Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind

From the pioneering days of the Jesus Music movement to more than five decades of Christian music, marriage and ministry, Steve and Annie Chapman have built a remarkable musical legacy.

In this episode of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, Steve and Annie Chapman join host Shayne Brian to revisit their journey from West Virginia to Nashville, the early days of the Christian band Dogwood, and their successful recording career with Star Song Records during the golden era of contemporary Christian music (CCM).

Steve and Annie share the remarkable story of how they met, reconnected and began their life together. They revisit Dogwood's beginnings at Nashville's Koinonia Coffee House, Steve's difficult decision to leave the band to spend more time with his family, and how Annie eventually joined him on the road to begin a new chapter as a husband-and-wife recording duo.

The conversation explores their classic Christian albums, including Circle of Two, the stories behind songs such as "Please Find a Reason," "Circle of Two" and "The Secret Place," and how their distinctive approach to songwriting found an audience through Christian radio.

They also reflect on their relationship with Dr. James Dobson, their work with Focus on the Family, the unexpected success of their books, and the Dove Award recognition that came along the way.

More than fifty years after their musical journey began, Steve and Annie remain passionate about creating songs that connect with people through faith, marriage, parenting and the experiences of everyday life.

And as Steve puts it, their measure of success has never been about chart positions.

"It's not charts, it's hearts."

It's a conversation about the early history of Christian music, the changing CCM industry, and the enduring power of songs written from the heart.

• Growing up in West Virginia and discovering a shared love of music
• The remarkable story of Steve and Annie's relationship and marriage
• Dogwood, the Koinonia Coffee House and the pioneering Jesus Music movement
• Why Steve walked away from Dogwood to prioritise his family
• Annie joining Steve on the road and the beginnings of their recording career as a duo
• Signing with Star Song Records and the story behind "Please Find a Reason"
• Revisiting the classic CCM album Circle of Two and its title song
• Dr. James Dobson, Focus on the Family and their journey into publishing
• Dove Award recognition and a lifetime of Christian songwriting
• The story behind "The Secret Place" and the musical legacy they hope to leave

00:00 – Welcome to Beyond the Chorus: Steve & Annie Chapman

04:07 – West Virginia roots, early music and finding each other

08:00 – Dogwood, Koinonia Coffee House and the Jesus Music movement

19:54 – Family priorities and Steve's decision to leave Dogwood

27:51 – Annie joins Steve on the road and a new musical chapter begins

33:53 – Star Song Records, "Please Find a Reason" and Dr. James Dobson

41:32 – Out of the Crate: The story behind "Circle of Two"

48:12 – Gratitude, the Dove Award and a changing Christian music industry

56:27 – "The Secret Place" and why it's not charts, it's hearts

1:01:26 – More than 50 years together, favourite songs and their lasting legacy

Dogwood | Jesus Music | Koinonia Coffee House | Star Song Records | Circle of Two | Please Find a Reason | The Secret Place | Dr. James Dobson | Focus on the Family | Dove Awards | Classic Contemporary Christian Music

Website, music and books: https://www.steveandanniechapman.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009569122439

Listen to their music on Bandcamp: https://steveandanniechapman.bandcamp.com/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/pschapman/videos

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheChorus

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/BeyondTheChorus

Help us preserve the stories behind the music that shaped a generation. Join the Beyond the Chorus community on Patreon for behind-the-scenes content, early access, special discussions, giveaways and more.

Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind celebrates the artists, albums and stories that shaped contemporary Christian music from the 1970s through the early 1990s.

Hosted by Shayne Brian, the podcast reconnects listeners with the pioneers of Jesus Music, classic Christian rock, Christian pop and the golden era of CCM.

The artists. The albums. The missing years. And what came next.

Drop the needle. Press play.

#SteveAndAnnieChapman #BeyondTheChorus #ClassicCCM #ChristianMusic #JesusMusic #Dogwood #CircleOfTwo #CCMHistory

Jimmy P. Brown II, founder and frontman of pioneering Christian thrash metal band Deliverance, joins Shayne Brian for a rare, revealing conversation about the birth of Christian metal, the rise of Deliverance, the realities of the Christian music industry and his lifelong pursuit of artistic freedom.

Long before Deliverance became one of the defining bands of Christian thrash metal, Jimmy was a young David Bowie fan growing up on glam rock, new wave and British pop. So how did a teenager who loved Bowie, Human League and Duran Duran end up fronting one of the heaviest bands in Christian music?

