Larry Norman

One of the founding fathers of “Jesus Music” in the late ’60s, Larry Norman left L.A.-based band People! (whose cover of The Zombies’ “I Love You” was a hit for Capital Records) to record his first solo album Upon This Rock for the label in late 1969. This conceptual and clearly Christian-themed song cycle helped form the foundation for Christian rock. His 1972 album for MGM/Verve, Only Visiting This Planet, was, and still is for many, a high-water mark for Christian rock, and was recently named the #2 album of all time in CCM magazine’s book, “The 100 Greatest Albums in Christian Music.” Norman’ s music-an unlikely mix of love songs, the Gospel message, and wry commentary on American culture-exemplified the goals, ideals and standards of everything the original architects of contemporary Christian music intended for it to be.