- Michael W. Smith, so good to have you.

First, what surprisedyou most in the retelling

of the story behindthe music, if you will?

- Well, I think probablyhearing everybody's story,

the backstory of otherartists, of the struggle,

of, you know, the fight, you know,

what people have gone through adversity

and how they survivedand how they came out

on the other side of it.

You know, I alwaysthink that's fascinating

when we get to hear somebody else's story.

And I applaud all the artists in this film

that were very vulnerable.

I mean, there was someheart-wrenching things

that were said and revealed,

which I think was really, really good.

I think that's what makesthe film so appealing

is that it's pretty authenticand pretty real, so, yeah.

But I knew that was coming,because we all have a story

and, you know, obviously all of us

have had our ups and downsfiguring this thing out

and walking this journeythrough this amazing thing

that we get to do, thisthing called music,

which is the most powerful,universal language in the world.

I've always said that.And I still believe it.

- We see your face on the poster.

We know that you've workedclosely with Amy Grant, toured,

and I think you even credither for your success,

if you will, what made you say yes

to being a part of this storytelling?

- Well, I've always wanted to see this

come to the big screen at some point.

I think the story needed to be told.

But it wasn't until theErwin brothers, Jon and Andy,

approached me, who are great storytellers.

I guess approached meabout two, three years ago

about doing this documentary and asked

if I would be involved init as an executive producer

and helped speak into it.

And I just, it was adamantly yes.

I mean, it was a no brainer for me.

So I knew if anybody could pull it off.

And especially for theseguys who were so talented,

but kind of cut their teethon this music growing up,

I'm thinking these guys can pull it off.

And they certainly did.

- Now, I am sure that this project,

with someone like yourselfbeing involved in it,

is bathed in prayer.

What's your prayer for whathappens because of this?

- Well, probably a lot of things.

I mean, the first thingthat comes to my mind

is that you'll have awhole new group of people,

could be millions of people,who discover this music

for the very first time.

And if history is any measure

of what this music hasdone to millions of people,

then I think you could potentiallyhave millions of people

that are affected by this.

I think ultimately at leastdeep down inside my spirit gut

I call it is that maybethis movie is the catalyst

of this next revival thatwe've been praying for

for so long, how sweet that would be.

And my hunch or my faith tells me

that I think it's a great possibility.

- How aware were you ofthe power of the work

that you were doingwhile you were doing it?

- I think when you gotthe letters in the mail,

I think when you startedgetting feedback from people

who were disheartened, who hadcome at the end of their rope

and it was over and they were suicidal,

or, I mean, the list goes on,

and one of your songs completely changed

the course of their life andsort of put them back on track.

I think when you startedgetting like those letters,

those emails over and over and over again,

you thought, wow, this thing's working,

and this is why I do what I do.

So yeah, and one of thosestories is worth my whole career,

just one of them.

- Wow. What was the toughestpart to share for you?

- I don't think there was anytough thing for me to share.

I think, you know, maybethe vulnerable part of us,

of maybe us losing our way.

I think if every artist wouldbe honest, I think, you know,

it got into the '90s andthe turn of the decade

and there's hits andpeople were on pop radio

and people were sellingrecords and it all came to,

well, who's number one and alittle bit of pride involved.

I think that's where welost our way a little bit.

I think we're all guilty of it.

And, you know, I certainlysaw that in my life

and I thought, well, we just need a reset.

We have to have a reset,because this is, you know,

as you get older and grow in your faith,

you realize it's not about you.

And yeah. It's not.

And so I think a lot of us did a reset

and kind of got back on track,

and it proven to be agood thing, obviously.

- Again, the documentary iscalled "The Jesus Music,"

the keyword there, Jesus, right there

at the center of it all.

Michael W. Smith, thankyou so much for your time.

- I appreciate it. Thanks for having me.