1 Degree of Andy

Join me for my first episode of 2024 as I spend time with Stu G - one of the most influential songwriters and guitar players in CCM history! From his humble beginnings growing up in the UK, to his groundbreaking career in the band Delirious?, to having even more influence on the modern worship scene with One Sonic Society, Stu's journey is one for the books! Support the showandychrisman.com

Has there been a more successful artist in CCM history than Wayne Kirkpatrick? The easy answer is "NO!"  Whether it's writing hit songs for Amy Grant, MWS, Eric Clapton or producing albums for Susan Ashton or Little Big Town just to name a few, to writing hit Broadway  shows - Wayne's career has been as widely varied as it has been wildly successful. He's definitely left h...

Get ready to join me and Kirk Sullivan - one of the 4HIM guys and someone I toured with for 20 years. And boy do we have stories! Of course we'll only get to a handful of the crazy things we've experienced together so maybe this is just the first hour of many as I do my best to archive as many of these stories as possible. Support the showandychrisman.com

If you're a "first call" studio musician it means that you are the best of the best. As a trio Melodie Tunney, Bonnie Keen and Marty McCall had a successful studio career singing bgv's and jingles, but when they "accidentally" recorded a hit song they had a choice to make  - do they keep their day jobs as studio singers or take their talents on the road? The answer li...

One of the great voices in the history of Christian music belongs to Jamie Rowe, who made his name as the leader singer of the rock band Guardian. These conversations with artists who weren't normally heard on the biggest Christina radio stations but yet had a loyal following fascinate me, because they tell a story that's similar yet wildly different than what I experienced. Jamie gives us an unfi...

Well look who dropped by the 1 Degree podcast - my first employer in Christian music, the one and only Roger Breland! I hit the road with TRUTH in 1987 and by 1990 I had made lifelong friends, developed a skillset that would define my career and met 3 other guys whom you might know...There's no one I've ever met like Roger - a true entertainment pioneer,  a keen eye for talent and a hear...

How does alternative rock fit into the Christian music narrative? That's a fascinating question and one that Michael Roe of the groundbreaking band 77s answers on this episode of 1 Degree.  From  being banned in Christian music stores, to opening the door for bands like DC Talk and The Newsboys to leaving behind an incredible body of music I think you're going to enjoy getting to know Michael Roe....

Even if you haven't heard her albums you've definitely heard her voice. Lisa Bevill has had a remarkable career as a jingle and session singer and her CCM career set a precedent for female vocalists that followed. Lisa has a remarkable story of God placing her in amazing situations and her endurance through the difficult times of life will inspire you! You cannot tell the story of Christ...

I'm doing my best not to geek out with my guest on this episode of 1 Degree - my 14 year old self would not believe that I get to sit down with Degarmo and Key's Eddie DeGarmo and talk about his career, his early days and his mind blowing impact on the world of christian music! And I guess I shouldn't be surprised that Eddie is one of the most genuine, engaging people I've ever met in this industr...

Are you ready for the rollercoaster story of one of the most beloved CCM artists? Billy Gaines, along with his then wife Sarah, was a fixture in Christian music in the 80s and 90s and he was influential in my career with 4him - just watching his level of excellence at work and his voice that could speak to the soul. But his journey took a big turn at the hight of his career that left him wondering...

He might be the most respected musician in the history of Christian Music! Getting his start with his band  Glass Harp and opening for bands like Yes and the Kinks - Phil Keaggy has an impressive resume! His gentle nature and compelling story parallel his music and career and it was just a pleasure to spend an hour with Phil. Support the showandychrisman.com

If you ever wanna talk to a full-time, award winning, "all I do is write hit songs" songwriter - Tony Wood is that guy! 36 #1 radio songs, 900+ songs recorded in CCM, Absolute legend. I hope you enjoy my conversation with him here!

