e agent of that restoration.
Admittedly, these resolutions to the Christian's dilemma of 'walkin
worlds' (Keaggy 1988) (to borrow a phrase from a Christian songwri
Niebuhr (1951, p. 43) himself recognises, somewhat synthetic. However
the artificial element, Niebuhr's categorisation does identify the enduri
which have defined Christians' struggle to reconcile Christ and culture:
versus integration (or assimilation), integration versus transformation.
motifs, moreover, arise with regard to the development of rationales w
CCM art world. CCM can be divided conceptually into three specific
Separational, a central core of 'integrated professionals', and two '
groups (Becker 1984, p. 233), Integrational and Transformational, each b
particular conception of the nature and function of rock music and a p
perspective regarding the proper relationship between Christianity and
These competing views can largely be categorised and described by
model. Specifics within a subgenre may change, and the subgenres
closer together or further apart, but fundamentally they exist and opera
ing to the assumptions of the Christ against Culture, Christ of Culture,
as Reconciler of Culture views that Niebuhr (1951) identified.1
While founded on the assumption that popular music could be a tool f
lytising America's non-Christian youth, changes in the music and the env
in which that music was produced and existed demanded new rationales
ing Christian rock within the Evangelical subculture. For some, CCM
tool not for evangelism but edification and worship; for others it was a w
alternative, communicating positive messages to the music listener; for s
it was a means of individual expression - an artistic statement. Given th
ales CCM can be seen as a musical genre with three distinct orientations
tional, Integrational, and Transformational. And ultimately, these orien
be traced to Niebuhr's (1951) view of the possible relationships betw
and culture.
Separational CCM
Within the framework of Niebuhr's (1951) typology, Separational artists are those
who tend to see Christ against Culture. In this 'either-or' confrontation, one is
Contemporary Christian Music 43
either for or against Christ: there is no middle ground. The emphasis, then, is on
salvation, evangelisation of non-believers, and the separateness of the faithful.
These concerns are reflected in the rationales utilised in Separational CCM: evan-
gelism, exhortation of the believer to a more dedicated life, and facilitation of
worship.
Cusic's contention that for the Christian artist there are two distinct types of
music, that which deals lyrically with Jesus Christ (gospel music) and all else
(secular music) (1990, p. 219), reflects the Separational view that CCM exists as a
tool for evangelism. Eddie DeGarmo, of the band DeGarmo & Key - one of Chris-
tian music's best selling acts - exemplified this attitude when asked about the
possibility of his band 'crossing over' to the pop charts:
I think the term is a misnomer. The Bible is very specific about the world not liking Jesus.
So being a crossover band, you find that it is very difficult to actually 'take the cross over'
... To record for a Christian label . . . is a censorship issue . .. because [only] Christian
labels would allow us to sing the songs that we wanted to sing. [Songs] which happen to
talk about Christ. Secular labels would not. (DeGarmo and Key 1993)
DeGarmo's statement reveals a redefinition of 'crossover music' in the eyes
of Separational CCM artists. Technically, crossover refers to music that appears
on more than one of the music charts (e.g., Adult Contemporary, Country, R&B,
etc.) simultaneously and yet DeGarmo reinterprets the phrase to suggest taking
the cross (i.e., the message of Jesus Christ) over into the secular market-place for
the purpose of evangelism. The term is a 'misnomer' because DeGarmo has rede-
fined it, giving it a religious meaning it was not originally intended to carry. This,
however, is consistent with DeGarmo and Key's stated desire to maintain the
explicit gospel content of their lyrics. Music that reaches both CCM charts and, for
example, the Top Forty charts while surrendering lyrical integrity is not 'crossover'
according to DeGarmo and Key. This view clearly reflects the separational view
that the music has value only as a means to an end: evangelism.
