opera major over at The Moores School of Music for a while, so I saw all sorts of quirky traditions people have. Some would drink Coke, others would chew gum while they’re singing, etc.. But getting back to the track list, your version of 'O Holy Night' is beautiful and incredibly powerful. I love how you back off on the choruses instead of belting them.
The history behind that song is that the lyrics were translated from French and abridged by an American Unitarian minister named John Dwight in 1855. As such, he gave the song an anti-slavery message. How do you think that message connects to people today?
WEST: It’s interesting. I always interpreted that verse, “chains shall he break for the slave is our brother,” as speaking to those who are slaves to sin. The hope of the world has arrived. We’re celebrating the birth of a Savior who will set us all free from our sin. But how neat it is to find out that that statement was actually originally intended to be a political statement! I think it’s incredible that both in the spiritual realm and the physical realm there is relevance. But personally the way I’ve always received that lyrics is, “Thank God we’ve all been promised the gift of freedom. Whatever chains that bind, they can be broken and we’re set free so that we can know a love like no other.”
GRASSMAN: It is really beautiful.
Like 'O Holy Night,' when people think of Christmas music, they usually think of happy songs in major keys. However, there’s a tradition among artsy artists, like yourself, to write at least one very sad, bordering on depressing carol. I’m thinking of songs like Joni Mitchell’s ‘River’ or Sarah McLachlan’s “Wintersong.” Yours of course is “One Last Christmas,” and it is heartbreakingly moving! What’s the story behind that?
WEST: Well, I’m a storyteller at heart, and I’ve kind of been a songwriter in search of his next story for the last couple years. It’s been hands down the most fulfilling creative season of my life – ironically, not telling my own story – but the stories of other people’s lives, and giving their stories a voice.
The story of 'One Last Christmas' is a one that moved me greatly. It’s about a young couple whose little boy, Dax, was diagnosed with a rare form of Leukemia. He had to receive 18 months of intensive treatment. He was really kind of quarantined. He couldn’t go outside. After 18 months though, the doctors couldn’t do anything more for him. This little boy’s body just couldn’t take anymore treatment. They sent him home with his family to Illinois with the simple instructions to make the most of their last days together. He was given four to six weeks to live. When the parents got home they realized that that meant he wouldn’t make it to see Christmas.
While on the surface this story is leading to a heartbreaking end, and like you said, people might think, “Wow. What a sad story.” But what I focused in on and what became glaringly obvious to me in what happened next, was how there is such hope and redemption even in seemingly hopeless circumstances.
So, in the middle of the night, without the rest of the family knowing it, Dax’s dad went and got all their Christmas decorations out and decorated their entire house and their front yard for Christmas. He made a big sign with the letters, “Dax,” so everyone could see it. And when they woke up that next morning Dax had Christmas at their house. The only trouble was it wasn’t even closed to December. It was like, September or October.
The neighbors were all kind of puzzled as to what was going on because they were all getting ready for Halloween and getting their fall decorations out. But when the neighbors found out why they had decorated for Dax, all the neighbors decided to do the same. One by one the houses began to light up with Christmas decorations. Then the local news stations caught on and pretty soon the entire town where they lived was lit up for Christmas in 75 degree fall weather.
To me, that is what the heart of Christmas is all about; looking out your front door, seeing another family in need, and showing them love and support. That whole community rallied around one another. I just felt that this was a story that needed to be told; how one little boy – thanks to the love of his parents and the support of his community – was able to have one last Christmas.
To me, even beyond being a sad song, as a parent I needed that story because it made me go hug my kids. It made me call my wife and tell her how much I love her. I sure hope it will do the same for everyone who hears the record this Christmas.
GRASSMAN: Speaking of your kids, there’s a hidden track at the end of 'The Heart of Christmas.' Is that one of your daughters singing?
WEST: Yeah! That’s one of the perks of the job; I get to let my kids have a moment on the record. My daughter came up to me and said, “I’ll write a Christmas song! I want to write a song for your record.” So she made up this song about how there are kids that don’t have any Christmas, and I thought it was pretty cool so I put it on the record.
GRASSMAN: Oh yes, it’s adorable!
WEST: So if people keep listening past the end of the record they’ll hear it.
GRASSMAN: That’s exactly what I did! I was getting ready to write the review and I had my CD player set on repeat and instead of cycling back to track one, this cute little voice started singing!
So finally, in closing, what are your plans for Christmas, Matthew?
WEST: Well right now it’s a bit of a different Christmas for us because I’ll be on tour quite a bit. So our Christmas is going to get a little bit of a later start than I would like. We’ll have Christmas on the road for most of the month. My family will come out some of that time. That week of Christmas I’m just excited to be home with my family and just have a nice quiet time. We’ll all be at Christmas Eve service and we kind of have our own little special traditions. But, it’s just a time when the whole family – all our relatives – all come over to my house. We’ll cook up a big dinner and just have an amazing time.
GRASSMAN: Alright! Well I hope you guys do have a very Merry Christmas. Thank you so much for your time!
WEST: Thank you!
About Jennifer Grassman:
Singer, songwriter and pianist, Jennifer Grassman is an award-winning recording artist based in Houston, Texas. Subscribe by RSS feed and read more from Jennifer at www.JenniferGrassman.com. You can follow Jennifer on @JGrassman orFacebook.com/JenniferGrassmanMusic
By Jennifer Grassman-The Washington Time
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