Bob Bennett (singer-songwriter)
Bob Bennett | |
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![]() Bob Bennett live in Ft. Worth, TX. 2007. | |
Background information | |
Born | Downey, California, U.S. | March 21, 1955
Genres | CCM |
Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, composer |
Instruments | Vocals, guitar |
Years active | 1979–present |
Labels | Maranatha!, Priority Star Song, Urgent, Covenant Artists, Signpost |
Website | bob-bennett |
Bob Bennett (born March 21, 1955)[1] is an American contemporary Christian music singer, guitarist and songwriter from Downey, California. Bennett is known for his distinctive baritone voice, Christian lyrics and folk-inspired guitar playing.
Career[]
Bennett was born in Downey, California. He picked up his first guitar at age nine and formed a rock 'n' roll band in high school. In the late seventies he converted to Christianity and his songwriting began to reflect his newfound faith.[1]
His career was launched with the release of his 1979 folk-style debut recording First Things First. Three years later, Matters of the Heart, a recording CCM Magazine selected as 1982's "Album of the Year", and later ranked it 25th on its list of contemporary Christian albums of all time.[2] Soon after the release of his next recording, Non-Fiction, he served as opening act on Amy Grant's Unguarded tour. Lord of the Past: A Compilation followed, which peaked at 30th position on Billboard magazine's Top Contemporary Christian chart in 1990.[3] The album's title song reached number one on the Christian radio charts in early 1990. This was followed by Bennett's second number one song: "Yours Alone".
Later in 1990 Bob joined Michael Card on his The Way of Wisdom tour, performing in front of sold-out audiences across the country. Bob credits his tour with Michael Card as being the only reason he had a career in 1990 and 1991.[4] Songs from Bright Avenue was released in 1991, a collection of songs he wrote while struggling with the dissolution of his marriage. Bob's most recent solo CD is Christmastide, released in 2009. The project, Jesus Music Again, a collaboration with Bill Batstone and Alex MacDougall, was released in 2011.[5]
Bob plays a Kevin Ryan guitar.[6]
Bob is currently signed with Signpost Communications.
Discography[]
Solo releases[]
- First Things First (Maranatha! Music, 1979) (04/2007: Limited Edition Twenty-Fifth Anniversary Release)
- Matters of the Heart (CBS/Priority, 1982) (May 22, 2007: Re-released on iTunes and in Mp3 format on Amazon)
- Non-Fiction (Star Song, 1985) (May 22, 2007: Re-released on iTunes and in Mp3 format on Amazon)
- Lord of the Past: A Compilation (Urgent Records, 1989) (Out-of-Print)
- Songs from Bright Avenue (Urgent Records, 1991; Re-release by Signpost Music, 2003)
- Small Graces (Covenant Artists, 1997)
- The View from Here (Signpost Music, 2002)
- "My Heart Across the Ocean" (single, 2002)
- Christmastide (Signpost Music, 2009)
- Joy Deep as Sorrow (self-released, 2012)
- Live at Judson University (self-released, 2016)
Songs in other projects[]
- "Place I Am Bound" — track 2 on Fast Folk FF708 Vol. 9 No. November 8, 1993, Los Angeles Revisited (still available from Smithsonian Folkways Recordings)
- "Beautiful, Scandalous Night" — track 3 on At the Foot of the Cross: Vol. 1: Clouds, Rain, Fire
- "Holy God, We Praise Thy Name", "Born to Die", "In the Bleak Midwinter" — tracks on Christmas in Our Time (Urgent!, 2004)
- "Strange Joy" — track 3 on Music of Proclaim!, volume 3: There Is a Way
- "Hand of Kindness", "Unto the Least of These", "Our Codependent Love", and "Defiant Lamb" — tracks 3, 5, 8 and 11, respectively, on Return of the Killer B's (Live from Memphis)
Collaborations and other credits[]
- background vocals on Billy Crockett's albums: Any Starlight Night (Urgent Records, 1994) & Watermarks (Walking Angel Records, 1998)
- Six String Prayers, John Standefer (guitar) & Bob Bennett (vocals) (2007)
- co-wrote "Broken Beauty" with Jon Buller on his album: Light Up The Sky (Signpost, 2009)
- Songs for Israel with Phil Keaggy, Randy Stonehill, and Buck Storm (Candlelight Records 2010)
- Jesus Music Again, Bill Batstone (guitars, bass, vocals), Bob Bennett (guitars, vocals), Alex MacDougall (percussion, drums) (2011,review[7])
Awards and recognition[]
CCM Magazine named Matters of the Heart "Album of the Year - 1982", and among the Top 25 CCM Albums of all time. The magazine also ranked Lord of the Past among the top 100 CCM Albums of all time.
References[]
- ^ a b "Bob Bennett's personal biography on his website". bob-bennett.com. Archived from the original on October 5, 2002. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
- ^ "CCM Magazine's "25 Best Contemporary Christian Albums of All Time" - How many of these albums have you heard?". List Challenges. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
- ^ Bob Bennett at Allmusic
- ^ "Recording "Small Graces"". museweb.com. Retrieved August 24, 2015.
- ^ "Bob Bennett: then & now". 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2019.
- ^ The View from Here liner notes.
- ^ Urbanski, Dave (2011). "(Review) Jesus Music Again". Christianity Today. Retrieved April 15, 2012.
- Orange Country Register (02/10/2006)
- USA Today Online (11/18/2003)
- Orange Country Register (09/05/2003)
External links[]
- Official website
- Wittenburg Door interview (02/2007) at the Wayback Machine (archived September 27, 2007)
- American acoustic guitarists
- American male guitarists
- American male singer-songwriters
- American singer-songwriters
- Converts to Christianity
- 1955 births
- Living people
- American performers of Christian music
- Fast Folk artists
- Musicians from Downey, California
- Singers from California
- Songwriters from California
- Guitarists from California
- 20th-century American guitarists
- 20th-century male singers