Chris
McClarney
by Mitch Bohannon
WORSHIP MUSICIAN: Your first release on a
CHRIS: Yes! We’ve been married thirteen and
Nashville and moved away to Atlanta and had
label was entitled, Introducing Chris McClarney.
a half years! Our kids are now 12, 10, and 3. All
me. Then, we moved from Atlanta to Louisville,
How would you introduce yourself?
girls! Aliya is the oldest, Ceili is in the middle,
Kentucky, back to Atlanta, to Birmingham, and
and the baby is Charlotte (but everyone calls
to Huntsville. We finally moved back to Nashville
her “Charlie”).
when I was ten.
really just a regular guy that somehow ended
WM: Your father was a youth minister…for you,
I think one of the biggest positives was just
up doing music for a living. I’m happy…I feel
what were some of the positives and negatives
growing up with a love for the local church.
like the luckiest guy alive. I get to wake up to
of growing up like that?
Every time the doors were open, we were
CHRIS MCCLARNEY: Oh man, I’m a worship
leader in a church with three kids and a wife. I’m
something that I love to do everyday, which is
usually there. Negatives are….Everybody kind
amazing. I’m so blessed, some days it doesn’t
CHRIS: Yes, dad was a Southern Baptist Youth
of ends up getting hurt by the church. You
feel fair. I get to do stuff that I feel that I was
Pastor. So, I grew up in church in the South.
know, people who are in full-time ministry, which
made to do. It’s a good feeling!
My grandparents, great-grandparents…who
was the case for dad and mom, too. Trying
knows how far back, all are from the Nashville
to walk through that and not become bitter
area. My parents met each other here in
or jaded because churches are full of regular
WM: You’re married with kids?
20
Jul Aug 2016
WorshipMusician.com