Carrie Underwood surprised the crowd at the recent Dove Awards by joining Ben Fuller on their “If It Was Up To Me” duet. The song was first released earlier this year, on Fuller’s Walk Through Fire album.

“Ben is such a talented singer and songwriter, and I love the joy he brings to singing about his faith, which we have in common,” Underwood said when the song was released. “I was honored when he asked me to sing with him on ‘If It Was Up To Me,’ and I love how our voices blend on such a positive and uplifting song.”

 

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The Story Behind “If It Was Up To Me”

Fuller reveals it’s Underwood’s husband, Mike Fisher, who helped make the duet happen. Fuller first met Fisher through his brother, Bud, with Fuller and Fisher becoming close friends.

“I didn’t have any idea what was happening,” Fuller recalls to Everything Nash, speaking of the first meeting with Fisher. “I’m like, ‘This is crazy.’ [It was] probably a year and a half of breakfasts and fellowship. Mike was such a man of God, and I’m so grateful for his discipleship and his love towards me. He shared that song with Carrie, when it came time for the album. And Carrie said, ‘I want to sing on it.’ So, next thing you know, we ended up in the studio together, and we were praising the Lord.”

Fuller was already a big fan of Underwood when she joined him on “If It Was Up To Me.” She might be a country music superstar, but Fuller says she is also a very strong Christian.

“She is very serious about her faith, and I feel like she is being called into even more of that,” Fuller says. “I’m excited to see in the future; she loves singing about Jesus, and praising her Lord. She’s raising her boys up in Jesus. It’s really special to be a part of. I couldn’t make that up. I couldn’t ask her, ‘Hey Miss Underwood, would you sing this?’ But that’s what God can do, and so let that be an encouragement waiting on doing something big, or having an incredible collaboration.”

When “If It Was Up To Me” was released, Fuller praised Underwood for joining him on the powerful song.

“When I wrote this song, I kept thinking about how difficult life can be,” Fuller said at the time. “And that if I was in control, and it was up to me, I’d make it a lot easier on myself – but I’d never know then how good God’s plans can be. I’m so grateful Carrie wanted to share her love for Jesus on a song with me. She was so kind and calm when we were in the studio. And I’m pretty sure I smiled almost as big as God did when she stepped up to the mic that day!”

Fuller recently released Walk Through Fire: Songs From the Smoke, with six new songs.

Photo Credit: Terry Wyatt