A Closer Look at the Artists

By Julie Saffrin

Bringing the body of Christ together, in all its colors and forms, is a passion of this five-time Dove Award winner who won GMA's 2002 Song of the Year for “Redeemer.” She lives what she preaches. She is black, her husband, David, (a well-known producer in his own right) is white. They have three children, two biologically, and an adopted full blooded African son. Even in her music, from pop to funk to black Gospel and a little r & b tossed in, Mullen strives to write songs that break down racial barriers.

She believes there is much commonality amidst the races and that God has called His people to be leaders in extending a hand in love and friendship. “If people will take the time to get to know each other, they will find out that there are more things similar between them than different. Their stories and details might be different but the emotions are the same. You've felt pleasure, you've felt disappointment, just like they have.”

She is excited to be part of this year's festivities. “It's a great way to celebrate the different cultures and styles by having a picnic together. God wants us to get out of our comfort zone and get to know each other and having the foundation of our faith makes it so much easier to do.”

She gets asked a lot if the song she penned, “Redeemer,” is a hymn. It is not. “Last week a 71 year old man told me how much he loved ‘that old hymn'. I just smiled and took the compliment,” she said.

Mullen's inspiration for the song came from sitting on her couch reading the Book of Job. “I felt challenged by Job's life. God sort of set him up. When Satan confronted God and said, “You've got a hedge of protection around Job, God told Satan he could do anything to Job but he must spare the man's life,” Mullen said. “Satan destroyed Job's life, his kids, his flesh, so much so that he had to scrap his body of painful sores, yet, in the midst of his trials he said, ‘I know my Redeemer lives and in the end he will stand upon the earth and in my flesh I will see God.' (Job 19:25). I just thought, ‘How much more can we believe, in our trials, in comparison with Job.'”

Mullen took out her guitar and worked out the first verse in a day, thinking the second verse would come as easily as the first had. It took a year before she finished the song that would go on to earn her a 2002 Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year.

The Ragamuffin Band, (comprised of lead singers Rick Elias and Mark Robertson, Jimmy Abegg on lead guitar and Aaron Smith on drums,) was formed by Rich Mullins in 1992. After Mullins died tragically in a car accident in 1997, the band members had a difficult decision to make. Should they finish The Jesus Record they had been working? They agreed and as a result, the group's version of the “My Deliverer,” with Rick Elias singing his edgy lead, garnered them a 1999's Song of the Year Dove Award.

After The Jesus Record's success, the band, all career musicians with vastly different styles, questioned doing another album together. They found common ground in prayer. As a result, Prayers of a Ragamuffin (Myrrh) released in 1999.

Though the band officially retired in 2001, (Rick Elias has three albums to his own credit and Mark Robertson produced Chris Taylor's 2001 Dove nominated Rock Album of the Year. Jimmy Abegg is now Creative Director at Rocketown Records) The Rags are performing a rare reunion for the fairgrounds event.