Country Christian FAQ v. 2.01

Revised January 1995

This FAQ was written for rec.music.christian. It is, however, also posted to rec.music.country-western. Please email suggestions or corrections to jrl+@osu.edu. I've received a few replies, but would be thrilled to get some more suggestions, especially

1. Descriptions of the artists listed - their musical style (gospel, bluegrass, traditional country, new/pop country); lyrical qualities ("Christian music" or "music made by Christians"); similar artists or those who have influenced the person or group.
2. Artists not listed here, particularly those performing "music made by Christians," in contradistinction from "people who make Christian music." (read on if this is confusing)

Answer:
What makes music "Christian music" is an occasional matter of debate in r.m.c. There are really two ways of looking at the question:

1. 1. "Christian music." By this I mean music of "christian" themes (worship of God, songs about the role of God in an individual's life, etc.) distributed almost exclusively through "Christian" marketing channels (e.g, advertising in magazines such as Christianity Today; sold in "Christian" bookstores).
2. 2. "Music made by Christians." Not exclusively of "christian" themes.

My hope in creating this list was to concentrate on the second definition - music made by Christians.

My purpose was not to encourage people to live in a Christian ghetto, but to identify Christians who are working in one field of work. Naturally this requires the delicate task of making a judgment call on who qualifies as a Christian, for the purpose of this list. Admittedly this is a haphazard process. I look for those whose lyrics reflect what might be called "biblical values," as well as something else which indicates a proclamation of faith in Christ, whether on liner notes, interviews, etc. I presume that other readers who suggest artists for this list use a similar logic. (If you have a better way of identifying Christians who do music, please let me know). In fact, most of the artists on this list were suggested by someone other than myself.

I don't know much about country music. Therefore, the categories given below will sometimes be inaccurate. Some may debate whether artist X is bluegrass or southern gospel, etc. Those who are in the know are invited to send in corrections to my categorizations.

I am not recommending any artist on this list (except Paul Overstreet). I am only listing the suggestions of others.

Those seeking more information about "Christian country" music may find the following resource useful:

   Christian Country Research Bulletin
   720 Lakepointe Road
   Gross Pointe Park MI 48230
   (313) 822 0024

Dennis Agajanian

CC. Heard him on Christian radio, for what that's worth.

Brian Barrett

CC. Looks lik a newby, with a self-titled CD. Christian in sense 1.

Brush Arbor

CC. Currently 6 member country/western band which have been around since the early to mid 70's. They just released their 7th (?) album called "Brush Arbor", this time with Benson. Their greatest hits album called "Brush Arbor Favorites" (R&L records, 1992?) remakes many of their great country songs from their Myrrh albums of the early 80s and their live album called "Live: Centerstage" (Light records, 1985) has the best country sound of their older work. Their latest CD includes songs written by Bruce Caroll and Don Schlitz (see below)

The Bishops

SG

Anthony Burger

SG

Glen Campbell

MC/CC. Reportedly had a conversion experience sometime in the 70s or 80s. I'm Not familiar with his music. Best known for 'Rhinestone Cowboy" and "Witchita Lineman."

Bruce Carroll

Hard to classify. Folksy singer. Good lyrics. Some albums are marketed as "country christian," such as Walk On.

Carter Family

Going even further back, the Carter Family sang and recorded some of the best-known Christian country music beginning in the late '20s. Everybody's heard "Will the Circle Be Unbroken," but A.P. Carter also wrote "Anchored in Love", "Fifty Miles of Elbow Room," and several other gospel standards that will be familiar to anyone who loves bluegrass music.

Johnny Cash

MC. Traditional country singer. Best known for "A Boy Named Sue." A legend in traditional country.

The Cathedrals

SG male quartet, started in the early 1960's.

Billy Crocket

CC. Somone suggested this in email with me, but someone else doubted whether he qualified as 'country.' Comments, please.

Dan Cox

MC. ??

The Cumberland Boys

CC.