This does not imply that evangelism is the sole purpose for Separational
CCM. If that were the case then separational bands like DeGarmo & Key who
place a significant price tag on their products (CDs currently retail at $14.98, and
concert tickets range from $5 for a performance by an unsigned band playing at a
local church to more than $35 for integrational artists playing coliseums and
stadiums) would be placed in the evangelically indefensible position of charging
for the gospel. However, as DeGarmo's partner Dana Key has written, 'the gospel
must always be free; entertainment is not' (Key and Rabey 1989, p. 146). While
they may in fact present an entertaining package, for Separational bands like
DeGarmo & Key evangelism or edification is the first and foremost goal, and
'everything else is external' (Key and Rabey 1989, p. 146).2
Musically, DeGarmo & Key are known for producing both blistering blues-
tinged guitar rock and adult contemporary pop (depending on the album), but
these are not the only styles represented by Separational CCM. Focused on evan-
gelism, it is necessary for separational artists to produce music that corresponds
to all of the current popular styles. As a result, Separational CCM presents an
image of yesterday's popular music, staying one step behind the cutting edge of
rock. Thus, besides the adult contemporary sounds that define most of what is on
religious radio, there is also Christian heavy metal, Christian grunge, Christian
industrial, Christian rave, Christian rap and so on.
Despite the musical diversity, however, there is tremendous lyrical homogen-
eity within Separational CCM. Lyrics present clear and explicit theological state-
44 Howard and Streck
ments, reminding the listener of God's love, concern and proximity or
for personal salvation: 'God good, Devil bad', sing DeGarmo & Key (1
can trust in God', proclaim the Allies (1989); 'Make it right', urges Kenn
(1987), 'Fall in love with Jesus tonight'. Moreover, where artists deviate
statements it is to exhort the listener to adhere to certain standards of be
to be, in the words of one singer, 'black and white in a gray world' (Ph
These musicians define themselves as 'ministers' or 'missionaries' (fo
see Donaldson 1983) and their music reflects that orientation; the m
platform for their ministry. Moreover, in the effort to insure the perce
their music has a clear religious message, the Separational artists have r
and more heavily on the religious terminology of the Evangelical churc
ical Christians understood the meaning behind religious double-talk
die before you die then when you die you won't die': non-Christian
This, then, served to further entrench CCM in the Evangelical subcultu
Beyond the music as evangelism debate, Separational CCM has a
defined (and limited) by Christianity's ongoing debate over the details o
doxy, for with a denominationally diverse Christian audience one is
to offend someone, regardless of the view presented, should one stray to
the universally accepted, and often meaningless, religious cliches. C
suggests, therefore, that this predicament has forced gospel artists or, m
ately, Separational artists to choose safe topics for their songs (p. 227): th
sion experience, the requirement of a personal relationship with Jesus, an
aging the gospel story in a contemporary and commercial fashion
alternatives. Consequently, as the industry developed, the lyrics came t
almost exclusively around these generic theological themes (Ozard 19
and artists who stuck to the religious cliches - who mentioned the nam
as often as possible - found the greatest level of Evangelical acceptance,
the greatest measure of commercial success.
The lyrics of Separational CCM are not without their critics, particul
operating on the assumptions of the Transformational genre who claim
arational CCM is too much 'cotton candy' and fails to represent the r
As early as 1982, Glenn Kaiser of Resurrection Band (now Rez) claime
the Christians have created a musical sub-culture that doesn't really relat
lievers' (Newcomb-Smith 1982, p. 13). At the same time, the long-tim
the Transformational genre, journalist Brian Quincy Newcomb, argues t
not only impossible to consolidate an entire theological idea into four w
will make a catchy slogan, but also that it is wrong to do so (1994
Separational artists present a clear and simple answer - Jesus Christ - b
recognise the questions. 'We have to communicate the basic truths,'
artist. 'We don't have a lot of time, at a concert or high school assem
subtle' (Wittenburg Door 1984, p. 24). Never an end unto itself, Separati
lacks value apart from its proselytising function and thus the Separatio
breaks no new ground musically or lyrically (Cusic 1990, p. 227); they
'Spiritual Salesman' promoting 'bumper sticker theology'.
