Jody and Lani, a dynamic husband-and-wife duo, are making waves as independent artists after relocating from Nashville, Tennessee, to Jody’s hometown of Texarkana, Texas. With deep roots in the music industry, the couple has transitioned from their bustling life in Music City to setting up a recording studio in Texarkana, where they now lead worship and write music. Their passion for creating and sharing meaningful songs continues to flourish as they embrace their new chapter as independent musicians.
Jody, you were a member of the former worship group Pocket Full of Rocks. How has the music landscape changed since you were in that group, and what has brought you back to music?
Jody: Everything has changed since I was in Pocket Full of Rocks. We were signed to a record label, recording in major studios and selling CDs in stores and on the road. Now, I can create music from my own studio and upload it for distribution and streaming, which wasn’t an option before. We have a more direct connection with our listeners worldwide thanks to social media and streaming platforms.
In a way, I never really stepped away from music. It has just changed a lot over the years. After Pocket Full of Rocks, I toured as a bass player with several different artists and bands (Todd Agnew, 33 Miles, and Tenth Avenue North), and then I came off the road to become a worship leader at our local church. It was different for me to switch instruments and start playing guitar and singing more. Eventually, we started writing songs for our church. That sparked the idea for us to begin recording and releasing our original music because people wanted a way to listen to the new songs.
You two are now doing ministry together as husband and wife, which I’m sure has some challenges. What are a few of the ways you two stay focused on ministry together?
Lani: One of our challenges is that we approach music entirely differently. Jody is self-taught and doesn’t read music. He plays by ear. I have a music degree and know the theory behind the music. We’ve learned that our strengths complement each other well, and we depend on each other. Jody comes up with parts and arrangements, and I write chord charts for the band.
Doing ministry together has been special to us. It feels like a gift. Jody was with Pocket Full of Rocks before we met. I came along as a road manager for the band. I’ve been involved in music as a worship leader, music teacher, and manager. We never had the opportunity to do something together until we were asked to lead worship at our church.
We were surprised when our oldest daughter recently mentioned she was interested in playing bass. She learned quickly and is now part of our band. The blessing of doing music together just keeps getting better.
You say that you create “authentic worship.” What does that mean to you?
We hope our songs encourage listeners to experience God's presence through authentic worship. That means authenticity comes from focusing on and worshiping Him amid our circumstances. Worship is so much more than a few songs on a Sunday morning. It is an ongoing response to who God is and what He has done. We don’t have to pretend everything is fine when it’s not or perform anything of habit. Just like the Psalmist David sets an example for us in scripture, we believe the Lord is so pleased when we sing to Him from an honest place, constantly turning our concerns back into praise for who God is.
What’s next for you?
We are leading worship at churches, camps, and events. We’re writing songs and looking forward to returning to the studio to work on new music for 2025.
How can we be praying for you?
What an honor to be asked this. Our entire process has been a leap of faith and complete dependence on God to show us our next steps. We always pray, “God, Show us what you want.” It would be an honor if you could say that simple prayer with us. He always answers.
ChatGPT, OpenAI, generated a portion of this text.
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