One of the most renowned and widely respected pioneers of contemporary gospel music remains Andrae Crouch. By combining such classic gospel music elements as call-and-response and choir, along with pop songwriting techniques and production, Crouch's style has influenced countless other artists. Born July 1, 1942, in Pacoima, CA, Crouch got his... [+] Read More

One of the most renowned and widely respected pioneers of contemporary gospel music remains Andrae Crouch. By combining such classic gospel music elements as call-and-response and choir, along with pop songwriting techniques and production, Crouch's style has influenced countless other artists. Born July 1, 1942, in Pacoima, CA, Crouch got his musical start at his father's church, singing, playing piano, and before ten years of age, writing his own songs (despite being entirely self-taught). Crouch formed his first serious gospel group during the early '60s, Andrae Crouch & the Disciples, although it wouldn't be until 1977 that the group issued their first release, This Is Another Day (eventually, the "Disciples" name would be dropped, as the albums were credited solely to Crouch).

Crouch's career quickly began to soar, as he kept steadily issuing albums (including such standout releases as 1978's self-titled release, 1981's Don't Give Up, 1982's Live at Carnegie Hall, 1997's Pray, and 1998's Gift of Christmas), as well as penning such renowned gospel tunes as "My Tribute (To God Be the Glory)" and "The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power." In addition, Crouch toured across the globe (including Europe, Africa, the Far East, and the U.S.); collaborated with such acclaimed pop artists as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones, and Madonna; received a total of nine Grammy Awards and an Academy Award nomination; and provided film scores to such movies as The Lion King and Free Willy.

Crouch was inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame in 1998. Shortly thereafter, he was the subject of a tribute album, Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch, which included spirited renditions of Crouch tunes done by the likes of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Take 6, the Winans, and an album-closing finale of "My Tribute (To God Be the Glory)" that included Patti Austin, BeBe Winans, Susan Ashton, and Vestal Goodman among others, as part of a 70-voice all-star choir. Along with numerous guest appearances and a hectic touring schedule, Crouch released Take the Message Everywhere in 2005. ~ Greg Prato & Thom Granger, All Music Guide [-] Hide

A native of Wisner, Louisiana, CCM singer/songwriter Wayne Watson originally planned to pursue a career playing baseball, but while in college he began dabbling in music, and after graduation regularly performed in area churches. While leading worship at a Christian youth camp, the father of one of the children videotaped Watson's performance... [+] Read More

A native of Wisner, Louisiana, CCM singer/songwriter Wayne Watson originally planned to pursue a career playing baseball, but while in college he began dabbling in music, and after graduation regularly performed in area churches. While leading worship at a Christian youth camp, the father of one of the children videotaped Watson's performance and sent it to a Nashville industry rep; his debut LP, Workin' in the Final Hour, followed in 1980. A series of albums like 1982's New Lives for Old, 1984's Man in the Middle and 1985's Giants in the Land followed before his breakthrough record, the Grammy-nominated Watercolor Ponies, appeared in 1987; Watson also notched well over a dozen Dove Award nominations, and launched a number of CCM chart-toppers including "The Class of '95," "Be in Her Eyes," "A Beautiful Place." "Walk in the Dark," "More of You," "It's Time," "Home Free" and "Almighty." In 1995 he signed to Warner/Alliance to issue Field of Souls; The Way Home followed three years later. Appropriately, his song "For Such a Time as This" was used as the theme for the 1999 season premiere of CBS's popular series Touched by an Angel, reflecting Watson's own growing popularity in the secular music arena. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Popular Christian music singer Debby Boone is known for her '70s hit "You Light Up My Life," which stayed at number one for ten weeks in 1977 and won her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

Born in New Jersey, Debby Boone's life was full of music growing up. Her father is Pat Boone, the popular singer of the '50s. At the age of 14,... [+] Read More

Popular Christian music singer Debby Boone is known for her '70s hit "You Light Up My Life," which stayed at number one for ten weeks in 1977 and won her a Grammy Award for Best New Artist.

Born in New Jersey, Debby Boone's life was full of music growing up. Her father is Pat Boone, the popular singer of the '50s. At the age of 14, Debby Boone began touring with her three sisters and her father. Her first solo effort was "You Light Up My Life" and it rendered Debby Boone instant fame and fortune. As pop music changed in the 80s to include not only music but videos, Debby Boone found it hard to keep up the pace. 80s pop music seemed more about image than the message behind the music. She turned her interests to Christian and inspirational music. Her albums include The Best of Debby Boone, Songs of Debby Boone and Friends for Life released on Sparrow Records. She won two more Grammy awards in the Christian and inspirational categories.

Slowly, the pace of music became message-oriented again. Debby Boone eventually wants to return to the music industry, influenced by artists Joan Osborne and k.d. lang. Aside from a successful music and stage career, Debby Boone is also credited as being a children's author. With four children of her own, she is somewhat of an authority. She wrote Hours for Little Ones and Tomorrow Is a Brand New Day. Her 1997 book, Nightlights, was illustrated by her husband, Gabriel Ferrer. She has also produced two children's videos, Bobby Boone's Hug-A-Long Songs, Vol. 1 and Bobby Boone's Hug-A-Long Songs, Vol. 2. She has also written her biography which contains growing up with Pat Boone, her musical career and her married life. Bobby Boone So Far was written with Dennis Baker and published by Thomas Nelson Publishers in 1981.

