He was only 11 years old when his father talked to him about playing the piano. "If God gives you the ability to play, will you use it for Him?" A few weeks later, during a worship service his father called him to the piano, prayed for him, and Andraé immediately started playing! As far as I could find out, he never had any formal training - just an amazing God-given talent that he did use for God. (I'm trying not to be super jealous about that!)
In 1956, when he was 14 years old, Andraé wrote "The Blood Will Never Lose It's Power." It was the first song he wrote and he didn't think it was any good! He threw it in the trash, but his twin Sandra rescued it and it is still a powerful song today. During an interview in the 90s he said he had written over 500 songs!
My first introduction was via the 1972 record "Keep on Singing." I also had his "Live in London" recording on a cassette tape! There are SO many classic songs, but he didn't stop writing. The beautiful "Let the Church Say Amen" was on his final album in 2011 - 50 years after he wrote his first song!
The Blood Will Never Lose It's Power
I Don't Know Why Jesus Loved Me
Jesus (Every Hour He'll Give You His Power)
Take A Little Time
I've Got Confidence
My Tribute (To God Be The Glory)
Take Me Back
This Is Another Day
Soon and Very Soon
I'm Gonna Keep on Singing
I'll Be Thinking of You
Through It All
Jesus is the Answer
Can't Nobody Do Me Like Jesus
It's Won't Be Long
Mercy
It's Gonna Rain
God Still Loves Me
Mighty Wind
Okay, I guess I need to stop! Such amazing music. On the "Tribute - the Songs of Andraé Crouch" album, Andraé described what each song meant to him. He wrote "Through It All" after a very difficult time in his life. "But, it took me six months to write that last verse because I felt like I needed to resolve the whole thing. The solution was, 'Now, I thank God for the mountains, and I thank Him for the valleys... Through It All.' "
What's your favorite Andraé song? If I had to really choose, it would be "Through It All," but I love "The Blood Will Never Lose It's Power," and a bunch of others!
2 comments:
Aw man, that is sad to hear. Very interesting to hear so many facts about him that I had never heard.
What an amazingly talented man he was. So many great songs...My Tribute being my favorite.
I spent most of morning listening to his music. We use to hear his Sunday night services on the local Christian radio station - as you can imagine they had great worship!
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