Facing the Music: My Story
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Facing the Music: My Story Hardcover – October 7, 2014
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Editorial Reviews
Review
"When I first found Jennifer's music in the mid-nineties, I was struck by how adept she was at unearthing the tensions of the human condition through her songs. With her writing, she has ventured to the most vulnerable of places to offer us the story of a girl, once broken, in the throes of becoming whole." (Dan Haseltine, lead singer for Jars of Clay)
“Jennifer Knapp’s lyrics come alive in the pages of Facing the Music, a vivid account of Knapp’s journey to embrace herself, her faith, and her capacity for love. Neither a confession nor an apology, Facing the Music is a hard-won declaration that faith and love transcend our theologies of exclusion. In this deeply personal memoir, Jennifer Knapp offers hope to individuals struggling to overcome the rejection, shame,and insecurities so often experienced by LGBTQ Christians.” (Alison Amyx, senior editor of Believe Out Loud)
“Facing the Music is a fascinating read on so many levels. Knapp is brutally honest about herself, about what she experienced, and what was happening in her head and her heart as she grew in her relationship with music, Christianity, and her sexual orientation. It pulls back the curtain on the Christian music industry to look at the business behind the worship and the squeaky clean image. It’s a story that many of us will be able to relate to, in our own way, and readers of Facing the Music will find not only Knapp’s story, but their own as well.” (Ross Murray, director of news for GLAAD)
“Jennifer Knapp’s lyrics come alive in the pages of Facing the Music, a vivid account of Knapp’s journey to embrace herself, her faith, and her capacity for love. Neither a confession nor an apology, Facing the Music is a hard-won declaration that faith and love transcend our theologies of exclusion. In this deeply personal memoir, Jennifer Knapp offers hope to individuals struggling to overcome the rejection, shame,and insecurities so often experienced by LGBTQ Christians.” (Alison Amyx, senior editor of Believe Out Loud)
“Facing the Music is a fascinating read on so many levels. Knapp is brutally honest about herself, about what she experienced, and what was happening in her head and her heart as she grew in her relationship with music, Christianity, and her sexual orientation. It pulls back the curtain on the Christian music industry to look at the business behind the worship and the squeaky clean image. It’s a story that many of us will be able to relate to, in our own way, and readers of Facing the Music will find not only Knapp’s story, but their own as well.” (Ross Murray, director of news for GLAAD)
About the Author
Jennifer Knapp is a highly acclaimed singer-songwriter who got her star in Christian Contemporary Music (CCM). Knapp exited CCM in 2002 at the height of her professional music career and seemed to disappear. On her return in 2010, she publicly confirmed that she was gay. Today, she performs and tours extensively and actively engages in advocacy work alongside religious communities and leaders that seek to create an open and affirming spiritual home for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people of faith.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By
Joan N.
on October 7, 2014
Format: Hardcover
1 Comment
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In 2002, at the top of her career in Contemporary Christian Music, Jennifer Knapp quit. Several years later she revealed that she way gay. She finally tells her story.
Her parents divorced after two years of marriage and Jennifer and her twin sister were raised by their father on a farm. She struggled with her stepmother and writing poems became her release. A teacher introduced her to music. Playing her plastic recorder, she felt alive. “Music was a part of my body, a part of my experience that allowed me a safe place to feel and express my heart.” She played trumpet in junior high and high school. “...I could breath into life every dream and hope that was trapped, unspoken inside my heart.”
She found solace in alcohol in high school then in college. She was converted as a freshman in college and began to write songs, picking them out on an old guitar she bought at a flea market. She was in a band, then went solo, then signed with Gotee Records. “Music, for me, was about what it did when you told your secrets.” She won the Dove Award for New Artist of the Year.
But all was not well. She tells of the pressures of being a Contemporary Christian Music star and role model. Then the implosion. She finished out her contracted tour and left the Christian music scene. Jennifer needed time away to clear her mind. She pack away her guitar. She and her supportive friend (and partner), Karen, traveled. Years later they ended up in Karen's native Australia where Jennifer finally again picked up her guitar. She now performs and tours extensively, engaging in advocacy work for LGBT people of faith.
I know there will be many who will be very critical of this book because of the stand Jennifer has taken. I am very impressed with it. It is very well written.Read more ›
Her parents divorced after two years of marriage and Jennifer and her twin sister were raised by their father on a farm. She struggled with her stepmother and writing poems became her release. A teacher introduced her to music. Playing her plastic recorder, she felt alive. “Music was a part of my body, a part of my experience that allowed me a safe place to feel and express my heart.” She played trumpet in junior high and high school. “...I could breath into life every dream and hope that was trapped, unspoken inside my heart.”
She found solace in alcohol in high school then in college. She was converted as a freshman in college and began to write songs, picking them out on an old guitar she bought at a flea market. She was in a band, then went solo, then signed with Gotee Records. “Music, for me, was about what it did when you told your secrets.” She won the Dove Award for New Artist of the Year.
But all was not well. She tells of the pressures of being a Contemporary Christian Music star and role model. Then the implosion. She finished out her contracted tour and left the Christian music scene. Jennifer needed time away to clear her mind. She pack away her guitar. She and her supportive friend (and partner), Karen, traveled. Years later they ended up in Karen's native Australia where Jennifer finally again picked up her guitar. She now performs and tours extensively, engaging in advocacy work for LGBT people of faith.
