Camille Parkman: Jesus-follower,wife,mom of 3, singer/songwriter
Interview conducted March 22, 2021
By Dan Locke
Raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, Camille grew up at the piano and began singing and writing in her teen years after finding Jesus in a worship service. Many hours were spent singing Amy Grant and Keith Green songs, who were some of Camille’s first real musical influences, as well as more recent worship groups like Bethel Music, Kim Walker Smith, Lauren Daigle and Need to Breathe. Camille eventually finished her ARCT in piano, as well as her BA in Music at Briercrest Bible College. Some of her favorite and most formative years were when she attended Eston College,however, where she began to realize that music and worship ministry would be a huge part of her life
How did you discover music?
My dad played guitar and sang quite well, so he would sit and play Purple People Eater and funny songs like that for us while we did the dishes every night. And we loved listening to Chilliwack, Shaun Cassidy, Linda Ronstadt, Kenny Rogers and dancing in front of the stereo. I also started piano lessons at 5 or 6 and took lessons right through till I was 18 or 19 and finishing my ARCT. My real “heart” discovery of music though, was when I went to church for the first time at the age of 12 and just started weeping almost instantly while people worshipped. It was life-changing. From then on I sat at the piano for hours at a time playing and singing Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith songs.
How does being raised on a farm in Saskatchewan, helped you with your development of your music?
Hmm, well, it seems like a funny question because it’s one of the most isolated places in N.America to be as far as the music scene goes – haha! But I was blessed to have one of the best piano teachers in the province live only a mile away. Other than that, the only other thing that was helpful in terms of my development was that there wasn’t a lot of distractions and things to do, so I was happy to spend all that time at the piano.
How did you start to write music?
Once I discovered worship music, I was eager to play by ear and my dad and piano teacher were instrumental (no pun intended) in that. So I would just be fiddling around with worship songs and getting my own little ideas. My first “real” song (although not very good at all), was a farewell song to a good friend who was moving away. Very sappy.
How did your becoming a worship leader and how does that help you create music?
I started worshipping at home on the piano by myself and doing music “for the Lord” became my passion. I had no desire to do music that wasn’t about or for Him. When I went to Bible school I was a music major and given lots of opportunities right there to work on my leading, as well as during weekend ministry that we did.
The spontaneous kind of worship that was always part of my spiritual heritage really lends itself to end up with lots of song ideas, even if lots get discarded. It just seemed natural to go to a piano, get into a worship time, have a God-encounter, and often end up with a song!
Describe your music.
I always have trouble with this. I’m probably what people would call “singer-songwriter” music, although that seems like one of the vaguest possible ways to classify music, haha.
Maybe a little soft-rock, worship, and folk mixed together? I’m definitely on the serious side with my music, very passionate, emotional, and of course, mostly piano-based.
What was your first performance at like?
So scary! But so funny when I think back. It was my first year in Bible college and I was back in my hometown when a Baptist pastor asked me if I would do a concert for his church of my own songs. So I came back a couple months later with my friend and we sang to about 10 little old ladies! I was still super nervous because my parents were in the audience too.
How was it to be nominated for 4 Covenant Awards?
That was such an honour and a huge thrill for me! I was so new to the whole music scene that even just going to the awards event was really nerve-wracking.
Are you ready for a Dove Award?
Haha! That would be awesome! I’d be satisfied with a Covenant Award too!
What makes a good songwriter?
Oh boy, that’s a hard question, partly because everyone likes such different music and something I consider to be a good song isn’t necessarily the next person’s cup of tea. I think a great song is “sticky”, has a good hook, has good lyrical content, and a melody that makes you want to sing it! Also just doing something interesting that isn’t in every second song is great.
What is the process of writing your music?
It varies, but as I mentioned earlier, probably the bulk of my music comes out of spontaneous worship times, just singing from my heart to Jesus, and then ending up with some chorus that I think is worthy of keeping. From there, it’s the harder work of fleshing it all out and then editing and re-writing over and over until it’s gold.
Do you belong to any to songwriters’ organizations like the International singer-songwriter association, SESAC, BMI or ASCAP?
Yes, I’m registered with SOCAN, but that’s mostly just for royalty
Purposes. Nothing else at this point but I am planning on getting some of my songs onto CCLI soon.
How was it to travel as a singer/preaching duo with your husband Rob Parkman?
It’s been good! We love working together for the most part, although there have definitely been times where we’ve had to figure out how to not drive each other crazy. Mostly good though. It’s the travelling itself that can be so exhausting. We honestly needed the break that Covid forced on us, at least as far as travelling.
What was the title of your first original song?
It was called “Always Remember” (that’s the farewell song I wrote for my friend, when I was about 15).
Did you record it?
No, but it ended up being re-vamped and used as my class song for my college grad, and it’s probably on some really poor quality video somewhere!
Tell me about your latest recording?
