Artist:Rich Mullins
Song:Awesome God
Album:Songs
Chances are pretty good that if you go to your local church, The choir performs a version of Awesome God. Since Rich Mullins wrote and recorded Awesome God in 1988, it has become a CCM standard especially after Mullins died in 1997. He was born Oct. 21, 1955 in Richmond, IN. His family were Quakers so he grew up attending church and the school in the church. Mullins got interested in music after seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. Despite philosophical differences, Mullins was a big John Lennon fan. After touring with the New Creations Choir in the early 70s, he attended Cincinnati Bible College and led the band Zion who recorded an album. He was youth pastor and music director at a church in Erlanger, KY. He looked at music as a hobby until he saw the effect it had on teens. After Amy Grant recorded Mullins' song Sing Your Praise to the Lord in 1981, Mullins disbanded Zion and moved to the Nashville area to begin a full time music career. After Amy Grant recorded several Mullins songs, Mullins signed with Reunion Records and released the 1986 album Rich Mullins. Amy's keyboard player Reed Arvin joined Mullins' band and produced all his albums. Awesome God is from the 1988 album Winds of Heaven, Stuff of Earth. It topped the CCM charts and then it became a church standard. Mullins has said he didn't even like the song at first. But that catchy chorus caught the ear of choir directors and the rest is history. Though Geffen Records unsuccessfully tried to cross Mullins over to pop, Mullins was one of the most popular CCM artists of the 90s until he died in a car crash on Sept. 19, 1997 at age 41. This budget comp is a good intro to his music. Michael W. Smith recorded Awesome God on a 1998 Mullins tribute album. That was a big hit. And the continued success of his songs as church standards is Mullins' legacy. Here's Rich Mullins performing Awesome God.
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