Galilee ( ''HaGalil'', lit: ''the province'', , Latin: ''Galileia'', ''al-Jalīl''), is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally divided into Upper Galilee ( ''Galil Elyon''), Lower Galilee ( ''Galil Tahton''), and Western Galilee ( ''Galil Ma'aravi''), extending from Dan to the north, at the base of Mount Hermon, along Mount Lebanon to the ridges of Mount Carmel and Mount Gilboa to the south, and from the Jordan Rift Valley to the east across the plains of the Jezreel Valley and Acre to the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and the Coastal Plain in the west.

Geography

Most of Galilee consists of rocky terrain, at heights of between 500 and 700 metres. There are several high mountains including Mount Tabor and Mount Meron in the region, which have relatively low temperatures and high rainfall. As a result of this climate, flora and wildlife thrive in the region, while many birds annually migrate from colder climates to Africa and back through the Hula–Jordan corridor. The streams and waterfalls, the latter mainly in Upper Galilee, along with vast fields of greenery and colorful wildflowers, as well as numerous towns of biblical importance, make the region a popular tourist destination.

Due to its high rainfall (900–1200 mm), mild temperatures and high mountains (Mount Meron's elevation is 1,000–1,208 metres), the upper Galilee region contains some unique flora and fauna : prickly juniper (Juniperus oxycedrus), Lebanese cedar (Cedrus libani), which grows in a small grove on Mount Meron, cyclamens, paeonias and Rhododendron ponticum which sometimes appears on Meron.

History

According to the Bible, Solomon rewarded Hiram I for certain services by giving him the gift of an upland plain among the mountains of Naphtali. Hiram called it "the land of Cabul". The region takes its name from the Hebrew ''galil'', "district", "circle", a noun which, in the construct state, requires a genitival noun. Hence the Biblical "Galilee of the Nations", Hebrew"''galil goyim"''(Isaiah 9:1). The "nations" would have been the foreigners who came to settle there, or who had been forcibly deported there. The region in turn gave the English name "Sea of Galilee" to the Kinneret (Numbers 34:11, etc.), from Hebrew ''kinnor'', "harp", describing its shape, Lake of Gennesaret (Luke 5:1, etc.), from Ginosar (Hebrew) ''ge''", valley", and either ''netser'', "branch", or ''natsor'', "to guard", "to watch" (the name which may have given that of Nazareth, and Sea of Tiberias (John 6:1, etc.), from the town of Tiberias at its southwestern end; named for the first century A.D. emperor Tiberias.

In Roman times, the country was divided into Judea, Samaria, and Galilee, which comprised the whole northern section of the country, and was the largest of the three regions. Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, ruled Galilee as tetrarch.

The Galilee region was presumably the home of Jesus during at least 30 years of his life. The first three Gospels of the New Testament are mainly an account of Jesus' public ministry in this province, particularly in the towns of Nazareth and Capernaum. Galilee is also cited as the place where Jesus cured a blind man.

After the Arab caliphate took control of the region in 638, it became part of Jund al-Urrdun (District of Jordan). Its major towns were Tiberias — which was capital of the district—Qadas, Baysan, Acre, Saffuriya and Kabul. The Shia Fatimids conquered the region in the 10th century; a breakaway sect, venerating the Fatimid caliph al-Hakim, formed the Druze religion, centred in and to north of, Galilee. Eastern Galilee, however, retained a Jewish majority for most of its history. During the Crusades, Galilee was organized into the Principality of Galilee, one of the most important Crusader seigneuries.

The Jewish population of Galilee increased significantly following their expulsion from Spain and welcome from the Ottoman Empire. The community for a time made Safed an international center of cloth weaving and manufacturing, as well as a key site for Jewish learning. Today it remains one of Judaism's four holy cities and a center for kabbalah.

In the mid 18th century, Galilee was caught up in a struggle between the Bedouin leader Dhaher al-Omar and the Ottoman authorities who were centred in Damascus. Al-Omar ruled Galilee for 25 years until Ottoman loyalist Jezzar Pasha conquered the region in 1775.

In 1831 the Galilee, a part of Ottoman Syria, switched hands from Ottomans to Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt until 1840. During this period aggressive social and politic policies were introduced, which led to a violent 1834 Arab revolt. In the process of this revolt the Jewish community of Sefad was greatly reduced, in an event of Sefad Plunder by the rebels. The Arab rebels were subsequently defeated by the Egyptian troops, though in 1838 the Druze of Galilee led another uprising. In 1834 and 1837 major earthquakes leveled most of the towns, resulting in great loss of life.

20th and 21st Century

In the early 20th century, Galilee was inhabited by Arab Christians, Arab Muslims, Druze and Jews, whilst the Ottomans also settled minorities from elsewhere in their empire including Circassians and Bosniaks. Two Circassian villages exist in the Galilee region today. The Jewish population was increased significantly by Zionist immigration.

After the 1948 Arab–Israeli war nearly the whole of Galilee came under Israel's control. A large portion of the population fled or were forced to leave, leaving dozens of entire villages empty; however, a large Israeli Arab community remained based in and near the cities of Nazareth, Acre, Tamra, Sakhnin and Shefa-'Amr, due to some extent to a successful rapprochement with the Druze. The kibbutzim around the Sea of Galilee were sometimes shelled by the Syrian army's artillery until Israel seized the Golan Heights in the 1967 Six-Day War.

During the 1970s and the early 1980s, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) launched several attacks on towns of the Upper and Western Galilee from Lebanon. Israel initiated Operation Litani (1979) and Operation Peace For Galilee (1982) with the stated objectives of destroying the PLO infrastructure in Lebanon and protecting the citizens of the Galilee. Israel occupied much of Southern Lebanon until 1985 when it withdrew to a narrow security buffer zone.

Until the year 2000, Hezbollah, and earlier Amal, continued to fight the Israeli Defence Forces, sometimes shelling Upper Galilee communities with Katyusha rockets. In May 2000, Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak unilaterally withdrew IDF troops from southern Lebanon, maintaining a security force on the Israeli side of the international border recognized by the UN. However, clashes between Hezbollah and Israel continued along the border, and UN observers condemned both for their attacks.

The 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict was characterized by round-the-clock Katyusha rocket attacks (with a greatly extended range) by Hezbollah on the whole of Galilee, with long-range ground-launched missiles, hitting as far south as the Sharon plain, Jezreel Valley, and Jordan Valley below the Sea of Galilee.

Demography

The largest cities in the region are Acre, Nahariya, Nazareth, Safed, Karmiel, Shaghur, Afula, and Tiberias. The port city of Haifa serves as a commercial center for the whole region.

Because of its hilly terrain, most of the settlements in the Galilee are small villages connected by relatively few roads. A railroad runs south from Nahariya along the Mediterranean coast. The main sources of livelihood throughout the area are in the fields of agriculture and tourism. Industrial parks are being developed, bringing further employment opportunities to the local population which includes many recent immigrants. The Israeli government is contributing funding to the private initiative, The Galilee Finance Facility, organised by the Milken Institute and Koret Economic Development Fund.

