Cana’s Voice: Once Broken, Now Restored

“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, ‘They have no more wine.’…Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine…What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which he revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” (John 2:1-3, 7-9, 11 NIV)

For this first recorded miracle, Jesus made what some may consider an interesting choice in the vessel that He used to perform the wonder. The jars often go unnoticed in the story of The Wedding at Cana. But they play an important role in the miracle. They are used by the Master to reveal His glory.

The significance of the vessels has not gone unnoticed by TaRanda Greene, Jody McBrayer, and Doug Anderson. All three powerhouse singers have sung before thousands and thousands of Christian music fans. And all three have had moments before an Audience of One when it seemed as if their broken pieces wouldn’t hold any more miracles. But Jesus looked past the brokenness and saw three voices that He would use to restore hearts, to heal wounds, and to change lives.

He saw Cana’s Voice.

TaRanda Greene’s excellent vocal ability and powerful delivery has wowed listeners for years. She has been a regular vocalist on Grammy award-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir projects, and has also been invited to sing at the United Nations, as well as in the largest churches across the world. She has been a regular on the In Touch Network, Gaither Homecoming Series, and Turning Point Ministries.

Jody McBrayer traveled 12 years with the highly acclaimed and multi-award winning Christian pop group, Avalon. His vocal abilities helped garner 21 number-one songs, three Grammy nominations, over four million records sold and three Dove Awards for the group. In 2003, Avalon earned the American Music Award for Best Contemporary Inspirational Artist.

Doug Anderson was a founding member of Signature Sound. As a member of this highly successful Southern Gospel quartet, Doug has traveled the globe, appearing in countless sold-out venues. He has earned a Grammy nomination and 13 Dove Awards as both a soloist and as a member of Signature Sound. During his time with the group, they had three videos and one CD attain Gold status in Billboard sales.

So how did these three extremely talented singers find themselves singing as one voice, Cana’s Voice? Doug explains, “Landon Beene, President of IMC/StowTown Records (and TaRanda Greene’s husband), TaRanda and I, along with our families, have vacationed together for years and have always joked and dreamed about putting something together where we could still keep our solo careers going, but be a part of something bigger. When I decided to leave Signature Sound the search was on, since we were searching for a third person to make this dream a reality. Landon contacted Jody whom we had all followed over the years, to see if he would be interested. We met at Wayne Haun’s house, another StowTown Records executive and our producer, and just got around a piano and just did what singers do. I was all in within the first two minutes. I knew there was something special here and I wanted to be a part of it. And so Cana’s Voice was born!”

TaRanda adds, “It felt like the world stopped to hear us that night. I know that sounds silly, but for a minute, it felt like everything stood still. I knew I wanted make beautiful music with these two from the first note.”

And the group is definitely making beautiful music, both in the lives of listeners and in their own hearts. They started traveling and singing together at the beginning of 2016 when their solo careers would allow it, and released their debut album, This Changes Everything, on May 27, 2016. The goal of their first project is to offer the miracle of hope to the hopeless. The group wants to spread the great news of God’s love and change as many lives as possible, particularly the souls of those who are ready to give up on the Church as they know it and on a relationship with God.

The group worked with award-winning producer Wayne Haun for the new project and used the incredible songwriting talents of Haun, Joel Lindsey, Tommy Sims, and CeCe Winans, among other talented writers.

Wayne comments, “About a year ago, Doug, TaRanda, and Jody came to my house to rehearse for the first time. I knew it’d be good. Of course it would be. There were three major talents gathered around my piano. But when they started singing, something else happened. A sweet spirit filled the room. It was obvious that something special was brewing. Over the past year we have been diligently working on this recording and I know that listeners will experience the same kind of power that I felt that first night.”

On the road, the group is seeing the miracle of God’s transforming love in the lives of many, even as their own bond grows tighter. “Landon is my best friend,” Doug says of Landon Beene, founder of the group and President of IMC/StowTown Records. “We have been through life together. So many memories, laughter and tears. That kind of friendship lasts a lifetime. These days that’s all that matters to me. Landon takes care of all of us in many different ways.

“I’ve known TaRanda for years, mostly because we’ve been on the same tour circuit. She is an amazing talent, as everyone knows, and she is pretty much in charge of the stage. She keeps things in line with arrangements and parts, because that’s a true gift that she has and is very good at it. She is like a little sister to me and I cherish that. She is the baby of the group in age, but also is the Lady presence when we’re traveling so that helps keep the boys in line.

“Jody is the consummate professional on the road. He is always put together as we call it. He doesn’t go anywhere without looking like a movie star. I, on the other hand, will be found in shorts, flip-flops and a T-shirt. Jody is someone that we have followed and looked up to for a long time. The fact that he is in this group still amazes me. He brings a lot of knowledge and experience to this trio and it does help that he can sing just a little bit, ha! More than anything else he’s my brother. I don’t have one so I love having my brothers on the road, plus he makes me laugh. He is classic for his impersonations.”

TaRanda adds, “Both Jody and Doug are very protective of me. They are my brothers and watch out for me, but they’re each the life of the party in their own way. I mean, I’ve seen Jody run a lap around the restaurant on a dare, and I’ve watched Doug literally injure himself going to the extreme to keep our kids having fun on the lake in the summer. They love to help people enjoy life. They’re motivators and they love! Each of these guys really is the best. Very different, but the best!”

As the group looks forward to more laughs, more experiences, and more songs, their goal remains the same: to change as many lives as possible through the love of God, like the name of their new album states… This Changes Everything. Reaching fans in Contemporary Christian Music, Inspirational and Southern Gospel, their music will change your perception of what type of music you think you might hear from these artists.

Jody McBrayer explains, “Our goal is to change everything we can about people. I don’t have delusions of grandeur. I just want people to hear and be touched by the music.” These three powerful, incredible talents are humbled by the fact that though they were once broken by life themselves, they are still being used to reveal the glory of God just like the instruments He used at the wedding feast in Cana.

“What is so significant to the three of us is the vessels Jesus used to create that miracle,” TaRanda explains. “They were broken and old, had fulfilled their purpose and had seen better days, but Jesus used them for a purpose that was even better than the first. As we sang our first note together, we realized God isn’t finished with us. Just like those broken vessels, we have been repurposed for such a time as this. We want to carry the gospel to the world with humility, knowing where we’ve come from, knowing God is guiding our every step; believing in the Heavenly Father to be exactly who He is. We stand as a voice for the broken and wounded, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb for a higher calling. We are Cana’s Voice.”

To find out when you can hear Cana’s Voice in person, or to get the new album, visit www.canasvoice.com.

By Paige Givens

First published by SGNScoops in June 2016.

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