Transforming Today's World Magazine - JAN 2014 Special Edition Vol 5 Issue 3 | Page 30

Casting Crowns members, left to right: Megan Garrett (piano), Brian Scoggin (drums), Mark Hall (lead vocals), Hector Cervantes (lead guitar), Chris Huffman (bass guitar), Melodee Devevo (violin), Juan Deveo (guitar). Since its launch in 2003 the band has garnered 14 GMA Dove Awards, three GRAMMY Awards, two Billboard Music Awards and an American Music Award. “We sat down and I pulled my story boards out. To me a song is a movie I am watching. It’s a vision. So I sat down with him and said here’s what I’m seeing: She’s sixteen and this is what’s going on. I wrote the story for him and said we need this and this, and it was knit together into something great. He’s so good: It was really fun working with him.” Hall enjoys the collaborative process. “I like writing with others. It kind of gets you out of your comfort zone,” he notes. “Everyone has certain patterns. It is always cool to be in the middle of an idea and ask someone ‘what about this?’ It takes you off to another place.” Though Hall is the band’s lead vocalist and primary songwriter, he’s the first to shine a spotlight on the talents of his band mates and urges fans to check out ‘Face Down,’ a song on the new album penned by Hector Cervantes. Both Megan Garrett and Melodee DeVevo have beautifully expressive voices and Megan shines on ‘Jesus, Friend of Sinners’ and in taking the lead on the poignant ‘Just Another Birthday.’ “This one to me stands out more than any record we’ve done as far as the things that need to be communicated,” Hall says of the messages they share through the songs on ‘Come to the Well,’ “Nothing teaches better than transparency. I started seeing early on that people need to see that you’re real. If they know that, ‘ ^K