Galilee is home to a large Arab population, with a particularly large Druze population. The central portion of the Galilee also known as the "Heart of the Galilee" stretching from the border with Lebanon to the northern edge of the Jezreel Valley including the cities of Nazareth, Sakhnin, Shaghur, Tamra and Kafr Kanna has an Arab population of 75% with most of the Jewish population living in small hilltop towns, and cities like Karmiel, and Ma'alot. Meanwhile the eastern Galilee including the Finger of the Galilee, the Jordan River Valley, and the Region around the Sea of Galilee are nearly 100% Jewish. The Southern part of the Galilee; including Jezreel Valley, and the Gilboa region are also nearly 100% Jewish with only a few small Arab villages near the West Bank border. At the same time about 80% of the population of the Western Galilee is Jewish. The region directly under the Lebanese Border, especially in the Northwest is largely Jewish as well. The Jewish Agency has attempted to increase the Jewish population in this area, but the non-Jewish population continues to grow. In 2006, out of the 1.2 million residents in the Galilee area some 53.1% were of various minorities, while only 46.9% were Jewish.

Tourism

Galilee is a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists who enjoy its scenery, recreational, and gastronomic offerings. The Galilee attracts many Christian pilgrims, as many of the miracles of Jesus occurred, according to the New Testament, on the shores of the Sea of Galilee - including his walking on water, calming the storm, and his feeding five thousand people in Tabgha. In addition, numerous sites of biblical importance are located in the Galilee, such as Megiddo, Jezreel Valley, Mount Tabor, Hazor, Horns of Hattin and more.

On April 2011, Israel unveiled the "Jesus Trail", a 40 mile (60-kilometre) hiking trail in the Galilee for Christian pilgrims. the trail includes a network of footpaths, roads and bicycle paths linking sites central to the lives of Jesus and his disciples, including Tabgha, the traditional site of Jesus' miracle of the loaves and fishes, and the Mount of Beatitudes, where he delivered his Sermon on the Mount. It ends at Capernaum on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus espoused his teachings.

Many kibbutzim and moshav families operate ''Zimmers'' (German: "room", the local term for a B&B;). Numerous festivals are held throughout the year, especially in the autumn and spring holiday seasons. These include the Acre (Acco) Festival of Alternative Theater, the olive harvest festival, and music festivals featuring Anglo-American folk, klezmer, Renaissance, and chamber music.

Regions

Galilee is often divided into the following sub-regions:

Western Galilee, also known the "Northern Coastal Plain", stretches from north of Haifa up to Rosh HaNikra on the Israel-Lebanon border.

Lower Galilee covers the area from Mount Carmel and Mount Gilboa in the south to the Beit HaKerem Valley in the north. Its eastern border is the Jordan River.

Upper Galilee extends from the Beit HaKerem Valley northwards into southern Lebanon. Its eastern border is the Sea of Galilee and the mountains of the Golan Heights. The "Finger of Galilee" (, ''Etzba HaGalil'') is a panhandle along the Hulah Valley; it contains the towns Metulla and Qiryat Shemona and the rivers of Dan and Banias; also the Arab village of Cana.

See also

North District (Israel)

Tourism in Israel

The Koenig Memorandum

References

Further studies

Meyers, Eric M. (ed), ''Galilee through the Centuries: Confluence of Cultures'' (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1999) (Duke Judaic Studies 1).

Chancey, Mark A., ''Greco-Roman Culture and the Galilee of Jesus'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006) (Society for New Testament Studies Monograph Series, 134).

Freyne, Sean, "Galilee and Judea in the First Century," in Margaret M. Mitchell and Frances M. Young (eds), ''Cambridge History of Christianity. Vol. 1. Origins to Constantine'' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006) (Cambridge History of Christianity), 163-194.

Category:Hebrew Bible places Category:Regions of Israel Category:New Testament places Category:Jesus and history

als:Galiläa ang:Galilēa ar:الجليل (إسرائيل) an:Galileya arc:ܓܠܝܠܐ roa-rup:Galilea bg:Галилея ca:Galilea cs:Galilea cy:Galilea da:Galilæa de:Galiläa et:Galilea el:Γαλιλαία es:Galilea eo:Galileo (regiono) eu:Galilea fr:Galilée (région) ga:An Ghailíl gl:Galilea ko:갈릴리 hr:Galileja bpy:গালিলেইয়া id:Galilea it:Galilea he:הגליל ka:გალილეა sw:Galilaya ku:Celîle la:Galileia ms:Galilee nl:Galilea (streek) ja:ガリラヤ no:Galilea oc:Galilèa nds:Galiläa pl:Galilea pt:Galileia ro:Galileea ru:Галилея sc:Galilea simple:Galilee sk:Galilea sl:Galileja sr:Галилеја sh:Galileja fi:Galilea sv:Galileen tl:Galilea tr:Celile uk:Галілея vi:Galilea zh:加利利

Hazel Jane Dickens (June 1, 1935 – April 22, 2011) was an American bluegrass singer, songwriter, double bassist and guitarist. She was the eighth child of an eleven-child mining family in West Virginia. Her music was characterized not only by her high, lonesome singing style, but also by her provocative pro-union, feminist songs. Cultural blogger John Pietaro noted that "Dickens didn’t just sing the anthems of labor, she lived them and her place on many a picket line, staring down gunfire and goon squads, embedded her into the cause." ''The New York Times'' extolled her as "a clarion-voiced advocate for coal miners and working people and a pioneer among women in bluegrass music".

Career

Dickens was born in Mercer County, West Virginia. She met Mike Seeger, younger half-brother of Pete Seeger and founding member of the New Lost City Ramblers and became active in the Baltimore-Washington area bluegrass and folk music scene during the 1960s. During this time she also established a collaborative relationship with Mike Seeger's wife, Alice Gerrard, and as "Hazel & Alice" recorded two albums for the Folkways label: ''Who's That Knocking (And Other Bluegrass Country Music)'' (1965) and ''Won't You Come & Sing for Me'' (1973). Dickens and Gerrard were bluegrass bandleaders at a time when the vast majority of bluegrass bands were led by men. According to Bill Warren, her "music, and especially her songwriting, assumed an even more political cast almost as soon as she began pursuing a solo career."

Dickens appeared in the documentary ''Harlan County, USA'' and also contributed four songs to the soundtrack of the same film. She also appeared in the films ''Matewan'' and ''Songcatcher''.

Memorial concert

Extolling that "music saves mountains", fans and supporters of Dicken's activism announced a special memorial entitled "Tribute to West Virginia Music Legend Hazel Dickens" at the Charleston, West Virginia Cultural Center June 5, 2011. The text is replicated verbatim:

"Legendary bluegrass singer Hazel Dickens passed away this April after a lifetime fighting for social justice in Appalachia. Her legend lives on as hundreds mobilize for the march on Blair Mountain, a five-day, fifty-mile action calling for an end to mountaintop removal, strengthened labor rights, and investment in sustainable jobs. Join us for a special night of music honoring Hazel and those who will walk in her footsteps during the March on Blair Mountain."

The goals of the march are consistent with Dickens' longstanding involvement with environmental justice, with the announced goals of to preservation of Blair Mountain, abolition of mountaintop removal, strengthening of labor rights, and an investment in sustainable job creation for all Appalachian communities.

