I think it goes without saying that his music is wonderful, his storytelling is superb, and his writing is fantastic. (He currently has 3 novels published, regaling the "Wingfeather Saga" to the delight of his readers, with a fourth book upcoming to finish out the series)
While the concert itself was a grand meal for the ears, the true feast came afterwards, when we had the opportunity to meet him and talk with him for a few minutes after the show.
We didn't have backstage passes. We didn't have a meet-and-greet scheduled. We weren't even waiting at the exit doors, hoping that he would make an appearance. None of that, and that... is what made meeting him all the more special. Heidi and I were talking with some good friends of ours, and my sister came running up to me and in the best possible youngest sister way, whispers in my ear, "Your man crush is right behind you." (She was poking fun at me with the comment as I was telling her just how great his music and books were the entire trip to the concert)
I turned and looked, and low and behold, there stood Andrew Peterson, talking with some people. He didn't have to do that. How many artists, whether they've sold millions of records, or just hundreds come mingle with people who paid to see them perform? Yet, there he was. He didn't have to come out to meet people. He could have stayed in the back, winding down until they could move on to the next leg of the tour, but he didn't. Needless to say, I was pretty excited, and so I excused myself from the conversation I was currently having, (sorry Josh!) and went over to meet him.
He saw me standing there waiting, turned and we shook hands. It was his humility that made my wife and I appreciate him. I've never met someone so well-known who was that gracious. The first thing he said was, "Thanks for coming out to hear us." He noticed the t-shirt I had purchased and said, "Hey, thanks for buying my t-shirt, I really appreciate it", acting as if that one purchase made his entire night. He was truly grateful. Heidi and I ended up talking to him for about ten minutes, about music, his books, and even our pregnancy. (We were close to our due date at that point)
The conversation wasn't earth shattering, and it didn't have to be, it was a great moment just to meet him. We were just talking, and his humility and willingness to do so were a breath of fresh air in our world of pride, and self-importance. We had our picture taken, he signed the shirt, and we were left feeling really good about supporting his talented work both in music and in writing.
Andrew Peterson desires to glorify Christ in the talent that he has been given, and it shows through his work, but even beyond that, you can tell he desires to serve Christ in just spending time with fans in humility.
I have always highly recommended his music to people, and it thrills me to be able to turn people to his songs if they've never heard them before. His books are some of the best fiction I've ever read, and I often buy extra copies to give out as gifts. But even more so, I highly recommend the man, as a servant of Christ.
It was much appreciated. Thanks Andrew!
If you are interested in learning more about Andrew Peterson, or buying his music and or books, visit:
http://www.andrew-peterson.com/
