Steven Curtis Chapman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steven Curtis Chapman
Chapman performing in Atlanta, November 2004
Background information
Birth name	Steven Curtis Chapman
Born	(1962-11-21) November 21, 1962 (age 62) Paducah, Kentucky, U.S.
Origin	Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Genres	Contemporary Christian music
Occupation(s)	Musician singer songwriter record producer actor author
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, piano
Years active	1987–present
Labels	Sparrow EMI Epic PolyEast Sony BMG Provident

Steven Curtis Chapman was born on November 21, 1962. He is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He is also an actor, author, and someone who works to help others.

Chapman started his music career in the late 1980s. He became famous for his contemporary Christian music. He has released over 25 albums and won many awards. He holds the record for the most awards in Christian music.

He has won five Grammy awards and 59 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. This is more Dove Awards than any other artist. He also won "Artist of the Year" seven times, which is another record. By 2022, Chapman had sold more than 16 million albums. Ten of his albums have been certified Gold or Platinum.

On July 27, 2024, he was invited to join the Grand Ole Opry. This is a very famous country music show.

Early Life and Music Start

Steven Curtis Chapman was born in Paducah, Kentucky. His parents are Judy and Herb Chapman. Steven's father taught guitar and owned a music store. Steven and his older brother, Herb Jr., grew up playing guitar and singing.

After high school, Chapman studied to become a doctor at Georgetown College. He later went to Anderson College for a short time. But he decided to leave college to follow his dream of making music.

He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, a big music city. He worked at a music show and started writing songs. In the 1980s, a famous gospel group called the Imperials recorded one of his songs, "Built to Last." This success helped him get a songwriting deal with Sparrow Records. Many artists, like Sandi Patty and Glen Campbell, have recorded his songs.

Releasing Albums and Winning Awards

In 1987, Chapman released his first album, First Hand. The song "Weak Days" from this album reached No. 2 on the Christian music chart. In 1988, he released Real Life Conversations. This album had four more hit songs, including "His Eyes," which went to No. 1.

"His Eyes" won an award for Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year in 1989. That same year, he also won Songwriter of the Year. He continued to release successful albums like More to This Life and For the Sake of the Call. These albums had many No. 1 songs and won more awards. For the Sake of the Call even won Chapman his first Grammy Award.

Reaching a Wider Audience

In 1992, Chapman's album The Great Adventure became very popular. It helped him reach more people beyond Christian music fans. This album won him two more Grammys.

When Sparrow Records was bought by EMI/Liberty, they helped his album become even more popular. Chapman then released a live concert album called The Live Adventure. This earned him more awards, including Songwriter and Artist of the Year from American Songwriter magazine.

His albums Heaven in the Real World, Signs of Life, and Speechless also did very well. In 2000, he voiced Baloo in a video game and again in a movie in 2022. His album Declaration (2001) and All About Love (2003) reached the Top 15 on the Billboard 200 chart.

Chapman has also released four Christmas albums. He often performs at Walt Disney World and has been a guest narrator for Disney's Candlelight Processional.

Touring and New Music

In 2006, Chapman toured several countries in Asia. He performed for U.S. troops in South Korea. He also had a concert in Shanghai, China, which was a big event for a gospel artist. His song "The Blessing" became No. 1 on radio charts in Thailand.

In 2007, Chapman toured with Jeremy Camp. He brought his sons' band, Colony House, to play with him. He also released the album This Moment, which included the hit songs "Cinderella" and "Yours."

In 2008, Chapman received a star on Nashville's Walk of Fame. In 2009, he released Beauty Will Rise. Many songs on this album were inspired by the death of his daughter, Maria Sue. He calls these songs his "personal psalms."

In 2012, Chapman signed with Sony Music's Provident Label Group. He released his fourth Christmas album, JOY, and later Deep Roots. In 2013, he released The Glorious Unfolding, his first album of new songs in seven years. This album was praised by critics and reached No. 27 on the Billboard 200 chart.

From 2014 to 2017, Chapman hosted a concert series called Sam's Place at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. In 2015, he released "Warrior" for the movie War Room. In 2019, he released Deeper Roots: Where the Bluegrass Grows, which also reached No. 1 on the Billboard Bluegrass charts.