Discography

With Alice Gerrard

''Who's That Knocking'' (1965)

''Strange Creek Singers'' (Arhoolie, 1970) – Also with Mike Seeger and Tracy Schwarz

''Won't You Come & Sing for Me'' (1973)

''Hazel & Alice'' (Rounder Records, 1973)

''Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard'' (Rounder Records, 1975)

''Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard – Pioneering Women of Bluegrass'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 1996) – Re-mastered and re-sequenced compilation of first two albums

Solo albums

''Hard Hitting Songs for Hard Hit People'' (Rounder Records, 1981)

''By the Sweat of My Brow'' (Rounder Records, 1984)

''It's Hard to Tell the Singer From the Song'' (Rounder Records, 1986)

''A Few Old Memories'' (Rounder Records, 1987) – Compilation "best of" first three albums

With Carol Elizabeth Jones, Ginny Hawker

''Heart of a Singer'' (Rounder Records, 1993/1998)

Compilations

''Rounder Old-Time Music'' (1987)

''Mountain Music Played on the Autoharp'' (Folkways Records, 1962)

''American Banjo: Three-Finger and Scruggs Style'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 1990)

''Don't Mourn—Organize!: Songs of Labor Songwriter Joe Hill'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 1990)

''Blue Ribbon Bluegrass'' (1993)

''The Old Home Place: Bluegrass and Old-Time Mountain Music'' (1993)

''Live Recordings 1956–1969: Off the Record Volume 1'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 1993)

''Old-Time Music on the Air, V. 1'' (1994)

''Hills of Home: 25 Years of Folk Music on Rounder Records'' (1995)

''Hand-Picked: 25 Years of Bluegrass on Rounder Records'' (1995)

''Songs of the Louvin Brothers'' (1997)

''They'll Never Keep Us Down: Women's Coal Mining Songs'' – Re-issued under the title: ''Coal Mining Women'' (1997)

''Blue Trail of Sorrow'' (2001)

''There Is No Eye: Music for Photographs'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 2001)

''Classic Mountain Songs from Smithsonian Folkways'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 2002)

''Bluegrass Mountain Style: Over 60 Minutes of Classic Bluegrass from Rounder Records'' (2002)

''Mama's Hand: Bluegrass and Mountain Songs about Mother'' (2002)

''Classic Bluegrass from Smithsonian Folkways'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 2002)

''Mountain Journey: Stars of Old Time Music'' (2005)

''Classic Bluegrass Vol. 2 from Smithsonian Folkways'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 2005)

''Harlan County USA: Songs of the Coal Miner's Struggle'' (2006)

''Classic Labor Songs from Smithsonian Folkways'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 2006)

''Masters of Old-time Country Autoharp'' (Smithsonian Folkways, 2006)

Films

Films in which Dickens appears

''Hazel Dickens: It's Hard to Tell the Singer from the Song (2001). Directed by Mimi Pickering (Appalshop).

''Matewan'' (1987). Directed by John Sayles.

''Songcatcher'' (2000). Directed by Maggie Greenwald.

Films in which Dickens contributes to the soundtrack

''Harlan County U.S.A.'' (1976). Directed by Barbara Kopple.

''Coalmining Women'' (1982). Directed by Elizabeth Barret. Whitesburg, Kentucky: Appalshop.

''Matewan'' (1987). Directed by John Sayles.

''Songcatcher'' (2000). Directed by Maggie Greenwald.

''Black Lung'' (2006). Directed by Shane Roberts.

References

External links

[ Allmusic]

Dickens Discography at Smithsonian Folkways

Dickens performs "Fire in the Hole"

Dickens performs "Hills of Galilee"

Category:1935 births Category:2011 deaths Category:People from Mercer County, West Virginia Category:American female singers Category:American bluegrass musicians Category:American folk singers Category:National Heritage Fellowship winners Category:Old-time musicians

Coordinates	40°37′29″N73°57′8″N
background	solo_singer
instrument	Piano, vocals
name	Chuck Girard
birth date	August 27, 1943
genre	Vocal quartetSurf rockJesus musicContemporary ChristianWorship music
associated acts	Love SongThe CastellsThe Hondells
label	Good News RecordsSeven Thunders Records
years active	1961–present
website	Chuck Girard Home Page }}

Chuck Girard is a pioneer of Contemporary Christian music. He was born August 27, 1943 in Los Angeles, California, and moved to Santa Rosa, California in his young teens. He was a founding member of Love Song, the first Christian rock band to become popular in the United States.

He became a solo artist in 1975, and wrote & performed the hit songs "Sometimes Alleluia" and "Rock 'N' Roll Preacher", both of which were featured on his debut ''Chuck Girard'', an album that featured the band Ambrosia prominently throughout.

He is the father of Alisa Childers, a member of Zoegirl.

Discography

Secular albums

The Castells ''So This Is Love'' (Era Records, 1961)

''The Best of the Castells'' (K-Tel, 2000)

The Hondells ''Go Little Honda'' (Mercury Records, 1965)

''The Hondells'' (Mercury Records, 1964)

The Ghouls ''Dracula's Deuce'

Mr. Gasser & The Weird-Ohs ''Silly Surfers''

The Revells ''The Go Sound of the Slots''

Singles

The Castells

"Make Believe Wedding" (1961) US #98

"Sacred" (1961) US #20

"So This Is Love" (1961) US #21

The Hondells

"Little Honda" (1964) US: #9

"My Buddy Seat" (1965) US: #87

"Younger Girl" (1966) US: #52

With Love Song

''Love Song'' (Good News Records, 1972)

''Final Touch'' (Good News Records, 1974)

"Feel the Love" (live double LP) (Good News Records, 1977)

"Welcome Back" (live CD) (Maranatha/Word, 1995)

Solo Albums

''Chuck Girard'' (Good News Records, 1975)

''Glow in the Dark'' (Good News Records, 1976)

''Written on the Wind'' (Good News Records, 1977)

''Take it Easy'' (Good News Records, 1978)

''The Stand'' (Good News Records, 1980)

''The Name Above All Names'' (Seven Thunders Records, 1983)

''Fire & Light'' (Seven Thunders Records, 1991)

''Voice of the Wind'' (Seven Thunders Records, 1994)

''Heart of Christmas'' (Seven Thunders Records, 2001)

''Evening Shadows'' (Seven Thunders Records, 2008)

Compilations

''First Love'' (Exploration Films, 1998)

References

External links

Chuck Girard's Official Website

First Love DVD

TheBeginningsConcert.com

Category:Living people Category:American male singers Category:American performers of Christian music Category:Love Song members Category:Six the Hardway members Category:1943 births

Coordinates	40°37′29″N73°57′8″N
name	Casting Crowns
background	group_or_band
origin	Daytona Beach, Florida, USA
genre	Contemporary ChristianChristian rockSoft rock
years active	1999–present
label	Sony BMG/Beach Street/Reunion (U.S.)Sony Music Philippines (Philippines)
website	castingcrowns.com
current members	Mark Hall (lead vocals)Juan DeVevo (lead guitar)Hector Cervantes (rhythm guitar)Melodee DeVevo (violin, backing vocals)Megan Garrett (piano)Chris Huffman (bass guitar)Brian Scoggin (drums)
past members	Andy Williams (drums)
notable instruments	}}

Casting Crowns is a Grammy Award and Dove Award winning Contemporary Christian/Christian Rock band. Casting Crowns was started in 1999 by youth pastor Mark Hall at First Baptist Church in Downtown Daytona Beach, Florida as part of a youth group. He now serves as a lead vocalist. Later they moved to Stockbridge, Georgia and more members joined creating the band now known as Casting Crowns. Some members of the band currently work as ministers for Eagles Landing First Baptist Church in Stockbridge, Georgia.

