An Interview with Actor Dennis Quaid

Actor Dennis Quaid has been in over 70 films, over a 50-year career.

It's kind of hard to believe. And you've probably seen some of these films, Breaking Away, The Right Stuff, There Isn't The Right Stuff, Great Balls of Fire, where he plays Jerry Lee Lewis, and Wyatt Earp. I thought one of his amazing roles. And he played Doc Holliday in Wyatt Earp. And, of course, I've been asked to remember to mention The Parent Trap, which is a lot of Parent Trap fans. Oh, and he's also going to be in a movie coming out soon on the life of Ronald Reagan.

So it hasn't released yet, but that's coming. That's Dennis, not Reagan there. So there's Reagan, pretty close, pretty close. And also, I think his greatest performance personally is when he played the father of Bart in I Can Only Imagine. That, to me, was academy ward worthy, in my opinion. Well, Dennis is also very outspoken about his faith in Jesus Christ. And he's, I Can Only Imagine is not his only faith film that he's done. He also was in American Underdog, and Wing and a Prayer, and quite a few others as well. And he's also a musician.

Oh, I failed to mention one thing. They did a recent issue of People Magazine, where he talked about his faith in Christ recently. You might have seen it out on the newsstands. But Dennis is also a musician, and he has a new record out. The title of it is Fallen, and it's Gospel Songs for Sinners.

I like that. Gospel Songs for Sinners. So Dennis is going to do a song off that record called On My Way to Heaven. Then I'm going to interview him a little bit, and then do another song as well.

So let's give a warm Harvest welcome to Dennis Quaid. Well, good morning or good afternoon, sweet people. I'm going to do a song. This is the first song I wrote for the record, which also kind of wound up in I Can Only Imagine. I wrote it for my mother after I got out of rehab, what I called cocaine school back in 1990, to let her know that I was okay. But it's also about, I was always a Christian, grew up in the Baptist church. But this was really the beginnings of my personal relationship with Jesus, which started after that. Up until then, I've been trying to do it my way all my life, and that didn't work out so well. But it's a happy song.

Could you turn my guitar down just a little bit at my monitor? Thank you. My life may not be roses, but still I'm gonna be alright. As long as I've got my Savior by my side. Freed me from the heavy chain that had bound my broken heart.

Picked me up, gave me a brand new start. Now I'm on my way to heaven. On my way to heaven. On my way to heaven.

So I can't even stay long. I was living time in prison in a solitary cell. Sentenced by a judge and jury of my cell. Then he blessed me, forgave me, touched me with his light. Shining down on his glory from above. Now I'm on my way to heaven. On my way to heaven. On my way to heaven.

So I can't even stay long. And he walks with me every day. He said personal life will die every step along the way. I'm on my way to heaven. On my way to heaven. On my way to heaven.

So I can't even stay long. On my way to heaven. On my way to heaven. On my way to heaven.

Come on everybody. Can't be stayed long. On my way to heaven. On my way to heaven. On my way to heaven.

So I can't even stay long. On my way to heaven. On my way to heaven.

On my way to heaven. Would you like to come along? Come along. Come along, friend. Hey.

That's great. Tell me about that song. You said you wrote it for your mother.

I wrote it after I got out of rehab, which I call cocaine school, you know, getting rid of that. And I wanted to let her know I was okay. And my mom was always the rock of my life. She passed about three years ago. And then the but so fast forward to we're doing I can only imagine.

Yeah. Which is a story about a son who writes a song for a father. And they had Andy Irwin who directed it. He had heard this song and he put it in the he put it in in the movie, which is, you know, I wrote it for my mother. So it kind of seemed fitting. And he said you need a bridge, though. So I went to my trailer and I wrote a bridge like in 15 minutes. So I like to say that it took me 30 years and 15 minutes to write. Yes. It's a story of your life, really, isn't it? Well, yeah. The record is the whole record.

It's called Fallen Gospel Record for Sinners because I wanted the largest possible audience for it. I was starting with myself. You know, because that's the thing about being a Christian, you know, is like Jesus is there. And you really have a personal relationship with him, which took me a long time to actually figure out. You know, it really is like Servpro. It's sins wiped away. It's like a clean slate that you start from that moment. That's right. And, you know, that doesn't mean that everything's squeaky clean from then on or whatever, but it's you know what that is. And I think it's what Christianity has got going for it.

