Brandon Heath

Infobox musical artist


Name = Brandon Heath
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = July 21cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/artists/BrandonHeath.asp |title=Brandon Heath Discography |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |accessdate=2008-09-22]
Died =
Origin = Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Instrument = Vocals, guitar
Genre = CCM, pop, alternative CCM, acoustic
Occupation = Singer-songwriter
Years_active = 2003–present
Label = Reunion
Associated_acts =
URL = http://brandonheath.net

Brandon Heath is an contemporary Christian musician from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released two studio albums: "Don't Get Comfortable" (2006) and "What If We" (2008). He is best known for the number-one hits "I'm Not Who I Was" and "Give Me Your Eyes". He was four-times nominated at the Dove Awards of 2008 and won in the "New Artist of the Year" category.

Heath began his career by writing songs as a teenager. His first independently-released album, "Early Stuff" (2004), was a compilation of his earlier songwriting. After also releasing "Soldier" in 2004, he signed with Reunion Records to release his first main studio album, "Don't Get Comfortable", in late 2006. The album's first single, "Our God Reigns", received a Dove Award nomination in 2007. Brandon Heath's song "I'm Not Who I Was" was a number one hit, staying on top of "Billboard"'s Hot Christian Songs chart for several weeks. It received two Dove nominations, including "Song of the Year". Heath returned in mid-2008 with a second project: "What If We". Its first single "Give Me Your Eyes" was released in July 2008 and has also been a successful number-one song on Christian radio.

Early life

Brandon Heath was born Brandon Heath Knell in Nashville, Tennessee.cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:djfyxquald0e |title=Brandon Heath Biography |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-09-22 |author=Steve Leggett] While growing up in Nashville, Heath was given a guitar as a Christmas gift. By the age of 13 he began writing his first songs. He had grown up as a nonreligious person, but was invited to the attend a Christian Young Life camp as a teenager.cite web |url=http://www.hopetodaymagazine.com/BrandonHeath.html |title=New Artist, Brandon Heath |work=Hope Today Magazine |accessdate=2008-10-07] While attending the camp, Heath said he "heard about Jesus for the first time", noting that "it was Young Life that showed me Christ and got me plugged in to a church". After high school, he became a leader for the camps and is still involved with Young Life across the United States. After his guitar was stolen in early 2000, he compiled a demo CD of his songs for sale to help pay for a new guitar.

Musical career

Heath's demo CD was later released in 2004 as an independent album titled "Early Stuff". In 2004 he released a second independent album, "Soldier", which was produced by Chris Davis. Also, "Don't Get Comfortable The EP" was independently released in 2005, containing five tracks that were later included on Heath's debut album of the same name.cite web |url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/DontGetComfortableTheEP.asp |title=Brandon Heath, "Don't Get Comfortable The EP" |publisher=Jesus Freak Hideout |accessdate=2008-10-07]

"Don't Get Comfortable"

Heath's major label debut, "Don't Get Comfortable", was released on September 5, 2006.cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/discography/index.jsp?pid=652819&aid=793517 |title=Brandon Heath – Don't Get Comfortable |work=Billboard |accessdate=2008-09-25] His first radio single from the album was "Our God Reigns", which garnered a 2007 Dove Award nomination for Worship Song of the Year.cite web|accessdate=2008-01-03 |url=http://www.breathecast.com/Christian.Music.Artist-Nominations.Announced.for.38th.GMA.Dove.Awards/Article-215_1469.htm |title=Nominations Announced for 38th GMA Dove Awards |publisher=BREATHEcast.com |date=2007-02-20] cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3cfyxqedld6e |title=Don't Get Comfortable > Overview |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-09-25 |author=Jared Johnson]

His second radio single, "I'm Not Who I Was", stayed at number one on "Billboard"'s Hot Christian Songs chart for six weeks starting on July 4, 2007.fact|date=October 2008 It also climbed to the #16 position on "R&R"'s Christian CHR chart in the week of September 15, 2007. [ [http://www.weekend22.com/ September 15, 2007 chart] at the Weekend 22 countdown, Retrieved September 26 2007] The song was covered by Jason Castro (from "American Idol") at Lakepoint Church.fact|date=October 2008 "Don't Get Comfortable", the title track from Heath's debut album, was also released as a single.fact|date=October 2008

Heath has partnered in songwriting with Bebo Norman and Matt Wertz, who was one of his roommates. He has written songs for Norman, Joy Williams and Christopher Williams. He has worked with Sevenglory on their 2007 album.

