Bob Herdman
Encyclopedia
Bob Mortimer Herdman is a Christian
musician, songwriter
and producer more known for being a member of the band Audio Adrenaline
.
, a rural town in the southwest part of Ohio
. At 17 Herdman joined the elite Army Rangers
. During his time in the Rangers Herdman had several parachuting accidents which resulted in minor injuries and broken bones. He was also involved in a helicopter crash that resulted in no injuries. After completing Ranger School
, Special Forces
Combat Diver School and other specialty schools, Herdman decided to end his time in the military after four years.
After leaving the Army, Herdman attended Kentucky Christian College
where he majored in Bible and Secondary Math and Science. KCC is also the place where Herdman met the members of the band Audio Adrenaline
, then called A-180. Herdman was not a musician but in 1989 convinced friends Mark Stuart
and Barry Blair
to record two songs Herdman had written the lyrics for. After the songs were completed, the song "My God" was heard by Forefront
President Ron Griffin who decided to sign the band. Herdman suggested they change their name becoming Audio Adrenaline.
Audio Adrenaline became one of the most well known bands in Christian music
. They sold over 3 million records and won three Grammys and multiple Dove awards
. Their song "Big House" was one of the most popular songs on the 1990s. Herdman left the road to start Flicker Records
but retained his writing duties with the band until they retired in 2007.
Flicker Records was started in 2000 by partners Herdman, Mark Stuart and Will McGinniss. Herdman ran the day-to-day operations and was listed as President when they sold the company to Sony in 2005. Herdman's biggest find was Pillar
, a heavy rap-influenced metal band
. Other groups that Herdman signed were T-Bone and Everyday Sunday
. Herdman was also the co-creator and executive producer
of the Praise Baby Collection, a musical and video series aimed at babies which were on the Big House Kids label.
In 2004 Herdman started the non-profit
Hands and Feet Project with fellow Audio Adrenaline members Stuart and McGinniss. They run orphanages in Haiti and South America
. They spend much of their time raising money and taking groups into the country of Haiti to work and visit.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
musician, songwriter
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and producer more known for being a member of the band Audio Adrenaline
Audio Adrenaline
Audio Adrenaline was a Christian rock band that formed in the late 1980s at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. During the band's 17-year existence, they were awarded two Grammy awards, multiple Dove Awards and they released 17 number one singles. They were regular performers at the...
.
Biography
Herdman grew up in LynchburgLynchburg, Ohio
Lynchburg is a village in Clinton and Highland counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 1,350 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lynchburg is located at ....
, a rural town in the southwest part of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. At 17 Herdman joined the elite Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers
United States Army Rangers are elite members of the United States Army. Rangers have served in recognized U.S. Army Ranger units or have graduated from the U.S. Army's Ranger School...
. During his time in the Rangers Herdman had several parachuting accidents which resulted in minor injuries and broken bones. He was also involved in a helicopter crash that resulted in no injuries. After completing Ranger School
Ranger School
The United States Army Ranger School is an intense 61-day combat leadership course oriented towards small-unit tactics. It has been called the "toughest combat course in the world" and "is the most physically and mentally demanding leadership school the Army has to offer". The course is conducted...
, Special Forces
Special forces
Special forces, or special operations forces are terms used to describe elite military tactical teams trained to perform high-risk dangerous missions that conventional units cannot perform...
Combat Diver School and other specialty schools, Herdman decided to end his time in the military after four years.
After leaving the Army, Herdman attended Kentucky Christian College
Kentucky Christian University
Kentucky Christian University is a comprehensive baccalaureate level Christian university located in Grayson, Kentucky. It was founded on December 1, 1919, as Christian Normal Institute, by J. W. Lusby and J. O. Snodgrass. As a "normal school" its programs included a high school, a junior...
where he majored in Bible and Secondary Math and Science. KCC is also the place where Herdman met the members of the band Audio Adrenaline
Audio Adrenaline
Audio Adrenaline was a Christian rock band that formed in the late 1980s at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. During the band's 17-year existence, they were awarded two Grammy awards, multiple Dove Awards and they released 17 number one singles. They were regular performers at the...
, then called A-180. Herdman was not a musician but in 1989 convinced friends Mark Stuart
Mark Stuart
Mark Stuart is the name of:*Mark Stuart , ice hockey player in the National Hockey League*Mark Stuart , lead singer of Christian rock band Audio Adrenaline...
and Barry Blair
Barry Blair
Barry Blair was a Canadian comics publisher, artist and writer, known for launching Aircel Comics in the 1980s...
to record two songs Herdman had written the lyrics for. After the songs were completed, the song "My God" was heard by Forefront
ForeFront Records
ForeFront Records is a Christian Music record label founded in 1987 by Dan R. Brock, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, and Ron W. Griffin. It was purchased by EMI in 1996 from current owners Dan R. Brock and Eddie DeGarmo and is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group.In 1998, ForeFront released a 2-CD...
President Ron Griffin who decided to sign the band. Herdman suggested they change their name becoming Audio Adrenaline.
Audio Adrenaline became one of the most well known bands in Christian music
Christian music
Christian music is music that has been written to express either personal or a communal belief regarding Christian life and faith. Common themes of Christian music include praise, worship, penitence, and lament, and its forms vary widely across the world....
. They sold over 3 million records and won three Grammys and multiple Dove awards
GMA Music Awards
The Gospel Music Association Dove Awards are presented annually by the Gospel Music Association for outstanding achievements in the Christian music industry. The awards are usually presented during a ceremony in Nashville, Tennessee, that features performances by a number of the industry's newest...
. Their song "Big House" was one of the most popular songs on the 1990s. Herdman left the road to start Flicker Records
Flicker Records
Flicker Records is a Christian record label based in Franklin, Tennessee. It was founded by members of Christian rock group Audio Adrenaline. The label mainly focuses on rock/hard rock artists, though it also created a subsidiary, Big House Kids, for Christian children's music.The label was...
but retained his writing duties with the band until they retired in 2007.
Flicker Records was started in 2000 by partners Herdman, Mark Stuart and Will McGinniss. Herdman ran the day-to-day operations and was listed as President when they sold the company to Sony in 2005. Herdman's biggest find was Pillar
Pillar (band)
Pillar is a Christian rock band currently located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Their sixth studio album, Confessions, was released in 2009.- Formation and independent albums :...
, a heavy rap-influenced metal band
Heavy metal music
Heavy metal is a genre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s, largely in the Midlands of the United Kingdom and the United States...
. Other groups that Herdman signed were T-Bone and Everyday Sunday
Everyday Sunday
Everyday Sunday is a band from Columbus, Ohio made up of Trey Pearson , Micah Kuiper, Tyler Craft, and Nick Spencer. The old band released 2 CDs on Flicker Records including Stand Up and Anthems for the Imperfect...
. Herdman was also the co-creator and executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
of the Praise Baby Collection, a musical and video series aimed at babies which were on the Big House Kids label.
In 2004 Herdman started the non-profit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
Hands and Feet Project with fellow Audio Adrenaline members Stuart and McGinniss. They run orphanages in Haiti and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
. They spend much of their time raising money and taking groups into the country of Haiti to work and visit.