Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Christian music news: Reconnecting With ... John Schlitt
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The illustrious career of singer/songwriter John Schlitt has been filled with many unexpected twists and turns. Though he first found fame as a member of secular superstars Head East, the classic rock legend later became a born again Christian and jointed the pre-existing Petra lineup as front man in 1986. He continued that highly sought after position through the band’s break-up in 2006, amassing four Grammy Awards, countless Doves, two gold albums (Beyond Belief and Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out), plus sold out tours from coast to coast.
All the while, the versatile vocalist also engaged a solo career, starting with 1995’s Shake and the following year’s Unfit For Swine, backed by occasional shows when he wasn’t tied up with group duties. He chalks up the dozen year gap between that last project and the new The Grafting to the band’s ongoing popularity on the road, though there’s much more free time these days in the wake of Petra’s retirement.
“It’s funny because I played the new project to a record executive friend of mine, and he said, ‘John, I hear hints of Head East, hints of Petra and you singing in styles you haven’t done in a long time,’” says Schlitt via phone from his home in Nashville. “He went on to say it was very fresh sounding but recognizable at the same time, and I took that as the ultimate compliment! It’s, of course, gonna sound a little Petra-ish no matter what, but the production brought out different styles as well.”
Schlitt had his son-in-law, Dan Needham, behind the boards. Needham’s a major name in country music, plus a session player with Amy Grant. The result of their collaboration yields a mixed bag of refined rockers, acoustic expressions and contemporary ballads, bathed in a lyrical framework that finds the former front man exactly in the present tense.
“I realized I’m not 16 anymore, and I wanted this record to relate to where I’m at right now in my life,” he offers with a laugh. “My family is my life, and the fact that I now have five grandkids—all of whom are adopted—is a real celebration. So one of the topics I talk about is adoption instead of the abortion cycle, which is addressed in the title cut as a tribute to the brave women who choose life over death.”
Other topics tackled include divorce (“Stand”) and the power of forgiveness in the aftermath of that unfortunate occurrence, along with reaching out to the less fortunate (“Face of God”). Schlitt makes even bolder social statements on “Only Men,” which discusses God’s fading presence within a secular society and our need to defend Him at all costs. Not only does that varied topical base cover remarkably fresh ground, but Schlitt also credits the extended gap in-between solo recordings as a sonic asset as well.
“I actually saw the 12-year distance in between albums as an advantage because of the different perspectives it’s given me on life,” he confirms. “After so much time, this project doesn’t sound like the first two, either in subject or style, but it catches people up with my thoughts and tastes now that I’m older.”
Even though he’s locked in today, a conversation with the living legend can’t be complete without asking about his fondest memories of Petra, which surprisingly have nothing to do with the accolades or attention garnered throughout two influential decades. Sure, there were secular events, like performing at Farm Aid and getting video airplay on the MTV equivalent of Canada, but it’s always been about ministry for the entertainer.
“I will probably say touring with Josh McDowell [throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s] because of all the outreach that took place,” he ponders. “I remember playing a venue in California that had unusually wide aisles with about 6,000 people in the seats, but after Josh gave an altar call as we were standing behind him, every square inch of the placed was packed! So we and all the prayer warriors who volunteered ministered to them. Those are the kinds of things that get stuck in your head!”
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All the while, the versatile vocalist also engaged a solo career, starting with 1995’s Shake and the following year’s Unfit For Swine, backed by occasional shows when he wasn’t tied up with group duties. He chalks up the dozen year gap between that last project and the new The Grafting to the band’s ongoing popularity on the road, though there’s much more free time these days in the wake of Petra’s retirement.
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“It’s funny because I played the new project to a record executive friend of mine, and he said, ‘John, I hear hints of Head East, hints of Petra and you singing in styles you haven’t done in a long time,’” says Schlitt via phone from his home in Nashville. “He went on to say it was very fresh sounding but recognizable at the same time, and I took that as the ultimate compliment! It’s, of course, gonna sound a little Petra-ish no matter what, but the production brought out different styles as well.”
Schlitt had his son-in-law, Dan Needham, behind the boards. Needham’s a major name in country music, plus a session player with Amy Grant. The result of their collaboration yields a mixed bag of refined rockers, acoustic expressions and contemporary ballads, bathed in a lyrical framework that finds the former front man exactly in the present tense.
