Darlene Zschech

Darlene Joyce Zschech (/dɑːrˈliːn ˈtʃɛk/; née Steinhardt on 8 September 1965) is an Australian Pentecostal Christian worship leader and singer-songwriter who primarily writes praise and worship songs. Described as a pioneer of the modern worship movement,[1] she is the former worship pastor of Hillsong Church and currently a member of Compassionart, a charity founded by Martin Smith.[2]

Darlene Zschech
Background information
Birth nameDarlene Joyce Steinhardt
Born (1965-09-08) 8 September 1965
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
OriginSydney, New South Wales, Australia
GenresContemporary worship music, contemporary Christian music
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, pastor
InstrumentsVoice
Years active1989–present
LabelsHillsong, INO, Integrity
Websitedarlenezschech.com

Life and career

Zschech starred on television at the age of 10, as part of an Australian children's show, Happy Go Round.[3] When she was 13, her parents divorced and the emotional stress of being on television and her parents' divorce resulted in her having bulimia for about four years.[4][5]

In 1980, when Zschech was 15, her father rededicated his life to Christ and began taking her to church, where she also became a committed Christian and met her future husband, Mark Zschech.[6] When they married, her husband suggested that they move from Brisbane to Sydney, which was confirmed at a small church they were visiting one Sunday when the guest speaker said in the middle of his sermon, "This doesn't happen to me very often, but whatever it is you two prayed last night, God says do it now."[7] They began attending Hills Christian Life Centre, which would become Hillsong Church.

Zschech sang jingles for a number of international companies including McDonald's, KFC and Coca-Cola, until she eventually joined the staff of Hillsong Church after penning "Shout to the Lord".[6][8] She released a vinyl album in 1987 called Make the Choice and a cassette album in 1993 called Pearls & Gold.[9]

Zschech and her husband have three daughters.

Shout to the Lord was nominated as Album of the Year for the 1997 Dove Awards and Song of the Year for the 1998 Dove Awards. In 2000, Zschech received a Dove Award nomination for Songwriter of the Year and received the International Award for influence in praise and worship.

In 2003, Zschech released her first official solo album, Kiss of Heaven. Change Your World followed in 2005. She has since released two albums, in 2011, called Simply Darlene and You Are Love. In addition to writing songs, she has written five books: Worship (1996), Extravagant Worship (2002), The Kiss of Heaven (2003), The Great Generational Transition (2009) and Revealing Jesus: A 365-Day Devotional (2013).

On 11 December 2013, Zschech was diagnosed with breast cancer.[10] In a blog dated 30 November 2014, she wrote that she has been healed of cancer, which her doctor called miraculous.[11]

Hillsong Church

Zschech was the worship pastor of Hillsong Church from 1996 to 2007, during which time she served as producer, vocal producer or executive producer for more than 20 albums under the Hillsong Music label and wrote more than 80 published worship songs.[12] Under Zschech's leadership, the album People Just Like Us (1994) was the first Christian album in Australia to be certified gold and platinum,[13] and the album For All You've Done (2004) debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Record Industry Association album charts.[14]

"Shout to the Lord"

Zschech composed "Shout to the Lord" in 1993 and it has become one of the most well-known modern worship songs, being sung by an estimated 25–30 million churchgoers every Sunday since the song's release.[15] She wrote the song during a time of personal struggle.[16] When she presented it to Hillsong's then-worship pastor, Geoff Bullock, she was so embarrassed that she requested he face away from her as she played and sang.[16]

"Shout to the Lord" was first recorded on People Just Like Us and has appeared on more than 200 different albums by numerous artists in multiple languages. It is also the title track for the first live album co-produced with Integrity Music featuring Zschech as a worship leader. It was Integrity Music's first album to feature a female worship leader. The album was nominated for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 1997 Dove Awards. The song was nominated in the 1998 Dove Awards' Song of the Year category. It has been performed for the Pope at the Vatican and for the President of the United States.[17]

Songs

Songs written or co-written by Zschech include:

