Follow you to Culpeper

It’s big, it’s engaging, and it’s coming to Culpeper Nov. 10. The Follow You Tour, co-headlined by Grammy-nominated progressive rock act Leeland and Dove Award-winning Male Vocalist of the Year Brandon Heath is under way now and will be stopping in Culpeper this fall, along with over 40 other cities.

Francesca Battistelli will accompany these two artists as a special guest.

Sponsored in part by Food for the Hungry, these artists share a common mission; to serve the poor and hungry. Through this tour, they want to inspire Christians to reach out to others and provide help. It’s about action.

“This tour is a great opportunity for us to all take a step outside of our comfort zone and move deliberately toward helping others and answering the call to action that the Lord establishes for us, each day,” Battistelli said.

The Star-Exponent had a recent opportunity to talk with Battistelli about the tour, her music and life.

CSE: How has the Christian music culture, having come from your hometown to Nashville, affected you?

Battistelli: “Having grown up in Orlando, coming to Nashville was easy. I felt very comfortable when I got here. My parents were very supportive. They knew how much I wanted to go to Nashville and pursue my songwriting. They told me if I wanted to do it, do it with all my heart. I think it was tougher on my parents then they let on though.”

CSE: What do you want your fans to take away from your music?

Battistelli: “I want them to be encouraged and challenged. To go out and make a difference in the world around them. That’s what this tour is about in a way. It is sponsored, in part, by Food for the Hungry. That is a big part! It’s about making a difference. ”

CSE: What is your favorite part about touring?

Battistelli: “This is my third or fourth tour. I think the relationships you make with other artists on tour is my favorite part.”

CSE: Do you write all your songs yourself?

Battistelli: “I do. I co-write a lot of them but I am a writer on every song.

CSE: Which of your songs do you most relate to?

Battistelli: “Free to Be Me. I wrote it in college. I had just backed into another car, it was a really stupid thing that happened. I couldn’t believe I had done that. I felt like I had to do everything perfectly in order for God to bless me and accept me. The song is about being imperfect and accepting that, because God accepts us just the way we are.”

CSE: How does married life play a role in your career? And does your husband travel with you?

Battistelli: “My husband and I are on two separate tours right now. We were only married two weeks before heading out for tours. He is a musician with a band called New Song. They have been around for years. We fly to see each other when we are on tours. We will be on a Christmas tour together this year with Big Daddy Weave.”

CSE: What about down time? What do you do to relax?

Battistelli: “I love to read. I also love to cook . . . when I am home. I am very low key when I am not touring because it’s so infrequent that I am home. The next time I am due home is the end of October. My husband and I will be off Thanksgiving and Christmas day — so we’ll probably celebrate the holidays with both families together.”

CSE: Who is your favorite artist/ who inspires you?

Battistelli: “In the Christian scene: Toby Mac. He is so real and authentic. Although he’s blazed the trail and reached the top there’s nothing arrogant about him.”

CSE: What is your favorite song?

Battistelli: “Worth It All, by Rita Springer. She is not as well known as she should be. She always makes me cry.”

Want to go?
What: Follow You Tour with Christian recording artist and
songwriters Leeland, Brandon Heath and special guest Francesca Battistelli
Where: Culpeper County High School
When: Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Ticket prices: $15 general admission, groups of 15-plus: $12, $18
Tickets available at Mt. View Community Church, CulpeperBaptist Church or at http://www.itickets.com

Heath: Young Life helped lead me to the Lord
By Cheryl Walker
Contributing writer
Brandon Heath will be coming to Culpeper Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. with Leeland and Francesca Battestelli on the Follow You Tour. Tickets are available at Mtn. View Community Church and Culpeper Baptist Church.

The Star-Exponent had a recent opportunity talk with Heath about the tour and his music.

CSE: How would you describe a “Follow You Tour experience” for our readers?

Heath: Expect a lot of collaboration. We start off together on stage.  It’s not necessarily a hierarchy — one opening for the other. Food for the Hungry is a cause we all stand by and we’re here because worship is not only about singing but it’s about action, about going to be with the poor. Of course you can expect to hear our hit songs and there will be interactive sing-alongs. It’s a fun night. About a three-hour show.

CSE: How do you prepare yourself so that you are in tune with your audience?

Heath: You know we often wake up on a tour bus in a parking lot somewhere, right? So what we do is try to find a good coffee shop or something and end up talking to a lot of local people just finding out what’s been going on.

CSE: I understand you came to the Lord through Young Life?

Heath: When I was sixteen there were some great college kids that approached me in the hallway of my high school about going to club and coming to camp. That was in 1995. I went to camp and heard the gospel for the first time so Young Life has been a big part of my development and faith.

CSE: Are you still involved with Young Life?

Heath: Yeah, but not as much as I used to be. I was a leader up until about four or five years ago. I spent many summers in British Columbia at a camp called Malibu working on staff. I spent a month up there last summer because it’s just sacred ground for me, you know?  I’m actually speaking at the National Banquet for Young Life in Nashville Oct. 11 so I try to be involved as much as possible. I’m more of a spokesperson now.

CSE:  How do you keep your music relevant and fresh without compromising your faith?

Heath:  For me, I just try to be innovative without necessarily thinking “how do I make Christian music more innovative?” I feel like as long as I am true to myself and interpret life then it’s going to be cutting edge because I think God’s literally going to give us these revelations about life that He wants His people to know. If we’re the messengers then He’s going to give us a great thing to deliver, you know? So I don’t worry about it, I just leave it up to God.

CSE:  Is there a song that has moved you recently?

Heath:  Honestly this has nothing to do with the fact that I’m touring with the guys but there is a song by Leeland on their new record called “Lift Your Eyes Up” that’s been my anthem this summer. Another song that I keep playing over and over is by Thad Cockrell. I’ll probably end up recording it, it’s called, “Pride Won’t Get Us Where We’re Going.”

CSE:  Will you be releasing another single soon?

Heath:  Yes. I should have a Christmas single coming out in November called “Night Before Christmas.” It’s a song written by three friends of mine.  They pitched it to Carrie Underwood and she held it for a while but didn’t do it and I was glad. Also “Love Never Fails” from my album should come out in January.