Lisa Daggs

CC. Reportedly similar to Anne Murray in style (country/pop)

Charlie Daniels

CC. Yes, THE Charlie Daniels. Reportedly had a "rededication." Latest CD, "The Door," is traditional gospel with a "repent-or-perish" message.

D.M.B. (Dixie Melody Boys),

SG. A reader recommends their 80's stuff.

Barbara Fairchild

MC (then)/CC (now). She was a fairly successful country singer in the 70s or so. Had a big #1 hit with a song called "Teddy Bear." Lately she has recorded exclusively gospel.

Florida Boys

SG. Another long-standing male quartet

Flying W Wrangers

CC. Christian music in sense 1.

Cleve Francis

MC. ??

Lefty Frizzell

Not usually considered Christian at all, although he probably could sing gospel if he tried and likely put out an album or two as did almost everyone else in his era. He had his best success in the late 50s and is a Country Music Hall of Famer. He is usually credited with the developing the note-bending singing style that has dominated traditional country ever since. You hear a lot of Lefty in George Jones, Randy Travis, Keith Whitley and John Anderson.

Bill and Gloria Gaither/Gaither Trio

Sometimes SG, sometimes christian pop

Steve Gatlin

CC. Of "The Gatlin Brothers" fame. One of their bigger hits was the song "All the Gold," which talked about gold being in a bank in Beverly Hills. On his solo CD Love Can Carry, the song 'You Beat All I've Ever Seen' talks about how the Gatlins and concludes in the chorus about how "all the gold in California" is nothing compared with knowing God. Gatlin started his career in a gospel band (name, anyone?) before getting into the Gatlin Brothers band. He started into the industry as a song-writer and composer.

Gold City

SG.

Greater Vision

SG trio

Emmylou Harris

MC/folk/pop. Has "the voice of an angel" reports one reader. She regularly includes one or two gospel standards on her albums, but she's recorded one album consisting entirely of gospel standards called "Angel Band" that should be in any self-respecting Bubba's collection. See the entry on Ricky Skaggs for information on a duet album with him.

Bruce Haynes

Kim Hill

CC. This pop singer has turns out a country CD in So Far, So Good

The Hinsons

G/Bluegrass. Most famous song is "The Lighthouse." "Christian music" of the Definition 1

Ken Holloway

C. (don't know if he gets secular station airplay, though)

The Inspirations

SG

The Issacs

SG/bluegrass

James, Michael

CC. Looks like he's distributed in christian markets, but with a style similar to Paul Overstreet

The Kingsmen

SG quartet

Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver

Bluegrass

Andy Landis

CC. Andy is a lady singing in country/pop style

Louvin Brothers

From the 1940s and 1950s, traditional country industry. They produced albums with titles such as "Songs Mama Loved" and "Old Fashioned Canvas Tent Revival" (really, how can you go wrong? :-)).

Susie Luchsinger

CC. Reba's sister. Paul Overstreet has been a producer for her.

Walter Mills

SG

Mercy River

Mid-South

SG

The Mullins

SG

Nelons, The

SG

New Journey

SG, similar to the Talleys

New Tradition

Bluegrass

Paul Overstreet

CC/MC My favorite on the list. Lots of ballads about family life. Some may not like his relatively high voice (about the range of Vince Gill). He was part of a trio in the 1980's, with T. Schuyler and F. Knobloch called "SKO." "Baby's got a New Baby" hit #1. Overstreet left the trio in 1987. That same year he had a #1 hit "I won't take less than your love," with Tanya Tucker and Paul Davis. Has written for several "mainstream" country artists, such as Lee Greenwood ("I'll be Lovin' You," on This is *my* country); Randy Travis ("Forever and Ever," "No Place Like Home," "Diggin' up bones," "On the other hand.") Has song backup vocals on other's CDs (Randy Travis, *Storms of Life*). Don Schlitz is a frequent collaborator.

