Hootie & the Blowfish drummer celebrates faith with new Christmas album

Hootie & the Blowfish drummer Jim Sonefeld is exploring new waters this fall as he celebrates the launch of his Christmas album and puts the spotlight on his faith.
In the new album “Light of Joy,” Sonefeld shares the story of Jesus’ birth while also honoring secular holiday traditions.
“I want to celebrate the birth of a Savior, but I grew up also in a cultural Christmas with Christmas trees and lights and Santa and that whole idea,” he told The Christian Post. “I think it’s OK that there’s both.”
Sonefeld added that he wants his music to leave people with a sense of hope.
His life shows that, in dark times, change is possible and that returning to faith can spark a transformation, he told The Christian Post.
“I started learning to release, as a 40-year-old man, some of the hang-ups I had with the way religion was taught to me as a young kid, and started accepting that a lot of the principles that I pushed back on were actually very healthy for me, and moved forward in recovery and with a Bible,” he said.
Sonefeld’s faith — and the faith-based music he focuses on in his solo career — grew out of his struggle with addiction.
As Hootie & the Blowfish gained fame, Sonefeld used drugs and alcohol to deal with stress and uncertainty, as he explains on his website. He tried to use the substances to “feed an emptiness growing inside of him.”
About 20 years ago, Sonefeld rediscovered Christianity as he fought addiction. His faith grew as he dabbled in Christian music during quieter moments in Hootie & the Blowfish’s touring schedule.
“I decided I really just wanted to sing and write about positive things; a celebration of faith and transformation,” Sonefeld told The Christian Post. “I’d written a lot, even with Hootie, about romantic love and broken-heartedness, and that whole journey. But as an older man, I felt like I really wanted to celebrate the positive side.”
Today, Sonefeld still tours with Hootie & the Blowfish as he works on his solo projects, like the new Christmas album.
The first single from the album, “Light of Joy (Gloria),” was released on Oct. 18.
The full album will be out Friday, according to a press release.