A four-way conversation with Third Day

Third Day, the Christian band from metro Atlanta, has sold millions of albums, scooped up a slew of Grammy and Dove awards and is getting ready to host the “Third Day Family Picnic.” The music festival featuring bands like Jars of Clay is set for Oct. 10 at Alpharetta’s Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park.

Despite their success, they’re truly floored by the latest accolade to come their way. They’ll be inducted this fall into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame.

“It really is a big honor for us, if not the largest honor that we’ve received,” said vocalist Mac Powell. “We’re very proud of being from the state of Georgia. We say it every night from the stage, whether we’re playing in California or Alabama or Europe.”

The group, including guitarist Mark Lee, drummer David Carr and bass player Tai Anderson, will be inducted at the awards ceremony on Sept. 19 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Other honorees include Collective Soul, promoter Peter Conlon, songwriter Bryan-Michael Cox and country-bluegrass producer and promoter John L. Carson, who is receiving the Pioneer Award. Singer Roy Hamilton, bassist Berry Oakley and music mogul Shakir Stewart will be honored posthumously.

“It’s just really occurred to me in the past few years how much musical talent has come out of Georgia,” Carr said. “There’s something in the water, or maybe the humidity in the air.”

The timing of the honor is especially touching to him. His father, Robert Carr, known professionally as “Willis the Guard,” will be inducted posthumously in the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame on Oct. 17. The elder Carr created the humorous good ole boy character that one friend described as a precursor to “Larry the Cable Guy” on WQXI-AM and then 94Q, which became Star 94.

The band members say they were never tempted to leave Georgia.

“Because we were involved in the Christian market, there’s this assumption that you’re going to move to Nashville,” Lee said. “We love Georgia. It’s a great place to have families and see our kids grow up. We love being identified as Georgians and almost serve as ambassadors in a way. The fact that the state of Georgia has decided to place us in this hall of fame, that’s a responsibility.”

Straying from their strong, faith-based lyrics to appeal to a broader market never crossed their minds for a moment.

“It’s easier writing songs that maybe aren’t as spiritual,” Carr said. “We feel an accountability to make sure we’re not embarrassing our faith and live up to what we sing about. I definitely feel like faith and art are not enemies.”

Added Anderson, “If you’re passionate about your faith that doesn’t mean your art has to suffer. What we’ve been able to accomplish in this band has blown us all away. Our faith doesn’t handicap us. It gives us a moral compass.”

He and his bandmates are also heartened by their young fans.