Hugh's Lyrics Collection of favorite Christian Singer/SongwritersOkay, let's admit it. The world of CCM (Christian Contemporary Music) is often thought of as a haven for musicians who could not make it in the secular market. Many people think the artists there have little real talent, no matter how "spiritual" or "moving" their motives might be. Well, I beg to differ. There are many extraordinary talents out there in the current CCM world, and here are a few of my favorites. The genre is definitely getting stronger and more popular as more and more people realize the improving quality of Christian music out there. |
STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN
NEW Release: "This Moment" released October 23, 2007 First Single: "Miracle of the Moment" - 1280x1024 Wallpaper My SCC/Casting Crowns Bible Verse Songfinder Search Engine By His Wounds - from "Glory Revealed" All I Really Want for Christmas (Oct 2005) Remembering You - from "Music Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia" (Sept 2005) "All Things New" (Sept 2004) Declaration (Fall 2001) All About Love (February 2003). More Steven Curtis Chapman info...Steven writes and performs some of the best music out there period. Plus his persona comes across as just another humble man trying to understand his place in God's world. His vocals are genuine, his guitar playing incredible, and his songwriting leaves you "speechless". The Official Site has just about all the lyrics to all of his songs from his own albums. Plus a nice message board.Chris Smith's elaborate site has a lot of good information on Steven, and so does the Heaven in the Real World site. Another lyrics only site is here. Songs not on his own albums: Sometimes He Comes in the Clouds - one of my favorites from a fantastic various artist album Faithful Friend - great duet with Twila Paris. I Will Not Go Quietly - great song from the "Apostle" sountrack (and "WOW 1999") which fits very well both musically and subject wise with "Live Out Loud". Parent's Prayer (Let Go of Two) - song by Greg Davis that Steven performed several years ago on a few wedding and love song CD's. Heartbeat of Hope - from "Prince of Egypt: Nashville". Out There - duet with MWS from "Roaring Lambs". Remember the Day - Song written for the 9/11 Tribute I See Love - from "The Passion of the Christ: Songs" with Third Day and MercyMe MARK HALL (of Casting Crowns)
New Album: "Altar and the Door" - August 28, 2007 Latest Album: "Lifesong" My SCC/Casting Crowns Bible Verse Songfinder Search Engine Since I added Nichole after just two albums, I can officially add Mark Hall to my list. I know the rest of Casting Crowns contribute to many of the songs, but he is the primary songwriter for most of their two current studio albums. Luckily both of their albums (plus the live one) have been hugely successful, so it is easy to locate their lyrics on-line using our good friend Google, so I do not feel a need to post any here on my site. Of course he did co-write two songs with other artists on my list here, "Voice of Truth" with Steven from the debut album and "Stained Glass Masquerade" with Nichole from Lifesong. They even won a Grammy, however meaningless those actually are. And Mark joined Steven, Mac Powell and Brian Littrell on "By His Wounds" from the "Glory Revealed" project. JON FOREMAN (of Switchfoot)
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DOWNHERE Latest Album: Ending is Beginning, released Sept 23, 2008 Wow, I thought "Wide Eyed and Mystified" was good, but this new album is even better. I am adding them to my top list now since they write and perform such consistently top notch music. I just love how the two vocalists play off each other two. It just sounds fantastic. TWILA PARIS Latest Album: Small Sacrifice The first artist that showed me there was more to Christian music than Amy Grant and Micheal W. Smith (not that they aren't talented, but it is hard for two people to singlehandedly represent all of Christian music). Not a powerful vocalist by common definition, Twila instead replaces "power" with a subtle gentleness that really carries both her contemporary and worship pieces. She writes hymns worthy of placement in hymnals everywhere, as well as powerful pop and worship pieces that have kept her in demand for over 20 years. Chris Mazie's site is the most complete Twila site out