John Schlitt, much like Mylon LeFever, was heavily involved in mainstream rock music in the 70s as well as having a severe drug addiction. John was the lead singer of Head East in 1972 and released a total of 5 albums. Of course, his greatest accomplishment in music was when he became the lead singer of Petra from 1986 to 2005. John participated as the lead singer for a total of 14 albums while also releasing two solo projects in the 90s. After 12 years, John Schlitt finally releases his third solo album, entitled The Grafting.
The album's first two songs, "Stand" and "Keep Your Light On," will definitely appease the fans of Petra. "Keep Your Light On" could have actually passed for a single on Petra's last album, Jekyll and Hyde. "Only Men" is a ballad that showcases some of John's great vocal capabilities. The song covers the issue of how all men, despite their accomplishments, cannot compare to Jesus. "The Grafting" is a song that is actually sung in a sort-of story format a la Mark Schulz: "They built their hope upon the future/ Married young, they bought a house, a car, a crib to suit her/ But years would pass without a baby / Until a miracle, a desperate girl reached out/ And love went on and on/ And they found that life came in the grafting".
Later, the album takes a different turn with "First Song," which is one of the weakest tracks on the album, sounding much like most of the hard rock ballads in the early 90s. Listen to Michael Sweet's first solo album a you'll get the idea. "Lord Have Mercy" is a nice praise and worship song that has a nice classical feel to it. "Gravity" has more of a rock edge than the other songs and is likely to be a favorite among Petra fans. "Carry On" is a style never heard before from John Schlitt, and it works very well with his vocal style. It's a very slow song, but is an album highlight as it gives the listener a sense of hope and encouragement....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
John Schlitt - Unfit For Swine
By Rebecca Goings (rebecca@chrisandjim.com) (Los Angeles, CA)
I am an old-school Petra fan and I must say that I was nervous when I heard that this album existed. (I didn't want the band to break up!) But this album is AWESOME! John Schlitt just wanted to break out and do something different, which is just what he has accomplished with this album. I must say, this album is better than *anything* that Petra has put out in a decade. It has the driving rock sound that Petra has somehow lost as they try to turn *mainstream* with their new alternative sound.
Go for it, John! This is what Petra fans want!!! (When is the next one coming out?) :-)
By A Customer
This CD rocks! John breaks out of the commercial rock of Petra and goes all out on this solo project. If you have a hard time finding hard rock that is Christian, you need look no further.
Impressive solos by Dan Huff highlight songs such as Can't Get Away, Save Me, and I Killed A Man. dc Talk's Toby McKeehan also helped write Can't Get Away, the best song on the album. If you're a Petra fan this is better than any of their previous stuff....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
I am an old-school Petra fan and I must say that I was nervous when I heard that this album existed. (I didn't want the band to break up!) But this album is AWESOME! John Schlitt just wanted to break out and do something different, which is just what he has accomplished with this album. I must say, this album is better than *anything* that Petra has put out in a decade. It has the driving rock sound that Petra has somehow lost as they try to turn *mainstream* with their new alternative sound.
Go for it, John! This is what Petra fans want!!! (When is the next one coming out?) :-)
By A Customer
This CD rocks! John breaks out of the commercial rock of Petra and goes all out on this solo project. If you have a hard time finding hard rock that is Christian, you need look no further.
Impressive solos by Dan Huff highlight songs such as Can't Get Away, Save Me, and I Killed A Man. dc Talk's Toby McKeehan also helped write Can't Get Away, the best song on the album. If you're a Petra fan this is better than any of their previous stuff....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
John Schlitt - Shake
By Nelson Jimenez "nelsonzz" (stamford, ct USA)
I have to admit I was hesitant to pick up any PETRA cd with their new (at that time) lead singer. But I did and I loved his sound. So when I saw this solo album I decided to take a chance on it as well. And all I can say is THIS CD ROCKS!! My 2 favorite songs are WAKE THE DEAD and ONE ON ONE. Their messages are powerful and the guitar rifts are excellent. As a matter of fact, all the lyrics and music on this cd are powerful. Now I have to find Mr.Schlitt's 2nd solo effort. Another gem I'm sure.
By Rebecca Goings "Sexy. Sensual. Seductive. ht... (Hillsboro, OR United States)
If I could sum up what this album is in one word, it would be WOW! Amazingly, I just recently bought this album for the first time but I've always wanted it. I was a little leary, as I own "Unfit for Swine", and I was disappointed with that album. In my opinion, *that* album only had 2 or 3 good songs on it. I don't listen to it much.
But "Shake" is soooooo much better! It's actually weird to think that "Shake" came before "Unfit for Swine", since the two are so different musically.
Every single song on this album is "turn it up" quality. The ballads are beautiful, and the rock songs ROCK! My favorites are "Wake the Dead", "Don't Look Back", "Carry the Burden", "Inside of You", and "The Hard Way". Even though this album is almost ten years old, it is hardly outdated, and I strongly recommend it if you happen to find a copy of it.
