We The Kingdom’s story really starts with patriarch Ed Cash. Growing up in a family of faith, his dad taught Ed and his brother, Scott, to play classics like “Johnny B. Goode” on the guitar. The Cash brothers developed an early love for music, and Ed harbored dreams of one day being in a band. That dream became a reality but with it came poor choices and bad decisions that led to a drug and alcohol addiction.
Reaching rock bottom, a radical encounter with Jesus freed Ed of his addiction. Eventually, the father of four realized the demands of a touring musician weren’t always conducive to having a family or cultivating a healthy lifestyle. So he decided to forfeit his “rock star” dreams in favor of being home for dinner every night. That’s when he set up a studio in his house and began writing songs and producing albums for other artists. Soon, his name was buried in credits on countless high-profile records by artists, including Chris Tomlin, NEEDTOBREATHE and Crowder, among many others. (Spoiler alert: Ed co-wrote Tomlin’s “How Great Is Our God.” Incidentally, he’s still writing hits for others: He’s also a co-writer on 2023 Dove Award-winning Song of the Year “Goodness of God.”)
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Fast forward decades later, and Ed’s original dreams are now being reignited thanks to We The Kingdom, a band he organically co-founded with his brother Scott, his daughter Franni, his son Martin and their family friend Andrew Bergthold. We The Kingdom literally embodies a full-circle moment for the prolific lyricist and producer, who thought he was laying down his artist dreams for good years ago.
We The Kingdom happened quite accidentally. Scott was leading worship at a Young Life camp and needed a backing band. So, he casually rounded up Bergthold and members of his talented family to join him. Late one night, during that week at camp, the five-piece wrote a song together called “Dancing On The Waves.” They thought they were writing it for the kids at camp but soon realized they needed the balm of the lyrics more than anyone else after walking though individual and collective hardships. The tender ballad landed on We The Kingdom’s “Live at the Wheelhouse,” an unconventional debut EP that introduced the Cash family by way of a brief project recorded at the very camp where the group got their start.
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When they returned home from the transformative week at camp, they realized they had stumbled upon something special and started writing together regularly. Their unique multigenerational makeup allowed a variety of sonic influences and perspectives to color the music the family band was making; not to mention their harmonies would rival those of veteran artists.
In 2020, We The Kingdom unveiled their full-length debut, “Holy Water.” The 12-track original collection garnered the quintet a coveted New Artist of the Year Dove Award and a pair of GRAMMY® nods. Furthermore, the critically acclaimed record spawned three consecutive No. 1 hits — “Holy Water,” “God So Loved” and “Child of Love” — a rare feat for a brand new act.
After a well-received holiday EP, We The Kingdom’s highly anticipated self-titled sophomore album followed in 2022, featuring hits “Miracle Power” and “Jesus Does.”
While unorthodox, it’s actually remarkably fitting that the band quietly launched their career with a live EP as their concerts quickly became one of the most buzzed-about live shows in all of Christian music. Their vibrant energy has already taken them to some of the most prized stages across the country, including Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium and Morrison, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre. While Franni and Ed primarily share lead, occasionally Andrew (piano, guitar) and Scott (guitar) showcase their vocals front and center. Meanwhile, Martin’s powerful drumming (and long, wild hair) is a hallmark of the band. Clearly skilled musicians, they often seamlessly transition between instruments. All the while, Franni — the unofficial front woman of the group — has inadvertently become the trademark personality of We The Kingdom with her signature bare feet, bold stage clothes and unrestrained spirit.
In 2023, Franni announced she would be stepping away from We The Kingdom. The songstress will finish out the year with the band before moving on to a yet undetermined next chapter. With dates already on the calendar for 2024, We The Kingdom plans to continue recording and touring.
