Steffany Gretzinger

Steffany Gretzinger
Birth name Steffany Dawn Frizzell
Also known as Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger, Steffany Frizzell
Born (1984-11-08) November 8, 1984
Origin Redding, California
Genres contemporary Christian, praise and worship, and folk music
Occupation(s) worship leader, singer-songwriter
Instruments vocals
Years active 2011–present
Labels Bethel Music
Website Steffany Gretzinger

Steffany Gretzinger (born November 8, 1984), also appearing with the surnames Frizzell and Frizzell-Gretzinger, is an American worship leader at the charismatic Christian Bethel Church, an ensemble vocalist with Bethel Music, and a published singer-songwriter working principally in the genre of Christian music. After a number of contributions to the albums of Bethel Music and collaborations with other musicians, Gretzinger released her first solo album, The Undoing, with Bethel in 2014. Gretzinger's work at Bethel Music has contributed to a sound that has been described as distinct among such contemporary Christian groups, and as "colorful, progressive, and sometimes explosive."[1] with a personal songwriting and singing style that is powerful. Her debut with The Undoing was a Billboard magazine breakthrough release, reaching number twenty in the magazine's Billboard 200, and top five status among Christian and independent albums in September 2014.

Early life

Gretzinger was born Steffany Dawn Frizzell on November 8, 1984 to mother Kathryn Holmes Frizzell and father Ronald Alan Frizzell. Her mother Kathryn is also a songwriter.

Career

Gretzinger's work is "primarily as a worship leader" (as described in 2017), with a "Christian praise [and] worship collective", Bethel Music,[2] associated with Bethel Church in Redding, California,[3] a charismatic Christian congregation that is a "hub of a global revival movement", and whose worship practices are based on beliefs in miraculous healing and movements of the Holy Spirit.[4][3]

Frizzell-Gretzinger has been very involved in a variety of Bethel Music releases of collected music based on praise and worship gatherings,[2] including on background vocals for Be Lifted High (2011, as Steffany Frizzell),[5] including singing One Thirst with fellow Bethel collective member Jeremy Riddle.[6][7] She also performed background vocals on fellow Bethel Music member William Matthew's release, Hope's Anthem (2011, as Steffany Frizzell).[5]

Another release from such a gathering that was very well received was The Loft Sessions (2012, again as Steffany Frizzell), where she was a featured vocalist and composer (and performed background vocals).[5] The Loft Sessions was live recording made "over several nights of worship sessions" in a rustic, refurbished loft,[2] on which she was featured singing You Know Me (solo) and My Dear (with Hunter Thompson).[8][9][10] That same year, she was featured on the album For the Sake of the World, singing the hit song Closer.[11] She joined Bethel again with substantial work on their release of Tides (2013),[2] also released internationally (e.g., on the Onimusic label in Brazil),[1] with her songs Letting Go and Be Still.[12]

Gretzinger's first solo album, The Undoing (2014), presented her singing eleven original praise and worship pieces, accompanied by guitar and piano,[2] and was released in August by Bethel Music.[13][14] The album was a Billboard magazine breakthrough release, and appeared on the Top Christian Albums chart at No. 2,[15] the Independent Albums chart at No. 5,[16] and the The Billboard 200 chart at No. 20.[17]

Since recording The Undoing, Gretzinger has been featured on two further Bethel Music albums, You Make Me Brave (2014) singing her song We Dance,[18] and Have It All (2016) singing her song Pieces,[19] the latter of which was also featured on fellow Bethel member Amanda Cook's release, Brave New World (2015).[20]

Style

Gretzinger's contributions at Bethel Music is to a sound that has been described as being distinct from that of other such Christian worship groups, for instance, with their creating a sound landscape (paisagem sonora) that is "colorful, progressive, and sometimes explosive, drawing heavily on analog synthesizers and pulsating beats" (colorida, progressiva, e às vezes explosiva; baseando-se pesadamente em sintetizadores analógicos e ritmos pulsates) for the album, Tides, in 2013.[1]

