Jennifer Knapp
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Lynn Knapp is an American-Australian folk rock
, and formerly contemporary Christian music
ian. She is best known for her first single "Undo Me" from her debut album Kansas
(1998), and the song "A Little More" from her Grammy Award
-nominated album Lay It Down
(2000). The Way I Am
(2001), was also nominated for a Grammy. In total, the three albums have sold approximately 1 million copies. After taking a 7-year hiatus, Knapp announced in September 2009 that she was returning to music. On May 11, 2010 she released her newest album Letting Go with the single "Dive In". The album debuted at No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart.
on April 12, 1974, and was brought up irreligiously
along with her twin sister Lori.
As a classically-trained musician Knapp played trumpet
in high school
, and attended Pittsburg State University
on a music scholarship
. It was there that she converted to Christianity and eventually incorporated spiritual themes into her music.
From there, Knapp began performing throughout the Midwest selling her two custom recordings at shows. Her second indie album, Wishing Well, attracted the attention of Nashville
label Gotee Records
, who signed her the following year.
, and at large venues including during her 2000 tour in which she opened for Christian music headliner Third Day
. She won Dove Awards in 1999 for New Artist of the Year and Rock Song of the Year for her song Undo Me. Lay It Down, her 2000 release, garnered a Grammy Award
nomination in 2001.
In addition to her own releases, she has collaborated with a number of artists on various studio projects and releases including lending an early studio version of the song A Little More from Lay It Down on Sparrow Records
' 1999 compilation album Listen Louder.
, Knapp stated that she was taking a break from music for a while, leaving the future of her career in God's hands. She had released two albums, Lay It Down and The Way I Am, in 2000 and 2001 respectively, which Knapp said caused a stressful touring schedule. She said she'd already made the decision to take a break in mid-2001, but her schedule did not allow her to stop performing until September 2002, which was her last concert. "It was definitely time for a break," she said. "I was touring Lay It Down while recording The Way I Am, then went directly into touring that record. It got to where I was just doing shows to support the record, rather than having a record support the heart of the people I was supposed to be serving." Knapp gave no indication of when new material would surface. "Truly, no plans and no promises of when," she said. "At this time, there's really not enough material and I don't want to force anything just for the sake of getting a record finished."
On January 24, 2006, Gotee Records issued the album Jennifer Knapp Live with tracks from her three studio albums recorded live in concert. On February 26, 2008, Gotee Records re-issued a 10th anniversary edition of Kansas with re-mastered and additional tracks, including "Jesus Loves Me (Wishing Well version)" and other tracks from her 2006 live album.
On February 4, 2010, Knapp announced via her official Twitter
account that her new album Letting Go would be released on May 11. She also announced spring 2010 tour dates with Derek Webb
and summer appearances on the revived Lilith Fair
tour.
was not due solely to her coming out
but to a number of factors including stress and burnout. Despite her sexual orientation, Knapp says that she not only still holds to her Christian faith, but feels that by being honest about her sexuality that her faith is actually enhanced. However, she has said that Letting Go "isn't a Christian record" and that it would not be marketed towards Christian radio.
Folk rock
Folk rock is a musical genre combining elements of folk music and rock music. In its earliest and narrowest sense, the term referred to a genre that arose in the United States and the UK around the mid-1960s...
, and formerly contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
ian. She is best known for her first single "Undo Me" from her debut album Kansas
Kansas (Jennifer Knapp album)
Kansas is the first major label studio album by Christian folk rock musician Jennifer Knapp. It was released in 1998 on Gotee Records. The album went on to sell 500,000 copies in the U.S., and was certified Gold.-Release:...
(1998), and the song "A Little More" from her Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
-nominated album Lay It Down
Lay It Down (Jennifer Knapp album)
Lay It Down is the second album by Christian rock and folk musician Jennifer Knapp. It was released on February 29, 2000 under Gotee Records...
(2000). The Way I Am
The Way I Am (Jennifer Knapp album)
The Way I Am is the third studio album from Christian folk rock musician Jennifer Knapp. It was released on November 20, 2001 through Gotee Records.-Track listing:#"By and By"#"Breathe on Me"#"The Way I Am"#"Say Won't You Say"#"Around Me"...
(2001), was also nominated for a Grammy. In total, the three albums have sold approximately 1 million copies. After taking a 7-year hiatus, Knapp announced in September 2009 that she was returning to music. On May 11, 2010 she released her newest album Letting Go with the single "Dive In". The album debuted at No. 73 on the Billboard Hot 200 chart.
Early life
Knapp was born in Chanute, KansasChanute, Kansas
Chanute is a city in Neosho County, Kansas, United States. Founded on January 1, 1873, it was named after railroad engineer and aviation pioneer Octave Chanute. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,119...
on April 12, 1974, and was brought up irreligiously
Irreligion
Irreligion is defined as an absence of religion or an indifference towards religion. Sometimes it may also be defined more narrowly as hostility towards religion. When characterized as hostility to religion, it includes antitheism, anticlericalism and antireligion. When characterized as...
along with her twin sister Lori.
As a classically-trained musician Knapp played trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
in high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, and attended Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University
Pittsburg State University, also called Pitt State or PSU, is a public university with approximately 7,100 students located in Pittsburg, Kansas, United States. A large percentage of the student population consists of residents within the Pittsburg region; the gender proportion is relatively equal...
on a music scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
. It was there that she converted to Christianity and eventually incorporated spiritual themes into her music.
From there, Knapp began performing throughout the Midwest selling her two custom recordings at shows. Her second indie album, Wishing Well, attracted the attention of Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
label Gotee Records
Gotee Records
Gotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
, who signed her the following year.
