Any other Early+ Christian music lovers? (e.g. Larry Norman, Glad, Petra, The Imperials, etc)

hey! I KNOW this song!! I've never heard Etta sing it but LOVE the song!! (trying to remember who I knew it by... yonsss ago, though!) and LOLOL about "this was in the late 80s and 90s but we're so far behind the times here those songs probably actually came out in the 50s and 60s." HAHAHAHA!!! (I went back and tried to find who I'd remembered hearing sing it and the version that seems closest is the Johnny Paycheck and Jody Miller one --although it could well have been the HeeHaw Gospel Quartet, too . Funny to hear myself saying that! LOL

I used to watch HeeHaw with my grandparents every Sat night that I can remember when I was growing up. Sweet memories! Not sure if you ever listened to the old country music, but that was also back when it was just the expected and regular thing for country singers to end their shows/ concerts/ performances with a gospel song. Crazy, huh? --but nice!!

I remember that song, too! LOVE it! I think George Jones was who I remember hearing sing it. And I know what you mean about being in a place that was behind the times like that. My parents had a small Christian bookstore when I was growing up so my dad was the one who got turned onto Christian music first and then passed on his music and his love for it to me. From there I did attend youth camps and church mixers with youth from the sister churches (who were also in larger cities) so I had more access to it than I would have. If I had only heard what I could find from home I'd still be lucky to have HeeHaw's contemporary take on gospel! LOL

Cool, and yeah I remember watching HeeHaw when I was a kid with my mom and dad....funny stuff now days, but really good times back then and a lot of good memories. And yeah, it is cool how they would end their shows with a gospel song.

My grandma and grandpa wasn't into HeeHaw....Had to watch the 700 Club with them... not as funny, but still good memories too though....lol

Sounds like you had some awesome experiences....and I do really enjoy those songs you posted before....They are new songs for me, so I guess that still puts me at about 20 years behind times, right... just kidding, lol

I recognized the names of those groups/artists but couldn't call up any particular of their songs to mind so went back to do some digging My Dad had either 8 tracks (hey.. DON'T laugh!! LOL) or the vinyls to all but the Rez Band. I had one of theirs but he thought it was "just too much" and didn't let me listen to it lol. (probably more likely bc a guy I liked had given it to me and he didn't like that part of it either lol. dads! lol).

I only remembered 2 Chuck Girard songs -- Song for a Christian Wedding and Sometimes Alleluia... I didn't remember or know anything by Randy Matthews but Didn't He.... Not sure I know Matthew Ward but have him on my radar now ... Rez --I was given DMZ but.. alas... LOL never got back to it... lol. Second Chapter of Acts-- the Easter Song.. Do you remember Phil Keaggy? Don Francisco? Keith Green? I thought of all of these as I was listening to the ones you'd mentioned. All PRIMO!!

My parents were the ones into the 700 Club -- well, actually it was the waaaay back version because it was the PTL Club <cue "Praise the Lord" song> lol eeeek

Wow!!! I really appreciated the time to write this!!! It is no problem because I had to get offline...that's why I didn't reply straight away. I love to talk and sometimes when I write long passages and someone replies with a short one... I get like sorta offended coz i think that person doesn't really want to say as much as me! SOOO...I'm so glad I met you!!! You're an awesome person and so full of eccentric spike! Totally awesome...

I loved the way you added a bit of your testimony...wow...it was beautiful. SO, have you been a Christian all your life? Or not?

I totally agree with you on Lauren Daigle....her music is so powerful and has indeed impacted many people...in all walks of life. She may be in a struggle when it comes to compromise...therefore, we should pray for her. Not condemn her. Yeah, she has made mistakes...and compromised in a few areas...but we should indeed pray for her to be strong and courageous. And she should be reminded of her song "Loyal." That's the first song that I heard that made me follow her music. I really admired her passion for God.

I have heard of all of these artist that you mentioned! I LOVE their music soo much!! I think pretty much I know all the artist you know... There's not one I have not heard of LOL..hope you don't mind my bragging...