Ironically, while the Separational artists were advocating separation
world, and viewing Christ against Culture, as Romanowski (1992) points
Christian music industry was being drawn into that very culture. With t
of Christian music artists within the Evangelical subculture (some Se
artists sell more than one million copies of their albums through Christ
Contemporary Christian Music 45
stores alone) and polls which pointed to vast numbers of American Evangelicals
who never visited the Christian bookstores, the music industry at large began to
take an interest in Christian music. At the same time, moreover, the Christian
music industry became interested in the opportunities they believed the secular
industry held for them, and thus since the 1970s ties between the two have been
developed and maintained. Each of the 'big three' CCM record companies has
changed ownership. Word was bought by ABC (later Capital Cities/ABC) in 1974
and held for eighteen years until it was sold to Thomas Nelson Publishers; Sparrow
was recently sold to EMI; Benson, too, was recently sold. Moving in the other
direction, the major labels have also frequently attempted to capitalise on the
Evangelical audience, the most recent effort being Warner Brothers' formation of
Warner-Alliance in 1992. Beyond the connections of ownership and new labels,
moreover, are the plethora of joint distribution agreements such as that of Myrrh
(a subsidiary of Word) and A&M. CCM is not as separate as some would like to
believe it to be, and thus Separational music often finds itself being propelled out
of the safe haven it has created. Those who embrace the change - often at risk to
their careers in the Separational subgenre - become CCM's Integrational artists.
Integrational CCM
In Niebuhr's (1951) typology, Integrational CCM most closely reflects the Christ
of Culture option wherein Christ is seen as the culmination of the best of culture.
Integrational artists seek to place themselves squarely within the confines of the
secular rock art world - Amy Grant albums sitting right next to Grateful Dead
albums on the shelves of the record store chains. As most have found, however,
this goal often requires alteration of the art work itself, particularly for those who
formerly operated as part of Separational CCM (for example, see Romanowski
1992, 1993).
Quebedeaux (1978) argues Evangelicals often enter 'the world' in order to
change it, thus affirming the Christ who transforms culture (p. 13). Yet, in order
to gain the world's attention, Evangelicals must become respectable by the world's
standards. In the process of obtaining that respectability Evangelicals can lose their
distinctiveness. The great evangelical fear, then, is that the world will transform
Evangelicals before Evangelicals can transform the world. This has been the case
with Integrational CCM, their music transformed from blatantly evangelical mess-
ages to 'positive pop' which, for the most part, addresses the value of the indi-
vidual and the importance of love. Thus, Amy Grant moves from 'Sing your praise
to the Lord' (1982) to 'you could be so good for me' (1991);3 Kim Hill from 'I will
wait on the Lord' (1991) to a country ditty about a wife who leaves her abusive
husband called 'Janie's Gone Fishin' (1994). Thus, biographer Bob Millard's com-
ments about the lyrical content of Amy Grant's music is reflective of the themes
found more generally in Integrational CCM: 'The message is usually simple: Resist
temptation, life gets tough but God is only a prayer away, love your spouse, get
religion involved in your everyday life, forgive yourself, and have a good time'
(Millard 1986, p. 12). These 'love your spouse' (particularly when the song does
not clearly define the loved one as the spouse) and 'have fun' themes are often
viewed by those in Separational CCM as compromising the evangelical message
which gives the music purpose. For those like Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith,
who are successful in their crossover bids, such criticism hardly matters. Others,
46 Howard and Streck
who find the effort more daunting, often follow up their failed crosso
with more explicit statements of faith that will placate the ruffled
audience.4
The transformation of e
e.4
The transformation of evangelical Separational CCM into the 'positive pop'
of the Integrational artists reflects Denisoff's (1972) insights about 'Protest music' -
music which stresses the lyric or intellectual aspect of song by attempting to con-
vince the listener that something is wrong and in need of alteration (p. x). Protest
music, like CCM, is defined by its lyrical content, rather than by its musical style.
