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Kelly Willard
Kelly Willard is listed in the credits for the following albums:
- 1977 - Bruce Hibbard - A Light Within: Vocals
- 1979 - Bob Bennett - First Things First: Rhodes, Background Vocals
- 1980 - Amy Grant - Never Alone: Songwriter
- 1980 - Karen Lafferty - Life Pages - Love of the Ages: Keyboards
- 1981 - Dennis Agajanian - Rebel to the Wrong: Background Vocals
- 1981 - Amy Grant - In Concert, Volume Two: Songwriter
- 1982 - Bob Bennett - Matters of the Heart: Vocals
- 1982 - Maranatha! Singers - Praise Six: Come and Sing Praises: Songwriter
- 1984 - Roby Duke - Come Let Us Reason: Background Vocals
- 1984 - Twila Paris - Warrior Is A Child: Background Vocals
- 1987 - Twila Paris - Same Girl: Background Vocals
- 1988 - Buddy Greene - Slice Of Life: Background Vocals
- 1988 - Matthew Ward - Fade to White: Background Vocals
- 1989 - Annie Herring - Flying Lessons: Background Vocals
- 1990 - Julie Miller - Meet Julie Miller: Background Vocals
- 1990 - Morris Chapman - Live Worship: Maranatha! Singers
- 1991 - Bruce Carroll - Sometimes Miracles Hide: Background Vocals
- 1991 - Bob Bennett - Songs from Bright Avenue: Vocals
- 1992 - Roby Duke - Not the Same (reissue): Vocals
- 1993 - Bruce Carroll - Walk On: Background Vocals
- 1993 - Billy Sprague - The Wind & The Wave: Background Vocals
- 1995 - Buddy Greene - Minstrel Of The Lord: Vocals
- 1995 - Scott Wesley Brown - Misson of Praise: Background Vocals
- 1995 - Bruce Carroll - One Summer's Evening Live: Background Vocals
- 1997 - Bruce Carroll - For The Record: Background Vocals
- 1998 - Buddy Greene - Christmas...Not Just Any Night: Harmony Vocals
- 1998 - Billy Crockett - Watermarks: Background Vocals
- 2000 - The Misfit - The Misfit: Rhodes
- 2000 - Buddy Greene - Re: Sinners and Saints: Background Vocals
Kelly Willard
Kelly Willard (born in Winter Haven, Florida) is best known for her praise and worship recordings. She was featured as a soloist on projects from Integrity, Vineyard Music, and Maranatha! Music. In addition she sang duets and background vocals with artists like Twila Paris and Keith Green; and did nine solo projects.
Willard began playing the piano at the age of five and composing her own songs at the age of thirteen. She accompanied the church choir, playing and singing in nursing homes, and traveling with a part time gospel group on weekends. At the age of sixteen Willard moved to Nashville, Tennessee where she accompanied such groups as The Jake Hess Sound, The Archers, and Seth. She credits her vocal development to Harlan Rogers.
Willard married at eighteen, joined Harlan Rogers & Friends, and traveled the mid-west until 1977, when she moved to Southern California to be a part of the then current flow of Jesus musicians ministering and recording there. She played keyboards and sang background vocals on projects for such artists as Karen Lafferty, Bob Bennett, Tommy Coomes, Roby Duke, and Lewis McVay before Maranatha! Music approached her to record her own solo project.
After the birth of her children, Willard homeschooled them in the 1990s and later took care of her mother who was suffering with Alzheimer's. In her own words 2004 was, "the worst year of my life." Both parents died, her marriage of 29 years came to an end, and her 18-year-old daughter Haylie, struggling with depression, took her own life. She moved to Florida and became part of a church support community there.
Her latest album Paga' was a seven-year project which featured 18-year-old son Bryan on bass, and 15-year-old Haylie in a duet on the song "Beautiful Jesus". The title refers to the Old Testament priests who would take incense behind the curtain and burn it as an atonement. This is called paga in Hebrew and it means "to make intercession". "When Jesus became our sacrifice, he made the way for our prayers, praises, and worship to become like that incense to the Lord. I wanted this album to draw people to the Lord and take part in that intercession."
Wikipedia contributors. Kelly Willard. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. January 16, 2011, 22:03 UTC. Available at: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kelly_Willard&oldid=408278823. Accessed February 25, 2011.
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Christian Music Archive Radio
is a daily radio program featuring many of the artists found on the Archive.
Here is the show where Kelly Willard was featured.
| Mp3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| 6 December, 2012 | Kelly Willard |
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