“In the ’70s, when Billy Ray Hearn launched his visionary label, Sparrow Records, he opened the door for me and every other Christian artist to record contemporary faith music… What I remember most about a person is the way I feel in their presence. Billy Ray always made me feel like the belle of the ball. I miss him already.” —Amy Grant “I don’t think there’s a single person who’s more responsible for the existence of the form of gospel music I’m a part of. He was, to the end, a guy who loved music, loved the artists and loved the message like nobody else.” —Steven Curtis Chapman *Quotes from Amy Grant and Steven Curtis Chapman courtesy of The Tennessean **Photos courtesy of the Gospel Music Association and the Hearn Family Top Row (first three photos): Hearn through the years; Hearn pictured at Nashville’s Broadway Dinner Train celebrating the re-signing of Steven Curtis Chapman to Sparrow Records Bottom Row: Hearn presents BeBe and CeCe Winans with Gold record; Hearn at Charisma magazine; Hearn at the symphony; Hearn pictured with son, Bill Christian music lost a true pioneer when Billy Ray Hearn passed away April 15, 2015, at 85. Hearn was a tireless advocate for Christian music and a trailblazer for the genre, launching the careers of some of the format’s most successful and beloved artists, including Amy Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman, Steve Taylor, Keith Green and BeBe and CeCe Winans, among others. The Gospel Music Hall of Fame member launched Myrrh Records in 1971, and in 1976, he founde Sparrow Records, the imprint now owned by Capitol Christian Music Group, the largest Christian music and publishing company in the world and label home to TobyMac, Chris Tomlin, Matthew West, Britt Nicole, Jeremy Camp, Hillsong UNITED and more. Today, his son, Bill, carries on his tremendous legacy as President/CEO of Capitol Christian Music Group. K-LOVE REMEMBERS BILLY RAY H E A R N 1 9 2 9 — 2 0 1 5 7 4 K L O V E F A N AWA R D S . C OM # K L O V E F A N AWA R D S 7 5
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