Our Heart's Hero
Encyclopedia
Our Heart's Hero is an American
Christian pop rock
band founded in 2004. The group's touring members include Nick Joyce, Jeremy Toler, Jacob Lawrence, Benji Smith and Kody Christian.
In 2004, Our Heart's Hero originated as an independent band until late 2006, when the group signed with Gotee Records
. They have released one non-independent album, Our Heart's Hero, in September 2007, and are known for the radio singles "Back to the Cross", "Tomorrow" and "Because of the Blood".
), Jeremy McKnight (Proctorville, Ohio
) Gabe Carroll (Proctorville, Ohio) ]Gabe White (Huntington, West Virginia
) met in high school (Grace Christian School) and started the band because they wanted to make music that was more positive. Under pressure to avoid copyright infringement with another Christian contemporary band, Pillar, they changed their name to "Our Heart's Hero" at the start of 2004; their first independent album, Can You Hear Me, was released that year. It was followed by two other independent albums: Live in California on April 12, 2005, and Our Heart's Hero on July 4, 2006. They achieved some popularity as an unsigned group on MySpace
, performing over 150 concerts a year and selling 20,000 copies of their 2006 release.
in late 2006. Our Heart's Hero then began a period of touring, opening for The Afters
in the spring of 2007. In mid-2007, they performed at the Revolution Calling Tour with Red
, GRITS
and Falling Up, and also at the Rock, Paper, Scissors Tour. Their self-titled major label debut, Our Heart's Hero, was released on September 18, 2007, and was produced by Brent Milligan
and Ian Eskelin
. Their first single "Back to the Cross" was released approximately at time of the album; it reached a peak of #22 on Billboard
's Hot Christian Adult Contemporary chart in January 2008.
The album's production has been praised, but it received mixed reviews; Christianity Today
said that the songs were "tailor-made for Christian radio", and that although "it is certainly a likable enough sound", the project lacked "clear or unique identity [which] fails to distinguish Our Heart's Hero from the pack." Allmusic reviewer Jared Johnson shared a similar opinion about their album being "radio-friendly", saying that the band "plays it safe just enough to remain in the accessible pop/rock arena [...] Still, one can't argue with the band's knack for hooks." Jesus Freak Hideout
gave the album a rating of 2.5/5, concluding its review with: "if you're someone who is looking for something fresh and new, stay clear of this title, for you're bound to find yourself underwhelmed." Other reviews, such as Cross Rhythms
magazine, were more positive; "this isn't heavy or edgy enough to entice the My Chemical Romance
crowd, but will appeal to fans of Jeremy Camp
". The review defined Our Heart's Hero as lyrically having "plenty of rock cliché
s", but claimed that the band showed potential with its "clear and accessible" music.
Their next single, "Because of the Blood", was released to Christian radio in 2007.
On September 16, 2010 Cody from Our Hearts Hero posted a video on the bands youtube
channel stating that the band was in negotiations with an unknown record label to possibly release the bands sophomore album.
On February 22, 2011 the band announced on their twitter
that writing had been completed for a sophomore album and recording was well under way.
Nick Joyce.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Christian pop rock
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band founded in 2004. The group's touring members include Nick Joyce, Jeremy Toler, Jacob Lawrence, Benji Smith and Kody Christian.
In 2004, Our Heart's Hero originated as an independent band until late 2006, when the group signed with Gotee Records
Gotee Records
Gotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
. They have released one non-independent album, Our Heart's Hero, in September 2007, and are known for the radio singles "Back to the Cross", "Tomorrow" and "Because of the Blood".
History
The band was originally formed in 2002 under the name "Fireproof". Founding members Nick Joyce (from South Point, OhioSouth Point, Ohio
South Point is a village in Lawrence County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 3,742 at the 2000 census.South Point is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 288,649.The village mayor...
), Jeremy McKnight (Proctorville, Ohio
Proctorville, Ohio
Proctorville is a village in Lawrence County, Ohio, United States, along the Ohio River. The population was 620 at the 2000 census. The East End Bridge connects Proctorville to Huntington, West Virginia across the Ohio River....
