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Biography
Cleanup|date=December 2010Infobox musical artist| name = White Heart | caption = Billy Smiley , Rick Florian and Mark Gersmehl (1997) | image_size = | background = group_or_band | alias = | origin = | genre = Contemporary Christian music|CCM , Christian rock , Pop rock | years_active = 19821997 | label = Home Sweet Home Records|Home Sweet Home Sparrow Records|Sparrow Star Song Communications|Star Song Curb Records|Curb | associated_acts = Giant (band)|Giant | website = | current_members = | past_members = Steve Green (singer)|Steve Green Dann Huff David Huff (musician)|David Huff Billy Smiley Scott Douglas Gordon Kennedy (musician)|Gordon Kennedy Gary Lunn Tommy Sims Rick Florian Chris McHugh Anthony Sallee Brian Wooten Mark Gersmehl Mark Nemer Jon Knox John Thorn (musician)|John Thorn Kevin Mills | notable_instruments = White Heart , also listed as Whiteheart , was a Contemporary Christian Music pop-rock band which formed in 1982. White Heart's discography includes thirteen albums, the most recent of which was released in 1997. Original members Billy Smiley and Mark Gersmehl worked with a continually-changing cast of band-mates. In 1985, former roadie Rick Florian became the lead singer.
Although White Heart has not officially "retired" as a band, remaining members Smiley, Gersmehl and Florian are each pursuing other interests. Smiley started his own label, Cul-de-Sac Records. Gersmehl continues to write music and has released solo efforts. Florian is a real estate agent in the Franklin, Tennessee area and also continues to sing for various recording projects.
History
Birth of White Heart
White Heart formed in 1982 with most of its members coming from Bill Gaither (gospel singer)|Bill Gaither 's group. The original line-up consisted of Billy Smiley (guitar), Mark Gersmehl (keyboards & occasional lead vocals), Steve Green (singer)|Steve Green (vocals), Gary Lunn (bass), and brothers Dann Huff|Dann and David Huff (musician)|David Huff (guitars/vocals & drums respectively).
Whiteheart was turned down by every major Christian label until Chris Christian heard their demo and signed them to Home Sweet Home Records and gave them their first record deal. By the time they released their third album on Home Sweet Home Records, they were selling in excess of 250,000 albums.Citation needed|date=March 2011 After their White Heart (album)|self-titled debut album was released in 1982, the band suffered its first line-up change. Green left the band, saying that rock (music)|rock was not his style. He moved quickly into a successful career as an adult contemporary singer . Green was replaced by Scott Douglas.
The band released its second album, Vital Signs (White Heart album)|Vital Signs , in 1984. Dann Huff left the band shortly afterward and recommended his high school friend, Gordon Kennedy (musician)|Gordon Kennedy as his replacement.
When White Heart released its third album, Hotline (White Heart album)|Hotline , in 1985, David Huff left the band to pursue other interests, including studio work and touring with Michael W. Smith. Eventually he would join his brother Dann to form the hard rock band Giant (band)|Giant .
Scott Douglas
Controversy ensued in 1985 when Scott Douglas was charged with aggravated sexual battery on June 30. Later, he was arrested for statutory rape on October 13 and was dropped from the band.cite journal | title = White Heart: The achievements and disasters of the American rockers | journal = Cross Rhythms | date = 1991-06-01 | issue = 6 | url = http://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/music/White_Heart_The_achievements_and_disasters_of_the_American_rockers/33234/p1/ | quote = Thirty-two year old Scott Douglas Mathiesen (he shortened his name to "Scott Douglas" for the stage) was convicted in March 1986 on three counts of aggravated sexual assault (so-called because minors were involved) and sentenced to 15 years in prison. cite book | last = Powell | first = Mark Allan | title = Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music | publisher = Hendrickson Publishers | year = 2002 | location = Peabody, Massachusetts | pages = 1034 | isbn = 1-56563-679-1 Douglas (whose real name is Scott Douglas Mathiesen) was registered as a violent sex offender as a result of these incidents. He was released from prison in the mid 90s, and reunited with his family. http://www.whiteheart.com/whfaq.txt
Rick Florian becomes lead singer
The remaining band members began to audition singers . In 1985, they were surprised when they heard their bus driving|driver and roadie , Rick Florian , dancing around the stage and singing along to their songs. They auditioned him, and he was chosen as Douglas' replacement. Florian became a core member of the band and continued through the rest of White Heart's discography. Chris McHugh was also picked up to fill the drummer seat.
