| Lamar Campbell | |
| Birth Name: | Millard Lamar Campbell |
| Birth Date: | February 13, 1964 |
| Birth Place: | Indianapolis, Indiana |
| Instrument: | Vocals, singer-songwriter |
| Genre: | Gospel, traditional black gospel, urban contemporary gospel |
| Occupation: | Singer, songwriter |
| Years Active: | 1987 - present |
| Label: | Tyscot, EMI Gospel, Alliant, NuSpring, Soul Stride |
| Associated Acts: | Spirit of Praise |
Millard Lamar Campbell II (born February 13, 1964) is an American gospel musician. He is best known for his 2000 song ""More Than Anything".[1]
He started his music career in 1987, and has since created the group Spirit of Praise that are based out of Indianapolis, Indiana. They have released nine albums with six of them charting on the Billboard magazine Gospel Albums chart. He has released albums with a few labels, such as the following: Tyscot, EMI Gospel, Alliant, NuSpring, Soul Stride
Campbell was born Millard Lamar Campbell,[2] on February 13, 1964, in Indianapolis, Indiana.[3] His parents reared him in the Haughville Seventh Day Adventist Church, where he played the piano for the church choir at an early age. He is a graduate of Broad Ripple High School, and went on to study music at Butler University.
Campbell became a minister of music in 1987 and formed his first group called Lamar Campbell & Praise. In 1992, the group disbanded as Campbell felt he was becoming arrogant due to its success, and wanted to spend time focusing on God's work instead. In 1995, he composed Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise, while he was at Light of the World Church, as their music minister.[4]
His music career began in 1987, with the release of Ready by Tyscot Records on April 16, 1989,[5] yet this did not chart.[6] After the group disbanded and Spirits of Praise were formed in 1995, Campbell's success in the music industry started to improve. The self-titled album, Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise, was released on May 19, 1998, by EMI Gospel.[7] This was his breakthrough release on the Billboard magazine Gospel Albums chart, which he would get five more albums to chart on that particular chart.[6] He has released albums with five labels, Tyscot Records, EMI Gospel, Alliant Records, NuSpring Records, and Soul Stride Records.[7]
His 2000 album, When I Think About You, produced his most popular song, the Rick Robinson-penned "More Than Anything". It has since been covered by the Sunday Service Choir on their 2019 album Jesus Is Born.
| Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| US Gos | |||
| Ready |
| – | |
| Lamar Campbell & Spirit of Praise |
| 21 | |
| I Need Your Spirit |
| 12 | |
| When I Think About You |
| 11 | |
| The Praise Collection |
| 34 | |
| Confessions of a Worshipper |
| 13 | |
| From the Heart |
| – | |
| New Song, New Sound |
| – | |
| Open the Sky |
| 40 |