Clay Crosse
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| Clay Crosse | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Walter Clayton Crosseno |
| Born | February 11, 1967 |
| Origin | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Genre(s) | Christian pop Inspirational |
| Years active | 1994–present |
| Label(s) | Reunion |
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Clay Crosse (born Walter Clayton Crosseno, February 11, 1967) is a Dove award winning CCM artist. He is famous for his song "I Surrender All" which has featured on a number of Christian Compilations albums, such as WOW The 90s.
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[edit] Musical career
[edit] Early years
Clay Crosse grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. He became a born-again believer at the age of 13.[1] He married his high-school sweetheart, Renee. Initially, Clay worked as a courier for FedEx for six years.[2] Clay released his first album, My Place Is With You, in 1995. I Surrender All was the most successful single from the album.[1][2] With the success of his musical career, Clay quit his job.[2]
[edit] Music
Clay became famous for his singles I Surrender All and My Place Is With You. He won the Dove award for "Best New Artist of the Year" in 1995. Clay's music has a pop style, like much of contemporary Christian music. Eight songs from his first four albums became #1 singles.[3] During this period, his He Walked A Mile won the 1997 CCM Adult Contemporary Song of the Year. In 1998 his song Sold Out Believer reached #15 on the Christian music charts.[4] He also collaborated with Bob Carlisle and Bebe Winans on I Will Follow Christ. Following a personal struggle with pornography, Clay lost his voice.[2] Reportedly, he was not sick but he was unable to sing. A vocal coach he hired to help him questioned him about his personal life. After praying with the coach one day, Clay began his confessions to his wife.[2] It took one year for his relationship with his wife to improve. Later, Clay stated that he was able to sing, although not as well as before.[2] With the changes in his personal life, Clay released A Different Man in 1999. The songs 98, Sinner's Prayer and Arms of Jesus were written reflecting his personal struggles.[1] Touring with Jaci Velasquez, Clay preached to teenagers on sexual abstinence before marriage.[5] The two singers worked in conjunction with the national student movement, True Love Waits to promote sexual purity.[6]
After the release of Christmas with Clay Crosse, Clay served as worship pastor for The Love of Christ (TLC) Community Church in Memphis under head pastor Dana Key (of the Christian Rock group DeGarmo and Key). During this time, the release of a live worship album was conceptualized. Clay signed a deal with the TAG Artist Group to release the CD and DVD Eternity with You: Live Worship.[7] The release of the CD and DVD coincided with the release of his book, I Surrender All. In 2007, he released the single Believe.[8]
[edit] Personal life
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Though his life appeared picture-perfect on the outside, Clay struggled with lust. This ultimately started eroding the foundations of his marriage. Then in 1998, Clay had a life-changing experience on a flight home from Seattle and this consequently led to the release of his next album A Different Man. Following this, Renee began accompanying Clay on his tours and the couple began sharing their personal, intimate story of how God turned their marriage around.
Clay and Renee Crosse also co-wrote a book with Mark Tabb titled, I Surrender All : Rebuilding a Marriage Broken by Pornography[9]
Currently, Clay and his wife Renee run the Holy Homes ministry. This ministry aims to build healthy, Christ-centred families and homes.
[edit] Discography
Clay Crosse has released a total of five sitduo albums, two compilation albums and one live worship album.[10][11]
[edit] Albums
[edit] Singles
[edit] Awards
Clay Crosse has won four Dove Awards.[12]
- 1995 Dove Awards - New Artist of the Year
- 1997 Dove Awards - Special Event Album of the Year, Tribute-The Songs of Andrae Crouch (Compilation album won with CeCe Winans, Michael W. Smith, Twila Paris, Bryan Duncan, Wayne Watson, The Winans, Take 6, The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, First Call, Andrae Crouch and the All Star Choir; Norman Miller, Neal Joseph; Warner Alliance)
- 1998 Dove Awards - Special Event Album of the Year, God With Us - A Celebration of Christmas Carols & Classics (Compilation won with Anointed, Michael W. Smith, Twila Paris, Sandi Patty, Steven Curtis Chapman, Chris Willis, Steve Green, Cheri Keaggy, Avalon, Out of the Grey, Ray Boltz, CeCe Winans, Larnelle Harris; Norman Miller; Sparrow)
- 2000 Dove Awards - Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year, I Will Follow Christ
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Clay Crosse Music page at Christianity Today
- ^ a b c d e f CBN.com: Clay and Renee Crosse - Keeping Secrets
- ^ Clay Crosse BIO at ChristianMusic.com
- ^ Mark Allan Powell. "Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music", Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2002.
- ^ FEATURE: Living Proof - Teens
- ^ About True Love Waits
- ^ About.com: Clay Crosse Signs Deal With TAG Artist Group
- ^ Rolling Stone: Clay Crosse - Believe
- ^ Amazon.ca - I Surrender All: Rebuilding a Marriage Broken by Pornography
- ^ Clay Crosse Discography at Billboard.com
- ^ Vh1.com : Clay Crosse albums
- ^ GMA Dove Awards History - Search page
