toledoblade.com --

Jeremy Camp wants to show the world that he can be mellow.

"I have people who come up to me and say, 'I really love your songs, but they're kind of hard. They're too heavy for me, I'm not really much of a rocker,'●" said Camp, the Christian singer-songwriter who will be in concert Wednesday night, with Bethany Dillon opening, at the Stranahan Theater.

Truth is, the Indiana native started out playing acoustic guitar and singing in coffee shops. While he enjoys cranking up the electric guitars, he hasn't forgotten how to handle an acoustic guitar.

A return to his acoustic roots is the theme of his new tour and his recording, "Jeremy Camp: Live Unplugged," which includes a music CD and a DVD recorded live in concert in Franklin, Tenn.

"It's kind of something I wanted to do as a fan piece, with that extra-mellow part," Camp said in a recent phone interview from "freezing cold Minneapolis."

The CD/DVD was released late last year and has sold more than 100,000 copies - numbers that further confirm Camp's quick climb in the Christian music business.

His three previous albums - his 2004 debut "Stay" and two 2004 releases, "Carried Me: The Worship Project" and "Restored" - have sold more than 1.1 million copies.

He won the Male Vocalist of the Year honors at the 2004 and 2005 Gospel Music Awards, and has recorded nine songs that topped the Christian charts, including "Take My Life," "I Still Believe," "Right Here," and "Take You Back."

Camp's gritty baritone and sizzling electric guitars have given his recordings energy and impact, but the lyrics and melodies translate smoothly to the "unplugged" format.

That doesn't mean Camp will be sitting on a stool, guitar in hand, by himself at the Stranahan. "I've got my whole band with me, so there are six people on stage," he said. "And actually, we brought a cello and violin player as well, so it's kind of like the DVD. With the lighting, sound, stage managers, we have 14 people on the bus. It's still a pretty big show."

Anyone who wants to know Camp's heart, mind, and soul needs only to listen to his music: He pours himself into every song. For those who haven't followed the 28-year-old artist's career, he lost his first wife, Melissa, to cancer in 2001, and though the struggles tested his faith, he never gave up on God.

"I had those questions of 'why' and 'I don't understand,' and certain details of my faith, but I knew that God loved me and I knew that his arms were always wrapped around me," Camp said. "In that difficult time, that's what kept me going, kept me writing those songs. I might have some difficult questions, but I know God is still good and he has been merciful and gracious."

A few years, later, Camp married Adrienne Liesching, the former lead singer of the band Benjamin's Gate. The couple had a daughter, Isabelle Rose, in 2004, and are expecting their second daughter in April.

Camp has a new album due Oct. 31, and while his music would seem a perfect fit for moving into the mainstream, he said that's not one of his goals or a major concern.

"Everyone hears talk about such things, but I'm kind of low-pro. I basically told the record label that I don't want to compromise what I do. If doors open, great. I've been through a lot and if God can use that story to help people through a lot of pain and heartache and share hope with people, well we'll see how it progresses."

Jeremy Camp, with Bethany Dillon opening, will be in concert at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd. Tickets are $21 and $25 from the box office, 419-381-8851, and all Ticketmaster outlets.

Contact David Yonke at: dyonke@theblade.com
or 419-724-6154.

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