 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Dick and Melodie Tunney are a husband-and-wife duo who have written and performed with many contemporary Christian artists. They have written songs for Sandi Patti, Larnelle Harris and other Christian artists.
Melodie was raised in a minister of music's home in Fort Worth, and Dick came from a working family in Ohio. Both were musicians at an early age. In the late 1970s, they joined a Christian group called "Truth," which brought the two together. After 18 months of constant touring, Dick joined the award-winning group the Imperials. Six months later the couple married and settled in Nashville, Tennessee. Throughout the 1980s, Dick and Melodie focused on songwriting and studio work,[ citation needed ] and immersed themselves in Nashville's creative community. Mel then formed the studio vocal group First Call with fellow studio singers Bonnie Keen and Marty McCall. In 1986, Christian artist Sandi Patty hired Dick as musical director and pianist, and First Call as her backup group. The "Let There Be Praise Tour" covered 150 cities in 18 months and launched First Call on a tour of their own while Dick remained on tour with Sandi.
After the births of two daughters over a 15-month period, Dick and Melodie chose to return home from touring. Within a year, their first joint recording project, Let the Dreamers Dream, was released by Warner Alliance in 1991. Soon the couple found themselves traveling nearly every weekend to local churches across America, sharing a collection of Tunney songs aimed at Christians. All told, Dick and Mel spent a dozen years traveling to more than 400 churches nationwide.
As their daughters grew into their high school years, the Tunneys devoted themselves to their local church's worship ministry the expansion of Dick's studio role as producer–arranger, so they could be closer to home. Mel continued to work as a session singer in Nashville, and Dick found himself recording and conducting ensembles like the London Philharmonic Orchestra, The Irish Film Orchestra and the City of Prague Philharmonic.
In 2006, the First Baptist Church of Columbia, Tennessee invited Dick and Mel to lead the worship ministry of its growing congregation, first on an interim basis and then as worship leaders/artists in residence. Soon thereafter, Steve Green Ministries invited Dick to tour with him as pianist and musical director.
The Tunneys' have received ten Dove Awards, nearly 30 Dove nominations and a Grammy Award (for “How Excellent Is Thy Name”, recorded by Larnelle Harris). Their songs have appeared in print music and church hymnals, and Dick and Mel have shared the stage with many Christian artists. They have also been in involved in many recording projects as studio vocalist, keyboard player, arranger(s) and producer. They have recorded eight albums together, and Dick has recorded five solo instrumental albums. The couple has penned more than 150 songs, many of which have been recorded by other Christian artists.
Michael Whitaker Smith is an American musician who has charted in both contemporary Christian and mainstream charts. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when "Place in This World" hit No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100. Over the course of his career, he has sold more than 18 million albums.
Point of Grace is an all-female contemporary Christian music vocal group. The current trio consists of Shelley Breen, Denise Jones, and Leigh Cappillino. The group started out as a quartet in 1991, with original members Breen and Jones, as well as Terry Jones and Heather Payne. Terry Jones left in November 2003 to spend more time with her family after the birth of her third child, with Cappillino joining in March 2004 for their 2004 release I Choose You. In June 2008, Payne announced her retirement from the group to spend more time with her family.
Larnelle Steward Harris is an American gospel singer and songwriter. During his 40-plus years of ministry, Harris has recorded 18 albums, won five Grammy Awards and 11 Dove Awards, and has had several number one songs on the inspirational music charts.
Steve Green is an American Christian music singer.
Dottie Rambo was an American gospel singer and songwriter. She was a Grammy winning solo artist and multiple Dove award-winning artist. Along with ex-husband Buck and daughter Reba, she formed the award-winning southern Gospel group, The Rambos. She wrote more than 2,500 songs, including her most notable, "The Holy Hills of Heaven Call Me", "He Looked Beyond My Fault and Saw My Need", "We Shall Behold Him", and "I Go To the Rock".
The 20th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 13, 1989, recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 1988. The show was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
First Call is an American contemporary Christian music (CCM) group, consisting of Mel Tunney, Marty McCall, and Bonnie Keen. During their career spanning more than 30 years, the group worked with many noted producers and arrangers including David Maddux, Steven Tayler, Dan Keen, Greg Nelson, Keith Thomas, Neal Joseph, Wayne Kirkpatrick, Phil Naish and Darrell Brown.
Clay Crosse is a contemporary Christian music artist. He has won four GMA Dove Awards, and is probably best known for the single "I Surrender All".
Paul Charles Smith is a Contemporary Christian Music performer and songwriter. He is best remembered for his early years with influential gospel group The Imperials. Smith spent four years with that group, recording four albums and one live video. Smith was inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame as a member of The Imperials. He has recorded several solo albums and is a songwriter.
