| Leigh Cappillino | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robin Leigh Darby |
| Born | April 18, 1969 |
| Origin | Belton, South Carolina, United States |
| Genres | Contemporary Christian music |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Years active | 2004-present (with Point of Grace) |
| Labels | Word Records |
| Associated acts | Point of Grace Heather Payne Truth |
Robin Leigh Darby Cappillino (born April 18, 1969) is one-third of the Contemporary Christian music group Point of Grace. She joined the then-quartet in 2004, after founding member Terry Jones announced her retirement from the group. Since joining the group, she has recorded three albums and been on several nationwide tours. She has also won, along with Point of Grace, 5 Dove Awards including the 2008 Dove Award for Country Recorded Song of the Year for the single "How You Live (Turn Up The Music)" and the 2011 Dove Award for Country Album of the Year for No Changin' Us.
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Cappillino was born into a Christian family. As she grew up, church was not an option. She would attend every week. One night, when she was nine years old, she had a dream about dying. She was so frightened by it that she ran to her parents room and asked her mother how she would be certain that if she died, she would go to heaven. At that point, her mother shared the plan of salvation with her and she asked the Lord into her heart.[1] She grew up in a very musical family and was always involved with music, singing in youth choirs. She has a degree in Vocal Performance from Anderson College and a Bachelor of Arts in Religion from Charleston Southern University. She joined the group Truth in the early 1990s. She recorded three albums with them. After leaving Truth, she formed a duo with fellow Truth member Karen Childers, named KarenLeigh. Their self-titled debut, produced by Chris Harris, received critical acclaim and the duo enjoyed some radio success with the single "Save It For A Rainy Day." From 1997 through 2003, Cappillino was a featured worship leader in Women of Faith conferences, singing alongside many well-known speakers and authors such as Sheila Walsh and Luci Swindoll.[2] During this time, she recorded three independent solo albums with her husband, Dana.[3]
Cappillino met the group when her husband Dana began work as their musical director in 1998. Through the years, she developed a friendship with the girls. When Terry Jones announced she would be retiring from her music career, she, along with Denise Jones, Heather Payne and Shelley Breen decided that Cappillino would be the perfect person to fill in Jones' shoes and continue what she had started. As a member of Point of Grace, Cappillino has recorded several albums, been on several tours, and written three books. She has also won two Dove Awards and had six Dove nominations with the group.
Cappillino married her husband Dana on March 7, 1992. They have one daughter, Darby Mae, born December 7, 2002.[4] Dana has played guitar for Point of Grace since 1998 and acts as the group's road manager as well as their band leader.
Since joining Point of Grace, Cappillino, along with Denise Jones, Heather Payne and Shelley Breen, has proudly supported Mercy Ministries of America, a non-profit organization for women who face life-controlling issues such as self-mutilation, sexual abuse, and unplanned pregnancies. The group has also begun support of Compassion International.