InFocus: Derek Webb

Just who is this man in the white t-shirts? Derek Webb was a founding member of the Christian group Caedmon's Call. He played guitar, wrote songs, and sang for the group until he left in 2003 (due to the record label's desire to go in a different direction musically). He released his first studio album, She Must and Shall go Free in 2003. The CD received mixed results, half of listeners feeling they were being preached to, and the other half feeling encouraged. Later on, in 2004, Derek Webb went on a solo tour to a bunch of cities performing "house" shows, often playing in the living rooms of certain houses before small audiences. Derek has never been a fan of the glitz and glammer of the stage, and the small comfortable setting without the lights and PA system helped him to connect with the audience in a personal way. He went on to release The House Show, a collection of songs from his first album, and others not previously released, recorded live.
In late 2004 Derek released his second studio album, I See Things Upside Down, filled with 12 new tracks. This past December Derek released his third and latest studio album, Mockingbird, featuring 11 new tracks with intricate lyrics and an acoustic feel.
Derek has never been fully backed by the "Christian Music Industry," which is odd seeing his lyrics are blatantly Christian. Several took offense to his hard-hitting lyrics in the song "Wedding Dress" off of his first album, others not appreciating his 'preaching' from the microphone. But Derek has never been one to be swayed by the opinion of the masses, and continues to produce music after his own style.
Derek grew up in Texas, but now lives in Nashville with his wife, Sandra McCracken, a fellow singer/songwriter. Derek is often recognized for his white t-shirts which he wears all the time, both at concerts, and in album photos. The reason behind the shirts is actually quite simple: he needed something he could take in mass quantities with him when touring with Caedmon's Call. “I haven’t thought about what I was going to wear on any given day for better than 10 years,” he confesses.* One other notable feature of Derek are his tatoos. He has the Five Tenants of the Reformation tattooed on his left arm, a Canterbury cross on his left forearm, a Celtic eternity knot around his right arm, and the Greek word for 'Grace' on his right thumb.* Pictures of the tatoos can be viewed here: http://derekwebb.net/photos.php
Rock on, Derek!