Debby Boone's acting career includes playing Rizzo in the Broadway production of Grease. In 1984 she portrayed Clarissa Hope in the television movie, Sins of the Past. With a vast array of talent as an author, actress and singer, Debby Boone continues to pursue a variety of interests. Pat Boone describes his daughter as a "reluctant risk taker." Debby Boone's single hit "You Light Up My Life" in 1977 brought about the confidence to make Debby Boone successful in all aspects of her life. Debby Boone resides in Sherman Oaks, California with her husband and their four children, Gabrielle, Dustin, Jordan and Tessa. Her husband, Gabriel Ferrer, is the son of popular film stars Rosemary Clooney and Jose Ferrer. ~ Kim Summers, All Music Guide [-] Hide

[-] Hide

His music a cross between '70s-style light rock and orchestrated pop, Steven Curtis Chapman has been one of the most prominent performers of contemporary Christian music since the '80s. Born and raised in Paducah, KY, Chapman learned to play several instruments while hanging out in his father's music store, excelling at guitar and piano. As a... [+] Read More

His music a cross between '70s-style light rock and orchestrated pop, Steven Curtis Chapman has been one of the most prominent performers of contemporary Christian music since the '80s. Born and raised in Paducah, KY, Chapman learned to play several instruments while hanging out in his father's music store, excelling at guitar and piano. As a young man, he enrolled as a pre-med student at Anderson College in Indiana. He soon decided to pursue a music career and dropped out to go to Nashville, where he began working in a music show at Opryland USA. When not performing, he was busy writing songs, a skill he learned from his father. One of Chapman's tunes was recorded by the Imperials, a prominent gospel group, marking the beginning of his songwriting success; many of gospel and country's brightest stars, including Sandi Patti, Billy Dean, Glen Campbell, and Roger Whittaker, have gone on to record Chapman's songs.

Although several different labels and music publishers were interested in him by 1987, he decided to sign with the major Christian music company Sparrow. That year he cut his first album, First Hand. The first single released from the album, "Weak Days," made it to number two on the contemporary Christian chart. His second album, 1988's Real Life Conversations, earned him four more hits, including the number one song "His Eyes." Co-written with James Isaac Elliott, it earned the Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year award from the Gospel Music Association in 1989. That year, he also won a GMA award for Best Songwriter of the Year. Released later that year, his third album, More to This Life, contained four number one hits and in 1990 earned him an unprecedented ten nominations at the GMA Awards (he won five). His next album, For the Sake of the Call, which contained five number one singles and earned him another slew of GMA awards and his first Grammy in the Best Pop Gospel Album category, only strengthened his position as the king of Christian music.

In 1992, Chapman made a successful bid to attract a more mainstream audience with The Great Adventure, which also won a Grammy, and its accompanying title track video. When Sparrow Records was purchased by EMI/Liberty, they began marketing the album in discount stores, and in 1993, it went gold. Also released in 1993 (both as a video and CD), The Live Adventure won more GMA awards and also earned Chapman a new award from American Songwriter magazine, Songwriter and Artist of the Year. Chapman released his seventh album, Heaven in the Real World, in 1994 and embarked on a major tour. In 1996, Chapman released Signs of Life, which was followed three years later by Speechless. Though Chapman's albums had always done well on the Billboard CCM charts, in 2001, after the release of Declaration, he really began to get even more attention on the Top 200. Both it and 2002's All About Love peaked in the Top 15, and his 2004 record All Things New made it to number 22. In September 2005, in time for the holiday season, Chapman released All I Really Want for Christmas, and the following year Musical Blessing came out.~ Sandra Brennan, All Music Guide [-] Hide

[-] Hide

Although it offers no surprises, The Way Home is a fine collection of attractively polished CCM from Wayne Watson. Stylistically, it is essentially the same album that he's recorded throughout the '90s, but there are enough solid songs to make it worthwhile for longtime fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Although it offers no surprises, The Way Home is a fine collection of attractively polished CCM from Wayne Watson. Stylistically, it is essentially the same album that he's recorded throughout the '90s, but there are enough solid songs to make it worthwhile for longtime fans. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

Best of Debby Boone is a ten-track budget-priced collection that features some of her biggest hits, including "You Light Up My Life," "God Knows, " "When You're Loved, " "Perfect Fool, " "Free to Be Lonely Again" and "Are You On the Road to Love." Although there are better collections available, this isn't a bad choice for casual fans on a...

Best of Debby Boone is a ten-track budget-priced collection that features some of her biggest hits, including "You Light Up My Life," "God Knows, " "When You're Loved, " "Perfect Fool, " "Free to Be Lonely Again" and "Are You On the Road to Love." Although there are better collections available, this isn't a bad choice for casual fans on a budget. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide [-] Hide

[-] Hide

Greatest Hits is an excellent 14-track overview of Steven Curtis Chapman's Chordant recordings. In addition to Chapman's biggest hits and best-known songs, there are two new songs ("Not Home Yet," "I Am Found in You") and alternate takes of "Lord of the Dance" and "The Walk" that were re-recorded at London's legendary Abbey Road studios. The... [+] Read More

Greatest Hits is an excellent 14-track overview of Steven Curtis Chapman's Chordant recordings. In addition to Chapman's biggest hits and best-known songs, there are two new songs ("Not Home Yet," "I Am Found in You") and alternate takes of "Lord of the Dance" and "The Walk" that were re-recorded at London's legendary Abbey Road studios. The result is a fine summary of his most popular recordings and an ideal introduction to his music. ~ Rodney Batdorf, All Music Guide [-] Hide