This biography of a living person relies too much on references to primary sources .(September 2014) |
Glenn Kaiser | |
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Background information | |
Born | Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. | January 21, 1953
Genres | Contemporary Christian music, christian rock, Blues-rock, hard rock, christian music |
Occupation(s) | Musician, pastor |
Instrument(s) | Guitar, harmonica, lap steel guitar |
Years active | c. 1965–present |
Labels | Grrr |
Website | gkaiser |
Glenn Kaiser (born January 21, 1953) [1] is an American, Chicago-based Christian rock, Christian blues musician, singer, songwriter and pastor. He was the leader of Resurrection Band and is currently the leader of The Glenn Kaiser Band.
Kaiser's older brother and sister left the house while he was still young [2] and his parents divorced when he was nine years old. Kaiser was active in Milwaukee's music scene, starting at the age of twelve, and was a member of more than twelve bands, leading two, before reaching nineteen years of age. [3]
Glenn Kaiser was raised as a nominal Lutheran and used drugs before he became a born-again Christian, around the time of his eighteenth birthday. [2] [3] He was quoted as saying: "Nothing else gave me so much happiness or sense of purpose until I asked Jesus Christ to come into my heart and become absolute Lord of my life." [2]
Kaiser joined and got involved in The USA Traveling Team of Jesus People Milwaukee (later renamed Jesus People USA ), where he met Wendi, his future wife. Wendi's brother, John Herrin, Jr. , and Glenn later became members of the pastoral team before the age of twenty-five. [2] JPUSA is the community that organized the Cornerstone Festival, at which Glenn Kaiser and Resurrection Band have played.
Glenn Kaiser married former Resurrection Band member Wendi Herrin (born April 8, 1953 [1] ) in June 1972. [4] Glenn and Wendi have one son, Aaron, and three daughters: Rebecca (husband Timothy), Heidi, and Ami. [1] In 1994 Glenn Kaiser published a book, The Responsibility of the Christian Musician. [5]
Glenn Kaiser's most successful and prominent band is Resurrection Band. Personnel included his wife Wendi, Wendi's brother John Herrin , Jim Denton, who was later replaced by Roy Montroy in 1987, and Stu Heiss. It began in mid-December 1971 as a band of the Jesus People of Milwaukee (part of The USA Traveling Team) and was first known as "Charity" (the King James Bible term for "love"). It was a traveling team and a mobile outreach of Jesus People of Milwaukee until the ministry disbanded in the summer of 1972. "Charity" changed its name to "Resurrection Band" around March 1972 and the band, as part of The USA Traveling Team left Milwaukee for the last time in early June 1972. They performed on the road for a few months, while loosely based in Florida, before calling Chicago home in early 1973 with Jesus People USA. They made several international tours to Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Germany, The Netherlands, France, Great Britain, Sweden, Finland and more. Though many considered it "the devil's music", [2] Resurrection Band helped the movement of contemporary Christian music towards blues and rock music. It disbanded, after nearly 30 years, in 2000.
Although the band did break up in 2000, they have subsequently reunited for a few shows. Resurrection Band performed at Cornerstone Festival 2008 for the festival's 25th anniversary and also performed at the Chelsea House, a Chicago coffeehouse run by JPUSA. The key members of the band were the same at both shows, but Mike Choby (the bassist for Maron, another Jesus People USA band) filled in on keyboards.
Jesus music, known as gospel beat music in the United Kingdom, is a style of Christian music that originated on the West Coast of the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This musical genre developed in parallel to the Jesus movement. It outlasted the movement that spawned it and the Christian music industry began to eclipse it and absorb its musicians around 1975.
Jesus People USA (JPUSA) pronounced: ǰ-pu-sa is a Christian intentional community in Uptown, on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois.
Resurrection Band, also known as Rez Band or REZ, was a Christian rock band formed in 1972. They were part of the Jesus People USA Christian community in Chicago and most of its members have continued in that community to this day. Known for their blend of blues-rock and hard rock, Resurrection Band is credited as one of the forerunners of the Christian metal genre. Christianity Today called them "the most influential band in Christian music history." Following their debut in 1978, the band's greatest popularity was during the early 1980s, but later in the decade they received some crossover success when they had two music videos featured on MTV.
Awaiting Your Reply is the debut album by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1978.
Rainbow's End is the second full-length album by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1979.
Colours is the third full-length album by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1980.
Mommy Don't Love Daddy Anymore is the fourth album by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1981.
D.M.Z. is the fifth full-length album by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1982. It was the band's final release for Light Records.
Live Bootleg is the first live album by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1984. It was the band's first release for Sparrow Records, and also their first under the shortened moniker "Rez Band." Live Bootleg was the group's biggest selling album.
Hostage is the sixth studio album, from American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in late 1984.
Between Heaven 'N Hell is the seventh studio album, from American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1985. This is the first album on which Resurrection Band shortened its moniker to "REZ", and it also marks the band's final album for Sparrow Records.
Silence Screams is the eighth studio album, by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1988.
REZ: Compact Favorites was the 11th release, and second compilation album, by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, known at this point as "REZ", released in 1988.
Innocent Blood is the ninth studio album, by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1989.
Civil Rites is the tenth studio album, by American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1991.
XX Years Live is the 14th release, and second live album, from American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1992.
Lament is the twelfth and last studio album of original material, from American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1995. The band also reverted to their original moniker with this album.
Music to Raise the Dead is the first independent cassette from American Christian rock band Resurrection Band, released in 1974. Although technically the band's first release, the album Awaiting Your Reply four years later is considered by most to be the band's official debut.
Darrell Mansfield is an American vocalist, harmonica player, songwriter, recording artist, and performer of various genres including gospel, contemporary Christian music, blues, blues rock, rock, country rock, and soul/R&B. He is considered a pioneer of the Jesus Music movement of the 1970s and has influenced countless contemporary Christian music and mainstream artists alike.
Every Day Life, later simply known as EDL, was a Christian rapcore group. The band became identified with the straight edge movement, which advocates abstinence from sex, drugs and tobacco.