Jeff Deyo

ARTIST PROFILE:
• Began playing his first instrument (piano) at the age of 6—also plays acoustic guitar and drums/percussion.
• Wrote his first song at the age of 10.
• Relocating to Nashville, Deyo eventually joined the band Zilch, which decided to make two modern worship albums, changing its name to SONICFLOOd in the process.
• As the founding lead singer, principal songwriter and co-producer of SONICFLOOd, Deyo has sold over 1 million combined albums.
• His debut with SONICFLOOd was certified GOLD in 2001.
• Deyo and SONICFLOOd won a Dove Award (PRAISE & WORSHIP ALBUM OF THE YEAR) for the self-titled debut.
• Deyo is a 2002 GRAMMY Nominee as the worship leader on the second hit album, SONICPRAISe.
• Having departed SONICFLOOd, Deyo formed a new band in 2001 to back him as he continues in his calling full-time as an international worship leader.
• Deyo’s “solo” debut, SATURATE, features his touring band as well as guest appearances by: dc Talk's tobyMac, Fleming and John (Ben Folds, William Shatner), Nicol Smith (Selah, Wynonna) and Grammy Award winner Rebecca St. James—on the Deyo-penned duet, "Sing To You."
• During 2000-2001, Deyo funded, hosted and led a large worship and prayer event called WorshipCityPraise in his hometown of Nashville—the gathering, which regularly drew 1,000-1,500 people, drew a record 10,000 attendees on June 9, 2001 during a special full-day WorshipCityPraise mega-event. As a result of Deyo's efforts, the Nashville City Council proclaimed June 9 and each second Saturday of June thereafter as Worship City USA Day in Nashville.
• 2002 Dove Award winner for writing and recording the song “These Hands” for Max Lucado’s HE CHOSE THE NAILS concept album. Other artists on the project included Twila Paris, Wes King,
Natalie Grant and Kim Hill.
• Co-wrote and recorded with his band the song “Fill Me” for Acquire the Fire’s UNSHAKEABLE album (Teen Mania). Additional artists on the project included Phil Joel (Newsboys), Tiffany Arbuckle (Plumb), and Superchic(k).
• As a solo artist Deyo has shared the stage with Michael W. Smith, dc Talk, Third Day and Ron Kenoly, among others.
• Led worship during speaking engagements involving Dawson McAllister, Melody Green, Max Lucado, Louie Giglio, Darrell Scott (father of slain Columbine student, Rachel Scott) and actor Kirk Cameron.
• Led worship for a conference co-hosted by the largest church in the world—Dr. David Yonggi Cho’s church in Seoul Korea.

PERSONAL PROFILE:
• Reared along with his older sister by parents in Youth For Christ.
• Had a pet dog named “Cookie” as a child.
• Drumline captain in the Lawrence North High School (Indianapolis, IN) marching band (State Champs in 1985).
• Married his wife Martha on May 23, 1992.
• Graduated from Anderson University as a tranfer student from Wheaton College in 1992 with a BA in Music Business (piano emphasis).
• He and Martha served in Singapore for 8 months as missionaries with Youth For Christ in 1992-93.
• Hobbies include hiking, water skiing, writing, email, listening to the GLADIATOR soundtrack, recording and mentoring young artists, songwriting, eating Mexican food, and “watching a good movie with my beautiful wife.”
• Described as outgoing, deep, a neat freak, passionate, humorous, a natural leader, driven, one who strives for excellence, a teacher and a romantic.
• Pet Peeves: cigarette smoke, unclean restrooms, rude service, when people try to guess what you're going to say before you say it, and inconsiderate drivers.
• Nicknames: "Jeff the Peff," "Sonny," "Boss (JD Boss Hogg)," "Jazzy Daddy (for short, JD)" and"Ronnie James."

Light

As one of the premier songwriters and worship leaders of today, Jeff Deyo has made a significant mark on the Christian music landscape. As the voice behind classic worship songs like “I Could Sing of Your Love Forever,” “In the Secret” and “My Refuge,” which he recorded with the original Dove Award-winning group Sonicflood, Deyo has helped invigorate the heart of worship for a whole new generation. In his role as Sonicflood’s lead singer, primary songwriter and coproducer, Deyo saw the band’s gold-certified, self-titled debut (1999) and its Grammy-nominated follow-up, Sonicpraise (2001), reach combined sales of over one million albums.

Deyo followed that success with the release of his debut solo album, Saturate, in early 2002. The critically-acclaimed project garnered him a 2003 Dove Award nomination for New Artist of the Year, while the single “More Love, More Power” landed at No. 1 on R&R’s Christian pop radio chart.

The early success in Deyo’s career, which came with its own set of obstacles, did not steer him from his original calling and vision. “The Lord has really shown me that I shouldn’t put too much trust or hope in the things that man says,” Deyo admits. “I had to decide that I was going to focus solely on the Lord’s voice. I’m just blessed to be a part of this industry, and I’m grateful to be able to do what God has called me to do.” Jeff is now joined by his new band, Charlie Goddard on guitar, Jeremy McCoy on bass, Fred Williams on keys and Nate Winters on drums.

Further cementing Deyo’s place as a modern worship pioneer, his newest album on Gotee Records, LIGHT, ushers in a brand new crop of original songs written entirely by Deyo and his band. Songs like “As I Lift You Up,” “I Love You,” “Take Me to You” and the album’s title cut, “Ray of Light,” represent the musical diversity and lyrical maturity that have continued to cause listeners to gravitate toward Deyo’s dynamic choruses and emotion-packed vocals.

Co-produced by Deyo, Bryan Lenox and Otto Price, LIGHT’s stand-out tracks include the album’s first single, “Bless the Lord,” featuring a guest performance by worship artist Rita Springer. Other highlights include “We Come to Your Throne with Weeping,” a duet with Third Day’s Mac Powell and a collaboration with artist Natalie Grant on “Keep My Heart.” The album also features a bonus live version of the Deyo-penned congregational favorite, “These Hands.”

The new album’s title comes straight from the lyrics to “Ray of Light,” the project’s driving opener. You have become my ray of light / When I knew my sun was fading / You are the source of all my soul / You’re the pure fire penetrating. “There are two main descriptions of light used in the scriptures,” Deyo explains. “There’s the idea of God’s people being the salt and light of the world, as well as that of Jesus Christ himself being the Light in the darkness. There’s a passage in Revelation that I often read from stage that says when we get to heaven, we won’t have any need for the sun or moon because God, Himself, will be our light.

“I pray that as people worship God and use this record to draw closer to Him, the light of God—the truth of God—will illuminate inside of them, allowing His piercing ray to cut through untruth, weird doctrine, denominations, disobedience, selfishness, or whatever might be keeping them from truly knowing and loving God.”

Following appearances at numerous worship events, including his innovative Pure Worship tour last year, Deyo will lead worship at conferences all over the world in 2004, including YC2004, Canada’s largest youth conference, expecting 16,000 kids in attendance. !

It is the live events that seem to fuel Deyo’s passion and that facilitate a Godsized collision of his music and ministry. “I love meeting people and being able to pour into their lives,” Deyo says. “I want God to be moving in a way that is supernatural and bigger than man. Worship is not a new thing. Worship existed before Adam was created. Worship is a lifestyle—it’s obedience, it’s loving your wife; it’s obeying your parents. Modern worship music is defined by songs that continue to bring a freshness to honoring and exalting our Creator that is relevant to our time.”

Relevance is a key ingredient in Jeff Deyo’s music, and this passionate musical
pioneer continues to light the way for a new generation of worshipers, helping
them find a radiant connection in their ongoing pursuit of God.