ilith Fair. Women's rights. Girl Power. Sometimes the emphasis on brilliance and greatness is put on women, so we're going to highlight some of Christian music's most talented guys.
Rich Mullins had received some attention and decent record sales, but not so much as after his death. He wrote songs that you might sing at church like "Awesome God" and "Step By Step" or songs you might ponder in your heart such as Amy Grant's "Doubly Good To You" or his own "The Color Green."
Favorite Book: Orthodoxy, by G.K. Chesterton
Last Release: The Jesus Record [posthumous]
Links: Calling Out Your Name, Rich Mullins on Catholicism, Diana's Rich Page
As a songwriter for names like Amy Grant, Jaci Velasquez, and Russ Taff, Chris Eaton is also a producer, background vocalist, and a highly overlooked artist in the Christian music industry. Coming from England, with an undeniable God-given talent, Eaton has released three spectacular albums since 1986.
Favorite Beatle: Paul McCartney
Latest Release: What Kind of Love, 1998 -Cadence
Links: Unoffical Chris Eaton Homepage, Cliff's Chris Eaton Homepage, Jamsline Biography
Mark Heard's music
had a standard few artists in Christian music will ever attain.
The Macon, Georgia native's songs have been covered by Rich
Mullins, Olivia Newton-John, Julie Miller, Phil Keaggy, among so many
others. He died August 16, 1992, leaving behind his wife: Janet,
and their four year-old daughter: Rebecca.
Last Release: Satellite Sky, 1992
Links: Miles O'Neal Remembers Mark Heard, Mark Heard Lyric Project, Unheard Mark Heard Songs
Chris Rice
had been doing music professionally for ten years before he ever got
signed to a record label. Artists like Sheila Walsh,
Kim Boyce, and Kathy Troccoli covered his songs well, but Rice
delivers his own songs with passion and excellence.
Latest Release: Past the Edges, 1998 -Rocketown Records
Links: Chris Rice's Personal Homepage, Word Records' Chris Rice Page
Wes King is a fine guitarist who crafts
his lyrics in a theologically insightful way. After his
Common Creed album however, he decided to take a different spin on things: he would
use his words to tell stories, just like Jesus told parables.
And so we have A Room Full of Stories with
brilliant songs like "Simplify" (which may want to make you read
J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit), "Who But God," and "Ninevah."
Listen for the potato chip bags.
Links: Unofficial Wes King Page, Offical Wes King Page
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| Scott & Christine Dentè |
Scott Dente is one of
the two members of Out of the Grey. While his wife, Christine,
excels with her voice, Scott certainly shreds on his guitar.
You can hear him on various recordings by Sarah Hart, Cheri Keaggy,
and Amy Grant. He recently teamed up with Wes King and Phil Keaggy
to release Invention, which was mainly an instrumental record.
Latest Out of the Grey release: (see inside)
Links: Official Out of the Grey, Hayley's Unofficial Out of the Grey Page, Invention
What good can come out of the Netherlands? Ralph van Manen for sure. He co-wrote Avalon's "Testify To Love" which was a number one hit for six weeks, breaking the record. You can also find a song he co-wrote with Chris Eaton called "Child of Mine" on Jaci Velasquez's self-titled album.
Latest Release: Vessel of Weakness
Links: Ralph van Manen Homepage