Jimmy takes us back to the Los Angeles metal scene of the 1980s, playing the Sunset Strip, appearing on the influential California Metal compilation and signing with Frontline Records.

He revisits the breakthrough success of Weapons of Our Warfare, its exposure on MTV, and the unexpected connection with Frank Peretti's bestselling Christian novels.

But behind the music was a complicated story of record contracts, publishing rights, unpaid royalties, industry politics and creative disagreements.

Jimmy speaks candidly about his relationship with Frontline Records, Michael Bloodgood's early warning, the controversy surrounding What a Joke, working with Terry Taylor on Stay of Execution, and the Word Records deal that ultimately left an album shelved.

He also explains why he walked away from music in 1996, his return through projects including Fearful Symmetry and Jupiter 6, and the creative freedom he has found through his solo recordings, including Eraserhead.

From the early days of Christian speed metal to the changing sound of Deliverance and the music he's creating today, this is a conversation about much more than heavy guitars.

It's about faith, creativity, the music business, artistic integrity and the price of following your own musical instincts.

The albums, the missing years, and what came next.

• David Bowie and the early influences: Buying Diamond Dogs at just five or six years old, discovering new wave and receiving a prophetic word at the age of ten.
• The birth of Deliverance: Teaching himself guitar, starting the band at 15 and finding his place in the Los Angeles metal scene.
• Christian thrash metal in the 1980s: Playing the Sunset Strip and the Whisky a Go Go before reaching Christian audiences, and the surprising parallels with Metallica.
• Frontline Records and Intense Records: The California Metal compilation, Michael Bloodgood's warning, publishing agreements and the royalty disputes that followed.
• Weapons of Our Warfare: How the landmark 1990 album reached MTV and became one of the most recognised recordings in Christian metal.
• Musical evolution and industry pressure: What a Joke, Terry Taylor, Stay of Execution, River Disturbance and the unreleased Word Records project.
• Walking away and returning: Why Jimmy quit music in 1996 and how Fearful Symmetry, Jupiter 6 and his solo career opened new creative possibilities.
• The Second Verse: The legacy of Deliverance, where new fans should begin, his Patreon cover recordings and new music on the horizon.

00:00 - Introduction: Jimmy P. Brown II and Deliverance

02:22 - Growing Up with David Bowie and Discovering Music

08:02 - Faith, a Prophetic Word and Learning Guitar

11:43 - Why Thrash Metal? The Birth of Deliverance

19:41 - Christian Metal, the Sunset Strip and Finding an Audience

23:11 - California Metal, Metallica and the Early Deliverance Sound

28:24 - Terry Taylor, Stay of Execution and the Changing Sound

29:26 - Frontline Records, Publishing Deals and Royalty Disputes

41:01 - Weapons of Our Warfare, MTV and the Breakthrough

44:57 - What a Joke, Fan Expectations and Creative Freedom

51:18 - Word Records, River Disturbance and the Shelved Album

56:11 - Why Jimmy Walked Away from Music in 1996

57:36 - Fearful Symmetry, Jupiter 6 and His Solo Career

59:02 - The Legacy of Deliverance and Where New Fans Should Start

1:04:35 - Patreon, New Music, Personal Reflections and Part Two

Jimmy P. Brown II Official Website:

https://jpbii.com/

Deliverance Official Website:

https://deliverance23.com/

Explore Jimmy's latest music, solo recordings, Patreon projects and the history of Deliverance.

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

Facebook:

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Support the Podcast on Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/c/BeyondTheChorus

Become a Beyond the Chorus supporter for just $5 a month and help preserve the stories of the artists and albums that shaped Christian music. Enjoy behind-the-scenes content, exclusive discussions, early access, giveaways and more.

Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind explores the artists, the albums, the missing years, and what came next, celebrating the history of Jesus Music and classic Christian music from the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.

Drop the needle. Press play.

#JimmyPBrownII #Deliverance #ChristianMetal #ChristianThrashMetal #FrontlineRecords #WeaponsOfOurWarfare #ClassicCCM #BeyondTheChorus

Before John Schlitt, there was Greg X. Volz, the powerhouse vocalist whose extraordinary four-octave range helped define the classic sound of Christian rock pioneers Petra.

In this episode of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, Shayne Brian sits down with Greg X. Volz for a fascinating journey through the Jesus Movement, the rise of Christian rock, Petra's biggest albums, and the personal decisions that changed his career.

