Our featured Camp Musician for March is Tate Kirgiss. Tate grew up as the son of an Area Director who also worked on property staff at Castaway, so the mission of Young Life and camping have been woven through his entire life story. He has been a camper, served on Work Crew and Summer Staff, and was a summer long sound intern.
Tate first started leading club music while in high school and served on his first summer assignment as a camp musician in 2010. Since then he has done music for five summer assignments, numerous Young Life and WyldLife weekends, leader weekends, work weeks, family camps, banquets, fundraisers, and leads music for his local Capernaum club.
Apart from Young Life and WyldLife, Tate has also played for Young Lives camp (his favorite experience) and multi-cultural sessions. He loves leading club music, calling the square dance, and getting to do program as well.
Currently, Tate lives in West Lafayette, IN, where he is the director of Worship & Arts at Purdue Christian Campus House. He travels the midwest playing bluegrass renditions of his latest album with his band “Tate Kirgiss & The Rattlesnakes,” and also travels nationally playing guitar for Mike Mains & The Branches.
Tate believes music reaches people in a unique way, and has dedicated his life to sharing the Gospel through songs. He loves getting to know people, hearing their stories, and reconnecting with campers and YL staff year after year.
His latest music is available here on iTunes.
Visit Tate’s website here: www.tatekirgiss.com
Follow Tate on Twitter here: @tatekirgiss
Download music from Tate here.
Email Tate to play at your Young Life camp or banquet.
What other Area Directors are saying about Tate:
Tate Kirgiss is a blessing to the mission of Young Life! Tate has grown up around the Young Life world, so he completely understands and lives our mission. I have had the pleasure of serving on a summer assignment at Castaway with Tate while he was the camp musician. He has the heart of a servant, and looks for opportunities on how he can be a blessing to any team. Tate has even written a lot of music that is designed for a Young Life setting, so it fits with a summer camp schedule or any Young Life event. Tate’s love for the Lord is very evident. He was a great teammate, and I would love to serve with him again in the future. He will connect well with any crowd! –Brett Hersma, Sr. Regional Director, Chicago, IL
Tate Kirgiss loves Jesus. If he couldn’t play the guitar, drums, piano, and whatever other instruments he plays, I would still want him around the kids that Young Life leaders pursue in Carmel. I first met Tate four years ago while he was serving as a summer-long intern at Timber Wolf Lake. This was before he fully committed to serving through music, and though his life circumstances have changed, and the ways in which the Lord uses him have changed, what Tate offers has not. During that summer at Timber Wolf Lake, Tate served behind the scenes in order to set the stage for Christ to show up in kids’ lives. Through his musical talents and passion, he is continuing to do the same thing. I have been on a month long assignment with Tate, and I have hired him to play at multiple banquets, and the reason you MUST utilize Tate is this… he is an asset to the continuing growth of Christ’s Kingdom here on earth. Tate’s humble stage-presence and musical beauty point toward Christ in ways camp videos, leader interviews, and banquet talks cannot. Reach out to Tate Kirgiss and show your YL kids, parents, committee, and leaders glimpses of the Kingdom they haven’t encountered before. –John Balmat, Area Director, Carmel, IN
I have had the great privilege of serving alongside Tate on several Young Life and WyldLife weekends and a couple of summer assignments. Tate always brings so much to the team. Tate’s love for Jesus is made very clear from the first time you meet him. He is always seeking to grow in his relationship with Him. He has a great personality that is incredibly easy to be around. He loves people of all ages very, very well. Tate is a very gifted musician. His own songs are a great picture of the Gospel and real life. The thing that makes Tate such a great addition to any team is his ability to truly lead singing at club or worship with the team. I have heard many musicians who are very talented but struggle with leading others from upfront. He is a gifted song leader. He does not draw attention to himself when he is leading. He is fun and outgoing and is able to bring people with him in his music. I would have Tate come and do music for me every time I lead a weekend or summer camp. He is a great gift to our mission. –Corky Erickson, Area Director, Washtenaw County, MI
