Phil Joel

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Phil Joel

Phil Joel
Background information
Birth name Philip Joel
Born (1973-01-05) January 5, 1973
Origin Auckland, New Zealand
Genres Christian pop
Occupations Singer-songwriter, musician
Instruments Vocals, guitar, bass
Years active 1990s–present
Labels Inpop, deliberatePeople
Associated acts Newsboys, Drinkwater
Website www.philjoel.com

Philip Joel Urry (born January 5, 1973), known by his stage name Phil Joel, is a musician and the former bassist for the Christian rock group Newsboys.

Background

Phil Joel was born in Auckland, New Zealand. He was lead singer and guitarist in the popular New Zealand band Drinkwater.

Though he had little experience with the instrument, the Newsboys offered him a position as bassist in August 1994. He said at the time, "I already know how to play a guitar with six strings, four should be a cinch." He also sang background and some lead vocals for the band.

In June 2000, Phil Joel released his first solo album, Watching Over You, on Inpop Records. This release is largely autobiographical,[1] and of experiences with missions work in Third world countries.[2] He supported this album with the Strangely Normal Tour accompanied by LaRue, Luna Halo, Earthsuit, V*enna & Katy Hudson (now known as Katy Perry). His second solo album, Bring It On, was released in November 2002 also on Inpop. His third album, The deliberatePeople. was released on November 18, 2005 in conjunction with Phil Joel and Heather Joel's newly founded Christian ministry, deliberatePeople. The album was praised for its stripped down rock,[3] reminiscent of the Jesus Music era of Christian Music.[4]

His deliberatePeople ministry website has journals containing a one-year Bible reading schedule and prayer guide. Both 12-month and 6-month Bible reading schedules are available on the dP website free of charge. The ministry also has notes, journal entries, and insights corresponding with the one-year Bible reading schedule starting January 1, 2006.

His wife Heather is a former host of All Access and Hit Trip on CMT. He met Heather at a radio station in her native Kansas when he'd only been in the country six weeks. They were married in 1996. They have two children: Phynley Elizabeth, born October 15, 2000 and Philip Eden (Eden), born April 5, 2004.

On Dec. 30, 2006, Phil Joel announced that he would be leaving the Newsboys, in order to devote more time to "personal goals" and family. It was then announced in mid-January 2007, that Joel was in the studio finishing the deliberateKids album, which was scheduled to release May 1, 2007.

In September 2008, Joel released his fifth solo CD titled The New Normal.[5] The CD is his third self produced album released on the deliberatePeople label.

He tours regularly and has joined with Focus on the Family to produce the Family Fight Night Tour.[6]

Discography

with Newsboys

Albums

  • Watching Over You (Inpop Records, 2000)
  • Bring it On (Inpop Records, 2002)
  • The deliberatePeople. Album (deliberatePeople, 2005)
  • deliberateKids (deliberatePeople, 2007)
  • The New Normal (deliberatePeople, 2008)
  • deliberateKids 2 (deliberatePeople, 2010)
  • Playlist (deliberatePeople, 2012)

Singles

  • "God Is Watching Over You" (2000, Watching Over You) – Christian CHR No. 2, Christian AC No. 9
  • "Strangely Normal" (2000, Watching Over You) – Christian CHR No. 5
  • "Author of Life" (2000, Watching Over You)
  • "Be Number One" (2000, Watching Over You)
  • "I Adore You" (2002, Bring It On)
  • "Resolution" (2002, Bring It On)
  • "No Longer" (2002, Bring It On)
  • "The Man You Want Me to Be" (2002, Bring It On) – Billboard Christian Songs No. 22
  • "Changed" (2006, The deliberatePeople. Album)

References

  1. ↑ Powell, Mark Allan (2002). "Phil Joel". Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 451. ISBN 1-56563-679-1. 
  2. ↑ DiBiase, John (2001-01-08). "Phil Joel, "Watching Over You" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. 
  3. ↑ DiBiase, John (2005-11-17). "Phil Joel, "the deliberatePeople. album" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. 
  4. ↑ Saraco, Bert. "The Deliberate People Album". The Phantom Tollbooth. 
  5. ↑ "Phil Joel Unleashes 'The New Normal' This Week'". CMSpin. 
  6. ↑ "Family Fight Night". 

External links

Newsboys
Studio albums
Remix albums
Live albums
EPs
Compilations
Videos
Related articles
Demo albums
Authority control
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