I first saw Brooks Ritter in the fall of 2005.  Sitting at a table at Sunergos Coffee in Louisville with a friend, my jaw dropped when this young singer-songwriter opened his set.  It’s hard for a music artist to be more than a backdrop for social activity, studying or net surfing at a bustling coffee shop, but that night, the original music of this college student from Bowling Green, Kentucky won out.  The power and tonal clarity of his voice could have carried the room alone, but he also had “it” — the presence of music deep in his bones, what we could also call “charisma” or “stage presence.”  Text books closed, conversation ceased and emails went unanswered as we sat under the spell of exceptional raw talent.

I wouldn’t see or hear of Brooks Ritter again until the summer of 2006, when, back in Louisville, he began attending the monthly songwriting workshops I facilitated for Sojourn.  Shortly thereafter he began leading worship at Sojourn, and in November of that year he wrote music to a hymn text of mine called “Lead Us Back,” that would find a place on Sojourn’s Before the Throne CD along with a song he co-wrote with Rebecca Bales Elliott, “In The Shadow of the Glorious Cross” (you can listen to mp3s of both songs in the Before the Throne section of this website). 

When Worship Arts Pastor Mike Cosper assembled the band that would record Before the Throne, Brooks was an obvious choice as a vocalist, and indeed, he sings lead on roughly half the record and adds key harmony vocals on several other tracks. 

He has continued to lead worship at Sojourn’s Sunday gatherings, while still writing and performing his original music in venues around Louisville, Lexington and elsewhere.  And he even married his long-time sweetheart this past July.

Hear Brooks Ritter sing one of his latest originals, “Bones from the Ground.â€?

Will Kottheimer recently caught up with Brooks for an exclusive interview at the place where I first heard him sing — Sunergos Coffee.  Below is the transcript of that conversation.

WK: What gave you the desire to pursue music?

BR: Music has always been a big part of my family life. We related a lot to music growing up. There seemed to always be some music on, although I never had a desire to play music.  Not until my conversion.

WK: Could you explain that a little bit?

BR: I grew up Catholic but I didn’t feel connected to the church.  And also Jesus … I thought he was very cool but had no idea who he was scripturally - except for the classics, which are true - like “he died for my sins.” I thought “disciples” were just dudes that were around then, instead of, actually current disciples (as being a disciple of Christ now). So later on, a youth pastor at a church I had gone to maybe once or twice reintroduced himself to me, and after a long period of time, probably about two and a half years, I gave my life to the Lord the summer right after my junior year of high school. And I say that it was then - all of a sudden there was music —“Wow,  I really like music!”— even though it had been there all my life.

WK: So it was a “gift?”

A: I think it was a “gift” for sure because I had no plans on using whatever gift I had before. Honestly, it was placed into my heart that I wanted to play once that occurred.

WK: And you’re almost all self-taught, aren’t you?

BR: Just because every time I tried to get taught guitar or even sing I always got bored with that. So it took that, honestly.  But don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t like I gave my life to the Lord and all of a sudden I could play guitar really well.  I had friends around me who were at least just a little better than I was and so that helped.

WK:  One time you had mentioned that you were into N’sync … did you use to want to be in a boy band?

BR: Whatever, dude. I don’t remember that at all.

WK: Moving on then … what about your musical influences. What kind of musical tastes do you have?

BR: I grew up listening to folks like REM, the Indigo Girls, Oingo Boingo — and now, my favorite would have to be Iron and Wine, bands like Sigur Ros … beautiful bands.

WK: Let’s get down to the nitty gritty: the songs that really come to mind when you think of your favorites.

BR: Well, Radiohead …that song off  The Bends called “Fake Plastic Trees” is one of my all time favorite radio songs.  Also Pedro the Lion.

WK: Do you like the newer stuff or the older stuff that David Bazan (of Pedro the Lion) does?

