The Standard

Issue date: 11/2/07 Section: Features

While relaxing at his home in Dallas, Texas, Shane Barnard of the Christian music duo Shane & Shane talks about how nice it is to be off the road and spending time being a part of his church. But with a brand new album and a tour schedule like theirs, the duo is once again hitting the road with a stop tonight in Springfield.

Barnard and musical partner Shane Everett have been touring together since 1998, and after five albums and one live DVD, the two have been living in close quarters for almost a decade now.

"We are like an old married couple," Barnard said, who is actually getting married in the spring. "We have had our share of fights but it's part of a healthy relationship."

The two began playing together after Barnard borrowed a guitar from Everett for his first concert during his junior year of college. Both were business majors who felt music as a career was the last thing on their mind, but now Barnard says he is so busy it is hard for him to spend time doing things spiritually for himself.

"It's hard to stay consistent to the Lord while you're on the road, but it has taught me to truly be dependent on Him in everyway, because I would be nothing without Him," he said.

Their current tour launched Aug. 21, seven days before the release of "Pages," Shane & Shane's first studio album in nearly three years. He said his inspiration doesn't come from listening to music, but arises exclusively from Bible scriptures and sermons. For "Pages," Barnard said he was writing a lot in his journal, and his entries ended up as songs for the album.

"The album is more schitzo than usual," Barnard said. "In one song, I will be talking about how much I love Him, and in others, I don't love Him. It's like how one day you can be on top of a mountain and the next day you can't find your way out of the valley. It feels like how life really is."

Barnard said that not only do the lyrics vary in content, but the musical aspect of the album changes just as rapidly. The new album has plenty of different musical instruments to enhance the variable sound, including a cello, lap steel guitar, banjo, dobro and piano.

"The songs go from a light R&B to a more jazzy tune to slow worship to rock," he said.

At their live show, there will be seven people performing on stage to perform the same instrumental sound as on the album. Touring with Shane & Shane is artist and composer Bebo Norman, with special guest Alli Rogers.

The show is at Remingtons Entertainment Complex at 1655 W. Republic Road and begins at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and can be bought at Remingtons Entertainment Complex, Potter's House, Christian Publishers Outlets, Roderiques Bookstores and GPH Bookstores and $20 the day of the show.

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