A really
smart guy once said, “The true call of a
Christian is not to do extraordinary things,
but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary
way.” We’re thinking that he must’ve met
Caleb Rowden already.
Caleb
is an ordinary guy. A kind of Everyman who
wakes up, puts his pants on, eats breakfast,
kisses his wife and goes about his day.
He’s a sports enthusiast who tries to be
a good neighbor, a responsible driver and
a loyal friend.
Where
the ordinary meets the extraordinary may
not seem so obvious. But the fact that this
23 year-old Columbia, Mo. native played
his first church gig at the age of three
and has been keeping the beat ever since
is a big hint. The fact that for the past
decade he’s been building a highly successful
career as an independent—opening for such
notable talents as MercyMe, Casting Crowns,
Nichole Nordeman, Jeremy Camp and Audio
Adrenaline—might make this ordinary guy
a bit more intriguing. But consider the
fact that, even before his career got off
the ground, Caleb Rowden put his money where
his passion is, establishing a non-profit
organization to support ongoing mission
efforts, and you’re getting even closer
to understanding how special this guy really
is.
With the summer release of FREE FROM ORDINARY, Caleb Rowden
makes his national debut on Slanted Records,
the pop/rock imprint of Spring Hill Music
Group. Powered by a lifelong faith journey,
FREE FROM ORDINARY features powerful, energetic
songs that encourage and inspire extraordinary
faith and action in every day life.
“I was raised to be in the church every time the doors were
open,” explains Caleb. “I was always very
involved in youth group, and that really
helped shape my calling into ministry. I
had two different youth pastors who were
great mentors in my life. Their doors were
always open, and we had a lot of late-night
talks. I think all of that has definitely
helped bring me to where I am.
A serious drumming talent by the age of three, Caleb grew
up in a home where southern Gospel music
provided the sonic wallpaper. By 13, he
had added guitar, keyboards and songwriting
to his repertoire and joined a band, Wisdom’s
Cry. Juggling high school and more than
100 gigs a year took its toll, but as good
drummers do, Caleb provided a steady backbone,
all the while developing his craft. When
Wisdom’s Cry disbanded in 2005, the group’s
primary songwriter was ready for an extraordinary
solo adventure.
Inspired by music
he enjoys today—artists like Switchfoot, U2, Keane, David Crowder Band and Coldplay,
among others—FREE FROM ORDINARY excels by seamlessly blending spirited pop/rock songs
with worshipful, Christ-centered songs of praise. The project was produced by Dan Needham
(Steven Curtis Chapman, Stacie Orrico) and Kevan Cyka (REM, Hilary Duff), with Caleb
co-writing all of the album’s 10 tracks. “More than anything, I want my songs to be
relevant to my generation, to say it’s OK to believe in God and be culturally relevant
and cool,” Caleb explains.
The project’s cornerstone is “Alone,” a passionate description
of hope built on aggressive guitars and
soaring vocals. Although he frequently plays
churches, Caleb wrote the track with seekers
in mind.
There’s a God that loves you more
than you’ll ever know
There’s a God that wants you,
He died so you would know
That there’s a Savior calling for
you to come and go
‘Cause no matter where you’ve been,
you don’t have to be alone.
Beyond the obvious evangelical nature of the song, Caleb appreciates
how the song pulls double duty since it
stands abundantly pertinent to believers,
too. “‘Alone’ is relevant to somebody who
has been a Christian for a long time, people
who, like me, need be reminded about those
things we risk taking for granted.”
“You Are Holy,” the record’s first single, celebrates God’s
majesty and peace. “This was one of the
first songs I wrote when I started doing
solo work,” he explains. “I always have
an objective when I sit down to write, and
the goal for this one was to create a cool
worship song that could be sung corporately
or individually.” With a little help from
producers Needham and Cyka, along with studio
pros like George Cocchini (guitars), Mark
Hill (bass), John Catchings (cello) and
Needham (drums, keys, guitars), the result
was not only a phenomenal worship classic-in-the-making,
but also an inspiring sonic feast.
The clear, worshipful tone of FREE FROM ORDINARY is unmistakable,
but Caleb is careful to point out his work
generally stands apart the worship trends
of the day. “I definitely love to lead worship,
and I do it somewhat frequently. But I wouldn’t
call myself a worship artist,” he says.
Instead, Caleb hopes these songs will be
uplifting to listeners’ walk with God and
relevant to life as we experience it. He
illustrates this perspective while talking
about “The Journey.”
“That
was definitely kind of a theme song as I’ve
been transitioning into this solo thing,”
which, he says, had its usual growing pains.
“We are all on a journey, and these songs
are meant to encourage and remind each of
us of one idea: That God is with us—no matter
what we may be going through. And as Christians,
we have to believe that in the end, God
is going to use this road, these situations,
to make us better, stronger people.”
Talking with Caleb,
it’s abundantly clear he’s grateful for the opportunity to pursue his musical
passions. As a way to give back to God and the people who make that possible, he helped
establish Wisdom’s Cry Ministries. Each year, Caleb and the ministry’s board of
directors choose a mission organization to assist, and a portion of all the proceeds from
Caleb’s music supports those chosen. This year, WCM supports missionaries in Bulgaria
and India, as well as the Sunshine Children’s Center in Kiev, Ukraine.
“Over
140,000 children live homeless on the streets
of Kiev,” Caleb says, “and Sunshine has
created a home where children can find help
and hope for the future. It’s such an extraordinary
thing to be able to help our friends who
are reaching out to the poor. It’s as much
a part of my calling as anything else I
do.”
To learn more about Caleb and his music, just
e-mail
us! Also, be sure to check out
www.wisdomscryministries.com
to learn more about the missionaries Caleb
is partnering with.
Download this Bio in
MS-Word Format HERE.
