NEW HOPE MUSIC - Featured Christian Songwriters: RALPH CARMICHAEL !!

Both Ralph Carmichael’s mother, who was a Bible teacher, and his father, who was a preacher, played the piano. His dad could also play the fiddle, but the church said it was the devil’s instrument and he had to give it up--no matter how much he liked it. So it probably was not coincidence when Ralph’s father gave him a violin and arranged private lessons for him while he was only three and a half years old. Later, trumpet and piano lessons were added.

After high school, he attended Southern California Bible College (now Vanguard University) in the late 1940’s.

Carmichael, enamored with the popular big bands and orchestras of the ‘40s and how they reached large audiences, began experimenting with these music styles to reach people with the Gospel.

His pranks almost got him expelled, and his lack of interest in homiletics and Hebrew cost him a diploma. But, realizing his musical talents, the college hired him after graduation to set up a department of evangelistic music.

There Carmichael put together a band comprised of seminary students that landed a spot on a local TV station with a program called the ‘The Campus Christian Hour.’ The college wanted their name kept off the credits (what would people think?) -- that is, until the program went on to win an Emmy Award in 1950!

In addition to Christian music in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Carmichael also arranged and/or conducted orchestras and choruses for some of the biggest names in pop music including Nat King Cole, pianist Roger Williams, Peggy Lee, Jack Jones, Debbie Reynolds, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Stan Kenton, Sue Raney, and Tex Ritter.

While he was busy arranging pop music in the ‘50s and ‘60s, Carmichael was far more active in Christian music. His name appeared on many labels for many Christian artists. He made his first 102 Strings recording in Tokyo in 1958.

In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, he experimented with Christian music for the younger generations, and is generally recognized as the father of what is now known as contemporary Christian music (CCM).

He also composed, arranged and conducted music scores for various Christian films in the ‘50s, ‘60s and ‘70s including those for Billy Graham’s World Wide Pictures.

In the late ‘60s, Carmichael founded Lexicon Music and Light Records as a joint venture with Jarrell McCracken’s Word Records, and signed on such contemporary artists as Andraé Crouch & The Disciples, The Winans, Rez Band, Dino, and Bryan Duncan.

Bob Norberg, recording engineer at Capitol Records Mastering in Los Angeles, said in a previous version of his online biography for Capitol Mastering that he must have mixed hundreds of recordings for Ralph Carmichael.

Carmichael was inducted into the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 1985 and into the National Religious Broadcasters Hall of Fame in 2001 .

In 1997, Ralph Carmichael celebrated his 50th year in Christian music and was presented with an Honorary Music Doctorate from Vanguard University, which was known as Southern California Bible College (SCBC) when he was a student in the class of 1947.

In the late 90s and into the millennium years, Carmichael was still active with new big band Christmas, gospel, swing and symphony orchestra recordings and concerts. His latest CD, ”Amazing Grace“, featuring the London Symphony Orchestra and Choir, was released in 2006.

(Based in part on the Ralph Carmichael autobiography
"He’s Everything To Me", Word Books 1986, Out-of-Print.)

Biography from http://www.mymusicway.com/biography/rcarmcl.html )

POP MUSIC

Has arranged and/or conducted for:

Nat King Cole, pianist Roger Williams, Jack Jones,

Peggy Lee, Debbie Reynolds, Tex Ritter,

Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Stan Kenton,

Rosemary Clooney, Count Basie, Duke Ellington,

Kay Starr, Barbara McNair, The King Sisters,

Eddie Fisher, Julie London, Al Martino,

Jane Powell, Lena Horne, Pete Fountain,

Ben Blue, Stan Freberg, Sue Raney, and others.

TELEVISION

Was music director or wrote music cues for:

I Love Lucy

The Roy Rogers and Dale Evans Variety Show,

(ABC-TV Fall 1962)

Red Skelton

Bonanza

CHRISTIAN FILM MUSIC SCORES

Joni 1979 • The Late Liz 1971

The Cross And The Switchblade 1970

His Land 1970 • For Pete’s Sake 1966

The Restless Ones 1965

Shadow Of The Boomerang 1960

4-D Man 1959 • The Blob 1958

The Heart Is A Rebel 1958

The Persuader 1957

Wiretapper 1955 • Oiltown USA 1954

Souls In Conflict 1953

FOUNDED:

Light Records /Lexicon Music, Inc. 1968

For information regarding how to present a Ralph Carmichael Concert in your area, please send Ralph a message discribing generally your interest and details.

3. Are you considering: (a) Ralph conducting the BIG BAND, (b) Ralph conducting the BIG BAND and a Full SYMPHONY? (c) THE BIG BAND, Full SYMPHONY AND a MASS CHOIR, or OTHER.

Please give as many details as you can so we can consider the possibilites carefully.

Paul Baloche (Open The Eyes Of My Heart, Above All - with Lenny LeBlanc)
Rick Founds (Lord I Lift Your Name On High, Jesus Draw Me Close)
Mark Altrogge (I Stand In Awe Of You, I'm Forever Grateful)