Graham Parsons

Former Byrd, Flying Burrito Brother, and country hippie, he introduced the 19-year-old Emmylou Harris to the world on his albums "GP," "Grievous Angel," and "Sleepless Nights". Gram had a propensity for writing beautiful Christian music on Sundays and guzzling whiskey and sticking needles in his arm on Mondays through Saturdays (a trend that, unfortunately, is not limited to him in country music). But his duets with Emmylou are stunningly wonderful, and their version of "The Angels Rejoiced in Heaven Last Night" is about as sweet as harmony singing ever gets.

Squire Parsons

SG. Any relation to Graham Parsons?

Perfect Heart

SG from another quartet

LuLu Roman

I guess she's famous for "Hee-Haw," and has put out some gospel albums.

Don Schlitz

Frequent co-author with Paul Overstreet. I don't think he sings any, and don't know who else he writes for.

Seneca

CC. Husband and wife team. First album (Self-Titled) out in 1994.

Shenendoah

D>I've been told that the lead singer, Marty Rabon, is Christian. Others have told me that all band members are Christians.

Ricky Skaggs

CC/MC. Ricky's well-known in the country music world, but he's recorded some superb gospel music, particularly early in his career. A knowledgeable reader recommends "Family and Friends", which finds Ricky singing hokey country hymns with his ma and pa, and "Sweet Temptation," which finds Ricky and Emmylou Harris singing drop-dead gorgeous duets on songs from the Carter Family, the Stanley Brothers, and Hank Williams. His wife, Sharon White (see "the Whites," below) has appeared on his CDs.

Ricky Van Shelton

Raised by Christian parents, RVS recorded "Don't Overlook Salvation" (DOS) for his folks. The fame and fortune of his success in the business wasn't enough. Apparently he realized this sometime before DOS was released. DOS is a CD of great old hymns, sung by a great voice. It reminded me a lot of Marty Robbins.

The Speers

SG

The Stanley Brothers

Old timers in the country industry, they also many, many Christian songs as well -- "Green Pastures" and "The Darkest Hour is Just Before the Dawn" are probably the most famous.

John Starnes

SG

The Statesmen

SG

Talleys, The

SG/bluegrass

B.J. Thomas

This pop/country crossover artist, famous for "Raindrops keep falling on my head" proclaimed a new faith in Christ sometime in the early 1980's. He put out a few "Christian" albums, mainly upbeat in both musics and lyrics. He's a great example, perhaps, of a Star-Who-Was-Big-And-Became-A-Christian, and then faced expectations from the Christian audience that could not be sustained. According to a recent discussion in r.m.c., he has ceased identifying with the church.

Randy Travis

MC. For those who haven't turned their radio to a country station, or turned on their TV lately, Travis is a MegaSuperStar in Mainstream country. Does he claim to be a Christian believer? An r.m.c. reader has mentioned "yes," but I have not seen this documented. In any case, he has sung some songs that are at least compatible with a Christian life-system, such as "Forever and Ever. The Christian Country Research Bulletin identifies him as a "Mainstream Country Christian Artist."

White River

CC. Described by one person as "rodeo music," found only (by one reader) on Christian radio stations. Another reported that this group broke up in early 1994.

The Whites

SG/bluegrass, and gospel, and traditional country with close harmonies and an acoustic sound. This is a family act. Father plays piano, daughters play guitar. Sharon White is married to Ricky Skaggs.

Hank Williams, Sr.

MC. Old timer of the traditional country music industry. He wrote some fine "religious" tunes such as "I Saw the Light," "House of Gold," and "Mansions for Me" -- songs that you're just as likely to hear at a little country church as on the jukebox. Comments about Graham Parsons seem to apply here as well.

Trisha Yearwood

Someone suggested this on the basis of the fact that she includes a scriptural reference on her CD's. I'm not familiar with her music.

• T Bone Burnett
• Lost Dogs
• Julie Miller
• Victoria Williams

Garth Brooks

Unanswered prayers

Billy Dean

You don't count the cost

George Strait

Love Without End End, Amen