Brynn Gersmehl
Encyclopedia
Brynn Gersmehl is a Christian
musician from southern California
who writes in the Contemporary Christian
genera. She is best known for her involvement in the AOR
group Rachel Rachel
, the first all-girl Christian rock band, with whom she wrote and performed two #1 songs. Brynn currently lives with her husband Mark Gersmehl
, a former member of the rock band White Heart
, and their son in Nashville, Tennessee
.
. As a child she played acoustic guitar and piano, but by the time she was in her teens, she lost her enjoyment of music, and instead started hanging out with a “stoner crowd” of friends. This led to a life of drugs and an addiction to cocaine.
As Brynn reached her mid-20s, she began to try to quit her addiction, but found it nearly impossible. A divorce further complicated her life. Finally, her sister asked Brynn to come to a “new” type of church; one that was very different from the church their mother had taken them to as children. On her first visit to this “new” kind of church, Brynn accepted Christ, and God, without her knowledge, healed her of her cocaine addiction. However, after her conversion Brynn did not find life to be an easy road. The reasons that she had begun drugs in the first place, including a desire to escape life, where still there, and it took many years of surrendering to and seeking after God for these fears and feelings to go away.
, who at the time was looking for female Christian musicians to play in the group she was forming, Rachel Rachel, which would become the first American all-girl Christian rock band. Putting her childhood musical skills to good use, Brynn signed on to play keyboards and sing lead and back-up vocals. Also, ever since her conversion, Brynn had found herself writing songs about her risen Lord. She would write or co-write nearly half of the group’s songs, including their two #1 hits “Only Heaven Knows” and “You’ll Never Know”.
Rachel Rachel released two albums, Way to My Heart (1991) and You Oughta Know by Now (1993). On both of these albums Brynn played keyboards and sang lead and backup vocals, including sharing the lead vocals on the group’s #1 hit “Only Heaven Knows” with lead singer Cheryl Jewell. After concerts, Brynn was the group’s star attraction, as those who attended the concert seemed drawn to her as opposed to the other band members. The group would record and tour until it disbanded in 1994.
Brynn and Gersh currently live in Nashville, TN with their son, Trevor, writing, singing, recording, and teaching worship seminars together. Brynn plays the acoustic guitar with her husband, homeschools her son, and enjoys cooking, collecting coupons, and using power tools.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
musician from southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
who writes in the Contemporary Christian
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
genera. She is best known for her involvement in the AOR
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
group Rachel Rachel
Rachel Rachel (band)
Rachel Rachel was a Contemporary Christian Rock musical group that was active in the early 1990s. The AOR group is best known as the first American female Christian rock group in the history of CCM. Members included Cheryl Jewell , Heli Sterner , Brynn Beltran , Jennifer York , and Jennifer...
, the first all-girl Christian rock band, with whom she wrote and performed two #1 songs. Brynn currently lives with her husband Mark Gersmehl
Mark Gersmehl
Mark “Gersh” Gersmehl is a Christian musician who is best known as one of the founding members of the Christian rock group White Heart. He and guitarist Billy Smiley were the only two original members of the band to stay with White Heart from its conception in 1982 through its disbandment in 1998...
, a former member of the rock band White Heart
White Heart
White Heart, also listed as Whiteheart, was a Contemporary Christian Music pop-rock band which formed in 1982. White Heart's discography includes thirteen albums, the most recent of which was released in 1997. Original members Billy Smiley and Mark Gersmehl worked with a continually-changing cast...
, and their son in Nashville, Tennessee
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...
.
Early life
Brynn was born in California, and grew up as a “Valley Girl” in California’s San Fernando ValleySan Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
. As a child she played acoustic guitar and piano, but by the time she was in her teens, she lost her enjoyment of music, and instead started hanging out with a “stoner crowd” of friends. This led to a life of drugs and an addiction to cocaine.
As Brynn reached her mid-20s, she began to try to quit her addiction, but found it nearly impossible. A divorce further complicated her life. Finally, her sister asked Brynn to come to a “new” type of church; one that was very different from the church their mother had taken them to as children. On her first visit to this “new” kind of church, Brynn accepted Christ, and God, without her knowledge, healed her of her cocaine addiction. However, after her conversion Brynn did not find life to be an easy road. The reasons that she had begun drugs in the first place, including a desire to escape life, where still there, and it took many years of surrendering to and seeking after God for these fears and feelings to go away.
Rachel Rachel
In the early 1990s, Brynn was discovered by Jennifer YorkJennifer York
Jennifer York is a former traffic reporter most notable for her stint on the KTLA Morning News as an aerial traffic reporter.Gaining her Bachelors degree from UCLA, Jennifer worked as a talent coordinator for Pierre Cossette Productions, contributing to events such as the Grammy Awards and the...
, who at the time was looking for female Christian musicians to play in the group she was forming, Rachel Rachel, which would become the first American all-girl Christian rock band. Putting her childhood musical skills to good use, Brynn signed on to play keyboards and sing lead and back-up vocals. Also, ever since her conversion, Brynn had found herself writing songs about her risen Lord. She would write or co-write nearly half of the group’s songs, including their two #1 hits “Only Heaven Knows” and “You’ll Never Know”.
Rachel Rachel released two albums, Way to My Heart (1991) and You Oughta Know by Now (1993). On both of these albums Brynn played keyboards and sang lead and backup vocals, including sharing the lead vocals on the group’s #1 hit “Only Heaven Knows” with lead singer Cheryl Jewell. After concerts, Brynn was the group’s star attraction, as those who attended the concert seemed drawn to her as opposed to the other band members. The group would record and tour until it disbanded in 1994.
Family Life
In 1993, while on a 7-month tour with the rock band White Heart, Brynn met Mark “Gersh” Gersmehl, keyboard player for the band. This relationship grew until, after the tour was over, Gersh asked Brynn to marry him. They married in 1994.Brynn and Gersh currently live in Nashville, TN with their son, Trevor, writing, singing, recording, and teaching worship seminars together. Brynn plays the acoustic guitar with her husband, homeschools her son, and enjoys cooking, collecting coupons, and using power tools.