I know there will be many who will be very critical of this book because of the stand Jennifer has taken. I am very impressed with it. It is very well written.Read more ›
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By
Robb McCoy
on October 7, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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I had the pleasure of reading Facing the Music before it was released. It is a beautiful memoir, and a compelling story. Jennifer Knapp's story is one that needs to be heard. There is nothing contrived. There is no political agenda. She's not trying to convince you of anything. It is just Jennifer telling her story, and she's a wonderful story teller. She avoids the cliched theological arguments, and sidesteps the bitter anger to which she is certainly entitled. She gives the reader a glimpse of what it is like to rise from oblivion to healthy obscurity to overwhelming stardom. She introduces us to people along her journey. Some were inspirational, like the music teacher that drove her to contests. Others were less so, like her step-mother who refused to acknowledge her as her own. All of these people though, are handled with humanity and grace. The tale of Jennier's life takes us from a humble Kansas farm, to the big lights of Nashville, to a tour of Europe, a long stay in Australia, and back again. In the end, I was left inspired by the love she has, not only of music, but of God, who creates us all in God's image. If you're interested in an hour-long conversation with Jennifer, go to this link http://www.pulpitfiction.us/home/thursday-night-special-s2-e3-jennifer-knapp
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By
Steve
on October 7, 2014
Format: Hardcover
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The intersection of faith and sexuality is quite obviously a hot-button issue in our time. Faith communities, specifically the Christian Church, should be places of refuge, protection, grace, and love. As told in John 13, the "new command" given by Jesus shortly before his execution is "Love one another." Disciples of Jesus are to recognized by their love for one another. Tragically, persons in the LGBT community have often not experienced love from families and churches; instead, they are disowned, excluded, and denied sacraments and other means of grace. People are watching how well the church shows love within the world, and all too often their conclusion is "not very well."
In spite of countless experiences of abuse, condemnation, marginalization, and rejection from people that hold to a homophobic theology, many LGBT followers of Jesus have not abandoned their faith but have actually grown stronger in their relationship with and awareness of God. With well-written stories, Jennifer courageously and honestly shares her life experience; notably, the vividly real experience with God that literally saved her life. Her sudden rise on the scene of Contemporary Christian Music is recounted with the power and energy of a tornado on the Kansas plains, and the details of the aftermath of her abrupt departure from CCM are told with remarkable vulnerability.
I hope that fans of Jennifer's music will eagerly read this book and find beautiful insight into how the experiences of her life have helped to shape the amazing songs that she has and continues to craft. Persons within the Christian community who are working for full inclusion of all persons will find brutally poignant reminders of why this work is so important.
Most of all, I hope that people who believe in a disconnect between the church and persons who are LGBT will read this book and begin to realize that a person can be both gay and Christian.
In spite of countless experiences of abuse, condemnation, marginalization, and rejection from people that hold to a homophobic theology, many LGBT followers of Jesus have not abandoned their faith but have actually grown stronger in their relationship with and awareness of God. With well-written stories, Jennifer courageously and honestly shares her life experience; notably, the vividly real experience with God that literally saved her life. Her sudden rise on the scene of Contemporary Christian Music is recounted with the power and energy of a tornado on the Kansas plains, and the details of the aftermath of her abrupt departure from CCM are told with remarkable vulnerability.
I hope that fans of Jennifer's music will eagerly read this book and find beautiful insight into how the experiences of her life have helped to shape the amazing songs that she has and continues to craft. Persons within the Christian community who are working for full inclusion of all persons will find brutally poignant reminders of why this work is so important.
Most of all, I hope that people who believe in a disconnect between the church and persons who are LGBT will read this book and begin to realize that a person can be both gay and Christian.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By
Renee
on October 7, 2014
Format: Kindle Edition
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I rarely call in favors from my friends in publishing, but when I heard this book was coming out, I snagged a copy from S&S a few weeks before it was released. Totally behind everyone else, I only discovered Jennifer less than a year ago at a Christmas show. I liked the couple of songs she did, but more than that I found her sense of humor and good cheer to be infectious. (I have since downloaded her last album and a pre-ordered copy of her new one and I LOVE them.) Her book didn't disappoint, and that incredible personality shines through on every page.
Jennifer's story is amazing on its own merit, but she also has a REALLY wonderful written voice. As a big reader of memoirs -- only good ones -- I highly recommend this one. Whether you're gay, straight, Christian, atheist, or just a big fan of breakfast cereal (which has nothing to do with anything), this is a great book. I read it in under two days, and now that my pre-ordered digital copy has arrived, I'm going to read it again. ;)
Jennifer's story is amazing on its own merit, but she also has a REALLY wonderful written voice. As a big reader of memoirs -- only good ones -- I highly recommend this one. Whether you're gay, straight, Christian, atheist, or just a big fan of breakfast cereal (which has nothing to do with anything), this is a great book. I read it in under two days, and now that my pre-ordered digital copy has arrived, I'm going to read it again. ;)
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