History

Formation and self-titled debut

Christian rock group Casting Crowns began as a student worship band in Daytona Beach, FL, in 1999. Led by singer, songwriter, and youth pastor Mark Hall, the group initially included guitarists Juan DeVevo and Hector Cervantes and violinist Melodee DeVevo. The group relocated to Stockbridge, GA, in 2001, adding Chris Huffman on bass, Megan Garrett on keyboards and accordion, and drummer Andy Williams. This augmented version of Casting Crowns released two independent albums on CD, both of which were well received in the Atlanta area. Both independent albums were efforts on the part of Mark Hall and the rest of the group as outreach projects for youth in the area. The group won the GMA regional songwriters competition at Palm Beach Atlantic University, West Palm Beach, Florida in both the "Best Song" and the "Best Artist" categories in 2004. Although the group was not searching for a record label, one of the group's albums found its way into the hands of Mark Miller, lead singer for country group Sawyer Brown, who was struck by Casting Crowns' driving pop/rock style and Hall's vocal delivery of his hard-hitting but devout songs. Miller signed Casting Crowns to his fledgling Beach Street Records, a division of Reunion Records with distribution by the Provident Label Group, making Casting Crowns the first artist signed to Beach Street Records.

Mark Miller took the group into the studio along with co-producer Steven Curtis Chapman, himself a popular artist on the CCM musical scene. The resulting eponymous album, ''Casting Crowns'', was released in 2003 on the Beach Street imprint. The album quickly made them one of the fastest selling debut artists in Christian music history. The album's third single, "Voice of Truth", spent a record-breaking fourteen consecutive weeks at #1 beginning in 2003. The album was certified platinum in 2005.

''Lifesong'' and ''Lifesong Live'' (2005-2006)

''Lifesong'' followed in 2005, debuting at #9 on the ''Billboard'' 200 Albums Chart. The album had three singles: “Lifesong”, “Praise You in this Storm”, and “ Does Anybody Hear Her?”. "Lifesong" spent nine weeks in the top spot, with "Praise You in This Storm" remaining at #1 for seven weeks. Apart from being successful in the charts, ''Lifesong'' earned Casting Crowns their first Grammy Award for their work on the album in 2006.

In 2006, the group released ''Lifesong Live'', which included live performances of songs from their studio album ''Lifesong''.

''The Altar and the Door'' and ''The Altar and the Door Live'' (2007-2008)

The band's third studio album ''The Altar and the Door'' debuted at #2 on the ''Billboard'' 200 Albums Chart and #1 on the Hot Christian Albums chart upon its release in August 2007. Ten weeks after the album’s release date, it was certified gold by the RIAA. On September 27, 2007 the band embarked on the ‘Altar and the Door’ tour with Leeland and John Waller . The tour was highly successful, grossing $4.4 million ticket sales. Casting Crowns broke their own record in 2007 when the single "East to West" from ''The Altar and the Door'' hit sixteen consecutive weeks at #1. The song ended up enjoying the top spot for a total of nineteen weeks, now their most successful single to date. "Slow Fade" was also released as a single, and was included in the soundtrack of the Kirk Cameron film ''Fireproof''.

In 2008, Casting Crowns scored their eighth number one hit with "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day", a track from their newly-released Christmas album entitled ''Peace on Earth''.

''Until the Whole World Hears'' (2009-2011)

In early 2009, drummer Andy Williams left to pursue a further calling with blessings from the band. The drummer was replaced with Brian Scoggin and his red locks of hair, an irony Mark mentions on tour.

Casting Crowns was one of the only American bands to ever have been invited to North Korea. They attended the 2009 April Spring Arts Festival in Pyongyang where they performed with The Annie Moses Band. This was Casting Crowns second time invited to the Festival sponsored by Global Resource Services, the first time being in 2007. On August 30, 2009 Casting Crowns performed on Huckabee, Mike Huckabee's political show.

Casting Crown's fourth major studio album, ''Until the Whole World Hears'', was released on November 17, 2009, debuting at #4 on the Billboard 200 and selling over 167,000 copies in its first week alone, setting a new record for the highest Christian album debut in history. It was certified gold within 4 weeks. The title track and first single from the album became the groups ninth #1 single in January 2010. Before the album was released, the band went on tour with Matt Redman for the fall Until The Whole World Hears Tour. They went on the first spring leg of the tour with Kutless, and toured with Tenth Avenue North on the second spring leg.

In April 2010, Casting Crowns won the Dove Award for Artist of the Year, their first ever win in that category. A music video for the title track of ''Until the Whole World Hears'' was posted on the band's YouTube page on August 23, 2010.

The track ''Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)'' was released as a single in 2011 and reached #1 on Billboard Christian Songs during the week of April 23, 2011.

''Come to the Well'' (2011-present)

Casting Crowns' latest song, "Courageous", was released was released as a single on July 19, 2011. The music video for the song was released on June 14, 2011 and promotes the upcoming Christian film ''Courageous''. The song will be featured on their upcoming album, ''Come to the Well'' which will be released on October 18, 2011.

On July 26, 2011, the group received their first ever gold certification for a single, for the song 'Who Am I' from their debut record.

Ministry

Casting Crowns frontman Mark Hall calls the band's work a ministry akin to what the world would call "preaching to the choir." In keeping with The Great Commission, Hall describes their music as a "ministry of discipleship."

Four members of Casting Crowns currently minister at Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, GA where they play during the Contemporary Worship service on Sunday mornings. They do the band part-time around their full-time work of mentoring teenagers at the church. They often tour from Thursday- Saturday so that they can be home for church on Sunday morning and Wednesday night.

Members

Current

Mark Hall – lead vocals and songwriter (1999–Present)

Hector Cervantes – lead guitar and background vocals (1999–Present)

Juan Devevo – guitar and background vocals (1999–Present)

Chris Huffman – bass (2001–Present)

Megan Garrett – piano, keyboards, backing vocals (2001–Present)

Melodee Devevo – violin, backing vocals, cello (1999–Present)

Brian Scoggin – drums (2009–Present)

Former

Andy Williams - drums (2001–2009)

Books

''Lifestories'' by Mark Hall

''Your Own Jesus'' by Mark Hall

Producers/Executive Producers

Steven Curtis Chapman - Producer for album ''Casting Crowns''

Mark A. Miller - Producer for albums ''Casting Crowns'', ''Lifesong'', ''The Altar and the Door'', and ''Until The Whole World Hears''

Terry Hemmings - Executive Producer for album ''Lifesong'', ''The Altar and the Door'', and ''Until The Whole World Hears''

Discography

Studio albums

2003: ''Casting Crowns''

2005: ''Lifesong''

2007: ''The Altar and the Door''

2008: ''Peace on Earth''

2009: ''Until the Whole World Hears''

2011: ''Come to the Well''

Live albums

2004: ''Live from Atlanta''

2006: ''Lifesong Live''

2008: ''The Altar and the Door Live''

2010: ''Until the Whole World Hears... Live''

Music videos

''American Dream''

''Does Anybody Hear Her''

''Slow Fade''

''Until the Whole World Hears''

''Courageous''

Achievements

Career sales have exceeded 5 million records.

Voted CCM Readers' Choice Awards "Favorite Band", "Favorite New Artist" and "Favorite Album" in 2005.

