This is such an extensive subject that this writer is in danger of over generalizing or not giving due credence to to a subject that is massive. I would like to say that today is an exciting time for contemporary praise and worship. We have about thirty years of history behind us in terms the beginnings of what we know in this genre. Before the seventies we sang, in our churches, mostly hymns. Of course hymns in and of themselves are beautiful but it is nice to have the diversity that we have today. This diversity is found in contemporary praise and worship songs.
The first person that comes to mind is Larry Norman. In the sixties he supported people like the Doors, Janis Joplin, and The Who amongst others. He did this with a band called 'The People'. However it was in the seventies that he created an independent label called "Solid Rock" in which he produced his own albums and albums of other like minded artists. Interestingly, he was largely condemned by church minded people for his views on racism and poverty. Also he was a hippie and wore those types of clothes. Back then this would have been frowned upon. However he was an evangelist and Larry Norman today can be considered the father of rock Christian music.
Also in the early seventies we have the emergence of guitar playing worshipers from the Jesus People movement as well as Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa California. While the previously mentioned music of Larry Norman focused mostly on rock and had influences based on the Beatles and Elvis Presley, the latter was more folk like and introspective. Larry Norman reached out evangelically with his music while those in the 'maranatha' beginnings it was for the encouragement of the church. "Maranatha" by the way was the title of the first album that Calvery Chapel put out, previously known as " The Everlastin' Living Jesus Music Concert".This entity later continued publishing music collections as well as becoming a music publisher in written form. This worship emergence that took place then was a very new development.
This is exciting because while we do have a precious and long heritage in the way of hymns, we have other doors opening up. There is nothing written today that can substitute for the way such words were sung and the profundities therein in a hymn. However there is something to be said for the wonderful process of creation and the creating of a new song. The seventies were the start of this and it has since gone from a corner or two of our nation to spreading throughout the country. Today we have thousands upon thousands of Christian singer songwriters in all genres.
To conclude; the seventies was about the emergence of new musical thoughts. Larry Norman asks in one of his more well known songs " Why should the devil have all the good music?" Karen Lafferty writes, after a bible study in nineteen seventy one" Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness"... Both songs are great songs, spread like wildfire in its day, and both represent something that happened back then which was new and exciting. Both people and the movements that they represent have a solid place in Christian musical history.
The first person that comes to mind is Larry Norman. In the sixties he supported people like the Doors, Janis Joplin, and The Who amongst others. He did this with a band called 'The People'. However it was in the seventies that he created an independent label called "Solid Rock" in which he produced his own albums and albums of other like minded artists. Interestingly, he was largely condemned by church minded people for his views on racism and poverty. Also he was a hippie and wore those types of clothes. Back then this would have been frowned upon. However he was an evangelist and Larry Norman today can be considered the father of rock Christian music.
Also in the early seventies we have the emergence of guitar playing worshipers from the Jesus People movement as well as Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa California. While the previously mentioned music of Larry Norman focused mostly on rock and had influences based on the Beatles and Elvis Presley, the latter was more folk like and introspective. Larry Norman reached out evangelically with his music while those in the 'maranatha' beginnings it was for the encouragement of the church. "Maranatha" by the way was the title of the first album that Calvery Chapel put out, previously known as " The Everlastin' Living Jesus Music Concert".This entity later continued publishing music collections as well as becoming a music publisher in written form. This worship emergence that took place then was a very new development.
This is exciting because while we do have a precious and long heritage in the way of hymns, we have other doors opening up. There is nothing written today that can substitute for the way such words were sung and the profundities therein in a hymn. However there is something to be said for the wonderful process of creation and the creating of a new song. The seventies were the start of this and it has since gone from a corner or two of our nation to spreading throughout the country. Today we have thousands upon thousands of Christian singer songwriters in all genres.
To conclude; the seventies was about the emergence of new musical thoughts. Larry Norman asks in one of his more well known songs " Why should the devil have all the good music?" Karen Lafferty writes, after a bible study in nineteen seventy one" Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness"... Both songs are great songs, spread like wildfire in its day, and both represent something that happened back then which was new and exciting. Both people and the movements that they represent have a solid place in Christian musical history.
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