ADAM CAPPA
Adam Cappa doesn’t come from a musical family — his dad is a sheriff and his mom is a vice president of a local bank in Richmond, Ind. — but he was raised in the birthplace of jazz.
And it might be that a little of that musical heritage rubbed off on Cappa, one of the newest contemporary Christian artists to hit the tour circuit this year. But it’s more likely that his desire to become a musician is was cultivated by the mentors in his life as a younger man who saw something in him worth their investment of time.
Either way, Mainers will have an opportunity to judge for themselves when he arrives with Jeremy Camp and Francesca Battistelli for a concert Thursday at the South Portland Church of the Nazarene. (See related story).
Starting his journey
“We went to church every week, then at some point in high school I wondered: Who is this God I hear about but don’t really know personally?” the spiky-haired singer/guitarist writes in his promotional biography.
“Such questions got him invited to a nondenominational Young Life group where he felt an immediate connection and developed a deep relationship with the Lord,” notes his website, www.AdamCappa.com. “Music had never been Cappa’s main interest (he was a Junior Olympics jump rope medalist), but the men putting their energy toward his spiritual growth were worship leaders, and mentors in his life, and he simply wanted to be like them.”
In short order, Cappa bought a guitar, learned a few songs and was leading fellow students at a local youth group in Matt Redman’s “Blessed Be Your Name” and Chris Tomlin’s “Enough,” not fully realizing those guys were recording artists whose outreach was also their profession. Christian music just wasn’t on his radar, the now- 25-year-old explained.
Cappa would go on to lead worship at churches and youth events throughout college while working at a church and earning a degree from Indiana University. His joy was in serving kids not much younger than himself. He had never imagined a record deal.
“God began to write a lot of songs in my heart,” he said. “Before I knew it, I felt the Lord had called me to pursue ministry on the road full time. I sold my car, bought a van, and started playing for teen camps full time.”
It was in those travels that Cappa first met fellow Indiana native Jeremy Camp through a mutual friend. The chart-topping rock/worship artist welcomed Cappa to his home studio to record some demos and offer insights about music and ministry.
“We stayed in touch, and then through an unrelated booking deal on my end, I was asked to open a concert for Jeremy,” he said. “When I came off stage that night Jeremy was there waiting and said, ‘You blew me away tonight; that was incredible. I really felt the Lord speak to my heart, and I want to invest in you. I love your heart and your passion for the Lord.’ He had been praying about this work I was doing. So, we prayed some more and felt like God was saying, ‘Go.’ Soon we were working together on my debut album.”
Co-written and produced with Camp and Andy Dodd (Switchfoot, Plain White T’s), “The Rescue” bears comparison to Cappa’s mentor with its biblically insightful themes and emotionally stirring arrangements, notes his website. It also brings to mind Redman and Tomlin respectively through subtle European production values and a crystalline singing voice that engages both pop and praise listeners alike.
The first single and title track is an example of all those elements. Born from the story of Peter stepping off the boat in Matthew 14, its initially heavy tone is lightened by a heavenward chorus: I’m so far down, but this time around I’m keeping my eyes on You / You are the rescue.
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