"Lifesong" voted "Inspirational Single of the Year" by online music fans in the 2005 CCMSingles.Net Awards.

"Praise You in this Storm" was the fifth most played song of 2006 according to R&R; magazine

"East To West" voted "AC Single of the Year" and "Inspirational Single of the Year" by online music fans in the 2007 CCMSingles.Net Awards.

Casting Crowns was the most played artist on Christian Radio in 2007, according Radio & Records Weekly charts (12/10).

Casting Crowns is the second fastest Christian band in history to have their first two albums certified platinum, the fastest being Jars of Clay.

;GMA Dove Awards

Year	! Award	! Result
!rowspan="4"	New Artist of the Year
Song of the Year ("If We Are the Body")
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("If We Are the Body")
!rowspan="7"	Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("Who Am I")
Worship Song of the Year (“Who Am I”)
!rowspan="5"	Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
Song of the Year ("
Pop Contemporary Album of the Year (''[[Lifesong">Lifesong (song)
Pop Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("Lifesong")
Pop Contemporary Album of the Year (''[[Lifesong'')
!rowspan="4"	Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
Song of the Year ("Praise You In This Storm")
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("Praise You In This Storm")
!rowspan="6"	Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year ("The Altar and the Door")
Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year ("East to West")
Praise & Worship Song of the Year ("Praise You In This Storm")
!rowspan="5"	Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
Short Form Music Video of the Year ("Slow Fade")
Long Form Music Video of the Year (''The Altar and the Door Live'')
!rowspan="3"	Artist of the Year
Group of the Year
!rowspan="2"	Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year (''Until the Whole World Hears'')
Long Form Music Video of the Year (''Until the Whole World Hears... Live'')

;Grammy Awards

Year	! Award	! Work
! rowspan=1	Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album of the Year	''Lifesong''

Partnerships and Endorsements

Partnerships

Jumpstart Resources

World Vision

Covenant Eyes

Endorsements

Gibson Guitars

Avalon Guitars

Vesper Guitars

Audix Microphones

Westone In Ear Monitors

Pro Mark Drum Sticks

Ultimate Microphone Stands

Paul Reed Smith Guitars

Istanbul Agop Cymbals

C&C; Drums

References

External links

Casting Crowns official site

Jump Start Resources web site -- this web site was created by Mark Hall as a source of materials for Christian youth leaders on low budgets. The web site is given on the CD tray label of the British version of the first album.

Casting Crowns ''Artist Profile'' on Christian Music Review

''The Altar and the Door'' album review on Christian Music Review

Casting Crowns on WorshipSong

The Altar & The Door Tour 2009 concert review from NewReleaseTuesday.com

Category:American pop music groups Category:Christian rock groups from Florida Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Musical groups established in 1999 Category:Musical septets Category:People from Volusia County, Florida Category:Sony BMG artists

da:Casting Crowns de:Casting Crowns es:Casting Crowns fr:Casting Crowns it:Casting Crowns nl:Casting Crowns pl:Casting Crowns pt:Casting Crowns simple:Casting Crowns sk:Casting Crowns sv:Casting Crowns

Coordinates	40°37′29″N73°57′8″N
Name	Emmylou Harris
Background	solo_singer
Born	April 02, 1947Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
Instrument	Voice, guitar
Genre	Folk, country rock, country, bluegrass, rock, pop, alt-country
Occupation	Singer-songwriter, musician
Years active	1970–present
Label	Jubilee, Reprise, Warner Bros., Elektra, Asylum, Rhino, Nonesuch
Associated acts	Ryan AdamsThe BandBright EyesJames BurtonBeth Neilsen ChapmanEarl Thomas ConleyElvis CostelloRodney CrowellIris DementJohn DenverDixie ChicksBob DylanSteve EarleVern GosdinPatty GriffinArlo GuthrieMark KnopflerAlbert LeeLittle FeatDave MatthewsKate and Anna McGarrigleWillie NelsonJuice NewtonRoy OrbisonGram ParsonsDolly PartonJohn PrineLinda RonstadtRicky SkaggsBruce SpringsteenDon WilliamsLucinda WilliamsNeil YoungWarren Zevon|website www.emmylouharris.com
Past members	}}

Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has released many chart-topping albums and singles over the course of her career, and has has won 12 Grammys and numerous other awards.

In addition to her work as a solo artist and bandleader, both as an interpreter of other composers' works and as a singer-songwriter, she is a sought-after backing vocalist and duet partner, working with numerous other artists including Gram Parsons, The Band, Linda Ronstadt, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Mark Knopfler, Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, Rodney Crowell, and Neil Young.

Biography

Early years

Emmylou Harris is the daughter of a career military family, her father, Walter Harris, was a military officer and her mother, Eugenia was a wartime military wife. Her father, a member of the Marine Corps, was reported missing in action in Korea in 1952 and spent ten months as a prisoner of war. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Emmylou Harris spent her childhood in North Carolina and Woodbridge, Virginia, where she graduated from Gar-Field Senior High School as class valedictorian. In high school she also won a drama scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, where she began to study music seriously, learning to play the songs of Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan and Joan Baez on guitar. Leaving college to pursue her musical aspirations, she moved to New York, working as a waitress to support herself while performing folk songs in Greenwich Village coffeehouses. She married fellow songwriter Tom Slocum in 1969 and in the following year recorded her first album, ''Gliding Bird''. Harris and Slocum soon divorced, and Harris and her newborn daughter Hallie moved in with her parents in the Maryland suburbs on the edge of Washington, D.C.

With Gram Parsons

Harris soon returned to performing as part of a trio with Gerry Mule and Tom Guidera. One night in 1971, members of the country rock group The Flying Burrito Brothers happened to be in the audience. Former Byrds member Chris Hillman, who had taken over the band after the departure of its founder Gram Parsons, was so impressed by Harris that he briefly considered asking her to join the band. Instead, Hillman ended up recommending her to Parsons, who was looking for a female vocalist to work with on his first solo album, ''GP''. Harris toured as a member of Parsons' band, The Fallen Angels, in 1973, and the couple shone during vocal harmonies and duets. Harris was quite pleased, and invested a lot emotionally in their relationship. Later that year, Parsons and Harris worked on a studio album, ''Grievous Angel''. Parsons died in his motel room near what is now Joshua Tree National Park on September 19, 1973, from an accidental overdose of drugs and alcohol. Parsons's ''Grievous Angel'' was released posthumously in 1974, and three more tracks from his last sessions with Harris were included on another posthumous Parsons album, ''Sleepless Nights'', in 1976. There was one more album of recorded material from that period of time that was packaged with the name, ''Live 1973'', but was not released until 1982.

The working relationship between Harris and Parsons is of great importance in country and country-rock music history. Parsons offered Harris a study in true country music, introducing her to artists like The Louvin Brothers, and provided her with a musical identity; Harris's harmony and duet vocals, on the other hand, were lauded by those who heard them, and helped inspire Parsons' performances. His death left her devastated at an emotional and musical crossroads. She eventually carried on with her own version of Parsons' musical vision, and was instrumental in bringing attention to his achievements. Harris's earliest signature song, and arguably her most personal one, "Boulder to Birmingham", written shortly after Gram's death, showed the depth of her shock and pain at losing Parsons. It was, according to her best friend Linda Ronstadt, the beginning of a "lifetime effort to process what had happened", and was just the first of many songs written and/or performed by Harris about her life with (and without) Parsons.

