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Casting Crowns

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For their eponymous debut album, see Casting Crowns (album).
Casting Crowns

Casting Crowns is a Grammy Award and Dove Award winning Christian band that employs a soft rock music style. The band was created in 1999 by youth pastor Mark Hall at First Baptist Church in Downtown Daytona Beach, Florida [1] as part of a youth group. He also serves as a lead vocalist. Later they moved to McDonough, Georgia and more members joined creating the band now known as Casting Crowns. Some members of the band currently work as ministers for Eagles Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, Georgia.

History

Formation and Self Titled Debut

Christian pop group Casting Crowns began as a student worship band in Daytona Beach, FL, in 1999. Led by singer, songwriter, and youth pastor Mark Hall, the group initially included guitarists Juan DeVevo and Hector Cervantes and violinist Melodee DeVevo. The group relocated to McDonough, GA, in 2001, adding Chris Huffman on bass, Megan Garrett on keyboards and accordion, and drummer Andy Williams. This augmented version of Casting Crowns released two independent albums on CD, both of which were well received in the Atlanta area. Both independent albums were efforts on the part of Mark Hall and the rest of the group as outreach projects for youth in the area [2]. Although the group was not searching for a record label, one of the group's albums found its way into the hands of Mark Miller, lead singer for country group Sawyer Brown, who was struck by Casting Crowns' driving pop/rock style and Hall's vocal delivery of his hard-hitting but devout songs. Miller signed Casting Crowns to his fledgling Beach Street Records, a division of Reunion Records with distribution by the Provident Label Group, making Casting Crowns the first artist signed to Beach Street Records. [3]

Mark Miller took the group into the studio along with co-producer Steven Curtis Chapman, himself a popular artist on the CCM musical scene. The resulting eponymous album, Casting Crowns, was released in 2003 on the Beach Street imprint. The album quickly made them one of the fastest selling debut artists in Christian music history. The album's first single, "Voice of Truth", spent a record-breaking fourteen consecutive weeks at #1 beginning in 2003. The album was certified platinum in 2005.[4]

Lifesong and Lifesong Live (2005-2006)

Lifesong followed in 2005, debuting at #9 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The album had three singles: “Lifesong,” “Praise You in this Storm” and “ Does Anybody Hear Her?”. "Lifesong" spent nine weeks in the top spot, with "Praise You in This Storm" remaining at #1 for seven weeks.

The band's live albums Live from Atlanta (2004) and Lifesong Live (2006) have also earned Platinum certifications. The Altar and the Door Live, the live version of The Altar and the Door, has been certified Gold.

The Altar and the Door and The Altar and the Door Live(2007-2008)

The band's third studio album The Altar and the Door debuted at #2 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart[5] and #1 on the Hot Christian Albums chart upon its release in August 2007. Ten weeks after the album’s release date, "The Altar and the Door" was certified gold by the RIAA. [6] On September 27, 2007 the band embarked on the ‘Altar and the Door’ tour with Leeland and John Waller . The tour was highly successful, grossing $4.4 million ticket sales. [7] Casting Crowns broke their own record in 2007 when the single "East to West" from The Altar and the Door hit sixteen consecutive weeks at #1. The song ended up enjoying the top spot for a total of nineteen weeks, now their most successful single to date. "Slow Fade" was also released as a single, and was included in the soundtrack of the Kirk Cameron film Fireproof.

In 2008, Casting Crowns scored their eighth number one hit with "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", a track from their newly-released Christmas album entitled Peace on Earth.

Until the Whole World Hears (2009)

In early 2009, drummer Andy Williams left to pursue a further calling with blessings from the band. The very bald drummer was replaced with Brian Scoggin and his red locks of hair, an irony Mark mentions on tour.

Casting Crowns was of the only US bands to ever have been invited to North Korea. They attended the 2009 April Spring Arts Festival in Pyongyang where they performed with The Annie Moses Band. This was Casting Crowns second time invited to the Festival sponsored by Global Resource Services. [8]

Mark Hall recently announced that their fourth studio album will be called Until the Whole World Hears. [1] It will be released November 2009.[2]. On August 30, 2009 Casting Crowns performed on Huckabee, Mike Huckabee's political show.

Ministry

Casting Crowns frontman Mark Hall calls the band's work a ministry akin to what the world would call "preaching to the choir." In keeping with The Great Commission, Hall describes their music as a "ministry of discipleship."[9]

Several members of Casting Crowns currently minister at Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, GA where they play during the Contemporary Worship service on Sunday mornings.

