Elizabeth Asher Bannister, who Christian music fans know as
Ellie Holcomb, was born on September 12th, 1982 in Nashville,
TN. Her music career beginnings were
with Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors.
She is married to Drew and they have 2 kids-Emmylou and Huck. After releasing two EP’s, Ellie released her
debut full length studio album AS SURE AS THE SUN in 2014. The album was nominated for a Dove for ‘Best
Pop/Contemporary Album’ and Ellie took home the Dove for ‘New Artist of the
Year’. On January 27th, 2017
she released her follow-up album, RED SEA ROAD (Full Heart Music), produced by
her famous father Brown Bannister who won his fight with cancer, and Ben
Shive. Ellie shares: “This whole record
has been God reminding me that He’s faithful even when you’re sick. Even when things don’t turn out like you
thought they would. He will bring
healing and hope. He will be who He says
He is”.
Ellie, Rusty Varenkamp, and Benji Cowart wrote ‘Find You
Here’, the album opener. This adult
contemporary song reminds us God does not forsake us: “Here in the middle of
the lonely night/Here in the middle of the losing fight/You’re here in the
middle of the deep regret/Here when the healing hasn’t happened yet/He is in
the middle of the desert place/Here in the middle when I cannot see Your
face/Here in the middle with Your outstretched arms/You can see my pain and it
breaks Your heart”. Ellie began writing
‘He Will’ when she got sick in the middle of a radio tour. She was meditating on Isaiah 61. The song places full confidence in God:
“Whether I’m in want or plenty/Whether I’m in health or ill/Our God promises
His children/He will, He will/He’ll bind up the brokenhearted/Oh He will
(2X)/He’ll set captives free from darkness/Oh He will (2X)/He’ll breathe hope
into the hopeless/And help a restless soul be still”. The beautiful title track, ‘Red Sea Road’, is
one of two songs written by Ellie, Christa Wells, and Nicole Witt. It was written “for several close friends who
suffered tragic losses in their families, yet clung to hope in Christ in the
midst of it”. This adult contemporary
ballad includes these beautiful words: “God knows we ache when He asks us to go
on/How do we go on?/We will sing to our souls/We won’t bury our hope/Where He
leads us to go/There’s a red sea road/When we can’t see the way/He will part
the waves/And we’ll never walk alone/Down a red sea road”.
‘You are Loved’ is a light pop song of encouragement: “You
are loved, oh, not because of what you’ve done, no/Even when your heart has run
the other way/Nothing’s gonna change His love/And you are wanted, not because
you are perfect/I know that you don’t think you’re worth that kind of grace/But
look into His face/You’ll know that Jesus, He chose you/He sees you/He knows
you, ohhhh/You’re covered, forever/Beloved Daughter”. ‘Fighting Words’ is one of three songs solely
written by Ellie. This one is a catchy
modern folk number of determination: “I will fight the lies with the truth,
ohh/Keep my eyes fixed on You/I will sing the truth into the dark/I will use my
fighting words/My debt is paid, I’ve been set free/And You gave Your life up to
rescue me”.
‘I Will Never Be the Same’ is one of two songs credited to
The Nashville Nine. Ben Shive plays B3
and keys and a choir is used to good effect.
This song speaks of Christ’s transforming power: “When You rolled the
stone away/When You walked out of the grave/You were standing in the light of
day/And everything changed/You said ‘Do not be afraid’/You were scarred to heal
the pain/You defeated death and shame/And everything’s changed, everything’s
changed/And when I mess it up/You say Your love’s enough/You say You’ll never
leave or forsake me”. Jillian Edwards
sings backing vocals on ‘Wonderfully Made’, a ballad about self-esteem: “I’m
wonderfully made/Help me believe it/Help me to see me/Just like You see me/Just
like You made me/I’m wonderfully made”.
Next up is ‘We’ve Got This Hope’, a tender song of
positivity on which Nathan Dugger plays pedal steel and bass: “We’ve got this
hope/We’ve got a future/We’ve got the power of the resurrection living
within/We’ve got this hope/We’ve got a promise/That we are held up and
protected in the palm of His hand/And even when our hearts are breaking/Even
when our souls are shaken/Ohhh, we’ve got this hope”. ‘You Love Me Best’ reflects on how God’s love
for her exceeds that of her mother, father, and spouse: “And there may come a
day/When all other loves have gone away, oooh/When darkness hems me in/You’ll
be right where You have always been/Closer than the heart within my chest/Because
You love me best”.
‘God of All Comfort’ doesn’t even hit the two minute
mark. Here are the complete lyrics: “No
one’s too far/No one’s too broken/God says His heart is full of
compassion/Everlasting arms hold us together/When we’re falling apart/He is the
God of all comfort/God of all comfort”.
‘Rescue’ is a modern worship song offering these words of testimony:
“It’s like I fell into a hole/Too deep to climb out/And I looked up to the
sky/And saw You reaching down/Reaching down/You are the rescue/You are the
reckoning/From all the things I’ve done and have been done to me/You are
revival/You’re my recovery/I know that You’re the answer for what’s
missing/Because You love me”.
‘Living Water’ is one of 2 songs on the project penned by
Ellie and Ben Bannister. Nicole Witt
sings backing vocals and the chorus serves as a prayer: “Spirit fill us with
Living Water/We know Your well will not run dry/So come revive us, come wash
over/In Your presence we’ll find our life”.
The album closes with ‘Man of Sorrows’, a co-write with Ellie’s husband
Drew Holcomb. The song drags but has a
meaningful chorus: “Man of sorrows/What a name/Bore our suffering/Bore all of
our pain/Man of sorrows/Broken sinners to reclaim/Overcame the darkness/And
walked out of the grave”. Isaiah 53 is,
of course, a reference point for the song.
RED SEA ROAD is mostly an adult contemporary record but
blends in elements of light pop, modern worship, and folk. The slower songs outweigh the faster ones by
far. Ellie has a wonderful voice! The main message of this record is that God
is with us even in the hard times. He
shows us love and compassion. This
record makes it clear just how strong God’s love for us is. Our worth comes from us being God’s creation
and not from our performance in life. On
the record Ellie admits our need to be rescued and to experience revival. The resurrection of Jesus Christ gives us
life, hope, and power. Mellow and
contemplative for the most part, RED SEA ROAD will resonate with fans of Cheri
Keaggy and Kari Jobe. I’m rating it
95%. For more info visit: www.ellieholcomb.com.