:I would rock my soul in the bosom of Abraham :I would hold my life in his saving grace. :I would walk all the way from Boulder to Birmingham :If I thought I could see, I could see your face. : :   —"Boulder to Birmingham" :   lyrics by Emmylou Harris

The Hot Band

Warner Brothers A&R; representative Mary Martin introduced Harris to Canadian producer Brian Ahern, who produced her major label debut album, ''Pieces of the Sky'', released in 1975 on Reprise Records. The album was surprisingly eclectic, especially by Nashville standards, including cover versions of The Beatles' "For No One", Merle Haggard's "Tonight the Bottle Let Me Down" and The Louvin Brothers' "If I Could Only Win Your Love". It also featured "Bluebird Wine", a composition by young Texas songwriter Rodney Crowell, who was the first in a long line of songwriters whose talents Harris has championed. The record was one of the most expensive country records produced at the time, featuring the talents of James Burton, Glen Hardin, Ron Tutt, Ray Pohlman, and Bill Payne, as well as two tracks ("Before Believing" and "Queen of the Silver Dollar") that were cut with the Angel Band. Two singles were released: "Too Far Gone", which initially charted at #73 (a 1979 reissue hit #13), and Harris's first big hit, "If I Could Only Win Your Love", a duet with Herb Pedersen (later a founding member of The Desert Rose Band), which peaked at #4.

Executives of Warner Bros. Records (Reprise Records's parent company) told Harris they would agree to record her if she would "get a hot band". Harris did so, enlisting guitarist James Burton and pianist Glen Hardin, both of whom had played with Elvis Presley as well as Parsons. Burton was a renowned guitarist, starting in Ricky Nelson's band in the 1950s, and Hardin had been a member of The Crickets. Other Hot Band members were drummer John Ware, pedal steel guitarist Hank DeVito, and bassist Emory Gordy, Jr., with whom Harris had worked while performing with Parsons. Singer-songwriter Crowell was enlisted as a rhythm guitarist and duet partner. Harris's first tour schedule originally dovetailed around Presley's, owing to Burton and Hardin's continuing commitments to Presley's band. The Hot Band lived up to its name, with most of the members moving on with fresh talent replacing them as they continued on to solo careers of their own.

''Elite Hotel'', released in December 1975, established that the buzz created by ''Pieces of the Sky'' was well-founded. Unusual for country albums at the time, which largely revolved around a hit single, Harris's albums borrowed their approach from the album-oriented rock market. In terms of quality and artistic merit, tracks like "Sin City", "Wheels", and "Till I Gain Control Again", which weren't singles, easily stood against tracks like "Together Again", "Sweet Dreams", and "One of These Days", which were. While ''Elite Hotel'' was a #1 country album, the album did sufficiently well as a crossover success with the rock audience. Harris appealed to those who normally disapproved of the country market's pull toward crossover pop singles ("Together Again" and "Sweet Dreams" both topped the country charts). ''Elite Hotel'' won a Grammy in 1976 for Best Country Vocal Performance, Female.

Harris' reputation for guest work continued. Aside from contributing to albums by Linda Ronstadt, Guy Clark and Neil Young, Harris was tapped by Bob Dylan to perform on his ''Desire'' album, but entirely uncredited. Harris also filmed one of the studio sequences, owing to her touring schedule, in The Band's ''The Last Waltz'', singing "Evangeline".

Burton left the Hot Band in 1976, choosing to remain with Elvis Presley's band, and was replaced by English guitarist Albert Lee. Harris's commercial apex was ''Luxury Liner'', released in 1977, which remains one of her definitive records. On ''Luxury Liner'', Harris's mix of songs from Chuck Berry ("(You Never Can Tell) C'est La Vie"), Gram Parsons (the title track and "She"), The Carter Family ("Hello Stranger") and Kitty Wells ("Making Believe") illustrate a continuity and artistic merit to country music often overlooked at the time. Despite Top Ten singles with "C'est La Vie" and "Making Believe", the album's best known track is the first recorded cover of Townes Van Zandt's classic "Pancho & Lefty", which would be a #1 hit for Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard in 1983. At the end of 1977, Crowell left the Hot Band to pursue a solo career; his replacement was bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and singer Ricky Skaggs.

''Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town'' signaled a slight change of direction from Harris's previous three albums. Rather than mixing classic and contemporary, the album is made up largely of recently written songs, though from a wide variety of writers. "Two More Bottles of Wine", written by Delbert McClinton, became Harris's third #1 single, "To Daddy", written by Dolly Parton, went to #3, and a third single, "Easy From Now On", went Top Twenty. The album included two songs apiece from Crowell ("I Ain't Living Long Like This" and "Leaving Louisiana In The Broad Daylight") and songwriter Jesse Winchester ("Defying Gravity" and "My Songbird"), and Utah Phillips' "Green Rolling Hills".

The Roots Records

In 1977 (January), Harris married Brian Ahern. Their (Harris' second) daughter, Meghann, was born in 1979. During this time, Harris cut three studio albums that reflected a shift toward traditional country (the industry, on the other hand, was about to embrace ''Urban Cowboy''). The first key to the change in direction was her Grammy Award-winning 1979 album ''Blue Kentucky Girl''. Apart from a cover of The Drifters' "Save The Last Dance For Me", the album was largely made up of classic-styled country material in the vein of Loretta Lynn and Kitty Wells. One of her best-loved albums, the record includes songs ranging from The Louvin Brothers' "Everytime You Leave" to Willie Nelson's "Sister's Coming Home" to Gram Parson's signature "Hickory Wind". Wesley Rose took special interest in Harris' recording of "Beneath Still Waters", which became a #1 smash.

A Christmas album, ''Light of the Stable'', was released in 1979; its title track featured backing vocals by Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt and Neil Young, all three of whom Harris had been working with sporadically since the mid-1970s, and would continue to collaborate with through the 2000s. (Harris, Parton and Ronstadt began working on a planned trio album during this time, though it would remain unfinished for nearly a decade; a few of the tracks recorded for the project surfaced on the women's respective solo albums in the interim.) The album is largely acoustic, featuring readings of traditional fare such as "Silent Night", "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "The First Noel".

In the 1980s, Harris pursued country music's history even further with the bluegrass-oriented recording of ''Roses in the Snow'', featuring Ricky Skaggs, Tony Rice, Albert Lee, Emory Gordy Jr. and Jerry Douglas. Harris's versions of the traditional "Wayfaring Stranger" and Paul Simon's "The Boxer" were strong singles.

In 1980, Harris recorded "That Lovin' You Feelin' Again" with Roy Orbison. The duet was a Top 10 hit on both the Country and Adult Contemporary charts. They would win the Grammy Award for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. She would also be featured on Paul Kennerley's concept album ''The Legend of Jesse James'', which also featured Levon Helm of The Band and Johnny Cash.

Pop-chart success, songwriting

In 1981, Harris reached the Top 40 on the Billboard pop chart with a cover of "Mister Sandman"—again Top 10 Country as well as Adult Contemporary—from her ''Evangeline'' album. (The album version of the song was a track from the ill-fated ''Trio'' sessions with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, but neither Parton's nor Ronstadt's record companies would allow their artists' vocals to be used on the single, so Harris re-recorded the song, singing all three parts.)

