Steel Industry Executive Chris Whittington's Music a 'Bright Portal' to Stronger Faith
The old adage, “follow your dreams” is something that we have all heard but rarely do we ever hear about someone who actually arrived at their desired destination. Too many times people get derailed in their pursuit due to seemingly insurmountable obstacles, unforeseen detours, or an eventual lack of interest. That’s why it is always so heartwarming to hear about that individual who actually made their dreams come true.
Take Texas-based steel industry executive Chris Whittington, for example. As the owner and founder of Houston-based Whittington Steel, this entrepreneur had forged a highly respectable career in providing industrial grade metals to a region known for energy, aerospace, and manufacturing. But he had a passion beyond the industry he has so dutifully served for more than three decades.
Music.
Running parallel to his business pursuits, Whittington has served as worship leader in local churches for many years, creating a natural venue for him to write and perform his own music. Over the last decade, he has released three solo albums including his latest, Bright Portal Remastered 2025 (June 6th) which is an updated version of his debut which was originally released in 2015.
Calling his music a collection of melodic, guitar-driven songs with lyrics forged from the truth of Scripture, I recently sat down with Whittington to discuss how a successful businessman makes the leap to musical recording artist, what God has taught him during this process, and why he is driven to lead his listeners to a deeper understanding of their faith in Christ.
Before we jump into your musical pursuits, I should note that you are a Texas-based steel industry executive? Please share exactly what you do and what a typical day looks like for you in that profession?
I would only add to your description, my friend, you forgot to mention mild mannered. What's a typical day like? That's a good question. At the risk of sounding boringly cliched, it's business. It's capitalism, which I just love. And more than anything, because our business gives us an opportunity to make money. As much as I like money, and probably more than anyone I know, it really thrills me to get to be some small part in the chain that helps the people who work for me,feed themselves and their families. At the risk of sounding self-serving, that is really literally what gets me out of bed every day. I like telling people I get to work with my friends every day. I care about these people and they care about me. We know each other's kids and families, and that's really great. So, I really didn't answer your question. Simply, we sell stuff.
Practically speaking, what do people use your company's steel for? Is it individuals or companies, or both?
On a rare occasion, it's individuals who buy it. But for the most part it is industrial … not commercial or residential, but industrial. For example, we're the number one metals supplier for all of the local power plants here in the Texas Gulf Coast area, and in particular, the Houston area. That's one that I'm particularly proud of, and relationships that I built 30 plus years ago. It's plant maintenance, petrochemical, and energy for the most part.
Turning to your music, is this something that you approach as a hobby or as a second profession?
A lot of people assume that it is a hobby, and I understand that. There's nothing wrong with having hobbies and one of them being music. I consider my music to be a second job. It has made me money in the past. I've been a worship leader in small and large churches, mostly in the Houston area, for the last several decades. I have been paid professionally to do that. But, I would still do it if I hadn't. Look, music is like air to me. To really get at the heart of your question, it's not a hobby. It is a second vocation and I love it. I take it very seriously. I would like to think I've achieved some modicum of success in terms of professionalism and prowess and being able to play and sing.
Music has been a powerful influence in your own spiritual walk. How has that impacted the way you write songs and what you hope to communicate to others through your songs?
You ask some really good questions. I have to start answering that by recognizing that the Bible, which is the only record of reality that we possess, has been hugely influential, and why I love music. It informs the lyrics that I write. It's central to everything in my entire life. But certainly, music is not something that I've carved out and treated separately. We only have one life and the Word of God governs all of it, or it should. So, that's been a big, big part of it.
If you were trying to convince a friend to pick up a copy of Bright Portal 2025 Remastered what would you say to encourage them? What would your sales pitch be?
I'm a bit biased. Having said that, the songs are really good on that record, and we’ve added a new track which was not on the album previously. That song is “God Will Supply All Our Needs". Another big factor is why would you want to pick this up? Maybe you bought it 10 years ago when we first released it. Well, my friend Bob Boyd has remastered the album, and brought the sound quality up multiple notches. I'm hearing some performances that I'd forgotten. We had done some parts that we had played on this record, and Bob has sweetened the entire thing and brought some of these parts up a little further forward. It's just made a tremendous difference and I think it'll be a joy for anyone who's never heard it, as well as for those who have.
You have made other records in the past. Why the decision to pick this one to bring back around as a remastered album?
Realitorium, the one that we released last year has done very well. And I think the success of that, especially in Europe and in the Nordic region has done incredibly well. I think that we've been buoyed by that success and thought it dovetailed well with my desire to have “Bright Portal” remastered. And so, I think the two came together. The timing was right and I couldn't be happier with the outcome.
If you don't mind, let's walk through a couple of other songs from the album and talk about the inspiration behind them. Let’s start with “Love Has Come”. What can you tell me about that?
“Love Has Come” is actually a description of my own anxieties and fears in this life. These days we call it FOMO, or fear of missing out. I talk real big. Hey, the Bible's central. Hey, the Bible's important. And I do believe that, but I'm still fighting the effects of the fall of man. We all are. That song is really about my struggle with those things. As Paul said, we're to do that. What does that mean to gain in our knowledge of the Word of God and of God himself through his Word. And with that, a greater faith that comes is a gift from Him. But the struggle is real man, and we're supposed to be engaged in it every day.
The other song I wanted to talk about a little bit is actually a bonus track on the new album that you previously mentioned, “God Will Supply All Our Needs”. What can you share with me about that
Consider the lilies of the field. They do not toil. Neither do they match their beauty. Let's seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. God has, He is, and He will supply all our needs. He's doing it right now, in spite of how I feel or what I can see and touch, what I perceive, how my needs are being filled at this very moment. God is at the helm of all of it. My family and I have struggled through some tough times, as most families have at some point in their lives. I got locked out of my industry when my four kids were young. I was the sole breadwinner in our family. That was a decision my wife and I had made early on.
I would do that again in a heartbeat. But we had some tough times during that year, especially when I got locked out. And you know what? Sometimes I had as many as three and five jobs at a time. Now, don't be overly impressed by that mercy. Most of them were little things that lasted a day, a few days, or a weekend. I got up and delivered newspapers at 3:00 AM for a couple of years. But here's the point. We never missed a meal. And we were able to make every house payment with the help of friends and family. God made sure that we were always taken care of. And funny story, that Christmas was the best one my kids had ever had. We actually had to give stuff away.
Through the process of writing, recording, and remastering this new album, has God been teaching you anything new through the process?
That's a great question. I would have to say longevity and depth. When you make art, you hope it resonates with at least a handful of people. Maybe even more than that. That's what God wants to do with it. But you don't know. There is no guarantee or certainty no matter how much money you did or didn't spend, or how many great people you did or didn't get to work with. Everything is always in the hands of our living God, anyway. What I'm trying to say, and I'm doing a poor job of it but I think in the 10 years since we released the original album, I've seen several of those songs resonate with more and more people.
We put a lot of work into this. Now, 10 years later, to see the fruit that's been born from it through writing and recording those songs, my desire is always to encourage others to love and do good works as the Scripture tells us to do. That's happened. And that's very gratifying.
After people have had a chance to listen to Bright Portal 2025 Remastered, what do you like them to take away from that experience? What is your greatest hope for the album?
My greatest hope for the album and in all of my art is that people who God has not quickened yet, has not saved, will come to salvation in Christ by hearing. Any of the music and those whom God has already quickened, that they would hear and heed the calling to a deeper love for the living God. And more than anything, to seek to know His Word so that they can watch their own faith grow in depth.
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