INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT SHIREMAN OF HUSH HARBOR.

 

Hush Harbor: L-R Guitarist David Charlton, drummer Scott Shireman, Keyboardist/Guitarist Craig Embry, lead vocalist Jeni Carr, and bassist/bass drum Perry McDaniel

You may know by now that I had been debating between going to two different festivals: Kingdom Come Festival (KCF) in Kokomo, or Get To The Point a week earlier in Greenwood. Well, had I gone to KCF, I would have missed getting to hear Hush Harbor (as well as several of the other bands at Get To The Point). 

JR: Welcome to the blog. I'll start by asking how Hush Harbor got
started as a band, and who are the band members? 

SS: We got started after I had an encounter with the Lord at a Christian concert and felt led to start a band. We met through multiple social media platforms in 2014. Since that time we have been playing shows ever since and are blessed that 2022 has been our busiest year ever! You can check out our current
shows at www.hushharborband.com. Also in the band are Jeni Carr, Perry McDaniel, Craig Embry, and David Charlton.  

JR: I'm guessing from your website that your most recent release is "Testimony." If it is, would you like to tell us about it? If it isn't, what is? Any other songs that stand out?

SS: Our most recently released single Testimony is about just that…WE all have a TESTIMONY, we are a living, breathing TESTIMONY that has the opportunity to share it with all we come into contact with. Through all we do, say and play. We are currently in the studio working on the next single, “SOMETHING AMAZING”. 

JR: Are there any performances/festivals that stand out as especially blessed or definitely memorable or just plain different? 

SS: As an independent Christian band we are free to play anywhere we feel the Lord calls us. We have been blessed to play shows and festivals with artist such as; The Newsboys, Sidewalk Prophets, Unspoken, Rhett Walker, Jason Gray, JJ Weeks, Jason Folwer, Carrollton, Ryan Lynton, Veridia, Building 429 and many others. We also get to play shows that are much more intimate.

One show that truly is unique and stands out. We were blessed to play a complete concert in the Clark County Indiana Jail for the inmates (First a show for the males then for the females). Worst acoustics ever but the best show ever! 

JR: Any objections if I break tradition? I usually ask about a band's
name in the first question; I've decided to wait to the fourth question in this interview. So what is the origin of the band's name? 

SS: I discovered the term Hush Harbor during my independent studies. During Abolition slaves were oftern punished and or killed if caught sharing the Gospel with each other. They would sneak off in the middle of the night and gather in depressions of the earth (Gullies, Hollers or Harbors) to worship together. They referred to these as HUSH HARBORS. The same holds true today in many parts of the world. Thus our name is a tribute to the past and recognition of today. 

JR: We are living in a world where there is plenty of persecution of Christians (Voice of the Martyrs identifies 38 restricted nations and 14 hostile) and many feel that number will not only increase but will also include the USA. In addition, we are in a nation that seems divided in many areas, political and not. How do you see the Gospel in solving these problems, and how is God using Hush Harbor in this environment? 

SS: The Gospel is THE ANSWER to all of our world's problems. Our ministry has been blessed to have downloads in 39 countries around the world and in many countries where Christianity is banned! We are a Ministry First, Band Second. 

JR: Thank you for your time. May the Lord Jesus Christ richly bless you. 

SS: May GOD Bless you and thanks so much for including us! Anyone wanting information on us can go to our web site:
www.hushharborband.com.

Final comment from Jeff - I have a playlist going, and by coincidence, "Testimony" by Hush Harbor was playing as I worked on this.

FESTIVALS, FATHER'S DAY, PROVIDENCE, PRAYER, SPIRITUAL WARFARE, ENCOURAGEMENT, AND REVIVAL

Divine Martyr and ... Hey, who's the party crasher on the left?

 

With no children (nor nephews or nieces, and not surprisingly, no grandchildren) and both Becky's and my fathers gone, Father's Day isn't a big thing. But that leads me to a question: Am I, at 62.67 years old, too old to adopt a rock band, or maybe a Southern Gospel quartet? Or should I be content at being an Uncle.