Greg reveals how a dinner party changed his life in 1970, leading him to Jesus, the Jesus Music movement and the formation of his band E, whose ministry saw more than 2,000 people baptised in a single year.

He recalls meeting the original Petra at a Fort Wayne coffee house in 1971, his early involvement with the band, and eventually becoming the lead singer behind classic albums including Never Say Die, More Power to Ya, Not of This World and Beat the System.

But what really happened when Greg left Petra at the height of their success?

Greg reflects on relentless touring schedules of up to 300 days a year, the recording of Captured in Time and Space, the unexpected events surrounding his final performance, and the decision to leave the band that would eventually welcome John Schlitt as its new vocalist.

He also explains Petra's dramatic musical evolution, from the softer sounds of Washes Whiter Than to the synthesisers and electronic production of Beat the System.

And Greg's musical journey is far from over. He reveals that he has ten albums' worth of unreleased music sitting on his computer, offering a tantalising glimpse of what could be coming next. With decades of songwriting and recording behind him, Greg discusses the possibility of new music and the creative passion that continues to drive him.

We revisit Petra's 1982 album More Power to Ya and the unforgettable "Judas' Kiss", exploring the controversy surrounding backwards messages in rock music, church opposition, record burnings and Petra's deliberately reversed message.

Greg also discusses "Witch Hunt", the criticism Christian rock artists faced, and why the arguments surrounding rock music became such a defining part of the era.

• Greg's musical inspirations, four-octave vocal range and daily vocal routine
• His conversion in 1970, the Jesus Movement and the extraordinary ministry of E
• Meeting Petra, the REO Speedwagon connection and joining the band
• Recording Never Say Die in six weeks on an $11,500 budget
• Touring with Servant and spending up to 300 days a year on the road
• Why Petra's sound changed through the 1980s
• The controversy surrounding "God Gave Rock and Roll to You"
• Leaving Petra, Captured in Time and Space and the Classic Petra reunion
• "Judas' Kiss", backmasking and the Christian rock controversy
• Ten unreleased albums, the possibility of new Greg X. Volz music and what the future holds
• Stories about Pat Boone and Perry Como, plus a Fast Five round

00:00 – Introduction: The Voice of Petra

03:00 – Finding Faith in 1970 and the Jesus Movement

09:44 – Meeting Petra and the Road to Joining the Band

16:44 – Recording Never Say Die and Life on the Road

20:38 – Why Greg Left Petra and the Classic Petra Reunion

26:17 – How Petra's Sound Changed Through the 1980s

31:24 – Four-Octave Range, Vocal Health and New Music on the Horizon

36:26 – Out of the Vault: "Judas' Kiss" and Backmasking

43:41 – Faith, Musical Freedom and Following Your Calling

51:36 – Fast Five, Favourite Petra Album and What's Next

Website: https://www.gregxvolz.com/

We didn't just listen to these records. We lived with them.

Beyond the Chorus revisits the artists, the albums, the missing years, and what came next, celebrating the pioneers of Jesus Music and classic contemporary Christian music from the 1970s, 80s and early 90s.

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Subscribe, follow and share Beyond the Chorus with someone who remembers when Petra, Resurrection Band, Servant and the pioneers of Christian rock were changing the sound of Christian music.

Drop the needle. Press play.

What happens to the music that shaped a generation when the records stop spinning?

In this episode of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, Shayne Brian welcomes Steve Gilreath, founding Executive Director of the Museum of Christian & Gospel Music in Nashville, Tennessee, for a fascinating journey through the history of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), Gospel music and the artists who helped define a generation.

From the pioneering days of Christian music to the crossover success of Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Sandi Patty and Rich Mullins, Steve reflects on the explosion of Christian music in the 1980s and 1990s, his decades working in the industry, and why preserving its remarkable history has become such an important mission.

Steve takes us behind the scenes of Nashville's Museum of Christian & Gospel Music, just steps from the legendary Ryman Auditorium. Discover the stories behind rare memorabilia, handwritten lyrics, historic stage clothing and personal artifacts belonging to some of Christian music's most influential artists.

We also explore the involvement of legendary record executive Mike Curb, the permanent home of the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and the museum's powerful connection to the American Civil Rights Movement through the music of Mahalia Jackson, Sam Cooke and the Fisk Jubilee Singers.

