John Schlitt
Encyclopedia
John William Schlitt is known for his career as the lead singer of Christian rock
band Petra
from 1986 until the band's retirement in late 2005. Prior to joining Petra in 1986, Schlitt was the vocalist for Head East
.
. Shortly after, his family moved to Mt. Pulaski where he grew up. Schlitt began singing and showing interest in music from a very young age. When he was 13 years old, he joined a band called Vinegar Hills Hometown Band Something Different. He went to Mt. Pulaski High School in his hometown graduating in 1968. It was during his high school years that he would meet future wife, Dorla Froelich.
After graduating from high school, Schlitt enrolled on the University of Illinois
for a degree in Civil Engineering
. However, his main interest was still music. In 1972, he joined the rock band
Head East
as lead singer with some fellow students of the university. Juggling his musical career and college studies, Schlitt finally graduated from college in 1974 and dedicated full-time to his career in music.
and alcohol
. His dependency reached a peak when he retired from the band in March 1980.
After leaving Head East, Schlitt formed a short-lived band, but it quickly vanished as his addiction
intensified in a six-month depression during which he "came very close to suicide.". During that same period, however, his wife became a born-again Christian
, and subsequently convinced Schlitt to see her pastor. Schlitt confesses that he had already decided to end his life and complied only "so my wife would be able to say ‘he tried’ after I was gone".
However, Schlitt also became a born-again Christian
and left his addiction to drugs and alcohol. Schlitt decided to leave the music scene and dedicate to his family. After that, he started working in a factory, and slowly rose until becoming a mining engineer and then a cost and scheduling engineer.
and was invited to audition for Christian rock
band, Petra
. The band had just lost its lead singer Greg X. Volz
, who had left to pursue a solo career. After a session with Hartman (band's co-founder and guitarist), he was asked to join the band. He sang his first show on February 3, 1986, beginning a career that would span nearly two decades. His first album with the band was the 1986 release Back to the Street
.
During his career with Petra, the band released 2 RIAA certified Gold albums (Beyond Belief
and Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out
) and earned 4 Grammy and numerous Dove Awards. His travels and performances with the group reached all 50 states of America as well as over 35 countries.
in 1996. Both albums were moderately successful and received positive reviews.
After Petra's retirement in 2005, Schlitt and Petra guitarist
and founder, Bob Hartman
started working on an album together as II Guys From Petra. The album was released on January 26, 2007 titled Vertical Expressions
. Hartman and Schlitt have performed several shows to promote the album.
In addition, Schlitt released his third solo project, titled The Grafting
on 2008-01-22. Dan Needham, Schlitt's son-in-law, produced the album. The album was released with premier performances of the tracks "The Grafting" and "Only Men" by Schlitt on the program, Celebrations. The telecast was aired internationally by the Daystar Television Network
. In May 2008, John Schlitt toured India, playing eight dates in six cities with an all-new backing band, StoneJava. With this new backing group, John played songs from his solo CDs, along with many Petra favorites, to positive reviews.
John Schlitt has earned multiple Gold Records, Grammys and Dove Awards. He has toured all over the world and has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as the lead singer of Petra. John Schlitt was recently named the best rock singer in Christian music history by GospelMusicChannel.com. According to the website, John Schlitt "remains one of the most distinctive and impactful men to ever stand behind a microphone."
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band Petra
Petra (band)
Petra is a music group regarded as a pioneer of the Christian rock and contemporary Christian music genres. Formed in 1972, the band took its name from the Greek word for "rock"...
from 1986 until the band's retirement in late 2005. Prior to joining Petra in 1986, Schlitt was the vocalist for Head East
Head East
Head East is an American hard rock band originally from South Central Illinois. The band was formed by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Mike Somerville, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Dan Birney, and drummer Steve Huston. They met and formed the band while studying at the University of Illinois,...
.
Early years
John Schlitt was born in Lincoln, IllinoisLincoln, Illinois
Lincoln is a city in Logan County, Illinois, United States. It is the only town in the United States that was named for Abraham Lincoln before he became president; he practiced law there from 1847 to 1859. First settled in the 1830s, Lincoln is home to three colleges and two prisons. The three...
. Shortly after, his family moved to Mt. Pulaski where he grew up. Schlitt began singing and showing interest in music from a very young age. When he was 13 years old, he joined a band called Vinegar Hills Hometown Band Something Different. He went to Mt. Pulaski High School in his hometown graduating in 1968. It was during his high school years that he would meet future wife, Dorla Froelich.
After graduating from high school, Schlitt enrolled on the University of Illinois
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign is a large public research-intensive university in the state of Illinois, United States. It is the flagship campus of the University of Illinois system...
for a degree in Civil Engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
. However, his main interest was still music. In 1972, he joined the rock band
Rock Band
Rock Band is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems, published by MTV Games and Electronic Arts. It is the first title in the Rock Band series. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions were released in the United States on November 20, 2007, while the PlayStation 2 version was...
