Most musical functions associated with LeTourneau University include, at some point, adoring fans yelling out the name of Kris Daily. Though his major has to do with technology and airplanes, Kris’ passion lies with music—evident every time he picks up his guitar.
J.J. Jazmine: “You seem to be universally known as ‘Kris Daily.’ Do you have a middle name somewhere in there?”Kris Daily: “Lee, but it doesn't work unless you use Kristopher before it. Kris Lee sounds like I'm some white boy posing as a kung fu guy or something....and believe me, no martial arts skills here. This is a bit off base, but Kristopher supposedly means ‘Christ bearer’ which can be very convicting at times.”
JJ: “What does Christ mean to you then?”
KD: “Cornerstone, Life, Love, Completion, Sustainer, Gracious, Forgetful, Faithful, Intense, Relentless, Compassionate, Humorous.”
JJ: “Any Bible passage that has been especially meaningful to you?”
KD: “John 1:1-5 – ‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.’ John (from the Bible) is my favorite book. He seems to write things so that I can understand them. Acts also because it is the story of the birth and early growth of the church. I'm too lazy to read any other books beside the Bible.”
JJ: “Surely some traumatic childhood experiences have helped form you into who you are today. Any you would like to share?”
KD: “There was this one time when I thought I could ramp my little brother's bicycle out of the back of a full sized Chevy long-bed pickup truck. It was a little bike (for my little brother), so I landed the bike with the handlebars in my stomach....thus knocking the wind out of me...thus the reason I blacked out. That may not be the most traumatic, but it proves that I suck at pulling off daredevil stunts.”
JJ: “What is one movie you would see again?”
KD: “‘Remember the Titans....there's actually morals in the movie, and it is a true story. Also ‘Lord of the Rings’ because it is very cool that Tolkein fabricated this elaborate story, and the movie is almost too believable.”
JJ: “What are the craziest things you’ve ever done with your hair?”
KD: “Braids, bleached it, & had it put into little "palm trees" so the bleach wouldn't burn my scalp.”
JJ: “What day came ye into the world?”
KD: “1-12-79. Makes me the old man in the band. My last b-day, I was in Nashville, TN and got to play a gig there with a friend (Arianna Terrell). Got free desert from Chile's at lunch and TGIFriday's for dinner....isn't that cool.”
JJ: “How did you end up choosing LeTourneau?”
KD: “LeTourneau was my second choice....second to the Air Force Academy, which I got the shaft from. So I came and previewed here with slight skepticism, but it was obvious that I was supposed to come here. Now I can see why. LU has been/is like a "boot camp" for me in the sense that it has refined and/or defined me as a Christian and a person.”
JJ: “How did you get involved with Days on End?”
KD: “Fester kept bugging me about being in a band with him. Of course I didn't want to because I wasn't too crazy about me being the singer. Finally I figured "what the heck," and we jammed and it worked. 9 days later we played our first gig, and the rest is history. I kinda had a hand in putting the band together. I'm still not real crazy about being the "band leader," but I do what I must.”
JJ: “What are your favorite aspects about performing?”
KD: “When people actually ‘get’ something out of the lyrics or songs; interacting with the band on stage...recovering from mistakes....talking to people after the show. My least favorite thing about it is messing up or sounding stupid when talking on the mic.”
JJ: “You write many of the band’s original songs; what drives you to write each one?”
KD: “The message that needs to be conveyed, then sometimes it's just to have a song to play.”
JJ: “What other bands have you played with in the past?”
KD: “Dramatic Irony, Smoking Crayons, Solace, 6th Street, LeTourneau Praise Team, & This Side of the Door.”
JJ: “Should we even try to guess your hobbies?”
KD: “Well, there is....music....music....and other forms of artistic expression.”
JJ: “And your heroes?”
KD: “Bob Oakley, Pete Stewart, Toby Mac,….”
JJ: Apparently, you have a great wealth of musician jokes?
KD: "yeah"
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Q: What would a musician do if he won a million dollars?
A: Continue to play gigs until the money ran out.
Bass Player (no offense Ted)
Q: How do you know when your bass player arrives?
A: He knocks on the door, but forgets to come in!
(For Fester)
Q: How do you get a guitar player to play softer?
A: Give him some sheet music.
Q: Why do bands have bass players?
A: To translate for the drummer.
Q: Did you hear about the time the bass player locked his keys in the car?
A: It took two hours to get the drummer out.
Q: How many drummers does it take to change a lightbulb?
A: -"Why? Oh, wow! Is it like dark, man?"
A: -Only one, but he'll break ten bulbs before figuring out that they can't just be pushed in.
A: -Two: one to hold the bulb, and one to turn his throne (but only after they
figure out that you have to turn the bulb).
A: -None. They have a machine to do that.
Q: Why is psychoanalysis a lot quicker for drummers than for other musicians?
A: When it's time to go back to his childhood, he's already there.
"Mommy! Mommy! When I grow up I want to be a guitar player!"
"Now Johnny, you can't do both!"
Q: What do you do with a lead singer who thinks he's God's gift to women?
A: Exchange him.
Q: Why do lead singers need instant replay on TV sports?
A: Because after 30 seconds they forget what happened.
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JJ: “Is there one thing that we should know about you?”
KD: “That I'm more than people perceive.”
JJ: “Any closing comments?”
KD: “ ‘Faith makes everybody scared’ (–Lifehouse) .. even me.”