Along the way, Steve shares personal stories involving Chris Tomlin, Kirk Franklin, Lauren Daigle, Petra, Stryper and Russ Taff, and explains why the museum is about much more than preserving old records. It's about remembering the faith, creativity and extraordinary people behind the songs.

For anyone who grew up listening to classic Christian music, Christian rock and Gospel music, this is a celebration of the soundtrack to our lives.

• Steve Gilreath's journey through the Christian music industry and his personal musical influences.
• The rise of Contemporary Christian Music and Amy Grant's crossover success.
• Why Nashville needed a museum dedicated to Christian and Gospel music.
• Rare memorabilia, including handwritten lyrics and historic artifacts.
• Mike Curb's involvement and the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
• Gospel music's connection to the Civil Rights Movement.
• Stories involving Rich Mullins, Michael W. Smith, Chris Tomlin, Kirk Franklin and Lauren Daigle.
• Preserving the legacy of artists who never achieved mainstream recognition.
• The museum's future and its mission to inspire new generations.

00:00 - Introduction: Preserving the Soundtrack of a Generation

04:29 - Steve Gilreath's Musical Journey, Amy Grant and Rich Mullins

08:27 - The Rise and Fall of CCM's Mainstream Breakthrough

14:39 - The Artists Who Shaped Steve's Career

21:50 - Creating Nashville's Museum of Christian & Gospel Music

26:14 - Gospel Music, the Civil Rights Movement and Mahalia Jackson

31:03 - Inside the Museum: Petra, Stryper, Russ Taff and Rare Memorabilia

37:09 - Mike Curb and the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame

44:48 - Preserving Christian Music's Untold Stories and Handwritten Lyrics

47:17 - The Future of the Museum and Its Lasting Legacy

Discover the artists, artifacts and stories that shaped Christian and Gospel music.

🌐 Official website: https://www.cgmmuseum.org/

🎟️ Plan your visit: https://www.cgmmuseum.org/museum-ticket/

👉 Museum Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CGMmuseum

📍 402 Commerce Street, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

📻 Love the music we're talking about? Now you can hear it again!

Join Shayne Brian for Classic CCM Rewind, the new radio show celebrating the best Christian music from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

Rediscover the songs, forgotten classics, influential albums and legendary artists who provided the soundtrack to a generation of Christian music fans.

🎶 Listen to the latest show, 19 October 2026, on Mixcloud:

https://www.mixcloud.com/ClassicCCM/classic-ccm-rewind-19-october-2026-new/

🎧 Follow and subscribe to Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind for more in-depth interviews with the legendary artists, musicians and pioneers of Christian music from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

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Support Beyond the Chorus on Patreon for just $5 a month and help keep the stories of classic Christian music alive. Enjoy bonus behind-the-scenes content, exclusive discussions, special offers and giveaways.

If you enjoyed this episode, please like, follow, subscribe and share it with someone who grew up loving classic CCM.

Drop the needle. Press play. We're going Beyond the Chorus.

#BeyondTheChorus #SteveGilreath #ChristianMusic #ClassicCCM #GospelMusic #ChristianMusicHistory #AmyGrant #MichaelWSmith #Nashville #ChristianRock

What was it like being a Christian in one of the world's biggest rock bands?

Beeb Birtles, founding member of Little River Band, joins Shayne Brian on Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind for a revealing conversation about faith, fame, songwriting and the challenges of following his Christian beliefs while navigating international rock stardom.

From his early spiritual awakening to the pressures of touring with Little River Band, Beeb shares how his faith influenced his personal life, his music and some of the biggest decisions of his career.

We explore the fascinating story behind the 1980 Birtles & Goble album The Last Romance, a largely overlooked release that has found an audience among classic contemporary Christian music (CCM) fans. Beeb discusses his song "Into My Life", which was recorded by The Imperials during the Russ Taff era, and the spiritual influences behind songs including "Fall From Paradise" and "Light of Day".

Beeb also reflects on his departure from Little River Band in 1983, his move to Nashville, working with emerging artists and the way his understanding of Christianity has evolved over the decades.

And there's an intriguing possibility still on the horizon: a gospel project Beeb hopes to record called The Choir Invisible.

It's a conversation about the man behind the hits, the personal cost of conviction, and the surprising connections between Australian classic rock and the golden age of Christian music.

