Music has been a part of David Stroup’s life for as long as he can remember.
From his days as a member of his family’s music group The Singing Stroup Family to performing in Nashville to leading worship at Creekside Church in Dowagiac, Stroup’s love for music is what drives him to this day as a Dowagiac resident.
That love for music coalesced into Stroup’s debut album, “Creekside Sunday.” Recorded at Chapel Valley Studios in Tennessee, Creekside Sunday released Sunday, Dec. 1 on digital platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Pandora and more. Physical copies can be purchased at Creekside Church following church services.
The 12-track Christian album – inspired largely by Creekside Church, Stroup’s home church in Dowagiac – is an eclectic blend of several genres including country, gospel, southern rock, hymnals and more.
According to Stroup, the concept of Creekside Sunday came to him in February after spending the day at church.
“I sent myself a text and I said there ain’t nothin’ like a Creekside Sunday,” he said.
Stroup describes Creekside Church as its own character in the album.
“It almost sounds alive,” he said. “At Creekside, we’ll go into a soul-gospel break and then I’ll do country-gospel on the next one. That’s Creekside; It’s not one-dimensional.”
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Stroup moved to Dowagiac with his family in 1969. As a youth, Stroup performed at churches and music events with his mother, father and brother as the Singing Stroup family and played percussion in the Dowagiac Union High School Marching Band. One of the first churches he attended in Dowagiac was First General Baptist Church, which later became Creekside Church, a space that would go on to inspire Stroup musically and spiritually.
“A lot of stuff comes out of here, which makes it fun,” he said. “I think the cohesiveness of the Creekside Sunday album really was the church Legacy of me being here almost 30 years of my life.”
Stroup spent much of time in the 1980s performing in Nashville chasing his dream of becoming a music star.
“I started chasing country music and rock and roll. I was going to Nashville to record and trying to get connections like a lot of people do from small towns,” he said.
While he has never stopped performing, Stroup has turned his musical talents back towards his church. He is currently both the worship leader and music director at Creekside. When he’s not performing or spending time at church, Stroup takes care of his wife, Sheila, who suffered a stroke in 2018. Sheila’s creativity and courage serve as one of Stroup’s biggest inspirations.
“I literally fall in love with her more every day,” he said. “I’ve known her since October 1981.”
For Stroup, his album is a culmination of his life’s experiences and the blessings he has received. He thanked his Creekside Church family, his wife Sheila and hos sons Dave and Jared for always being there for him. He hopes his album serves as inspiration to people from all walks of life.
“I want to bless somebody because the Lord blessed me,” he said. “The world’s in rough shape in a lot of ways. People have a lot of struggles and my struggles and challenges are nothing near what a lot of people go through. I’d really like to see people win and I hope people can get closer to God through it and hoping it lifts their spirits through the day. Anytime they listen to it I hope that it puts a smile on their face.”
Stroup was able to realize his dream of releasing a studio album at the age of 60 – and he’s not done yet. If all goes well, Stroup hopes to write a Christmas album with original songs in the near future. He encourages readers to continue pursuing their passions.
“I think when it comes to something that you’re really interested in doing to follow your passion, you have to follow your heart,” he said. “A lot of times, If a dream doesn’t work out right off the bat or a breakthrough doesn’t come quickly, you might feel defeated. If you gave me a million dollars to perform a concert I obviously would accept and it would be awesome, but It makes me feel just as good when I have a great night or the band’s really on, and you’re in that zone. There’s an energy about it that you can’t buy; it’s a sensation.”
