Also on this date in 1982 singer, songwriter, and man of God, Keith Green died in a plane crash which also killed his two of his chldren, pilot Don Burmeister, missionaries John and DeDe Smalley and their six children.
That was 25 years ago. Now Green’s work is about to be rediscovered.
EMI/Sparrow Records is painstakingly going through recordings saved by his wife, Melody. An iTunes release with music never before heard by the public is planned for August. More material will be released next year, said Bryan Ward, director of artist development with EMI Christian Music Group.
The July 28, 1982, accident doused one of the brightest lights in the Jesus Movement, a youthful Christian counterculture. The bushy-haired evangelist with a distinctive tenor voice was posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
I’ve written about Keith Green before here and here. I miss his prophetic and musical voice.
10 thoughts on “Keith Green, b.1953, d. July 28, 1982”
Oh, how I remember when this happened. For one thing, it was on my birthday. For another, it was one of the tragedies that made me ask God, “WHY?”. Of course, there are not always answers this side of Eternity.
I’m a big Keith Green fan and thrilled that a new generation would come to appreciate his music.
People forget that contemporary Christian music came out of the Jesus People revival so there are those of us with “less than perfect black hair, anymore” who love the genre.
I was very young when he died but I do remember that day. Even as a child I enjoyed his music! I will be looking forward to the rerelease of his music!
I got to know his music long after he died. I remember reading a book about his life and it really touching me at the time.
Hey, Happy Birthday! I knew there must be a reason (Besides Books) that I liked you. 🙂
Jackie Kennedy was the only person I knew who shared this birthday. 🙂
Moomin Light and I saw him in a concert/revival back in 1981 or 1982 (I’ll bet she knows precisely when) – shortly after our own deeper conversions. He was ablaze with the love of Jesus, and one of the most energetic speakers and performers I’ve ever seen. He misunderstood the Catholic church, but it’s hard to fault him too much for that – there’s a lot there to misunderstand, and a lot there to fault for real. Like any church.
His music is strong medicine, much needed, and some songs are also great fun. They were an important part of our early walk. I’ll be interested in hearing some of the new items – and maybe getting albums on a medium we can still play (unlike our vinyl).
I kids have grown up with Keith’s music and it has shaped our family. We also were at one of his last concerts in Columbia, SC and I can still remember the Sunday morning I found out he died. I couldn’t even go to church I was so upset.
I love Kieth Green’s music! I’m glad to hear that it’s being re-released.
Melody wrote in her bio of Keith that he was like a seed planted that bears much fruit and that seems to be true. But what about the other eleven? For instance, I cannot find any stories that show the deaths of John and Deidre “DeDe” bore fruit. Do you have any insight or knowledge about this?
I don’t think we can know, this side of eternity as someone else said, the meaning or fruit of anyone’s life and death. We see glimpses, perhaps, but not the whole. And certainly not as God sees.
Oh, how I remember when this happened. For one thing, it was on my birthday. For another, it was one of the tragedies that made me ask God, “WHY?”. Of course, there are not always answers this side of Eternity.
I’m a big Keith Green fan and thrilled that a new generation would come to appreciate his music.
People forget that contemporary Christian music came out of the Jesus People revival so there are those of us with “less than perfect black hair, anymore” who love the genre.
I was very young when he died but I do remember that day. Even as a child I enjoyed his music! I will be looking forward to the rerelease of his music!
I got to know his music long after he died. I remember reading a book about his life and it really touching me at the time.
Hey, Happy Birthday! I knew there must be a reason (Besides Books) that I liked you. 🙂
Jackie Kennedy was the only person I knew who shared this birthday. 🙂
Moomin Light and I saw him in a concert/revival back in 1981 or 1982 (I’ll bet she knows precisely when) – shortly after our own deeper conversions. He was ablaze with the love of Jesus, and one of the most energetic speakers and performers I’ve ever seen. He misunderstood the Catholic church, but it’s hard to fault him too much for that – there’s a lot there to misunderstand, and a lot there to fault for real. Like any church.
His music is strong medicine, much needed, and some songs are also great fun. They were an important part of our early walk. I’ll be interested in hearing some of the new items – and maybe getting albums on a medium we can still play (unlike our vinyl).
I kids have grown up with Keith’s music and it has shaped our family. We also were at one of his last concerts in Columbia, SC and I can still remember the Sunday morning I found out he died. I couldn’t even go to church I was so upset.
I love Kieth Green’s music! I’m glad to hear that it’s being re-released.
Thought you might enjoy this video:
The Keith Green Memorial Concert
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8138276219916012370
Melody wrote in her bio of Keith that he was like a seed planted that bears much fruit and that seems to be true. But what about the other eleven? For instance, I cannot find any stories that show the deaths of John and Deidre “DeDe” bore fruit. Do you have any insight or knowledge about this?
I don’t think we can know, this side of eternity as someone else said, the meaning or fruit of anyone’s life and death. We see glimpses, perhaps, but not the whole. And certainly not as God sees.