I Am They, a Dove Award nominated contemporary Christian band, will perform for Union College’s Family Worship on Friday, Feb. 17, at 7:30 p.m.
The band gained notoriety in 2015 when they released their first album and toured in the “Rock and Worship Roadshow” with MercyMe, Crowder, and Group 1 Crew; and also toured with Matt Maher during the spring leg of the Saints and Sinners tour.
I Am They’s unique name comes from Jesus’ prayer in John 17, where He refers to His disciples as “they.” Each band member strives to be a disciple, the “they” in the text. Hailing from Carson City, the band started out as a worship team performing in various churches across Nevada. Their website describes their sound as “two parts folk, two parts pop, and one part acoustic driven worship.” They are propelled by a six-piece instrument set, including guitar; percussion; banjo; mandolin;organ; and dobro, a type of acoustic guitar that has steel resonating disks in the body; and three-part vocal harmonies.
The group believe God opened many doors for them to gain national exposure in 2011. Through a series of events—including opening for other Christian music bands and winning a competition at Spirit West Coast, I Am They signed a recording deal with Provident Label Group. The band currently has one studio album, I Am They, released in 2015.
“We feel humbled and blessed to see how God is using these songs to touch hearts and lives around the globe,” the band said via their website.
Adam Palmer, one of the three vocalists, shared his journey to writing spiritually uplifting music in an interview with Timothy Yap on Hallels.com. After his brother was killed in a drunk driving accident when Palmer was seven, his singer’s life seemed to have no direction and eventually just fall apart.
When he was sixteen, he attempted suicide twice. After the second failed attempt, Palmer came into contact with a girl named Alicia who brought him to a group hang out. There, Palmer met his future wife and I Am They drummer, Sara, who gave him a small Bible, the same Bible she received when she first became a Christian. One specific highlighted verse stood out to Palmer: John 14:19. “Because I live, you also will live.” Palmer told Yap. “It really felt as though it was Jesus speaking those words directly to me—saying that because He lives, I would live, too, rather than take my life.” A few months later, Palmer gave his life over to Jesus.
I Am They is comprised of Adam Palmer, Sara Palmer, Matthew Hein, Abbie Parker, Justin Shinn, Bobby Stiehler, and Raul Aguilar Jr. Their newest member, Abbie Parker, can be heard in the new radio single, “Make a Way.”
The group will be perform at 7:30 at the College View Seventh-day Adventist Church this Friday. Doors will open at 7:00 and the concert is free to the public.
CVC is located at the corner of 48th and Prescott on the campus of Union College.
By Elizabeth Bearden, student writer