Petra is an American music group regarded as a pioneer of the Christian rock and contemporary Christian music genres and was, for many years, regarded as the "world's most popular Christian rock band". Formed in 1972, the band took its name from the Greek word for "rock". Though it disbanded formally in 2006, incarnations have played reunion shows in the years since and released two albums in November 2010, and in November 2017. In 2013, it reformed with a new drummer, Cristian Borneo, and recorded a new song titled "Holy is Your Name", before going back on tour.
White Heart, also listed as Whiteheart, was an American contemporary Christian music and pop-rock band which formed in 1982. White Heart's discography includes thirteen albums, the most recent of which was released in 1997. Original members Billy Smiley and Mark Gersmehl worked with a continually changing cast of bandmates. In 1985, former roadie Rick Florian became the lead singer.
Sacred Cows, subtitled "The Songs That Helped Us," is an album featuring the rock band The Swirling Eddies, performing their own less-than-serious versions of popular CCM hits, released in 1996 on StarSong.
Mark "Gersh" Gersmehl is a contemporary Christian musician who is best known as one of the founding members of the Christian rock group White Heart. He and guitarist Billy Smiley were the only two original members of the band to stay with White Heart from its conception in 1982 through its disbandment in 1998. Gersmehl played keyboards in the band, as well as occasionally singing lead vocals. He also contributed his songwriting skills, penning 15 of White Heart's 16 No. 1 hits. When the group disbanded in 1998, he began a solo career, releasing his first solo album in 2002.
White Heart is the first album by the contemporary Christian music band White Heart and the band's only album with Steve Green on lead vocals, released in 1982 on Home Sweet Home Records. A year after its release, the album peaked at number 10 on the Top Inspirational Albums chart in Billboard magazine. White Heart was nominated for a Grammy for their debut album for Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group at the 26th Grammy Awards.
Vital Signs is the second album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the band's first with vocalist Scott Douglas, who replaced Steve Green, released in 1984 on Home Sweet Home Records. By this time, Green had already started his solo recording career with the release of his self-titled debut album released the same year as White Heart's Vital Signs. The album features their first Christian radio number-one hit "We Are His Hands" featuring Green singing background vocals and part of the choir at the end of the song. Vital Signs peaked at number nine on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
Hotline is the third album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the band's first with Gordon Kennedy on guitars and the last with both lead vocalist Scott Douglas and on the Home Sweet Home label. The first radio single "Jerusalem" features lead vocals from both Douglas and lead guitarist Kennedy and became a top five hit on Christian radio and was co-written with the Christian rock duo DeGarmo and Key. Hotline peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
Emergency Broadcast is the fifth album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the band's first with bass guitarist Tommy Sims and is the second album on the Sparrow Records label released in late 1987. The album track "No Taboo" features the vocals of Rick Florian, Mark Gersmehl, Gordon Kennedy and Sims. The album was produced by White Heart, with the executive producer being Randy Moore. Emergency Broadcast peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
Freedom is the sixth album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the last of the band's albums with Sparrow Records. Produced by Brown Bannister, it was also the last album for Tommy Sims, Gordon Kennedy and Chris McHugh, although McHugh returned as a session musician for Tales of Wonder (1992). With Bannister at the production helm and he is best known for producing Amy Grant's albums, he allowed the group to stretch musically and lyrically. It is considered one of White Heart's best albums in Christian rock with both Christian rock and Christian radio (AC/CHR) giving airplay on songs like "Over Me," "Invitation," "The River Will Flow," "Let the Kingdom Come" and "Eighth Wonder." Freedom peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
Powerhouse is the seventh album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the first with Brian Wooten on guitars, Anthony Sallee on bass guitar and the first album on the Star Song label, and the band's only album with Mark Nemer on drums. It was released in late 1990. White Heart continues their arena rock sound from their previous album Freedom with the title song and "Independence Day" becoming hits on Christian Rock radio while their ballads like "Desert Rose" and "Lay It Down" were hits on Christian radio (AC/CHR) stations. Powerhouse peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Tales of Wonder is the eighth album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the band's first with Jon Knox as drummer. Chris McHugh played all drum tracks although Knox was the official drummer for the tour. It is their second album on Star Song Records released in 1992. The album is produced by White Heart founders Mark Gersmehl and Billy Smiley with Brown Bannister as a production consultant and who previously worked with them on their 1989 album Freedom. Every track on Tales of Wonder charted on both Christian Rock and Radio (AC/CHR) charts, except "Morningstar" and "Gabriella." A full-length track of "Morningstar" is heard on their 1994 compilation Nothing But the Best: Radio Classics. The album peaked at number 2 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart. White Heart earned their second Grammy nomination, their first since 1984, for Best Rock Gospel Album for Tales of Wonder at the 35th Grammy Awards.
