Steven Curtis Chapman

One of the most lauded and successful contemporary Christian artists of his generation, Steven Curtis Chapman rose to prominence in the late 1980s with a sound that crossed country and folk influences with soft rock and orchestrated pop. Following early hits like the GMA Dove Award-winning "His Eyes" off 1988's Real Life Conversations, and the title track to 1989's More to This Life, Chapman achieved even wider mainstream recognition, balancing his dedication to his Christian fan base with his knack for radio-friendly hooks. A multiple Grammy winner, including for 1990's For the Sake of the Call and 2004's All Things New, Chapman remains a chart favorite with tens of charting Top Ten Billboard Christian Albums, including 2009's Beauty Will Rise and 2013's The Glorious Unfolding. He's also a contender for taking home the most GMA Dove Awards. Along with his more commercial pop albums, Chapman remains connected to his roots, issuing the acoustic country album Deep Roots in 2013 and the Christian worship album Worship and Believe in 2016.

Born in 1962 and raised in Paducah, Kentucky, Chapman learned to play several instruments while hanging out in his father's music store, excelling at guitar and piano. As a young man, he enrolled as a pre-med student at Anderson College in Indiana. He soon decided to pursue a music career and dropped out to go to Nashville, where he began working in a music show at Opryland USA. When not performing, he was busy writing songs, a skill he learned from his father