Tom Frye and the Frye Family Band got the phone call that many artists would dream of receiving. A new reality show was interested in featuring them in an upcoming series. Reality shows have become a phenomenon in television in the past few years, and the overwhelming success of shows such as Duck Dynasty have made the realty genre a launching pad for people to find fortune and fame. So Tom knew he had to at least give them a call back. And he did. Tom listened to the producer intently until a question popped up that stopped Tom in his tracks. The producer asked, “So isn’t it weird for a dad to write and perform songs with his kids?” That one question, says Tom, is why the Frye Family Band will not be a “dynasty” on television anytime soon.
“It struck me that she could have asked that same question in numerous ways,” says Tom. “She could have said, isn’t it fun or neat or used any other kind of positive spin. When I heard that question, I knew our answer was going to be no. I could tell they weren’t looking for a functional family. They were looking for dysfunction. I think there are plenty of shows to watch on television where people can view that.”
Tom’s honesty has always spilled over into his music as reflected in the songs of the band’s new EP, Reclamation. With country, pop, and Inspirational influences, the new EP begins on a worshipful note with “Creation’s Song”; features the harmonious vocals of Frye daughters, Kaylyn and Maggie on the pop-tinged “All In”; cuts some serious country licks with “Song of Hope”; and then gets more reflective with “You Are God.” The EP ends with the deeply personal, guitar-driven “Broken Places,” and the upbeat bonus track, “Completely Yours.” The title Reclamation came from a central theme that Tom says was a year in the making.
“It struck me one day that we hear a lot about the threat of ‘identity theft’ and take significant precautions to avoid falling prey to those who would seek to profit from using our identity,” says Tom. “But this threat actually originated in the Garden of Eden with the fall of man, and continues through each generation. I have come to realize from struggles in my own life that when our adversary, the devil, can cause me to lose sight of who and Whose I am, I am at greater risk of stumbling. But when I cling to my true identity as a child of God, I am better able to keep my focus and guard myself against these schemes. Jesus said in John 10:10 the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, and when we lose sight of our identity, we are more prone to fall for his schemes. Most of the songs on Reclamation were written while processing different applications of this truth.”