White Heart's 1986 release, Don't Wait for the Movie , was criticized for its gimmick y songwriting and lack of originality. Despite the criticism, the band kept on touring and recording. In the meantime, Gary Lunn left the band to become a studio musician, and was replaced with Tommy Sims .
After Emergency Broadcast was released in 1987, White Heart made an important changebut it wasn't precisely in the band's line-up. Brown Bannister came on board as producer for their next album. Bannister is known for working with artists like Petra (band)|Petra and Amy Grant .
The band's next album, 1989's Freedom (White Heart album)|Freedom , featured a more original approach and has been hailed as one of White Heart's best. But stability remained elusive. The band reached the end of its contract with Sparrow Records and Brown Bannister . Also, Chris McHugh , Gordon Kennedy (musician)|Gordon Kennedy , and Tommy Sims left the band to become studio musicians and producers. ....
The Star Song era
White Heart signed on with Star Song Communications|Star Song Records , and hired Brian Wooten (guitars), Anthony Sallee (bass), and Mark Nemer (drums) to fill the spots. With these pieces in place, the band released one of its best-known albums, Powerhouse (White Heart album)|Powerhouse , in 1990. Nemer left soon after and the band brought back former drummer Chris McHugh to do some studio work for their next album.
The band released Tales of Wonder (album)|Tales of Wonder in 1992, and announced Jon Knox as their new drummer . This album is considered the band's most popular, filled with thought-provoking lyrics and deeper songwriting .
White Heart followed this success with Highlands (White Heart album)|Highlands in 1993, which also received critical praise. The influence of 70's rock groups like Kansas (band)|Kansas could be felt throughout, interwoven with Celtic music|Celtic themes, including the cover art. Anthony Sallee left the band and John Thorn (musician)|John Thorn was hired to replace him for the Highlands Tour .
In 1994, the band released two compilation albums: Nothing But the Best: Rock Classics and Nothing But the Best: Radio Classics|Radio Classics , which included some new material. These compilations marked the end of the band's contract with Star Song Communications|Star Song .
The last years
White Heart signed with a mainstream label, Curb Records , as Curb's first foray into the Christian Music contemporary rock market. The band released Inside (White Heart album)|Inside in 1995 and stylized their name as "Whiteheart". The album had mixed reviews from the Christian market, but was quite successful on the Christian radio charts and yielded several No. 1 singles in the Christian Radio Market: "Inside" and "Even the Hardest Heart". This album was notably produced and mixed by the legendary Ken Scott (Supertramp, Elton John, David Bowie). This record marked an edgier sound, and was also the band's launch through the newly created and now-defunct Warner Christian Distribution. The band's lineup continued to be a revolving door. Brian Wooten , John Thorn and Jon Knox all left to pursue other projects.
The remaining core members (Smiley, Gersmehl, Florian) regrouped to consider the band's future. They released their final album, Redemption (White Heart album)|Redemption , in 1997 using studio musicians. It received critical praise for its depth and musical maturity.
After Redemption , Smiley, Gersmehl and Florian entered what they called "a dormant stage". They haven't officially broken up White Heart, but each of them is working on separate personal projects. Rick Florian issued a statement http://www.whiteheart.com/info/letter9910.html in 1999 regarding the future of the band.
On Aug. 25, 2006 White Heart received a Soul2Soul Honor award in New Albany, Indiana . Billy Smiley, Rick Florian, Mark Gersmehl, Tommy Sims, Jon Knox and Gordon Kennedy reunited to perform "Over Me" http://www.jon-knox.com/media.html and "Sing Your Freedom". http://mercuryworld.blogspot.com/2006/08/soul2soul-honors-2006-announced.html According to Florian, it was the first time in 17 years that particular combination of musicians had performed together, although Knox had never actually been in the band at the same time as Sims or Kennedy.
