Gary Chapman

Gary Chapman (born August 19, 1957 in Waurika, Oklahoma) is a Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter and former television talk show host.

Music career

Chapman performed in bands throughout high school and college. After college, he moved to Nashville and was hired as bass player for The Rambos.

In 1979, his song "Father's Eyes"' was recorded as the title track to Amy Grant's second album. In 1982, his song "Finally" recorded by T. G. Sheppard reached #1 on the country music charts. He also received a Dove Award as Songwriter of the Year from the Gospel Music Association.

During the rest of the 1980s and the early 1990s, Chapman continued to write, record, and produce music, while touring as an opening act and bass player for Grant.

He sang Brave Hearts in 1987 for the Touchstone Pictures film Ernest Goes to Camp.

Chapman's career reached new heights in the middle of the 1990s. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album in 1994. The Light Inside also resulted in a Dove Award nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year. It also yielded a contemporary Christian music chart #1 song, "Sweet Glow of Mercy." He won a second Dove Award in 1994 for co-producing the album, Songs From The Loft, featuring various artists.

In April 1996, Chapman won Male Vocalist of the Year at the GMA Dove Awards. His 1996 album, Shelter, delivered another #1, "One of Two," with "Man After Your Own Heart" resulting in a Dove Award for Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year and featuring on the Dove award winning Special Event Album of the Year, My Utmost for His Highest. Shelter also received a 1997 Grammy nomination for Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album.

At the 1998 Dove Awards, his album also featuring other artists, Hymns From The Ryman, won Country Album Of The Year.

Television career

In the middle of 1996, Dick Clark Productions and The Nashville Network announced Chapman would replace Tom Wopat as host of their signature evening talk show, Prime Time Country. The show experienced improved ratings under Chapman, and kept the network's tradition of having a daily talk show, a network staple since its 1983 introduction (first with Ralph Emery, then Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase), but ended after 1999 because of MTV Networks' takeover of the CBS Cable Group. MTV shelved TNN in favour of starting an adult male-oriented network (now Spike TV), which also shut down CBS Cable Group and the network's Nashville, Tennessee and Concord, North Carolina operations, since TNN was based out of both offices.

Personal life

The son of an Assembly of God pastor, Gary Chapman grew up in De Leon, Texas.

Chapman married Amy Grant on June 15, 1982. They have three children: Matthew Garrison Chapman, Gloria Mills "Millie" Chapman, and Sarah Cannon Chapman. Chapman and Grant divorced in June, 1999.

Chapman married Jennifer Pittman in July 2000, four months after Grant wed Vince Gill. In 2005 and 2006, the Chapmans were involved in financial difficulties resulting in personal and business bankruptcies due to failed property development.^{[1] [2]} On September 26, 2006, Nashville Metro Police reported that Chapman was arrested driving under the influence of alcohol and possession of marijuana.^[3] Chapman and Pittman divorced in 2007.

Chapman married Cassie Piersol on December 22, 2008.

Others

see Gary Chapman (disambiguation)

Discography

Albums

Singles

External links

• Gary Chapman at the Internet Movie Database
• Official MySpace Music site

References