Kelly Willard
Encyclopedia
Kelly Willard is a Contemporary Christian Musician best known for her praise and worship recordings. She was featured as a soloist on projects from Integrity
, Vineyard Music, and Maranatha! Music
. In addition she sang duets and background vocals with artists like Twila Paris
and Keith Green
; and did nine solo projects.
Willard began playing the piano at the age of five and composing her own songs at the age of thirteen. She accompanied the church choir, playing and singing in nursing homes, and traveling with a part time gospel group on weekends. At the age of sixteen Willard moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she accompanied such groups as The Jake Hess Sound, The Archers
, and Seth
. She credits her vocal development to Harlan Rogers.
Willard married at eighteen, joined Harlan Rogers & Friends, and traveled the mid-west until 1977, when she moved to Southern California to be a part of the then current flow of Jesus musicians ministering and recording there. She played keyboards and sang background vocals on projects for such artists as Karen Lafferty, Bob Bennett
, Tommy Coomes, Roby Duke
, Steve Green, and Lewis McVay before Maranatha! Music
approached her to record her own solo project.
After the birth of her children, Willard homeschooled them in the 1990s and later took care of her mother who was suffering with Alzheimer's
. In her own words 2004 was, "the worst year of my life." Both parents died, her marriage of 29 years came to an end, and her 18-year-old daughter Haylie, struggling with depression, took her own life. She moved to Florida and became part of a church support community there.
Her latest album Paga was a seven-year project which featured 18-year-old son Bryan on bass, and 15-year-old Haylie in a duet on the song "Beautiful Jesus". The title refers to the Old Testament priests who would take incense behind the curtain and burn it as an atonement. This is called paga in Hebrew and it means "to make intercession". "When Jesus became our sacrifice," she said, "he made the way for our prayers, praises, and worship to become like that incense to the Lord. I wanted this album to draw people to the Lord and take part in that intercession."
As a result of all she's been through, Willard feels called to minister and intercede for the brokenhearted. "Those are the people I can identify with the most," she relates. "I don't know what is going to happen, how the Lord will use this, but I am willing to share openly. I have nothing to hide."
Integrity Media
Integrity Media is a privately held media communications company that publishes and distributes Christian music, films and related materials. The corporate offices are located in Mobile, Alabama, with subsidiary offices in Tennessee and foreign offices in Singapore, South Africa and the United...
, Vineyard Music, and Maranatha! Music
Maranatha! Music
Maranatha! Music began as a non-profit outreach of Calvary Chapel in 1971. The Jesus People of the late 1960s and early 1970s began to write new hymns and worship songs with a folk-rock style. Maranatha! Music was founded at this time in order to publish and promote this new type of Christian...
. In addition she sang duets and background vocals with artists like Twila Paris
Twila Paris
Twila Paris Wright is a Contemporary Christian Music songwriter, author, vocalist and pianist.-Musical career:Since 1980, Twila Paris has released 22 albums, amassed 33 number one Christian Radio singles, and was named the Gospel Music Association Female Vocalist of the Year three years in a row...
and Keith Green
Keith Green
Keith Gordon Green was an American gospel singer, songwriter, musician, and Contemporary Christian Music artist originally from Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. Beyond his music, Green is best known for his strong devotion to Christian evangelism and challenging others to the same...
; and did nine solo projects.
Willard began playing the piano at the age of five and composing her own songs at the age of thirteen. She accompanied the church choir, playing and singing in nursing homes, and traveling with a part time gospel group on weekends. At the age of sixteen Willard moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she accompanied such groups as The Jake Hess Sound, The Archers
The Archers
The Archers is a long-running British soap opera broadcast on the BBC's main spoken-word channel, Radio 4. It was originally billed as "an everyday story of country folk", but is now described on its Radio 4 web site as "contemporary drama in a rural setting"...
, and Seth
Seth
Seth , in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, is the third listed son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, who are the only other of their children mentioned by name...
. She credits her vocal development to Harlan Rogers.
Willard married at eighteen, joined Harlan Rogers & Friends, and traveled the mid-west until 1977, when she moved to Southern California to be a part of the then current flow of Jesus musicians ministering and recording there. She played keyboards and sang background vocals on projects for such artists as Karen Lafferty, Bob Bennett
Bob Bennett (singer-songwriter)
Bob Bennett is an American Christian singer, guitarist and songwriter from Downey, California. Bennett is known for his distinctive baritone voice, Christian lyrics and folk-inspired guitar playing.-Career:...
, Tommy Coomes, Roby Duke
Roby Duke
Roby Duke was a contemporary Christian musician and songwriter from Greenwood, Mississippi. He was noted for his blues-inflected vocal style and rhythmic "thumping" acoustic guitar playing.-Discography:...
, Steve Green, and Lewis McVay before Maranatha! Music
Maranatha! Music
Maranatha! Music began as a non-profit outreach of Calvary Chapel in 1971. The Jesus People of the late 1960s and early 1970s began to write new hymns and worship songs with a folk-rock style. Maranatha! Music was founded at this time in order to publish and promote this new type of Christian...
approached her to record her own solo project.
After the birth of her children, Willard homeschooled them in the 1990s and later took care of her mother who was suffering with Alzheimer's
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease also known in medical literature as Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia. There is no cure for the disease, which worsens as it progresses, and eventually leads to death...
. In her own words 2004 was, "the worst year of my life." Both parents died, her marriage of 29 years came to an end, and her 18-year-old daughter Haylie, struggling with depression, took her own life. She moved to Florida and became part of a church support community there.
Her latest album Paga was a seven-year project which featured 18-year-old son Bryan on bass, and 15-year-old Haylie in a duet on the song "Beautiful Jesus". The title refers to the Old Testament priests who would take incense behind the curtain and burn it as an atonement. This is called paga in Hebrew and it means "to make intercession". "When Jesus became our sacrifice," she said, "he made the way for our prayers, praises, and worship to become like that incense to the Lord. I wanted this album to draw people to the Lord and take part in that intercession."
As a result of all she's been through, Willard feels called to minister and intercede for the brokenhearted. "Those are the people I can identify with the most," she relates. "I don't know what is going to happen, how the Lord will use this, but I am willing to share openly. I have nothing to hide."
Discography
- 1979 Blame It On The One I Love
- 1981 Willing Heart
- 1982 Make Me A Servant
- 1983 Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs
- 1986 Message From A King
- 1991 Lookin' Back '77-'86
- 1991 Garden
- 1993 Bless My Little Girl
- 1996 My First Christmas
- 1997 Homesick For Heaven
- 2007 Paga