Folks who read the liner notes of albums back in the 1990s saw the name Charlie Peacock show up quite often. Not only is he a singer-songwriter, but he was the co-writer and producer of Amy Grant’s smash hit “Every Heartbeat,” helping her to cross over to the mainstream and have a No. 2 hit on pop radio. He went on to produce lots of artists and has been a thoughtful voice about the intersection of faith and music for decades.
His new podcast, Music and Meaning with Charlie Peacock, gives him the opportunity to articulate various aspects of his thoughts on pop music in an accessible and thought-provoking manner. In the first episode, he talks about how much of a challenge it was to get Christian radio to accept the music of Switchfoot, who he “discovered” and signed to his own indie record label in the ’90s. His label’s mission was to market to both the Christian and mainstream outlets. In another episode, Peacock compares current top-40 hits with the confessions of St. Augustine. It is surprising how similar they can be.
The episodes are not long, about 15-20 minutes, but they are packed with thoughtful commentary. Even though we’re listening to a scripted monologue, the podcast is accessible and the production (background music, etc.) is done extremely well. This podcast is an important addition to the conversation about the intersection of popular culture and faith.
About the Author
Robert J. Keeley is a professor of education emeritus at Calvin University and leads music at 14th St. Christian Reformed Church in Holland, Mich.