• Beeb Birtles' personal Christian testimony and spiritual awakening.
• How faith shaped his experiences inside Little River Band.
• The challenges of maintaining Christian beliefs in the mainstream rock industry.
• The story behind Birtles & Goble's The Last Romance.
• How The Imperials came to record "Into My Life".
• Exploring spiritual themes in "Fall From Paradise" and "Light of Day".
• Why Beeb left Little River Band and began a new chapter.
• Nashville, songwriting, production and mentoring younger musicians.
• How faith, aging and experience have changed his definition of success.
• His hopes for a future gospel album, The Choir Invisible.

00:00 - Introduction: Faith Behind the Hits

02:44 - Finding Faith in the World of Rock and Roll

09:30 - How Christianity Influenced His Songwriting

16:39 - Birtles & Goble, The Last Romance and The Imperials

21:41 - The Connection to Contemporary Christian Music

27:27 - Leaving Little River Band and Following His Convictions

35:11 - A New Chapter in Nashville

38:07 - Mentoring Musicians and Growing Older in the Industry

41:18 - An Evolving Christian Faith and Songs That Change Lives

48:27 - Redefining Success, Life Lessons and Musical Legacy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeebBirtles

Beyond the Chorus revisits the artists, albums and untold stories that shaped contemporary Christian music throughout the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s.

From classic Christian rock and Jesus Music to the artists who crossed between CCM and mainstream music, we're discovering what happened after the records stopped spinning.

Follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share the podcast with a friend who loves classic Christian music.

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheChorus

Support Beyond the Chorus on Patreon

Help keep the stories of classic CCM alive. Become a supporter for just $5 per month and enjoy bonus behind-the-scenes content, exclusive discussions, special offers and giveaways.

Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/BeyondTheChorus

Drop the needle. Press play. We're going back to where the music began.

Beeb Birtles, Little River Band, Beeb Birtles Christian faith, Little River Band Christian music, Birtles and Goble, The Last Romance, The Imperials, Russ Taff, Into My Life, Fall From Paradise, Light of Day, Graeham Goble, Australian rock history, contemporary Christian music, classic CCM, Christian rock history, 1980s Christian music, Nashville songwriters, Beyond the Chorus, Shayne Brian.

#BeebBirtles #LittleRiverBand #ClassicCCM #BeyondTheChorus #ChristianMusic #TheImperials #RussTaff #BirtlesAndGoble

What happened to Australian Christian rock band Avion, and how did frontman Randall Waller eventually find himself playing guitar with Shania Twain at the Super Bowl?

In Episode 6 of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, Shayne Brian sits down with Randall Waller to revisit the tragic story of Avion, one of Australia's most promising 1980s bands.

Avion emerged from the Christian music scene but never fitted comfortably into one world. Randall remembers signing with RCA, appearing on Countdown, hearing Avion on Australian radio and navigating the tension between the church and the mainstream music industry.

Then, in 1987, tragedy changed everything.

Randall reflects on the accident that killed Avion keyboard player Evan Murray, the impact it had on the band and the difficult process of rebuilding his life and career after Avion came to an end.

That next chapter took him around the world. He worked as a guitar tech for Bonnie Tyler, returned to performing and worked with artists including John English, Rose Tattoo and The Party Boys.

Then came the call that changed everything again.

Randall tells the extraordinary story of recording an audition tape for Shania Twain, receiving a phone call from legendary producer Robert John "Mutt" Lange, flying to America and discovering during rehearsals that he had landed the job.

He would go on to tour the world with Shania, with that journey eventually taking him all the way to the Super Bowl.

The conversation also explores Randall's solo album More, which he describes as a "life statement", reflecting the beliefs, relationships, experiences and detours that shaped both his music and his life.

From Avion and Australian Christian rock to Shania Twain, Mutt Lange and the Super Bowl, this is a story about music, loss, persistence and an extraordinary second act.

00:00 - Avion, Christian music and discovering a bigger rock sound

02:28 - Avion caught between the church and mainstream rock

06:28 - More: Randall Waller's musical life statement

07:31 - Avion signs with RCA, backlash and Countdown

15:08 - Touring with Dragon and the tragedy that ended Avion

18:54 - Starting again, Bangkok, England and Bonnie Tyler

25:13 - The road from Oz Rock to Shania Twain

30:17 - Recording the Shania audition tape

35:32 - The phone call from Mutt Lange and landing the job

46:04 - From Avion to Shania Twain and the Super Bowl

Website:

https://randallwaller.net/

Listen to or buy More:

https://randallwaller.bandcamp.com/album/more

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https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

Facebook:

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Support the show on Patreon:

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Subscribe to Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind for more conversations with the artists behind the albums, the missing years and what came next.

