Rebecca St. James
(born Rebecca Jean Smallbone
on July 26, 1977), is a multiple Dove Award and Grammy Award-winning Christian pop rock singer, songwriter, musician, published author, actor and an outspoken teenage sexual abstinence and pro-life advocate. She is known for her hit singles including "Wait For Me", "God" and others.
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REBECCA ST. JAMES TICKETS
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Early life
Rebecca St. James was born
Rebecca Jean Smallbone
on July 26, 1977 in
Sydney, Australia to parents David and Helen Smallbone.
[1] In 1991 at the age of 13, she released an
independent album titled
Refresh My Heart
in Australia, under the stage name of "Rebecca Jean".
[2] [3] Soon after its release, her family moved to the
United States where her father received a job offer.
Musical career
St. James' musical career began in 1990 when she opened shows for
CCM artist
Carman during his Australian tour. In 1991, she released her first album,
Refresh My Heart
, under the name Rebecca Jean. Later that year, she moved to the
United States upon signing with
ForeFront Records, and took her stage name at the label's request. In 1994 she released her major label debut titled
Rebecca St. James
.
God
and Pray
(1996–1999)
On June 25, 1996, Rebecca St. James released her sophomore album
God
, led by the hit
title track. The album took Rebecca's music in a new direction, focusing more on rock. It opened to positive reviews
[4] and debuted and peaked at 200 on the
Billboard 200 [5]. It also charted at no. 10 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and no. 6 on Billboard's Contemporary Christian chart.
[6]. In 1997 she was nominated for a
Grammy for Best Rock/Gospel Album for
God
and in 2005 the album was
RIAA certified Gold for selling over 500,000 copies.
[7] To promote the album, Rebecca released a devotion book titled
40 Days with God
in 1996.
[8]
In 1997, Rebecca released the sequel to her hit devotional book, titled
You're the Voice: 40 More Days with God
.
[9] On October 7 of the same year, she released her first holiday album, simply titled
Christmas
. The album charted at no. 12 on Billboard's Heatseekers chart and no. 14 on the Top Contemporary Christian chart.
[10]
On October 20, 1998, Rebecca released her third studio album,
Pray
, which opened to mixed reviews.
[11] [12] The album managed to chart at no. 168 on the
Billboard 200, and no. 5 on both the Heatseekers Chart and the Contemporary Christian Chart.
[13] The album won a
Grammy in 1999 for Best Rock/Gospel Album
[14], and in 2006 it was
RIAA certified Gold for selling over 500,000 copies.
[7]
In 1999, Rebecca released a song titled "Yes, I Believe In God" to radio only, in memory of the lives lost at the
Columbine shooting. The song was later released on the album
Wait For Me: The Best From Rebecca St. James
.
[16]
Also in 1999, Rebecca released a VHS titled
No Secrets
featuring interviews of her and her family, behind-the-scenes footage and the music video for the song "Pray".
[17]
Transform
, Worship God
and 10 Year Anniversary (2000–2004)
On October 24, 2000, Rebecca released a brand new album titled
Transform
. The album charted at no. 166 on the
Billboard 200, no. 7 on the Heatseekers Chart and no. 14 on the Contemporary Christian Chart.
[18] The album garnered positive reviews
[18] [20] and featured the hit songs "
Wait For Me" and "
Reborn". Later in 2001, the devotional book,
40 Days with God
was re-released with a new layout and five new devotions.
[21]
In 2000, Rebecca made a cameo in the film
Left Behind: The Movie
.
In 2002, to promote the hit single "
Wait For Me" from
Transform
, Rebecca released the book
Wait For Me: Rediscovering the Joy of Purity in Romance
[22], which went on to sell over 100,000 copies and spawn a journal
[23] and study guide.
[24] The song and book promotes sexual abstinence before marriage, and Rebecca has since become a major spokesperson for the subject.
A year and a half later on February 26, 2002, Rebecca released the album
Worship God
. The album opened to extremely positive reviews
[25] [26] and charted at no. 94 on the
Billboard 200, marking St. James' first Top 100 album, and no. 5 on the Contemporary Christian chart.
[27] She released a DVD to promote the album November 19, 2002 that featured music videos, interviews, etc.
[28]
On March 25, 2003, celebrating 10 years signed to
ForeFront Records, Rebecca released her first greatest hits project titled
Wait For Me: The Best From Rebecca St. James
which features 16 of her biggest hits and two new songs
[29], including the hit "
I Thank You" which managed to peak at no. 2 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs chart.