Members

CURRENT MEMBERS

FORMER MEMBERS

Chart Performance

Studio Albums - Billboard (North America)

Year Album Peak Chart Positions RIAA Certification[4]
Christian Albums1 Billboard 200 Albums
2003 Casting Crowns 2 59 Platinum
2005 Lifesong 1 9 Platinum
2007 The Altar and the Door 1 2 Platinum
2008 Peace on Earth 1 24 Gold
2009 Until the Whole World Hears TBR TBR TBR

Live Albums - Billboard (North America)

Year Album Peak Chart Positions RIAA Certification[4]
Christian Albums1 Billboard 200 Albums
2004 Live from Atlanta 16 - Platinum
2006 Lifesong Live 16 - Platinum
2008 The Altar and the Door Live 6 114 Platinum

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Song Peak Chart Positions Album
Christian Songs2 Hot Christian AC3
2003 "If We Are the Body"4 3 3 Casting Crowns
2003 "Who Am I?" 1 1
2003 "Voice of Truth" 1 1
2005 "Lifesong" 1 1 Lifesong
2005 "Praise You in This Storm" 1 1
2006 "Does Anybody Hear Her?" 1 1
2007 "East to West" 1 1 The Altar and the Door
2007 "Every Man" 2 3
2008 "Slow Fade" 5 7
2009 "Until the Whole World Hears"5 2 Until the Whole World Hears

Other Charting Songs - Billboard (North America)

Year Song Peak Chart Positions Album
Christian Songs2 Hot Christian AC3
2008 "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" 3 1 Peace On Earth
2008 "While You Were Sleeping" 8 4

1 Billboard's "Top Christian Albums" chart became the "Christian Albums" chart in June 2009.

2 Billboard's "Hot Christian Songs" chart became the "Christian Songs" chart in June 2009.

3 Billboard's "Hot Christian AC" chart was discontinued in June 2009.

4 Reached #1 on other legitimate radio charts.

5 Currently active on the charts.

Additional Chart Achievements

Albums

Songs

Music Videos

Books

  • Lifestories by Mark Hall
  • Your Own Jesus by Mark Hall

Producers/Executive Producers

  • Steven Curtis Chapman - Producer for album Casting Crowns
  • Mark A. Miller - Producer for albums Casting Crowns, Lifesong, The Altar and the Door, and Until The Whole World Hears
  • Terry Hemmings - Executive Producer for album Lifesong, The Altar and the Door, and Until The Whole World Hears

Discography

Studio albums
Live albums

Achievements

  • Career sales have exceeded 4 million records.
  • Voted CCM Readers' Choice Awards "Favorite Band", "Favorite New Artist" and "Favorite Album" in 2005.
  • "Lifesong" voted "Inspirational Single of the Year" by online music fans in the 2005 CCMSingles.Net Awards.
  • "Praise You in this Storm" was the fifth most played song of 2006 according to R&R magazine[10]
  • "East To West" voted "AC Single of the Year" and "Inspirational Single of the Year" by online music fans in the 2007 CCMSingles.Net Awards.
  • Casting Crowns was the most played artist on Christian Radio in 2007, according Radio & Records Weekly charts (12/10).
  • Casting Crowns is the second fastest Christian band in history to have their first two albums certified platinum, the other is Jars of Clay.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page).
Year Award Result
2005 Group of the Year Won
Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year (“Voice of Truth”) Won
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year (“Who Am I”) Won
2006 Group of the Year Won
Pop Contemporary Album of the Year (Lifesong) Won
2007 Group of the Year Won
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year(“Praise You in this Storm”) Won
2008 Group of the Year Won
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year(“The Altar and the Door”) Won
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year(“East to West”) Won

Grammy Awards

Year Award Work
2005 Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year Lifesong

Partnerships and Endorsements

Partnerships

Endorsements

  • Gibson Guitars
  • Avalon Guitars
  • Vesper Guitars
  • Audix Microphones
  • Westone In Ear Monitors
  • Pro Mark Drum Sticks
  • Ultimate Microphone Stands
  • Paul Reed Smith Guitars

References

  1. ^ Norris, Jane (18 May 2009). "There's No Slow Fade in the Forecast for Casting Crowns". The Daily Progress. Retrieved July 4, 2009.
  2. ^ Owen, Linda (2005 November). "Casting Crowns' "Who Am I"". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2009 October 15. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  3. ^ Herman, Michael (2004). "Overnight Sensation". Christianity Today. Retrieved 2009 October 8. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  4. ^ a b c "RIAA - Gold & Platinum Searchable Database". RIAA.
  5. ^ "Casting Crowns 'The Altar and the Door' Debuts at No. 2". CCM Magazine. 2007 September. Retrieved 16 September 2009. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "The Altar and the Door Certified Gold by RIAA in Ten Weeks". CCM Magazine. 2007 September. Retrieved 16 November 2009. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Casting Crowns Dominates Christian Music in 2007". CCM Magazine. 2007 December. Retrieved 16 November 2009. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ Young, Eric (2009 April 21). "Casting Crowns Heads Home After North Korea Trip". Christian Post. Retrieved 2009 October 23. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= and |date= (help)
  9. ^ MySpace.com - Casting Crowns - - Christian / Rock / Pop - www.myspace.com/castingcrowns
  10. ^ As played on the January 7 2007 Weekend 22
  11. ^ Casting Crowns Partnership web site
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