As the United States marks its 250th anniversary, Evergreen Music Artists is inviting listeners to hear a familiar hymn as a prayer for the nation's future. Its new recording, "America the Beautiful (250th Jubilee)," pairs three original verses with a new fourth verse by Hope Toqe that asks God for grace, unity, healing, and renewal.
Arranged by Kevin Toqe and co-produced with Nicholas Harral, the recording blends gospel, Americana, and vintage R&B influences. Lead vocalists Jared Kline, Kenny Munshaw, Mehki Key, and Kevin Toqe join a children's choir, bringing different voices and generations together. Released to streaming platforms on September 11 and now reaching Christian radio, the song connects remembrance with hope.
For Toqe, CEO and Director of Pastoral Care at the Bluffton, South Carolina-based nonprofit, the project also reflects Evergreen's commitment to nurturing artists spiritually. In this interview, he discusses the unexpected performance that inspired the recording, the prayer behind its new verse, and why lasting unity begins with personal healing and close relationships.
Q: Kevin, for those discovering Evergreen Music Artists for the first time, what is the organization's mission, and how does pastoral care shape the work you do?
Kevin Toqe: We focus on pastoring artists first so that they can flourish. Downstream from that, we provide production help as needed, without pressure to return a profit. Instead, we're aiming for spiritual formation first, and then for the most timely songs for artists to release to their local communities and the world.
Q: How did "America the Beautiful (250th Jubilee)" begin, and what convinced you that this familiar hymn needed to be revisited for America's 250th anniversary?
Kevin Toqe: This recording was sparked by seeing Brandi Carlile's version this past July 4th in front of the Statue of Liberty. She sang three verses, and I was stunned by how beautiful the third verse was. It made me want to learn more about the origin and meaning of all the verses. Instead of recording all four original verses, we decided to ask God for a unique and timely fourth verse for this day and age. The song's origins are in prayer and congregational singing. At a time when divisiveness seems to be in vogue, we wanted to give the nation a beautiful anthem that points people back to prayer and unity.
Q: Hope Toqe wrote a new fourth verse addressing division, healing, and renewal. What inspired those words, and what prayer do you hope listeners hear within them?
Kevin Toqe: When she writes lyrics, Hope tunes in to the Spirit of God as much as possible for inspiration. She writes really cool lyrics, but the depth comes from God's inspiration. Her goal was to write a new verse that answers the question, "God, what do you want your people to pray right now?"
Q: Why did you choose Jared Kline, Kenny Munshaw, Mehki Key, Kevin Toqe, and a children's choir to represent the nation through many different voices?
Kevin Toqe: All of these people have a heart for our nation to be unified in prayer and in love. Each singer respects our roots. They aren't looking to throw shade on our history, but instead to look for the redemptive plans God has for each individual. The children's choir touches on something we all need to return to constantly: a sense of wonder, innocence, and a lack of cynicism about each other and the world. Lastly, there's good ethnic diversity among the singers, which reflects a range of backgrounds and experiences.
Q: The recording was released on September 11 and combines gospel, Americana, and vintage R&B influences. How did the significance of that date and the song's message shape the final arrangement?
Kevin Toqe: Because September 11th is such a weighty date for people around the world, we wanted to capture the reverence of the song while leaning the arrangement toward a celebratory anthem. The timeless nostalgia of the trumpet parts, the strings, and the marching snare groove give listeners so many ways to latch onto a modern-yet-throwback approach. We're hoping there's something for everyone in this arrangement.
Q: As America enters its 250th year, what do you believe Christians can do practically to encourage grace, unity, and healing in their communities?
Kevin Toqe: Frankly, I believe the best thing a believer can do is work on themselves. By "work on," I mean pursue the fullness of healing God has for each of us by being deeply involved in relationships that challenge us, help us heal, and give us vision for how to reach a few people around us. Almost every work I see Jesus intentionally building His life around involved intimate relationships that bore long-term fruit, especially with His disciples. If we matured to the point of being able to reach 5-10 people deeply and with humility, the world might not look different in three years, but in the long term, we'll see a multiplied harvest that will be hard to measure.
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Watch the lyric video:
