2nd Chapter of Acts
Encyclopedia
The 2nd Chapter of Acts was a Jesus Music
and early Contemporary Christian Music
group composed of sisters Annie Herring
and Nelly Greisen
and brother Matthew Ward
. They began performing in 1973 and enjoyed their period of greatest success during the 1970s. The group disbanded in 1988.
, moved in with their older sister, Annie, and her husband, recording engineer and producer, Buck Herring. Annie was a self-taught singer and songwriter who composed and played her songs around the family piano. Her brother and sister would often join in as she played, and eventually they developed extremely tight and intricate harmonies.
They started singing for local coffee houses and small gatherings, then gained the notice of Pat Boone
who arranged a contract to record and release two singles with MGM, "Jesus Is" (1972) and "I'm So Happy" (1973). The fledgling trio also came to the attention of 1960s folk singer Barry McGuire
, who had recently become a Christian and was preparing to record his first Christian music album, produced by Buck Herring. The siblings provided background vocals for Seeds and McGuire's 1974 follow-up Lighten Up.
The trio released their debut album, With Footnotes
, in 1974. This album featured "Easter Song
" which would become a signature piece for the group and has been recorded by many other artists since. This was followed up with In the Volume of the Book
in 1975, the year that also saw the release of a live album with Barry McGuire, To the Bride
, which included "a band called David
", who supported 2nd Chapter of Acts on tour. 2nd Chapter of Acts' first three releases were issued by Myrrh Records
, and the group toured with McGuire intermittently for three years.
The group went on a touring hiatus in 1976. Annie released her first solo record on the Sparrow Records
label founded that year by the executive who had signed them to the Myrrh label, Billy Ray Hearn
. For the summer of 1977, they were joined on an 18-city tour by Phil Keaggy
and the result was the live triple album, How the West Was One
. Their contract with Myrrh fulfilled, they moved as a group to Sparrow.
Their Sparrow debut, Mansion Builder
(1978) was followed up with The Roar of Love
(1980)(a concept album inspired by C. S. Lewis
' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), Rejoice
(1981), Singer Sower
(1983), and Together Live
(1983) (with Michael
and Stormie Omartian
). 2nd Chapter moved to their own Live Oak label with the release of Night Light in 1985, and their final recording of original material, Faraway Places in 1987.
Their voices can be heard among other Christian artists on 2 benefit singles in 1985. Do Something Now! credited to The Cause on Sparrow Records
to aid famine relief in Africa and Fight the Fight, Rescue the Unborn which featured over 100 Christian artists, to benefit the Christian Pro-Life Movement, released on Live Oak.
2nd Chapter of Acts broadened their appeal with the release of Hymns
and Hymns 2, reaching audiences with more traditional music. Hymns proved to be their best-selling release, receiving a Dove Award for "Best Praise and Worship Album of the Year" in 1987.
Except for two sabbatical years in 1976 and 1983, 2nd Chapter of Acts continued to tour until 1988. Their final concert was in Houston, Texas on August 12 of that year.
2nd Chapter was recognized by the Gospel Music Association
in 1999 by their induction into its Gospel Music Hall of Fame
.
Annie and Matthew also recorded several solo projects during the 2nd Chapter of Acts years. Both have continued to release new material and perform concerts as of 2011.
Annie and Matthew sang most of the solo parts. Nelly—whose voice could be hard to distinguish from Annie's—usually sang lead on songs where each member took a verse ("Which Way The Wind Blows," "Something Tells Me," "Takin' The Easy Way") or on solo pieces without the others singing backup ("I Don't Wanna Go Home," "Make My Life A Prayer," "Mountain Tops" "My Jesus I Love Thee"). Her voice was considered the 'glue' to the 2nd Chapter of Acts sound and her harmony parts were generally the most difficult to sing.