Harris moved to Nashville in 1982. ''White Shoes'' in 1983 included an eclectic pairing of the rockish reading of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" with a remake of the Donna Summer hit "On the Radio", as well as tracks from a diverse group of songwriters such as Hot Band member Crowell, Sandy Denny and T-Bone Burnett and was her last album produced by Brian Ahern until ''All I Intended to Be'' in 2008.

Harris's major-label releases thus far had included few self-penned songs, but in 1985 her songwriting skills were much in evidence with the release of a concept album ''The Ballad of Sally Rose'', for which she co-wrote all of the songs. The album was semi-autobiographical in theme, based loosely on her relationship with Parsons. Harris described it as a "country opera", and a "huge commercial disaster". Her co-writer and producer on the album was English songwriter and musician Paul Kennerley, writer of the hit singles "Born to Run" (on Harris's 1981 ''Cimarron'' album) and "In My Dreams" (on ''White Shoes''). Kennerley also produced her next album, ''Thirteen''. They were married in 1985 and divorced in 1993.

In 1987, nearly a full decade after they'd first attempted to do so, Harris teamed up with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt for their long-promised and much-anticipated ''Trio'' disc. The album was the biggest commercial success of Harris's career, spending five weeks at #1 on Billboard's Country Albums chart (also quickly reaching the Top 10 on the Pop Albums chart), sold several million copies and produced four Top 10 Country hits, including "To Know Him Is To Love Him", which hit #1. The disc was nominated for the coveted Album Of The Year Grammy award (given to U2 that year for ''The Joshua Tree'') and the three women won the statuette for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal; the album's Linda Thompson-penned track "Telling Me Lies" reached #3 Country, #25 Adult Contemporary, and was also nominated for a Grammy as 1987's Best Country Song.

Harris also found time in 1987 to release a solo album, ''Angel Band'', featuring traditional gospel songs, on which she worked with, among others, rising country star Vince Gill.

In 1989, she recorded two songs with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on their album, ''Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume II''. In a snippet of studio chatter included on one of the tracks, she talked during the recording session about her beginnings and how music had changed:

Around 1991, she dissolved The Hot Band and formed a new band of acoustic musicians—Sam Bush on fiddle, mandolin and vocals, Roy Huskey, Jr. on bass and vocals, Larry Atamanuik on drums, Al Perkins on banjo, guitar, Dobro guitar and vocals, and Jon Randall on guitar, mandolin and vocals—which she named The Nash Ramblers. They recorded a Grammy Award-winning live album in 1992 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, which led to the $8 million restoration of the facility into a premium concert and event venue. It was her last album with Reprise Records.

New directions

By the 1990s, Harris started receiving less airplay as mainstream country stations began shifting their focus to the youth-oriented "new country" format. Harris's albums ''Bluebird'' and ''Brand New Dance'' (1989 and 1990, respectively) received ample critical acclaim and sold reasonably well, yet her chart success was on the wane. 1993's ''Cowgirl's Prayer''—the first album since her switch to Elektra Records—was critically praised but received very little airplay, and its lead single, "High Powered Love" charted very low, peaking at #63, prompting her to shift her career in a new direction.

In 1995, Harris released one of the most critically acclaimed albums of the decade, ''Wrecking Ball'', produced by Daniel Lanois, best known for his work with U2, Peter Gabriel and Bob Dylan. An experimental album for Harris, the record included Harris's rendition of the Neil Young-penned title track (Young himself provided guest vocals on two of the album's songs), Steve Earle's "Goodbye", Julie Miller's "All My Tears", Jimi Hendrix's "May This Be Love", Kate and Anna McGarrigle's "Goin' Back to Harlan" and Gillian Welch's "Orphan Girl". U2's Larry Mullen, Jr. showed up to play drums for the project. The album received virtually no country airplay whatsoever, but did bring Harris to the attention of alternative rock listeners, many of whom had never listened to her music before.

Harris then took her ''Wrecking Ball'' material on the road, releasing the live ''Spyboy'' in 1998, backed with a power trio comprising Nashville producer, songwriter and guitarist Buddy Miller and New Orleans musicians, drummer Brady Blade and bassist-vocalist-percussionist Daryl Johnson. In addition to performing songs from ''Wrecking Ball'', the album updated many of Harris's career hits, including "Boulder to Birmingham".

Also in 1998, she appeared prominently on Willie Nelson's moody, instrumentally sparse ''Teatro'' album, produced by ''Wrecking Ball'' producer Lanois.

During the summer of 1997 and 1998, Harris joined Sarah McLachlan's all-woman musical touring festival, the Lilith Fair, where new artists like Patty Griffin could share new experiences and ideas with seasoned musicians like Harris and Bonnie Raitt.

In January 1999, Harris released ''Trio 2'' with Parton and Ronstadt. Much of the album had actually been recorded in 1994, but remained unreleased for nearly five years because of record label and personnel disputes, conflicting schedules, and career priorities of the three artists. ''Trio 2'' was much more contemporary-sounding than its predecessor and was certified Gold. It included their version of Neil Young's classic "After The Gold Rush", which became a popular music video and won another Grammy—this one for Best Country Collaboration with Vocals. Harris and Ronstadt then released a duet album, ''Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions'', later the same year. The two superstars toured together during the fall months in support of the disc. Both albums made the Top 10 of Billboard's Country Albums chart and did well on the pop side as well.

Also in 1999, Harris paid tribute to her former singing partner Gram Parsons by co-executive producing ''Return of the Grievous Angel: A Tribute to Gram Parsons'', an album that gathered together more than a dozen artists. Harris performed duets with Beck, Sheryl Crow and The Pretenders on this album's tracks.

In 2000, Harris released her solo follow-up to ''Wrecking Ball'', ''Red Dirt Girl'', produced by Lanois protégé Malcolm Burn. For the first time since ''The Ballad of Sally Rose'', the album contained a number of Harris's own compositions. Like ''Wrecking Ball'', the album's sound leaned more toward alternative rock than country. Nevertheless it reached #5 on Billboard's Country Albums chart as well as a healthy #54 on the pop side. It also won Harris another of her 12 Grammy awards, in the category of Best Contemporary Folk Album.

Harris also accompanied on alternative country singer Ryan Adams' solo debut ''Heartbreaker'' and on Tracy Chapman's fifth album ''Telling Stories''.

Also in 2000, Harris joined an all-star group of traditional country, folk and blues artists for the T-Bone Burnett-produced soundtrack to the Coen Brothers film, ''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' The soundtrack won multiple CMA, ACM and Grammy awards. A documentary/concert film, ''Down from the Mountain'', featured the artists performing music from the film and other songs at the Ryman Auditorium. Harris and many of the same artists took their show on the road for the Down from the Mountain Tour in 2002. In 2003, Harris supplied the finishing touches in harmonizing with the Dixie Chicks on a song they were recording in the studio, "Godspeed".

Recent work

Harris released ''Stumble into Grace'', her follow-up to ''Red Dirt Girl'', in 2003. Like its predecessor, it contained mostly self-penned material. In 2004, Harris led the Sweet Harmony Traveling Revue tour with Gillian Welch, David Rawlings, Buddy Miller and Patty Griffin. They performed singly and together and swapped instruments.

On September 9, 2005, Harris participated in "Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast", a series of concerts simulcast by most American television stations to raise money for victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. She performed with Beth Neilsen Chapman and the Dixie Chicks, harmonizing on Patty Griffin's song, "Mary".

