Singer delivers message of praise, abstinence. Rebecca St.James in concert

The News-Press April 11,2003

Songs come from the heart

Rebecca St.James' shows relate to people's longing for worship

by DENISE L. SCOTT

Rebecca St.James is bringing her Christian pop-rock and worship back to Fort Myers tonight for a concert at the First Assembly of God.

This year's "worshipGOD/Wait for Me" tour focuses on original and classic worship songs from last year's just-released "Wait for Me: The Best From Rebecca St.James."

The 25-year-old Australian said from a tour stop in Jacksonville last week that she carefully selected the traditional worship favorites on "worshipGOD."

"I chose ones I felt a passion about and could sing about from my heart," she said. "I chose ones I felt I could have written.

St.James said she's been amazed by the response to "worshipGOD", her best-selling album to date.

"People are longing for worship," she said, referring to the problems in the world today.

Jeff Taylor, station manager a WAYJ 88.7-FM, said St.James' concerts have two purposes.

"One, it's a praise and worhip gathering," he said. "And two, it has a strong abstinence message."

St.James' song, "Wait for Me" asks her future husband to abstain from sex until marriage. She also wrote a book of the same name encouraging abstinence.

"I had already seen a huge response to the message when I spoke about it in concert," she said. "When the song came out, the response doubled. When the book came out, the response tripled. It's the issue that doesn't go away."

St.James thrives on creating an intimacy with the crowd, Taylor said. She sings with the audience during an acoustic set during the second half of her concert.

"We're hearing from a lot of moms that are going together as a family," he said. "Parents want their children to hear Rebecca's message. Rebecca is a role model times 10.

The concert will also include performances by Big Daddy Weave, Aaron Spiro, and St.James' backup singer Charmaine.

"Rivertribe is instrumental, really cool and quirky with digeridoos and violins," St.James said of her fellow Aussies. "Charmaine has an amazing voice. She can sing like no 18-year-old I've ever heard."

All the performers' diverse styles- including Aaron Spiro's acoustic guitar and Big Daddy Weave's pop- rock punctuated by a saxophone- appeal to multiple generations.

"I see kids and teens and parents liking it," she said. "There is something for the whole family.

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