90s Christian Music
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timeline of events in ‘90s Christian music history.
 Items auto rotate unless a frame is clicked:
1990
• Cliff Richard’s single, “Saviour’s Day”, is a number 1 Christmas hit in the UK.

• Point of Grace is formed.
Point of Grace
1990
• Chicago Gospel International (CGI)  is formed as a black gospel record company by Steve Devick.
1991
• Kathy Troccoli ’s “Everything Changes” makes the mainstream adult contemporary music charts.

• Amy Grant ’s “Baby, Baby” and “That’s What Love Is For”  are pop music hits.
1991
• Music publisher Buddy Killen and business associate John Lindahl buy the Lexicon Music catalog from Bob MacKenzie and form Bud-John Songs, Inc. Lexicon Music was originally owned by Ralph Carmichael and includes many of his compositions.

• Platinum Entertainment  is formed by Steve Devick  to reorganize his businesses which include CGI.
(www.fundinguniverse.com).
1992
• Sparrow Records  is acquired by EMI and the EMI Christian Music Group is formed.

• Michael W. Smith ’s “I Will Be Here For You” is a big crossover hit on the  mainstream adult contemporary music charts.
Michael W Smith
1992
• Word Inc.  is sold by ABC/Capital Cities to Thomas Nelson.

• Michael English  wins a Dove award for new artist of the year.
1993
• Songwriter and producer Wes Farrell’s Music Entertainment Group (MEG) purchases the Benson Music Group.

• Light Records  in bankruptcy is purchased by Platinum Entertainment.
(www.fundinguniverse.com).
1994
• StarSong Communications is purchased by EMI.

• Ralph Carmichael —regarded as a pioneer of what is now known as contemporary Christian music, returns full-circle back to the big band sounds he first experimented with a half century ago.
Ralph Carmichael
1994
• Brentwood Music is purchased by New York-based Zomba Music Group.

• Jaci Velasquez ’s debut album, Heavenly Place , is released.
Jaci Velasquez
1994
• Michael English wins 4 Dove awards, then confesses to having an extramarital affair and returns the awards.

• Sandi Patty announces she is getting a divorce.
1995
Cliff Richard is knighted by the Queen for ‘service to charity.’

• Diadem Records is purchased by Benson
(Billboard March 15, 1997).
1996
• Reunion Records is purchased by Zomba.

• Rocketown Records  is founded as an “independent label that won’t play by the modern music business rules” by Michael W. Smith and Don Donahue.
1997
• Bob Carlisle ’s “Butterfly Kisses”  is a big hit on both the Christian and mainstream charts.
Bob Carlisle
1997
• Rich Mullins dies in a one-vehicle highway traffic accident enroute to a benefit concert.
Rich Mullins
1997
• Gaylord Entertainment purchases Word ’s music businesses from Thomas Nelson for $120 million.

• Benson Music Group is purchased by Zomba from MEG after Wes Farrell ’s death from cancer in 1996.

Provident Music Group is formed as an umbrella for Zomba’s Christian labels.
1998
• Michael English returns to Christian music with a new album.

1999
• Amy Grant divorces Gary Chapman.
1999
• Cliff Richard ’s Millennium Prayer, which combines the words of the Lord’s Prayer with the melody of Auld Lang Syne, is the number 1 single in sales for 3 weeks in December in the UK despite being rejected for air play by many British radio stations.
Cliff Richard
• some 90s Christian albums


• some 90s Christian artists and songs
• THE COLORS OF YOUR LOVE
The Archers
• WHATEVER IT TAKES
 • GRACE GREATER THAN OUR SIN
• THE CROSS MEDLEY
Damaris Carbaugh
• THANK YOU
• THE ALTAR
• WATCH THE LAMB
 • I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE LAMB
 Ray Boltz
• AS I AM
 • THE SOUND OF YOUR VOICE
 • REMEMBER ME
 Kim Boyce
• NO ONE BUT YOU
 Irene Cara, China Cry Soundtrack
• MY REDEEMER IS FAITHFUL AND TRUE
 • HIS EYES
 • HIDING PLACE
 Steven Curtis Chapman
• HIS STRENGTH IS PERFECT
 • NOT HOME YET
 • I WILL BE HERE
 Steven Curtis Chapman
• BUTTERFLY KISSES
 Bob Carlisle
• JESUS AND ME
 • SHOW ME YOUR WAY
 • THE SAVIOR I SING OF TODAY
 Glen Campbell
• TRUST HIS HEART
 Cynthia Clawson
• WHAT SIN?
 • IF I NEVER SEE A MIRACLE
 Morgan Cryar
• WHEN I TURN TO YOU
 • I LOVE YOU WITH MY LIFE
 • I SURRENDER ALL
 Bryan Duncan
• TO GOD BE THE GLORY
 • BEYOND ALL LIMITS
 • YOU’LL NEVER WALK ALONE
 • GAITHER MEDLEY
 Larnelle Harris
• LORD I WANT TO BE LIKE JESUS IN MY HEART
 Fernando Ortega
• RIGHT KIND OF LOVE
 Kenneth & West
• BEAUTY FOR ASHES
 Crystal Lewis
• AWESOME GOD
 • SING YOUR PRAISE TO THE LORD
 • SOMETIMES BY STEP
 • HOLD ME JESUS
Rich Mullins
• HEALING HANDS
 Jonathan Pierce
• WILL YOU LOVE JESUS MORE
 Phillips, Craig & Dean
• LOVE UNDERSTANDS
 Marilyn McCoo
• MORE THAN ANYTHING
 • JESUS WILL STILL BE THERE
 Point Of Grace
• JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE
 • WHEN ITS ALL BEEN SAID AND DONE
 Phillip Sandifer
• FRIENDS
 • PLACE IN THIS WORLD
 • I WILL BE HERE FOR YOU
 Michael W. Smith
• LAMB OF GOD
 Sunday Drive
• HOLD ON TO LOVE
 • I KNOW YOU KNOW
 • NO HIGHER PLACE
 Sierra
• BREAK THIS HEART
 Allison Durham Speer
• UNTIL WE HAVE WINGS
 Randy Stonehill
• I CRY
 Russ Taff
• HE’S ALWAYS THERE
 • HIS STRENGTH IS PERFECT
 • GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS
 CeCe Winans
• MAY I BE HIS LOVE
 • I WILL CHOOSE CHRIST
 • MY LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS
 • FAITHFUL TO ME
 Kathy Troccoli