‘Victory’ released

It’s a new era for Frye Family Band.

The faith music group with Jay County roots released its latest album, “This is Your Victory,” following a Sunday concert in Fort Recovery.

It is Frye Family Band’s fifth official album, marking approximately four years since the release of “Things Unseen.” 

It’s also the first album created by the band’s latest lineup — father and former Jay County resident Tom Frye, son Jonny Frye, daughter-in-law Mane (Hernandez Ayes) Frye and Portland resident Eric Reynolds. Previously, Tom Frye’s daughters, Maggie Neal and Kaylyn Degler, and his son-in-law Seth Neal performed with the group but have since retired from their roles.

“It’s been fun because, you know, we’ve all kind of gotten to work on it a little bit more,” said Jonny Frye. “This is the first record that we’ve done that we’ve all been completely a part of … it’s fun to work through that together.” 

Five songs on the album —“Resurrection Sunday,” “Who God Is,” ‘“Big Ole Stone,” “This Truth Remains” and “I Will Believe” — are songs Tom Frye co-wrote with other artists.  

Referencing the co-writing process, Tom Frye noted it can be hard to be comfortable with changing a piece from its original version. Walking in “open-handed,” he said, is key.

“A lot of times, the idea people have is that God gave me this, and so, you know, I can’t let anybody edit it,” he said. “But the reality of it is, it’s God-inspired. It’s not God- given.”

Prior to Frye Family Band’s release, Dove Award winning and Grammy nominee southern gospel group Triumphant Quartet also released its own version of “Big Ole Stone” with permission from Tom Frye.

Other songs on the album — it’s available on Spotify, and physical copies may be purchased from fryefamilyband.com — include “He’s Still There,” “Greater,” “Restless” and “Not a Babe Anymore,” the last of which is a “bonus” track that was originally released as a Christmas single a few years ago.

“(It’s) just like being in a new era of the band, and now that’s like Maggie and Kaylyn are not in anymore, we were trying to find our sound together, our groove together,” said Mane Frye. “We kind of mixed the older influences of Tom with the newer flavor of Jonny and I.”

She referenced “Big Ole Stone,” “I Will Believe” and “Resurrection Sunday” as examples with a more modern spin.

Tom Frye remembered when he first proposed “Big Ole Stone” to co-writer Daniel Doss of Nashville and how Doss focused on the now-opening lyrics of the piece, “You are more than the sum of your mistakes.”

“He said, ‘Do you care if we pull that out and chase another idea and kind of make that, you know, the opening line?” he recalled.

The lyrics and tune changed throughout the writing process, ultimately arriving at a piece about God’s love.

“It’s really just about faith. We can either wrap our identity up in our brokenness and live as a victim, or we can surrender it knowing that God already owns it,” he said. “He bought and paid for it on the cross … it’s really just encouraging people to walk out that belief.”

The performance Sunday at Christ Chapel Church served as a reunion for family of the band founded by Tom Frye, who moved with his wife, Lisa, to the Nashville area in 2017. Frye Family Band has returned to Indiana and Ohio for shows over the years, including for Jay County Fair’s inaugural faith night in 2020.

The Fryes performed in Mio, Michigan, on Aug. 2. Plans are slated for another local show at Blackford County Fairgrounds’ Jesus Festival starting at noon Sept. 2.

For their last song Sunday, Frye Family Band invited Maggie Neal and Kaylyn Degler, as well as their children, 4-year-old Indy Neal, 2-year-old Ezra Neal and 3-year-old Korbyn Degler to the stage. (Nine-month-old Kalli Degler stayed off to the side.)

Maggie (Frye) Neal laughs with her son, 4-year-old Indy, after performing with Frye Family Band on Sunday. She and her sister Kaylyn (Frye) Degler and their children joined the group on stage at the end of the show for a reunion song. (The Commercial Review/Bailey Cline)

 

Tom Frye recalled how the family band started with himself, his children and wife, and how it has changed over the years to include other family members.

Mane Frye joined the group more than four years ago when she started dating her now-husband Jonny Frye. After their performance at Jay County Fair in 2020, Tom Frye recalled, his daughter-in-law admitted she had always dreamed about being in a family band.

“Getting to make music with your family is pretty special,” he said.

As for Mane Frye, she looks forward to getting to know Jay County each time they visit.

“Most of the sponsors we have, we have here in Indiana,” she said. “So it’s kind of like a homecoming for (our family), and now for me too, every time I’ll come, it’s just like getting to be family.”