Tommy Iceland on preparing and leading through spontaneous moments and what it’s like writing songs with strangers
Spontaneous worship is leaving space within a worship set to move in a direction that wasn’t specifically planned ahead of time, but there is planning that needs to occur in order to do this well. Tommy Iceland is a worship leader and songwriter that has experience leading worship in various countries and venues big and small, and in this conversation he shares how he prepares the worship band to be ready for moments that aren’t necessarily on the script as the Holy Spirit leads. We also talk about what it’s like to write songs with people you’ve looked up to for years but never really met until you sit down to write together.
Find Tommy Iceland online:
Instagram: instagram.com/tommyiceland
Facebook: facebook.com/tommyicelandmusic
Web: tommyiceland.com
One of the practical tips that Tommy gives to help lead during spontaneous moments is to have an designated MD on the stage who communicates changes over a microphone that only goes to the IEM headphones of the band. I recently did an interview with Tracy Stingley, the music director for the Willow Creek Worship band, that continues this thought.
One of the songs Tommy co-wrote with Chris Tomlin is called “Impact.” Here’s the version from the Chris Tomlin “Holy Roar” album.
Here’s the Tommy Iceland version.
The podcast that Tommy mentioned during the bonus round is called And The Writer Is… with Ross Golan. It’s a weekly podcast where Ross interviews some of the best at their craft in songwriting.
This episode is sponsored by Worship Summit Live. It is a full day of church production education that is 100 percent online. Speakers include myself, Jake Gosselin, Will Doggett, Seth Haberman and several others on the topics of audio, Ableton Live, live streaming and training volunteers to use the technology in your church. To get more information and to sign up, check out.