And thus begins a blog where I hit several topics (in case you can't guess from the title).  And I took Father's Day out of order, but I'll keep going.

So:

FESTIVALS!!!  

I first heard of Kingdom Come Festival (KCF) last year, even though it has been going on for years about an hour's drive away. Didn't make it last year, and planned to this year. And the Saturday line-up had several bands I wanted to hear: True Revival, Forsaken Hero, Reclaim the Day, and Theody (all of which I've interviewed) as well as others. 

But then, I heard about Get To The Point Festival, which also had Reclaim the Day and five other acts, such as Divine Martyr who I'd miss out at KCF because they perform Friday. Plus, it was indoors instead of outdoors, half the distance that KCF is, and friendlier to Becky's and my schedule. (Festivals like this are more my style than Becky, and she's more into Southern Gospel.) 

So last Saturday (June 11, '22) I drove to the Point Church and Community Center and had the honor of hearing great music, by Inarticulate Bones and Brave WRSHP and the bands Tempus Unum, Hush Harbor, Divine Martyr, and Reclaim the Day. I got to hear great songs including Fear (Divine Martyr's latest), Relief (Tempus Unum, not yet available on streaming), Sentenced to Life (one of five excellent songs on Reclaim The Day's just released EP), and Testimony (Hush Harbor). 

But if you missed Get To The Point, then get to Kingdom Come! It starts tonight (June 16, '22) including interviewees Undefeated and Samuel Day, and as I said, is the following two days all day on two different stages!

PROVIDENCE

Technically, I could go to KCF, but I figured time wise I needed to choose between the two festivals. Well, two things happened after I decided to go to GTTP instead of KCF. First, I learned a friend of mine was having a retirement party when I would have been at KCF. Then this week, I was asked to help in the sound/camera booth at church during a funeral that again is at the same time of KCF. It seems God was pleased for me to enjoy a festival, and I chose the one I could attend.

PRAYER

So I won't be present at KCF but I will be there in spirit. Or to move from cliche to what I mean, I will be praying from here in Indianapolis while the concert is going on. I have my cell phone calendar ready to give a reminder so I can pray for my favorite artists as they're performing, as well as for KCF itself. Would you like to join me? I have the schedules for the two pages at the bottom of this blog so you can know who to pray for.

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

Are Christian musicians entertainers or ministers? I've always believed Christian artists, especially the cutting edge ones, are on the front line, invading the enemy's territory, and the enemy is ready to fight.

That belief was confirmed last week. Becca Sugg, lead vocalist for Reclaim the Day, fell and broke her nose and lacerrated her tongue. Was that a coincidence it was close enough to the concert she wondered if she could perform? I don't think so. Was it a spiritual attack? Good luck proving me it wasn't.

ENCOURAGEMENT

One of my heroes is Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement. I love encouraging Christians in ministry. Yes, that includes pastors and missionaries, but as I'm an artist (do you all know I've written songs, novels, and worked in ceramics and drawing?) I also like ... rather love to encourage Christian artists, be it authors, singers/bands, or visual artists.

I had the honor of meeting some of the musicians at the Festival, such as Reclaim the Day's Becca Suggs, Scott Shireman (Hush Harbor's drummer, and hopefully a soon to come interviewee) and Woody Hughes and Mark McKowen of Divine Martyr. Hopefully, I was able to be an encouragement by being there. 

REVIVAL

Actually, I could consider this to fall under "encouragement" except instead of me being the encourager, I'm being the encouragee. Several of the artists made it clear they would love to have non-Christians in the audience so they can hear the Gospel.

Since it was my first time at The Point, I may have been in the Sanctuary without realizing it. One hint were the altars on either side. Becca Sugg pointed them out and encouraged those who needed to get right with God or had prayer needs to make use of them.

Yep, this concern for the lost, and the love for others shown throughout the concert encouraged me. 

Are you going to Kingdom Come Festival? Have you gotten to hear any of the artists I mentioned or any that are listed on the schedule for KCF (including interviewees Gold Frankincense and Myrrh)? And a reminder to use the schedule as a prayer guide.

 

KCF 22 Main Stage Schedule

KCF 22 Redemption Stage Schedule