Keith Green facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Keith Green
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Keith Gordon Green |
| Born | October 21, 1953 Sheepshead Bay, New York, U.S. |
| Died | July 28, 1982 (aged 28) Garden Valley, Texas, U.S. |
| Genres | Contemporary Christian music, rock and roll |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, songwriter, musician, minister |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano |
| Years active | 1965–82 |
| Labels | Decca, Sparrow, Pretty Good Records |
Keith Gordon Green (born October 21, 1953 – died July 28, 1982) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He was known for his contemporary Christian music. Keith Green was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. He is remembered as a pioneer in the Christian and Jesus Music styles. Some of his most famous songs include "There Is a Redeemer" (written by his wife, Melody), "Oh Lord You're Beautiful", and "I Want To Be More Like Jesus".
Contents
Keith Green's Early Life and Music Journey
Keith Green was born in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn, New York. In 1957, his family moved to Canoga Park, Los Angeles, California, where he grew up. His parents were Jewish and later became Christian Scientists. Keith's family loved music, and his father, Harvey, worked in the music business in Los Angeles.
Keith started playing music at a very young age. He began with the ukulele at three, the guitar at five, and the piano at seven. When he was eight, a major newspaper noticed his talent after he performed in a play called The Time of the Cuckoo. The Los Angeles Times said he gave a "winning portrayal" and "stole the show." Before this, he had already appeared in TV commercials and a TV pilot show.
At age 10, Keith played the role of Kurt von Trapp in The Sound of Music. This was at the opening of the Valley Music Theater in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles.
Becoming a Young Star
In February 1965, Keith and his father signed a five-year contract with Decca Records. Keith had already written 40 original songs. His first song released was "A Go-Go Getter" in May 1965. He wrote and published this song before signing with Decca. At just 11 years old, he became the youngest person to sign with the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP).
Decca Records wanted Keith to become a teen idol. He was often featured in fan magazines like Teen Scene and on TV shows such as The Jack Benny Program. He even appeared on the game show I've Got a Secret in May 1965. His secret was, "I just signed a five-year contract as a rock-'n'-roll singer." He even performed a song called "We'll Do a Lot of Things Together" on the show.
By the time he was 12, Keith had written 10 more songs. Time magazine wrote an article about young rock-'n'-roll singers and called him Decca Records' "prepubescent dreamboat." However, Keith's fame didn't last long. Another young singer, Donny Osmond, became very popular, and Keith was soon forgotten by the public.
As a teenager, Keith felt his music career had failed. He ran away from home and became interested in eastern mysticism. After five years of searching, he returned to the Bible. In December 1972, he wrote in his diary, "Jesus, you are hereby officially welcomed into me."
Keith Green's Christian Faith and Ministry
By age 19, Keith became very interested in the teachings of Jesus Christ from the Bible. In early 1973, he met Melody Steiner, who was also Jewish and a songwriter. They quickly became very close and married on Christmas Day, 1973.
The Greens wanted to learn more about Jesus together. In May 1975, they visited a Bible study group in Beverly Hills, California, called "Vineyard Christian Fellowship." They later said that during this study, they felt God's presence. After hearing the Gospel and learning about Jesus, Keith and Melody became born-again followers of Christ.
Starting "The Greenhouse" Ministry
In 1975, Keith and Melody, now strong believers, started inviting people who needed help into their small home in Los Angeles. They were both songwriters for CBS Records and used their earnings to support everyone who stayed with them. Their home became known as "The Greenhouse"—a place where people could grow in their faith.
The Greens continued to welcome strangers in need. They eventually bought the house next door and rented five more homes in their neighborhood. They created a safe place with Bible studies and practical guidance for young and old people. Many were teenagers and college students. Neighbors were sometimes surprised because up to 75 people, including bikers, homeless individuals, and pregnant girls, lived in the Green's homes.
In 1977, the Greens' personal outreach became a non-profit organization called Last Days Ministries. Keith also became an ordained minister. He saw his music as a way to share his ministry.
