Jimmy Needham

{{Short description|American musician}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2016}} {{BLP sources|date=October 2016}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Jimmy Needham | image = JimmyNeedham.jpg | caption = Jimmy Needham performing during the CD release for his album ''Not Without Love'' in Nashville, TN on August 24, 2008. | image_size = | birth_name = | alias = | birth_place = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|8|22}} | origin = [[Tomball, Texas]], U.S. | instrument = | genre = {{flatlist| * [[Pop music|Pop]] * [[alternative rock]] * [[blues]] * [[soul music]] * [[contemporary Christian music]] }} | occupation = | years_active = 2004–present | label = [[Inpop Records|Inpop]] | associated_acts = | website = {{URL|http://www.jimmyneedham.com/}} }}

'''Jimmy Needham''' (born August 22, 1985) is an American [[contemporary Christian music]]ian signed to [[Inpop Records]]. He released debut album, ''For Freedom'', an independent release, in 2005, and after signing with the Christian record label [[Inpop Records|Inpop]] in 2006, a series of albums: ''[[Speak (Jimmy Needham album)|Speak]]'' (2006), ''[[Not Without Love]]'' (2008), ''[[Nightlights (Jimmy Needham album)|Nightlights]]'' (2010), ''[[Clear the Stage]]'' (2012), and ''[[Vice & Virtue]]'' (2015).<ref name="JFH">{{cite web|title=Jimmy Needham|url=http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/artists/JimmyNeedham.asp|website=Jesus Freak Hideout|accessdate=15 April 2017}}</ref>

== Background ==

He is a graduate of [[Texas A&M University]], where he studied history and [[philosophy]], and also a graduate of [[Tomball High School]].<ref name="cmcentral">{{cite web |url=http://www.cmcentral.com/artists/1184.html |title=Jimmy Needham Biography |publisher=Christian Music Central |accessdate=April 9, 2008 }}</ref>

Needham's first album, ''For Freedom'', was [[independent music|independently]] released in 2005, with the help of Troy Warren Jr.<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p821445|pure_url=yes}} |title=Jimmy Needham > Overview |accessdate=July 2, 2009 |publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> He signed with the Christian record label [[Inpop Records|Inpop]] in 2006, and released his major label debut album, ''[[Speak (Jimmy Needham album)|Speak]]'', later that year. In late 2007, Needham toured with [[NewSong]], [[Echoing Angels]] and [[Nate Sallie]].<ref name="relentless" />

His second major album, ''[[Not Without Love]]'', was released on August 19, 2008.<ref name="NWL Billboard">{{cite magazine |url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=jimmy needham|chart=all}} |title=Jimmy Needham - Not Without Love |accessdate=July 2, 2009 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> He was also a guest on the ''Relentless'' tour with [[Natalie Grant]].<ref name="relentless">{{cite web |url=http://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/headlines/11569839/ |title=Natalie Grant Brings The Relentless Tour To Audiences Around The Country This Spring |publisher=CCM Magazine |accessdate=April 9, 2008 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306055344/http://www.ccmmagazine.com/news/headlines/11569839/ |archivedate=March 6, 2008 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> On May 18, 2010, Needham released ''[[Nightlights (Jimmy Needham album)|Nightlights]]'', on Inpop records.

''[[Clear the Stage]]'', released on March 27, 2012 reached No. 128 on [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart on the week of April 14, 2012, and to No. 9 on the [[Top Christian Albums]] chart. It briefly appeared at No. 59 on [[Sverigetopplistan]] on July 6, 2012.<ref>[http://swedishcharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=Jimmy+Needham SwedishCharts.com Jimmy Needham discography]</ref> The title song, "Clear the Stage", is a contemporary Christian song written by [[Ross King (singer)|Ross King]].

On September 10, 2013, Jimmy Needham released the ten-track, ''[[The Hymns Sessions, Vol. 1]]'', containing eight contemporary interpretations of traditional hymns, like "Christos anesti", "[[How Great Thou Art]]" featuring [[Trip Lee]] and "[[Holy, Holy, Holy|Holy Holy Holy]]" featuring [[Shane & Shane]], and two originals: "The Gospel" and "It Is Finished".{{Citation needed|date=October 2013}} The follow-up album, ''Vice & Virtue'', his sixth, was released on May 5, 2015.

==Personal life==

[[File:Jimmy and Kelly Needham performing.jpg|thumb|right|Jimmy Needham and his wife Kelly perform the song "Unfailing Love" in August 2008.]] He is married to his wife Kelly, for whom he has written two songs that appeared on ''[[Not Without Love]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.breathecast.com/Christian.Music.Artist-Jimmy.Needham/Article-808_2464.htm|title=Jimmy Needham Achieves New Personal Best with First Week Sales Numbers|accessdate=May 14, 2010|publisher=BREATHEcast.com|date=September 4, 2008|archive-date=June 5, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090605231056/http://www.breathecast.com/Christian.Music.Artist-Jimmy.Needham/Article-808_2464.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> They are "Firefly", a lighthearted, "ragtime style" song about marriage, and "Unfailing Love (Kelly's Song)", a ballad that Needham sang at his wedding, originally written as a proposal to Kelly.{{citation needed|date=September 2016}}

==Discography== ===Albums=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- ! scope="col"| Year ! scope="col"| Title ! scope="col"| Notes ! scope="col"| Singles |- | 2005 |''For Freedom'' | Independent release | |- | 2006 |''[[Speak (Jimmy Needham album)|Speak]]'' | rowspan=4 |[[Inpop Records]] | "Dearly Loved" "Lost at Sea" "Fence Riders" |- | 2008 |''[[Not Without Love]]'' | "A Breath or Two" "Forgiven and Loved" "Firefly" |- | 2010 |''[[Nightlights (album)|Nightlights]]'' | "Yours to Take" | |- | 2012 |''[[Clear the Stage]]'' | "Clear the Stage" |- | 2013 |''[[The Hymns Sessions, Vol. 1]]'' | Needhim Music | |- | 2015 |''[[Vice & Virtue]]'' | Platinum Pop | |}

===Singles=== (charting) * "Dearly Loved" (ranked No. 11 on the "Top Contemporary Hit Songs" list by ''Christian Radio & Retail Weekly'', April 27, 2007) * "Fence Riders" (ranked No. 14 on ''[[Radio & Records|R&R]]''{{'}}s magazine's December 15, 2007 chart)<ref>[http://www.weekend22.com/ December 15, 2007] ''[[Radio & Records|R&R]]''{{'}}s magazine's chart as reported at the [[Weekend 22]]. Retrieved December 29, 2007</ref> * "A Breath or Two" (No. 8 on the Christian AC [[Soundscan]] and Overall Christian Digital charts. Also reached No. 13 on ''[[Radio & Records|R&R]]''{{'}}s Christian [[Contemporary hit radio|CHR]] radio chart)

===Guest appearances=== * 2010: "Yours to Own" ([[Trip Lee]]) * 2012: "Take Me There" (Trip Lee)

===Compilation appearances=== * 2007: ''iPop 2008'', "Lost at Sea" ([[Inpop Records|Inpop]]) * 2009: ''[[WOW Hits 2010]]'', "Forgiven and Loved" (Inpop)

==References== {{reflist|30em}}

==External links== * {{Official website|1=http://www.jimmyneedham.com}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Needham, Jimmy}} [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:American performers of Christian music]] [[Category:Performers of contemporary Christian music]] [[Category:Inpop Records artists]] [[Category:Texas A&M University alumni]] [[Category:1985 births]] [[Category:People from Tomball, Texas]]