While it may seem inevitable that every musician eventually puts out a Christmas album, it took Kerry Patrick Clark more than 30 years to finally get to his. In part, it’s because he didn’t want to merely record variations of the same traditional songs. Instead, he had to let time do what time does best—cultivate life experiences, deepen relationships, hone talent and develop courage.

These are just some of the things Kerry needed in order to create an album that reflects his own experience of Christmas, which is far more than merely exulting the joy and glory of the season. “I believe in Christmas and what it stands for—peace, grace, an experience of the sacred—but that doesn’t mean I’m not also cynical, sad, frustrated, angry and intolerant. Every time I heard a new Christmas album I thought, ‘why isn’t there one that addresses the challenges of the season or tells the birth story in maybe a more profound way?’ So I decided to do that. Combine the Christian and the secular, the cynical and the sacred.”

The result is Kerry’s latest album, The Heart of Christmas, which is available now here. Recently, KC Cafe Radio Music Director Kathy Forste talked with Kerry via Skype. They reminisce about the traditions of Christmas music, the way in which this album embraces, yet differs from those traditions, and the challenging process of producing an album that was 30 years in the making.

Listen to the interview here:

Download the interview here: Interview: Kerry Patrick Clark, 11/22/16