Jesus music
Jesus music, known as gospel beat music in the United Kingdom, is a style of Christian music which originated on the West Coast of the United States in the late 1960s and early 1970s. This musical genre developed in parallel to the Jesus movement...
and early Contemporary Christian Music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
group composed of sisters Annie Herring
Annie Herring
Annie Herring is one of the pioneers of the Jesus music genre, later to be called Contemporary Christian music. She was more notably a part of the trio, 2nd Chapter of Acts in which she wrote most of the songs and sang lead and harmony vocals with her brother Matthew Ward and sister Nelly Greisen...
and Nelly Greisen
Nelly Greisen
Nelly Greisen was born on December 11, 1955. She joined her older sister, Annie Herring, and younger brother, Matthew Ward, to form the Jesus Music group 2nd Chapter of Acts. The group began singing together in 1970, and disbanded in 1988...
and brother Matthew Ward
Matthew Ward (singer)
Matthew Ward is one of the pioneers of the Jesus music genre, later to be called Contemporary Christian music. He is best known as a part of the trio, 2nd Chapter of Acts in which he sang and performed with his sisters, Annie Herring and Nellie Greisen...
. They began performing in 1973 and enjoyed their period of greatest success during the 1970s. The group disbanded in 1988.
History
The 2nd Chapter of Acts began as a result of the trio singing at home together as Annie played the piano. Following the death of their parents (Elizabeth in 1968 and Walter Ward in 1970), Nelly and Matthew, still minorsMinor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
, moved in with their older sister, Annie, and her husband, recording engineer and producer, Buck Herring. Annie was a self-taught singer and songwriter who composed and played her songs around the family piano. Her brother and sister would often join in as she played, and eventually they developed extremely tight and intricate harmonies.
They started singing for local coffee houses and small gatherings, then gained the notice of Pat Boone
Pat Boone
Charles Eugene "Pat" Boone is an American singer, actor and writer who has been a successful pop singer in the United States during the 1950s and early 1960s. He covered black artists' songs and sold more copies than his black counterparts...
who arranged a contract to record and release two singles with MGM, "Jesus Is" (1972) and "I'm So Happy" (1973). The fledgling trio also came to the attention of 1960s folk singer Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire
Barry McGuire is an American singer-songwriter best known for the hit song "Eve of Destruction", and later as a pioneering singer and songwriter of Contemporary Christian Music.-Early life:...
, who had recently become a Christian and was preparing to record his first Christian music album, produced by Buck Herring. The siblings provided background vocals for Seeds and McGuire's 1974 follow-up Lighten Up.
The trio released their debut album, With Footnotes
With Footnotes
With Footnotes, released in 1974, is the debut album by the contemporary Christian music group 2nd Chapter of Acts. It contains one of the group's most well-known songs, "Easter Song", which was named by CCM Magazine in 1998 as the #4 Christian song of all time.-Track listing:#Which Way the Wind...
, in 1974. This album featured "Easter Song
Easter Song
Easter Song is a Contemporary Christian song that simply and joyfully tells of Jesus Christ’s resurrection and the elation Christians feel about this resurrection on Easter...
" which would become a signature piece for the group and has been recorded by many other artists since. This was followed up with In the Volume of the Book
In the Volume of the Book
In the Volume of the Book, released in 1975, was the second studio album from contemporary Christian music group, 2nd Chapter of Acts. The album title is a reference from Psalm 40:7 In the Volume of the Book, released in 1975, was the second studio album from contemporary Christian music group, 2nd...
in 1975, the year that also saw the release of a live album with Barry McGuire, To the Bride
To the Bride
To the Bride, released in 1975, is a two-LP live album featuring Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of Acts, and a band called David. The album was culled from four concerts performed in the summer of 1975 and is the first of two live albums that 2nd Chapter of Acts recorded for Myrrh Records, although...
, which included "a band called David
A band called David
a band called David was a group of musicians who provided the instrumental support from 1974 until 1988 for the 2nd Chapter of Acts, a Contemporary Christian music group....
