Michael W. Smith joins son’s film, ‘Daniel,’ as executive producer

“I was a fly on the wall watching him do his thing,” Michael says. “I went ‘Wow, this thing’s incredible.’”

And, then, he got involved. Michael was asked to join the production as an executive producer. The more he saw and heard, the more he was convinced it was a good move.

“There was no ambition on my part to go, ‘Oh, I want to be a part of this thing.’ I was asked to be a part of it,” he says.

Michael’s involvement with other films put him in a great position to promote the film. Then, too, there was the Biblical story of Daniel.

“I’ve read it hundreds of times and I’ve loved it my whole life,” he says. Making it into a film? “As a kid, I probably thought, ‘That’s impossible. How do you do that?’ And, wow, here we are.”

Though Michael has plenty of experience in the business, he doesn’t advise Tyler unless he asks.

“He’s much better at (scoring) than I am. But to watch him flourish is my gift," Michael says. "I turned him on to film music because John Williams, who scored ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Raiders (of the Lost Ark),’ is my musical hero. I love the Beatles. I love Michael Jackson. I love Kansas … but John Williams was (about) the melodies.”

Tyler Michael Smith developed a love for cinematic music … “and here he is scoring movies,” Dad says proudly.

At 14, Tyler was a whiz at the piano.

“He’d run these scales up and down," Michael says. "It was not classical. It was just him playing by ear and doing things I can’t do.”

Had he wanted to be a performer, Michael might have counseled him: “I just want to make sure this is what God wants you to do because this is tough,” he says.

“Thank God I’ve survived success and I’ve got great people around me,” Michael says. “I’m so grateful, but to be an artist is a different level. Being a composer is a time-consuming job. It’s a lot of work.”

His other son, Ryan, also is a filmmaker. “It kind of runs in our blood,” Michael says.

“I just love to be involved in things that I believe will work. What’s significant about this story is what the guys were feeling,” he says.

More producing ventures? Of course. But, first, Michael needs to finish an album he started a year and a half ago and go on tour with Amy Grant and CeCe Winans.

“We’re doing 10 shows together, so that will be a blast. I love Christmas music, he says.”

And, back at home? “It’s going to be crazy,” Michael says with a smile.

“Twenty grandkids” and “Daniel and the Fiery Furnace,” he says, will make a great combo.