Carla Hinton talks to Michael W. Smith about his “35 Years of Friends” tour, which stops in OKC
A few months ago, Michael W. Smith found himself surrounded by his fellow recording artists and colleagues who gathered to celebrate his 35 No. 1 songs.
The star-studded gathering in Nashville, Tennessee, included 56 of his friends and associates, people like Vince Gill, Randy Travis, Rascal Flatts, Amy Grant, CeCe Winans, Wynonna and The Oak Ridge Boys.
“It was very emotional ,” Smith said during a recent telephone interview.
He said his latest concert tour was inspired by that unforgettable night, and he's calling it by a fitting name: “35 Years of Friends.”
The Grammy Awardwinning recording artist is bringing the tour to the metro area on Oct. 20 at Crossings Community Church ,14600 N Portland.
In the recent interview,
Smith discussed the new concert tour, his decision to be his own “opening act” and how he has maintained a fresh perspective throughout his lengthy career.
Smith said i t's been tricky trying to choose which of his No. 1 songs and other hits to incorporate into his concert.
He said in a way, “it's celebrating the `Smitty catalog.'”
“There are so many songs,” Smith said. “It's a challenge.”
It's no surprise that Smith' s task in choosing concert songs is challenging.
Over a career that has spanned three decades,
he's won three Grammy Awards, 45 Dove Awards and one American Music Award, and he was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Smith has sold more than 15 million albums, and his most recent studio album, “A Million Lights,” and worship album “Surrounded” have become his 30th and 31st Top 10 hits on Billboard's Top Christian Albums chart — more than any other solo artist in history.
One way Smith is solving his dilemma is by serving as his own opening act for the first time. He said this will allow him as much time as possible with the crowd.
Smith said he will spend the evening reminiscing with his“friends” in the audience, singing their favorites songs and
worship anthems like “Surrounded” and “Fight My Battles,” along with “A Million Lights” and, of course, his iconic song “Friends.”
The prolific recording artist said there' s not really a secret to his longevity other than his commitment to being open to new things and embracing fresh perspectives.
“I think you have to reinvent yourself. It's fun,” he said.
The concert tour has been another way of doing what Smith loves — helping people connect to the Lord through music. The singer said has appreciated the opportunities he has had to lead people into worship all over the world. “I'm grateful,” he said. “I could never have orchestrated all this.”