", who supported 2nd Chapter of Acts on tour. 2nd Chapter of Acts' first three releases were issued by Myrrh Records
Myrrh Records
Myrrh Records, also known as Myrrh Worship, is a Christian music record label. According to Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, the label was instrumental in developing a popular following for Contemporary Christian music as the label that first published music by Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of...
, and the group toured with McGuire intermittently for three years.
The group went on a touring hiatus in 1976. Annie released her first solo record on the Sparrow Records
Sparrow Records
-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
label founded that year by the executive who had signed them to the Myrrh label, Billy Ray Hearn
Billy Ray Hearn
Billy Ray Hearn is currently the founder and chairman of EMI Christian Music Group, the world's largest religious music label.In 1954, Billy Ray Hearn graduated from Baylor University with a degree in church music....
. For the summer of 1977, they were joined on an 18-city tour by Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy
Phil Keaggy is an American acoustic and electric guitarist and vocalist who has released more than 50 albums and contributed to many more recordings in both the contemporary Christian music and mainstream markets...
and the result was the live triple album, How the West Was One
How The West Was One (2nd Chapter of Acts album)
How the West Was One, released in 1977, is a three-LP live album featuring 2nd Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy and a band called David. The album was culled from a series of 18 concerts held throughout the western United States in 1977...
. Their contract with Myrrh fulfilled, they moved as a group to Sparrow.
Their Sparrow debut, Mansion Builder
Mansion Builder
Mansion Builder, released in 1978, is the third studio album from contemporary Christian music group 2nd Chapter of Acts, their first for the recently created Sparrow Records...
(1978) was followed up with The Roar of Love
The Roar of Love
The Roar of Love is a 1980 concept album by Christian band 2nd Chapter of Acts that tells the story of the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis....
(1980)(a concept album inspired by C. S. Lewis
C. S. Lewis
Clive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
' The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe), Rejoice
Rejoice (2nd Chapter of Acts album)
-Track listing:# Rejoice - 3:00# Bread of Life - 2:04# Nobody Can Take My Life - 3:28# Here I Go - 2:18# Rise Up and Take a Bow - 2:00# I've Got a Break in My Heart - 2:47# Don't Understand It - 2:57# He's My Source - 2:23# Heaven Came to Earth - 2:15...
(1981), Singer Sower
Singer Sower
Singer Sower is an album by 2nd Chapter of Acts, released in 1983. It was recorded at Easter Song Studio in Garden Valley, Texas. As with all 2nd Chapter of Acts recordings, it was engineered and produced by Buck Herring.-Track listing:...
(1983), and Together Live
Together Live
Together Live is a live album featuring 2nd Chapter of Acts and Michael and Stormie Omartian, released in 1983. It was recorded at The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California...
(1983) (with Michael
Michael Omartian
Michael Omartian is an Armenian-American singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and music producer. He has been a participant in over 350,000,000 albums and CD’s sold worldwide, as a producer, arranger, artist or musician, during a career that has spanned over 38 years...
and Stormie Omartian
Stormie Omartian
Stormie Omartian is an American Christian author. She is the wife of Michael Omartian, with whom she recorded several musical albums before she launched her writing career...
). 2nd Chapter moved to their own Live Oak label with the release of Night Light in 1985, and their final recording of original material, Faraway Places in 1987.
Their voices can be heard among other Christian artists on 2 benefit singles in 1985. Do Something Now! credited to The Cause on Sparrow Records
Sparrow Records
-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
to aid famine relief in Africa and Fight the Fight, Rescue the Unborn which featured over 100 Christian artists, to benefit the Christian Pro-Life Movement, released on Live Oak.
2nd Chapter of Acts broadened their appeal with the release of Hymns
Hymns (2nd Chapter of Acts album)
-Track listing:# All Creatures Of Our God And King - 2:58# My Jesus I Love Thee - 4:52# Great Is Thy Faithfulness - 4:04# Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee - 2:40# Crown Him With Many Crowns - 3:46# Take My Life And Let It Be - 1:45# Holy, Holy, Holy - 3:47...
and Hymns 2, reaching audiences with more traditional music. Hymns proved to be their best-selling release, receiving a Dove Award for "Best Praise and Worship Album of the Year" in 1987.
