A contemporary Christian performer whose sound fuses pop accessibility with classical depth, David Meece entered the world in Humble, Texas, on May 26, 1952. Raised amid domestic violence and a father’s battle with alcoholism, he found refuge in music from an early age. Displaying prodigious skill at the keyboard, he launched a concert career at ten and, by fourteen, appeared as soloist with the Houston Chamber Orchestra in Mozart’s Piano Concerto in F Major. Two years later he toured Europe and the United Kingdom, and he performed with the Houston Symphony Orchestra led by André Previn. During his studies at Baltimore’s Peabody Conservatory, Meece underwent a profound spiritual awakening that prompted him to dedicate both his personal life and artistic output to Jesus Christ. Following graduation he served as a youth pastor and began composing songs that married his faith to classically informed pop melodies. Myrrh Records soon recognized his distinctive approach, issuing the debut album David in 1976. Between that year and 1993 Meece delivered ten full-length releases, establishing himself as a leading voice in contemporary Christian music while also appearing at Billy Graham crusades and on numerous Christian television broadcasts. Among his compositions that became enduring CCM standards, “We Are the Reason,” featured on the 1987 album Are You Ready, stands out; Meece has noted that more than two hundred other artists have since recorded the piece. After a nine-year recording hiatus, he resurfaced in 2002 with the album There I Go Again. In June 2008 the Christian Music Hall of Fame inducted him, and the next year he received the Visionary Award as Inspirational Male Soloist. In 2012 the Artists Music Guild presented Meece with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