there This site has a bunch of lyrics too. Lyrics to He is Exalted: Live Worship album. Lyrics to House of Worship album. Lyrics to new tracks on Greatest Hits album. Lyrics to Bedtime Prayers: Lullabies and Peaceful Worship Another good site with lyrics Individual Tracks not on Chris's site or other lyrics site Unique, original pieces from "Sanctuary" It's So Easy from Keepin' My Eyes on You Keepin' My Eyes on You from Keepin' My Eyes on You Come On In from Warrior is a Child Do I Trust You from Warrior is a Child Fountain of Grace from Perennial Every Heart That is Breaking from For Every Heart I Will Never Go from For Every Heart Could You Believe from True North Carry the Light from Carry the Light Steven and Twila on the same albumOne of Steven's best songs and one of Twila's best songs are on the My Utmost for His Highest album. And it appears that these lyrics are not on the various SCC sites or on Chris's Twila site. So I put them here. And if we mention Steven and Twila together the obvious reference should be their duet Faithful Friend from Twila's Where I Stand album.NICHOLE NORDEMAN
Latest Album: "Recollection" (The Best of) released Mar 6, 2007 - includes two new songs "Sunrise" and "Finally Free". I Will Believe from "Music Inspired by the Chronicles of Narnia" (Sept 2005) Nichole Nordeman has a great knack for writing intelligent lyrics along with very melodic and catchy music. Unfortunately she has been on prolonged hiatus after releasing just four full studio albums (she also released a live concert album, "Live at the Door" too). I believe that raising a family has taken precedence for her. More power to her for that! Here I have collected all the lyrics from her first two albums, and the lyrics to her third, Woven and Spun, and her fourth, Brave are here too. Many of the lyrics were on her official site but not all the lyrics are there now and they are only available to members. I have also collected other lyrics that Nichole has performed on some "various artists" albums. Great stuff. CINDY MORGAN
Latest: Cindy released a new album May 20, 2008 in digital only format, "Beautiful Bird" available on her website. Her 2006 release was Postcards. Here is a great artist who refused to be the "dance pop" artist her record company wanted her to be. Her last three full albums ("Listen", "The Loving Kind", "Elementary") demonstrate the variety and depth of her music, as well as the incredible song Blessed she co-wrote with Ginny Owens for Rachel Lampa and "Letters from War" with Mark Schultz. Mike Janke's wonderful Cindy Morgan site has returned!. As for lyrics, I grabbed some here and have compiled a FULL discography with links here. Thanks to an anonymous contributor (you know who you are!), I now have all the lyrics to the songs on her albums. Elementary was released 2001. Here is Cindy's new official site. RECENT RELEASES I'VE BEEN ENJOYING:UPCOMING RELEASES!!These are the upcoming albums I am awaiting: |
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If you are looking for guitar chords, I suggest www.christianguitar.org.
If you live in
St. Louis and want to hear some excellent guitarists playing Christian music,
I suggest you visit our church, Mount
Zion United Methodist church (in unincorporated West Saint Louis County
between Creve Coeur and Maryland Heights) and listen to our contemporary praise
band, Joyful Noise,
when we play. Our lead guitarist, Walt Jones, is quite extraordinary, as are
both Johns (Bolling and Fussell)! And Steve on drums, and of course our vocalists (but I have to put them last since I am included...)
Other favorite Christian artists of mine include: The Afters, Audio Adrenaline, Brandon Heath, Jeremy Camp, MercyMe, Sanctus Real, and Chris Tomlin. Does U2 count, too? Note that I also like many other Christian and secular musical artists as well, including pop/rock, R&B, country, Broadway, jazz and classical music. The family CD collection numbers around 160 selections, with Christian artists comprising over one third of it. (Do Martina McBride, Alan Jackson and Sara Evans get to count too?) I am proud to say all of my site contains NO ANNOYING POPUPS. I find it irritating to google for lyrics and end up on some lyric site with pop-ups, pop-unders and annoying banner ads everywhere. I have added simple Google ads to the top of this page, but that is all! |