36 replies to this topic

[chillinrev]

I am starting a study on Christian (believers plus a few borderline seekers that always are pondering eternal isuues.) musicians, singers and bands outside the CCM subculture. Have quite a list but wondered if anyone could add to it.

Here goes;
The Alarm/ Mike Peters
Anathallo
Iain Archer
Athlete
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
T-Bone Burnett
Cactus World News
The Call
Peter Case
Nick Cave
Chagall Guevara/ Steve Taylor
Bruce Cockburn
Danielson
Dashboard Confessional
Deacon Blue/ Ricky Ross
Dissident Prophet
Duke Special
Bob Dylan
The Fray
Galactic Cowboys
The Hold Steady
Brian Houston
The Innocence Mission
Martyn Joseph
Damain Jurado
Kings X
Lies Damned Lies
Lifehouse
Lone Justice/ Maria Mckee
Midnight Oil
Morning Runner
Mutemath
Onerepublic
Over The Rhine
Pedro the Lion
Pierce Pettis
Sam Phillips
Plumb
River City People
Runrig
Mike Scott/ The Waterboys
Sixpence None the Richer
Sixteen Horsepower/ Wovenhand
Sleeping At Last
Son Lux
Southeast Engine
Sufjan Stevens
Thrice
Juliet Turner
U2
Vigilantes of Love/ Bill Mallonee
Violet Burning
The Violent Femmes

Want to stick to the rock/pop genre for now. I know there are many soul/gospel artsists that could be included but that would be a volume in itself.
Also do not want to include metal bands for the same reason. Too many to mention. Although will note any alternative rock.

[mrrrty]

I am starting a study on Christian (believers plus a few borderline seekers that always are pondering eternal isuues.) musicians, singers and bands outside the CCM subculture. Have quite a list but wondered if anyone could add to it.

The Hold Steady

Not sure what you're trying to do exactly, but I did an interview with Craig Finn where we talked a great deal about faith, if you're interested in using it for research or anything.

[Joel]

A number of questions come up when I see this list, including but not limited to: what is a Christian, what is a believer, what is a seeker, what is the CCM subculture, what is NOT the CCM subculture, and how famous does a band have to be on a list like this? (I'm not looking for answers to all of those...) I guess the main question is, what's the purpose of making the list? Then maybe I could make some suggestions. I have been thinking about this sort of thing for most of my life, which somehow makes it much more difficult than it should be.

[Andy Whitman]

A number of questions come up when I see this list, including but not limited to: what is a Christian, what is a believer, what is a seeker, what is the CCM subculture, what is NOT the CCM subculture, and how famous does a band have to be on a list like this? (I'm not looking for answers to all of those...) I guess the main question is, what's the purpose of making the list? Then maybe I could make some suggestions. I have been thinking about this sort of thing for most of my life, which somehow makes it much more difficult than it should be.

It is difficult. But perhaps one simplifying concept might be that the list should focus on artists who identify themselves as Christians. That avoids the "how do we know?" and "What theological/lifestyle criteria come into play?" questions and simply admits that we don't know. God knows, and it's not our business to know. But people who call themselves Christians could reasonably appear on a list of "Christians who operate outside the CCM world."

And yes, the "CCM" label poses its own set of issues. But perhaps that can be at least partly resolved by looking only at artists who appear on non-self-identified "Christian" labels, or who start their own labels to avoid the whole controversy. Given those caveats, I'd add the following to the list:

Aaron Strumpel
Buddy and Julie Miller
Tonio K.
Josh Garrels
Gretel
Katie Chastain
Pierce Pettis
David Wilcox
Baby Dee
Sinead O'Connor
Victoria Williams
Jeremy Enigk
Richard Swift
Mark Heard
The Welcome Wagon
Aradhna
Hermas Zopoula
Dave Perkins
Will Gray

[mrmando]

Jason Harrod
Brooks Williams
Michelle Shocked

[Cunningham]

David Wilcox?

Some of those on your list are pretty well recognized at least within the CCM subculture. Sixpense, Sufjan Stevens, Danielson, Plumb, Mute Math, Over the Rhine, and The Violet Burning are all groups that at one time or another could have been found at a Christian bookstore, and are pretty well-known in Christian music circles, even if they aren't currently marketed as Christian. Others, like King's X, and Pedro, seem to have made a more concerned effort to exit the CCM subculture.

