How Worship Birthed This Country Legend’s Love of Music
By Movieguide® Contributor
Florida Georgia Lines’ Brian Kelley explained how growing up in the church taught him to power of music and what he hopes people take away from his newest solo project.
“As long as I can remember, you know, we were going to church. We went to First United Methodist, you know, 10 to 12 minutes from the house over across the bridge,” Kelley told the “Biscuits and Jam” podcast. “In high school I started going to First Baptist downtown Dayton, and that’s when I started really getting even a deeper walk in my faith. Halfway through high school, I went to this Wednesday night service they had called “Fire by the Night,” and it was just next level.”
“The music was awesome, people were just like, it’s like they were having a party, but it was worship, you know, it was like, you’re just feeling all sorts of things,” he continued. “You’re just right in it worshiping with all these people, and it was incredible.”
Around that time, Kelley became interested in creating his own music and began to learn guitar. After mastering the basic chords, he volunteered to lead worship, and that is where he got his start playing live. Throughout college, he would help lead worship and hone his craft in music.
“It was great to be a part of something bigger than yourself. It was great to challenge yourself, learning these songs and being able to play in church, you know, and to help lead worship and help be a part of something that’s helping people get in a moment of peace or prayer and just get outside of this whole world of going so hard and being caught up with everything” Kelley said.
“To be a part of a moment, 45, 30 minutes of a congregation, that’s special,” he continued. “You know, I’ve always felt moved by contemporary Christian music or worship music, however you want to call it…you know, for a moment there, I wanted to kind of be Casting Crowns. I love that stuff and that helped shape a lot of my life and a lot of who I am.”
Having built his music prowess, Kelley went on to found Florida Georgia Line, one of the most popular and enduring country music duos of all time. The pair have since taken a break from creating music together to focus on solo projects.
After two years of work, Kelley has now released his solo album, “Tennessee Truth.”
“I just love what we created. I just love my unique brand of country that we created on this record. I think it’s very special, and I think it’s so me,” Kelley said. “I hope everybody gets to know me even better, and I hope this record becomes the soundtrack of their lives, you know. I hope it takes over, and it’s something that they’re playing, you know, and they’re utilizing in their daily routine.”
“…I don’t think I’m any different than those that are going to enjoy this record,” he told Country Now of the album. “We have the same way we live our lives, same morals of God, family, country. We navigate our lives around hunting, fishing, family time, being with those that we love, whatever it may be, and creating new memories with each other.”
Movieguide® previously reported:
Brian Kelley opened up about what life has been like since the duo Florida Georgia Line took an indefinite hiatus in 2022. For him, it’s all about family.
“My wife Brittney, our family time together with our extended family means the world to me,” he said, adding, that he finds inspiration for lyrics “from my lifestyle of being in the woods or in the water. That’s where typically you can find me unless we’re on the road somewhere.”
The country crooner said his music is always about “just loving and living life to its fullest, you know what I’m saying? And working hard, having something to look forward to.”
His latest album, “Tennessee Truth,” is a tribute to his time growing up with a close family in Tennessee
“And I’ve got tons of aunts, uncles, cousins, family members out in Gallatin, Hendersonville area. And, so, No. 1, kind of the first Tennessee truth is, you know, this is this record’s a tribute to my deep Tennessee roots in my family.”
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