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Bethany Dillon


On February 24, 2006, JfH writer Andrew Shaw had the chance to interview Sparrow Records recording artist Bethany Dillon backstage before her concert. Besides writing her own music and only being seventeen, her passion for the Lord is unmistakable, which influences her entire live show. If you haven't heard of Bethany Dillon, check our her sophomore offering, Imagination which released Fall, 2005.
This interview took place on: February 24, 2006



  • Jesus freak Hideout (Andrew): So you've already released two great albums, had a song featured in a big-screen movie (Dreamer), and yet you're only seventeen?!??
    Bethany Dillon: Right.

  • Andrew: How did you do this?
    Bethany: Well I'm actually almost seventeen and a half, so...

  • Andrew: Oh, Right!
    Bethany: The truth is, we're busy a lot of the times, and yet (there are) only a few days a month I feel overwhelmed. I think because God is giving more and more peace about the fact that it has so little to do with me, and so much with Him pursuing things, and trying to increase himself. All of that, especially the thing with the movie, it could have been overwhelming, but the Lord just made it clear that I don't think He's too concerned with my song being in a movie, but just (people) knowing about Him.

  • Andrew: That's awesome. I identified in particular with "Vagabond," because of its missions theme, because I've been on a lot of mission trips myself. Is mission work important to you as a Christian?
    Bethany: Very much. I actually support a missions organization called Gospel for Asia, and they work in the 10/40 window, which is mostly India, (specifically) with the Dalit people. Since I was about eleven, **There was a knock at the door, and Bethany's supper from Panera arrived** I wanted to be a missionary. So, yeah, my heart is definitely in that.

  • Andrew: I was listening to Imagination, and you have the pop songs, and then you have a song like "Airplane"…
    Bethany: Bethany Dillon *laughs* Which is my favorite!

  • Andrew: Mine too. When you were recording the CD, was it your goal to sort of step outside the pop/rock mold of standard Christian music and make some really neat songs, or was that just a thing that happened in the studio?
    Bethany: Oh, no. Sometimes it's a fight to have a quirky song on a record, but the truth is, sometimes you gotta write songs for radio, and that's fine too. I think there's a part where it's like, you know, just respecting the vehicle of "the label" and all of that, but if I could, I would have a whole record of quirky songs. Someday I will!

  • Andrew: Who are some of your musical influences?
    Bethany: Umm…the reason I started playing guitar is Jennifer Knapp, because she plays guitar, and is a girl, and the only other person I'd seen play guitar was my Dad. So, you know, a 47-year-old man didn't really appeal to me when he played. So, her music was a big deal for me, and Sara Groves, I think she is the writer that I'd love to be someday.

  • Andrew: When did you start playing guitar?
    Bethany: I started playing guitar when I was eleven.

  • Andrew: You've come a long ways!
    Bethany: Well thank you!

  • Andrew: You're playing solo tonight, but you're also on tour with Jeremy Camp. Are you enjoying that?
    Bethany: Oh gosh. We were on tour with him last fall, and I think he had too much fun. And we were like, "Are we really doing ministry, suffering for the Lord?" They're just a great family, he has a great band, even the people that do lights for him, and they all just have the greatest hearts. The show is a small part of what we do on tour, the rest of the day is what is fun for us.

  • Andrew: What's your favorite song to play live right now? **At this point, Bethany catches me staring at her supper from Panera Bread**
    Bethany: Hey, would you like some?

  • Andrew: No... uhh...
    Bethany: Panera is amazing! Probably my favorite song to sing right now is a song that is not even on a record, called "You Are On Our Side." I think probably for most artists, the newest thing they've written is the most fun because they aren't tired of it yet.

  • Andrew: Favorite bands?
    Bethany: My mom would kill me if I didn't say U2, so U2. Switchfoot…they really have impacted the way I write. Definitely Caedmon's Call, I grew up listening to them - 40 Acres was like the coolest record.

