Who is Three17?

Three17 is local worship band in Macon. The band consists of Justis Ward as a vocalist playing rhythm and acoustic guitar, Matthew Harris on piano, Darice Cudjoe as a vocalist, Mark Harris as bass guitarist, Earl Bush as Lead Guitarist, Tionna Harris as a vocalist and Mark Harris as the bass guitarist.

Question: How did your love of music begin and who are your influences?

Quinten Oppong: My love for drumming started in Ghana, grew up around a lot of uncles who played jimbe and that kind of fostered a desire to play the drums. Growing up in the African church all the songs are very rhythmic they make you want to dance, very upbeat.

Darice Cudjoe: I played classical piano for twelve years. I also lead worship in my home church.

Justis Ward: I’ve always loved singing, but my love of music didn’t necessarily start until my dad got me a guitar. I was writing a lot of songs, but they were just poems without any music. Once I started picking up the acoustic guitar, that’s when it really took off as far as making music.

Tionna Harris: I’ve been singing as long as I can remember. My biggest inspiration is my mother. She was a choir director and worship leader, how life has played out I’ve ended up doing the same thing.

Matthew Harris: My piano playing started with my dad, he had me and my brothers pick up an instrument and he taught me how to play the piano, specifically. So, my biggest inspiration would probably be my dad.

Mark Harris: Matt and I are brothers like he said our dad was a big inspiration. My love really took root in college and I continued that music on my own, that’s when I really started to fall in love with it.

Earl Bush: I started out on saxophone, traditionally trained and I taught myself guitar and some other instruments and from there it just started blooming.

Question: How did the band meet?

Justis Ward: Kingdom Life is the center point. When I came into college, I found Kingdom Life and while I was worshiping there Matthew started coming. We connected, started playing together and it just grew from there. Technically, Matt would be the center hub of connections, because Quin came to Kingdom Life, Darice came to Kingdom Life then Mark, Tionna and Earl are all a result of a connection with Matt.

Question: How would you describe Three17’s sound?

Justis Ward: A true conglomeration of everyone’s influences. Every song has a foundation of our influences and we might build on top that with specific genres.

Question: Is Three17 a Christian Band?

Justis Ward: What you have is a body of believers and we all have a calling on our lives to minister and express the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are we a faith-based band? Yes. Are we a group that practices the love of Christ? Absolutely. But I don’t think we can be confined in a box as a Christian group.

For more information about Three17 visit their Facebook page, Instagram or email them at [email protected].

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