“I realized I’m not 16 anymore, and I wanted this record to relate to where I’m at right now in my life,” he offers with a laugh. “My family is my life, and the fact that I now have five grandkids—all of whom are adopted—is a real celebration. So one of the topics I talk about is adoption instead of the abortion cycle, which is addressed in the title cut as a tribute to the brave women who choose life over death.”
Other topics tackled include divorce (“Stand”) and the power of forgiveness in the aftermath of that unfortunate occurrence, along with reaching out to the less fortunate (“Face of God”). Schlitt makes even bolder social statements on “Only Men,” which discusses God’s fading presence within a secular society and our need to defend Him at all costs. Not only does that varied topical base cover remarkably fresh ground, but Schlitt also credits the extended gap in-between solo recordings as a sonic asset as well.
“I actually saw the 12-year distance in between albums as an advantage because of the different perspectives it’s given me on life,” he confirms. “After so much time, this project doesn’t sound like the first two, either in subject or style, but it catches people up with my thoughts and tastes now that I’m older.”
Even though he’s locked in today, a conversation with the living legend can’t be complete without asking about his fondest memories of Petra, which surprisingly have nothing to do with the accolades or attention garnered throughout two influential decades. Sure, there were secular events, like performing at Farm Aid and getting video airplay on the MTV equivalent of Canada, but it’s always been about ministry for the entertainer.
“I will probably say touring with Josh McDowell [throughout the late ’80s and early ’90s] because of all the outreach that took place,” he ponders. “I remember playing a venue in California that had unusually wide aisles with about 6,000 people in the seats, but after Josh gave an altar call as we were standing behind him, every square inch of the placed was packed! So we and all the prayer warriors who volunteered ministered to them. Those are the kinds of things that get stuck in your head!”
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Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Christian music news: The Grafting
Latest christian music: NEW CD BUILDS ON FORMER LEAD SINGER’S LEGEND OF ROCK
Twelve years have passed since John Schlitt released his last solo recording. Since then, the infamous rocker, best known as Petra’s front man, added a fourth GRAMMY to his collection, was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Hard Rock Café and released six more Petra records before adding his farewell to the band’s final stand in 2005. A mainstay in Christian rock since his debut with Petra in 1986, Schlitt has remained uncharacteristically quiet since the band’s retirement, leaving fans to wonder if his absence from the industry he so carefully helped define was permanent. Fortunately for fans, a classic rocker rarely stays silent. Picking up where 1996’s Unfit For Swine left off, Schlitt releases The Grafting, soaring through 10 new recordings that service the legacy he began over 20 years ago.
In “Only Men,” Schlitt demonstrates the heavy-hitting power ballad that has become synonymous with his musical persona. “Stand” and “Gravity” pack the heaviest punch, while “Face of God” and modern worship standard “Lord Have Mercy” play less rock more pop, the latter paying homage to Petra Praise, the band’s worship trilogy and biggest commercial success. Surprisingly, the title cut, a laidback acoustic comment on adoption, provides the album’s highlight, shuffling through a refreshingly easy four minutes of melody and lyric.Produced (and largely written) by his son-in-law and drummer extraordinaire Dan Needham (Katinas, Steven Curtis Chapman), The Grafting’s tracks are sonically cogent. The most distinctive ingredient remains Schlitt’s trademark vocal, a wonderful throwback for an entire generation of Christian music fans.Though the record is strong and Schlitt has nothing to prove, it would be enjoyable to hear something truly progressive from the rock vet, perhaps taking a cue from last year’s monumental Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration, stepping outside his own nostalgic sound while staying true to the musical inclinations that have made him a rock legend. –Andrew Greer
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Twelve years have passed since John Schlitt released his last solo recording. Since then, the infamous rocker, best known as Petra’s front man, added a fourth GRAMMY to his collection, was inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame and Hard Rock Café and released six more Petra records before adding his farewell to the band’s final stand in 2005. A mainstay in Christian rock since his debut with Petra in 1986, Schlitt has remained uncharacteristically quiet since the band’s retirement, leaving fans to wonder if his absence from the industry he so carefully helped define was permanent. Fortunately for fans, a classic rocker rarely stays silent. Picking up where 1996’s Unfit For Swine left off, Schlitt releases The Grafting, soaring through 10 new recordings that service the legacy he began over 20 years ago.
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Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Christian music news: Petra Frontman John Schlitt To Release Third Solo Album..
