Keith And Kristyn Getty’s Sing! Conference Goes Online, Focuses on Singing at Home

NASHVILLE (RNS) — Keith Getty’s life is usually filled with singing.

Leading worship at Christian conferences.

A national singing tour, including a standing-room-only hymn sing at the Grand Ole Opry House.

Irish Christmas concerts at venues like Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center and a series of megachurches.

Almost all of it with groups of fellow Christians — which he says is one of the primary tasks of his faith and one made difficult during COVID-19.

“We are made to sing,” Getty said. “So there’s a real sadness.”

Getty spoke to Religion News Service a few days before the kick-off of the annual Sing! conference, which draws tens of thousands of attendees. The conference began Sunday (Aug. 30) and runs through Wednesday (Sept. 2).

In the past, the event has been in person.

This year, it’s online and includes prerecorded sessions mingled with live commentary from Getty, his wife, Kristyn, and Christian author and speaker Trillia Newbell.

There will be singing as well. The Gettys and their band recorded several sessions of hymn singing at the Grand Ole Opry — and then asked attendees to record themselves singing hymns on their phones. Those voices will be mixed with the band’s recording — to provide a virtual version of congregational singing.

Getty, a hymn writer best known for co-writing the 2002 song “In Christ Alone,” one of the most popular…