Jamie Grace: Part of the tour

christian singer-songwriter returns to Cape Girardeau tonight with Third Day and Skillet after performing here with TobyMac in December.

By BOB CAMPBELL

Southeast Missourian

Telephoning from her hometown of Atlanta, Christian singer-songwriter Jamie Grace said Tuesday touring with Third Day and Skillet for the last two months has been a graduate course in the music business.

She'll be on stage tonight at the Show Me Center, part of the Third Day and Skillet lineup.

Having performed in Cape Girardeau on Dec. 13 with TobyMac, Grace said her current tour, which reaches the Show Me Center at 6:30 tonight, has taught her that big-time bands must pace themselves and it is possible to balance professional and family duties.

Fans will see a new aspect of Grace's talent when she plays drums for her sister, Morgan Harper-Nichols, and their band, Harper Still, along with playing guitar in a set as she did in her December performance.

"Third Day and Skillet are super awesome," said Grace, 22. "They're the same guys backstage that they are onstage. John and Korey (Cooper of Skillet) have brought their two kids, a boy and a girl, about 10 years old with them.

"The kids talk about Jesus all the time. Mac Powell (lead singer of Third Day) will say, 'Listen to this country song I wrote.' They're such humble people. They will come and sit with us at dinner.

"I have learned a lot from watching them. They'll work early in the day, but they'll work two days and rest two. You have to be a wise steward about that.

"I feel like I'm part of the tour, not just along for the tour."

Asked whether she was worried by the prospect of touring with such popular bands, Grace said her experience with TobyMac had helped her meet Third Day and Skillet.

"Toby is one of the grown-ups in Christian music," she said. "He once flew home [to Franklin, Tenn.] from Minneapolis to have dinner with his wife and five kids."

She said it was impressive TobyMac would go to so much effort to spend a relatively short time with his family, but it showed her a high priority must be placed on one's personal life.

Having coped since age 11 with Tourette syndrome , Grace has seen her career steadily ascend since signing with TobyMac's Gotee Records in 2010.

Grace, nominated for Grammys in 2012 for Best Contemporary Christian Music Song and Song of the Year for "Hold Me," won a Dove Award the same year as New Artist of the Year.

Asked whether she is building a fan base here with two appearances in less than three months, she joked she was unsure how to pronounce "Cape Girardeau" the first time around and just said she was glad to be in Missouri.

"I'm excited to be coming back," she said. "I have had some cold experiences in Missouri, but no bad experiences there."

Joining Third Day, Skillet and Grace will be Morgan Harper Nichols, Peter Furler and We As Human.

As of Friday morning, tickets were still available.