Contemporary Christian and inspirational singer/ songwriter David Phelps says his musical influences come from his family.

"We had music in the house all the time," Phelps said by phone from his home in Nashville, Tenn. "And we were a faithful family and I had plenty of opportunities to sing in church. So those things came together, and that's why I do what I do."

In addition to church hymns, Phelps was into music when Christian music was beginning to take hold of pockets in the music business. "Michael W. Smith, Amy Grant and Sandy Patty were breaking out, and I got into them. But I also got into mainstream '80s rock, like Journey."

Fast forward to the present, and Phelps, who was a member of the Gaither Vocal Band, has made a name for himself as a solo artist. His new CD/DVD package "Legacy of Love: David Phelps Live" was a long time in the making. "I have a lot of albums that I have appeared on, and I have a string of solo albums. There are people who have told me all through my career that I connect the most with people when I play live. And the time was right. Things fell into place.

"I also wanted it to be more than just a concert release. It's like a ministry."

Phelps said he loves doing what he's doing because of the connections he makes. "I was put into contact with a boy who has liver cancer. A fan wrote to me and told me about the boy. I was able to talk with him. And, I can't take credit for this, but he told me that my music makes him happy and helps him."

On the flip side, there are the drawbacks of a career in music, especially inspirational music. "I have to constantly make sure my priorities are in check. God has to be No. 1 in my life, and my family has to be another top priority. And with the demands of the road, I'm gone quite a bit. I have to make sure that the balance is there."

Throughout his career, Phelps has been awarded and recognized by the Grammys and the Dove Awards. "Those things always need to be put into perspective. When I was younger, I dreamed of being at the Grammys and the Doves. It is a good feeling to know that my peers respect me.

"But in the big picture, I've attended the awards shows and then played a concert the night after. And as I played, I looked at the audience and thought to myself, do those awards mean anything to the audience?

"They probably don't, and that's fine with me because I want to connect to these people."

If you go

What: David Phelps, Julian Drive, Daren Steblow

Where: Valley Assembly of God, 3818 W. 4700 South

When: Thursday, 7 p.m.

How much: $18 and $25

Phone: 968-3715

Web: www.davidphelps.com

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E-mail: scott@desnews.com