If you missed the interview on the Morning Show with TobyMac, don’t worry! You can still listen! The new TobyMac album, LIFE AFTER DEATH, was released on August 19th. In this interview, Toby takes us through the journey of what it was like to write the first full album after the unexpected death of his 21-year-old son, Truett.
You have heard TobyMac’s single the Goodness, featuring Blessing Offor. That is one of the songs on this latest project.
This is what Toby said about the goodness of God that he has experienced in this valley. “There are a lot of sad songs on this record. But then there is the goodness of God. There is the goodness of God. And that’s what I found. That even in the deepest valley, He’s good. He’s good. And He’s kind. And I believe that He’s good for me, then I believe He’s good for Truett. Somehow when I look back, all this is going to be good. And I think Truett knows that right now.”
TobyMac says about his latest project, “LIFE AFTER DEATH chronicles my journey from the depths of the deepest valley to the beauty of God’s promise that He will never leave us. Ain’t no doubt about it, He is still the goodness in my life”
Full LIFE AFTER DEATH Interview Transcription:
Nick:
We’ve been talking about this all week. Super excited to have on the phone right now, TobyMac.
Sandi:
Good morning, Toby.
TobyMac:
Good morning. You guys what’s going on?
Sandi:
Oh, nothing much. Other than it’s release day for you! LIFE AFTER DEATH, much-anticipated project. And I was telling Nick, before we went on the air with you, I have never seen a project like this. I mean, and you know, me, I’m a fan of your work! So that’s nothing new, but the fullness of the lament, the fullness of the hope, all in one project, I’ve just never seen it before.
TobyMac:
It’s been a journey. And I felt like I’ve always written songs from my life. You know, the things I’ve experienced, you know that, Sandi. And so do you, Nick. But I just always wanted to write from my life because I feel like that’s what resonates with people. Not some fictional thing… I’m not good at that. Some people are. So I had to kind of go all the way there. It’s not something I thought I would’ve written about, but as, as I started writing, it just kind of poured out honestly. But it took me from the deepest, darkest place to God telling me in his beautiful way that he’s rolling up his sleeves and coming to me. Rolling up his sleeves on my behalf. And that was my kind of turning point where I began to see some hope again.
Nick:
It’s like the book of Psalms inI 15 songs right here. You get the hard stuff, the good stuff, the celebration, all of it.
TobyMac:
Yeah. I thought about doing it in order, you know because people just listen to singles now. They just grab something off streaming and listen to it. But I wanted to put it out in order. I didn’t do it because I got scared. It would’ve been so sad on the front end. There are a lot of very sad songs on this record, but then, then there’s the goodness of God. There’s the goodness of God. And that’s what I found that even in the deepest valley, he’s good. He’s good. And he’s kind, and if I believe he’s good for me, then I believe he’s good for Truett somehow when I look back all this is gonna be good. And I think Truett knows that right now.
Sandi:
I tell you every interview that you are the king of writing a hook, right? Like there’s just nobody who can do a hook like you can. And I have to tell you while I appreciate that about you at two or three in the morning when I wake up singing “Ain’t no doubt about you!” I mean, seriously, it has happened Toby and come on.
TobyMac:
Oh. I think the cadence of that is so cool too. Like I love that. “Ain’t no doubt about you!”
Sandi:
I mean, it is sticky beyond sticky. I mean, man.
TobyMac:
Thanks, Sandi. Man, it took me a long time to get right there to write that one. That was like the, that was the landing. I guess that was where I arrived when I realized, you know, man, my God is good. He is good. He’s kind, he never left me in the valley. You know, it’s like I was it’s just beautiful to know, I know God different now I know him different. I know him better. I trust him a little more. And I don’t like my life as it’s is right now. It’s hard, and it will always be messy going forward. It’ll always be different. I’ll always be a different man, but I know my God better. And I know I trust him more. And he is honestly the goodness of my life. He is! Full on.
Nick:
As a man who struggles in this life sometimes as well. Can I just say, thank you for taking us on the journey with you? I mean, it would be easy to just kind of shut this out and present yourself as somebody that’s got it all together and things are always good and put out those songs, but it means so much more for you to just kind of let us in and, and see where you’re at. And I so appreciate that.
TobyMac:
I can only pray that that’s true. As I’ve told you guys, many times, I walk into the studio and I say, “God, would you breathe something through me that turns people’s eyes to you?” I had no idea that I would do that this time. And I didn’t know I was doing it. I was really just writing as songs were coming outta my sadness. But then as I began to get a little bit of legs under me God was kind enough to breathe some things through me that hopefully will turn people’s eyes to him. Cuz he’s worthy of that.
Sandi:
Well, there is more to talk about than there is time. Like the fact that so many of the songs on this new project life after death feature friends from Blessing Offor Tauren Wells, Jon Reddick, Sheryl Crow, DC Talk. I mean, come on so was that intentional?
TobyMac:
Don’t forget my man, Zach Williams, Sandi. Zach Williams is on there too.
Sandi:
Well and everybody else. I mean, like I said, we don’t have time to put everybody’s name on there, but was that an intentional thing? Like or how did that come about?
TobyMac:
You know, I don’t know. Looking back, I think as I started writing these songs, I just thought, I need help here. I need, I need help. Like I think it was almost like I needed people to come alongside me and help me walk through this thing. Help me get through it. Help me push forward. I mean, as some band once wrote back in the day, “I get by with a little help from my friend.” That’s what it feels like to me. But everyone was so gracious and so kind. And I think everyone played a role. It took a while to sort of figure out who was on what, but man, they, everybody stepped up and I’m so grateful.
Nick:
Well, Toby, we appreciate you so much. You know, we love you. I mean, we hopefully drove that point home to you when you were in town and everybody in the crowd was holding up signs saying how much we love you.
TobyMac:
Oh man, how could I forget? I’ll never forget that. You’re so kind.
Nick:
It’s true. We love you for your music. We love you for who you are. We love you for your honesty. And we love you for carving out 10 minutes for us on what is an extremely busy morning for you.
TobyMac:
Oh man, you guys were the first ones on the list. You’re my first one. We knew we were going to you because you guys have been so kind to us and you put on amazing shows and do amazing things behind the scenes for your community. Honestly, I’m not just saying that. You’re guys are the top top. So thank you. And, and St. Louis, if you don’t know and surrounding areas, if you don’t know you’ve got the best one.
Sandi:
Wow. Well Toby, thank you. And not only for today, but carving out time talking to us, when you know you weren’t talking to many people, so we love you. We appreciate you. We’re celebrating life after death, the release that’s out today, and friend, I hope to see you soon in St. Louis.
TobyMac:
All right. Thank you, guys.
To listen to Toby’s entire album, LIFE AFTER DEATH, find it wherever you listen to music!
LIFE AFTER DEATH on iTunes.
LIFE AFTER DEATH on Spotify.
Find songs from the album featured on TobyMac’s YouTube Channel.
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