Paul Baloche

American Christian music artist, worship leader, singer-songwriter, and guitarist. Paul and his wife Rita Baloche have been involved in Christian music going back to the 1980s, writing and producing for both Maranatha! Music and Integrity Music. Paul moved to California as a young man to study at the Guitar Institute of Technology. During this time, he connected with Kelly Willard and began playing guitar in her band. After marrying Rita, an accomplished songwriter and vocalist in her own right, Paul began playing for her as she was invited to record and participate on projects with Maranatha! Music. In 1988, Paul and Rita moved to Lindale, Texas, and began attending a Charismatic church in the area, Community Christian Fellowship where John Sellers had previously served as the church's first worship leader. In the early 1990s, Paul and co-writer Ed Kerr (from the group Harvest) were recruited as staff songwriters for Integrity Music. During this period, a disproportionate number of their songs were recorded on the company's Integrity Music's Scripture Memory Songs and Hosanna! Music albums; including on best-selling albums by worship leaders Ron Kenoly and Don Moen. In 1992, Paul was invited to lead worship on his own Hosanna! Music release He Is Faithful - produced by Tom Brooks, and featuring vocals by his friends Kelly Willard, Ed Kerr, Lenny LeBlanc, and wife Rita. During this time, Paul continued to write and began traveling as a worship leader, teaching in seminars and releasing worship musician training videos. In 1997, Paul was asked to step in and produce the continuing series of Praise Band albums. Paul brought in several of the musicians who had - up to that point - been more known for their association with Integrity Music. This lineup included Ed Kerr, Jamie Harvill, Rita Baloche, Leann Albrecht, Don Harris, Carl Albrecht, as well as Matthew Ward, Lisa Lopez, Terry McMillan, Glenn Pearce, Gary Leach, Shannon Wexelberg, and Tim Davis. Some of these recordings featured early versions of songs that were later featured on Integrity Music recordings. These recordings also featured an early version of "Meet With Me" by Lamont Hiebert from the band Ten Shekel Shirt, and "You Are My Treasure" which was written and performed on the album by Chris Tomlin before his association with Passion, Worship Together, and sixstepsrecords made him a "household name" in the worship music community. The unique contemporary style of these albums once again drew the attention of the team at Integrity Music (where Paul was still signed as a writer), and he was recruited to be featured on the first Hosanna! Music Songwriters album Because We Believe, releasing the first live version of "Open The Eyes Of My Heart" with Paul leading. Within the same year, Paul was tapped to lead worship on his second Hosanna! Music release, First Love (produced by Paul Mills), becoming his breakout album; which, along with God Of Wonders (produced by Marc Byrd), featured several songs that previously appeared on the Maranatha! Praise Band albums. These included "Open The Eyes Of My Heart," "Rock Of Ages," "We Humble Ourselves," and "Stir Up A Hunger." Between those albums (in the year 2000), Paul released Open The Eyes Of My Heart, a studio album featuring several re-imagined versions of his best-loved songs that had previously been recorded by other worship leaders from Hosanna! Music, as well as "Falling" a new co-write with Brenton Brown. By the time Paul recorded his fourth live album Offering Of Worship in 2003, he had become one of the most recognizable names in Praise & Worship, as well as Christian Music in general. Since that time, Paul has recorded and been featured on many recordings with some of the most well-known Christian artists and songwriters in the world. His songs have been recorded on countless albums and translated into dozens of languages. Paul has maintained his relationship with Integrity Music for over 30 years, surpassing other notables from the label such as Don Moen and Paul Wilbur.