Mike Roe of The 77s joins Shayne Brian on Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind for a deep dive into more than four decades of one of Christian alternative rock's most influential and fiercely individual bands.

From their beginnings as a church-backed outreach project in Sacramento to albums including Ping Pong Over the Abyss, The 77s, Sticks and Stones and the controversial Pray Naked, Mike looks back at a band that consistently refused to fit comfortably inside the traditional Christian music industry.

Unlike many bands from the classic CCM era, The 77s never really went away. Their music moved through new wave, alternative rock, blues, psychedelia, power pop and roots music, building a loyal audience that continues today.

Mike explains the unusual story behind the name The 77s, his early work on the radio program Rock and Religion, and how the band gradually learned to focus on great songwriting rather than forcing a message into the music.

For Out of the Crate, we return to the band's 1982 debut Ping Pong Over the Abyss and explore the early sound and identity of The 77s. Mike also reveals why Sticks and Stones may be the best place for a new listener to start.

We also revisit Pray Naked and the controversy surrounding its title, Christian bookstore censorship and the tension between faith, creativity and the expectations of the Christian music industry.

Then we move to the new album 7. Mike explains why the record took around 12 years to complete, why "Heart Back" made him want to create another 77s album, and how "Hand to God" evolved from a hard-driving new wave arrangement into the slower, psychedelic version heard on the finished record.

Mike also talks about how The 77s audience has changed since 1982, his overlooked solo and instrumental work including Daydream and Orbis, and what could be coming next from The 77s.

For fans of The 77s, Mike Roe, Lost Dogs, The Choir, classic CCM, Christian alternative rock and 1980s Christian music, this is a conversation about faith, creativity, survival and more than forty years of refusing to fit neatly into anybody else's box.

00:00 - Why The 77s still matter after four decades

03:18 - From Sacramento church outreach to The 77s

08:46 - The dream that gave The 77s their name

12:00 - Mike Roe on Rock and Religion

21:43 - Ping Pong Over the Abyss and the early sound of The 77s

25:39 - Pray Naked, censorship and Christian music

31:47 - Why the new album 7 took 12 years

36:44 - How "Heart Back" restarted The 77s

40:02 - How The 77s audience has changed since 1982

45:01 - Mike Roe's overlooked solo and instrumental albums

Official website:

http://www.77s.com/

The 77s music:

https://the77s.bandcamp.com/

New album 7:

https://the77srock.bandcamp.com/album/7

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheChorus

Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/BeyondTheChorus

Follow and subscribe to Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, and share the show with anyone who loves classic Christian music and the bands that helped shape it.

Drop the needle. Press play. We're going beyond the chorus.

Nearly 40 years ago, Kim Boyce was my very first artist interview.

I was 19, she was touring Australia with David Meece, and after sitting down and completing the interview, I discovered I had made one fairly significant mistake: I hadn't pressed record.

Kim graciously sat down and did the entire interview with me again.

Now, almost four decades later, we've come full circle.

In Episode 4 of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, I reconnect with Kim Boyce, one of the distinctive voices of 1980s and 1990s Contemporary Christian Music, to talk about the songs, albums, faith, family and unexpected turns that shaped her life both inside and outside the CCM industry.

Kim takes us back to her early years growing up around Southern Gospel music, discovering artists including The Archers, Sweet Comfort Band, Andraé Crouch and The Imperials, and the unusual path that took her from Miss Florida and the Miss America pageant to a recording career in Christian music.

We talk about her early work with Carman on The Champion, signing with Myrrh Records, touring Australia with David Meece, and what it was like discovering that people on the other side of the world already knew her songs.

Kim also goes behind the music of her 1986 self-titled debut album, including “Love Resurrection,” “Darkened Hearts” and “Here,” and reflects on working with musicians and songwriters including Brian Tankersley, Tom Hemby, Tim Miner and Cindy Cruse.

We revisit one of Kim's favourite albums, Time and Again, its classic Hollywood-inspired imagery, and her dance-pop reinvention of Rare Earth's “I Just Want to Celebrate.”

But this conversation goes well beyond the records.

Kim talks candidly about why she eventually stepped away from the relentless CCM cycle of albums, radio, touring and television after becoming a mother, and why choosing her family became more important than chasing the next hit.

We follow her story through a new chapter in Branson, Missouri, where she returned to the Southern Gospel music of her childhood, performed for a decade and later created an all-gospel show with her husband Gary.