Jamie Grace was one of the first Christian artists I took as an idol when i was younger....she is really admirable!! Love Lecrae, Hollyn, Tasha Cobbs Leonard, Francesca Battistelli, Britt Nicole, Matthew West....to name a few! Hehe

Again...thank you for writing all this!!! I am very grateful for the time.

Naaahhh...you wouldn't scare me away hehe I enjoyed the conversation also....Just be freee...coz, it's you, right? And like, I said...I couldn't reply straight away at that time. Awww, I'm glad you loved the song Burn the Ships!!! I'm thrilled....hey...I can always PM you...I have access to it...soooo...yeah!

I am enjoying the time that we're spending chatting together VERY much, so no need to thank me! (but.. you're very welcome! ). And I'll have to check out a few more of the name you mentioned but already know and love Britt Nicole, Francesca Battistelli (a TOTAL fave!!!!) and Matthew West... yes, yes, YES!!! I love that we love and appreciate so much music in common!!! <3

And I really appreciated what you had to say about Lauren Daigle, and the way that you said it. I think it's so easy for Christians to be harsh and critical with each other, and to rip each other apart when we need to fight that hard or harder FOR each other in prayer against the REAL enemy. (Not sure if you watch movies, but I love the Hunger Games movies. That made me think of a line from there to "Remember who the REAL enemy is.")

I know!!!! It's totally cool! We gotta stick together coz it's not always we find people who share the same music interests. Hey...it would be so cool if you post some of your favourite songs of the artist and I do the same...what you say?

Do you listen to Hillsong Worship? What about Hillsong United? Or Young and Free??? I absolutely LOVE this song...oh my goodness...


Hahaha no I don't watch the Hunger Games... (I don't watch too much of the secular stuff...sooo...hehe)

That's probably a very good thing!! I would love to go back and forth sharing music with you ... need to run for now though. Not sure if I'll get the chance to pop on again today or if I even will before late tonight. Just have a really busy day coming full force at me. I have some really heavy stuff going on in my family and in my personal life. Nothing that I'm comfortable sharing at this point (partly bc it's very complicated and I have to get going), but please pray for me if you think of me.

Will listen to that song before I go if I can, or as soon as I get the chance. Thanks for sharing it! Talk again soon...

I've recognized everyone you've mentioned so far, but only ever listened to a few. And not even very much. I had some Petra, but preferred the live album Captured in Time and Space? It had a weird robot rock/industrial vibe that was cool.
I listened to a little Degarmo and Key, but that was short lived.
And Rez Band is probably the one i most listened to, but mostly their later stuff like Innocent Blood and Silence Screams, though the last full album they did, Lament, was AMAZING. I still don't know how that vocalist did so much. On top of his band and many solo projects he was a husband, father, record label owner, homeless ministry organizer, pastor (?) and ran one of the largest Christian music festivals. Whew.

But have you ever heard the original Rez Band demos? I'm not a big fan of 70s rock but this stuff was actually pretty good.

This is their second demo from 1974

I had no idea that they'd been around THAT long!?! :O I guess I never really got into the "harder" music, although I could appreciate when they had a good message. I did like some though if it hit me just right. I did like Stryper back in the day.. and a band called First Strike. I liked the poppy music most, but did also get into the new wave kinds of stuff like Crumbacher, Undercover, Steve Taylor, and Quickflight. Some of it was kind of weird (looking back lol) but I was a young teen so.... lol. Most of what I liked I REALLY still like though. And my dad was really into the early Christian music so I enjoyed whatever music he played and was into as well as what I found and liked for myself. Total win-win!

Oh no. You did NOT just refer to Rez as 'harder' music
I loved Stryper back in the day. Are you aware they're playing? They broke up and got back together over 10 years ago. And now, if i recall correctly, Oz Fox, guitarist, is battling brain tumors. o.0

Pop music... /shakes head...
Steve Taylor was pretty edgy for his time. Lyrically, not musically.
I was less fortunate with my dads primary musical tastes, than you. But before becoming a redneck my sister got me into 80s metal. So that was good haha. Then becoming a Christian got me into heavy music, believe it or not. My dad went through his TBN phase and was convinced all rock metal was satanic. Including Stryper, which is what he told my sister. So when i got saved and became a metal head my dad was Not happy haha. But he outgrew that eventually, thanks to me. As well as his disinterest or distaste for other forms of music. Thought he still hates music that doesn't contain real instruments (rap and techno).

