CLASSIC ROCK INTERVIEWS: #Christian rock

Showing posts with label #Christian rock. Show all posts

Thursday, September 13, 2018

DAVID HUFF: FINDING JESUS IN ROCK AND ROLL-DAVID AND THE GIANTS

D A V I D

H U F F

SINGER-SONGWRITER-MUSICIAN-PRODUCER

FINDING JESUS IN ROCK AND ROLL

'DAVID AND THE GIANTS'

After a newfound relationship with Jesus Christ in the summer of 1977, David and the Giants sought to change the very foundation of the group from the secular rock scene to a different style of Christian music. Through 1997 the original band and other musicians produced 17 inspiring contemporary Christian Rock albums.

David & The Giants was formed in 1964 when David Huff dropped out of Jones Junior College to follow his dream. Around 1965 David’s brothers Rayborn and Clayborn joined the group. Larry Papania and Bill Barnette were the first 2 drummers for D & G. Jerry Parker was the drummer from 1966 until he was replaced by Keith Thibodeaux in 1969. During the 1960’s and early 1970’s, David & The Giants [featuring Keith Thibodeaux and David’s brothers Clayborn and Rayborn] toured heavily as a secular Rock ‘n’ Roll band, sharing the stage and in the studio with such formidable acts such as: Styx, Chuck Berry, Cheech and Chong, Black Oak Arkansas ,Rod Stewart ,The Rolling Stones, and Stevie Wonder.
Playing secular music at colleges, high schools and clubs was the way of life for D&G. They were signed with Capitol Records, MGM Records, United Artist Records and CBS Records.

The first three Christian albums had more ballads and a pop-rock sound and included “Glory Hallelujah” and “Roll On”, later covered by Wayne Watson. The original version of “Noah”, now a classic song and fan favorite recorded in 1978. Gerald Hagan played piano during these early years, leaving the band in 1980. Owen Hale played drums on the first three D&G recordings until Keith Thibodeaux rejoined the group in 1979.
Heaven or Hell (1981) would continue their more rock roots sound making David & The Giants truly pioneers in the early days of Contemporary Christian music. In 1982 after signing with the Columbia Records’ Christian label – Priority Records the first release, entitled simply David & The Giants was widely distributed.
The next album, Riders In The Sky (1983) produced staples like:Step by Step,King of the Jews, Look at the People.Then three more albums; Inhabitants of the Rock (1984), Under Control (1985) and Magnificat (1987) released on the Myrrh Label produced several radio hits like:
I Am Persuaded,His Love Lifted Me Up.Why.I Can Depend On You.
Giant Records, a self- label of David’s was created in 1988 with Strangers To The Night the first release.
The 1980’s was finished out with R-U Gonna Stand Up (1989) which produced the still popular radio hit “Here’s My Heart”. Thanks to a mislabeled CD that was supposed to be from Soul II Soul, WNCI Program Director Dave Robbins from Columbus Ohio liked the song enough to put it on the air. WNCI received such positive response that it was added into regular rotation.

Keith Thibodeaux left the band after the recording of R-U Gonna Stand Up in the summer of 1989.
1990 issued in a new decade along with Distant Journey with Lance Huff, David’s son, on the drums to replace Keith. In 1991 Distant Journey was nominated for a Dove Award for “Rock Album of the Year“.
Other releases, Long Time Coming (1992) and Giant Hits (1993) in the early 1990’s had three hits:Stumbling Block to a Stepping Stone,I’m Still Rocking,Always on My Mind.
Since 2007, the David & The Giants original band members have been getting back together frequently for reunion concerts and produced the live album Still Rockin’ in 2014.

DAVID

AND

THE GIANTS

40TH
ANNIVERSARY
THE BEST IS YET TO COME

AVAILABLE AT
AMAZON.COM

For more information about David Huff and David & The Giants visit … www.davidhuff.com
and www.facebook.com/davidandthegiants

Purchase … 2017: Live in Pearl David and the Giants (Giant) (David Huff, Clayborn Huff, Rayborn Huff, Keith Thibodeaux)

Also … Still Rockin' (Live)Sep 9, 2014 by David & The Giants …

available at amazon.com.

D A V I D

H U F F

DAVID AND THE GIANTS

SPECIAL GUEST ON

INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS

with RAY SHASHO

BBS RADIO

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN

And don’t forget to purchase a copy of my book entitled Check the Gs -the true story of an eclectic American family and their Wacky family business

... available now at amazon.com. You’ll live it!!!

Have a great week everybody!

Thursday, September 6, 2018

GREG X. VOLZ LEGENDARY CHRISTIAN ROCKER WITH 'PETRA' SPECIAL GUEST ON 'INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS'

G R E G X. V O L Z

LEGENDARY CHRISTIAN ROCKER

WITH

P E T R A

BACK ON TOUR WITH THE CPR BAND

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Greg Volz showed great skills in singing from a very early age. Being a self-taught musician, when he was 13 years old, he started his own band called The Wombats. As he grew up, he went on to share the stage with the likes of Janis Joplin, Chicago and others. In 1970 he became a born-again Christian and started performing with several Christian bands. He formed a band called Gideon's Bible, and later toured with a group known simply as e Band, which was a part of the Jesus Movement. E's only studio recordings can be found on the rock musical 2LP-album Because I Am released in 1973. After e broke up in 1975 Volz moved to Springfield, Missouri, where he worked with legendary guitarist Phil Keaggy. He also performed the lead role in a rock stage musical called Ezekiel.

In 1976, Volz received two of the most important calls of his life. First, he was offered the lead singer position of REO Speedwagon. Volz, being a recently converted Christian, declined. Six weeks later, he got the call to participate in Petra's second album, Come and Join Us. Although at that time he participated as a guest singer in just three songs, founder/guitarist Bob Hartman (who, at that time, was sharing the lead-singing duties with co-founder/guitarist Greg Hough) Huff offered Volz the full-time position.

His first full-time album with the band, Washes Whiter Than, came in 1979 and therein came one of the most prolific periods of the legendary band. Volz remained the lead singer until 1985 when he left to pursue a solo career. Volz released his first solo effort, titled The River is Rising in 1986 under Myrrh Records. He followed it with three other moderately successful albums. During this time, he also toured with Joe English in a band called Pieces of Eight. Volz' tours drew in the 1,000 to 1,500 range during this time - a very respectable number for a Contemporary Christian artist, but nowhere near the level he experienced at the end of his tenure with Petra.

In October 4, 2005 he re-joined Petra for the live recording of their last DVD, Petra Farewell. He joined the stage with current singer John Schlitt for a medley of ballads, and he followed it with a solo rendition of "Grave Robber", which was one of his hits with the band.

In 2010 he spear-headed the renewal of the classic members of Petra from the early 80's. Classic Petra was born. Greg X. Volz, John Lowry, Louie Weaver, Mark Kelly and Bob Hartman took the band on a 2year world tour with new recordings of the classic songs. In 2016 Greg, Louie and John agreed to record another album of classic Petra songs and recruit the talent of former Petra member, Ronny Cates, and former Pieces of Eight Member, Kirk Henderson. Greg Bailey, another former Petra member, was asked to play bass on the 2018-19 tour. This new project is called CPR.

Be sure to catch Classic Petra w/ David & The Giants -Fri SEPT 21^ST 7:00 PM EDT · at Victory Church in Lakeland Florida