Kim also shares some deeply personal reflections on faith, grief and family, before bringing us up to date with her life today.

And, of course, I had to ask the question longtime Kim Boyce fans will want answered:

Could there ever be another Kim Boyce album?

For me, this is one of the most personal episodes of Beyond the Chorus so far. Kim was there at the very beginning of my journey as an interviewer, and getting the chance to sit down with her again nearly 40 years later feels like closing a very special circle.

Thankfully, this time I remembered to press record.

• Kim Boyce remembers touring Australia with David Meece near the beginning of her recording career.
• How Southern Gospel, The Archers, Sweet Comfort Band, Andraé Crouch and The Imperials shaped her musical world.
• From Miss Florida and Miss America to a career in Contemporary Christian Music.
• Singing with Carman on The Champion and the road to signing with Myrrh Records.
• The stories behind “Love Resurrection,” “Darkened Hearts,” “Here” and “Not Too Far From Here.”
• Why Time and Again remains one of Kim's favourite albums.
• Turning Rare Earth's “I Just Want to Celebrate” into an 80s CCM dance-pop favourite.
• Why Kim Boyce walked away from the CCM touring and recording cycle to focus on family.
• Her years performing Southern Gospel music in Branson and the album that was never released.
• The renewed interest in classic 1980s Christian music and whether Kim could record again.

00:00 - Revisiting Kim Boyce and the music of classic CCM

01:22 - My first interview with Kim and the forgotten record button

02:59 - Touring Australia with David Meece

06:04 - Southern Gospel, Miss Florida and Miss America

11:18 - The 1986 debut album and “Love Resurrection”

13:45 - Writing “Darkened Hearts” with Tom Hemby

21:35 - Why Time and Again remains a favourite

23:47 - Reinventing “I Just Want to Celebrate”

24:36 - Why Kim stepped away from the CCM industry

35:11 - Could there be another Kim Boyce album?

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/kimboycemusic

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

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If you love the stories, artists and albums from the golden years of Contemporary Christian Music, you can help support Beyond the Chorus by joining the Patreon community for $5 a month.

Patreon members can get access to bonus behind-the-scenes content, extra discussions, special discount offers and giveaways, while helping me continue tracking down the artists and stories that made classic Christian music so important to so many of us.

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Undercover helped push the boundaries of Christian rock in the 1980s. But what happened when the songwriter behind the music began questioning the beliefs that shaped it?

In this episode of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, I’m joined by Joseph “Ojo” Taylor to revisit Undercover’s beginnings, the story behind “Boys and Girls Renounce the World”, and the long personal and musical journey that led to his new solo album, Behold.

Ojo takes us back to Southern California’s punk and new wave scene, where Undercover brought an unexpected sound and attitude into churches. We discuss the pressures placed on Christian musicians, how divorce affected his songwriting, and his changing relationship with Christianity.

We also explore the missing years: raising five children, returning to education, working in corporate finance and becoming a music industry professor. Then we dig into Behold, from forgotten guitar recordings and familiar collaborators to “The Altars”, “May It Be So” and finding the courage to sing his own songs.

It’s an honest conversation about classic Christian music, changing beliefs, creative freedom and allowing an artist’s story to keep moving forward.

In this episode

• Undercover’s origins and Ojo’s early musical influences.
• Bringing punk and new wave into the Christian music scene.
• “Boys and Girls Renounce the World” and a turning point in his life.
• Divorce, doubt and the expectation that Christian artists should have all the answers.
• Fatherhood, education and life beyond Undercover.
• The twenty-year journey behind Behold.
• Reconnecting with Gym Nicholson on “The Altars”.
• “May It Be So”, its choir and its message for children.
• Making music with the freedom to reflect who you are today.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction: Undercover, Ojo Taylor and Behold

03:37 Becoming Ojo: early influences, punk and new wave

10:51 Forming Undercover and bringing a new sound into churches

20:28 Boys and Girls Renounce the World, divorce and artistic honesty

34:26 Faith, doubt and Ojo’s changing spiritual path

39:19 The missing years: fatherhood, education and teaching

47:28 Creating Behold: forgotten recordings and musical collaborators

57:22 The Altars, Gym Nicholson and the crossed-out album title

1:02:42 May It Be So: a prayer for children

1:05:12 A new chapter: creative freedom and finding his voice

Connect with Ojo Taylor

Website: https://ojotaylor.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ojotaylor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ojo_taylor

Buy Behold: https://shop-thechoir.myshopify.com/collections/ojo-taylor

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Discover the artists, albums, missing years and new chapters behind classic Christian music with Shayne Brian.