Petra is my favorite Christian band, and John Schlitt is awesome. This is definately an album to keep in the CD player. You might want to buy two: one for the house and one for your car!....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
I have to admit I was hesitant to pick up any PETRA cd with their new (at that time) lead singer. But I did and I loved his sound. So when I saw this solo album I decided to take a chance on it as well. And all I can say is THIS CD ROCKS!! My 2 favorite songs are WAKE THE DEAD and ONE ON ONE. Their messages are powerful and the guitar rifts are excellent. As a matter of fact, all the lyrics and music on this cd are powerful. Now I have to find Mr.Schlitt's 2nd solo effort. Another gem I'm sure.
By Rebecca Goings "Sexy. Sensual. Seductive. ht... (Hillsboro, OR United States)
If I could sum up what this album is in one word, it would be WOW! Amazingly, I just recently bought this album for the first time but I've always wanted it. I was a little leary, as I own "Unfit for Swine", and I was disappointed with that album. In my opinion, *that* album only had 2 or 3 good songs on it. I don't listen to it much.
But "Shake" is soooooo much better! It's actually weird to think that "Shake" came before "Unfit for Swine", since the two are so different musically.
Every single song on this album is "turn it up" quality. The ballads are beautiful, and the rock songs ROCK! My favorites are "Wake the Dead", "Don't Look Back", "Carry the Burden", "Inside of You", and "The Hard Way". Even though this album is almost ten years old, it is hardly outdated, and I strongly recommend it if you happen to find a copy of it.
Petra is my favorite Christian band, and John Schlitt is awesome. This is definately an album to keep in the CD player. You might want to buy two: one for the house and one for your car!....
Continue Reading at this Christian Music Review
Friday, September 19, 2008
Discography
Solo Discography
Other Contributions
* Geoff Moore & The Distance - A Place To Stand (1988)
* Steve Camp - Justice (1988)
* Nathan DiGesare - Jubilate'! (1989)
* Artists And Friends - Carry The Light (1989)
* John Lawry - Media Alert (1990)
* Breakaway Praise 1 (1992)
* 4 Him - The Ride Comes Alive (1995)
* Mickey Masters: Agent Of Truth - The Evil Plot Of Madame Chang (1996)
* The Best Of Morgan Cryar - What Sin? (1998)
* Re:newal - The Art Of Community (2001)
* Silers Bald - Real Life (2003)
* Liberty n' Justice - Welcome To The Revolution (2004)
* Everlife (2004)
* Project Damage Control (2005)
* Vertical Expressions (2007)
* Rick Derringer - New album (2007)
Christian Music Links!
| Date of release | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Shake | Word/Epic |
| July, 1996 | Unfit for Swine | Word |
| January, 2008 | The Grafting | TAG |
* Geoff Moore & The Distance - A Place To Stand (1988)
* Steve Camp - Justice (1988)
* Nathan DiGesare - Jubilate'! (1989)
* Artists And Friends - Carry The Light (1989)
* John Lawry - Media Alert (1990)
* Breakaway Praise 1 (1992)
* 4 Him - The Ride Comes Alive (1995)
* Mickey Masters: Agent Of Truth - The Evil Plot Of Madame Chang (1996)
* The Best Of Morgan Cryar - What Sin? (1998)
* Re:newal - The Art Of Community (2001)
* Silers Bald - Real Life (2003)
* Liberty n' Justice - Welcome To The Revolution (2004)
* Everlife (2004)
* Project Damage Control (2005)
* Vertical Expressions (2007)
* Rick Derringer - New album (2007)
Christian Music Links!
Biography
Early Years
John Schlitt was born in Lincoln, Illinois. Shortly after, his family moved to Mt. Pulaski where he grew up. Schlitt began singing and showing interest in music from a very young age.
When he was 13 years old, he joined a band called Vinegar Hills Hometown Band Something Different. He went to Mt. Pulaski High School in his hometown graduating in 1968. It was
during his high school years that he would meet future wife, Dorla Froelich[1].
After graduating from high school, Schlitt enrolled on the University of Illinois for a degree in Civil Engineering. However, his main interest was still music. In 1972, he joined the rock band
Head East as lead singer with some fellow students of the university. Juggling his musical career and college studies, Schlitt finally graduated from college in 1974 and dedicated full-
time to his career in music.
Head-East Era and Aftermath
Main article: Head East
During the following years with Head East, Schlitt enjoyed the success of the band that produced several hits during the 70s. They released together four studio and one live album.
However, during the time, Schlitt also developed a dependency on cocaine and alcohol[3]. His dependency reached a peak when he was fired from the band in March 1980.
After being fired, Schlitt formed a short-lived band, but it quickly vanished as his addiction intensified in a six-month depression during which he "came very close to suicide."[4][5].
During that same period, however, his wife became a born-again Christian, and subsequently convinced Schlitt to see her pastor. Schlitt confesses that he had already decided to end
his life and complied only "so my wife would be able to say ‘he tried’ after I was gone"[6].
However, Schlitt also became a born-again Christian and left his addiction to drugs and alcohol. Schlitt decided to leave the music scene and dedicate to his family. After that, he started
working in a factory, and slowly rose until becoming a mining engineer and then a cost and scheduling engineer.