Oh, you mean this First Strike (i actually have the MP3s).

LOL about Rez... sorry bro LOL ... and yes, Steve Taylor was edgy lyric-wise. Still writes too, I think? But has had some really great (lots to think about) songs.

I was fortunate with my dad's musical interests, yes, but I grew up in a church/denomination that was NOT so open minded so I know how that can be. And I well remember the days of album bashing and bonfires -- even of Christian music with a beat. Crazy times. I believe that at least many of them meant well, but it did still get crazy.

And LOL yes! THIS First Strike! lol Haven't heard them in yearsssss. A guy from church made me a cassette of them and it, of course, wore out ages ago. Enjoying listening to them, thanks. I guess I could've/should've looked them up anytime before now but just never thought about it. Ok, honestly, I can't believe how much I'm enjoying this. LOL...

I was raised Baptist, but saved Pentecostal. My dad didn't really have a problem with rock until TBN started airing anti-rock shows when i was about 10. By 13 i was getting into Ratt, GnR, Whitesnake, etc... behind his back haha. But i was so brainwashed that i was often afraid demons would come out of the speakers listening to it.

I was fortunate to have been saved into a more open church, musically. The guy that played drums for the youth worship team and did the audio during service is the guy that introduced me to Christian metal, other than Stryper. A few others there dipped into it as well. And i ended up meeting others and making a band. And more later on. I remember a group of us driving 4 hours for Christian punk and metal concerts. At one youth group i went to the youth pastor had been in a punk band while in seminary haha. He started bringing bands to the church for shows.

I listened to a little of that First Strike and couldn't finish the first song haha. So random that of all the bands in that genre you listened to some underground bands demo's and none of the bigger bands were what you ended up with haha. Sooo much more to choose from.

Hi again, Ms Gracie! by the time you get this Good Morning!!

I loved your idea about us posting/sharing our fave songs from various artists (at the same time). I think that sounds like fun!
And yes, I do like song of Hillsong's music.. although I didn't know that there are SO MANY different splinter groups of them!! As I said I do like quite a few of their songs but to name a couple I love Draw Me Close to You... and... You Are My All in All. Also From the Inside Out is a HUGE fave of mine so will share it.

Btw, sorry that I had to run like I did this morning. Thankfully the day ended up going so much better than how it'd begun and seemed to be going. Yayyyy!!! (Thank you, Jesus!! ). Anyway, thanks for understanding. <3

I totally understand what you're talking about with the anti-rock stuff (yep, check, check..)... and being afraid demons would come out of the speakers (OMGosh, yes! CHECK!) Was your church/es heavy into the Tribulation and rapture movies? I hated going outside at night alone after that. I was always waiting for the militia people to jump out from behind a bush and tell me to either renounce my faith and spit on a cross or they were going to cut off my head. (and, honestly, I am being serious... and not exaggerating. I was a preteen at the time and it scared the Jesus INTO me -- farther, anyway, because I had already accepted him by choice, but still... and I was in a church where it was very legalistic and we believed that we could lose our salvation so I lived in utter fear of messing up and failing the Lord. Ummm.. anyway... not a background that I know many who can relate to... yet?... ).

VERY cool that you met people in church who hooked you up with Christian artists who played the kind of music that you really enjoyed. I think that's one of the most awesome things about all of the alternative bands and styles. Why shouldn't people be able to be challenged and encouraged spiritually and be able to praise God along with a style of music that they love. (I'm just glad that I don't have to love ALL of it LOL).