At the 39th annual GMA Dove Awards, Heath was nominated for four Dove Awards, winning in the category for New Artist of the Year.cite web |url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/celebrities/5725931.html |title=TobyMac wins gospel artist of year at Doves |author=Gerome, John |work=The Associated Press |publisher=Houston Chronicle |date=April 23, 2008 |accessdate=2008-04-24]

"What If We"

Brandon Heath toured as a guest on Aaron Shust's 30-city "Whispered and Shouted" tour from early to mid 2008. [cite web |url=http://top40-charts.com/news/Pop-Rock/Meredith-Andrews-Offers-The-Invitation-April-29-On-Word-Records/39061.html |title=Meredith Andrews Offers The Invitation April 29 On Word Records |date=2008-03-17 |accessdate=2008-10-10 |publisher=Top40-Charts.com] His second studio album, "What If We", was released on August 19, 2008.cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:w9foxzwkldse |title=What If We > Overview |publisher=Allmusic |accessdate=2008-09-22] The album's first single, "Give Me Your Eyes", was released in July 2008 and became a number-one hit. It stayed at number one on R&R's Christian CHR chart for seven weeks in a row by October 10.Cite web |url=http://www.radioandrecords.com/formats/charts/christ_chr_chart.asp |title=Christian CHR National Airplay |publisher=Radio & Records |date=2008-10-10 |accessdate=2008-10-10]

Personal life

Brandon Heath currently resides in Houston, Texas.cite web |url=http://www.breathecast.com/Christian.Music.News-Brandon.Heath.Single.Give.Me.Your.Eyes.Continues.Digital.Sales.Streak.With.More.Than.12,000.Downloads.Since.Release/1_2374.htm |title=Brandon Heath Single Give Me Your Eyes Continues Digital Sales Streak With More Than 12,000 Downloads Since Release |publisher=BREATHEcast.com |date=2008-08-01 |accessdate=2008-10-10] He is a worship leader at The Loft church in The Woodlands area.

Discography

Albums

*2003: "Early Stuff" – (independent)
*2004: "Soldier" – (independent)
*2005: "Don't Get Comfortable The EP" – (independent)
*2006: "Don't Get Comfortable" – Reunion Records
*2008: "What If We" – Reunion Records

ingles

*"Our God Reigns"
*"I'm Not Who I Was"
*"Don't Get Comfortable"
*"Give Me Your Eyes"

Compilation appearances

*2006: "WOW Next 2007", "Our God Reigns" (EMI)
*2006: "The Next Big Thing", "I'm Not Who I Was" (Provident)
*2008: "WOW Hits 1", "I'm Not Who I Was" #14

Awards

;Dove Award nominations
*2007: Worship Song of the Year ("Our God Reigns")
*2008: Songwriter of the Year
*2008: Song of the Year ("I'm Not Who I Was")
*2008: Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("I'm Not Who I Was")
*2008: New Artist of the Year – won

References

*cite news|accessdate=2008-01-03
url=
title="Brandon Heath: Missional Musician"
author=Sondova, Amy
publisher=Youth Mission Exchange

External links

* [http://BrandonHeath.net/ Official Site]
*MySpace|brandonheath
* [http://www.youtube.com/user/brandonheath Brandon Heath Channel]

Persondata
NAME = Heath, Brandon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Contemporary Christian musician
DATE OF BIRTH = July 21
PLACE OF BIRTH = Nashville, Tennessee, United States
DATE OF DEATH =
PLACE OF DEATH =