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Tommy Walker (worship leader)

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Tommy Walker is an American worship leader, composer of contemporary worship music, recording artist and author. Since 1990, he has been the worship leader at Christian Assembly,[1] a church affiliated with the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in Los Angeles, California. Some of Walker's most well-known songs are "No Greater Love", "Mourning Into Dancing", "He Knows My Name", and "That's Why We Praise Him".

In addition to his responsibilities as a church leader, he has taken the "CA Worship Band" on numerous overseas trips, including several trips to Southeast Asia and the Philippines.[2] He has worked alongside Franklin Graham, Greg Laurie, Jack Hayford, Bill Hybels, Rick Warren[2] and at Promise Keepers events.

Career

In 2000, Walker released his album Never Gonna Stop, which earned a larger reception than his previous albums, peaking at number one hundred and fifty three on the Billboard Top 200 chart.[3] In 2004, Walker released his album, Make it Glorious, which was recorded live at Regent University with a 50-member choir.[4] A choral collection of some of Walker's best-known songs entitled That's Why We Praise Him: Celebrating the Songs of Tommy Walker (arranged and orchestrated by Bradley Knight) was also released in 2004. This was followed by a second choral collection of songs by Walker, Great and Marvelous: Celebrating the Songs of Tommy Walker Volume 2, in 2005, which earned Walker a Dove Award nomination.[2] On March 18, 2008, following eight live recordings and many years as a worship leader, Tommy Walker released his first studio recording, I Have A Hope.[2] The album was produced by producer Ed Cash and labeled by Maranatha! Music. In support of his national studio debut, Walker made appearances at the National Christian Musicians Summit, Liberty University and the National Worship Leadership Conference, run by Worship Leader Magazine.[2] In an interview, Walker said that he had been offered deals by record labels and publishers when his songs where first being recorded, but he had declined the offers because he had grown up with a negative perception on the music industry.[5] In 2012, Shepherd University (Cornel School of Contemporary Music) awarded Tommy Walker with an “Honorary Doctorate in Music Arts”.

Musical style

Influences

Tommy Walker has cited Justo Almario,[5] Abraham Laboriel, Andrae Crouch, Lindell Cooley and Darlene Zschech as influences.[6]

Personal life

Tommy Walker is the son of Fred and Eileen Walker, who were once the pastors of an independent charismatic church. Walker's sister, Janey Stewart, and her husband, Sam Stewart, are the founders and overseers of Charlie's Lunch, a worldwide faith based relief organization.[7] One of Walker’s brothers, Dale Walker is the founder and director of Heart of the World, an interdenominational, worldwide ministry, that operates Borderland Kids program, which is a program that provides food to needy children in the United States.[8] Hilary (Walker) Overton, a niece of Tommy Walker, and her husband David, administrate Glory Reborn, a midwifery clinic in the Philippines.[8][9] Tommy Walker is married to Robin Walker, and together, the couple has four children, Jake, Levi, Emmie and Eileen.[10]

Discography

  • Pray For Each Other - C.A. Worship Band (1991)
  • We Say Yes - C.A. Worship Band (1992)
  • Live Worship - Tommy Walker and the C.A. Worship Band (1994)
  • Yes We All Agree - C.A. Worship Band (1996)
  • C.A. Worship Band with Tommy Walker (1997)
  • Night Prayer - Rique Pantoja/Tommy Walker (1997)
  • Acoustic Hymns - C.A. Worship Band with Tommy Walker (1997)
  • Live At Home - C.A. Worship Band with Tommy Walker (1999)
  • Never Gonna Stop with Tommy Walker (2000)
  • Calling Out To You - C.A. Worship Band with Tommy Walker (2001)
  • There Is a Rock - Tommy Walker and the C.A. Worship Band (2002)
  • Make It Glorious - Tommy Walker (2004)
  • Anthology [1991-2002] - C.A. Worship Band with Tommy Walker (2004)
  • Heal Our Land Live From Zambia - Tommy Walker and the C.A. Worship Band (2005)
  • Break Through - Tommy Walker (2006)
  • This is What Christmas Means to Me - Tommy Walker and the C.A. Worship Band (2007)
  • I Have A Hope - Tommy Walker (2008)
  • Overflow - Tommy Walker (2009)
  • Overflow: Japan-Hawaii Version - Tommy Walker and PacRim Friends (2010)
  • The Pursuit of God: Songs For A Thirsty Soul - Tommy Walker (2011)
  • Generation Hymns Live with Tommy Walker (2012)
  • Acoustic Hymns (2014 Re-Release) - Tommy Walker and the C.A. Worship Band (2014)
  • Living In The Wonder - Tommy Walker (2014)
  • Generation Hymns 2 - Tommy Walker with Sean Beck and the CBC Choir (2015)

Singles

  • I'm Going to Bethlehem (2008)
  • He Knows My Name (2008)

Charts

Albums - Billboard (North America)

Year Album Peak Chart Positions
Top Independent Albums Billboard 200 Albums
2001 Never Gonna Stop #6 #153

Bibliography

  • 52 Devotional Thoughts for Worship Leaders. Sundog, 2004, ISBN 1-932203-62-1
  • He Knows My Name. Regal Books, 2004, ISBN 0-8307-3636-0
  • Breakthrough. Regal Books, 2006, ISBN 0830738339—(with Marcus Brotherton)

Award Nominations

GMA Dove Awards[2]
Year Nominee / work Award Result
2006 Great and Marvelous-Celebrating the Songs of Tommy Walker Vol. 2 Choral Collection of the Year Nominated

References

  1. ^ Mason, Tracee N. (30 June 2006). "Vibes". Charisma (magazine). Retrieved 5 September 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Tommy Walker Unveils I Have a Hope March 18th". CCM Magazine. February 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  3. ^ "Tommy Walker: Chart History". billboard.com. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  4. ^ Breimeier, Russ (2004). "Make It Glorious". Christianity Today. Retrieved 28 September 2009.
  5. ^ a b Farias, Andree; Breimeier, Russ (2008). "Representing the Church". Christianity Today. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  6. ^ "Worship Chat with IntegrityMusic.com's Tommy Walker". Christianity Today International. 2001. Retrieved 2009-08-24.
  7. ^ Tiansay, Eric (30 April 2002). "One Lunch can Feed a Multitude". Charisma (magazine). Retrieved 8 September 2009.
  8. ^ a b González, María Cortés (4 April 2009). "A giving family: Founder of church instills sense of compassionin loved ones". El Paso Times. Retrieved 9 September 2009.
  9. ^ Tiansay, Eric (31 August 2005). "Filipino Women Experience 'New Birth' Through Midwifery Ministry". Charisma (magazine). Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  10. ^ "About Tommy". tommywalker.net. Retrieved 2009-09-13.
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