Where music, culture and worship meet.

This blog examines, reviews and discusses how worship is being lived out in culture and in the church. We tackle everything from songwriting techniques in corporate worship, to interviewing worship leaders and pastors, to reviewing the last big rock concert.

About

Kyle and MelissaOur Rising Sound is a ministry based out of Life Connection Church in Phoenix AZ and is run by one Kyle Campos, that’s me. I am a father of 2, hopefully more soon, and a husband of 1 beautiful woman. I’m an elder and Lead Worship Pastor at Life Connection Church. I serve with some of the most amazing people I’ve ever known and I serve under an amazing man of God, Pastor Aaron Dailey, who’s stood me up in some of the most trying times of my life. A great man and a great friend.

I’m a software developer by day(and night sometimes) to pay the bills and a recovering entrepreneur to provide those bills that need to be paid. As any serious web geek does, I believe the narrow path in scripture refers to not just a regenerated Christ centered walk but an Apple centered technological walk as well. I’ll be happy to testify on both if you give me the chance.

Music Background

My parents were worship leaders at Santa Barbara Vineyard in the early 80s and in ‘87 our family moved to Lompoc CA to plant a Vineyard. My family was full of musicians, my father a pianist, mother a flutist and vocalist, brother plays bass, drums, guitar, sax, you name it; sister plays piano and is a vocalist as well. So I have musician’s blood and quickly started smacking things with drum sticks and banging away on the piano.

Kyle Campos speakingMy first instrument was the drums which is an amazing instrument to start out on, getting a drummers feel for music helps in so many other instruments. My parents bought me my own drum set sometime during middle school and I tortured the neighborhood nonstop. My training consisted mostly of playing a long to Rush, Steely Dan, Billy Joel and Earth Wind and Fire trying my best to copy what I heard. I started playing in church and in a youth worship band that played in in various churches, camps, retreats along the Central Coast of California. It was a little intimidating being a little middle schooler playing with guys just out of high school, but it was great training and a huge blessing.

Even at a young age I had a songwriters heart. I always felt like I had something else to say and my own perspective to share. So in the 7th grade I grabbed my dad’s guitar, locked myself in my room with a chord sheet from some worship songs and was determined to teach myself. I looked at the tab and for some reason it just made sense and in a couple weeks I emerged from my secretive practice session and told my parents I learned the guitar and had written a few songs I wanted them to hear. Looking back I realize how funny that most have sounded, but at the time I was sure I had some gems on my hands, prideful little guy that I was.

Since then I’ve written many songs both worship and secular, played in many bands, a few outside the church including the Pneumatics which received some nice early accolades, but alas all things must come to an end. I decided to focus on worship which is where I know my calling is.

Worship Leading

I started leading worship on guitar in the 8th grade at youth groups, camps and Sunday service. I continued leading worship and writing songs and recording through high school. After graduating high school in 1998 I moved back to Santa Barbara and to the Santa Barbara Vineyard. A few folks actually remembered me as a little 5-6 yr old running through the seats and generally causing trouble. That made me realize how little had changed because those were both attributes that I now valued in worship leading. I began leading worship at the Santa Barbara Vineyard as an obvious love child of Kevin Prosch and Martin Smith eager to make people uncomfortable with loud guitars and lots of “yeah” and “heys”.

After that church was dismantled, which I don’t *think* was my fault, I bounced around a few churches before moving out here to lovely Phoenix. I got plugged into Life Connection Church, then called New Generation Church, and have been leading worship there for about 3 years now.

Heart

I have a passion for Jesus, for truth and I love expressing it passionately and creatively through music. I believe strongly in the value of songs written for the local church by the local church. Excellence in music is not just for “the world” and I can’t stand weak sacrifice. I love music, my heart is for those in the local music culture and know God has placed me here for a reason. I love new methods, techniques and sounds and praising God with them.

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