It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since the surprise terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, claimed the lives of nearly 3,000 people. The instant the Twin Towers fell, the iconic New York City skyline was forever changed, and so were we. When tragedy strikes, musicians are customarily some of the first to use their God-given talents to put lyric and melody to feelings difficult to adequately express. The collective emotions of all Americans experienced on that now historic Tuesday morning were captured in song by a select few and felt by countless others in a myriad of ways. In honor of the 25th anniversary of 9/11, K-LOVE looks back at a small cross section of the stories, songs and tributes that poured out from the Christian artist community in the aftermath of the day that will never be forgotten.
“There She Stands,” Michael W. Smith
Commissioned by his good friend President George W. Bush to write a song about the Sept. 11 attacks, Michael W. Smith personifies the American flag in “There She Stands.” The poignant ballad, honoring her iconic stars and stripes, closes his album, 2022’s “Worship Again.” The collection followed what is now considered the biggest LP of Smith’s career, “Worship,” which ironically released on Sept. 11, 2001, delivering a timely source of comfort even the singer himself could have never predicted. Five years ago, to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the landmark project, on Sept. 10, 2021, Smith unveiled a fresh recording of “Worship,” whose 13 original tracks were reimagined alongside a live audience and a full symphony orchestra.
“The Star-Spangled Banner” at Ground Zero, Natalie Grant
Just two weeks prior to what would forever be remembered as 9/11, Natalie Grant put her indelible stamp on “The Star-Spangled Banner” in the recording studio. One month after the attacks on the World Trade Center took place, Grant was invited to sing the National Anthem at a memorial at Ground Zero. The five-time GMA Female Vocalist of the Year has since performed her goose bump-inducing rendition of the patriotic anthem numerous times. She’s lent her powerful voice to the timeless classic ahead of kickoffs for her hometown team, the Seattle Seahawks, and her adopted hometown team, the Tennessee Titans, as well as before the College Football Playoff National Championship and the Indianapolis 500. Singing the song at Ground Zero in the direct aftermath of the terror attacks in 2001, however, remains one of the greatest moments of Grant’s career.
“Remember The Day,” Steven Curtis Chapman
A year to the day of the terror attacks, Steven Curtis Chapman found himself in Manhattan for a concert. Driving into the city, he was inspired to write an original composition honoring the significant moment in history and the events that transpired. That night, Chapman played the newly-minted song he titled “Remember The Day” for the NYC gathering. “One thing that we all are very familiar with and acquainted with well is pain in our lives, and sadness and loss,” the songwriter shares of the impetus behind the emotional track, “and that connects us probably more than anything, I think, just as human beings.” As someone who knows the searing pain of personal loss all too well, Chapman penned the selection as a special gift to New York City and his audience that evening as, together, they marked the first anniversary of that fateful day.
“Blessed Be Your Name,” Matt Redman
Four days after the Sept. 11 attacks, Matt Redman and his wife, Beth, boarded a plane to the U.S. for a previously scheduled sabbatical. Leaving their native England behind, the singer-songwriters found themselves visiting various churches on the West Coast where they heard dynamic preaching in the wake of national mourning but discovered one thing that was notably missing: a song of lament. So, they set out to write a selection that would acknowledge God’s sovereignty in the midst of tragedy. Drawing from the book of Job, the couple penned “Blessed Be Your Name.” Later popularized by South African outfit Tree63, the song went on to become one of Redman’s most beloved offerings, earning a GMA Dove Award for Worship Song of the Year.
