Gary Chapman (musician)

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Gary Chapman (musician) bigraphy, stories - Singer-songwriter, television personality

Gary Chapman (musician) : biography

August 19, 1957 –

Gary Chapman (born August 19, 1957) is an American Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter and former television talk show host.

Discography

Albums

Year Album Chart Positions Label
US CCM US US Heat
1981 Sincerely Yours Lamb & Lion
1983 Happenin’… Live
1987 Everyday Man 26 Reunion
1994 The Light Inside 10
1996 The Early Years Lamb & Lion
Shelter 7 192 12 Reunion
1997 This Gift 16 16
1998 Hymns from the Ryman Word
1999 Outside Reunion
2002 The Best of Gary Chapman: After God’s Own Heart
Circles and Seasons Word

Singles

Year Single US Country Album
1988 "When We’re Together (Love’s So Strong)" 60 Everyday Man
"Everyday Man" 76

Early life and music career

Born in Waurika, Oklahoma, Chapman is the son of an Assemblies of God pastor, Terry Chapman. He grew up in De Leon, Texas.

Chapman performed in bands throughout high school and college. After going to Bible college at what is now Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, he moved to Nashville and was hired as bass player for The Rambos. In 1979, his song "Father’s Eyes" was recorded as the title track to Amy Grant’s Grammy-nominated second album My Father’s Eyes. In 1982, his song "Finally" recorded by T. G. Sheppard reached No. 1 on the country music charts. He also received a Dove Award as Songwriter of the Year from the Gospel Music Association.

During the rest of the 1980s and the early 1990s, Chapman continued to write, record, and produce music, while touring as an opening act and bass player for Grant. He sang "Brave Hearts" in 1987 for the Touchstone Pictures film Ernest Goes to Camp.

Chapman’s career reached new heights in the mid-1990s. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 1994. The Light Inside also resulted in a Dove Award nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year. It also yielded a contemporary Christian music chart No. 1 song, "Sweet Glow of Mercy." He won a second Dove Award in 1994 for co-producing the album, Songs From The Loft, featuring various artists.

In April 1996, Chapman won Male Vocalist of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards. His 1996 album, Shelter, delivered another #1, "One of Two," with "Man After Your Own Heart" resulting in a Dove Award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year and featuring on the Dove award winning Special Event Album of the Year, My Utmost for His Highest. Shelter also received a 1997 Grammy nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.

At the 1998 Dove Awards, his album also featuring other artists, Hymns From The Ryman, won Country Album Of The Year.

Television career

In the middle of 1996, Dick Clark Productions and The Nashville Network announced Chapman would replace Tom Wopat as host of their signature evening talk show, Prime Time Country. The show experienced improved ratings under Chapman, and kept the network’s tradition of having a daily talk show, a network staple since its 1983 introduction (first with Ralph Emery, then Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase), but ended after 1999 because of MTV Networks’ takeover of the CBS Cable Group. MTV shelved TNN in favour of starting an adult male-oriented network (now Spike TV), which also shut down CBS Cable Group and the network’s Nashville, Tennessee and Concord, North Carolina operations, since TNN was based out of both offices.