It is designed to 'convert' the listener to a new perspective that calls for a response.
Denisoff concluded that as the folk-styled song of persuasion gained public accept-
ance, the harsh, confrontational lyrics became softer and smoother. Sparse music
was replaced by additional guitars, drums, and even string sections which helped
temper the severity of the lyrics. The commercialisation process made the political
messages of the protest songs impotent - to the extent that many listeners failed
to recognise the songs as expressing a political message. The same process is at
work in Integrational CCM. The more commercially successful the crossover song,
the less distinguishable it is from standard Top Forty fare. Crossover success
depends, to some extent, on the audience's inability to determine that either the
song or the artist are 'CCM'.5 Hence, Romanowski's (1992) conclusion that the
industry has been co-opted.
Not surprisingly, Integrational artists defended this assimilation into popular
music through the development of new rationales. They argue that their music,
by integrating with the mainstream, presents a wholesome alternative to the
hedonism inherent in most rock. Michael W. Smith, for example, sees himself
impacting culture by presenting himself as a positive role model (Hefner 1993, p.
14), his message to kids with poor self-esteem being, 'Hey, you're all right ...
You're very important to God' (McCall 1986, p. 19). Amy Grant suggests, 'There
are a lot of songs that I just write and the only differentiation between them and
secular pop music that I would say is that they are an observation of everyday life
from a Christian perspective' (Millard 1986, p. 155). It is enough for Grant, and
there are many like her, to simply present a Christian perspective on life in the
mainstream media without the trappings of explicit theology or evangelism. At
the same time these artists, like the Transformational artists, question the verity
of the explicit messages found in Separational CCM. Grant, for example, laments
the 'regimented idea of what Christianity is' which Separational music demands
(Millard 1986, p. 107). More stringently, Leslie Phillips, once the heir-apparent to
the gospel queen throne recording five CCM albums (three of which were quite
successful by CCM standards) before leaving the Christian music industry to
record for Virgin Records under the name Sam Phillips, explained her departure by
saying, 'The audience was demanding propaganda ... People would say you're a
heretic if you asked questions, and didn't give them the fundamentalist line' (Giles
1994, p. 60). This need and desire to ask hard questions without offering easy
answers animates CCM's other maverick subgenre, Transformational.
Transformational CCM
Transformational CCM corresponds to Niebuhr's (1951) category of Christ as
Reconciler of Culture. Thus, despite Cusic's (1990) functionalist suggestion that
Christian art must pose the Great Answer instead of asking the great questions
Contemporary Christian Music 47
(p. iii), the Transformational artist is in fact more concerned with those questions.
They tend to see their music as art, consider art to be valuable in its own right
apart from any utilitarian function, and have thus developed new rationales for
CCM.
Again, while Transformational artists tend to represent the progressive e
of the musical spectrum, the styles are nevertheless diverse and the music is
clearly defined by its lyrical content. The Transformational musicians tend to t
of themselves as 'artists' rather than as 'ministers'. They view their music
reflection of the creative Divine Image of God found in all humans, and as suc
inherently valuable regardless of its utility for evangelism or exhortation. Th
while Cusic (1990) argues, reflecting the assumptions of Separational CCM,
gospel music loses its purpose (evangelism) when it becomes 'art for art's s
(p. iv), for those operating under the assumptions of the Transformatio
subgenre, 'art for art's sake' is a perfectly (if not the only) acceptable rationa
There is, moreover, historical precedent for this view.
