Keith Green

Keith Green (1953-July 28, 1982) was an American gospel singer from Sheepshead Bay, New York. Greenperhaps best knownhis slogan "No Compromise" andsong "Your Love Broke Through", writtenTodd FishkindRandy Stonehill. That song has been covered numerous times by artists including Stonehill, Phil Keaggy,Debby Boone.

Green tookmusic atyoung age,his talents were noted by major newspapers bytime he was only eight years old. FollowingperformanceArthur Laurent's The Time ofCuckoo,Los Angeles Times wrote that "roguish-looking, eight-year-old Keith Green gavewinning performance," one that "stoleshow". Green went onplay "Kurt Von Trapp" inmajor productionThe SoundMusic.

Atageeleven, Green becameyoungest person eversign withAmerican SocietyComposers, AuthorsPublishers (ASCAP) when he published, recordedreleasedsong "The Way I UsedBe".

In his eary teens,more than 50 original songs under his belt, Green was signedDecca Records. Decca had plansmake Greenteen-idol, regularly gettingyoung man featuredfanzines like Teen Sceneon popular television shows like The Jack Benny ShowSteve Allen's show. Time Magazine called Green "a prepubescent dreamboat".

By his mid teens, Green became heavily involveddrug use, eastern religion, astrology,mysticism. Green convertedChristianity inearly 1970s. Green married his wife Melody1973. It was around this time thatnewly married Green couple became friendsBob Dylan, who attendedsame church.

The Greens began an outreach programCalifornia by purchasing seven homesprovide housingcareprostitutes, drug addicts,homeless people. Eventually, this outreach program relocatedLinsdale, Texas, whereGreens founded Last Days Ministries.

Green beganreleaseseriesalbums innew Contemporary Christian music market1977. Two years later, he would shock many inindustry by refusingcharge moneyconcerts oralbums. He insisted that his new label, Sparrow Records, let him outhis contract. The Greens then mortgaged their homeprivately financealbum So You Wann Go Back To Egypt? (featuring his friend Bob Dylan), which was then offered through mail-orderat concerts"whatever you could afford". AsMay1982, Green had shipped outmore than 200,000 unitshis album - 61,000free.

Green was killed on July 28, 1982, whensmall plane he was travelingcrashed. Green had been flying visiting friends aroundLast Days Ministries compound. TwoGreen's children, three year old Josiah,two year old Bethany, were also on boardplane, as was pilot Don Burmeister,friends JohnDede Smalleyall sixtheir children. All passengers were killed incrash. Crash investigators determined thatplane was nearly 500 lbs. overweight12 passengersonly 6 seats.

In 1992, several artists joined togetherrerecord manyGreen's most well known songs fortribute album called No Compromise: RememberingMusicKeith Green, on Sparrow Records. Artists contributingthat record included Charlie Peacock, PFR, Susan Ashton, Margaret Becker, Michael Card, Rich Mullins,Russ Taff. BEC Records releasedsecond, more modern, tribute record Start Right Here: RememberingLife o Keith Green,2001. That tribute was produced by Derri Daughertyincluded performances by MxPx, Joy Electricothers.

On November 27, 2001, Green was inducted intoGospel Music HallFame.