By Andy Argyrakis
Devoted readers of CCM Magazine and Christian Music Planet (amongst plenty of other outlets in cyberspace) have certainly seen Andrew Greer's name pop up in the author field. But the longtime music reviewer/artist interviewer just so happens to be a musician himself—lifelong in fact—who's just released the national debut disc Open Book. In addition to astute songwriting and organic instrumentation, there's a few famous faces (such as Cindy Morgan and Ginny Owens) that readers will instantly recognize. Here's more from the multifaceted writer/performer, including how a period of seclusion helped him penetrate his soul deeper than ever before.
Advertisement
CCM: What inspired the songwriting sessions for Open Book?
Andrew Greer: I like to backpack and feel very close to God in nature. So after experiencing some abrupt changes in close relationships and battling out some [personal] issues in 2006, I decided to spend some alone time in the mountains of Wyoming in an effort to discover how to commune with God, and with myself. During that time of solitude, I uncovered an old upright piano in a hunting lodge Buffalo Bill Cody had built during the turn of the 20th century. When the owners of the lodge learned I had been involved with music, they offered me a key. It was on that worn-down instrument, during a time of spiritual growing pains, that I penned the majority of these tunes.
CCM: How did being secluded in nature help you have a clearer focus in communicating with God?
Greer: Mainly, modern technology was eliminated. I had no Internet service, no cell service, no television. The closest conveniences were at least 60 miles away and most towns had a head count of 100 to 1,000 citizens, so company was hard to come by. Though I had never considered myself dependent on others, I experienced major communication withdrawals at first. I couldn't even call my parents for a little mom mercy! I didn't go out West blindly though. Preparing to leave, I prayed, "God, if you're real, show up. If not…" The first couple of weeks alone were hell. I remember sitting on the banks of the Shoshone River in the middle of the mountains, unable to stop crying because of the intense loneliness. But I could either curse and ignore God for the pain, or start a conversation. So we began talking. And in that space, God began an ongoing process of restoration. He was no longer just a figure; He was becoming my friend.
CCM: What was it like plugging back into the Nashville scene after the retreat?
Greer: Difficult. My brother, Chris, who lives in Los Angeles, prompted me to go backpacking in Kauai with him to slowly integrate back into "real" life. That was a huge gift. But after experiencing a season of deep communion with God, settling into close relationships with Nashville friends and church family was tricky. I'd often go off for a long hike or just get some takeout and watch a movie at home by myself. But with the help of my counselor—God love him!—and phone conversations with my family, Nashville began to feel like home again.