  • Stone's Been Rolled Away (1993)
    • "Your Name"
  • "People Just Like Us" (1994)
  • Friends in High Places (1995)
    • "Praise His Holy Name"
    • "Rock of Ages", with Geoff Bullock
    • "Lord I Give Myself"
  • God Is in the House (1996)
    • "God Is in the House", with Russell Fragar
    • "And That My Soul Knows Very Well", with Fragar
    • "Let the Peace of God Reign"
    • "Walking in the Light"
    • "I Will Run to You"
  • All Things Are Possible (1997)
    • "All Things Are Possible"
    • "I Live to Know You"
    • "I Know It"
    • "Glory to the King"
  • Touching Heaven Changing Earth (1998)
    • "That's What We Came Here For", with Fragar
    • "I Will Bless You Lord"
    • "Jesus You're All I Need"
    • "The Potter's Hand"
  • By Your Side (1999)
    • "Sing of Your Great Love"
    • "Free to Dance"
  • For This Cause (2000)
    • "Here to Eternity", with David Moyse
    • "It Is You"
  • You Are My World (2001)
    • "Irresistible"
    • "Glorious"
    • "To You"
    • "Worthy Is the Lamb"
  • Blessed (2002)
  • Hope (2003)
    • "My Hope"
    • "Call"
    • "You Are"
  • For All You've Done (2004)
    • "You Are Worthy"
    • "Glorify Your Name", with David Holmes
  • God He Reigns (2005)
    • "Saviour"
    • "Know You More"
  • Mighty to Save (2006)
    • "More to See", with Mia Fieldes, Deborah Ezzy (Zschech's sister), Donia Makadonez and Nigel Hendroff
    • "I Believe"
    • "At the Cross", with Reuben Morgan
  • Saviour King (2007)
  • This Is Our God (2008)
    • "High and Lifted Up", with Mike Guglielmucci
  • Faith + Hope + Love (2009)
  • A Beautiful Exchange (2010)
  • God is Able (2011)
    • "Cry of the Broken"
  • You Are Love (2011)
    • "Under Grace"
    • "Saving Me"
    • "You Are Love"
    • "We are Your People"
    • "I Will Wait"
    • "Beautiful"
    • "Hope for Humanity"
    • "Faithful"
    • "Cry of the Broken"
    • "Face to face"
  • Revealing Jesus (2013)
    • "God Is Here"
    • "In Jesus' Name"
    • "Victor's Crown"
    • "Yours Forever (You Took the Nails)"
    • "My Jesus I Love Thee (I Love You Jesus)"
    • "Your Name/Cry of the Broken"
    • "I Am Yours"
    • "Shout to the Lord" (DVD only)
  • Here I Am / Send Me (2017)
    • "You are Great"
    • "You will be Praised"
    • "Daylight"
    • "Kingdom Come"
    • "First Love"
    • "Love and Wonder"
    • "Your Eyes"
    • "Emmanuel"
    • "Beloved (When I Survey)"
    • "Here I Am / Send Me"
    • "Go"

Discography

The following is a list by year of albums or single tracks which feature Zschech as a prominent vocalist or worship leader.

