Needtobreathe

NEEDTOBREATHE
Needtobreathe performing in October 2008. Left to right: Bo Rinehart, Joe Stillwell, Bear Rinehart, Seth Bolt.
Background information
Origin	Seneca, South Carolina, U.S.
Genres	Alternative rock, Christian rock, Southern rock
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Atlantic, Word, Sparrow
Website	www.needtobreathe.com
Members	Bear Rinehart Bo Rinehart Seth Bolt
Past members	Joe Stillwell

Needtobreathe (stylised as NEEDTOBREATHE) is an American Christian rock band from Seneca, South Carolina^[1] The band is composed of Bear Rinehart (lead vocals, guitar, piano), Bo Rinehart (backing vocals, guitar), Seth Bolt (backing vocals, bass). They have released four studio albums: Daylight (2006), The Heat (2007), The Outsiders (2009), and The Reckoning (2011).^[2]

History

Named after the University of Alabama football coach Bear Bryant, brothers Bear and Nathaniel Bryant "Bo" Rinehart were born and raised in rural Possum Kingdom, South Carolina, where their father, a pastor, ran a church camp. After moving to nearby Seneca, South Carolina, the two siblings were exposed to a variety of music and started playing instruments themselves. While enrolled at Furman University, Bear—besides being an excellent wide receiver (he won the 2002 Banks McFadden trophy for South Carolina football player of the year)^[3] – moonlighted as a vocalist, guitarist, and pianist, even finding time to perform around campus with longtime friend and drummer Joe Stillwell. Meanwhile, Bo studied architecture at Clemson University while playing guitar in his spare time, and he and bassist Seth Bolt joined the Bear/Stillwell duo to form Needtobreathe.

Seth Bolt had received a degree in recording engineering at Full Sail University, and the band honed its sound while recording several EPs at Bolt's Plantation Studios. A tour of Southeastern and Midwestern America followed. The hard work paid off when Needtobreathe came to the attention of Atlantic Records/Lava Records, who signed the band in 2005. A debut full-length album, Daylight (the cover of which was painted by Bo), arrived one year later, having been recorded in British Heliocentric Studios with Keane producer Andy Green. Tours with Train, Collective Soul, and Will Hoge kept the guys busy throughout the year, and they returned to the studio in December to begin work on their follow-up. The Heat was released in August 2007 spawning several singles and earning two Dove Award nominations.^[4]

Daylight

After signing with both Atlantic Records and Sparrow Records, the band went to the UK to record their first studio album, Daylight, with producer Andy Green.^[5] Its first radio single "You Are Here" was released early in 2006.^[5] Just prior to their debut release, the band was featured on the cover of CCM Magazine—an unprecedented new artist endorsement by the national publication.^[6] Daylight was then released on April 4, 2006.^[7]

The Heat

Brothers Bo and Bear Rinehart in September 2007

Needtobreathe started pre-production for their second studio album The Heat in late 2006 at Seth Bolt's Old Plantation studio.^[8] In the beginning of 2007, the band started a six-month recording period at both Rick Beato's Black Dog Studio in their hometown Seneca and Ed Roland's Tree Sounds in Atlanta.^[8][9] The Heat was then released on August 28, 2007 through Atlantic Records and Word Entertainment.^[10]

In 2008, Needtobreathe was nominated for two Dove Awards at the 39th annual GMA Dove Awards. Their song "Signature of Divine (Yahweh)" received a nomination for "Rock/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year", and The Heat was nominated for "Rock/Contemporary Album of the Year".^[11]

In 2009, Needtobreathe's song "Washed by the Water" was nominated and won the Dove Award for "Rock/Contemporary Song of the Year" at the 40th annual GMA Dove Awards.

The Outsiders

The band's third album, The Outsiders was released on August 25, 2009,^[12] peaking at No. 20 on the Billboard 200 and No. 2 on the Hot Christian Albums. The first single for the album, "Lay 'Em Down", peaked at No. 4 on the Hot Christian Songs chart. The single "Something Beautiful" peaked at No. 12 on the Triple A chart and No. 6 on the Hot Christian Songs chart. "Hurricane" peaked at No. 29 on the Alternative chart, their first success at Alternative radio. The title song of the album, "The Outsiders", peaked at No. 11 on the Triple A chart.

The Reckoning

The album The Reckoning was released on September 20, 2011, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart.^[13] The first single for the album is titled "Slumber" and has peaked at No. 26 on the Christian rock charts. The second single released from the album is titled "Drive All Night."

Prove the Poets Wrong

"Prove the Poets Wrong" is a film by Eric Ryan Anderson released on December 17, 2013 on Youtube. ^[14] It chronicles their Spring and Summer 2013 Tours, line up changes and revisits their origins as a band.

Rivers in the Wasteland

Rivers in the Wasteland is to be released on April 15, 2014.^[15]

Band members

• Bear Rinehart – lead vocals, guitar, piano, organ, harmonica
• Bo Rinehart – lead guitar, banjo, mandolin, backing vocals
• Seth Bolt – bass, mandolin, backing vocals

Touring members

• Josh Lovelace – keyboards, backing vocals
• Randall Harris - Drums

Former members

In July 2012, Joe Stillwell, the band's drummer for 13 years announced his decision to leave the band.^[16]

Discography

• Daylight (2006)
• The Heat (2007)
• The Outsiders (2009)
• The Reckoning (2011)
• Rivers in the Wasteland (2014)

Awards

GMA Dove Awards^[17]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Needtobreathe.

• Official website