Keith's ministry was inspired by Jesus' words in the Bible. He was also influenced by friends like Winkie Pratney and Leonard Ravenhill, who introduced him to Charles Finney. Finney was a preacher who taught about God's holiness. Keith often encouraged his concert listeners to change their lives and follow Christ more fully. He also learned about the need for missionaries worldwide. He realized that all Christians should experience mission work. This change in his thinking can be seen in his music, starting with his album So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt in 1980.
Recording Music for God
Keith signed with Contemporary Christian music label Sparrow Records in 1976. He worked on the album Firewind (1976) with other Christian artists.
His first solo album, For Him Who Has Ears to Hear, was released in 1977 and became very popular. His second album, No Compromise, came out in 1978. Melody wrote that the title showed what Keith wanted to tell other Christians: to stop compromising and live fully for Christ.
In 1979, Keith decided not to charge money for his concerts or albums. He and Melody even mortgaged their home to pay for his next album, So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt. This album, which featured Bob Dylan, was offered by mail or at concerts for any price people wanted to pay. By May 1982, Keith had sent out over 200,000 copies of his album, with 61,000 given away for free. His later albums included The Keith Green Collection (1981) and Songs for the Shepherd (1982). Some people in the music industry thought Keith's methods were strange. But Keith believed he had to live what he preached. He felt he couldn't charge for music when the message of the Gospel was free.
When Christian bookstores sold his music, they included a second free cassette with every one purchased. This was so people could give it to a friend and help spread the Gospel.
Last Days Ministries Spreads the Word
In 1978, Last Days Ministries (LDM) started publishing the Last Days Newsletter from the Greens' garage. It began as a few pages but grew into a small, colorful magazine. It was renamed the Last Days Magazine in 1985. After Keith's death in 1982, Melody continued to lead the ministry. By the mid-1980s, the Last Days Magazine was sent to over 500,000 people worldwide.
In 1979, the ministry moved from Los Angeles to a 40-acre property in Garden Valley, Texas. Within a few years, Last Days Ministries bought more land, making their property 140 acres in total.
Keith Green's Tragic Death
Keith Green died on July 28, 1982, in a plane crash. He was with 11 other people when the plane, leased by Last Days Ministries, crashed after taking off from their property. The small plane was taking 11 passengers and the pilot, Don Burmeister, on a tour of the LDM property. Keith and two of his children, three-year-old Josiah and two-year-old Bethany, were on board. Also on the plane were John and Dede Smalley and their six children, who were visiting church planters. Keith's wife, Melody, was at home with their one-year-old daughter, Rebekah. She was also six weeks pregnant with their fourth child, Rachel, who was born in March 1983.
Investigators found that the plane was too heavy and its weight was not balanced correctly. This made it very hard to control. The hot weather also made it more difficult for the plane to climb. These factors caused the plane to crash into trees less than a mile from the airport.
Keith Gordon Green, Josiah David Green, and Bethany Grace Green are buried together in the Garden Valley Cemetery in Texas.
Last Days Ministries Continues On
Melody Green continued to lead Last Days Ministries from Texas until 1996. She then moved to California and started Last Days Ministries Online. Here, all of Keith's writings are available for free, and his music can be found. A free monthly Last Days Ministries Newsletter is also sent out to those who request it.
Melody also manages the Keith Green Facebook page to honor him. She also shares her thoughts and interacts with fans on her own Melody Green Facebook Page.
Keith Green's Lasting Legacy
After Keith's death, two full albums of his original songs were released: The Prodigal Son (1983) and Jesus Commands Us to Go! (1984). Another album, I Only Want to See You There (1983), mostly contained songs that had been released before. A collection of his recorded work, The Ministry Years, was released in two parts in 1987 and 1988. This collection included five songs that had never been released before.
Another unreleased Christian song called "Born Again" by Keith and Melody was finally released in 1999. This was 17 years after his death. It was part of the First Love video and CD. Both included a two-song tribute to Keith by other Christian artists.