In May 2010, Rick Florian announced that a one-off benefit concert would be performed by the band featuring the line up from the 'Freedom' album - Rick, Mark Gersmehl, Billy Smiley, Gordon Kennedy, Tommy Sims and Chris McHugh. The show was scheduled to take place in Franklin, Tennessee at Christ Community Church on August 7, 2010 as a benefit for Rick's family's recent international adoption, as well as Rick's church's adoption and foster care ministry. In mid-June, it was announced that the benefit concert had to be postponed due to a schedule conflict. As of January 2011, no new date had been set. http://www.facebook.com/pages/WhiteHeart-Freedom-Reunion-Concert-in-support-of-adoption-and-foster-care/126436160716641
Awards
Although White Heart is considered one of the premier bands to ever play Contemporary Christian Music , and despite the many No. 1 hits and albums, they have never won a Dove Awards|Dove Award . White Heart was formally inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame during the Visionary Awards show on November 6, 2010.As noted on the website of http://www.hallmuseum.com The Christian Music Hall of Fame.
Band members
Steve Green (singer)|Steve Green - lead vocals (1982)
Dann Huff - lead vocals, guitars (19821984)
David Huff (musician)|David Huff - drums, percussion, backing vocals (19821985)
Rick Florian - lead vocals (19861998) (the band intentionally mis-spelled his name differently on each album)
Gordon Kennedy (musician)|Gordon Kennedy - guitars, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals (19851989)
Billy Smiley - guitars (19821998)
Mark Gersmehl - keyboards, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals (19821998)
Tommy Sims - bass, backing vocals, occasional lead vocals (19861989)
Brian Wooten - guitars (19901995)
Anthony Sallee - bass (19901993)
John Thorn (musician)|John Thorn - bass (1995)
Mark Nemer - drums, percussion (1990)
Kevin Mills - bass (19951997)
Jon Knox - drums, percussion (19911996)
Official albums
Discography list| Name = White Heart (album)|White Heart | Type = studio | Released = 1982 | Label = Home Sweet Home Records | Producer = Dann Huff , Mark Gersmehl, Billy Smiley Discography list| Name = Vital Signs (White Heart album)|Vital Signs | Type = studio | Released = 1984 | Label = Home Sweet Home Records | Producer = Billy Smiley Discography list| Name = Hotline (White Heart album)|Hotline | Type = studio | Released = 1985 | Label = Home Sweet Home Records | Producer = Billy Smiley Discography list| Name = Don't Wait for the Movie | Type = studio | Released = 1986 | Label = Sparrow Records | Producer = Billy Smiley; White Heart Discography list| Name = Emergency Broadcast | Type = studio | Released = 1987 | Label = Sparrow Records | Producer = White Heart Discography list| Name = Freedom (White Heart album)|Freedom | Type = studio | Released = 1989 | Label = Sparrow Records | Producer = Brown Bannister Discography list| Name = Powerhouse (White Heart album)|Powerhouse | Type = studio | Released = 1990 | Label = Star Song Communications|Star Song Records | Producer = Bill Drescher Discography list| Name = Tales of Wonder (album)|Tales of Wonder | Type = studio | Released = 1992 | Label = Star Song Records | Producer = Billy Smiley; Mark Gersmehl Discography list| Name = Highlands (White Heart album)|Highlands | Type = studio | Released = 1993 | Label = Star Song Records | Producer = Billy Smiley; Mark Gersmehl Discography list| Name = Nothing But the Best: Radio Classics | Type = compilation | Released = 1994 | Label = Star Song Records | Producer = Billy Smiley; Mark Gersmehl Discography list| Name = Nothing But the Best: Rock Classics | Type = compilation | Released = 1994 | Label = Star Song Records | Producer = Billy Smiley; Mark Gersmehl Discography list| Name = Inside (White Heart album)|Inside | Type = studio | Released = 1995 | Label = Curb Records | Producer = Ken Scott Discography list| Name = Redemption (White Heart album)|Redemption | Type = studio | Released = 1997 | Label = Curb Records | Producer = Billy Smiley; Mark Gersmehl
Live and unofficial compilation albums
Live at Six Flags (Home Sweet Home), 1986
White Heart Greatest Hits (Home Sweet Home compilation), 1987
White Heart/Vital Signs (double album), 1989 - Two songs were missing to fit the length.
Souvenirs (Sparrow Records compilation), 1990
Quiet Storm: The Ballads (Home Sweet Home compilation), 1993
Vital Signs (Contemporary Christian Gold Series), 1994
Attack! (Star Song compilation), 1995
White Heart: The Early Years (Star Song compilation), 1996
The Millennium Archives: Demos, Interviews, and Lost Songs (Home Sweet Home), 2000