And LOL, yeah, funny that I never really knew of the main groups in those genres that I dabbled in. I guess they weren't really my thing so much and since those were some of the earliest groups (as far as I knew/know) in those styles I guess I just got what my friends who were really into it passed along. LOL that you couldn't even finish the first song!!! hahahaha what was it about the song that you didn't like? just curious...

None that i went to were heavily into all that. It was taught, but not disproportionately. But that doesn't mean i didn't still have my fears about it. Actually about a year ago i was out of state when all phone service went out. No phone, no internet, i mean NO internet, nothing. I woke my friend and theirs was out too (different cell company). I was so panicked that it was some government conspiracy and the soldiers were being dispatched to drag people out of their homes. haha. Turns out it was some huge outage over the whole east coast that was fixed by the next morning hahaha. My imagination can be excessively vivid at times.
Those legalistic churches often border on cultism. I went to a home church for a few times that was like that. They prayed for me and insisted God had done something in me (I couldn't tell it) and that i had to change my shirt. I humored them, but didn't buy it. When it came time to leave i put my (Christian) shirt back on and they told me by doing that i just undid everything God just did in me. 0.o
I quit going from a bunch of weird stuff, and naturally shared my experiences. When they found out i was 'talking badly about their church' a few of them showed up at my door and while nothing was overt it was clear they were intended to be threatening.
A year later they got in trouble they got put on the cult watch for helping a 16 year old girl run away from her Christian parents because her parents didn't approve of their 'church'.

haha, yeah. It's always been an uphill battle, though. Especially since my tastes tended towards the extreme end of the music spectrum. Fortunately i didn't face a lot of personal backlash as a result.
Though i was in leadership at my then primary churches youth group, and looked like a metal head (hair to my waist, combat boots, cut off jean shorts, chain wallet to my knees, black band shirts) and this one mom became very suspicious of me. She would grill her kids after picking them up, asking questions about me every week hahaha.
She eventually came up and worked her way into a conversation a group of us were having. I could tell something was up with her, but hadn't been aware of her spying haha. She eventually started directing conversation towards me. When it was all said and done she ended up being a good friend and i even watched her kids for her often (single mother, worked nights, 3 kids) and basically could walk into her house as if i lived there haha.
But, like you, i'm glad i don't have to like all of it either /looks at all CCM and cringes

Hmm... I'm not sure what year you started listening, but that First Strike album came out in 1989. That is actually close to the end of that genres (hair metal) popularity. Styper started in.. 83 i believe.
Stronghold (not popular that i know of) put out an album in 82. 83 had Scarlet (hair metal) and Heavens Force (thrash) releases. 84 was seeing more releases and on and on. And that's just using my limited albums of the time period/genre that i have. It's not a time i knew much about what was being released. No doubt those who were could provide plenty more. 85 started showing demo's of some of the bands that would get bigger. By the time i got saved (98 i think) the bigger bands were already established with a few albums under their belt. A few short years later grunge came out and the scene went bye bye.
It just wasn't your thing haha. Or you weren't around people that encouraged your interest in it, probably more to the point.
I know when pop punk came out it seemed like everyone i was around was into it and metal was 'dated'. I sort of got into it, but soon as those people disappeared so did my interest. Now i count that as among the lowest forms of music, down there with country

My reason for not liking the song? Hmm... i tried to block it out, so let me try again haha.
Listening... it start out fine.
I think the lyrics seem too cheesy for one thing. And his voice begins grating on me. And the music overall doesn't have much kick to it. It's a bit tame, flat, even for the genre. Compare that band to this bands demo of the same genre from just one previous.

I still need to work back through what you'd just written. I think I must be getting tired bc my mind isn't processing as quickly. (Man old age stinks! LOL ). I couldn't remember the actual title of the album that I'd had of their's (First Strike) so I did some backtracking. I knew that I'd listened to it earlier than you seemed to indicate and yes, it was 1984 when their album Rock of Offense was released. That was the one that I had (and loved! lol) Here's a link to that one. It doesn't seem as flat and lifeless as the one that you'd posted of them, of course I could just be biased lol. I'm going to go ahead and post this first and then go back through your post to respond to anything else. (Because I can? lolol)