Benny Hester

Benny Hester
Hester receiving 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award at Pepperdine University
Hester receiving 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award at Pepperdine University
Background information
Birth nameBenny Ray Hester
Born (1948-05-03) May 3, 1948 (age 76)
Waco, Texas, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Musician
  • singer
  • songwriter
  • recording artist
  • music producer
  • television producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • guitar
  • bass guitar
  • keyboards
Years active1965–present
Labels
Websitewww.bennyhester.com

Benny Ray Hester (born May 3, 1948) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and recording artist. He is perhaps best known for his songs "When God Ran" and "Nobody Knows Me Like You", and for producing the groundbreaking tween/teen music-driven sketch comedy and dance television series Roundhouse on Nickelodeon.[1][2][3] Hester received a television Cable Ace Award for the song "I Can Dream" and a collection of nominations for writing and producing a featured original song for each weekly episode of Roundhouse during its successful four-year run.[4] He has written and recorded more than 25 number one and top ten songs.[5]

Hester's recording of his song "When God Ran" touched the consciousness of Christians worldwide, and is one of the longest running number one songs in Contemporary Christian Music history, number one for 13 weeks,[6][7][8] and the number three song in the 60-year history of Word Records.[9][10] "When God Ran" continues to be rerecorded by artists in many languages and musical genres, including adult contemporary, pop, rock, R&B, alternative, and Southern Gospel, making it to the top of the charts repeatedly.

The title track from his third album, "Nobody Knows Me Like You", reached number one on Christian Music Charts and became the first Contemporary Christian music song to break the Billboard Top 50 Adult Contemporary Chart, debuting at number 44 on November 7, 1981.[11][12][13]

Hester's first Contemporary Christian music singles, "Jesus Came Into My Life" and "Be A Receiver", were breakthrough recordings for radio, blurring the lines between pop, rock, and inspirational music, and becoming the first contemporary pop rock songs to be universally accepted and widely played across all Christian Radio formats. His 1978 self-titled debut album Benny Hester, re-released in 1982 as Be A Receiver, influenced the burgeoning Contemporary Christian music scene, and ranks among the first "Contemporary Christian Music" albums as the musical landscape shifted with the end of the Jesus Music era and the birth of the industry known as Contemporary Christian music.[14][15]

  1. ^ "Benny Hester Artist Profile". NewReleaseTuesday.com. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  2. ^ "IMDb Movies & TV - Roundhouse Co-Exec Producer". IMDb.com.
  3. ^ "MTV Newsroom Poll & Social Media Editor Review - July 26, 2011 - Roundhouse Voted Most Popular 90s Nickelodeon Show". MTV.com. Archived from the original on October 16, 2011.
  4. ^ "IMDb Cable Ace Award 'Original Song'". IMDb.com.
  5. ^ "CCMs 500 Best Albums". CCMs500BestAlbums.WordPress.com.
  6. ^ "Benny Hester When God Ran". NewReleaseTuesday.com. Retrieved December 4, 2010.
  7. ^ "CCMs 500 Best Albums - When God Ran". CCMs500BestAlbums.WordPress.com.
  8. ^ ""When God Ran" - CCM Magazine Presents 100 Greatest Songs in Christian Music, Brentwood-Benson Music Publications - March 21, 2012". brentwoodbenson.com. Archived from the original on January 12, 2014.
  9. ^ "WORD: Six Decades of Hits". allmusic.com.
  10. ^ "Warner Music Group - WORD: Six Decades of Hits". warnermusic.com.
  11. ^ "Billboard Top 50 Adult Contemporary Chart - Nov 7, 1981 - 'Nobody Knows Me Like You' Debuts #44 Mainstream". Billboard. November 7, 1981.
  12. ^ "Billboard – Word Christian Records Public Relations Director, Walt Quinn, says, - re: Benny Hester's Top Charting AC Billboard debut & CCM's first ever crossover 'Nobody Knows Me Like You' - "What would we do if we had a hit anyway? Could we f--- it up? You can have a No. 1 AC single and still not sell albums."". Billboard. April 10, 1982.
  13. ^ "CCMs 500 Best Albums - 'Nobody Knows Me Like You' is the very best Adult Contemporary pop album in the history of Christian Music". CCMs500BestAlbums.WordPress.com.
  14. ^ "CCM Legends". CBN.com.
  15. ^ "CCMs 500 Best Albums - Benny Hester". CCMs500BestAlbums.WordPress.com.