Steve Green (singer)
Steve Green (born August 1, 1956) is an American Christian music singer, notable for his tenor vocal range and flexible solo style. Over his 45-year career, Green has been honored as a four-time Grammy Award nominee, seven-time Dove Award winner and was inducted in to the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2017. He has had 13 No. 1 songs, and has sold over three million albums. Early life. Green was born in Portland, Oregon, to parents Charles and Jo Green, who were Baptist missionaries. He is one of six siblings who spent much  of his early life in Argentina, though like two of his siblings, he attended Phoenix Christian High School in the early 1970s when his family was in the U.S. and graduated from there in 1974. At age 18, he enrolled at Grand Canyon University. He intended to major in pre-law, but a professor recognized his musical talent and encouraged him to develop it. Career. After two years at the university, Green left to travel the world with the group Truth. After his two-year stint with Truth (1976–78). Green married Marijean McCarty, a former member of Truth, and they  moved to Alexandria, Indiana, to sing backup for the Bill Gaither Trio. In 1980, Green joined Gary McSpadden, Lee Young and Bill Gaither to form the Gaither Vocal Band. Green sang tenor for their first two albums, "The New Gaither Vocal Band" and "Passin' the Faith Along". In 1982, Steve and Gaither's musicians formed the Christian rock band White Heart. Green sang lead for White Heart as they recorded their debut self-titled album (which sold nearly 70,000 copies). In 1983, Steve left White Heart, feeling that his place was not in a rock band. That same year, a  confrontation by his brother, Randy, led to a spiritual renewal in Green's life. He signed a solo contract with Sparrow Records, and his self-titled debut album appeared in 1984. In the same year, he established Steve Green Ministries. In the early part of his solo career, he was known for crescendo-building, high-note endings. Green's breakout year came in 1985 with the release of "He Holds the Keys", which earned him the Dove Award for Male Vocalist of the Year in the Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) category. The following year, 1986, saw the release of two  recordings, "For God And God Alone" and a worship/hymns album titled "A Mighty Fortress". In early 1988, he released an album dedicated to his parents, called "Find Us Faithful". By the end of 1980s, many of Green's songs had become recognized standards, including "People Need the Lord" and "Broken and Spilled Out". He was often considered the male version of Sandi Patty, using many of the same songwriters and styles as well as the traditional ending of the song on a (literal) high note. Green also contributed background vocals to Patty's 1986 hit "Let There Be Praise . Green was involved with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association from the mid-1980s onward. Green was one of the first artists to be involved with Promise Keepers, performing at their inaugural event at Folsom Field in Boulder, Colorado, in July 1993 before 50,000 men. His song Answer the Call" was inspired by the event, and another song, "O Men of God Arise," embodies the Promise Keepers message. Green recorded "The Mission" in 1989 and continued his success with "We Believe" in 1991. As Christian music became more rock-oriented in the early 1990s, Green returned to traditional roots by releasing an  album of hymns in 1992. Green switched styles toward a more "pop" flavor on his 1994 "Where Mercy Begins" album. He also received the first of two career boosts from outside events. On September 8, 1994, USAir Flight 427 crashed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, killing all 132 persons on board. One passenger was an up-and-coming Christian singer named Kirk Lynn, who had just re-recorded Green's "As We Sail To Heaven's Shore" from the 1988 "Find Us Faithful" album. Only a rough cut played at the memorial service for the passengers. Grieving family members were told of  Green's original, which boosted album sales for the older recording. Green's style change continued on his 1996 recording, "The Letter". He was also instrumental in attempting to set up an accountability group for fellow Christian artists and friends. Green changed focus again in 1998 by declaring he would only record songs that honor the Lord, songs that he could be satisfied with should it be his last recording. His declaration coincided with a controversial ruling by the Gospel Music Association known as the "Definition of Gospel Music", which erupted with major disqualifications at the ensuing year's Dove  Awards over songs that were deemed not explicitly Christian enough. That year saw the release of "The Faithful", and 2000 saw the release of a devotional song album entitled "Morning Light". Two years later Green released "Woven in Time" and again found himself receiving a career boost. Green was a personal friend of Space Shuttle "Columbia" commander Rick Husband, who was killed along with six others in the February 1, 2003 disintegration during reentry. Green was interviewed by "CNN", and his song "God of Wonders" got a boost from the unexpected publicity. In 2005 Green released a new album, "Somewhere  Between", which saw him move in a different direction, leaning more toward an art song style. The album featured fewer declarative answers than Green's past work, and instead explored questions of pain, doubt and loss that life inevitably rains down on both the just and the unjust. Green co-wrote half of the songs on the album. In 2007 Green released his last non-compilation album under the Sparrow label, "Always: Songs of Worship". In 2010, Green released "Love Will Find a Way", his first release through Steve Green Ministries. The album featured David Phelps on the track "God  is Love". In 2012, Green released two albums, "Rest in the Wonder" and "Christmas." Green stated, ""Rest in the Wonder" is a declaration of absolute trust in God, fiercely holding to what we know for certain and reverently worshiping the One whose ways are higher than our ways and whose thoughts are higher than our thoughts." 2014 saw the release of two more albums from Green: "Hide the Word: Bible Songs for Kids" and "Hymns". "There is nothing more powerful or lasting than God's Word!" says Green. "In the Scriptures, God has told us all we need to know  for life and Godliness. These Bible Promises set to music remind us who God is and what He has done for us. What's more, the songs are just plain fun!" Regarding his "Hymns" project, Green said, "In every age, the church has lifted her voice to express praise and adoration, but the church has also used singing to refute dangerous heresy and remind one another of the foundational Biblical truths. In the 12th century, Bernard of Clairvaux penned 'O Sacred Head Now Wounded' and today we still sing his haunting hymn about Jesus' sacrificial death. Five hundred years later , 'Fairest Lord Jesus' appeared anonymously in a hymnbook, published in what is today the country of Poland. How many of us have sung that hymn, marveling at the uniqueness and glory of Christ? I hope this collection of hymns draws you into the historic stream of worship as you join your voice to songs the church has been singing through the ages." His bilingual abilities have seen the release of seven Spanish CDs in the United States. Family life. He is married to Marijean Green, whose own vocal qualities complemented her husband's on the song "Household of Faith" on  the "For God And God Alone" album and in subsequent appearances. The song has become a staple among Christian wedding duets. They have two children, Summer (born 1981) and Josiah (born 1985). Green's sister Barbara is married to Mark Bailey, former president of the evangelical Dallas Theological Seminary, and Green helped the seminary celebrate its eightieth anniversary in April 2004. He has also written a thirty-day devotional titled "The Power of the Cross" and has recorded numerous children's videos and songs. Green has expanded his musical ministry to include videos and other work for Focus on the  Family.