Retro Insider - "Point of Grace"

We're now going to switch gears and talk about one of the top CCM groups in North America.  They are a female trio which originally started as a quartet, but nevertheless, the music remains as strong as ever.  They have had 24 straight songs go #1, a CCM record no one has touched.  You want vocals that send chills through you... then Shelley Breen, Denise Jones, and Leigh Cappillino are for you.  That's right, we're talking about Point of Grace.

Point Of Grace got their beginning at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkansas in 1991.  Denise Masters, Terry Lang, and Heather Floyd were singing there in a group when a flurry of events occurred that caused the aforementioned three to team with Shelly Phillips to form a quartet.  They originally called themselves Say So and in 1992, and won the Overall Prize for best group at The Music in the Rockies Seminar.  It was there they adopted the name Point Of Grace.  After that came the contract offers.  They prayerfully signed with Word Records, moved to Nashville and began work on the first record.

In 1993, they released their first album, the very successful self titled record.  In 1994, they were voted Best New Artist at the Dove Awards and toured with Wayne Watson, opening and singing backing vocals for his show.  After meeting with 35 different song writers, the songs that were born out of those sessions became 1995’s The Whole Truth. The album debuted at #1 and remained there for 13 straight weeks.  It was certified gold in 1997.  In 1995, they signed a book deal with Simon and Schuster.  In 1996, they released Life, Love and other Mysteries.  It too was certified gold in 1997 and platinum in 1999.  It was nominated for many Doves and their performance of the award-winning song “Keep the Candle Burning” in 1997 with concert-going fans holding candles was memorable.

In 1998, they released their album Steady On, which Brown Bannister produced.  This too became certified gold and platinum.  Point of Grace was now considered a headliner.  In 1999, they released A Christmas Story, their first holiday release.  Time off was required as giving birth was becoming a regular thing in the band, and a year long hiatus resulted in Rarities and Remixes being released.  In 2001, Free to Fly was released, with six different producers being used, and their tour continued even after the events of 9/11.

In 2002, the Girls of Grace project was unleashed.  Then in 2003, Terry Jones retired from the band and Cappillo was brought in.  In 2004, I Choose You was released as a newer, more progressive album.  Then in 2005, Winter Wonderland was released, followed by How You Live in 2007, retaining a more traditional Point of Grace sound.  In 2008, Heather Payne retired, but the group continued as a trio, and they re-released How You Live in the same year.  Currently, they are successfully touring with the Come Alive Tour.

With all the success this band has had over the years, it may be interesting to note that Point of Grace is a purely vocal group.  No member writes songs or plays instruments.  But perhaps their success is found in the fact that they all have distinctive voices and trade off lead vocals to keep things fresh.  Whatever the reason, it is clear to find that Point of Grace has something special that keeps their fans always coming back for more!

For more information, check out http://www.pointofgrace.net/