In 2005, Harris worked with Conor Oberst on Bright Eyes' release, ''I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning'', performing backup vocals on three tracks. In July, she joined Elvis Costello on several dates of his US tour, performing alongside Costello and his band on several numbers each night. Harris and Costello recorded a version of Costello's song, "The Scarlet Tide", from the soundtrack of the movie ''Cold Mountain''. July also saw the release of ''The Very Best of Emmylou Harris: Heartaches & Highways'', a single-disc retrospective of Harris's career, on the Rhino Entertainment label. This same year, Harris appeared as a guest vocalist on Neil Young's widely acclaimed ''Prairie Wind''. She also appeared in the Jonathan Demme documentary-concert film ''Neil Young: Heart of Gold'', released in 2006. ''All the Roadrunning'', an album of collaborations with former Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler, was released in April 2006 and supported by a tour of Europe and the US. The album was a commercial success, reaching #8 in the UK and #17 in the US. Selections recorded during the ''All the Roadrunning'' tour performance at the Gibson Amphitheatre were released as a CD/DVD package titled ''Real Live Roadrunning'' in November 2006. In addition to several of the compositions that Harris and Knopfler recorded together in the studio, ''Real Live Roadrunning'' features solo hits from both members of the duo, as well as a few classic tracks from Knopfler's days with Dire Straits.

Harris is featured on ''A Tribute To Joni Mitchell'', released on April 24, 2007. Harris covered the song "The Magdalene Laundries" (originally on Mitchell's 1994 album, ''Turbulent Indigo''). She sang "Another Pot O' Tea" with Anne Murray on Murray's album ''Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends'', released November 13, 2007, in Canada and January 15, 2008, in the U.S.

Harris wrote a song called "In Rodanthe" for the 2008 film ''Nights In Rodanthe''.

A solo album, ''All I Intended to Be'', was released on June 10, 2008, to critical acclaim. Contributors include Buddy Miller, the McGarrigle sisters, Vince Gill, Phil Madeira, and Dolly Parton. She toured with an ensemble she dubbed the Red Dirt Boys, featuring Phil Madeira on accordion, guitar, and keyboards, Colin Linden on guitar and banjo, Rickie Simpkins on mandolin and fiddle, Chris Donohue on bass, and Bryan Owings on drums. It did not include Miller, who was touring with Robert Plant, Alison Krauss and T Bone Burnett at the time. In 2009, Harris toured with Patty Griffin, Shawn Colvin, and Miller as "Three Girls and Their Buddy". Madeira, Simpkins, and Donohue performed with her in late 2008, and in 2009, appearing on "A Prairie Home Companion" and at MerleFest and the Telluride Bluegrass Festival. In September 2009, Owings rejoined the Red Dirt Boys with Miller for the remainder of 2009.

In April 2009 Harris became a grandmother. Her daughter gave birth to a daughter, Prudence.

In 2010, Harris regrouped with the latest version of the Red Dirt Boys—Madeira, Owings, Donohue, and Simpkins—for Lilith Fair summer dates and a scheduled US autumn tour.

According to an interview with Bonnie Tyler by Digital Spy, Emmylou Harris will be teaming up with her on Tyler's upcoming album. Harris will do backing vocals on a song, written and produced by Wayne Warner. A new solo album, ''Hard Bargain'', was released on the Nonesuch label on April 26, 2011.

PBS host Tavis Smiley interviewed Harris in a program that aired on April 20, 2011. In the interview Harris spoke of being a straight-A student in high school, which led her to being selected as valedictorian, and recounted learning to play guitar by memorizing three chords on a Taylor 310CE.

Activism

In 1997 and 1998, Harris performed in Sarah McLachlan's Lilith Fair, promoting feminism in music. Since 1999, Harris has been organizing an annual benefit tour called Concerts for a Landmine Free World. All proceeds from the tours support the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation's (VVAF) efforts to assist innocent victims of conflicts around the world. The tour also benefits the VVAF's work to raise America's awareness of the global landmine problem. Artists that have joined Harris on the road for these dates include Mary Chapin Carpenter, Bruce Cockburn, Sheryl Crow, Steve Earle, Joan Baez, Patty Griffin, Nanci Griffith, Willie Nelson, and Lucinda Williams. Harris is a supporter of animal rights and an active member of PETA. She founded, and in her spare time assists at, an animal shelter in Nashville.

She became a member of the newly formed Commission on the Humanities and Social Sciences of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2011.

Awards and other honors

Grammy Awards

2005 Best Female Country Vocal Performance ("The Connection")

2001 Album of the Year (''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'')

2000 Best Contemporary Folk Album (''Red Dirt Girl'')

1999 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals ("After The Gold Rush", with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt)

1998 Best Country Collaboration with Vocals ("Same Old Train", with Alison Krauss, Clint Black, Dwight Yoakam, Earl Scruggs, Joe Diffie, Marty Stuart, Merle Haggard, Pam Tillis, Patty Loveless, Randy Travis, Ricky Skaggs & Travis Tritt)

1995 Best Contemporary Folk Album (''Wrecking Ball'')

1992 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (''Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers At the Ryman'', as Emmylou Harris & The Nash Ramblers)

1987 Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (''Trio'', with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt)

1984 Best Country Vocal Performance, Female ("In My Dreams")

1980 Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group ("That Lovin' You Feelin' Again", with Roy Orbison)

1979 Best Country Vocal Performance, Female (''Blue Kentucky Girl'')

1976 Best Country Vocal Performance, Female (''Elite Hotel'')

Country Music Association Awards

2001 Album of the Year (''O Brother, Where Art Thou?'')

1980 Female Vocalist Of The Year

1988 Vocal Event of the Year (''Trio'', with Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt)

Other honors

VH1's 100 Most Influential Women in Rock and Roll (1998) - Number 22 out of 100

Billboard's Century Award recipient (1999) - inducted by Sarah McLachlan

''CMT's 40 Greatest Women of Country Music'' - #5 ranking (2002)

Inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on February 12, 2008

Inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2009.

Awarded an honorary doctorate of music from Berklee College of Music in 2009.

Discography

Collaborations and other appearances

References

Sources

''In the Country of Country: A Journey to the Roots of American Music,'' Nicholas Dawidoff, Vintage Books, 1998. ISBN 0-679-41567-X

''Emmylou Harris: Angel in Disguise,'' Jim Brown, Fox Music Books, 2004. ISBN 1-894997-03-4

Fong-Torres, Ben. (1998). "Emmylou Harris". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 230.

External links

Official Site (requires Flash player)

Emmylou Harris Comprehensive former official site

Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum

Emmylou Harris Questionnaire (June 2008)

Pitchfork article

Gibson interview

Interview

Category:American acoustic guitarists Category:American country singers Category:American country singer-songwriters Category:American female singers Category:American female guitarists Category:American singer-songwriters Category:American vegetarians Category:Asylum Records artists Category:Nonesuch Records artists Category:Grand Ole Opry members Category:Grammy Award winners Category:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Category:Jubilee Records artists Category:Musicians from Alabama Category:Military brats Category:Musicians from North Carolina Category:Musicians from Virginia Category:People from Birmingham, Alabama Category:People from Woodbridge, Virginia Category:1947 births Category:Living people Category:Slide guitarists

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