Guided by Voices (GBV) is an American indie rock band formed in 1983 in Dayton, Ohio. It has made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard. The most well-known lineup of the band consisted of Pollard, his brother Jim, Mitch Mitchell, Tobin Sprout, Kevin Fennell (drums), and bassist Greg Demos. Noted at first for its lo-fi aesthetic and Portastudio four-tracks-to-cassette production methods, Guided by Voices' music was influenced by early post–British Invasion garage rock, psychedelic rock, progressive rock, punk rock and post-punk. The band has had a prolific output, releasing 35 full-length albums along with many other releases, and has garnered a dedicated cult following. Their songs are known for their frequent brevity and for ending abruptly or intertwining with eclectic and homemade sound effects.
Rockapella is an American a cappella musical group formed in 1986 in New York City. The group's name is an amalgam of "rock" and "a cappella". Rockapella sings original vocal music and a cappella covers of pop and rock songs; and over time, their sound has evolved from high-energy pop and world music toward a more R&B-style sound. Rockapella initially found their biggest success in Japan throughout their career. They are also known for their role as a vocal house band and resident comedy troupe on the PBS children's geography game show Where in the World Is Carmen Sandiego?, based on the educational computer game of the same name developed and published by Broderbund.
Rebecca Jean Fink, known professionally as Rebecca Jean or Rebecca St. James, is an Australian Christian pop rock singer, songwriter and actress. She began performing in Australia in the late 1980s and released her first full-length studio album in 1991. She was signed to ForeFront Records in 1993, releasing her major label debut the following year.
Take 6 is an American a cappella gospel sextet formed in 1980 on the campus of Oakwood College in Huntsville, Alabama. The group integrates jazz with spiritual and inspirational lyrics. Take 6 has received several Grammy Awards as well as Dove Awards, a Soul Train Award and nominations for the NAACP Image Award.
Anointed is a contemporary Christian music duo from Columbus, Ohio, known for their strong vocals and harmonies, featuring siblings Steve Crawford and Da'dra Crawford Greathouse, along with former members Nee-C Walls and Mary Tiller. Their musical style includes elements of R&B, pop, rock, funk and piano ballads. The group has won seven Dove Awards, two Stellar Awards and three Grammy Award nominations. The group has also been featured on several Christian compilation albums such as Real Life Music, 1996 and WOW The 90s.
Lycia is an American dark wave band formed in 1988 in Tempe, Arizona. The main personnel of the band are Mike VanPortfleet, Tara VanFlower and David Galas. Although only achieving minor cult success, the band is notable for being one of the ground breaking groups in darkwave and ethereal wave styles. Their 1995 album The Burning Circle and Then Dust received some attention for the power pop hit song "Pray," and the album "remains a high point of American dark rock," according to AllMusic. Lycia's music is characterized by rich soundscapes and layers of echoed guitars, dark and ethereal keyboards, doomy drum machine beats, VanPortfleet's melancholic, whispered vocals and Vanflower's vivid voice. Trent Reznor and Peter Steele are some of their more well-known fans.
GLAD is one of the pioneers of Christian pop/rock and a cappella music, forming as a progressive rock group in 1972 and discovering a large audience for their a cappella music in 1988. Today, with over 1.5 million albums sold, they continue to perform concerts and release occasional recordings. The Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel noted that when most contemporary Christian music reflected the "showbiz" style of Southern California or Nashville's country or gospel music, GLAD emphasized jazz, rhythm & blues, and fusion. As CCM Magazine described it, "GLAD's elegant vocals helped set them apart from other pioneers of Contemporary Christian music. That vocal sound has since evolved into a complex, self-sustaining life form of its own..."
Acappella is an all-male contemporary Christian vocal group founded in 1982 by Keith Lancaster, who has been the singer, songwriter, and producer throughout the group's history. The group only consists of vocalists who sing in a cappella style without instrumental accompaniment.