YearFeatured onNotes
1987Make the Choice (Darlene Zschech)first solo studio album release
1988Spirit and Truth (Hillsong Music International)first album released by Hillsong
1990Show Your Glory (Hillsong Music Australia)
1992The Power of Your Love (Hillsong Music Australia)first live album released by Hillsong
1993Stone's Been Rolled Away (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Your Name"
1993Pearls & Gold (Darlene Zschech)
1994People Just Like Us (Hillsong Music Australia)first recording of "Shout to the Lord"
1994The song "Shout to the Lord" from Jump to the Jam (Youth Alive / Hillsong Music Australia)
1995Friends in High Places (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Praise His Holy Name", "Rock of Ages" with Geoff Bullock and "Lord I Give Myself"
1996God is in the House (Hillsong Music Australia)first Hillsong Live album as worship pastor; wrote "God Is in the House" with Russell Fragar, "And That My Soul Knows Very Well" with Fragar, "Let the Peace of God Reign", "Walking in the Light" and "I Will Run To You"
1996Simply Worship (Hillsong Music Australia)
1996The song "And That My Soul Knows Very Well" on Chosen One (Youth Alive / Hillsong Music Australia)
1996Shout to the Lord (Integrity Music)first Integrity album to feature Zschech
1997All Things Are Possible (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "All Things Are Possible", "I Live to Know You", "I Know It" and "Glory to the King"
1997Simply Worship 2 (Hillsong Music Australia)
1997Hills Praise (Hillsong Music Australia and Integrity Music)
1997I Believe the Promise (London Christian Media Centre)
1998Touching Heaven, Changing Earth (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote the songs "That's What We Came Here For" with Fragar, "I Will Bless You Lord", "Jesus You're All I Need" and "The Potter's Hand"
1998Simply Worship 3 (Hillsong Music Australia)
1998Shout to the Lord 2000 (Integrity Music)
1999By Your Side (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Sing of Your Great Love" and "Free to Dance"; album received a nomination for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 2001 Dove Awards
2000For This Cause (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Here to Eternity" with David Moyse and "It Is You"
2000The Power of Your Love Symphony (Sony Music)
2000Overwhelmed (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Overwhelmed", "Jesus, Our Lord Jesus" and "The Lord is Good" with Reuben Morgan
2000You Shine (Hillsong Music Australia)
2000The Platinum Collection Volume 1: Shout to the Lord (Hillsong Music Australia)originally published as Millennium: The Story So Far; a compilation of previously recorded songs by the Hillsong team
2001You Are My World (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Irresistible", "Glorious", "To You" and "Worthy Is the Lamb"; the album received a nomination for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 2002 Dove Awards
2001Christmas (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Perfect Love" with Russell Fragar and "Hallelujah"
2002Blessed (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Blessed" with Reuben Morgan; the album received a nomination for Praise & Worship Album of the Year at the 2003 Dove Awards
2002Extravagant Worship: The Songs of Darlene Zschech (Hillsong Music Australia)a compilation of previously recorded songs; the tracks that were written by Zschech but previously recorded by a different lead vocalist were re-recorded with Zschech as the lead vocal
2002Extravagant Worship: The Songs of Reuben Morgan (Hillsong Music Australia)
2003Hope (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "My Hope", "Call" and "You Are"; the song "My Hope" was nominated for Inspirational Song of the Year at the 2004 Dove Awards
2003Kiss of Heaven (Darlene Zschech)
2003Amazing Love (Hillsong Music Australia)
2003The Platinum Collection Volume 2: Shout to the Lord 2 (Hillsong Music Australia)a compilation of previously recorded songs by the Hillsong team and a studio-recorded version of Zschech's song "My Hope"
2004For All You've Done (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "You Are Worthy" and "Glorify Your Name" with David Holmes
2004Faithful (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Mercy Endures"
2004UP: Unified Praise (Hillsong Music Australia)Zschech and the Hillsong team joined with Delirious?
2005God He Reigns (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Saviour" and "Know You More"
2005Celebrating Christmas (Hillsong Music Australia)
2005Ultimate Worship (Hillsong Music Australia)
2005Change Your World (Darlene Zschech)
2006Mighty to Save(Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "More to See" with Mia Fieldes, Deborah Ezzy (Zschech's sister), Donia Makadonez & Nigel Hendroff, "I Believe" and "At the Cross" with Reuben Morgan; the song "Mighty to Save", written by Ben Fielding and Reuben Morgan, received Worship Song of the Year at the 2009 Dove Awards
2006Songs for Communion (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "The Only Name", "Saviour" (which was previously recorded live on the album God He Reigns), "Oh the Blood" and "Worthy is the Lamb" (which was previously recorded live on You Are My World and Unified Praise)
2006Supernatural (Hillsong Kids/Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "I Will Sing" with Gio Galanti and daughters Chloe Zschech and Zoe Zschech
2007Saviour King (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "One Thing" with Marty Sampson
2007Lord of All (Hillsong Music Australia)
2008This Is Our God (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "High and Lifted Up" with Mike Guglielmucci
2008Ultimate Collection Volume II (Hillsong Music Australia)A compilation of previously released songs
2009Songs 4 Worship 50featured on the songs "Shout to the Lord" and "My Redeemer Lives"
2009Faith + Hope + Love (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "His Glory Appears" with Marty Sampson
2010A Beautiful Exchange (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Believe" with Reuben Morgan
2010The Very Best of Graham Kendrick: Knowing You Jesus (Graham Kendrick)featured on the songs "There is a Hope So Sure" and "Until the Day"
2010Con Todo (Hillsong Music Australia)Zschech sings in Spanish; the album won the award for Spanish Language Album of the Year at the 42nd GMA Dove Awards
2010One Voicefeatured on the song "Awesome Wonder"
2011God is Able (Hillsong Music Australia)wrote "Cry of the Broken"
2011Simply Darlene (Darlene Zschech)
2011You Are Love (Darlene Zschech)
2011Songs 4 Worship Ultimatefeatured on the song "Face to Face", which she wrote
2011The song "Lo Grande Que Eres Dios" on the album En Mi Lugar (Hillsong Music Australia)Zschech sings in Spanish
2011The song "Emmanuel" on the album Born is the King (Hillsong Music Australia)
2011Music Inspired by The Storyfeatured on a duet with Michael W. Smith on the track "The Great Day (Second Coming)"
2012The song "Es Tu Amor" on the album Global Project Español (Hillsong Music Australia)Zschech sings in Spanish
201225 Songs That Changed the Way We Worshipfeatured on the song "Shout to the Lord"
2012Hopefeatured on the song "My Hope"
2012The song "Emmanuel" on the album We Have a Saviour (Hillsong Music Australia)
2013The Rescue (Sidney Mohede)featured on the song "It is Done"
2013Revealing Jesus (Darlene Zschech)Zschech's first official live solo album
2013Worship Duets (Graham Kendrick)featured on the song "That Name"
2013Just As I Am (A Legacy of Hymns and Worship)featured on the song "My Jesus I Love Thee (I Love You Jesus)"
2013In Christ Alone: 25 of Today's Most Powerful Modern Hymnsfeatured on the song "Your Name/Cry of the Broken"
2013My Hope: Songs Inspired by the Message and Mission of Billy Grahamfeatured on the song "The Cross of Christ", which she wrote
2014Only King Forever (Elevation Worship)featured on the song "The Love of Jesus"
2014Heaven is For Real: Songs Inspired by the Film and Best-Selling Bookwrote and featured as lead vocal on the song "Heaven in Me"
2015In Jesus' Name: A Legacy of Worship & Faitha compilation of previously recorded songs
2017Here I Am Send Me (Darlene Zschech)live album

