Retro Insider - "Steven Curtis Chapman"

G Let's look at a man who needs no introduction. He is an icon of CCM and is very well known outside of the Christian bubble. Steven Curtis Chapman is a first ballot Hall of Famer who has 20 albums to his credit, and as of 2007, has sold more than 10 million records; almost unheard of for a Christian artist. He is not only a great musician, but he is active in the world, displaying his faith in practical ways.
Steven was born in 1962 in Paducah, Kentucky. He was actually a pre-med student at Georgetown College before dropping out to pursue music. In the 1980's, he began songwriting and wrote a song called "Built to Last", recorded by the Imperials. This led to a contract with Sparrow Records. In 1987, Steven released his first album, First Hand, giving him a #2 hit. In 1988, Real Life Conversations got him more hits, and then he finished the 80's with More to This Life and For the Sake of the Call, both becoming hits as well.
In 1992, Steven went more mainstream with The Great Adventure. This netted him GMA and Grammy Awards. Sparrow was then purchased by EMI / Liberty, which gave his music more exposure, leading to a Gold record. He recorded his first live CD/DVD with his tour.
Heaven in the Real World, Signs of Life, and Speechless rounded out the 90's, all becoming successful records. Then Declaration, All About Love, and All Things New came in the 2000's. Along with these, Steven has also recorded three Christmas albums. Most recently, he released This Moment in 2007, and Beauty Will Rise in 2009.
Beyond his albums, Steven has used his music to minister to US troops. In 2006, he played a concert for the troops in South Korea, and provided the first Christian concert in that country.
On a more personal note, Steven has been married to his wife Mary Beth for 23 years, and have three biological children and three adopted children from China. They have been adoption advocates, establishing "Shaohannah's Hope", a charity that helps other couples adopt. On May 21, 2008, the Chapman family suffered a huge tragedy as older brother Will ran over younger sister Maria Sue in the family driveway, resulting in fatal injuries. The Chapman family has gone public about the incident, and has appeared on 'Good Morning America', 'Larry King Live' and in 'People' Magazine.
For more information, check out his website at www.stevencurtischapman.com