Jericho Road
Encyclopedia
Jericho Road is a Latter-day Saint boy band
that sings religious music
. The band's members are Abe Mills (from St. Louis, Missouri), Dave Kimball (Sandy, Utah), Justin Smith (Parma, Idaho), and Bret Bryce (Knoxville, Tennessee).
while performing in the group The Young Ambassadors
, and developed close friendships performing together. After expressing strong desires to use their performing talents in a way that would be both entertaining and inspiring, they decided to form a new group, Jericho Road.
When Abe Mills, Bret Bryce, Dave Kimball, and Justin Smith stepped onto the music scene as Jericho Road in August 2001, they were met with immediate success. Their self-titled debut release broke all sales records for their label Shadow Mountain, selling over 10,000 copies in its first week. Nearly 150,000 copies later, the band continues to share their music and conviction with fans of all faiths throughout the world.
Jericho Road has been fortunate to team up with many award-winning songwriters and musicians. These include Christian artists Steve Siler, Lowell Alexander, and Scott Kripayne, who have written songs for groups such as Point of Grace
and True Vibe.
. His family converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he was about six. Mills served his mission in the Texas Houston Mission. He met his wife Rachel, who grew up in Branson, Missouri
at BYU. In addition to being part of Young Ambassadors Mills was a walk-on member of the BYU Cougars football team. Mills majored in broadcast journalism. He was also a host on the LDS Church produced show "Center Street". Mills currently lives in Kalamazoo and their five children.
Jericho Road's fan base and recognition have steadily grown, with their albums sales now approaching 150,000 CDs and millions of dollars in sales. Having completed two tours throughout the West coast and Canada in 2002 and 2003, the band recently performed in Washington D.C., Kansas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. Radio stations across the country (both contemporary and Christian) have helped them gain national attention as a group who conveys an uplifting and positive message to all. ("Finding My Way Back to You", the hit single from their second album, was on the Top 5 most-requested list at KXEN in St. Louis.)
In the last two years, the group has gained more international attention and exposure, completing two tours to the United Kingdom and Ireland, a sold-out week-long tour to Chile last July, and recent performances in Florida, Washington, Oregon, and California.
Jericho Road also toured to 7 cities in Japan from February 15–25, 2007, touring to Okinawa, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo, and Sendai.
Boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a popular music act consisting of only male singers. The members are expected to dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. More often than not, boy band members do not play musical instruments, either in recording sessions or on...
that sings religious music
Religious music
Religious music is music performed or composed for religious use or through religious influence.A lot of music has been composed to complement religion, and many composers have derived inspiration from their own religion. Many forms of traditional music have been adapted to fit religions'...
. The band's members are Abe Mills (from St. Louis, Missouri), Dave Kimball (Sandy, Utah), Justin Smith (Parma, Idaho), and Bret Bryce (Knoxville, Tennessee).
Biography
The band members met at Brigham Young UniversityBrigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
while performing in the group The Young Ambassadors
Young Ambassadors
The Young Ambassadors are a song and dance performing group from Brigham Young University. Since their first international performance at world exposition 1970 in Osaka, Japan, they have performed throughout the United States and over 56 other nations. Their audiences have included the prime...
, and developed close friendships performing together. After expressing strong desires to use their performing talents in a way that would be both entertaining and inspiring, they decided to form a new group, Jericho Road.
When Abe Mills, Bret Bryce, Dave Kimball, and Justin Smith stepped onto the music scene as Jericho Road in August 2001, they were met with immediate success. Their self-titled debut release broke all sales records for their label Shadow Mountain, selling over 10,000 copies in its first week. Nearly 150,000 copies later, the band continues to share their music and conviction with fans of all faiths throughout the world.
Jericho Road has been fortunate to team up with many award-winning songwriters and musicians. These include Christian artists Steve Siler, Lowell Alexander, and Scott Kripayne, who have written songs for groups such as Point of Grace
Point of Grace
Point of Grace is an all-female Contemporary Christian music group. The trio consists of Shelley Breen, Denise Jones, and Leigh Cappillino. The group started out as a quartet in 1991, with original members Breen and Jones, as well as Terry Jones and Heather Payne...
and True Vibe.
Background of Performers
Abdullah R. "Abe" Mills was born and raised in St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. His family converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when he was about six. Mills served his mission in the Texas Houston Mission. He met his wife Rachel, who grew up in Branson, Missouri
Branson, Missouri
Branson is a city in Taney County in the U.S. state of Missouri. It was named after Reuben Branson, postmaster and operator of a general store in the area in the 1880s....
at BYU. In addition to being part of Young Ambassadors Mills was a walk-on member of the BYU Cougars football team. Mills majored in broadcast journalism. He was also a host on the LDS Church produced show "Center Street". Mills currently lives in Kalamazoo and their five children.
Awards and fan base
In 2003, Jericho Road won a Listeners Choice Award for Album of the Year (True North) and Group Artist of the Year. They also received a 2003 Pearl Award for Performing Artist of the Year and Contemporary Recording of the Year (A New Day from the album "True North").Jericho Road's fan base and recognition have steadily grown, with their albums sales now approaching 150,000 CDs and millions of dollars in sales. Having completed two tours throughout the West coast and Canada in 2002 and 2003, the band recently performed in Washington D.C., Kansas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Alabama. Radio stations across the country (both contemporary and Christian) have helped them gain national attention as a group who conveys an uplifting and positive message to all. ("Finding My Way Back to You", the hit single from their second album, was on the Top 5 most-requested list at KXEN in St. Louis.)
International performances
In the fall of 2003 the group was asked to sing the National Anthem at the 100th anniversary of the first World Series at Dodgertown Sports & Conference Center in Vero Beach, Florida. The Diamond Dreams Fantasy Baseball organization sponsored their trip and even let them play in the games.In the last two years, the group has gained more international attention and exposure, completing two tours to the United Kingdom and Ireland, a sold-out week-long tour to Chile last July, and recent performances in Florida, Washington, Oregon, and California.
Jericho Road also toured to 7 cities in Japan from February 15–25, 2007, touring to Okinawa, Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka, Nagoya, Tokyo, and Sendai.
Discography
- Jericho Road - released November 20, 2001
- True North - released October 1, 2002
- What Matters Most - released October 15, 2002
- Deeper Still EP - released October 7, 2003
- There Is More - released September 6, 2005
- Best of Jericho Road - released October 1, 2006
- Day of Rest - released September 6, 2010