Musical career
Kansas, her critically acclaimed debut release, was received widely and eventually sold over 500,000 copies, becoming Gold-certified by the RIAA. She began touring America, singing primarily in churches, but has also appeared at festivals such as the 1999 Lilith FairLilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
, and at large venues including during her 2000 tour in which she opened for Christian music headliner Third Day
Third Day
Third Day is a Grammy award-winning Christian rock band formed in Marietta, Georgia during the 1990s. The band was founded by lead singer Mac Powell, guitarist Mark Lee and former member Billy Wilkins. The other band members are bassist Tai Anderson and drummer David Carr...
. She won Dove Awards in 1999 for New Artist of the Year and Rock Song of the Year for her song Undo Me. Lay It Down, her 2000 release, garnered a Grammy Award
Grammy Award
A Grammy Award — or Grammy — is an accolade by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the music industry...
nomination in 2001.
In addition to her own releases, she has collaborated with a number of artists on various studio projects and releases including lending an early studio version of the song A Little More from Lay It Down on Sparrow Records
Sparrow Records
-Background:Sparrow Records was founded in 1976 by Billy Ray Hearn, then A&R director at Myrrh Records. Purchased by EMI in 1992, it is now part of the EMI Christian Music Group, and has been named by Billboard Magazine as "America's Best Christian Music Record Label"...
' 1999 compilation album Listen Louder.
Hiatus
In an interview from the January/February 2004 issue of Relevant MagazineRelevant Magazine
RELEVANT Magazine is a bimonthly magazine providing content on “God, life, and progressive culture”. It is published by RELEVANT Media Group and a circulation of 56,667. Its companion web presence, RELEVANTmagazine.com, launched in 2002 with the email newsletter, 850 Words of RELEVANT...
, Knapp stated that she was taking a break from music for a while, leaving the future of her career in God's hands. She had released two albums, Lay It Down and The Way I Am, in 2000 and 2001 respectively, which Knapp said caused a stressful touring schedule. She said she'd already made the decision to take a break in mid-2001, but her schedule did not allow her to stop performing until September 2002, which was her last concert. "It was definitely time for a break," she said. "I was touring Lay It Down while recording The Way I Am, then went directly into touring that record. It got to where I was just doing shows to support the record, rather than having a record support the heart of the people I was supposed to be serving." Knapp gave no indication of when new material would surface. "Truly, no plans and no promises of when," she said. "At this time, there's really not enough material and I don't want to force anything just for the sake of getting a record finished."
On January 24, 2006, Gotee Records issued the album Jennifer Knapp Live with tracks from her three studio albums recorded live in concert. On February 26, 2008, Gotee Records re-issued a 10th anniversary edition of Kansas with re-mastered and additional tracks, including "Jesus Loves Me (Wishing Well version)" and other tracks from her 2006 live album.
Return to music
On August 28, 2009, Patrol Magazine reported that Knapp's management confirmed she is "starting to write and record again." On September 18, Knapp issued a personal letter to fans on her website in which she discussed her hiatus and her plans to return to music. Knapp returned from her hiatus on September 24 with a concert at the Hotel Cafe in Los Angeles, California.On February 4, 2010, Knapp announced via her official Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
account that her new album Letting Go would be released on May 11. She also announced spring 2010 tour dates with Derek Webb
Derek Webb
Derek Walsh Webb is an American singer-songwriter who first entered the music industry as a member of the band Caedmon's Call, and later embarked on a successful solo career....
and summer appearances on the revived Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair
Lilith Fair was a concert tour and travelling music festival, founded by Canadian musician Sarah McLachlan, Nettwerk Music Group's Dan Fraser and Terry McBride, and New York talent agent Marty Diamond. It took place during the summers of 1997 to 1999, and was revived in the summer of 2010. It...
tour.
Personal life
Following the end of her 2002 tour, Knapp moved to Australia and has since taken up Australian citizenship. In several interviews published in April 2010, Knapp announced that she is a lesbian, and has been in a same-sex relationship since 2002. She has said that her decision to leave the Christian music industryChristian music industry
The Christian music industry is a small part of the larger music industry, that focuses on traditional Gospel music, Southern Gospel music, Contemporary Christian music, and alternative Christian music. It is sometimes called the gospel music industry, although this designation is not a limitation...
was not due solely to her coming out
Coming out
Coming out is a figure of speech for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people's disclosure of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity....
but to a number of factors including stress and burnout. Despite her sexual orientation, Knapp says that she not only still holds to her Christian faith, but feels that by being honest about her sexuality that her faith is actually enhanced. However, she has said that Letting Go "isn't a Christian record" and that it would not be marketed towards Christian radio.
Discography
- 1994: Circle Back
- 1996: Wishing Well
- 1998: KansasKansas (Jennifer Knapp album)Kansas is the first major label studio album by Christian folk rock musician Jennifer Knapp. It was released in 1998 on Gotee Records. The album went on to sell 500,000 copies in the U.S., and was certified Gold.-Release:...
- RIAA Gold certified - 1999: Lay It Down (promo CD)
- 2000: Lay It DownLay It Down (Jennifer Knapp album)Lay It Down is the second album by Christian rock and folk musician Jennifer Knapp. It was released on February 29, 2000 under Gotee Records...
- 2001: The Way I AmThe Way I Am (Jennifer Knapp album)The Way I Am is the third studio album from Christian folk rock musician Jennifer Knapp. It was released on November 20, 2001 through Gotee Records.-Track listing:#"By and By"#"Breathe on Me"#"The Way I Am"#"Say Won't You Say"#"Around Me"...
- 2003: Jennifer Knapp: The Collection
- 2006: Jennifer Knapp Live
- 2008: Kansas: 10th anniversary edition
- 2010: Evolving EP
- 2010: Letting Go