LOVE LETTER TO NORTHERN IRELAND MAKES IT TO GRAMMY AWARDS N
orthern Irish hymn-writing duo, Keith and Kristyn Getty, will return to Belfast in June to perform at the SSE Arena following their first GRAMMY nomination for their album Confessio – Irish American Roots, which the couple calls their “love letter to Northern Ireland”. The Gettys travelled to the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles for the 65th GRAMMY Awards in February, having been nominated in the Best Roots Gospel Album category alongside world renowned artists such as Willie Nelson, the Gaither Vocal Band and Karen Peck & New River. Perhaps most well-known for their song In Christ Alone, which Keith wrote on the back of an electricity bill in a converted pigsty at his house in Country Antrim, Keith and Kristyn Getty have written and recorded some of the most popular modern hymns sung in our churches today. Confessio, the album which gained the Gettys their GRAMMY nomination, showcases 15 modern and timeless hymns including renditions of Be Thou My Vision, Amazing Grace and It is Well With My Soul, as well as their own In Christ Alone and Immigrant’s Song. It highlights traditional Irish melodies and instrumentation and features performances from an array of guests including multiple GRAMMYaward-winning artists Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs and Kirk Whalum, as well as their daughters making an appearance.
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Keith Getty said:“For seventeen centuries here, people have passed their faith and their music on, and we are just another little link in that chain. When we were home during the pandemic, we decided to write what we called our love letter to Northern Ireland. It is an album which looks at the history of music and faith, but in one sense it also tells our story as well. It begins with the Confessio which was St Patrick’s first hymn, and then it finishes with Kristyn and Alison Krauss singing In Christ Alone. Ricky Skaggs came and recorded a number of songs, illustrating the Irish American experience, with the album finishing with more of the Americanstyle hymns”. “Although we missed out on a GRAMMY Award this time, even receiving a nomination in the first place is a privilege and a huge encouragement to us both, as well as the rest of our team. We are so proud that an album dedicated to our home, and the Christian heritage of the West made it all the way to the GRAMMYs, the ultimate accolade in music”. Their own rendition of Amazing Grace was recorded in Harry’s Shack on Portstewart Strand during the pandemic, and It is Well With My Soul was recorded at Downhill Beach and Mussenden Temple. A further three songs were recorded in Keith and Kristyn’s carport at their home outside Ballybogey. Keen to represent Northern Ireland on a world stage, Kristyn wore dresses designed by the awardwinning Newry-based designer, Shauna Fay, on the
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