Brian Doerksen – Dec. 16
Brian Doerksen is a songwriter, recording artist, author, and conference speaker, but most of all he loves spending time with his high-school sweetheart Joyce (they have been married for 33 years.) Brian & Joyce have 4 daughters and 2 sons with Fragile X Syndrome. His songs are known and sung internationally in churches of all kinds including ‘Come now is the time to worship’, ‘Refiner’s Fire’,‘Hope Of The Nations’ and ‘The River.’
In the late 90’s he lived in the UK for over 2 years, where he mentored worship leaders and songwriters in the Vineyard Churches of UK and Ireland (Kathryn Scott & Brenton Brown among them) and produced ‘Hungry’ which went on to be the best-selling Vineyard recording. His first recording with Integrity in 2002 was called ‘You Shine’ and was recorded live in Dublin, Ireland.
In 2003, Brian was presented with the “International Award” by the Gospel Music Association in America. In 2004, Brian filmed his first concert DVD TODAY in his hometown of Abbotsford. The TODAY CD went on to be his best-selling album in partnership with Integrity. In Oct 2007, Brian received six Covenant Awards (Canada’s Gospel Music Association Awards) including “Artist of the year”, “Album of the year” & “Song of the Year”’ for ‘Holy God’. In April 2008, Brian received a JUNO award (Canadian equivalent of the Grammy awards) for ‘Holy God’ (Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album of the year). His first book; MAKE LOVE, MAKE WAR (Now Is The Time To Worship) published by David C Cook came out in the summer of 2009.
In 2010 he released ‘LEVEL GROUND’ as a live CD and concert film. This was Brian’s 2nd DVD and features the musicians off stage among the participants, while on the stage people share their story of transformation through grace. That year also marked the completion of a double album recording of a musical (an 8-year writing process!) with Christopher Greco (a playwright based in Boston) based on Luke 15 called ‘Prodigal God; The musical tale of two sons and one wastefully extravagant father’. It’s the story of the prodigal son and his father seen through the eyes of the elder brother. The musical features 23 new songs written or co-written by Brian.
The years that followed (2011 & 2012) were dark and difficult years. Brian describes that period of his life as a prolonged winter of wordlessness after a devastating relational breakdown in the faith community he helped found. Then in 2013 Brian began co-writing new inspirational folk-rock settings of the ancient Psalms as part of a new band; The SHIYR Poets (pronounced ‘Sheer’). Also in the band are Calum Rees, Brian Thiessen & Teresa Trask, long time members of Brian’s recording and touring band. Choosing not to censor the difficult verses of lament and anger, the SHIYR Poets render each psalm in its entirety, singing in solidarity with all who suffer. The result is beautifully honest and meditative music, at times unconventional in its form, yet deeply comforting because the words of these Psalms have been prayed and pondered for generations. Their first two recordings, Songs For The Journey Volume One & Two, won ‘Inspirational Album Of The Year’ in 2014 & 2016 at the Covenant Awards. In 2016 they released an EP of cover songs called ‘Recover’ including songs by Bob Dylan and Bruce Cockburn. www.theshiyrpoets.com
Finally, in 2016 and 2017 the original lyrics came back and Brian began songwriting in earnest again.
GRATEFUL was released in October 2017. Produced by veteran producer Steve Rendall and Mark Troyer from Calgary, Alberta this new album contains 12 new original songs including ‘Scars On His Hands’, ‘Micah Six Eight’, ‘Everlasting Arms’ and a cover of the beautiful Scottish hymn ‘We Cannot Measure How You Heal.’