# Lincoln Brewster

Lincoln Brewster (born July 30, 1971) is an American contemporary Christian musician and worship pastor. As a guitarist, singer, and songwriter, Brewster became a sought-after session guitarist in the early 1990s. Brewster is the former senior worship pastor at Bayside Church in Granite Bay, California.

## Biography

Brewster has been musically inclined since his early childhood in Homer, Alaska. At the age of one, his mother, Cheryl, noticed how well he could keep rhythm on a drum set his grandfather had given him. At the age of five, his mother introduced him to the mandolin. Quickly mastering the instrument, he began playing for cruise ship tourists alongside his mother in Homer. Brewster's step brothers include John and Andy Hillstrand from the Discovery channel TV show Deadliest Catch.
By the age of 12, Brewster had a band called Lincoln and the Missing Links, which included his mother on bass and vocals. In his late teens, he moved with his family to Modesto, California, where he attended Grace M. Davis High School and joined the high school jazz band (playing guitar and drums) and marching band (playing snare drum).
Due to connections gained in Los Angeles, he had recording contract offers by 19. Feeling an emptiness in his life, Brewster attended church services with his girlfriend, Laura. He recalls feeling God drawing him close after attending a drama ministry performance with Laura. "I was afraid to lay down a lot of things in my life," Brewster said. "One night, I laid all my cards on the table. I asked the Lord to come into my life, all by myself. It was the best night of sleep I'd ever had. I was very peaceful. I think that was what enabled me to blow off that record deal."
After receiving a call from Steve Perry inviting him to audition as lead guitarist for his solo project For the Love of Strange Medicine, Brewster accepted and began songwriting and rehearsals for the album. Brewster's guitar technique, tone, and equipment choices possessed similar qualities and texturing to Journey's Neal Schon, and was touted as a favorable feature in the resulting album. He was then married to Laura and soon after toured with Perry for six months from 1994 to early 1995.
At the end of the tour, Brewster moved back to Modesto, California to be with his wife where they attended Calvary Temple Church. After working as a sound technician for the church for a while, the senior pastor offered Brewster the position of associate music director and youth worship leader.
In 1997, the Brewsters moved to Nashville to serve as youth pastors and eventually as full-time music ministers at The Oasis Church. There, Brewster met with executives from Integrity Incorporated who were working on a new Hosanna! Music album. After seeing his guitar-playing ability, one executive listened to a demo project Brewster had produced. Already impressed with the production work and artistry, the executive also learned that Brewster had played every instrument and performed all the vocals himself. In 2001, Brewster moved back to California to become the worship pastor at Bayside Church in Granite Bay.
Brewster was signed to Integrity's Vertical Music label with whom he has released five full-length albums.
While working on his self-titled album (with producer Paul Mills), Brewster worked with label-mate Darrell Evans, contributing vocals, guitar, and co-writing on Evans' Freedom project. He also spent some time touring with Michael W. Smith during Smith's 1998 Live the Life tour. Brewster's second album, Live to Worship (produced by Jeff Quimby and co-produced by Brewster), was released in 2000. According to his biography on his official website, "Lincoln now combines his talents and determination to record songs that will minister to a new generation of believers."
Brewster's album, Today Is the Day, was released on September 23, 2008. The album's first released single, was the title track "Today Is the Day".
On September 22, 2009, Brewster released a deluxe edition of Today Is the Day consisting of a CD with the same songs as Today Is the Day as well as a DVD containing two music videos, a few song stories, and a part of his instructional video.
Brewster released his latest project, Real Life, on September 28, 2010. The record features upbeat, contemporary worship tracks such as "Best Days" and the optimistic "Reaching For You". It also includes contemplative radio-ready songs such as the title track "Real Life", and the rhythmic "Whom Shall I Fear".
In 2012, Brewster released his first Christmas album, Joy to the World. A deluxe edition was released on November 5, 2013, with seven new tracks and an additional DVD. In 2014 Brewster released Oxygen, his ninth studio album after signing with Integrity Music after 15 years. He called the album a "new sound", which explained the album's high sense of modern pop music with of course a lot of guitar riffs and solos.
In 2015, Lincoln Brewster released his first rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" as a surprise on the USA's Independence Day holiday. He was a part of the Winter Jam Tour 2015 West Coast.
His most recent releases include God of the Impossible in 2018, A Mostly Acoustic Christmas in 2019, and Perfect Love in 2021.

## Equipment

Brewster primarily uses two different 1957 specification reissue Fender Stratocasters with DiMarzio pickups, one with Aztec Gold finish the other on a pearl Olympic white finish both on with an Ash bodies, both with maple fingerboards and necks. They have vintage looking tuners that are actually locking and a special active mid-boost circuit so that the single coil pickups can be made to sounds more like PAF humbuckers. Fender released his Artist signature model Stratocaster in August 2019.
Brewster achieves his live tone solely from a Line 6 POD HD500 unit. He occasionally uses a provided amp for stage noise only and goes direct to the PA system with the floor POD.
Brewster also uses a Kemper profiling amplifier live and in his home studio. He recently stated in a live Facebook video that he recorded "No One Like Our God (One Take)" on the Line 6 Helix Native program directly from his guitar.