  • Andrew: Cool. One last thing, what's the last thing you listened to?
    Bethany: This guy, Clint Brown, he's a black worship leader and has this CD called In His Presence, and it's amazing. So I just put it on, and I just like want to run a marathon! So anyway, that's what I've been listening too.

    Bethany Dillon

     

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    This Wednesday, October 22, 2025
    SINGLES
    Phil Wickham Fear Has No Power - Single [Fair Trade]

    This Friday, October 24, 2025
    ALBUMS
    John Allan Resurrection Power - EP [Centricity]
    Dan Bremnes The Villain - EP [Curb]
    Clear Convictions Endure (2025 Remaster) [Resuscitation]
    Fepeste This World Ain't Mine to Change [Velvet Blue]
    gio. FINE BY ME [Capitol CMG]
    God Behind Bars Music Live From Angola Prison Vol. 1 [Provident]
    Hulvey HE WILL RETURN - EP [Reach]
    Brandon Lake Amazon Music Songline [Provident]
    Latter Day Exploits Within Consumed (Expanded Edition) [Charon Collective]
    VaShawn Mitchell SOUNDCHECK [Fair Trade]
    MORIAH Nice Life - EP [F2]
    Tyson Motsenbocker Modern Worries [Tooth & Nail]
    Smalltown Poets St. Augustine (independent)
    Zahriya Zachary Rediscovery [Bethel]

    SINGLES
    29:11 Worship, Zion Rempel You Never Fail (feat. Emily Guy) - Single [DREAM]
    The Band JAREN Poetic - Single [Hit and Run]
    Joe L Barnes Grief, Joy, Gratitude - Single [Provident]
    Chad Cory, Zacardi Cortez My First Love (Remix) - Single [DREAM]
    Leanna Crawford Beginning Of Your Grace - Single [Provident]
    darthy Juniper Tree - Single [WieRok]
    EJ Swavv & Jericko Love Like This - Single [Syntax]
    Emerson Day Midnight Hour - Single [Fair Trade]
    Good Weather Forecast lows2highs - Single [DREAM]
    goodwill. REST - Single [Syntax]
    Grace + Max Rich - Single [WieRok]
    Mat Kearney Good Old Days - Single (independent)
    Kelo Car Freestyle - Single [Syntax]
    Vic Lucas I Need You (ft. IsaiahLaRoi) - Single [Syntax]
    Jamie Macdonald You Can't Take My Song - Single [Capitol CMG]
    Myles Maestro No Place - Single [Syntax]
    Mercy Tribe Music The King is in the Room (feat. Ayiesha Woods) - Single (independent)
    Mountains in the Sea Breakthrough - Single [DREAM]
    Razzie & Glenn Ray Second Chances - Single [Syntax]
    Seph Schlueter Already On The Way (feat. Benjamin William Hastings) - Single [Provident]
    Tomb Slayer The Christmas Lamb (feat. Khristian Dentley & Sarah Whittemore) - Single [Tomb Slayer]
    tonyxtrotter, Yung Drew, Wayne Klassik HOLY HOLY HOLY - Single [Syntax]
    The Undertaking! All Smiles - Single (independent)
    Unseen Faith Cold Resolve - Single [Rottweiler Records]
    Kim Zamolo Your Ways Are Higher - Single (independent)

    VINYL
    Clear Convictions Endure [Resuscitation]

    Next Friday, October 31, 2025
    ALBUMS
    Hope Deferred Darkness Remains [The Charon Collective]
    MORIAH Nice Life - EP [F2]
    Testimony of Apocalypse Agony in the Garden [Roxx Records]

    SINGLES
    Dreamers My Heart His Home - Single [DREAM]
    Roxanne Grace Try Again - Single [DREAM]
    Lock & Chi Do To Me - Single (independent)
    John Long Simple Pursuit - Single (independent)
    Warren Zeiders How Great Thou Art - Single [Warner]


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