Today's old school goodness is........CARMAN!!
Carman!
Carman was one of the ultimate pioneers of Christian music. My first concert was a Carman spectacular! Hitting the scenes in 1982 with his debut album, "Some O' Dat", he quickly made a huge impression on Christian music. Known for his signature story songs, such as the hit "The Champion", "Witch's Invitation" and "Mission 3:16" Carman cemented himself as a top artist in the mid 80's throughout the early 2000's. Carman has received multiple awards, 15 platinum and gold certified albums, as well as holding the world record for the largest solo Christian concert, with 80,000 attendees at a Charlotte, North Carolina show. He also wrote, produced, and starred in "Carman: The Champion".
As I mentioned before, my first concert was a Carman concert held at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. Carman never charged for his concerts, (an offering was taken up) and after hearing about it on the radio, we decided to take some members from the church my dad pastored. I was about 5 at the time, but can still remember some of it. We were on the left side of the arena, about halfway up. ZoeGirl was the opening act. From the few details I remember, ZoeGirl performed a few songs, and as Carman came out, they sang "Faith Enough" together. Unfortunately, the only songs I remember Carman singing was "The Champion", "Revival In The Land", and "Faith Enough". However, I can remember enough to realize how awesome it was. Best concert experience, ever. I think your first concert is always your favorite concert.
Carman was know for his amazing music videos, as they were entertaining, yet brought a message. How can I pick a favorite?? I'll include my favorite three....
Fun facts about Carman:
He was discovered by Bill Gaither.
He is named as one of Family Force 5's top influences.
A Mafia family asked to be his manager.
He had the Longest #1 Record on Billboard CCM sales chart at 33 weeks.
"The Champion" stayed on the Billboard overall sales charts for 168 weeks.
He is the cofounder of the Parable Christian Film Festival
Carman is one of the most unique Christian music artists out there. He made good, fun music that captured nearly every Christian's attention. Thanks, Carman, for the influence you've had on the current CCM industry.
Lisa, what a great idea for a weekly blog feature!! I remember that middle song!! It was one of our favorites! :) The trivia is very interesting, too. Very fascinating and well-written. I can't wait to read more! I forgot that Petra was in that first song. I love Petra and was so sad when they announced they were quitting. I still love to listen to Petra's music. Can't wait till you feature them! ;)
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