Greg Nelson is a music producer from Nashville.
The 22nd Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on April 11, 1991, recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 1990. The show was held at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, and was hosted by Clifton Davis and Sandi Patti.
The 19th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on 1988 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 1987. The show was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 18th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on 1987 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 1986. The show was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
The 14th Annual GMA Dove Awards were held on 1983 recognizing accomplishments of musicians for the year 1982. The show was held in Nashville, Tennessee.
Daniel Joseph Schafer is an American pop, country music and Christian singer, guitarist, songwriter, and actor. He was a recording artist for RCA Records and moved from playing guitar in the studio to songwriting and touring with national country music artists.
More Than Wonderful is a live album by Gospel singer Sandi Patti issued in 1983 on Impact Records. The album reached No. 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. The track "More Than Wonderful" would win many accolades including a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group at the 26th Grammy Awards, winning both Patti and Larnelle Harris their first Grammys together and a Dove Award for Song of the Year for its writer Lanny Wolfe and the album would win Inspirational Album of the Year and Patti won both Female Vocalist and Artist of the Year at the 15th GMA Dove Awards in 1984. In 1985, the track "Upon This Rock" wins Song of the Year, given to its writers Gloria Gaither and Dony McGuire at the 16th GMA Dove Awards. The album was certified Gold in 1985 and Platinum in 1990 by the Recording Industry Association of America. In 1990, More Than Wonderful was re-issued on Word Records.
Songs from the Heart is the seventh studio album by Christian gospel singer Sandi Patti, released in 1984 on Impact Records. The album was nominated for Best Gospel Performance, Female at the 27th Annual Grammy Awards and won Inspirational Album at the 16th GMA Dove Awards in 1985. The track "Via Dolorosa" won Song of the Year at the Dove Awards the following year, going to its writers Billy Sprague and Niles Borop. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. The album has been certified Gold by the RIAA in 1987. In 1990, Songs from the Heart was re-issued on Word Records.
Morning Like This is the ninth studio album by Christian/inspirational singer Sandi Patti and her first album on Word Records released in 1986. Morning Like This was considered a successful album and a turning point in her career. It was released in March 1986 and a few months after its release, Patti had reached national acclaim after her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" was included during the ABC Statue of Liberty re-dedication broadcast on July 6, 1986. This exposure led to multiple mainstream television appearances including The Tonight Show and Christmas in Washington. The album was listed at No. 87 from CCM Magazine in their 2001 book CCM Presents: The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music. In 1987, Patti won 2 Grammy Awards for Best Gospel Performance, Female and Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group with R&B singer Deniece Williams for the track "They Say" from Williams' Gospel album So Glad I Know at the 29th Grammy Awards and later would win 3 GMA Dove Awards for Female Vocalist, Artist of the Year and Inspirational Album of the Year. The track "In The Name Of The Lord" would win a GMA Dove Award for Song of the Year in 1988 given to Patti and her co-writers Gloria Gaither and Phil McHugh. Morning Like This topped the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart, finishing in the Top 3 for three years on their Inspirational Albums year-end charts, including taking the number 1 album of 1987 and was certified Gold in 1987 and Platinum in 1993 by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Make His Praise Glorious is the tenth studio album by Christian singer Sandi Patti, released in 1988 on Word Records. The track "Almighty God" was nominated for a Grammy for Best Gospel Performance, Female and would win Patti three GMA Dove Awards for Female Vocalist, Inspirational Album and Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year at the 20th GMA Dove Awards in 1989. Make His Praise Glorious topped the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and it was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Another Time...Another Place is the twelfth studio album by Christian singer Sandi Patti, released in 1990 on Word Records. Like her 1986 best seller and award-winning album Morning Like This, Another Time...Another Place was another definitive album with in addition to her inspirational anthems, there are also some pop elements and uptempo songs. The title song features a duet with fellow Christian singer and songwriter Wayne Watson. It became a successful hit climbing to No. 1 on the Christian AC chart and would win them a GMA Dove Award for Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year and it also won Song of the Year, given to its writer Gary Driskell. The album also features popular CCM recording artist Amy Grant providing guest vocals on the song "Unexpected Friends". In 1991, Patti would win her fifth and final Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album at the 33rd Grammy Awards and wins Female Vocalist of the Year and Inspirational Album of the Year at the 22nd GMA Dove Awards. Its music video won Short Form Music Video of the Year in 1992. The album peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart and was certified Gold in 1992 by the Recording Industry Association of America. The CD version contains a bonus track "Rejoice", originally recorded by Christian pop group NewSong.
