US singer/songwriter Bethany Dillon, 21, chatted to Brisbane’s radio 96five Tanya Gordon recently about life, love and marriage . . .

Despite a number one song, walking the red carpet at a Hollywood movie premiere, a friendship with Amy Grant, Dove Award nominations and legions of admiring fans, Bethany Dillon oozes humility and grace. As the Christian singer-songwriter speaks, you realise how positively her big family and small-town upbringing, has influenced this talented, yet extremely grounded young woman.

Born Bethany Adelsberger, this native of Ohio grew up in a little country town called Bellefontaine. ‘We pretty much lived between a cornfield, soy bean field, and another cornfield,’ she laughs. After having an encounter with Jesus when nine, Bethany started to teach herself guitar and was soon playing at her youth group.

Local churches began inviting her to play and, at 13, she wrote and recorded her first independent CD. A copy of the disc made its way onto a record company executive’s desk and soon after the Adelsbergers got a call that changed Bethany’s life forever. At just 14, Bethany signed her first recording contract.

Being faithful
Staff at Sparrow Records, ‘were very sweet,’ says Bethany. ‘But after beating around the bush, they said Adelsberger didn’t sound good and wouldn’t look really good on a CD.’ Far from being offended, Bethany saw this as a chance to separate her personal and professional lives. She settled on Bethany Dillon after searching a baby-name website. ‘Dillon means faithful,’ she explains, ‘and I felt like that was a good banner to put over this music thing.’

In March 2008 at only 19 years of age, Bethany made another huge commitment when she said, ‘I do’ to fellow Christian music artist, Shane Barnard, 31. They had been friends for five years before they started dating, touring together several times. Bethany explains: ‘Touring . . . is a really safe and consistent way of figuring out someone’s character. You see them every day – when they’re onstage, when they’re tired, on the bad days. You see the whole gamut.’

Working through conflict
Bethany openly shares how the early months of her marriage were both sweet and sour. ‘I’ve learned that I am horrible at confrontation and resolution!’ she reveals. ‘I am a very inward person, and so is Shane. But he is so much further ahead of me in speaking his mind in a calm way, sharing where he’s at, and wanting to work through a conflict or an issue.’

Bethany explains how she responds to conflict by retreating. ‘I try and make a bunch of excuses, when I could just apologise, or ask questions, or even listen and figure out where he’s coming from,’ she says. Like any other relationship, their marriage has provided plenty of opportunities for her to grow in this area. She has come a long way since her wedding day.

Marriage requires a huge shift in priorities. ‘For me, it’s meant saying no to some [career] opportunities that would have meant months away from Shane in our first year of marriage.’ Bethany is the first to say it has all been worthwhile. ‘I enjoy spending time with him and making him my priority more than anything else!’

Rather than hindering her career, this focus on marriage has enriched Bethany’s song writing. The songs on her CD Stop and Listen, released in 2009, focus on the importance of finding time in the busyness of life to stop, wait and hear from God. ‘It has hit me how much more of an effort you have to make for that after being married and living in the same house with someone,’ Bethany explains. ‘Your priorities shift. Your plate is a tad fuller . . . it’s all good, but it presents a healthy challenge.’

To learn more about Bethany and her music, visit www.bethanydillon.com
Stop and Listen is available from Christian bookstores and online music stores.