Highlands is the ninth album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the band's last album with Star Song Records. The album was released and just coming off the singles that were from their Grammy nominated album Tales of Wonder (1992) as well as touring. Highlands was produced by White Heart founders Mark Gersmehl and Billy Smiley with Darrell A. Harris as executive producer. The first radio single "Once and for All" topped the Christian CHR/Pop chart and features members of the 1990's female Christian rock group Rachel Rachel near towards the end of the song. A music video was made for the album's third radio single "Heaven of My Heart". The album peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Inside is the tenth album by the Christian rock band White Heart and the band's only album with John Thorn on bass guitar and also the final album for both lead guitarist Brian Wooten and drummer Jon Knox. The band stylized its name as Whiteheart for this album. It is the first of two albums released on Curb Records. The album was produced by Ken Scott, whose producing and engineering credits include the Beatles, Elton John, Supertramp and David Bowie. Whiteheart's sound was scaled back from the arena rock from their previous releases to a more modern rock sound. Music videos were made for "Even the Hardest Heart" and "Inside".
Redemption is the eleventh and, to date, final studio album by the Christian rock band White Heart. It is their second and final album on Curb Records. Following the departures of lead guitarist Brian Wooten, bass guitarist John Thorn and drummer/percussionist Jon Knox and following up their 1995 album Inside, the group is now reduced to the trio of lead singer Rick Florian and White Heart founders Billy Smiley and Mark Gersmehl and has once again stylized as Whiteheart for this album. The trio has brought in studio musician friends to fill in the rhythm section and have made what critics are calling a redefining album. Redemption is produced by Smiley and Gersmehl with production assistance by Richie Biggs. The album debuted and peaked at number 33 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Rachel Rachel was a contemporary Christian rock musical group that was active in the early 1990s. The group is best known as the first American female Christian rock group in CCM performed in an album-oriented rock style. Members included Cheryl Jewell, Heli Sterner, Brynn Beltran (keyboards), Jennifer York (bass), and Jennifer "Sparky" Sparks (drums). Robin Spurs replaced Jennifer York on bass when York left the group after their first album, but Spurs never recorded for the band.
The discography of White Heart, an American contemporary Christian music pop-rock band, consists of 11 studio albums. The band released its eponymous debut album in January 1982, after which followed 10 additional studio recordings and numerous official and unofficial compilations. Despite their standing as one of the premier CCM bands, White Heart never won a Dove Award. The band was inducted in the Christian Music Hall of Fame on November 6, 2010.
Our Hymns is a compilation album released in 1989 on Word Records. It features well-known church hymns each done by CCM artists' interpretation and styles of music from pop to rock to country. It is also a trilogy of albums from Word Records using the word "Our" in the series starting with this album, along with Our Christmas (1990) and Our Family (1992). The R&B vocal group Take 6 won the Grammy for Best Gospel Performance by a Duo or Group for their interpretation of "The Savior Is Waiting" at the 32nd Grammy Awards. In 1990, the album won Praise and Worship Album of the Year and Amy Grant won Country Recorded Song of the Year for "'Tis So Sweet To Trust In Jesus" at the 21st GMA Dove Awards. Our Hymns debuted and peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
This Year's Model is the 32nd studio album by Christian music vocal group The Imperials, released in 1987 on Myrrh Records. This is the first album to feature new members Jimmie Lee Sloas and Ron Hemby, replacing long-time tenor Jim Murray and lead singer Paul Smith. It was a change in direction as This Year's Model's sound was more rock-oriented alienating long-time fans of the Imperials' four-part harmony of their early years. The track "Power of God" became a theme song for Christian bodybuilders the Power Team and new younger fans began to come to Imperials concerts. Production duties were done by Brown Bannister, who produced their previous album Let the Wind Blow (1985) with songwriting contributions from fellow CCM acts Pam Mark Hall, Chris Eaton and Paul Smith who co-wrote the lead single "Wings of Love". This Year's Model peaked at number 3 on the Billboard Top Inspirational Albums chart.
Nothing But the Best: Radio Classics is an official 1994 compilation album by the Christian rock band White Heart. This is the second of two albums by White Heart with the other being Nothing But the Best: Rock Classics, as they were released separately. This collection features songs from both the Sparrow and Star Song years 1986-1994 focusing on their Christian radio hits in AC and CHR/pop, many of them went to number one, where as Rock Classics focuses on their rock cuts from the same period. Radio Classics features a new song, "My Eyes Have Seen", and a full-length version of "Morningstar." A shorter version was heard on their 1992 album Tales of Wonder. Both tracks were released as Christian radio singles from this collection. Session musician Mark Hill was brought in and played bass guitar on both new songs and replaced Anthony Sallee who had left the group after the release of 1993's Highlands. The album debuted and peaked at number 29 on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
Cry for the Desert is the eighth studio album by Christian singer-songwriter Twila Paris, released in 1990 by Star Song Records. The album is Paris' first time working with producer Brown Bannister, who is best known for producing Christian pop superstar Amy Grant's albums and recently produced the Christian rock group White Heart's 1989 album Freedom and features the band's rhythm section of guitarist Gordon Kennedy, bassist Tommy Sims and drummer Chris McHugh. Producer Bannister updated Paris' sound on Cry for the Desert to sound more contemporary pop while still incorporating her praise and worship music. Paris' song "How Beautiful" is now considered a modern day hymn and is used during Easter services during communion. The song is ranked in the Top 20 from CCM Magazine's 2006 book The 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music. Paris was nominated in two categories at the 22nd GMA Dove Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year. Cry for the Desert climbed up to number two on the Billboard Top Christian Albums chart.