BR: I love the older stuff a lot. Probably the most influential record I have of his is Control.  I love “Hard to find a friend.” He’s an amazing artist, even though he’s sometimes controversial.  I think he’s got something to say, even though sometimes I’m not sure what to think about the things that he says.  It’s beautiful art.

Hear Brooks perform “Prodigal Feet,â€? written for his wife Lauren

WK: How did you come to Sojourn?

BR: I was a Senior in High School at Atherton, and I had a friend named Zack Jackson who helped teach our youth group back in the day.  I looked up to Zack a lot.  He had been going to Sojourn and he brought me.  I thought it was a cool church, but then I went to college.  I came back whenever I could.  I thought (Teaching Pastor) Daniel Montgomery was awesome and the music was very cool. 

But it didn’t really click for me until two springs ago.  It was my last semester at Western Kentucky (I haven’t gone back) when Daniel was preaching on 1^st Corinthians 2:2, where Paul was talking about how he strives to “know nothing but Christ and Him crucified.”  That was what the church of Sojourn wanted to be about, and I felt like that was a point of eye opening — I was supposed to learn more of the gospel and the grace of God in the setting of Sojourn.  That was kind of a turning point and I didn’t go back to school.  I stayed in Louisville.

WK: And you got married?

BR: And I got married (laughs)

WK: Talk about your experience of working on the CD project, Before the Throne.

A: I think that working on the Before the Throne project has been one of the coolest experiences that I’ve ever had. Besides being married.  Being married is much better than working on a CD.  But I was honored to be part of that. “Before the Throne of God Above” is one of my favorite hymns.  It was very interesting — that song wasn’t chosen to be on the album in the very beginning, but I’m so glad it made it because that song… I think that the Lord uses music and those experiences to really show himself off, and that was just a blessing to be a part of.

WK: Could you just give the reader a little behind the scenes glimpse of what it was like to be a part of that?

BR: Oh yeah, I remember the first time going over to work on the CD at Eddy Morris’s studio (Ear Candy Studio).  It was probably midday. I think there was several trips late that night to Starbucks, being that it was the only coffeeshop open. We definitely ate Chinese that night — amazing Chinese too! 

Every time I was there, it was, I wouldn’t say brutal - cause I really enjoyed it.  Just being in the studio helped me, opened my eyes up to the process of what making a record. And even though it’s kind of grueling at times to nail it out, I really enjoyed it. The late nights, the laughs, there were sometimes we couldn’t get the songs started because of something that happened that was just hilarious.  For me, I struggle with letting something go like that because I run back over and over it in my mind and here it comes and its over … I start laughing.

Hear Brooks sing the benediction, “All Good Gifts,â€? from Before The Throne

WK: What are your thoughts about worship?

BR: Just to clarify: I don’t think that worship is just what we do onstage for the Lord on any given Sunday.  I think worship is what we do in every moment of life, even while we sleep.  If we are in Christ we are glorifying the Lord … but as far as leading music and whatnot, I honestly don’t have goals in mind and I don’t look at it as “Okay, I have a job today to do, it’s to worship God and to get these people to stand on their feet and to clap their hands.”  I think that’s weird.

But I hope that while I lead …and I hope this for all the leaders …that we are trying to love the church, to love each other, and I am sharing this gift the Lord has given me.

WK: It must be humbling.

BR: Yes it is. Cause I think there’s a struggle there to be like “Man I’m in front, I’m the cool kid in town . . .”

WK: Well, let’s talk about your own music.  Being Brooks Ritter’s music or if you want to talk about any of the other projects you’re currently working on, that’s cool too.

BR: As far as my own music, that’s a process I’m still trying to work through.  I love playing shows.  The Lord has give me some great people to work with — friends like Mike Cosper, Mick Price, Matt Kinder, Eddy Morris, Smittie Smith - and the list goes on.  And I am so thankful for those guys.  Goals that I have for my music: just playing and seeing where it leads.

Watch Brooks and other members of the Sojourn band on Takin’ It To The Streets, from Louisville’s The CW affiliate, WBKI-TV.

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