Redemption found on Blue Mountain

NASHVILLE, Tenn.—With his most recent album, Blue Mountain, singer/songwriter Brandon Heath uses stories about fictional characters in Appalachia to drive home messages about God’s unfailing love, forgiveness and grace.

By taking a creative approach to share the gospel, Heath hopes these songs spark conversations with non-Christians. Heath wrote the song “Jesus in Disguise” as a reminder of the unexpected ways Christ works in the midst of struggles and in varied settings. 

“Jesus isn’t always in the obvious,” Heath said. “But from busy city streets to the rural roads of Blue Mountain, Jesus is always there to be found. You just have to know what to look for and be willing to look for it.”

Heath developed the theme for this project after a friend mentioned an interesting comparison found in the C.S. Lewis book, Letters to an American Lady. 

“My friend was talking about how he read that some people are like blue mountains,” Heath said. “That’s kind of a funny thing, but if you look at mountains in the distance, they are kind of blue and hazy. He said some people are like that, because you’re always from a distance to them. Once you get up close to them, you’ll see they’re just like everyone else. I love that thought, and the inspiration started flowing from there.”

During concerts, Heath challenges audiences to step out of their comfort zone, reach out and make a difference to people in need. His concerts have helped raise awareness for missions organizations such as Food for the Hungry, International Justice Mission, Young Life, Blood:Water Mission and Restore International.

“Hopefully, people are not only connecting to the music, but also the message behind it,” Heath said. “I want people to realize that if they place their faith in Christ, they will be delivered from their old life, given a new lease on life and a fresh start to lead the kind of life that God wants his children to lead—with our lives glorifying him.”

Since 2008, Heath has sponsored an annual benefit concert, “Love Your Neighbor,” which gathers musicians for a night of music and supports needs in Nashville. The event has raised more than $140,000 for community needs.

“I think the longer I get to know the character of Jesus, the more compassion I have for others,” Heath said. “It is one thing to have compassion and quite another to act on it. Most times, it starts with the people around you.”

With music reflecting life-changing truth, Heath remains grounded on a firm foundation and focused on delivering music with a powerful message that changes lives for God’s glory. 

“I love hearing stories about how the songs have impacted people in unexpected ways and how they have responded by finding redemption and restoration through a relationship with Christ.”