{"id":1251,"date":"2010-06-09T13:40:47","date_gmt":"2010-06-09T13:40:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/gospelsoundcheck\/2010\/06\/christian-rock-pioneer-dana-ke.html"},"modified":"2010-06-09T13:40:47","modified_gmt":"2010-06-09T13:40:47","slug":"christian-rock-pioneer-dana-ke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gospelsoundcheck\/2010\/06\/christian-rock-pioneer-dana-ke.html","title":{"rendered":"Christian rock pioneer Dana Key dies at 56; memorial service Thursday, June 10 2010"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Dana<\/span>Christian music lost a pioneer this week when Dana Key passed away suddenly on Sunday, June 6 from a ruptured pulmonary embolism. He was 56.
\nAs part of the Christian rock duo DeGarmo and Key, Dana Key was at the forefront of Christian rock in the 70s and 80s (the pair would later go on to found Forefront Records). While still in high school, DeGarmo and Key formed the band Globe, which was signed to Hi Records, a subisidiary of London Records.<\/p>\n


\nIn 1972, Eddie DeGarmo attended a show by early Christian artist Dallas Holm, responded to an altar call and committing his life to following Jesus. Eventually Dana Key followed his friend into the Christian faith and the two decided to leave the music business.
\nBut after hearing Larry Norman’s music the pair realized they could couple their evangelistic hearts with their love for music, and formed one of Christian music’s early rock acts, signing first with Pat Boone’s Lamb and Lion label before moving to the Benson imprint, Power Disks.
\nin 1995, Key helped found Ardent Records, going on to produce projects for artists like Big Tent Revival, Smalltown Poets, Todd Agnew and Skillet, and was also an executive producer on all Ardent label releases through 2002.
\nTodd Agnew, who Dana Key signed to Ardent, <\/a>said on his blog about Key and Agnew learned from him:<\/p>\n

“Dana was a mentor and role model to me. There’s no way I can capture what I learned here in a hotel typing on my phone. I wish I had recorded it all and could put it in a book for you: Wisdom from one Christian Generation to the Next. But I can’t.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Since 2002, Key has served as the head pastor of The Love of Christ Church in Memphis, TN.
\nA Memorial service for Dana Key will be held:<\/strong>
\nThursday June 10th at 1pm
\nWoodland Hills Event Center (TLC Church)
\n10000 Woodland Hills Dr.
\nCordova, TN, 38018.
\nFlowers may also be sent to this address.
\nIf you would like to make a financial contribution to the memorial fund, please send to<\/strong>:
\nTLC Church – Dana Key Family
\n4199 Pheasant Hill Cove N
\nLakeland TN, 38002
\nYou can learn more about Dana Key and Ardent Records on the label’s website.<\/a>
\nRELATED POST:<\/strong>
\nChristian music trivia: In 1985, which Christian rock act’s video was banned from MTV for allegedly being too violent?<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Christian music lost a pioneer this week when Dana Key passed away suddenly on Sunday, June 6 from a ruptured pulmonary embolism. He was 56. As part of the Christian rock duo DeGarmo and Key, Dana Key was at the forefront of Christian rock in the 70s and 80s (the pair would later go on…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-christian-music-history","category-christian-music-news"],"yoast_head":"\nChristian rock pioneer Dana Key dies at 56; memorial service Thursday, June 10 2010 - Gospel Soundcheck<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/gospelsoundcheck\/2010\/06\/christian-rock-pioneer-dana-ke.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Christian rock pioneer Dana Key dies at 56; memorial service Thursday, June 10 2010 - Gospel Soundcheck\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Christian music lost a pioneer this week when Dana Key passed away suddenly on Sunday, June 6 from a ruptured pulmonary embolism. 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