Head East
Head East
Head East is an American hard rock band originally from South Central Illinois. The band was formed by vocalist John Schlitt, guitarist Mike Somerville, keyboardist Roger Boyd, bassist Dan Birney, and drummer Steve Huston. They met and formed the band while studying at the University of Illinois,...
as lead singer with some fellow students of the university. Juggling his musical career and college studies, Schlitt finally graduated from college in 1974 and dedicated full-time to his career in music.
Head-East Era and Aftermath
During the following years with Head East, Schlitt enjoyed the success of the band that produced several hits during the 70s. They released together four studio and one live album. However, during the time, Schlitt also developed a dependency on cocaineCocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
and alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
. His dependency reached a peak when he retired from the band in March 1980.
After leaving Head East, Schlitt formed a short-lived band, but it quickly vanished as his addiction
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
intensified in a six-month depression during which he "came very close to suicide.". During that same period, however, his wife became a born-again Christian
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...
, and subsequently convinced Schlitt to see her pastor. Schlitt confesses that he had already decided to end his life and complied only "so my wife would be able to say ‘he tried’ after I was gone".
However, Schlitt also became a born-again Christian
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...
and left his addiction to drugs and alcohol. Schlitt decided to leave the music scene and dedicate to his family. After that, he started working in a factory, and slowly rose until becoming a mining engineer and then a cost and scheduling engineer.
Petra Era
Five years after leaving the music industry, John received a call from Bob HartmanBob Hartman
Robert Hartman is a Christian artist, guitarist, writer and songwriter. He is the founder of Christian rock band Petra. Hartman was involved with the band from its foundation in 1972 to its end in 2005. He took a break from touring in 1995, but continued to write most of the band's songs,...
and was invited to audition for Christian rock
Christian rock
Christian rock is a form of rock music played by individuals and bands whose members are Christians and who often focus the lyrics on matters concerned with the Christian faith. The extent to which their lyrics are explicitly Christian varies between bands...
band, Petra
Petra (band)
Petra is a music group regarded as a pioneer of the Christian rock and contemporary Christian music genres. Formed in 1972, the band took its name from the Greek word for "rock"...
. The band had just lost its lead singer Greg X. Volz
Greg X. Volz
Gregory Xavier Volz is a Christian singer. He is most noted for being the former lead singer of Christian rock band Petra from 1979 to 1985 and is currently the lead vocalist of the reunited lineup.-Biography:...
, who had left to pursue a solo career. After a session with Hartman (band's co-founder and guitarist), he was asked to join the band. He sang his first show on February 3, 1986, beginning a career that would span nearly two decades. His first album with the band was the 1986 release Back to the Street
Back to the Street
Back to the Street is the ninth release of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released in 1986 and is the first album to be produced by John and Dino Elefante....
.
During his career with Petra, the band released 2 RIAA certified Gold albums (Beyond Belief
Beyond Belief (Petra album)
Beyond Belief is the thirteenth release of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released on June 20, 1990.In this album the band continues to polish the hard rock/arena rock sound the band had been working on their previous efforts before their praise album .As of late 2011, this is the band's...
and Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out
Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out
Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out is the twelfth release of the Christian rock band, Petra and their first praise album. It was released on October 3, 1989....
) and earned 4 Grammy and numerous Dove Awards. His travels and performances with the group reached all 50 states of America as well as over 35 countries.
Solo career
During breaks from Petra, Schlitt recorded and released two solo albums: Shake in 1995, and Unfit For SwineUnfit For Swine
Unfit For Swine is the second album released by John Schlitt, lead singer of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released in July, 1996.-Track listing:All songs written by John Schlitt, except where noted....
in 1996. Both albums were moderately successful and received positive reviews.
After Petra's retirement in 2005, Schlitt and Petra guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and founder, Bob Hartman
Bob Hartman
Robert Hartman is a Christian artist, guitarist, writer and songwriter. He is the founder of Christian rock band Petra. Hartman was involved with the band from its foundation in 1972 to its end in 2005. He took a break from touring in 1995, but continued to write most of the band's songs,...
started working on an album together as II Guys From Petra. The album was released on January 26, 2007 titled Vertical Expressions
Vertical Expressions
Vertical Expressions is the first studio release of the collaboration between former Petra singer John Schlitt and guitarist Bob Hartman, also known as II Guys from Petra. It was released on January 26, 2007....
. Hartman and Schlitt have performed several shows to promote the album.
In addition, Schlitt released his third solo project, titled The Grafting
The Grafting
The Grafting is the third solo album by Christian rock singer and former Petra frontman, John Schlitt. The album was released on January 22, 2008 through TAG Artist Group...
on 2008-01-22. Dan Needham, Schlitt's son-in-law, produced the album. The album was released with premier performances of the tracks "The Grafting" and "Only Men" by Schlitt on the program, Celebrations. The telecast was aired internationally by the Daystar Television Network
Daystar Television Network
The Daystar Television Network is an American evangelical Christian television religious broadcasting network headquartered near Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Bedford, Texas...
. In May 2008, John Schlitt toured India, playing eight dates in six cities with an all-new backing band, StoneJava. With this new backing group, John played songs from his solo CDs, along with many Petra favorites, to positive reviews.
