With deep Southern roots, a legendary musical family, and a sound built for the stage, Scout and the Saints join CCM Magazine for an exclusive Spotlight interview and two electrifying live performances.
The guitars are getting louder, the drums are getting heavier, and a new generation of Christian artists is rediscovering the power of good, old-fashioned rock and roll.
Leading that charge is Scout and the Saints, a Georgia-rooted Southern rock band featuring front-woman Scout Butler, her husband and wonderfully chaotic drummer Alec Butler, Scout’s brother Cash Powell on bass and guitar, and college friend turned guitar virtuoso Ryan Huston.
Their mission? Four simple words: “Love Jesus. Rock and Roll.”
“Choosing rock and roll, I think we just don’t know how to do anything else together as a band,” Scout told CCM Magazine during a recent visit to our studios. “When we come together, it’s just what flows out of us no matter what.”
And after watching the band perform, it’s hard to imagine them doing anything else.
WATCH: Scout and the Saints — CCM Magazine Spotlight
Southern Rock Runs in the Family
For a generation of Christian music fans, Mac Powell’s unmistakable voice helped define the sound of Christian rock. Now his family is carrying some of that musical DNA into an entirely new chapter. But Scout and the Saints aren’t trying to recreate Third Day.
Drawing inspiration from The Black Crowes, The Black Keys, Led Zeppelin, Tom Petty, and Bruce Springsteen, Scout has developed a sound rooted in classic rock with a distinctly Southern edge. She credits a Springsteen concert she attended with her father at age 16 as a defining moment.
“It just blew my mind,” Scout recalled. “I was like, this is what I want to do. This, like, rock thing. This is so cool.” The band originally formed in 2021 at Liberty University, bringing together Scout, her husband and drummer Alec Butler, her younger brother and bassist Cash Powell, and guitarist Ryan Huston. “I felt like Holy Spirit was kind of impressing upon me, hey, let’s try Christian music,” she explained.
WATCH: “Oh Lord” — Exclusive Live Performance
One of Scout’s earliest Christian compositions, “Oh Lord,” was inspired by the biblical imagery of God as the potter and humanity as the clay. Scout brought the song to her father, who encouraged her songwriting and helped develop the track.
That family connection has opened doors, but it has also brought expectations.
“Our journey is so different from theirs,” Scout explained, recalling her mother’s prayer that Third Day’s ceiling would become the next generation’s floor.
That idea is becoming a reality.
After spending years performing alongside Mac Powell, Scout and the Saints are preparing to open for Third Day on their 2027 tour, bringing their own music to arena audiences.
It’s an opportunity Scout doesn’t take lightly.
WATCH: “Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” — Exclusive Live Performance
The band’s second CCM Magazine performance, “Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” showcases exactly why this group is worth watching. Born during a Centricity Music songwriting retreat, the guitar-driven anthem celebrates the miracles of Jesus and the promise of what awaits believers in heaven.
“We just pulled from the Word and from Scripture of things that Jesus did,” Scout explained.
And yes, the song has a ripping guitar solo.
“It’s fun to be a Christian. It’s fun to rock out and have a guitar solo and a Christian song.”
The Next Generation of Christian Rock
Perhaps the most refreshing thing about Scout and the Saints is their enthusiasm.
They’re still an independent band, balancing multiple jobs, producing much of their own music, and working to build something sustainable. Their latest EP, Dancing on My Grave, captures the energy of a group discovering exactly who they want to be.
And while the Third Day connection may introduce them to audiences, their performances make a compelling case for sticking around.
“We just want to see Jesus glorified and lifted up and do it through our music,” Scout said.
For years, Christian rock fans have celebrated the legacy of artists who brought Southern swagger and electric guitars into faith-based music.
Now a new generation is picking up those instruments.
Scout and the Saints aren’t asking anyone to forget where Christian rock came from. They’re reminding us that there’s plenty of road left to travel.
And judging by what we heard in our studio, they’re going to have a lot of fun getting there.
Watch the complete CCM Magazine Spotlight interview and both exclusive live performances above.