Except for two sabbatical years in 1976 and 1983, 2nd Chapter of Acts continued to tour until 1988. Their final concert was in Houston, Texas on August 12 of that year.
2nd Chapter was recognized by the Gospel Music Association
Gospel Music Association
The Gospel Music Association was founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of Gospel music. There are currently about 4,000 members worldwide...
in 1999 by their induction into its Gospel Music Hall of Fame
Gospel Music Hall of Fame
The Gospel Music Hall of Fame, created in 1971 by the Gospel Music Association, is a Hall of Fame dedicated exclusively to recognizing meaningful contributions by individuals and groups in all forms of gospel music.-Inductees:...
.
Annie and Matthew also recorded several solo projects during the 2nd Chapter of Acts years. Both have continued to release new material and perform concerts as of 2011.
Roles of group members
Annie was the main songwriter of the group and the only one who played an instrument (piano). Her admittedly unschooled compositional style, with its frequent irregular rhythms, added somewhat progressive rock-like elements to what was otherwise a soft-rock sound. Matthew and Nelly initially made the occasional small contribution to the lyrics, and Matthew developed as a songwriter for the group as his solo career grew.Annie and Matthew sang most of the solo parts. Nelly—whose voice could be hard to distinguish from Annie's—usually sang lead on songs where each member took a verse ("Which Way The Wind Blows," "Something Tells Me," "Takin' The Easy Way") or on solo pieces without the others singing backup ("I Don't Wanna Go Home," "Make My Life A Prayer," "Mountain Tops" "My Jesus I Love Thee"). Her voice was considered the 'glue' to the 2nd Chapter of Acts sound and her harmony parts were generally the most difficult to sing.
Albums
- 1974: With FootnotesWith FootnotesWith Footnotes, released in 1974, is the debut album by the contemporary Christian music group 2nd Chapter of Acts. It contains one of the group's most well-known songs, "Easter Song", which was named by CCM Magazine in 1998 as the #4 Christian song of all time.-Track listing:#Which Way the Wind...
(Myrrh) - 1975: In the Volume of the BookIn the Volume of the BookIn the Volume of the Book, released in 1975, was the second studio album from contemporary Christian music group, 2nd Chapter of Acts. The album title is a reference from Psalm 40:7 In the Volume of the Book, released in 1975, was the second studio album from contemporary Christian music group, 2nd...
(Myrrh) - 1975: To the BrideTo the BrideTo the Bride, released in 1975, is a two-LP live album featuring Barry McGuire, 2nd Chapter of Acts, and a band called David. The album was culled from four concerts performed in the summer of 1975 and is the first of two live albums that 2nd Chapter of Acts recorded for Myrrh Records, although...
(Two LPs; with Barry McGuire and "a band called David") (Myrrh) Most of this is by McGuire. The 2nd Chapter's section—one side plus two songs—consists mostly of songs they never released anywhere else. - 1977: How the West Was OneHow The West Was One (2nd Chapter of Acts album)How the West Was One, released in 1977, is a three-LP live album featuring 2nd Chapter of Acts, Phil Keaggy and a band called David. The album was culled from a series of 18 concerts held throughout the western United States in 1977...
(Three LPs; with Phil Keaggy and "a band called David") (Myrrh) Half of this was by 2nd Chapter, half by Phil Keaggy. It was later reissued on two CDs. - 1978: Mansion BuilderMansion BuilderMansion Builder, released in 1978, is the third studio album from contemporary Christian music group 2nd Chapter of Acts, their first for the recently created Sparrow Records...
(Sparrow RecordsSparrow Records-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
) - 1980: The Roar of LoveThe Roar of LoveThe Roar of Love is a 1980 concept album by Christian band 2nd Chapter of Acts that tells the story of the first book in the Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis....
