Keith Green (placeholder)

From www.sparrowrecords.com:

Although his exemplary faith powered life of repentance and holiness was cut short 20 years ago, the pioneering worship music of Keith Green grows in relevance and influence to this day. Modern churches – progressive and conservative – sing his songs every week, including “Oh Lord, You’re Beautiful,” “There Is A Redeemer,” and “My Eyes Are Dry,” while contemporary Christian performers representing a rainbow of genres declare his impact on their artistic and spiritual efforts.

...induction into the Gospel Music Association’s Hall of Fame…

But what really makes Keith Green so memorable, so worthy of attention two decades after a small plane crash took the singer and two of his children, leaving behind wife Melody and two small daughters? Martin Smith of Delirious? answers:

“Keith Green’s music is secondary to the man. I was personally impacted by his heart for the poor and the lost, and how he gave everything for the cause, not just his music but his money, time and soul. He was a true radical, something we should all pray to be…”

Indeed, Green was not a typical entertainer by any means, his unconventionality stretching back to childhood. Once a young musical prodigy written about in Time magazine, he had already been through the rigmarole of major record company deals and early 1970s culture chaos (drug use, free love) when he accepted Jesus. So his arrival as a top Christian performer (2 million albums sold, stadium concerts) came with hard-traveled wisdom and a healthy disenchantment with life in the spotlight. Instead, Keith used his simple piano-driven pop praise songs and subsequent success as an outright gift to God and others.

Despite the potential demands of fame, Keith and Melody Green were known for taking in street people through their Last Days Ministries. Most surprisingly – but not really, if you knew the man – Keith eventually defused his show business connection altogether, exiting his record contract and giving away most of his albums instead of selling them.

An utter student of Jesus, Green could profoundly and/or humorously confront audiences with uncomfortable truth; an attribute that draws him so near as a reference point in today’s transparent worldwide worship revival.

“If you praise and worship Jesus with your mouth, and your life does not praise and worship him, there’s something wrong!” Green said.

And quick not to overlook his own humanity, he constantly shared his struggles and victories from the piano bench and was just as kindly encouraging as he was confrontational.

With faith and bravery, creativity and selflessness, Keith Green pointed all who had ears to hear Heavenward.