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Glenn Kaiser has spent more than five decades making music that refuses to fit neatly into a box.

In this episode of Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind, Shayne Brian sits down with the legendary Resurrection Band / REZ co-founder to revisit the beginnings of one of Christian rock’s most influential bands, the Jesus Movement, his lifelong love of the blues, and the faith and convictions that have shaped his music.

Glenn takes us back to growing up in Milwaukee, discovering Elvis, rhythm and blues, soul, Hendrix, Cream, Black Sabbath and the Rolling Stones, joining his first band at just 13, and moving through around 16 bands before the age of 18.

He also speaks candidly about drug and alcohol addiction, the emptiness he experienced even as his musical ambitions began coming true, and the decision to surrender his life to Jesus.

From there, we trace the beginnings of Charity, which became Resurrection Band, and Glenn explains why the band refused to accept the idea that rock music itself could somehow be inherently Christian or secular.

We go Out of the Crate with the groundbreaking 1978 Resurrection Band album Awaiting Your Reply, including the story behind “Broken Promises”, before exploring how Rez continually reinvented its sound rather than making the same record twice.

Glenn also reflects on Wendi Kaiser’s powerful contribution to the band, Resurrection Band’s brushes with MTV and mainstream rock, and why the group once turned down a more lucrative record deal rather than compromise its musical identity.

The conversation goes far beyond Resurrection Band.

Glenn explains why blues music remains so important to him, how cigar box guitars connect modern players to African and African American musical history, and how he has used simple handmade instruments in workshops, including work with inmates at Cook County Jail.

He also discusses decades of writing about poverty, racism, addiction, justice and faith, and why music has always been a vehicle rather than the final destination.

And in The Second Verse, Glenn talks about the completed prison-focused project Ain’t No Bars Around My Heart and previews another upcoming rock album exploring searching, struggle and redemption.

For anyone interested in Resurrection Band, REZ, Jesus People USA, the Jesus Movement, classic Christian rock, CCM history, Glenn Kaiser, blues music or the roots of Christian alternative music, this is a journey right back to where much of it began.

• Glenn Kaiser’s early musical influences and joining his first band at 13
• Addiction, musical ambition and the conversion that changed his life
• Jesus People USA and the birth of Charity and Resurrection Band
• Why Glenn rejects the idea that musical genres can be inherently Christian or secular
• Making Awaiting Your Reply and the story behind “Broken Promises”
• Wendi Kaiser, MTV, artistic evolution and Resurrection Band’s refusal to conform
• Why Rez turned down money rather than compromise its musical identity
• Faith, politics, poverty, justice and decades of prison ministry
• Glenn’s fascination with blues and the history of cigar box guitars
• Ain’t No Bars Around My Heart, new music and what Glenn hopes survives after the records stop playing

00:00 - Beyond the Chorus and the Glenn Kaiser story

02:18 - Early musical influences and joining his first band

06:27 - Addiction, success, surrender and finding Jesus

15:22 - Jesus People USA, Charity and the birth of Resurrection Band

22:18 - Christian rock, secular music and why genre doesn’t define faith

31:23 - Awaiting Your Reply and the story behind “Broken Promises”

36:18 - Wendi Kaiser, changing the Rez sound and refusing to repeat themselves

52:44 - Artistic integrity, justice, politics and prison ministry

66:25 - Blues, cigar box guitars and making music from almost nothing

77:33 - Ain’t No Bars Around My Heart, the upcoming album and the Resurrection Band legacy

Grrr Records:

https://grrrrecords.com/glenn-kaiser

Glenn Kaiser Website:

https://gkaisersoze.wixsite.com/kaiz

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/glennkaisersolo

YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondTheChorusClassicCCMMusic

Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/BeyondTheChorus

Patreon:

https://www.patreon.com/cw/BeyondTheChorus

If you grew up with Resurrection Band, REZ, classic CCM or Christian rock from the 1970s, 80s and 90s, subscribe to Beyond the Chorus: Classic CCM Rewind and join us as we revisit the artists, the albums, the missing years and what came next.

And if you know someone else who still has those records, cassettes and CDs sitting on the shelf, share the episode with them too.

Drop the needle. Press play. We’re going back to where the music began.