John Schlitt has earned multiple Gold Records, Grammys and Dove Awards. He has toured all over the world and has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as the lead singer of Petra. John Schlitt was recently named the best rock singer in Christian music history by GospelMusicChannel.com. According to the website, John Schlitt "remains one of the most distinctive and impactful men to ever stand behind a microphone."
Personal life
Schlitt has been married to wife Dorla since August 28, 1971. They have four children together and reside in Franklin, TN:- Kari - b. December 02, 1974 (age 37)
- John Kyle - b. January 28, 1979 (age 33)
- Kris - b. December 07, 1983 (age 28)
- Krey - b. May 31, 1989 (age 22)
Solo
| Date of release | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Shake | Word Word Records Word Records is a Christian record label based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is a division of Word Entertainment , which, itself is co-owned by Warner Music Group and Curb Records... /Epic Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A... |
| 1996 | Unfit for Swine Unfit For Swine Unfit For Swine is the second album released by John Schlitt, lead singer of the Christian rock band, Petra. It was released in July, 1996.-Track listing:All songs written by John Schlitt, except where noted.... |
Word |
| 2008 | The Grafting The Grafting The Grafting is the third solo album by Christian rock singer and former Petra frontman, John Schlitt. The album was released on January 22, 2008 through TAG Artist Group... |
4K |
with II Guys From Petra
| Date of release | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Vertical Expressions | Petra Productions |
with Petra
| Date of release | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1986 | Back to the Street | StarSong |
| 1987 | This Means War! | StarSong |
| 1988 | On Fire! | StarSong |
| 1989 | Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out | Dayspring/Word/Epic |
| 1990 | Beyond Belief | Dayspring/Word/Epic |
| 1991 | Unseen Power | Dayspring/Word/Epic |
| 1992 | Petra en Alabanza | Dayspring/Word/Epic |
| 1993 | Wake-Up Call | Dayspring/Word/Epic |
| 1995 | No Doubt | Word/Epic |
| 1997 | Petra Praise 2: We Need Jesus | Word/Epic |
| 1998 | God Fixation | Word/Epic |
| 2000 | Double Take | Word/Epic |
| 2001 | Revival | inpop/EMI |
| 2003 | Jekyll & Hyde | inpop/EMI |
| 2004 | Jekyll & Hyde: en Espanol | inpop/EMI |
| 2005 | Farewell | inpop/EMI |
with Head East
| Date of release | Title | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Flat as a Pancake | A&M Records A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... |
| 1976 | Get Yourself Up | A&M Records A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... |
| 1977 | Gettin' Lucky | A&M Records A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... |
| 1978 | Head East | A&M Records A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... |
| 1979 | Head East Live | A&M Records A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... |
| 1979 | A Different Kind of Crazy | A&M Records A&M Records A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:... |
Other Contributions
- Geoff Moore & The Distance - A Place To Stand (1988)
- Steve CampSteve CampSteven J. Camp is a prominent American Dove Award and Grammy Award-nominated contemporary Christian music artist with an adult contemporary pop sound. He was very popular in the 1980s and early 1990s, where he has sold more than a million albums, who also has written or co-written 21 number one...
- Justice (1988) - Nathan DiGesare - Jubilate'! (1989)
- Artists And Friends - Carry The Light (1989)
- John LawryJohn LawryJohn Lawry is a Christian musician, composer, producer, and songwriter. He is most remembered for being the keyboardist of Christian rock band Petra during their most prolific years.-Biography:...
- Media Alert (1990) - Breakaway Praise 1 (1992)
- 4 Him - The Ride Comes Alive (1995)
- Mickey Masters: Agent Of Truth - The Evil Plot Of Madame Chang (1996)
- The Best Of Morgan Cryar - What Sin? (1998)
- Re:newal - The Art Of Community (2001)
- Silers BaldSilers BaldSilers Bald is a mountain in the western Great Smoky Mountains, located in theSoutheastern United States. Its proximity to Clingmans Dome and its location alongthe Appalachian Trail make it a popular hiking destination....
- Real Life (2003) - Liberty n' Justice - Welcome To The Revolution (2004)
- EverlifeEverlifeEverlife is a pop rock band made of three sisters, Amber, Sarah, and Julia Ross.-Early:Everlife originated in Indiana, Pennsylvania. The band were formed in the winter of 1997 with Sarah on the drums, Amber on the guitar, and Julia on keyboard....
(2004) - Project Damage ControlProject Damage ControlProject Damage Control is a musical project formed by musicians from several Christian and secular rock bands.-History:Project Damage Control was formed by Alan Sandifer and Brent Handy in 2004...
- Project Damage Control (2005) - Rick DerringerRick DerringerRick Derringer is an American guitarist, vocalist, and entertainer.-1960s:When he was seventeen years old, his band The McCoys recorded "Hang on Sloopy" in the summer of 1965, which became the number one song in America before "Yesterday" by The Beatles knocked it out of the top spot. The song was...
- New album (2007) - Alakrity - guest vocals on "Beyond Belief" (2007)
- Project Damage ControlProject Damage ControlProject Damage Control is a musical project formed by musicians from several Christian and secular rock bands.-History:Project Damage Control was formed by Alan Sandifer and Brent Handy in 2004...
- "Mechanism" (2010)