A contemporary Christian artist whose work blends pop and classical influences, David Meece was born in Humble, Texas on May 26, 1952. Meece grew up in an abusive household, with a father who struggled with alcoholism, and he turned to music to deal with his troubles. As it happened, Meece had a tremendous natural talent as a pianist; he began performing as a concert artist when he was just ten years old, and at 14, he was a featured soloist with the Houston Chamber Orchestra in a performance of Mozart's Piano Concerto in F Major. Meece was touring Europe and the United Kingdom at 16, and performing with the Houston Symphony Orchestra under the direction of André Previn. While attending Baltimore's Peabody Conservatory, Meece experienced a spiritual awakening, and devoted both his life and career to Jesus Christ. After completing his studies, Meece became a youth pastor, and he began writing songs that reflected his spiritual beliefs, while adding classical influences to accessible pop melodies. Meece's work came to the attention of Myrrh Records, a successful Christian music label, and in 1976 they released his debut album, David. Meece would release ten albums between 1976 and 1993, and he became a major figure in the Christian music community, as well as appearing at Billy Graham's evangelical events and a number of Christian television programs. Several of Meece's songs became staples among CCM artists, most notably "We Are the Reason" (from his 1987 album Are You Ready), which Meece says has been recorded by over 200 different performers). In 2002, after a nine-year recording layoff, Meece returned with a new album, There I Go Again. In June 2008, Meece was inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame, and the following year, he received the Visionary Award in the Inspirational Male Soloist category. The year 2012 saw Meece honored by the Artists Music Guild with their Lifetime Achievement Award. ~ Mark Deming