And compared to the other great religions of the world is that it's a personal relationship with God. That's right. That's exactly right. So in your movie career, you've played so many different characters. You played Jerry Lee Lewis in Great Balls of Fire. And actually you didn't know how to play piano. So you spent a year learning piano with others teaching you, including Jerry Lee himself, right? Jerry Lee was one of my teachers, you know, Jerry Lee Lewis teaching you.

And I had a year to prepare for it. And it's really about the left hand, about getting that to go and just keep going. Because it's a very athletic move.

But once you get the left hand, it doesn't matter what you play on the right hand actually. He was over my shoulder the entire time going, you're getting it wrong, son. Because he liked to come to the set. Did he? Yes, he did. Well, what do you think that was about him?

He loved that. Now in your roles that you've done, you're in this film about Reagan. So what would Ronald Reagan say right now, do you think? Well, I would think that he would say that here we are in a shining city on a hill.

Orange County. That's right. And that's not the only president you played in a film. You also played Bill Clinton. Yes, I did. That's right.

Shining city on a hill. So you have a whole career. You can do standup presidents. If the acting thing doesn't work out, you know.

Good things keep in your back pocket. So Dennis, you know, what I appreciate about you is just what you just said. I mean, you're a very successful actor.

You've had a very long career. But yet you're standing here talking about your faith in Jesus Christ. And I think there are people in Hollywood that are believers that maybe are not as outspoken as you are. And is this just because you've come to a point where you're saying, hey, this is what I believe so I'm going to say it?

Or I don't really care? Or why would others not be maybe as bold as you are? I think, you know, in my time I think I, like everybody else, have felt some sort of embarrassment. Like I don't want to offend people or whatever.

But it's, you know, it came to a point where it's just I am who I am. And Jesus told us to go out and spread this out. That's right. You know? It's called the good news is what it is. And I think a lot of people are kept out because of that.

Because there aren't enough people. There certainly is enough going on that is like kind of contra to it. So you need to step up and speak out, I think. I needed to. And it's just for myself even. You know, inside that's what we're here to do. It's called fellowship. That's why we're all here. And man, there feels some great fellowship in here. That's for sure.

From back to front. When I first met you, it's so funny how I met you because I was aware of what you do and all that. And I'm friends with John Irwin. We're mutual friends.

John directed Jesus Revolution. And so we're at a little event. And John says, I'm going to interview Dennis. I want to introduce you to him. I said, great.

And then he says, I'm sick. Can you interview Dennis instead? Well, okay.

So I walked up and I'm literally getting to know you better. But one of the things you said to me was I had a dream about playing at your church. I did. Yeah. Yeah.

My wife, Laura, told me about you and your church. You know, I was talking about the Jesus Revolution. I remember the Jesus Revolution back when it happened in the 70s. I thought, wow, that is like it was so fantastic. I remember the feeling of those times, too, which was pretty amazing. Yeah, it was. And I said, gosh, I really want to meet that guy.

I really want to go to his church. And I had a dream about playing in your church just out of the blue. That was before I made the record or anything. And then here we are. We met. And yeah.

We met, what, a month and a half ago? About that. Yeah.

Yes, in Texas, where you're from originally. So you have a song you're going to do now off your new record called Fallen. Tell us about this song.

The whole record is really kind of my spiritual journey. And this is a prodigal son story, which I guess has happened to me in my life. Yeah. Maybe one or two times.

I don't know. But it's a prodigal son, which is really the Baptist church. It's a big deal. And I think so many people can relate to that. All right. Because you get fooled sometimes.

And you're fooling yourself most of the time. And anyway, I'll just play it. All right. Welcome Dennis Quaid. God bless each and every one of you. Thank you for having me here today. I really appreciate it. It's been really wonderful. Okay. Went for a tour out down the devil's highway I was determined that the world was turning battle Wind up beside the road, left for dead Now I'm falling, I'm falling Feeling so alone All I want to do is go back home I was raised on the blood of Jesus Taught the different streets wrong and right I was my mother's precious angel I was my daddy's little man all right I had everything I needed To make something of my life But bad things happen to good people When you're riding with the devil on a foggy night Yes, I'm falling, I'm falling Feeling so sad All I want to do is go back home Wish I'd been more careful about what I wish for Wish I'd been more careful about the company I had Wish I hadn't taken my daddy's money I wish I was on the devil's death He came like a friendly stranger Offering whiskey, women, glory, and drugs I felt high up on top of that mountain Not realizing what a whole lot had done I'm falling, I'm falling All I want to do is go back home Yes, I'm falling, I'm falling I'm a prodigal son All I want to do is go back home Go back home Thank you, sweet people. Thank you so much. God bless you.