Produced by Jerad Atherton, “Reaching” was recorded at Hollywood’s legendary EastWest Studios (Elvis Presley, Paul McCartney, Frank Sinatra) with an all-star cast of players that includes bassist Jonathan Ahrens (Jason Mraz, Jewel), drummer Aaron Sterling (Kelly Clarkson, John Mayer), and Dexter on keys. The album also includes a duet with fellow artist Jason Dunn (former Hawk Nelson frontman) on “Our Souls Cry Out.”
“’Reaching’ is more of a worship project than anything I have done in the past, yet is still revealing of what God has been doing in my life,” says Dexter. “I perform a lot of concerts, lead worship at a lot of churches and also sing and speak at women’s conferences and retreats, so this album really has songs for all of those communities. I sing of God's unbelievable grace and mercy, which He continually pours out on us, and His daily salvation, knowing everything that touches my life has to first pass through the hands of God. Whatever I’m experiencing He's allowed and He will use it for my best. When we let go of everything, we can live in true freedom.”
Dexter’s first major foray into artistry came in the late ‘90s when she fronted Christian rock band Mayfair Laundry, who toured nationally opening for the likes of Switchfoot, Steven Curtis Chapman and Third Day. Dexter subsequently found success as a songwriter, penning tracks for Bryan Duncan, Nicole C. Mullen, Avalon’s Jody McBrayer, and multiple missions organizations. She also wrote the theme song for the immensely popular children’s series, “Bibleman.”
These days, Dexter resides in Orange County, California with her husband Paul (a Grammy-nominated producer, musician and fellow member of Mayfair Laundry) and their children Maggie and Hudson. The whole family frequently loads up the tour bus to experience adventures on the road together, while Kim shares her deeply personal songs and stories of survival, perseverance, courage and healing at various concert venues, churches, women’s conferences and retreats.
“My life is a story of miraculous grace, personally, within my marriage, and also with new creative opportunities,” says Dexter. “God has been there the whole time and I am a testimony that He can truly do anything.”
The root for Dexter’s inspirational well runs deep in various directions, first and foremost, with her love for Jesus and her family. Musically, her vast pool of muses includes faith-based powerhouses like Keith Green and Gungor, alongside mainstream favorites like Sarah McLachlan, The Fray and Ingrid Michaelson. Add in some of life’s simplest pleasures, like laughing with her children, green juice drinks and a long work out, coupled with wanting to stir the souls of audiences or address the enormity of suffering in the world, and Dexter emotes authenticity and inspiration at every turn.
“God is always pursuing us, reaching through darkness, loss, and human frailty to the depths of our hearts,” she says. “In response to this kind of love, I am reaching for more of Jesus and for the highest call He has placed on my life. I always lean on what it says in Philippians 3:13: ‘But one thing I do: Forgetting the past and reaching forward to what lies ahead’...”
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