) Gabe Carroll (Proctorville, Ohio) ]Gabe White (Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
) met in high school (Grace Christian School) and started the band because they wanted to make music that was more positive. Under pressure to avoid copyright infringement with another Christian contemporary band, Pillar, they changed their name to "Our Heart's Hero" at the start of 2004; their first independent album, Can You Hear Me, was released that year. It was followed by two other independent albums: Live in California on April 12, 2005, and Our Heart's Hero on July 4, 2006. They achieved some popularity as an unsigned group on MySpace
MySpace
Myspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
, performing over 150 concerts a year and selling 20,000 copies of their 2006 release.
Our Heart's Hero (2006–present)
The band signed with Gotee RecordsGotee Records
Gotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
in late 2006. Our Heart's Hero then began a period of touring, opening for The Afters
The Afters
The Afters are a Christian rock band founded by Joshua Havens and Matt Fuqua. Havens and Fuqua first worked together in a Starbucks coffee shop in Mesquite, Texas, where they played for customers, before deciding to form a band. They added Brad Wigg and Marc Dodd, who were also employed at the same...
in the spring of 2007. In mid-2007, they performed at the Revolution Calling Tour with Red
Red (band)
Red is an American rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band's lineup consists of singer Michael Barnes, guitarist Anthony Armstrong, bassist Randy Armstrong and drummer Joe Rickard. They are known for their Christian rock music which incorporates other sounds such as...
, GRITS
GRITS
GRITS, also known as G.R.I.T.S., is a Christian Hip Hop group from Nashville, Tennessee. Their name is an acronym, which stands for "Grammatical Revolution In The Spirit." GRITS is made up of Stacey "Coffee" Jones and Teron "Bonafide" Carter, both of whom were DC Talk dancers.Their song "Ooh Aah"...
and Falling Up, and also at the Rock, Paper, Scissors Tour. Their self-titled major label debut, Our Heart's Hero, was released on September 18, 2007, and was produced by Brent Milligan
Brent Milligan
Brent Milligan is an Grammy Award-nominated, American record producer and session bass guitar player currently residing in Nashville, TN. He was born in Baton Rouge, LA, and moved to Nashville after graduating from Louisiana State University in 1992...
and Ian Eskelin
Ian Eskelin
Ian Eskelin , is a record producer, songwriter, solo artist, and founding member and lead singer of the Grammy-nominated Christian rock band All Star United. He won the Dove Award for "Producer of the Year" in 2011 and 2008, and was nominated for the same award in 2007, 2009, and 2010...
. Their first single "Back to the Cross" was released approximately at time of the album; it reached a peak of #22 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Hot Christian Adult Contemporary chart in January 2008.
The album's production has been praised, but it received mixed reviews; Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
said that the songs were "tailor-made for Christian radio", and that although "it is certainly a likable enough sound", the project lacked "clear or unique identity [which] fails to distinguish Our Heart's Hero from the pack." Allmusic reviewer Jared Johnson shared a similar opinion about their album being "radio-friendly", saying that the band "plays it safe just enough to remain in the accessible pop/rock arena [...] Still, one can't argue with the band's knack for hooks." Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout
Jesus Freak Hideout is a Christian music website. The website specializes in reviewing, previewing, and selling Christian albums. The website is known for its album reviews, independent music, artist interviews, concert dates and ministry through devotionals and prayer...
gave the album a rating of 2.5/5, concluding its review with: "if you're someone who is looking for something fresh and new, stay clear of this title, for you're bound to find yourself underwhelmed." Other reviews, such as Cross Rhythms
Cross Rhythms
Cross Rhythms is a Christian media organisation based in Stoke-on-Trent, England.-History:The roots of what was to become Cross Rhythms go back to two separate sources which merged in 1991. In 1983, broadcaster Chris Cole started a 30-minute weekly Christian music radio show on Plymouth Sound FM, a...
magazine, were more positive; "this isn't heavy or edgy enough to entice the My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance is an American alternative rock band from New Jersey, formed in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, guitarists Ray Toro and Frank Iero, and bassist Mikey Way and have a diverse sound incorporating elements of punk, emo, glam metal, and progressive rock...
crowd, but will appeal to fans of Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Camp
Jeremy Thomas Camp is a contemporary Christian musician from Lafayette, Indiana. Camp has released seven albums, four of them RIAA-certified as Gold and two are live albums, and 17 number-one hit songs...