Latest christian music: (NASHVILLE, TENN.) -- John Schlitt, multiple Grammy Award-winning recording artist, announces his signing with the Franklin, Tennessee based Fused Management. Schlitt will release his third solo album, The Grafting, in January through TAG Artist Group - his first solo effort in more than ten years.
Best known as the voice behind the four time Grammy Award and ten time Dove Award-winning group PETRA, Schlitt continues with a solo career following the band’s retirement in 2005. In his role as Petra’s lead singer, Schlitt wrote the #1 hit “Just Reach Out” and earned RIAA-certified GOLD status for the albums Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out and Beyond Belief. Schlitt also earned a third Gold album (Flat as a Pancake) as the front man for the ‘70s classic rock band Head East. With PETRA, Schlitt has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and was the first Christian group to be celebrated by Hard Rock Café.
During his tenure with PETRA, Schlitt released a solo album, Shake, in 1995 that included the radio hits “Show Me the Way,” “Inside of You,” followed by the sophomore release “Unfit for Swine” and the single “Can’t Get Away.” Ricky B. Rogers, vice-president and co-founder of Fused Management, is looking forward to working with Schlitt on this new chapter in his career. “I am excited and thrilled to have John on board with Fused. I see a new energy being breathed into John’s career with our partnership, because we’re in this as a team. Our goal as a company is to help create new careers, infusing life and energy into an artist who has been there and back. John is one of those artists. His track record and longevity in the Christian music scene is something you just can not ignore.” ”I believe in talent - and John is loaded with it," adds Rogers. "He is a man with many amazing gifts - and he has an incredible record that’s just waiting to be heard. It’s very different from what he has done in the past, which just goes to show John’s versatility. Great music rises above genre and John is one those who can prove it." ”I’m very excited to be working with Fused Management," says Schlitt. “My career is going in a whole new direction with new management and a new album. The music itself is going down a whole new path; the fact that my interests have changed as I have grown older is reflected in The Grafting.” ”The subject matter on this project is just as important as the music," explains Schlitt. “The songs cover a variety of adult-themed topics including adoption, divorce, taking care of third world children, among other issues of importance in today’s world.” The Grafting has a unique family connection which contributed to the creative and emotional evolution of the project. ”My son-in-law, Dan Needham, produced the album," adds Schlitt. “So, ultimately I felt a lot more comfortable going places subject-wise that were really personal to me. There were actually some moments during the process of recording when we all got choked up and had to stop. That was a new experience for me.”
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Best known as the voice behind the four time Grammy Award and ten time Dove Award-winning group PETRA, Schlitt continues with a solo career following the band’s retirement in 2005. In his role as Petra’s lead singer, Schlitt wrote the #1 hit “Just Reach Out” and earned RIAA-certified GOLD status for the albums Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out and Beyond Belief. Schlitt also earned a third Gold album (Flat as a Pancake) as the front man for the ‘70s classic rock band Head East. With PETRA, Schlitt has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and was the first Christian group to be celebrated by Hard Rock Café.
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Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Christian music news: II GUYS FROM PETRA (John Schlitt & Bob Hartman) Seminar..
Latest christian music: Relying on their vast experience, Schlitt and Hartman relay a wealth of information in an entertaining yet professional manner.
"Bob and I have been involved in nearly every aspect of music; leading worship, songwriting, recording, production, stage presentation, speaking - the list goes on and on” says Schlitt. “We want to share our knowledge in an exciting way in order to assist the music leaders in the church - as well as those who are simply interested in music - in obtaining their goals and objectives so they can be more effective within their own congregations."
Schlitt continues: "We do this by customizing our seminars to fit the specific needs of the individual group. If they are interested in a certain aspect of music, we’ll design our format accordingly. We are here to serve the church, not to be served, which is where the seminar title comes from.”
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"Bob and I have been involved in nearly every aspect of music; leading worship, songwriting, recording, production, stage presentation, speaking - the list goes on and on” says Schlitt. “We want to share our knowledge in an exciting way in order to assist the music leaders in the church - as well as those who are simply interested in music - in obtaining their goals and objectives so they can be more effective within their own congregations."
Schlitt continues: "We do this by customizing our seminars to fit the specific needs of the individual group. If they are interested in a certain aspect of music, we’ll design our format accordingly. We are here to serve the church, not to be served, which is where the seminar title comes from.”
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