Was there a more dynamic,  "go for broke" vocalist in CCM than Ric Florian? The short answer is NO! You won't hear a better story about a roadie who becomes a powerhouse  singer of one of the most influential bands in history! I had such a blast sitting down with Ric and getting his unfiltered and unexpectedly moving story about his journey. Enjoy the next hour and then go listen to...

There are people who write songs, and there are songwriters. Wes King is the latter, and he  is one of the best when it comes to grabbing your attention and your heart with a melody and the turn of a phrase. And I'm glad to call him my friend! This is one of my favorites episodes yet as we dive into the stories the shaped Wes and carried him to a storied career in CCM. He even plays a new son...

You're about to hear a story that's full of grace, courage and restoration. I met Nikki Leonti more than 20 years ago when she was a teenage vocal sensation, but her life didn't turn out the way any of us thought it would. She's seen her share of ups and downs in her personal life and in the music business but ultimately God's allowed her to do more than she could ever ask or imagine! Th...

The success of my friend Jay DeMarcus is unparalleled in the world of CCM. As half of the duo East to West, Jay, along with Neal Coomer, made two amazing albums in the 1990s and set themselves up as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. But longterm Christian Music success wasn't to be, so Neal and Jay went their separate ways - Neal to New York and a successful career on Broadwa...

The story continues! We'll dive into our tours, album details, song stories and eventually why we decided to go our separate ways after 20 year together. This emotional and hilarious hour  only scratches the surface of the stories we could tell. Maybe my favorite part of this episode is each group member talking about how God has them in the perfect place at this time of their lives. Please e...

Here we go! I'm excited to share this conversation with you, two hours of four close friends reminiscing and telling conflicting stories just like a family reunion. Mark, Marty and Kirk join me to tell the story of 4HIM with lots of laughs and emotion and so many stories I had to break it up into 2 parts. Enjoy! Support the showandychrisman.com

One of my favorite people to have on my radio show "Worship with Andy Chrisman" is my friend Travis Cottrell. Travis is an accomplished artist, songwriter, arranger, worship leader and producer and he's become one of my best friends in the industry! I asked him to make an appearance on the podcast because whenever we get together we spend an inordinate amount of time talking about 80s pop music, d...

It was a blast sitting down with my old friend Jeromy Deibler, sharing memories of playing golf on tour, talking bus bunk etiquette, eating LOTS of lasagna and comparing notes on how the CCM industry worked back in the 90s and early 2000s. Jeromy and FFH made some of the most memorable music during that era and I think you're going to enjoy going on this deep dive with me into the career of o...

You cannot tell the story of Christian Music without The Archers. Tim, Steve and Janice were a foundational group in CCM history and their harmonies were a staple on the radio in the 70s and 80s. But it was Steve Archer's SOLO album that was a cornerstone record for me when I was a teenager! I apologize ahead of time for geeking out talking to one of my musical heroes, who turns out to be one...

One of the reasons I love having these conversations is being reminded of the stories and interactions I've forgotten, and my time with Michael O'Brien is full of " I forgot about that" moments! I love this brother and have loved seeing him have success as a writer, solo artist, member of the group Newsong, a worship leader, author...there's little he hasn't done in h...

Do you want to be inspired and challenged? Then spend an hour with my next guest. He might be the most interesting man in CCM, and you probably didn't even know it! Al Denson not only had a string of radio hits and popular albums in the 90s, he also developed a thriving business career and left his fingerprints on ministries around the world. From his early days selling his cassettes out of t...

I can't think of a more incredible voice in ALL of music than Jody McBrayer's. I've known Jody since the early 90's when he began his career in TRUTH and then as he made his way to Avalon. He and I have a lot in common (that's a massive understatement) but his story is unique to say the least, and he pulls no punches in what he shares in this podcast. This is one of the mo...

The CCM landscape of the 1990s was populated with immense talent! All-time  great songwriters, vocalists, players and producers were making memorable music in just about every studio in Nashville. And every once in while someone would appear on the scene who was an all-time great with all of those qualities! Brent Bourgeois left an indelible mark on the Christian music industry in a relatively sho...