Phil Joel Explained

Phil Joel
Background:solo_singer
Birth Name:Philip Joel Urry
Birth Date:1973 1, df=yes
Origin:Auckland, New Zealand
Instrument:Vocals, guitar, bass
Genre:Christian pop
Occupation:Singer-songwriter, musician
Years Active:1990s–present
Label:Inpop, Curb
Past Member Of:Newsboys, Drinkwater
Current Member Of:Zealand Worship

Philip "Phil" Joel Urry (born 5 January 1973) is a New Zealand musician and former bassist for the Christian rock group Newsboys.

Background

Philip Joel Urry was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He was lead singer and guitarist for the band Drinkwater, of which released their eponymous six-track EP in 1991 and a full length CD, Three Murky Vibes, in 1993.[1]

Urry was recruited as bass player for Newsboys after the band noticed him during Drinkwater's 1994 opening slot for Newsboys in Auckland.[2] Urry moved to the United States to join the Newsboys on August 13, 1994[3] and soon after starting going by his middle name Joel to avoid potential pronunciation issues.[4]

In June 2000, Joel released his first solo album, Watching Over You, on Inpop Records.[5] He supported this album with the Strangely Normal Tour accompanied by LaRue, Luna Halo, Earthsuit, V*Enna, and Katy Hudson (later known as Katy Perry).

Joel's second solo album, Bring It On, was released in November 2002 also on Inpop. His third album, The deliberatePeople. Album was released on 18 November 2005 in conjunction with Phil and Heather Joel's newly founded Christian ministry, deliberatePeople. The album was praised for its stripped down rock,[6] reminiscent of the Jesus Music era of Christian Music.[7]

Joel's wife, Heather, is a former host of All Access and Hit Trip on CMT. He met Heather at a radio station in her native Kansas. They were married in 1996 and have two children.

In December 2006, Joel announced that he would be leaving the Newsboys in order to devote more time to his family. In September 2008, Joel released his fifth solo CD titled The New Normal, which was his third self-produced album.[8]

Joel began the project Zealand Worship in 2015.[9]

In December 2017 it was announced that Joel would be joining his former Newsboys band mates on the year-long Newsboys United tour.[10]

Joel's debut book, Redwoods & Whales, was released by Thomas Nelson on 16 April 2019.[11]

In 2020, while much of the world was experiencing lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Joel took part in "The Blessing - Aotearoa/New Zealand", a virtual choir featuring over 200 New Zealanders performing "The Blessing". Performers from various churches and denominations across New Zealand submitted a video of themselves performing the song, which was then edited into a cohesive video. This was inspired by the many countries who had done the same.[12]

In January 2021 Joel returned to his solo career, releasing the EP Better Than I Found It, which he recorded in his home studio during lockdown in Franklin, Tennessee.[13]

Discography

Drinkwater

Zealand Worship

Newsboys

Solo Albums

Singles

Notes and References

  1. Book: Wilson . Brett . Let's Back Up a Bit: Conversations With Pioneering Kiwi Christian Musicians . 2020 . Castle Publishing Ltd . Auckland . 978-0-473-53464-6 . 195–197.
  2. Book: Wilson . Brett . Let's Back Up a Bit: Conversations With Pioneering Kiwi Christian Musicians . 2020 . Castle Publishing Ltd . Auckland . 978-0-473-53464-6 . 185–186.
  3. Book: Wilson . Brett . Let's Back Up a Bit: Conversations With Pioneering Kiwi Christian Musicians . 2020 . Castle Publishing Ltd . Auckland . 978-0-473-53464-6 . 191.
  4. Book: Wilson . Brett . Let's Back Up a Bit: Conversations With Pioneering Kiwi Christian Musicians . 2020 . Castle Publishing Ltd . Auckland . 978-0-473-53464-6 . 181.
  5. Book: Powell, Mark Allan. Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music. 2002. Hendrickson Publishers. Peabody, Massachusetts. 1-56563-679-1. First printing. Phil Joel. 451. registration. https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco00mark/page/451.
  6. Web site: Phil Joel, "the deliberatePeople. album" Review. DiBiase. John. jesusfreakhideout.com. 17 November 2005.
  7. Web site: The Deliberate People Album. Saraco. Bert. The Phantom Tollbooth.
  8. Web site: Phil Joel Unleashes 'The New Normal' This Week. CMSpin. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110708170755/http://www.cmspin.com/newsmanager/anmviewer.asp?a=5159&z=26. 8 July 2011.
  9. Web site: Zealand Bio. ZEALAND. 4 October 2018.
  10. Web site: Newsboys 'Unite' for unprecedented 2018 tour. CCM. News. 12 December 2017. 13 January 2018.
  11. Book: Joel, Phil . Redwoods and whales : becoming who you actually are. 2019 . 978-0-7852-2947-6. Nashville, Tennessee. 1080997173.
  12. Web site: Grammy-Nominated Song, The Blessing Goes Gold . 12 March 2021 . Gospel Music Association . 26 September 2023.
  13. Web site: 22 January 2021. Phil Joel Returns With 'Better Than I Found It'. 28 March 2021. The Christian Beat.
  14. Web site: Phil Joel Artist Profile - NewReleaseToday. 24 June 2019.
  15. Book: Wilson . Brett . Let's Back Up a Bit: Conversations With Pioneering Kiwi Christian Musicians . 2020 . Castle Publishing Ltd . Auckland . 978-0-473-53464-6 . 200.

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