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2 Couples; 1 Band; 1 Bigger Mission

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By SARAH ROTHWELL

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 24, 2008

Members of the Christian rock band Emberlasting spent New Year's Eve 2007 praying for the sound of music.

For months, Brian and Sheila Jones had contemplated starting a Christian band. Brian, a solo artist, was excited about collaborating with his wife but knew two people didn't make a band. So, he and Sheila began praying to find another couple interested in music. Two months later, they met Nick and Amy Riccio. The Riccios sang, played instruments and were looking for a way to share their passion for Christ.

On New Year's Eve, the Joneses, of Valrico, and Riccios, of Tampa, got together to ask God for guidance. At the end of the night, Emberlasting was born. Amy, 28, fronts the band, Brian, 29, plays guitar and sings backup, Sheila, 28, plays bass, and Nick, 32, plays drums.

The band rehearses weekly at Centerpointe Community Church in Temple Terrace. In March, Emberlasting took the stage at Real Fest, a Christian music festival in Lutz. The band has performed at several churches, started www.emberlasting.comand recorded a demo CD.

The band will perform today at the Zoe Life Festival of Hope at the Pasco County Fairgrounds in Dade City.

Did you all grow up singing and playing music at church?

Sheila: I always sang in church.

Amy: I did, too. I sang and played piano.

Nick: I didn't, not until I was older. When I moved to Tampa in 1994, I started playing drums at church then.

Ladies, what's the difference in singing at church and performing at a concert festival?

Amy: When you perform at church, no one is really looking at you. They are looking straight up to God. During shows, more people are looking at you, and you have to point them up. I'm still getting used to that.

Sheila: Yeah, people are more forgiving at church. It's not as nerve-racking.

How would you describe Emberlasting's sound?

Sheila: It's contemporary Christian pop-rock.

Amy: It's edgy.

Brian: It's music for all ages.

Nick: Yeah, at one of our shows, we had a rockin' grandma.

What's your response to the argument that the words "Christian" and "rock" just don't go together?

Amy: Jesus was very practical in how he reached people. He spoke to them in a way they could understand. He told them stories they could relate to. By playing this music, it's not that we are trying to be like the world. It's just a practical way to reach people. It's our culture. Music has changed so much over the years. This is the music style we relate to today. It engages us emotionally.

Does one person write all Emberlasting's songs?

Amy: We work together. Brian writes a lot of the music, and Sheila writes a lot of the lyrics.

Brian: Sheila's lyrics are great because they are different than things I wrote about as a solo artist. She writes about what girls are going through.

Is there a certain message at the core of each song?

Amy: They mostly reflect where we are in life. The message is that sometimes life is challenging, but God has a plan for us. It's about finding him in the middle of it all, in the middle of all life's craziness.

Do you want to record a complete album?

Sheila: We're hoping to in October.

Brian: Yeah, we're thinking October would be a good time frame. It's up to God to put it all together, though.

Are you looking forward to the Zoe Life Festival?

Sheila: Yeah, Superchick is performing. They are my favorite band. Their songs have helped me through difficult times.

Do you get invited to perform at shows or do you seek out bookings?

Brian: It's mostly invites, like with Zoe Life. I was doing a solo show at the church that's hosting it, and the pastor mentioned to me how they were going to be having a festival with bands and speakers to talk about issues women go through. I told him we were starting up a female-fronted band, and when the time came around, he asked us to perform.

Nick: That's what's been so amazing about this whole experience. It's like puzzle pieces just fall into place.

Is your fan base mostly local?

Brian: With the Internet, we have people listening from all over. The MySpace Web site has reached a lot of people. We've been invited onto podcasts and had our songs on different Internet sites. We had someone from Australia message us and ask us to send them a demo CD.

Do you want to be well-known nationally?

Amy: Of course. Who wouldn't say yes to that? We want to touch as many people as we can. But it's about God's plan. If he wants us to stay in Tampa and keep doing local shows, that's what we'll do.

Sheila: Yeah, we want to be where God wants us.

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Zoe Life Festival of Hope

WHEN: 11:30 a.m. today. First band performs at 1 p.m.

WHERE: Pasco County Fairgrounds, 36722 State Road 52, Dade City
HOW MUCH: $10 in advance, $15 at the door

BRING: Blankets or lawn chairs

INFORMATION: Visit www.

zoelifefestivalofhope.com.

Reporter Sarah Rothwell can be reached at (813) 865-4845 or srothwell@tampatrib.com.

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