Pioneers of CCM: Larry Norman
Bootleg (1970) by Larry Norman Now and then I'm hoping to feature some of the pioneers of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) and some of the seminal tracks they recorded. CCM has a short history, arguably starting around the Jesus Movement period of the late 60s and early 70s. In 1971, Chuck Smith, pastor of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, California, launched a Christian record label called Maranatha! Music . It was a vehicle to popularise music by several of Calvary Chapel's in-house bands including Sweet Comfort Band, Love Song, Mustard Seed Faith and Daniel Amos. Several solo artists were also signed to the new label, and a number of vinyl albums were released during the 1970s. Even before Maranatha! Music launched, a singer/songwriter from Texas by the name of Larry David Norman established his own Christian label called One Way records in 1970. The first two albums released on One Way were a double album by Norman himself, called Bootleg, and another by a new, up a...