See also

Notes and references
  1. Hamby, DeWayne. "Darlene Zschech Reveals Jesus in Latest Album". Charisma News. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  2. Powell, Mark Allan (2002). Encyclopedia of Contemporary Christian Music (First printing ed.). Peabody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers. p. 1067. ISBN 1-56563-679-1.
  3. Terry Stewart (9 February 2008), Happy Go Round Team (QTQ 9 Archive Footage), retrieved 18 June 2018
  4. "Darlene Zschech Interview". Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  5. Camerin Courtney. "The Power of Praising God | Today's Christian Woman". Todayschristianwoman.com. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  6. Camerin Courtney. "The Power of Praising God | Today's Christian Woman". Todayschristianwoman.com. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
  7. "Darlene Zschech Interview". Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  8. "Revealing Jesus". 9 June 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2014 – via YouTube.
  9. "Darlene Zschech Discography, Darlene Zschech Artist Database | Jesusfreakhideout.com". www.jesusfreakhideout.com. Retrieved 18 June 2018.
  10. Zschech, Darlene. "Important Update from Darlene and Mark". Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 30 December 2013.
  11. "Thanksgiving". Archived from the original on 2 December 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  12. "KLOVE: Darlene Zschech". Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  13. "Socialphy: Hillsong Music Australia". Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  14. ""For All You've Done" Hillsong Music Australia – Yahoo! 7 News".
  15. "Songfacts: Darlene Zschech's Shout to the Lord". Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  16. "Hillsong's Darlene Zschech: "How I Wrote Shout to the Lord"". Retrieved 7 December 2013.
  17. Camerin Courtney. "The Power of Praising God | Today's Christian Woman". Todayschristianwoman.com. Retrieved 3 February 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.