Despite the assumptions of Separational CCM, sacred music has not alw
been legitimised by evangelism, exhortation, and worship facilitation. Spe
(1990), for example, claims early spirituals constituted the 'archetype of prote
which later manifested itself in antislavery, social gospel, and civil rights hymn
(p. vii). He also suggests that early blues was a music of rebellion, a radical aff
to the hypocrisy of the church and the advocates of slavery (p. viii). Simil
Transformational artists often legitimise their art in these terms. Their music i
only a reflection of their struggle with the shortcomings of secular society,
also a critique of the church (Howard 1992). Based on the assumptions of C
as Transformer of Culture, conversion is linked with public discipleship. F
must be taken into the market-place and used in the perpetual struggle ag
the corrupted structures of society (Quebedeaux 1978, p. 18). In the view of m
Transformational artists, one must answer the Bible's call for social justic
addition to that of personal morality - an idea which challenges the perso
theology of many Evangelicals.
While the Evangelicals' belief system often suggests to the believer that t
are somehow privy to 'the truth', Quebedeaux (1978) contends that this belief
in fact, non-biblical, for no one is promised to know the entire truth in this
as humans, we see 'through a glass, darkly' (I Corinthians 13:12 KJV). This, mo
over, is a common theme in the Transformational subgenre. While Separat
CCM presents straightforward, if potentially cliche filled, statements concern
the nature of God (e.g., 'Our God is an awesome God'), Transformational b
usually take a more enigmatic approach. With the 1987 Daniel Amos release 'Da
Floor - Big Bite', for example, humanity's ability to understand the nature of
was compared to Koko's (the gorilla who was taught to use sign language) abilit
to understand an earthquake. After watching videotaped footage of an earthqu
Koko had signed, 'darn floor - big bite', and Daniel Amos's writer, Terry Taylo
seemed to feel this was an appropriate metaphor for man's experience with Go
and thus shaped his song and album of the same title around that idea. Howev
as David Edwards (1983), another Transformational artist, argues, most Christi
audiences prefer piety (however artificial) to honesty, and thus 'Darn Floor - B
Bite', despite critical acclaim, sold very few copies. Daniel Amos is not the
band to see poor sales as a result of dealing publicly with the struggle of takin
the Christian faith beyond John 3:16 and making it relevant to the real world
48 Howard and Streck
Beyond this questioning the Transformational artists have also prov
selves willing to admit their frequent failures in the effort to be faithfu
Moreover, unlike Separational CCM (and the bulk of the Evangelical
where failings are presented as past obstacles that have been overcome
help of Christ, for most of those operating within the realm of Transf
CCM, failure is a current and ubiquitous condition. Thus, when Mike Ro
77s sings, 'The lust, the flesh, the eyes, and the pride of life/Drain the
out of me' (1987), he is not speaking in the past tense: it is a curren
Similarly, as Steve Hindalong (drummer and lyricist for The Choir) put
just not always that happy' and thus his music is designed to commu
tension that is [the] reality of any human being' (Porter 1993, p. 21). T
struggle, however, are somewhat anathema to religious cliches, and thu
of Transformational artists often lack clear religious references. Notin
abundance of religious terminology does not necessarily make lyric
substantial and can indeed mislead the listener into believing the Christ
a uniformly positive experience, Transformational artists turn the met
'darn floor, big bite' rather than 'God good, Devil bad' theology.
While admitting their own struggles and personal failures, it is
uncommon for Transformational artists to offer a critique of both socie
Church. According to CCM critic Dwight Ozard (1994a), the true Christ
is not the one who functionally submits his or her art to the task of e
but rather the one whose art is revolutionary and subversive (p. 34). Be
true Christian artist to be a challenge and a threat to the church a
Transformational artists as a whole have presented a raw and often pain
at the world, addressing in their music such issues as apartheid in Sout
church bigotry and self-satisfaction, materialism and the plight of the
poor.6 At least, in part, the goal of the Transformational artist is to pr
honest commentary on life from the experience of one struggling to be
a broken and hurting world. However, the tensions between an au
industry that demand music filled with religious truisms and artists w
fashion an honest reflection of life's struggles leaves most Transformati
struggling to find a niche in the highly censoring world of the Church
radio, and the retail world. Most, therefore, resigned themselves to the
for them, music would never be more than a hobby, and are forced
themselves through other means (Newcomb 1992). As 'ministers', Se
musicians could reasonably expect to support themselves on sales to the
ical audience; as 'entertainers', successful Integrational musicians could q
sibly expect to get rich; as 'artists', the Transformational musicians fol
historical precedent: they starved.
