LDS Lives, a documentary series produced by BYU-TV
Executive producers: Sterling Van Wagenen, Rob Sibley
Produced and directed by Clinton Baxter
Cameras: Greg Andersen, Pete Hansen
Edited by Clinton Baxter
Written by Alex Christman

Janice Kapp Perry: A Life of Service and Song , is more than a documentary tribute to an iconic LDS songwriter and an outstanding person. It is a vivid illustration of one of the two separate pathways to success that an aspiring LDS artist must choose between. More importantly, it gives us pause as artists and saints to examine our own motives.

It becomes obvious from this program that there was never any other motive to Janice Kapp Perry's success than to simply be of service to the Church. It is the story of a humble woman following her own inspiration sincerely and faithfully until God made more of her abilities than she could ever have imagined. It is the story of the greatest art of all-that of a noble life well lived-that has influenced millions for good.

All of us can come away with a great treasure from this excellent documentary. We can examine ourselves, our motives, our contributions, and present our labors and gifts humbly to the greatest of all Artists.

The Two Paths

From a Latter-day Saint perspective, the arts can be compared to the first two of the three-fold missions of the Church: 1.) Perfecting the saints, 2.) Proclaiming the gospel, and 3.) Redeeming the dead. The first can be considered as choosing to write to uplift the saints, and the second to do art for the world, as a missionary tool. There are benefits and drawbacks to each path, as well as many examples of people who have succeeded in both separate endeavors.

I like to speak of these two paths as if they were a lighthouse and a tugboat. The lighthouse stands on a rock, firm, strong and immovable, with a bright light showing the way. The tugboat goes bravely out into the sea, and carefully guides ships toward the lighthouse and to safety in the harbor.

Both are needed; the lighthouse cannot try to be a tugboat - and the tugboat certainly cannot be effective as a lighthouse.

The two paths compliment each other. Neither is greater or lesser than the other-both are equally important.

Artists of all disciplines get into trouble when they try to mix the two. Often the saints are offended at the inclusion of sacred lyrics in secular settings, or the world is offended at inspirational messages pushed on them as entertainment.

This is why there is constant controversy over being an LDS artist, or an artist who happens to be LDS. Some artists have produced work in both realms successfully, but they have kept it separated according to the audience for which it was intended - a basic principle of effective art.

Different Tools for Different Goals

In both pursuits, the necessity of achieving excellence in the craft remains similar. But the parameters of the craft differ according to the audience, as do the reasons for doing it.

For example, the Nashville Songwriting Method is a system of writing that produces memorable hooks, (the line a person remembers in a song), subject matter common to a broad audience, and a very clearly defined form: Intro/Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Bridge/Chorus/Outro with very little variation from that model.

When writing for the saints, a more commonly used tool is the hymn format, or the single stanza children's song, such as an A/B/A format. The Nashville form has also been successful when used in LDS inspirational pop. But the two genre's goals are not always the same. One seeks to bring a spiritual experience to the listener, the other might best aspire to be good, uplifting entertainment. To compare one with another will inevitably find both wanting, because each has its own rules. One may as well compare apples and oranges.

Shift in Emphasis over Time

In the last 30 years, the emphasis on writing for the Saints has shifted instead to working in the world. The array of television contests such as American Idol , S o You Think You Can Dance , and other hit series have changed the way talent is discovered and fan bases built. The Internet has broken down all previous corporate walls that once stood in the way of artists rising to national stature.

As a result, the generation that once sought to make a “style of our own” under the guidance of Spencer W. Kimball's 1967 Gospel Vision of the Arts has now matured, and the next generation is taking on the world on its own terms.

The resulting shift in the marketplace reflects far more LDS consumer purchasing interest in work written for the world that is produced, written or sung by Latter-day saints. A recent example of this is Mormon author Stephenie Meyer's Twilight novels. We Mormons nervously watch Kirby Heybourne's ascent in the world of Hollywood acting. We praise David Archuleta for staying true to himself in a touch music business. We hope the next LDS kid on Survivor will be a good example for the Church.

We Latter-day Saints lately seem to give deference to those who have succeeded on the world's terms—even if they are occasionally perceived to have possibly “compromised their standards” a little in the process. This appears to apply in ALL fields of both business and creative endeavors. I found it necessary myself as a record producer and arranger to hone my craft expertly enough to work with the top national industry names, in order to gain respect from my own people, while trying to build the kingdom through music.

Finding Fault with the Other's Path

There is nothing wrong with recognizing the two different paths, except in finding fault with those who choose to remain in the realm of Perfecting the Saints, or visa versa. Currently, it is a common thing for artists who are LDS with worldly recognition, to deride the work of those who have stayed within the LDS market.

Ironically, after long enough in the world's money-driven business, artists who are LDS also often end up longing to speak to their own heritage and contribute something lasting and more meaningful to their own people.

One could argue, which is harder to do-create art that spiritually edifies, is well crafted and interesting, teaches correct principles, is uplifting and doctrinally correct-or creating the next Billboard Magazine hit country tune? Neither is a small task. Each individual artist must decide for himself to be a lighthouse or a tugboat, and to do it as well as possible.

Writing for the Saints

Janice Kapp Perry chose to write for the Saints. Her music is sung by millions, and has likely done more good than any pop song's tenuous claim to the top of the Billboard charts, or any book on the New York Times Bestseller list. That is a cold fact of reality that a national publisher would envy. Such sweeping influence cannot be bought with money.

Perry's work is lasting and permanent—twelve million or more people, and three generations may have, at one time or another, found themselves singing, I Love to See the Temple or I'm Trying to Be Like Jesus.

It is even more ironic that her most significant national market contributions came because of her work in the LDS market. Her songs have been performed by the country hit duo Brooks and Dunn, at the Second Inauguration Ceremony of President George W. Bush, and were recorded both by Gladys Knight and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

Yet her timeless melodies like I Walk By Faith , Armies of Helaman , or As Sisters In Zion remain fixed in the musical heritage of the Saints for generations yet to come.

We owe this humble lady our due respect and acknowledgement for a contribution worthy of the highest aspirations of any artist. The program is a visual record of an astounding life of consistent contribution, all accomplished with no desire for acclaim.

We would do well as artists to sit up pay attention. The current ideas we entertain as an audience and as creators may not fit the way the Lord has obviously worked through this exemplary woman for the good of millions. It can make us consider how we may be more effective by following Perry's example.

This documentary is one of the best in a series called LDS Lives . It traces Perry's life history, is told in an interesting and informative way, and brings its viewers to tears with her sweet warmth of testimony and overwhelming spirit. It is powerful and sweeping, genuine and heartfelt, and crafted so well that none of the glitz and tricks, or even the budgets of Hollywood are needed.

The program airs on BYU-TV on Monday, February 16, 2009, at 8 pm. Program details may be found on http://byutv.org. Dish Network carries BYU-TV on channel 9403.

Greg Hansen is an award-winning record producer, composer and arranger. He also serves as the Music Reviewer for BYU Studies.

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