(Sparrow) - 1981: RejoiceRejoice (2nd Chapter of Acts album)-Track listing:# Rejoice - 3:00# Bread of Life - 2:04# Nobody Can Take My Life - 3:28# Here I Go - 2:18# Rise Up and Take a Bow - 2:00# I've Got a Break in My Heart - 2:47# Don't Understand It - 2:57# He's My Source - 2:23# Heaven Came to Earth - 2:15...
(Sparrow) - 1983: Singer SowerSinger SowerSinger Sower is an album by 2nd Chapter of Acts, released in 1983. It was recorded at Easter Song Studio in Garden Valley, Texas. As with all 2nd Chapter of Acts recordings, it was engineered and produced by Buck Herring.-Track listing:...
(Sparrow) - 1983: Together LiveTogether LiveTogether Live is a live album featuring 2nd Chapter of Acts and Michael and Stormie Omartian, released in 1983. It was recorded at The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California...
(Two LPs; with Michael and Stormie Omartian) (Sparrow) Three sides of this were by 2nd Chapter, one side by the Omartians. It includes one 2nd Chapter song that was never released anywhere else. This is the only 2nd Chapter album that has never been released on CD. - 1985: Night Light (Sparrow)
- 1986: HymnsHymns (2nd Chapter of Acts album)-Track listing:# All Creatures Of Our God And King - 2:58# My Jesus I Love Thee - 4:52# Great Is Thy Faithfulness - 4:04# Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee - 2:40# Crown Him With Many Crowns - 3:46# Take My Life And Let It Be - 1:45# Holy, Holy, Holy - 3:47...
(Sparrow) - 1987: Far Away Places (Sparrow)
- 1988: Hymns IIHymns IIHymns II is the second collection of hymns and the final studio vocal album from 2nd Chapter of Acts, released in 1988. 2nd Chapter of Acts provided the vocals in this release...
(Sparrow) - 1989: Hymns InstrumentalHymns InstrumentalHymns Instrumental, released in 1989, is the final studio album from contemporary Christian music group 2nd Chapter of Acts. It features no vocals, but is an instrumental collection of all but three of the tracks from the previous two Hymns releases....
(Sparrow)
Compilations
- 1981: EncoresEncores (2nd Chapter of Acts album)Encores is a compilation album by the 2nd Chapter of Acts. It collects songs from their first two Myrrh Records albums.-Track listing:# Which Way the Wind Blows - 4:58# Easter Song - 2:20# Last Day of My Life - 3:08# Psalm 63 - 1:51...
(Myrrh) - 1992: 20 (CD album) (Navarre) [includes a few unreleased songs] Issued on 2 CDs or 2 cassettes.
- 2006: Very Best of 2nd Chapter of ActsVery Best of 2nd Chapter of ActsVery Best of 2nd Chapter of Acts is a 2006 compilation album by Contemporary Christian music group 2nd Chapter of Acts released under the Sparrow label.-Track listing:# Last Day of My Life - 3:09# Yahweh - 3:22# Prince Song - 2:51...
Video
- 1983: Together LiveTogether LiveTogether Live is a live album featuring 2nd Chapter of Acts and Michael and Stormie Omartian, released in 1983. It was recorded at The Church on the Way in Van Nuys, California...
[with MichaelMichael OmartianMichael Omartian is an Armenian-American singer-songwriter, keyboardist, and music producer. He has been a participant in over 350,000,000 albums and CD’s sold worldwide, as a producer, arranger, artist or musician, during a career that has spanned over 38 years...
and Stormie OmartianStormie OmartianStormie Omartian is an American Christian author. She is the wife of Michael Omartian, with whom she recorded several musical albums before she launched her writing career...
] (Sparrow) - 1998: First LoveFirst Love: a Historic Gathering of Jesus Music PioneersFirst Love is a documentary that looks back into the Jesus Music of the 1970s. In 1997, a group of Jesus Music pioneers gathered in southern California for a memorable 3 days of music and fellowship . The event was both recorded and filmed, and was released in a 2-CD/2-DVD set simply titled “First...
Various Artists