Spencer (1990) suggests that in the Niebuhrian Christ and Culture t
the entire history of gospel music is an anti-cultural movement (p. 207
music has traditionally presented Christ as 'Everything' - Friend, Protect
ator - but not as Reconciler (p. 222). Transformational CCM, on the oth
sees itself and culture as in need of reconciliation. Christians share man
same failures, questions, and doubts found in culture. From this positio
formational artists are able to see the shortcomings and strengths o
religious subculture and the wider culture and develop a critique that of
for improvement in both as they struggle to 'work out their salvation' (P
2:12 NIV). Transformational artists have been able to create a niche for
Contemporary Christian Music 49
within the industry. They tend to sell fewer records than their Separational coun-
terparts, but they sell enough to remain viable. Some, however, have found the
constraints of the industry too restrictive and become members of the 'Secular
Christian' music scene.
'Secular Christian' music
According to Becker (1984), art worlds spend much effort determining what is
what is our art, and who are our artists (p. 36). With regard to CCM, moreove
the determinations have largely revolved around a form of music which i
necessarily Christian music and yet has much in common with the genre
popular music of the mainstream rock industry produced by artists who (usu
as individuals rather than artists) claim the label 'Christian'. These artists
Bob Dylan, The Call, Vigilantes of Love, T Bone Burnett, Van Morrison, King'
and Midnight Oil are notable examples - are not considered to be CCM, an
their music is often embraced by Christian music fans who find a Christian
point presented in their lyrics. Despite the fact that these artists rarely view th
selves as ministers, they often find their lives and faith scrutinised more clo
than those artists constituting CCM-proper. While Christian rock fans are of
anxious to embrace these artists as 'one of ours' (thus expecting the man
religious content of CCM), the artists themselves usually take great pains to d
tance themselves from the stereotypes of the evangelical subculture.
While usually explaining themselves as artists who happen to be Christian
examples of all three forms of CCM can be found manifesting itself in the w
of these mainstream rock artists. In some cases, as with B.J. Thomas, De
Williams, and Phillip Bailey, the artist attempts to maintain two parallel care
one in mainstream rock, making music without explicit reference to the Chr
faith, and the other within the confines of Christian music as a gospel music
singing Separational CCM. Others, however, while working solely within the
fines of the mainstream music industry, nevertheless produce music consiste
with the 'positive pop' entertainment of Integrational CCM. Particularly with
the country music genre, where the Christian faith is often included in the do
home image the artists convey, numerous 'singers who are Christians' (as opp
to 'Christian singers') create music consistent with a Christian world view and
not explicitly evangelical.7 Finally, however, the bulk of Christian artists opera
in the mainstream industry produce music consistent with the Transformatio
view. When asked about the role of the Christian artist in effecting social ch
Bruce Cockburn responded:
I see myself as telling the truth as I understand it, in the most creative way I can. And
is about it ... the responsibility of promoting the good things in life over the bad . .
at telling the truth - telling it as accurately and meaningfully as I can. (Ozard 1994b, p
Christian artist T Bone Burnett similarly explained his view by stating
I learned early on that if you believe Jesus is the Light of the World there are two kin
songs you can write - you can write songs about the Light, or about what you see by
Light. (Flanagan 1986, p. 52)
Most Christians working in the mainstream industry - like the Transformati
CCM artists - chose the latter approach.
