BREATHEcast.com - As you guys are all fairly new members of the Imperials, how do you feel about singing in a group that's part of the Gospel Music Association Hall of Fame?

Jason Morales - It's an incredible honor.

Jeremie Hudson - We weren't actually part of the group at the time...(laughs)

Jason - But to be part of a group that has been inducted is absolutely incredible.

BREATHEcast.com - How do you guys feel about carrying on the legacy of such a historical group?

Jeremie - We're very honored by that. We know that we're called here to carry on the legacy of the group and expand upon it.

Jason - Absolutely.

BREATHEcast.com - What do you think that legacy represents?

Shannon Smith - I think that one of the things about the history of the group is that for over 40 years and 42 albums, the group has consistently put out music that has built up the Body of Christ. Even my own personal life would be so much different and so much poorer if not for the legacy of this group which has just ministered to me personally through the years. And wherever we go we have so many people come up to us and say, "Man, you'll never know what that song meant to me." For example we were in a coffee shop and somebody who heard that we were The Imperials came up to us and said, "I had the Priority album and my Bible and that's how I came to Jesus Christ." And that's the legacy that we care about the most - from a Spiritual perspective. From a musical perspective, The Imperials have always been a group that's been on the cutting edge of Christian music and we want to continue that as well.

BREATHEcast.com - What are you guys doing to stay on that cutting edge?

Jason - Well for one thing, we're a little bit different because we're a quartet, and there aren't a whole lot of quartets out there right now. And because of that we have ties to that southern gospel twist that no one really pushes anymore. We're not southern gospel, but we have the sound that made The Imperials famous. And on top of that, we like today's music also, music that's upbeat and edgy, and we're trying to meld what's going on right now with what happened at that past.

BREATHEcast.com - What is the audience that you most want to reach?

Jason - Well, The Imperials have always had a very broad audience. Even back in their southern gospel days, when they were backing up Elvis, they got a whole new audience that nobody had even thought of before. Nowadays, we've got everyone from people in their teens and 20's that like the music to people in their 50's. It's really a massive gamut that' s kind of wide open.

Shannon - Yeah, there's really something there for everyone.

BREATHEcast.com - How do you guys choose the songs that you put on the records?

Ian Owens - Violence.

Jeremie - (laughs) There's always been a general consensus about what music we're gonna do. I don't think there's been one time that we've disagreed about what song we're going to record.

BREATHEcast.com - Does the message of the song have a large part to do with that?

Jeremie - Sometimes.

Ian - Up to this point God has pretty strongly called us to the songs that we've ended up doing. It's always been that we hear the song and we all feel a very strong connection to it.

Jeremie - And some of them can be light and some of them can be heavy, as far as the message is concerned. For example, there's a song that we're doing right now called "Beautiful Day," and it's really light, almost a feel-good song. It's got a good message, but it's not going to take you into the depths of God. It basically talks about it being a beautiful day just because you woke up and you have God. But at the same time there's another song that we're doing called "Holy & Acceptable," which has a much heavier spiritual message. So the message is always there, but it's just a matter of what we feel led to do.

BREATHEcast.com - So far, what has been your favorite moment together as a band?

Ian - We ate at this really good Italian restaurant one time.

Shannon - (laughs)

Jeremie - Yeah, that was good. Actually, we thought it was Italian, but it turned out to be Mexican.

Jason - (laughs) But honestly, my favorite moment is getting on stage with these guys and singing. There's nothing better than getting on stage with these three guys and singing, it's absolutely incredible.

BREATHEcast.com - Do you guys think you'll be doing this for a while?

Shannon - Oh yeah.

Jeremie - Yeah.

Jason - Absolutely.

Ian - We hope so. Hopefully, these will be the same faces that you see 40 years from now.

Jason - Just very old and wrinkled.

Jeremie - No, if we can keep these same faces, we'll be alright.

Jason - (laughs) Yeah, we'll be in good shape.

Ian - With the aid of Botox.

Jeremie - (laughs) Yeah, a little bit of surgery.

Shannon - (laughs)

BREATHEcast.com - So what are you guys' biggest plans right now?

Jason - Well, we're working on a new album right now, that's the biggest thing.

Shannon - And we're going to be at the GMA festival in the Rockies in August.

Jason - We're also toying around with the idea of doing an Imperials reunion concert with some of the older Imperials that are still around. But that's all still in the planning stages, so check out the website and we'll keep you up to date on that.