Michael W. Smith joins family members and fellow producers to train Liberty music students
October 17, 2025 : By Abigail Degnan - Office of Communications & Public Engagement
On Monday and Tuesday, Grammy Award winner Michael W. Smith visited Liberty University’s School of Music along with his wife, Debbie; his son and producer/film scorer, Tyler; and fellow producers Jake Halm and Tedd T. The team led multiple classes for the Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music, equipping and mentoring students with industry tips and advice. Smith also performed alongside School of Music groups during the school’s fall Concert of Praise on Monday night.
Michael W. Smith has performed around the world to sold-out crowds for over 40 years. During his storied career, he’s written and recorded over 36 No. 1 songs, sold more than 15 million albums, and won three Grammy Awards, over 45 Dove Awards, and an American Music Award. He was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
Smith has been working with Liberty students since the Michael W. Smith Center for Commercial Music launched at Liberty in 2019 with the mission to train competent, proficient, marketplace musicians to serve as commercial music industry practitioners. In his role as executive director, Smith makes regular visits to campus, speaking in classes and offering advice and counsel from his many years of industry experience. He also conducts classes virtually from his office in Nashville.
Michael W. Smith and his wife started their visit on Monday by leading a Survey of Songwriting class. They discussed how they met, which happened while Debbie Smith was working at a recording company, and Michael W. Smith was visiting one day for a meeting, and they crossed paths. They married just four months later.
They also talked about what it was like to write Michael W. Smith’s first record together, and Michael W. Smith walked the students through how he wrote his songs “Friends,” “Arms Around the Sun,” and “Love Like a Flood.” Students participated in a Q&A time at the end and had the opportunity to talk with the couple personally.
Michael W. Smith said he loves visiting Liberty and speaking to students.
“The fact that I get to do this and still have a career and still be making records and touring around the world, that is a blessing,” he said. “But if (my music career) just all went away, I think I would work with students the rest of my life. It’s all kind of part of just giving back what I can share, the good and the not-so-good, and try to just help this next generation find their footing and find their way.”
“It’s a pretty high standard here, and I say that as a compliment,” he added. “The campus is incredible, the music school is amazing, and the people are amazing. It’s just been a great relationship (with Liberty), and I love that I get to come here two or three times a year.”
This week was Debbie Smith’s first time visiting campus. She said she enjoyed getting to meet the students and learn more about the center that was named after her husband.
“Everyone I’ve met has just been so warm and inviting and kind, and the students are all genuinely happy to be here,” she said. “(My husband) is always coming back after visiting here with great stories and how much he loves Liberty. And now getting to see it for myself, I get it now. I remember how much I loved being at college myself, so I just wanted to meet a lot of the students, and that’s what I’ve really enjoyed so far.”
Monday’s concert (formerly called the Worship Choir Concert) featured many School of Music ensembles, including LU Praise, Vessel, Shine, and a 160-person worship choir. Michael W. Smith sang several of his hits, like “Open the Eyes of My Heart,” “Waymaker,” “Surrounded (Fight My Battles),” “Hymn for Communion,” “Goodness of God,” and more. He ended his set by singing “Holy, Holy,” inviting the worship choir and audience to sing with him.
The concert continued with School of Music groups performing a variety of worship songs, including an interactive performance of “Battle of Jericho” from Shine, a powerful mashup of classic worship songs like “Awesome God,” “Trading My Sorrows,” “Give Thanks,” and more from LU Praise, and multiple choir specials featuring songs like “Oh Sacred Head, Now Wounded” and “Lord, You’re Holy.”
On Tuesday, Michael W. Smith and his team continued to interact with students and teach classes. Tyler Smith spoke at a Film Scoring class in the morning, where he explored film scoring themes from the upcoming movie “The Christmas Ring” (based on the novel by Karen Kingsbury), which he did the film scoring for. He later taught a Worship, Art, Worship & Culture class with his father.
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Also on Tuesday, multi-Grammy winning producer and writer Tedd T. and Grammy winning producer Jake Halm lead a recording ensemble session, where students were able to bring their own projects and work with the producers on them. They also lead an advanced digital editing class and a masterclass that featured an open discussion on producer workflows, career advice, and interesting projects the producers have worked on. Tedd T, who has produced for bands like MercyMe and FOR KING + COUNTRY, said the students asked great questions, and he loved getting to share his experience with them.
“It’s a privilege for us to be here,” he said. “Whenever there’s any way to help people shortcut the process of spending too much time in the weeds and really line up their callings with what God’s called them to do, it’s a privilege. We just love talking about (what we’ve learned) and sharing music. It’s so much fun for us.”
“I’m still learning so much, too, but I’m happy to be here and just share the knowledge of what we get to do,” Halm added, noting that the students they’ve met all have “really good hearts,” which models Liberty’s own values. “The heart behind everything (at Liberty) is really great, from all the faculty, professors, students, and the events that are going on. It’s amazing.”
Junior Charlie Vandemark, who is studying commercial music, attended the masterclass and has been in classes taught by Michael W. Smith before. He said getting to talk to and listen to Tedd T. and Halm was beneficial, and he admired how easy it was to talk to them.
“I think it’s easy to look at these people as celebrities, but when you talk to them, they are super down to earth and very caring humans, taking the time to talk with me about music,” he said.
Vandemark said you never know what doors God might open, and getting to meet Michael W. Smith, Tedd T., and Halm was a valuable networking opportunity.
“I always try to think that you never know who’s watching, and any little connection can segue your way into the business,” he said.