50 Howard and Streck
Conclusion
Just as the rock music industry cannot be assessed by examining only a si
style of music, neither can Contemporary Christian Music be analysed wit
considering its many orientations. If one tries to make sense of the industry w
out an understanding of its three primary subgenres, along with the rationale
that support them, Christian rock and roll may appear to be 'oxymoron' (F
1984, p. 11). If one looks only at one of the subgenres (e.g., Howard 1
Romanowski 1992), one understands the CCM art world in part, but not in wh
Hence, we argue for the need to view CCM as a splintered art world that oper
on the basis of three different sets of rationales which are in turn built upon b
assumptions regarding the proper relationship between Christ and Culture. Th
various orientations of Contemporary Christian Music distinguish themselves fr
one another and from the mainstream vis-ai-vis the lyrics of the music. The Sep
tional orientation emphasises the religious functions of the music: evangel
edification, and worship facilitation. Integrational CCM, while recognising som
potential for evangelism, focuses on presenting positive role models and whole
some entertainment. Finally, Transformational artists, through the belief
Christian art has value apart from evangelism, offer both a critique of society
the church and an image of the struggling Christian, striving to believe
remaining painfully honest about his or her human failings. Each of these orien
tions represents a distinct assumption concerning the relationship between Ch
and Culture. Separational CCM sees Christ against Culture and in opposition
secular society. Integrational artists, however, affirm the positive values of secu
society within a Christ of Culture view. Finally, Transformational artists see Ch
as the reconciler of both secular culture and a broken church. These diverse views
of the proper relationship between Christ and Culture divide not only the CCM
art world, but the Christian Right in general. Just as the world of rock music is
not a monolithic entity, neither is the Christian Right. Differing assumptions abou
the nature of the Christian in the world result in differing music forms, as well as
differing political views, among Evangelicals.
In attempting to identify the impact of each of these subgenres on the CCM
art world as a whole, several rather tentative conclusions may be drawn. First
Integrational artists sell the most records and are the most visible, but are at the
same time the least distinguishable from their mainstream counterparts. While
whenever a music form is incorporated into the music industry, it will necessarily
be changed by that process, CCM's other two orientations have (so far) been
co-opted to a lesser degree. Separational CCM by emphasising the lyrical content
of the music which sets it apart from popular music, maintains itself as a clear
subcultural phenomenon in terms of lyrics if not music. Transformational artists,
as a whole, sell the fewest records, while striving for artistic integrity with an
emphasis on spirituality that is not as prevalent in the rock music industry in
general. Future analyses of this art world need to recognise the diverse orientations
within CCM and the varying consequences of these orientations. Only then can a
holistic understanding of this art world be developed.
Clearly a disclaimer is necessary. Not all artists will fit neatly into one of
these three orientations, and, moreover, as circumstances change artists may
change their assumptions about what it is they do and why they do it. In the
words of Gene Eugene, 'Some fans of our band would like us to just kind of do
Contemporary Christian Music 51
the same thing all the time, because that's what made them happy when they first
got saved. But, you know, I'm different now. I'm thirty-one years old and I'm
going through different things' (Heyn 1992, p. 17). Marriage, divorce, birth, death,
high sales, low sales - the significant events of life and career can clearly change
an artist's outlook. At the same time, some artists attempt to exist in each of these
subgenres at once, some songs or albums catering to the demands of religious
radio and the Evangelical subculture, others being designed to attract the attention
of secular radio, and still others being attributable to an 'artistic vision'. The Choir
presents a case in point. Most of their recordings fall under the Transformational
category. However, Derri Daughtery and Steve Hindalong, the two principal fig-
ures in the band, recently produced and recorded an album of worship music
titled, At the Foot of the Cross (1992) which temporarily placed them within the
Separational genre. The band followed that effort with Kissers and Killers (1993), a
collection of songs without explicit religious reference, which was first used as a
demo in efforts to obtain a recording contract with a mainstream rock label
(Integrational CCM) before being repackaged and released on a Christian label.
Despite these limitations, however, this three part typology does point to the
difficulty associated with making categorical statements concerning Contemporary
Christian Music (that which applies to one orientation does not necessarily apply
to the others), and further presents itself as a more useful framework in which
analysis of the Christian music industry, and perhaps even the Evangelical subcul-
ture at large, can be done.
Endnotes
1. For the pur
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