6 months ago

237

The very first christian rock band I remember was actually not Stryper but Petra.
@Rockfunfacts
Petra started in the 70’s. If anyone knows of an earlier one please let us know.
Petra has some great music. I think they were just a tad bit less heavy than Stryper was in their beginnings.
I believe that these guys grabbed the attention of many musicians who really loved rock music but felt it was inappropriate to play and be a christian. This lot of people were basically “in the closet” with their love of rock and I think hearing Petra made them start to think maybe it wasn’t a mortal sin to play what they loved and at least dedicate it to their faith in God.
Petra.com shows them playing the Petra Reunion tour in a few churches all over even outside the United States I believe, so they seem to still be going strong just like Stryper.
A long read on wikipedia says Petra is an American music group regarded as a pioneer of the Christian rock and contemporary Christian music genres and was, for many years, regarded as the "world's most popular Christian rock band". Formed in 1972, the band took its name from the Greek word for "rock". Though it disbanded formally in 2006, incarnations have played reunion shows in the years since and released two albums in November 2010, and in November 2017. In 2013, it reformed with a new drummer, Cristian Borneo, and recorded a new song titled "Holy is Your Name", before going back on tour.
With Petra hurting financially and Volz announcing his departure, rumors swirled that Petra would break up.
Instead, Hartman turned to former Head East vocalist John Schlitt, whom he had met on an airplane some years before but who had since converted to Christianity and left rock music altogether. Schlitt needed little convincing. He was introduced to Petra fans at a show in Australia in February 1986
For those who may not know, on the song by Head East, never been any reason, John Shlitt was the vocalist with the high parts.

Who was first? Some say it was Larry Norman, Larry Norman, often described as the "father of Christian rock", and in his later years "the Grandfather of Christian rock" who, in 1969 recorded and released Upon This Rock, "the first commercially released Jesus rock album"

some the crusaders who in November 1966 had a Tower Records album Make a Joyful Noise with Drums and Guitars

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra_(band)

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