Disciple is an American Christian rock band from Knoxville, Tennessee, formed in 1992. The group has released 12 studio albums, 3 extended plays, 1 live extended play, and 1 compilation album.
Bride is an American Christian metal band formed in the 1980s, by brothers Dale and Troy Thompson. During the band's peak years it was known for covering a wide range of musical styles and remains popular in places like Brazil. Their song "Same 'Ol Sinner" is on the Digital Praise PC game Guitar Praise.
Russell Taff is an American gospel singer and songwriter who grew up in Farmersville, California. He has sung a variety of musical styles throughout his career including: pop rock, traditional Southern gospel, contemporary country music, and rhythm and blues. He first gained recognition as lead vocalist for the Imperials (1976–81). One of his best-known performances is the song "Praise the Lord". He has also been a member of the Gaither Vocal Band, and occasionally tours with Bill Gaither in the Gaither Homecoming concerts. As a solo artist and songwriter, Taff is known for the 1980s anthem "We Will Stand". Taff has received various Dove and Grammy awards either as a solo artist or part of a larger musical group, most notably the Imperials.
Roomful of Blues is an American blues and swing revival big band based in Rhode Island. With a recording career that spans over 50 years, they have toured worldwide and recorded many albums. Roomful of Blues, according to the Chicago Sun-Times, "Swagger, sway and swing with energy and precision". Since 1967, the group’s blend of swing, rock and roll, jump blues, boogie-woogie and soul has earned it five Grammy Award nominations and many other accolades, including seven Blues Music Awards. Billboard called the band "a tour de force of horn-fried blues…Roomful is so tight and so right." The Down Beat International Critics Poll has twice selected Roomful of Blues as Best Blues Band.
Riley Armstrong is a Contemporary Christian singer-songwriter from the hamlet of Dapp, Alberta, Canada. His live performances have been described as innovative, engaging, funny and surprising. Musically his work is eclectic, combining acoustic guitar and hip-hop rhythms, with layers of sound supported by sampling and programmed loops. A few of his notable songs are "Sleep", ">", "What I Found", and "The Only".
Dream Love + Pray is the third studio album release by Canadian Christian pop and a cappella group Rhythm & News, in 1994.
Word 2 Y'all is the second studio album release by Canadian Christian pop and a cappella group Rhythm & News, in 1992.
The Nelons are an American southern gospel group based in Atlanta, Georgia. Group members are Kelly Nelon Clark, her husband Jason Clark, and Kelly's daughters Amber Nelon Kistler and Autumn Nelon Clark. The Nelons were inducted into the Gospel Music Association (GMA) Hall of Fame in 2016.
The High Bar Gang is a Canadian bluegrass band, based in Vancouver.
Melvin LeVarn Williams is an American gospel musician. He started his solo music career, in 1988, with the release of, Back to the Cross, that was released by Compendia Music Group. His second album, In Living Color – LIVE, was released in 1992, with the backing of Blackberry Records releasing the project. His third album, Never Seen Your Face, was released in 1998, His fourth album, Duets, was released in 2001. His fifth album Crazy Like Love, and sixth album, Love Like Crazy, was released on the same date in 2007. His seventh album, The Best of Melvin Williams, was released in 2009. And his eighth album, Where I Started From, was released in 2017 with his vanity label, Melvin Williams Entertainment's partnership with New Day Christian Distributors. All of these albums, charted on the Billboard Gospel Albums chart.
Bernhard "Bernie" Herms is a Canadian composer, songwriter, and music producer in Nashville, Tennessee. He has received and been nominated for Grammy Awards, GMA Dove Awards, and GMA Canada Covenant Awards, due to his songwriting and music production work.
Terry and Barbi Franklin are American singers and songwriters of contemporary inspirational Christian music. Together, they have written numerous popular Christian songs. They have been ministering together in a music and speaking ministry since 1985 called "Love Sings! Ministries".