[30] The album failed to make the
Billboard 200, but charted at no. 16 on the Contemporary Christian chart.
[31]
On February 24, 2004, Rebecca released her very first live album titled
Live Worship: Blessed Be Your Name
which features 7 new songs and 2 studio recorded songs. The album charted at no. 187 on the
Billboard 200 and no. 12 on the Top Christian Albums chart.
[32] Later that year, Rebecca released her book
SHE: Safe, Healthy, Empowered: The Woman You're Made to Be
.
[33]
Also in 2004, Rebecca starred in the stage musical
!Hero
as a modern day Mary Magdalene aka "Maggie".
[34] Aside from that, Rebecca lended her voice to the
VeggieTales episode
An Easter Carol
as Hope the Music Box Angel.
[35]
If I Had One Chance to Tell You Something
(2005–2008)
thumb
After taking a hiatus from recording music, Rebecca returned to the studio in early 2005 to record new songs. On October 24, 2005, the first single from the upcoming album, "Alive", was released.
[36] The song managed to chart at #3 on R&R's CHR Chart
[37] and #13 on Billboard's Hot Christian Songs Chart.
[38] The new album, titled
If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something
was released on November 22, 2005. The album opened to fairly positive reviews.
[39] [40] It charted at #14 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums Chart, but failed to make the Billboard 200.
[41]
On July 1, 2005 Rebecca released a Teen Edition of her hit book,
SHE
[42] and on October 1, 2005, Rebecca released another book titled
Sister Freaks: Stories of Women Who Gave Up Everything For God
[43].
In early 2006, Rebecca embarked on her
If I Had One Chance To Tell You Something Tour
with fellow Christian group
BarlowGirl.
[44] Rebecca also recorded the theme song for the National Day of Prayer. The song was titled "America" and was released to iTunes on May 2, 2006.
[45] The same year,
ForeFront Records put together a compilation album titled
The Early Years
, that covered ten songs from her earliest releases:
Rebecca St. James
,
GOD
and
Pray
.
[46]
In 2006, Rebecca St. James made her film debut in
Unidentified
as Colleen.
[47]
In 2007,
ForeFront Records took live footage and recordings from the
If I Had One Chance... Tour
and released a CD/DVD collection on March 20 titled
aLIVE in Florida
. The album features 14 live songs and an exclusive remix of "You Are Loved".
[48] The album charted at #43 on Billboard's Top Christian Albums Chart.
[49]
ForeFront Records put together a two-disc compilation album titled
The Ultimate Collection
which was released March 11, 2008.
[50] Another compilation titled
The Greatest Hits
was released later that year on October 28, 2008.
[51] On September 3, 2008 Rebecca released another book titled
Pure: A 90-Day Devotional for the Mind, Body, & Spirit
.
[52] Pure broke into Top 10 at #9 on the CBA bestseller’s list in Feb 2009.and was also nominated among the Top 3 books of 2009 for the youth/teen market.
New Music, Book & Movies (2009-present)
In late 2008, Rebecca announced she was filming a new movie with
Stephen Baldwin and
Candace Cameron, titled
Faith of Our Fathers
, which will be released in 2010.
[53] She also announced she would star as the lead role in a new film titled
Sarah's Choice
, which will be released November 17, 2009 to DVD,
[54] and that she's demoing new music for 2009.
[55]
On April 16, 2009, Rebecca released a new song titled "You're Alive" to iTunes
[56] as part of an album titled
Resurrection Worship: Songs of Hope
.
In June of 2009, Rebecca released another new song titled "Wish" to her MySpace page.
[57] Her latest book ‘’Loved: Stories of Forgiveness’’ was released in mid-July 2009
She is expecting to have a new album out by late 2009/early 2010.