". The review defined Our Heart's Hero as lyrically having "plenty of rock cliché
Cliché
A cliché or cliche is an expression, idea, or element of an artistic work which has been overused to the point of losing its original meaning or effect, especially when at some earlier time it was considered meaningful or novel. In phraseology, the term has taken on a more technical meaning,...
s", but claimed that the band showed potential with its "clear and accessible" music.
Their next single, "Because of the Blood", was released to Christian radio in 2007.
On September 16, 2010 Cody from Our Hearts Hero posted a video on the bands youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel stating that the band was in negotiations with an unknown record label to possibly release the bands sophomore album.
On February 22, 2011 the band announced on their twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
that writing had been completed for a sophomore album and recording was well under way.
Band members
The band has experienced several member changes since they formed as Fireproof in 2002. The only original member remaining is lead singerLead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
Nick Joyce.
Current members
- Nick Joyce – Lead VocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
, GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with... - Jeremy Toler - Drums
- Jacob Lawrence - Bass
- Kody Christian – GuitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Benji Smith – Lead GuitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
Former members
- Gabe White (2002–2004)
- Emily Robertson (2004) (left the band to form Carter's Chord)
- Hayden Lamb (2004–2006) (left the band and joined RedRed (band)Red is an American rock band from Nashville, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band's lineup consists of singer Michael Barnes, guitarist Anthony Armstrong, bassist Randy Armstrong and drummer Joe Rickard. They are known for their Christian rock music which incorporates other sounds such as...
) - Hunter Lamb (2004–2005) (left the band and joined ParamoreParamoreParamore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, bassist Jeremy Davis, and guitarist Taylor York...
) - Ricky Holbrooke (2005–2007) (left the band and joined ShowbreadShowbread (band)Showbread is an American Christian rock band originating in Guyton, Georgia. More specifically, the band lives in a small community within Guyton called Marlow. They formed in 1997. The band has gone through numerous lineup changes since its formation but maintains its two founding members, Josh...
) - Taylor Carroll (2008) (left the band and joined PillarPillar (band)Pillar is a Christian rock band currently located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Their sixth studio album, Confessions, was released in 2009.- Formation and independent albums :...
) - Jeremy McKnight (2002–2008)
- Jason Nattier (2006-2008/2008–2009)
- Seth MorrisonSeth Morrison (musician)Jacob Seth Morrison is the lead guitarist for the Christian rock band Skillet. He joined the band in April 2011.-Career:...
(2010) (left the band and joined SkilletSkillet (band)Skillet is an American Christian rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1996. The band currently consists of husband and wife John and Korey Cooper , along with Jen Ledger and lead guitarist Seth Morrison. The band has released eight albums, two receiving Grammy nominations: Collide and Comatose...
) - Christopher Lackey (2008-2009)
Discography
- 2004: Can You Hear Me (independent)
- 2005: Live In California (independent)
- 2006: Our Heart's Hero (independent)
- 2007: Our Heart's Hero (Gotee RecordsGotee RecordsGotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
) - 2011: TBA (tba)
Compilation appearances
- 2007: Gotee Acoustic, "Back to the Cross" (GoteeGotee RecordsGotee Records is a record label founded by dc Talk member Toby McKeehan , Todd Collins, and Joey Elwood...
)
Singles
- 2007: "Back to the Cross" – #22 on BillboardBillboard (magazine)Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
's Hot Christian Adult Contemporary chart - 2007: "Because of the Blood"
- 2008: "Tomorrow"