Artist:Joy Williams
Song:I Believe in You
Album:Every Moment: The Best of Joy Williams
Most music fans should remember Joy Williams as one half of the duo The Civil Wars with John Paul White. They made a big splash with the 2011 album Barton Hollow and appeared on the Grammy Awards broadcast. They went on indefinite hiatus in 2012 and announced they split up in 2014. But before that Joy recorded five CCM album and she seemed to be on her way to a successful solo career. She was born Nov. 14, 1982 in West Brandt, MI and she grew up in Santa Cruz, CA where her parents were ministers. So she's a PK. So she sang in church and she started writing songs. Joy signed with Sony's CCM label Reunion label at age 17. Obviously Reunion wanted to market her to teens similar to how Rachel Lampa was sold in the 90s. So for Joy's 2001 album Joy Williams, they brought in producer Dan Muckala who has worked with teen acts like Mandy Moore and CCM acts like Chris Tomlin. So he knew what Reunion wanted. Joy recorded three albums for Reunion. They sold OK and Joy was nominated for 11 Dove awards. The problem I see is Muckala wrote most of the songs including I Believe in You. And I guess Joy wanted to write more of the songs. So for the 2002 album By Surprise, Reunion brought in veteran CCM producer Brown Bannister. Joy wrote four songs with her guitarist Rob Graves. So for the 2005 album Genesis, Matt Bronleewe produced. Joy wrote all the songs with another CCM veteran Jason Ingram. Joy decided not to renew her contract with Reunion. It was after she self released a couple of EPs that she met John Paul White at a songwriter's camp in Nashville and formed The Civil Wars. They were successful but weren't getting along. So White went home to his family in Alabama and refused to work with Joy. Since then Joy has released a couple of albums on her own label. Her 2019 album Front Porch was nominated for a Best Folk Album Grammy. She says she wanted a more acoustic sound. Keep in mind that Reunion wanted to sell her to teens. Joy and John Paul White both appeared on Taylor Swift's 2023 re-recording of Safe & Sound which the three wrote together. Joy and White recorded their parts separately. Joy gave birth to a son in 2023. She currently hosts Southern Craft Radio on Apple Music Country. Don't know if she will record again. Here's Joy Williams performing I Believe in You on the 2001 Dove Awards broadcast.
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