Lancaster, Pennsylvania, artists The Innocence Mission have been walking the line for 20 years, releasing some of the most graceful and eloquent music of the last several decades, with their Christian faith latent. In an interview with truetunes.com, co-founder Don Paris seemed pretty ambivalent about the issue: “I guess we sort of thought that if people are buying our records that they are at least aware that we are people of faith, and we were hoping that this wouldn’t be alienating.”

Lovedrug  |  lovedrugmusic.com

The piano-driven rock of Lovedrug is earning attention throughout the indie scene, while the band’s lyrics strike a special chord with believers. Lovedrug has bumped up against the Christian market here and there, and will appear at this summer’s Cornerstone Festival, but they “have no agenda.” As Ink 19 asked lead singer/guitarist Michael Shepard, “Is Lovedrug a Christian band? Your last band, Kerith Ravine, was clearly fueled by a dedication to their Christianity.” He responded, “No, not technically. Not everyone in the band is a Christian.”

Nickel Creek  |  nickelcreek.com

Nickel Creek’s bluegrass-tinged sound has made them a huge hit within the country and Americana scenes, and it’d be doubtful any of their success could have happened in the Christian music underground. “We’re all Christians,” vocalist and mandolin player Chris Thine told CMT.com, “although we’re not a Christian band, per se. The most important thing to us is that we feel that we’ve been given a gift from God of being able to perform and to record for people. We basically just want to use that gift as we feel God would have us use it.”

Brad Paisley  |  bradpaisley.com

One of the most successful country artists of the past decade has been Brad Paisley. With a traditional sound and some of the best guitar chops in the industry, Paisley stays true to the music, and to his personal faith. One of the most popular artists working today, Paisley contributed the stunning “New Again” duet with Sara Evans for The Passion of The Christ: Songs (EMI) CD. His hit single “When I Get Where I’m Going” is also covered by Christian music veteran Geoff Moore on his latest release, Speak to Me (Rocketown).

Sherwood  |  myspace.com/sherwood

After rising to success in the indie scene via projects affiliated with The Militia Group and TruePunk.com, dance rock band Sherwood landed a deal with the newly formed MySpace Records label. The band hit the road this spring with Relient K and is doing its best to reach out to a Christian audience without limiting itself to the Christian marketplace.