On July 27, 2024, he was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

Family Life

Steven Curtis Chapman is a devoted Christian. He is married to Mary Beth Chapman. They met in college in the early 1980s and married in 1984. They live in Franklin, Tennessee.

They have three biological children: Emily Elizabeth, Caleb Stevenson, and Will Franklin. They also adopted three daughters from China: Shaohannah Hope Yan, Stevey Joy Ru, and Maria Sue Chunxi.

Chapman and his wife have written children's books about adoption. They also wrote books for adults about faith. In 2016, he released his memoir, Between Heaven and the Real World: My Story.

His sons Caleb and Will perform together in the band Colony House. Chapman's son, Will, married singer/songwriter Jillian Edwards in 2012.

Jillian Edwards is Chapman's daughter-in-law. She is shown performing in Chesterfield, Missouri west of St. Louis. July 2015

A Family's Loss and Hope

On May 21, 2008, Maria Sue Chunxi Chapman died in an accident. She was almost 5 years old. The accident happened in their driveway. Maria was running to meet her brother, Will Franklin, and he accidentally ran over her. The family tried to help her, but she could not be saved.

Maria's death was a very difficult time for the Chapman family. They spoke publicly about their loss and how their faith helped them heal. They appeared on TV shows and in magazines. Maria was buried in the flower girl dress she planned to wear to her sister Emily's wedding.

Chapman's next album, Beauty Will Rise, is about Maria's death and how the family coped. Steven almost stopped singing, but he realized Maria would want him to continue. An investigation found that Maria's death was an accident, and no charges were filed.

After Maria's death, Mary Beth Chapman wrote a book called Choosing to SEE: A Journey of Struggle and Hope. Steven and Mary Beth also started Maria's Big House of Hope to honor her memory.

Honorary Degree

On May 7, 2011, Steven Chapman received an honorary doctorate degree in music. This was from Anderson University, where he also gave the graduation speech.

Helping Others

In the late 1990s, Chapman became involved in preventing youth violence. This was after a shooting at his old high school in Paducah. He dedicated a song, "With Hope," to the families affected by the shooting. He also performed at a funeral for the victims.

In 2009, Show Hope finished building Maria's Big House of Hope. This is a medical care center in China for orphans with special needs. It is dedicated to Maria Sue Chunxi Chapman. Also in 2009, Steven and Mary Beth Chapman received an award for their work with Show Hope. In 2011, they received the Congressional Angels in Adoption award.

Steven Chapman has also supported World Vision, an international charity. He has helped with their programs to help people recover from Hurricane Katrina. He has also traveled to Uganda to help street children and support adoption organizations.

Views on Current Events

During the 2016 presidential election, Chapman encouraged Christians to trust in God. He asked them to avoid arguing about their different opinions. After the events at the U.S. Capitol in January 2021, Chapman released a song called "A Desperate Benediction." He said that the world and nation were "aching, longing and desperate for peace."

Music Albums

Chapman has released 23 studio albums and more than 25 albums in total. This includes 4 Christmas albums, 2 live albums, and several collections. He has sold over 11 million albums. Two of his albums are certified Platinum, and eight are certified Gold. He has also had 49 No. 1 radio songs.

Awards and Achievements

Steven Curtis Chapman has won many awards for his music.

• He has won 5 Grammy awards.
• He has won 59 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. This is more than any other artist.
• He has been named "Artist of the Year" seven times, which is a record.
• He has also won "Songwriter of the Year" many times.
• He won "Male Vocalist of the Year" several times.
• His albums like For the Sake of the Call, The Great Adventure, Heaven in the Real World, Signs of Life, Speechless, and Declaration have won "Pop/Contemporary Album of the Year" Dove Awards.
• Many of his songs, including "His Eyes," "The Great Adventure," "Go There With You," "Heaven in the Real World," "Let Us Pray," and "Dive," have won "Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year."
• He won an American Music Award for Favorite Inspirational Contemporary Artist in 2003.

See also

In Spanish: Steven Curtis Chapman para niños