CCM Indie Artist Spotlight: All Sons and Daughters

If you visit a country church, you’ll most likely recognize the old traditional hymns. Visit a city non-denominational church and you’ll probably hear a rock-style song from Hillsong or worship tycoons Chris Tomlin or Matt Redman. But walk into Journey Church in Franklin, Tenn., and you probably won’t recognize the worship songs being sung by the congregation. Why? Because worship leaders David Leonard and Leslie Jordan, together forming All Sons and Daughters, decided it was time to create their own songs that reflect the hearts, minds, and feelings of their own local church congregation. 

“We started writing together in late 2009,” says David Leonard, formerly of NEEDTOBREATHE. “We never set out to be a band but just wanted to resource our church with songs.”

While their intent might have been otherwise, their smooth yet spiritual sounds quickly gained the attention of Integrity Music. Before they realized it, they were on their way to perform some of their newly written songs.

“We’d only played together a few times when we were approached by Integrity. On the way there, we were still getting to know each other. They ended up loving it so it was just, like, I guess we’re gonna do this thing!” Leonard says.

While Journey Church was the original intended audience for their music, they draw their inspiration from all around them. Their ears and eyes are constantly open to see what is on the hearts and minds of their friends and families, both Christian and non-Christian.

“We are a society that has failed God and we question whether he will forget us. We want our music to reflect the questions that aren’t easy to answer,” Leonard says.

Those reflections are molded together in All Sons and Daughters’ first EP, Brokenness Aside. Already featured in Relevant Magazine, their music has quickly grown from local church nationwide recognition. However, despite their quick-moving careers, the focus and heart of All Songs and Daughters hasn’t changed.

David and Leslie named their duo All Sons and Daughters to emphasize the fact that their music was and is not only about themselves.

“Our music is more than just us. It’s for all those sitting in our congregation. All of us joined together is All Sons and Daughters,” Leonard says.

While Leonard and Jordan have been a duo a relatively short time, they are both well-experienced in creative fields. Jordan has been leading worship since she was 14 and on staff with Journey Church since January 2008. Leonard began the band Jackson Waters while attending John Brown University. In 2008 he began touring with Atlantic Records NEEDTOBREATHE and continued until May 2010.

Leonard and Jones signed to worship label Integrity Music in October 2010. For more information on their tour dates and music, visit www.allsonsanddaughters.com.