LOS ANGELES — The four Mormon singers who make up the group Jericho Road not only sing together but work in harmony, too.
And they've done so for nine years.
"We're like brothers!" Abraham Mills said, attempting to explain how four men from different places and backgrounds can work and sound like they're from the same family.
They're all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They all served LDS missions, and they are all baritones. They met when they performed with BYU's Young Ambassadors.
But from there, their stories are quite different.
Justin Smith is from Parma, Idaho, is married and the father of two children.
Bret Bryce is from Knoxville, Tenn., and is single.
Dave Kimball is a Utahn from Sandy who is still looking for Mrs. Right.
Mills is from St. Louis and is the son of a Muslim father. He's married with five children.
"We're definitely not the typical cookie-cutter guys," Bryce said.
"We're all driven by the same cause, to share a positive message," Smith said, as the group waited in a California hotel room prior to a performance at Family Days in the Six Flags resort. "Our whole existence has been to share a message of faith, hope and love."
Smith said it's not a message exclusive to Mormon audiences; it's relevant to everyone who needs to be uplifted.
That's evident in the group's newest album, "Day of Rest," a collection of hymns and praise songs that they hope will appeal to a whole new audience for "Jericho Road." (Click here to get a free song from the album.)
"This is something we wanted to do," Kimball said. "It's our first praise album."
The CD includes original arrangements of songs familiar to the LDS market and songs universally recognized as hymns of comfort and hope.
"Softly and Tenderly" done by Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley is one. "Amazing Grace" and "Were You There?" are a couple more.
"In Humility our Savior" is one the group is especially excited about.
"I don't think it's been recorded like this before," Kimball said.
The CD is a collaboration of ideas and vocalizations from the group's members along with producers Tyler Castleton and Scott Wiley.
It was released Sept. 7 and will be part of the program Jericho Road introduces at their Time Out for Women appearance in Boise, Idaho, on Sept. 17.
In addition, Smith, Bryce, Kimball and Mills will share some of their personal stories and spiritual experiences.
"We're still materializing what we'll do," Bryce said. "We're definitely going to be singing some of the new songs and talking about our lives."
Mills said it will be great to be on the Time Out for Women agenda.
"We're expecting it to be a really good opportunity to actually speak and sing in a more intimate and relaxed setting, kind of a cross between a concert and a fireside."
"We want women to know that God loves them," Smith said. "We know the Time Out audiences come seeking inspiration and an uplift. We want to let them know how important they are in the role they play and how they influence us as husbands, brothers, sons and men."
"We all have pretty amazing women in our lives," Kimball said.
"My wife, my sister-in-law and my mother all laughed when they heard we were speaking (at Time Out for Women)," Mills said. "I told them my job is just to go up there and share."
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