With regard to her personal and solo style, Gretzinger's songwriting and singing has been described as powerful by Steve Leggett at AllMusic.com, who characterizes her choice of instrumental production in The Undoing as "stripped-down, intimate piano and guitar".[2]

Influences and Influenced

There are published testimonies of young worship leaders taking their inspiration from the worship teams at Jesus Culture, Bethel, and Hillsong, including from Gretzinger.[21]

In addition to evidence of influence on individuals from different Christian denominations and theologies,[21][22] the influence of the work of Bethel Church's music ministry, of which Gretzinger has been a regular part, is evident in the references made to it in published Christian works,[3][23] and in its mention by other musicians (e.g., Brian "Head" Welch of KoЯn).[24]

Personal life

Steffany Dawn Frizzell married Stephen Gretzinger in 2012 at a ceremony at TBS Ranch and Estate in Palo Cedro, California.[25] As of April 2017, they have one child, a daughter, Wonder Grace,[26] born in September 2014. The Gretzingers live in Redding, California.[26]

Discography

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US US
Christ		 US
Indie
The Undoing 20[17] 2[15] 5[16]

Singles

Year Single Peak chart positions Album
US Christian
[27]
2017 "King Of My Heart" with Bethel Music and Jeremy Riddle 29 Starlight
"Extravagant" with Bethel Music and Amanda Cook 30

