Sparrow Records Explained
Sparrow Records is a Christian music record label and a division of Universal Music Group.
History
Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then artists and repertoire (A&R) director at Myrrh Records.[1] Barry McGuire was the first artist signed to the label, followed quickly by John Michael Talbot and his brother Terry, Janny Grein, and Annie Herring of 2nd Chapter of Acts; all of whom released albums with Sparrow in May of that year.[2] Sparrow Records rose to prominence with the signing of singer, songwriter, Contemporary Christian musician, and minister Keith Green. Within a year of his 1976 signing by Sparrow, Green was the top selling Christian artist in America.
Purchased by Thorn EMI in 1992, Sparrow's parent underwent a demerger four years later to become the EMI Group,[3] [4] and the label is now part of the Capitol Christian Music Group.[5]
As of 2009, Sparrow's artists include Britt Nicole, Chris Tomlin, Mandisa, Matt Redman, Matthew West, Steven Curtis Chapman and Switchfoot. Since 1996, a popular production of Sparrow Records has been the annual WOW Hits contemporary Christian music series. In 1998, the WOW franchise then added the annual WOW Gospel series of albums. The WOW Worship series was introduced in 1999, an annual compilation of the greatest hits in contemporary worship music.
Roster
Source: Artist List
Former
- 2nd Chapter of Acts (disbanded)
- Above the Golden State
- Susan Ashton (active, unsigned)
- Audrey Assad (active, independent)
- Avalon (active, with Red Street Records)
- Margaret Becker (active, with Kingsway Music)
- Bellarive
- Lisa Bevill (active, independent)
- Dan Bremnes
- Steve Camp (active, unsigned)
- Michael Card (active, unsigned)
- Marcos Vidal (active, unsigned)
- Carman (deceased)
- Steven Curtis Chapman (active, with Reunion Records)
- City Harbor
- Daryl Coley (deceased)
- David Crowder*Band (disbanded, had moved to sixstepsrecords)
- Danyew
- DC Talk (hiatus)
- Delirious? (disbanded)
- Bethany Dillon (active)
- Dogs of Peace (active)
- Earthsuit (disbanded)
- The Elms (disbanded)
- Kirk Franklin (active, with GospoCentric Records)
- Peter Furler (active, independent)
- Keith Green (deceased)
- Steve Green (active, unsigned)
- Rickey Grundy, (active, independent)
- Charlie Hall (active, with sixstepsrecords)
- Matt Hammitt
- Tramaine Hawkins
- Tim Hughes (active, with Survivor Records)
- Kari Jobe (active, with Capitol Christian Music Group)
- Jump5 (disbanded)
- Phil Keaggy (active)
- Donald Lawrence
- Luminate
- Mandisa (deceased)
- Barry McGuire (active, unsigned)
- Geoff Moore and the Distance (disbanded)
- Michael W. Smith (active, with Rocketown Records)
- Needtobreathe (active, with Atlantic Records)
- Newsboys (active, with Fair Trade Services)
- Christy Nockels (active, with sixstepsrecords)
- Out of the Grey (on hiatus)
- Twila Paris (active, with Koch Records)
- Charlie Peacock (active, independent)
- Marty Raybon
- Matt Redman (active, with Integrity Music)
- Resurrection Band
- Sanctus Real (active, with Fair Trade Services)
- Sarah Reeves
- Samestate
- Robbie Seay Band (active, unsigned)
- Something Like Silas
- Soulfire Revolution
- Aaron Spiro (active, unsigned)
- Kristian Stanfill (active, with sixstepsrecords)
- Starfield (active, independent)
- Switchfoot (active, with lowercase people records) (Switchfoot still has a distribution agreement with Sparrow Records)
- Russ Taff (active, with Springhouse Records)
- John Michael Talbot (active, with Troubadour for the Lord)
- Steve Taylor
- Dave Thrush (active, independent)
- Chris Tomlin (active, with sixstepsrecords)
- Michelle Tumes (active, with EMI CMG)
- James Vincent
- The Waiting (active, independent)
- Sheila Walsh (active)
- Matthew Ward (active, independent)
- Matthew West
- Lisa Whelchel
- White Heart
- Josh Wilson (active on Black River Christian)
- Deniece Williams (last worked, with Shanachie Records)
- ZOEgirl (disbanded)
- Danniebelle Hall (deceased)
- West Angeles Church of God in Christ Mass Choir and Congregation ("Saints in Praise" series)
- The Archers (musical group)
- Jimi Cravity
- Kristene DiMarco
- Colton Dixon (with 19 Recordings)
- Shawn McDonald
- NF (with Capitol Records)
- Britt Nicole (with Capitol Records)
- Christy Nockels
- Nichole Nordeman
- Kristian Stanfill
- The Young Escape
Compilations
- Firewind: A Contemporary Dramatic Musical (1976)
- Christmas (1988)
- (2010)
Sparrow projects
See also
External links
Notes and References
- Book: Mount, Daniel J. . A City on a Hilltop? The History of Contemporary Christian Music . 2005 . February 12, 2007 . 48–50, 53 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070203163712/http://www.danielmount.net/ccm.html . February 3, 2007 .
- Book: Cusic . Don . The Sound of Light: A History of Gospel Music . 1990 . Bowling Green State University Popular Press . Bowling Green, Ohio . 978-0-87972-497-9 . 159 .
- News: Thorn EMI moves into gospel music with US purchase . https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/thorn-emi-moves-into-gospel-music-with-us-purchase-1554773.html . May 24, 2022 . subscription . live . Independent . September 30, 1992.
- News: Vote solid for Thorn demerger. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220524/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/vote-solid-for-thorn-demerger-1310081.html . May 24, 2022 . subscription . live. Independent. August 17, 1996.
- Book: Hendershot, Heather . Shaking the World for Jesus: Media and Conservative Evangelical Culture . 2004 . . . 0-226-32679-9 . Why Should the Devil Have all the Good Music? Christian Music and the Secular Marketplace . 56 .