Petra Era
Main article: Petra (band)
Five years after leaving the music industry, John received a call from Bob Hartman and was invited to audition for Christian rock band, Petra. The band had just lost its lead singer Greg
X. Volz, who had left to pursue a solo career. After a session with Hartman (band's co-founder and guitarist), he was asked to join the band. He sang his first show on February 3,
1986, beginning a career that would span nearly two decades. His first album with the band was the 1986 release Back to the Street.
During his career with Petra, the band released 2 RIAA certified Gold albums[8] (Beyond Belief and Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out) and earned 4 Grammy and numerous Dove
Awards. His travels and performances with the group reached all 50 states of America as well as 18 countries.
Solo career
During breaks from Petra, Schlitt recorded and released two solo albums: Shake in 1995, and Unfit For Swine in 1996. Both albums were moderately successful and received positive
reviews[9][10][11][12][13].
Schlitt has claimed that he had material for a third album, but his commitment to Petra has prevented him from working them out.
After Petra's retirement in 2005, Schlitt and Petra guitarist and founder, Bob Hartman started working on an album together as II Guys From Petra. The album was released in January 26,
2007 titled Vertical Expressions. Besides that, Schlitt started working on his third solo project, titled The Grafting. It was released on 2008-01-22. Dan Needham, Schlitt's son-in-law,
produced the album. The album was released with premier performances of the tracks "The Grafting" and "Only Men" by Schlitt on the program, Celebrations. The telecast was aired
internationally by the Daystar Television Network.[14] In May of 2008, John Schlitt toured India, playing eight dates in six cities with an all-new backing band, StoneJava. With his new
backing group, John played songs from his solo CDs, along with many Petra favorites, to positive reviews.
Christian Music Links!
John Schlitt was born in Lincoln, Illinois. Shortly after, his family moved to Mt. Pulaski where he grew up. Schlitt began singing and showing interest in music from a very young age.
When he was 13 years old, he joined a band called Vinegar Hills Hometown Band Something Different. He went to Mt. Pulaski High School in his hometown graduating in 1968. It was
during his high school years that he would meet future wife, Dorla Froelich[1].
After graduating from high school, Schlitt enrolled on the University of Illinois for a degree in Civil Engineering. However, his main interest was still music. In 1972, he joined the rock band
Head East as lead singer with some fellow students of the university. Juggling his musical career and college studies, Schlitt finally graduated from college in 1974 and dedicated full-
time to his career in music.
Head-East Era and Aftermath
Main article: Head East
During the following years with Head East, Schlitt enjoyed the success of the band that produced several hits during the 70s. They released together four studio and one live album.
However, during the time, Schlitt also developed a dependency on cocaine and alcohol[3]. His dependency reached a peak when he was fired from the band in March 1980.
After being fired, Schlitt formed a short-lived band, but it quickly vanished as his addiction intensified in a six-month depression during which he "came very close to suicide."[4][5].
During that same period, however, his wife became a born-again Christian, and subsequently convinced Schlitt to see her pastor. Schlitt confesses that he had already decided to end
his life and complied only "so my wife would be able to say ‘he tried’ after I was gone"[6].
However, Schlitt also became a born-again Christian and left his addiction to drugs and alcohol. Schlitt decided to leave the music scene and dedicate to his family. After that, he started
working in a factory, and slowly rose until becoming a mining engineer and then a cost and scheduling engineer.
Petra Era
Main article: Petra (band)
Five years after leaving the music industry, John received a call from Bob Hartman and was invited to audition for Christian rock band, Petra. The band had just lost its lead singer Greg
X. Volz, who had left to pursue a solo career. After a session with Hartman (band's co-founder and guitarist), he was asked to join the band. He sang his first show on February 3,
1986, beginning a career that would span nearly two decades. His first album with the band was the 1986 release Back to the Street.
During his career with Petra, the band released 2 RIAA certified Gold albums[8] (Beyond Belief and Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out) and earned 4 Grammy and numerous Dove
Awards. His travels and performances with the group reached all 50 states of America as well as 18 countries.
Solo career
During breaks from Petra, Schlitt recorded and released two solo albums: Shake in 1995, and Unfit For Swine in 1996. Both albums were moderately successful and received positive
reviews[9][10][11][12][13].
Schlitt has claimed that he had material for a third album, but his commitment to Petra has prevented him from working them out.
After Petra's retirement in 2005, Schlitt and Petra guitarist and founder, Bob Hartman started working on an album together as II Guys From Petra. The album was released in January 26,
2007 titled Vertical Expressions. Besides that, Schlitt started working on his third solo project, titled The Grafting. It was released on 2008-01-22. Dan Needham, Schlitt's son-in-law,
produced the album. The album was released with premier performances of the tracks "The Grafting" and "Only Men" by Schlitt on the program, Celebrations. The telecast was aired
internationally by the Daystar Television Network.[14] In May of 2008, John Schlitt toured India, playing eight dates in six cities with an all-new backing band, StoneJava. With his new
backing group, John played songs from his solo CDs, along with many Petra favorites, to positive reviews.
Christian Music Links!
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