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Lopes, Leiliane Roberta (August 11, 2013). "Bethel Music lança o CD "Tides" gravado em estúdio" [Bethel Music Releases the CD "Tides," a Studio Recording]. Gospel Prime (in Portuguese). San Francisco, CA: GospelPrime.com.br. Retrieved April 3, 2017. [Quote:] …gravado em estúdio e distribuído no Brasil com o selo da Onimusic. O álbum vem com canções escritas durante um período de mudança e transição que o ministério passou. [Transl., ...recorded in studio and distributed in Brazil with the Onimusic label. The album comes with songs written during a period of change and transition through which the ministry has gone.]
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Leggett, Steve (2017). "Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger: Biography". San Francisco CA: RhythmOne, LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2017 – via AllMusic.com. [Quote:] Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger has worked primarily as a worship leader, but her powerful singing and praise [and] worship songwriting have been featured on several Bethel Music songs and albums… She released her debut solo album, The Undoing, featuring 11 of her praise [and] worship songs in a stripped-down, intimate piano and guitar style, in 2014.
  3. 1 2 3 Jones, Martyn Wendell (April 24, 2016). "Kingdom Come in California? [Inside the Popular, Controversial Bethel Church]". Christianity Today. Carol Stream, IL: ChristianityToday.org. 60 (4): 30ff. Retrieved March 31, 2017.
  4. ↑ Galli, Mark (April 24, 2016). "The Theology That Drives Bethel". In Jones, Martyn Wendell. Inside the Popular, Controversial Bethel Church [Christianity Today]. Carol Stream, IL: ChristianityToday.org. Retrieved March 31, 2017. [Quote:] Mainstream evangelical concerns about Bethel Church run parallel to their concern about the 'realized eschatology' found in… the charismatic movement. This theology holds that while the kingdom of God has a future reality in the New Jerusalem, it is already an invisible, spiritual reality, fully functioning now, as promised by Jesus (John 14:12-14). / Consequently, some charismatics strive to bring theocratic rule to bear on their nation… Others teach that all believers can be blessed with financial prosperity and physical health—thus the fervent belief in miraculous healing… [and] in ecstatic movements of the Spirit, such as speaking in tongues, being slain in the Spirit, and holy laughter.
  5. 1 2 3 AllMusic Staff (2017). "Steffany Frizzell: Credits". San Francisco CA: RhythmOne, LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2017 – via AllMusic.com. [Quote, table entries, all 2011:] Be Lifted High: Live Worship From Bethel Church, Bethel Music, Vocals (Background) / … Hope's Anthem, William Matthews, Vocals (Background) / The Loft Sessions, Bethel Music, Vocals, Vocals (Background), Composer, Featured Artist. [One redundantly appearing release omitted.]
  6. ↑ Bethel Music Staff (2017). "Be Lifted High". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  7. ↑ AllMusic Staff (2017). "Bethel Music, Be Lifted High: Live Worship From Bethel Church". San Francisco CA: RhythmOne, LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2017 – via AllMusic.com. Tracks at this source provide no individual performer names, only "Bethel Music / feat: Be Lifted High".
  8. ↑ O'Brien, Jon (2016). "Bethel Music, The Loft Sessions: AllMusic Review…". San Francisco CA: RhythmOne, LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2017 – via AllMusic.com. [Quote:] …newcomers Hunter Thompson and Steffany Frizzell equip themselves well on the delightfully twinkling "My Dear" and the orchestral melancholy of "You Know Me"…
  9. ↑ LTTM Staff (January 23, 2012). "Bethel Music Release New Live CD-DVD 'The Loft Sessions'". Retrieved December 31, 2016 – via LouderThanTheMusic.com.
  10. ↑ Bethel Music Staff (2017). "The Loft Sessions". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  11. ↑ Bethel Music Staff (2017). "For the Sake of the World". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  12. ↑ Bethel Music Staff (2017). "Tides". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  13. ↑ AllMusic Staff (2015). "Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger: Discography". San Francisco CA: RhythmOne, LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2017 – via AllMusic.com.
  14. ↑ Bethel Music Staff (2017). "The Undoing". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  15. 1 2 Billboard Staff (September 13, 2014). "Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger: Charts, Top Christian Albums". Retrieved April 1, 2017 – via Billboard.com.
  16. 1 2 Billboard Staff (September 13, 2014). "Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger: Charts, Independent Albums". Retrieved April 1, 2017 – via Billboard.com.
  17. 1 2 Billboard Staff (September 13, 2014). "Steffany Frizzell-Gretzinger: Charts, Billboard 200". Retrieved April 1, 2017 – via Billboard.com.
  18. ↑ Bethel Music Staff (2017). "You Make Me Brave". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  19. ↑ Bethel Music Staff (2017). "Have It All". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  20. ↑ Bethel Music Staff (2017). "Brave New World". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  21. 1 2 See for instance, Flores, Karina (March 23, 2017). "Prayer, Music and Strength: A Walk With Christ". The Record. Goshen, IN: Goshen College. Retrieved April 1, 2017. [Quote:] I began to get inspiration from world-famous worship leaders like Kim Walker from Jesus Culture, Steffany Gretzinger from Bethel Music and Taya Smith from Hillsong.
  22. ↑ Note, Goshen College is not a charismatic academic venue, rather, a part of a network of Mennonite institutions of higher education, see sources that article.
  23. ↑ See for instance, Francis, Jermaine (2017). "Ch. 18". Break up with Defeat: Recognize and Shatter Hidden Mindsets That Defeat You. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson/WestBow Press. p. 1. ISBN 1512772321. Retrieved April 1, 2017. This work references "Out of Hiding" by Amanda Cook and Gretzinger.
  24. ↑ See for instance, Welch, Brian "Head" (2016). With My Eyes Wide Open: Miracles and Mistakes on My Way Back to KoRn. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson. p. 152. ISBN 0718030613. Retrieved April 1, 2017. [Quote:] …a lot of great music comes out of [Bethel Church], like the artists Jesus Culture, Brian and Jenn Johnson, Steffany Gretzinger, Jeremy Riddle and Amanda Falk, and others...
  25. ↑ Armstrong, Heather (August 28, 2012). "Steffany Frizzell Wedding". HeatherArmstrongPhotography.com. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
  26. 1 2 Gretzinger, Steffany & Bethel Music Staff (2017). "Steffany Gretzinger". Redding, CA: Bethel Music. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
  27. ↑ Illegal name entered steffany gretzinger%5b%5bCategory:Articles using Billboard ID with invalid artist%5d%5d/steffany+gretzinger/chart?f=355 "Steffany Gretzinger Album & Song Chart History - Christian Songs" Check |url= value (help). Billboard. Retrieved May 5, 2016.

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