Christian musician follows grandfather

Published 9:09 am Friday, March 6, 2009

WALTERS — Nineteen-year-old Chad Wiersma has been playing the guitar since his early teen years and he hopes to continue in the musician way for years to come.

Wiersma comes from a line of musicians in his family.

Sue Wiersma, Chad’s mom, told of her father’s passion for music as he was the band director for Brookside Junior High in Albert Lea for years.

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Along with his teaching profession in music, Sue told of how her father would lead dance bands on the weekends.

Chad has a driven vision for his music a lot like his grandpa did.

“Someday I see myself in a church serving as a music ministry director,” Wiersma said. “I really see myself leading young people in praise and worship.”

Since starting to play guitar in his early teens, Wiersma has had a few mentors.

“When I first started playing a few people helped me out to understand the basic chords,” Wiersma said. “I think I was just a little too young to grasp it real well though. When I was a couple of years older, Steve from Tone Music really was able to teach me a lot of the theory of guitar and I learned so much from that, that helps to this day.”

Wiersma is really a very typical teenage boy who has been raised on a farm with his seven brothers and sisters.

Wiersma’s parent’s, Tim and Sue have been a great support to him with his music over the years.

“My parents have been extremely supportive,” Wiersma said. “My dad is big into following your dreams and he has especially been supportive in allowing me to follow my passion of music.”

Wiersma said that there would be many days that he would be out working in the field with dad and that at the end of the day if he had to leave early to go play that he was allowed to leave even though the work was not done.

“After a long day of working in the field,” Wiersma said. “You would think that a person would be so tired and that there wouldn’t be anything left in me to play but I like doing this so much that the energy is always there to go and play.”

Others that have been supportive are the different youth pastors at the Wiersma’s church in Frost.

“My youth pastors have helped me a lot,” Wiersma said. “A lot of our gigs have come from our youth pastor’s connection.”

Some of the places that Wiersma has played over the years with his band, Soisaidgoodbye, are such venues as church youth groups, benefits for individuals and different societies as well as the Teen CBC group that meets in Fairmont from August to March of each year.

Wiersma’s band that he is lead vocal in and plays rhythm guitar has four other members.

On the electric bass is Wiersma’s 17-year-old brother Jordan. Lead guitar is Eythan Frandle. On the drums is Bryce Olson and the back-up singer is Breauna Cummings.

Soisaidgoodbye plays a mix of covers and original music that would be classified as a spiritual music that has become more popularly known as Contemporary Christian Worship Music.

Different influences through out the years for Wiersma have been such singer/songwriters as Chris Tomlin, Tim Hughs, Charlie Hall, David Crowder and such bands as Remedy Drive have been a great inspiration.

“I really like bands that live their message.” Wiersma said. “Chris Tomlin is so wonderful because he is such a great communicator as well as a worship leader.”

It is Wiersma’s plan to continue to pursue his music by playing whenever he gets a chance and as for schooling, Wiersma is transferring from Riverland in Albert Lea to the St. Paul area where he will be attending Northwestern College and pursuing a general music degree.