## Discography
### Studio albums

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | US | US Christ | US Heat | US Indie | US Holiday | UK C&G |
| Lincoln Brewster | Released: April 21, 1999 (US) Label: Integrity Music Formats: CD, digital download | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Live to Worship | Released: May 17, 2000 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Amazed | Released: July 16, 2002 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | — | 25 | 26 | — | — | — |
| Today Is the Day | Released: September 23, 2008 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | 56 | 2 | — | — | — | — |
| Real Life | Released: September 28, 2010 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | 61 | 3 | — | — | — | — |
| Joy to the World | Released: October 9, 2012 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | 132 | 6 | — | — | 5 | — |
| Oxygen: A Worship Album | Released: August 19, 2014 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | 51 | 2 | — | — | — | 20 |
| God of the Impossible | Released: May 4, 2018 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | 111 | 2 | — | 6 | — | — |
| A Mostly Acoustic Christmas | Released: November 8, 2019 Label: Integrity | — | — | — | 34 | — | — |
| Perfect Love | Released: April 30, 2021 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| "—" denotes album that did not chart or was not released ||||||||

### Live albums

List of live albums, with selected chart positions and certifications :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | US Christ | US Heat |
| All to You... Live | Released: August 30, 2005 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | 28 | 40 |

### Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions |
| Title | Album details | US Christ | US Heat |
| Let the Praises Ring: The Best of Lincoln Brewster | Released: November 7, 2006 (US) Label: Integrity Formats: CD, digital download | 42 | 32 |

### Singles

List of singles, with selected chart positions :
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Peak chart positions | Album |
| Title | Year | US Christ. | US Christ. Airplay | Album |
| "All to You" | 2005 | 14 | 14 | All to You... Live |
| "Caught in the Moment" | 2006 | — | — | Live to Worship |
| "Everlasting God" | 2006 | 2 | 2 | Let the Praises Ring |
| "Love the Lord" | 2006 | 7 | 7 | | Let the Praises Ring |
| "Today Is the Day" | 2008 | 14 | 14 | Today Is the Day |
| "God You Reign" | 2009 | 14 | 14 | | Today Is the Day |
| "Glory to God" | 2009 | 38 | 38 | Worship and Adore: A Christmas Offering |
| "Salvation Is Here" | 2010 | 13 | 13 | Today Is the Day |
| "The Power of Your Name" | 2010 | 20 | 20 | | Today Is the Day |
| "Reaching for You" | 2010 | 18 | 18 | Real Life |
| "Little Drummer Boy" (featuring KJ-52) | 2012 | 31 | 31 | Joy to the World |
| "Made New" | 2014 | 12 | 7 | Oxygen |
| "Star Spangled Banner" | 2015 | — | — | non-album single |
| "There Is Power" | 2015 | 9 | 5 | Oxygen |
| "Let It Be Known" | 2016 | 50 | 28 | Oxygen |
| "Oxygen" | 2016 | 26 | 22 | Oxygen |
| "No One Like Our God" | 2017 | 22 | 14 | God of the Impossible |
| "Here I Am" | 2018 | — | — | God of the Impossible |
| "Everything" | 2018 | 48 | 27 | God of the Impossible |
| "While I Wait" | 2018 | 31 | 28 | God of the Impossible |
| "Who Am I" | 2020 | — | — | Perfect Love |

### Compilations

| Album title | Release date | Songs |
| B.C./A.D.: Who Split Time? | 1999 | "What Kind of Man" |
| Youthlink: Beyond Sight | 1999 | "Shout to the Lord" |
| Only God for Me | 1999 | "More Faithful Than I" |
| Rock of Refuge: Acoustic Worship | 2000 | "Everybody Praise the Lord" |
| Millennium Worship 2 | 2001 | "Psalm 91" |
| World's Best: Days of Elijah | 2001 | "The Power of Your Love" |
| Open the Eyes of My Heart, Volume 1 | 2001 | "The Power of Your Love" "You Alone" "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" |
| Creation Worships | 2002 | "The Power of Your Love" "Take Me Higher" "Lead Me" |
| Open the Eyes of My Heart, Volume 2 | 2002 | "Take Me Higher" "Psalm 91" "God of Wonders" (guitar with Paul Baloche and Lamont Hiebert) |
| Songs 4 Worship: Modern | 2002 | "Shout to the Lord" "Lord, I Lift Your Name on High" "Take Me Higher" "Breathe" (with Jami Smith) |
| Absolute Worship | 2004 | "The Power of Your Love" |
| Vertical Momentum | | "Let the Praises Ring" |
| You've Got Music | | "Everybody Praise the Lord" |
| Everything Counts | | "More Like You" |
| Offering of Worship | | "You Are the One" |
| Brilliant Music of Today: Hear & Now | 2005 | Majestic |
| Worship Project H2.14 | 2005 | "Majestic" "All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises" "Glory" |
| Cover the Earth | 2005 | "Love the Lord" |
| Arise: A Celebration of Worship | 2006 | "Let the Praises Ring" "All to You" "Another Hallelujah" "Everybody Praise the Lord" |
| iWorship Platinum | 2006 | "Shout to the Lord" |
| iWorship 24:7 | 2007 | "Salvation is Here" "Everlasting God" "Love the Lord" |
| iWorship Connect | 2009 | "Today Is the Day" "Everlasting God" |
| Worship and Adore: A Christmas Offering | 2009 | "Glory to God" "Offering" |

### Collaborations

| Title | Artist | Release date | Role(s) |
| For the Love of Strange Medicine | Steve Perry | 1994 | lead guitar, background vocals, assisted in songwriting |
| Freedom | Darrell Evans | 1998 | lead guitar, all other electric guitar, mandolin, collaborated in some songwriting |
| Twenty Three | Cindy Cruse-Ratcliff | 2011 | background vocals, lead guitar on one track |