Awards
- 2000: Grammy Award for Best Rock Gospel Album – Pray
- 2002: GMA Dove Award for Special Event Album of the Year – Prayer of Jabez
- 2004: GMA Dove Award for Special Event Album of the Year – !Hero
- 2006: GMA Dove Award for Special Event Album of the Year – Music Inspired by The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Discography
Bibliography
Year
| Title
| ISBN
|
1996/2001
| 40 Days with God: A Devotional Journey
| ISBN 0-7847-0569-0, ISBN 0-7847-1274-3
|
1997
| You're the Voice: 40 More Days with God
| ISBN 0-7852-7139-2
|
2002
| Wait For Me: Rediscovering the Joy of Purity in Romance
| ISBN 0-7852-7127-9
|
2003
| Wait For Me Journal: Thoughts For My Future Husband
|
2004
| SHE: Safe, Healthy, Empowered — The Woman You're Made To Be
| ISBN 1-4143-0026-3
|
2005
| SHE Teen: Safe, Healthy, Empowered
, co-authored with Lynda Hunter Bjorklund
| ISBN 1-4143-0028-X
|
Wait For Me Study Guide: Discover the Power of Purity
|
Sister Freaks: Stories of Women Who Gave Up Everything for God
| ISBN 0-446-69560-2
|
2008
| Pure
| ISBN 0446500410, ISBN 978-0446500418
|
2009
| Loved: Stories of Forgiveness
| ISBN 9780446197014
|
Filmography
Year
| Title
| Role
|
2000
| Left Behind: The Movie
| Camera Coordinator for GNN
|
2004
| An Easter Carol
| Hope, the Music Box Angel (voice)
|
2004
| !Hero
| Maggie
|
2006
| Unidentified
| Colleen
|
2009
| Sarah's Choice
| Sarah
|
2010
| Faith of Our Fathers
| Annie
|
Interviews
2002
:
- by Mark Morning (For Campus Life
)
2004
:
- by Mark Morning (For Christian Music Today
)
2005
:
- by Camerin Courtney (For Christian Women Magazine
)
- by Russ Breimeier (For Christian Music Today
)
- by Andree Farias (For Christian Music Today
)
- Rebbeca St. James Interview by Perry Hicks (For GulfCoastNews.com
)
2006
:
- by Dena Ross (For Beliefnet
)
References
- Rebecca St. James Discography
- Rebecca St. James Bio
- Rock Gospel star appears at Artpark June 15
- reviewshttp://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0zfoxqthldhe
- http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=305&cfgn=Albums&cfn=The+Billboard+200&c
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0zfoxqthldhe~T3
- http://www.riaa.com/
- http://www.amazon.com/40-Days-God-Devotional-Journey/dp/0784705690/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=12
- http://www.amazon.com/Youre-Voice-Devotional-Journey-Continues/dp/0785271392/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=bo
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:j9foxqrjld6e~T3
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kbftxq8jldse
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/Pray.asp
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- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:kbftxq8jldse~T32
- http://www.riaa.com/
- http://www.amazon.com/Wait-Me-Best-Rebecca-James/dp/B00008L3QZ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=124546
- http://www.amazon.com/Rebecca-St-James-Secrets-VHS/dp/B00002CGFZ/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=video&qid=124
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hifyxqw0ldhe~T3
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hifyxqw0ldhe~T3
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/Transform.asp
- http://www.newreleasetuesday.com/bookdetail.php?book_id=175
- http://www.amazon.com/Wait-Me-Rediscovering-Purity-Romance/dp/0785288252/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&
- http://www.amazon.com/Wait-Me-Journal-Thoughts-Husband/dp/0785263969/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=
- http://www.amazon.com/Wait-Me-Study-Guide-Discover/dp/1418501956/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=124
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/WorshipGod.asp
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hbftxqw0ldte
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hbftxqw0ldte~T3
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/WorshipGodDVD.asp
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wzfrxqqaldae
- http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=355&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Christian+Song
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:wzfrxqqaldae~T3
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- http://www.amazon.com/SHE-Healthy-Empowered-Woman-Youre/dp/1414300263/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid
- http://www.herouniverse.com/start.php
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/artists/RebeccaStJames.asp
- http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?id=81429188&s=143441
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- http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/chart_display.jsp?cfi=355&cfgn=Singles&cfn=Hot+Christian+Song
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/IfIHadOneChanceToTellYouSomething.asp
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- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/concerts/IfIHadOneChanceToTellYouSomethingTour06.asp
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/AmericaTheEP.asp
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/cdreviews/TheEarlyYearsRSJ.asp
- http://www.unidentifiedthemovie.com/
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0pfoxzu5ldae
- http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0pfoxzu5ldae~T3
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- http://www.musichristian.com/sys/product.php?PRODUCT=560433
- http://www.faithofourfathersmovie.com/
- http://store.pureflix.com/index.php?p=PRODUCTS%2CView&id=324&id=324
- http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2008/12/04.REBECCA%20ON%20HOUR%20OF%20POWER%20THIS%20WEEKEND.a
- http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=310921229&id=310921213&s=143441
- http://www.myspace.com/rebeccastjames