“At Your Feet” is a collection of my own worship songs (some more personal, some suitable for churches). A lot of the songs were written out of what I was learning and growing in, like overcoming fear, anxiety, and lies, and becoming more courageous and confident in God, and going after all that He has promised for us, which is our inheritance. There’s also quite a bit of personal nostalgia in this album for me, since my sons are all on it, and my oldest son actually engineered and produced it, and also because a few of the songs are from long, long ago, or at least have pieces of old, old songs that I never recorded.
My heart is that when people listen to this, they will have a God-encounter, and the truth of who God is and who THEY are will go so deep that it will be life-changing for them. Like the first time I walked into church.
What are you’re feeling about streaming music?
Ugh. Such mixed feelings I guess. I love that people from all over the world can access my songs at any time. But I resent that there is almost no way to make money from sales anymore (feels like it anyway).
What song from the past is in your mind right now? Moreover, what is the meaning that song means to you?
Hmm, I honestly don’t have a lot of old songs, especially one specific one floating around in my head very often. We still love DC Talk, especially their JeusFreak album, which we owned about 25 years ago. It was super fun for us that our boys as kids and teens also liked their music – which is pretty meaningful actually, to share the joy of music with your kids and hear them singing stuff that you loved before they even existed!
Both (Pfizer and BioNTech) and Moderna have concluded Phase 3 Study of the Coronavirus vaccine. With both vaccines, it takes two shots. How many people do you think will take it and how many will forget to take the second shot?
Who knows! We’re finding in our rather rural province that it seems to be 50/50 on whether people will even take it at all. I think the people that are seriously wanting the vaccine will be also conscientious enough to take both doses though.
How long before the whole world will be vaccinated against the virus. You have to remember there only has to be a 70% for Herd immunity (Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.)
I think it might take a little longer than people and the governments would like to think, mostly because so many are still unsure if it’s safe and therefore are going to hold back until they’ve watched for a while. (And in Canada it’s been a struggle to even get enough doses quickly).
You are performing live now. What safe guards are you taking to do concerts?
I actually just did a few performances in the fall when the album first came out, and things had sort of loosened up a little regarding covid. But it was all tiny crowds of 30 or less, wearing masks, social distancing, and hand-sanitizer at the merch table etc. No handshakes. It was a little sad and unnatural, like everything else. Our last gig was at the end of November and by then restrictions were just tightening up again so we ended up doing it almost completely online. My normal Christmas gigs were non-existent (I had one live one that also got cancelled) but my boys did an online Christmas concert with me – my first ticketed online event, so a bit of an experiment in more ways than one.
If “Video Killed the Radio Star” do you think that the Covid-19 virus has killed live music? Do you feel the Covid-19 virus going to affect the music business in the future?
No, I don’t think it’s killed live music – I think that part of things is only temporary. We are created to be together. I don’t think we can forfeit live events forever. But I do think it might have sped up the death of cd sales since people were pushed into becoming even more accustomed to everything just being online.
What have you been doing with your self-quarantine?
Well, at first I was just busy with wrapping up the album production and then trying to release it well, but after Christmas, I also broke my leg (two bones, and a spiral break on my tibula) right after Christmas, so the focus since then has largely been on health and getting back to normal life and just walking. But I’ve kept surprisingly busy, even from my couch, trying to write, beef up my guitar playing, taking care of finances and admin, pursuing radio and Spotify Play for the new album, and strategizing with my husband for this next season.
Have you discovered or rediscovered any new hobbies?
Just watching the Raptors! It was good to pick up the guitar again, although I still haven’t even done that as much as I thought I would. And writing (not just songs, but for a devotional book I’m trying to write, journaling, and for a blog that invited me to send them an article).I’m mostly missing my favorite hobby of walking!
95% of people said that they have changed the way they watch television. This includes people who don’t have television and using their computers to do streaming of programs and movies. Which is your favorite streaming channel?
We’re just seriously stuck on sports right now. TSN and Sportsnet. We loved The Chosen on YouTube. We’re huge Office fans but have watched it through 1000 times so for now we’re done with Netflix and all those.
How can bands keep their fans if they cannot play live in front of the fans and sell merchandise to them at the show?
Ya, it’s going to be really tricky. I’m still trying to figure that all out! I think facebook lives for me as a worship artist might be key, but I don’t see that driving a lot of sales to be honest.
What about Holographic concerts in our living room?
Could be cool, haha! If only my internet was so much better!
What is your happy place?
My deck swing, in the morning, with my Bible and a hot drink. Or leading a group of worshippers into the Presence of God. Or hanging out with friends, once Covid isn’t a factor.
Anything you would like to say in closing.
Thanks so much for the opportunity to share and “chat” with you! Just want to encourage everyone out there to keep supporting musicians through actually buying their merch. And don’t let Covid or the craziness we’re in get you down – God is bigger and He’ll see us through!
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