In 2008, Melody and her grown daughters, Rebekah Joy and Rachel Hope, worked with Sparrow Records. They released The Live Experience – Special Edition. This was a CD/DVD set with 16 live recordings and 4 hours of DVD footage. It included videos of live performances and details about Keith's life and passing. A greatest hits album was also released at the same time. It had 17 of Keith's most popular songs and one more previously unreleased Christian song, "Your Love Came Over Me."
On November 23, 2009, the EP Happy Birthday to You Jesus was released. It included a talk by Keith about Christmas and another unreleased song, "Happy Birthday to You Jesus."
Keith was a very active writer. His personal writings were published in books like A Cry in the Wilderness (1993), If You Love the Lord (2000), and Make My Life a Prayer (2001).
Tribute Albums by Other Artists
In 1992, many artists came together to re-record Keith's well-known songs for a tribute album called No Compromise: Remembering the Music of Keith Green. Artists like Petra, Charlie Peacock, Susan Ashton, and Rich Mullins contributed to this album.
In 2001, another tribute album was released called Start Right Here: Remembering the Life of Keith Green. It featured performances by newer Christian artists such as MxPx and Joy Electric.
For the 20th anniversary of Keith's death, Sparrow Records released another tribute album, Your Love Broke Through: The Worship Songs of Keith Green. This 2002 album had new recordings by artists like Rebecca St. James, Chris Tomlin, and Matt Redman. The album also included a version of "There Is One," an unfinished song by Keith. Michael W. Smith and Martin Smith finished writing this song.
Honors and Recognition
On November 27, 2001, Keith Green was honored by being inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Melody Green and their daughters, Rebekah and Rachel, accepted the award for him.
On April 3, 2006, Keith was given the ASCAP Crescendo Award at the 28th annual ASCAP Christian Music Awards. His widow, Melody Green, and their daughter Rachel were there to receive the award.
Documentaries and Films
The Keith Green Story - Your Love Broke Through is a 2002 documentary DVD about Keith's life. It was directed by Daren Thomas and produced by Melody Green. Toby Mac narrated the film.
In 2011, Melody Green announced that a movie about Keith's life was being planned. As of 2013, the film was still being developed.
Keith Green's Music Albums
Albums Released During His Life: 1965–1982
Mainstream Recordings
Christian Albums
- For Him Who Has Ears to Hear (May 20, 1977)
- No Compromise (November 9, 1978)
- So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt (May 7, 1980)
- The Keith Green Collection (August 11, 1981)
- Songs for the Shepherd (April 12, 1982)
Albums Released After His Death
Christian Albums
- I Only Want to See You There (March 21, 1983)
- The Prodigal Son (August 15, 1983)
- Jesus Commands Us to Go! (July 20, 1984)
- The Ministry Years Volume One 1977-1979 (1987)
- The Ministry Years, Volume Two 1980-1982 (1988)
- The Early Years (1996)
- Best of Keith Green: Asleep in the Light (1996)
- Because of You: Songs of Testimony (1998)
- Here Am I, Send Me: Songs of Evangelism (1998)
- Make My Life a Prayer to You: Songs of Devotion (1998)
- Oh Lord, You're Beautiful: Songs of Worship (1998)
- The Ultimate Collection (DVD/CD release) (2002)
- Live Experience (CD) (April 29, 2008)
- Greatest Hits (April 29, 2008)
- Happy Birthday to You Jesus (November 23, 2009)
- Icon (July 16, 2013)
- 20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Keith Green (February 3, 2015)
- The Studio Collection 6 CD Box Set (December 12, 2022)
Mainstream Albums
- Keith Green Live (His Incredible Youth) (1995)
- The Early Word (February 13, 2009)
Tribute Albums by Other Artists
- No Compromise: Remembering the Music of Keith Green (1993)
- Start Right Here: Remembering the Life of Keith Green (2001)
- Your Love Broke Through: The Worship Songs Of Keith Green (2002)
See also
In Spanish: Keith Green para niños