Edited by Cunningham, 23 May 2009 - 12:30 PM.

[Andy Whitman]

David Wilcox?

Yep.

[J. Henry Waugh]

I know we're sticking to rock and pop, but Johnny Cash belongs as a godfather to this list.

[chillinrev]

Hi guys, thanks for replies so far. Andy thanks for your little bit of guidance. I know this raises many questions but thought I would throw it in anyway. I am writing a chapter for a book on the influence of Jesus in the spheres of life, work and the arts. It is in very embryonic form at the moment but I am researching the music side of things. Wanted to make sure I did not leave anyone out whether of note or not. Will definately look into the names mentioned so far. If anyone thinks of anything else keep them coming.

[Jason Panella]

Mark Olson (the Jayhawks) (Though I must admit, I've never seen him admit it in print...I could be way off on this.)

[mrmando]

Reaching way back...

After the Fire
Robin Lane and the Chartbusters
Kerry Livgren/Kansas (until he left the group)
The Mercy Seat

Was MC Hammer enough of a crossover phenomenon to be considered a "pop" artist?
Tom Prasada-Rao

Edited by mrmando, 26 May 2009 - 11:52 AM.

[Overstreet]

You've listed Pedro the Lion, but should include David Bazan separately, as he stopped recording as PtL a long time ago.

Robert Deeble

Edited by Overstreet, 26 May 2009 - 12:10 PM.

[Overstreet]

I'm curious: Would anybody argue that Springsteen belongs on this list? Or Daniel Lanois? Emmylou Harris? Jack White? Kanye West?

My Brightest Diamond
Katy Bowser
Leigh Nash (insofar as she has a solo album)
Michael Been (ditto)

I don't know about Ollabelle, but they've recorded some rip-roaring gospel.

THE RAGBIRDS!

Prince is a Jehovah's Witness, but he sure does love Jesus....

Rickie Lee Jones?

Arvo Part

Agents of Future

The Beauty

Edited by Overstreet, 26 May 2009 - 12:34 PM.

[mrmando]

I'm curious: Would anybody argue that Springsteen belongs on this list? Or Daniel Lanois? Emmylou Harris? Jack White? Kanye West?

Perhaps the first four as spiritual seekers? Springsteen's Catholic roots are always showing, I guess. But Kanye West? Seriously? Hard to believe there was any sincerity behind that Jesus song.

If we include Prince, do we have to include Michael Jackson? He was a Jehovah's Witness too, for a while.

Let's not forget Michael McDermott. And what about Peter Himmelman, a devout Jew?

[Overstreet]

But Kanye West? Seriously?

Well... thus the question mark. I've read interviews where he talks about loving Jesus, and I think he's made references to that in more than one song. But yeah, it's very hard to take seriously in light of... well... everything else.

[Overstreet]

A friend of mine suggests this:

You might recommend that your friend look up Michael Lindsay at Rice University in Houston. He’s doing a lot of work on the presence of Christians in “the halls of power” (media, politics, business and the arts). His most recent book, “Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite” (Oxford, 2007). It was named a “Best Book of 2007” by Publishers Weekly and was nominated by Oxford University Press for the 2007 non-fiction Pulitzer Prize.

[mrmando]

Well, egomaniacs need Jesus as much as anyone else does, so we shouldn't necessarily rule out Kanye as a seeker of some kind.

We could add Nickel Creek.

Edited by mrmando, 27 May 2009 - 12:17 AM.

[chillinrev]

I'm curious: Would anybody argue that Springsteen belongs on this list? Or Daniel Lanois? Emmylou Harris? Jack White?

Would definately include all these on the list.

And I cannot believe nobody has included the seminal rock star. I know you are all holding back out of embarassment so I will shoot my street cred down even more

Sir Cliff Richard........ Had to be done, sorry!!!

[Jason Panella]

Josh Caterer (of the Smoking Popes, Duvall)

John Davis (Superdrag)

[Ryan]

A band often mentioned alongside Galactic Cowboys and King's X is Atomic Opera.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_Opera

Ryan

Edited by Ryan, 27 May 2009 - 12:10 PM.