Michael Gungor

As early as 2002, Gungor began producing albums with his church, Resurrection Life Church in Grandville, near Grand Rapids, Michigan. The albums garnered the attention of Integrity Music, who signed Gungor for a solo album. In 2003, he released "Bigger Than My Imagination" under Integrity Media.{{Cite web |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2003/biggerthanmyimagination.html |title=Bigger Than My Imagination - Michael Gungor |access-date=June 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615094743/http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2003/biggerthanmyimagination.html |archive-date=June 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} The album included the single "Friend of God", a Dove Award-nominated song which Gungor wrote with gospel artist Israel Houghton. The album enjoyed some radio play.

In 2005, Gungor toured with Teen Mania's Acquire the Fire traveling youth rally event. In the same year, he and his wife Lisa released a live album titled Battle Cry: Worship from the Frontlines, through Integrity Media.{{Cite web |title=iTunes Music – Battlecry: Worship From the Frontlines |url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/battle-cry-worship-from-frontlines/id361062997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110302075541/http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/battle-cry-worship-from-frontlines/id361062997 |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 2, 2011 |website=iTunes|date=January 2005 }} Michael later retired most of the songs on this album,{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} tweeting a link to his blog{{Cite web |title=Michael Gungor on Twitter |url=https://twitter.com/michaelgungor/status/11293064787 |website=twitter.com |access-date=November 9, 2014}} which is no longer online. The blog said that he no longer preferred to associate military imagery with Christian belief.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

In 2006, Michael Gungor parted ways with Integrity Music, seeking more creative control over his music. He then formed the Michael Gungor Band, consisting of himself on guitar and vocals, his wife Lisa on vocals, his brother David Gungor on bass, John Arndt on piano, Josh Eatmon on drums,{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} and former Desperation Band member Michael Rossback as a guitarist and producer.{{Cite web |title=D'Addario Strings: Artist Details: Michael Rossback |url=http://www.daddario.com/DaddarioArtistDetails.Page?ActiveID=3777&ArtistId=41461&sid=920e201a-8ae2-4caa-ab9a-06099b78da36 |website=D'Adarrio |access-date=November 9, 2014}}

Michael Gungor rented a house down the road from his church in Grandville and turned it into a recording studio. It was there that Gungor and Rossback produced their 2007 release,{{citation needed|reason=nothing in the allmusic.com source to support these two statements|date=October 2018}} All I Need is Here.{{Cite web |title=All I Need is Here – Michael Gungor |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/all-i-need-is-here-mw0001913616/credits |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 9, 2014}} It was Gungor's first independent project and was a great departure from the predictable CCM box of his two releases with Integrity. In 2008, the Michael Gungor Band signed with Brash Records. The label re-released their album in 2008 as Ancient Skies, omitting two songs and adding the upbeat rock opener "Say So", as well as a song sung by Lisa, "You Are The Light".{{Cite web |title=Ancient Skies – Michael Gungor |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/ancient-skies-mw0000795107 |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 9, 2014}}

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After touring with his sophomore release, Michael Gungor renamed the group from "The Michael Gungor Band" to simply "Gungor" (styled as güngör). It reflected another change, both in the direction of his music and in the evolving number of band members.{{Cite web |title=Gungor Biography |url=http://www.todayschristianmusic.com/artists/gungor/biography/ |publisher=TodaysChristianMusic.com |access-date=January 21, 2014}} The first album release under the new name was Beautiful Things in 2010. The album was yet another departure from Gungor's old style, involving indie-folk instrumentation reminiscent of Sufjan Stevens and ambient soundscapes. The album featured a short gospel-blues jam featuring Israel Houghton titled "Heaven". In 2011, the album and its title track, "Beautiful Things", were nominated in the Grammy categories Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and Best Gospel Song, respectively.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

In 2011, Gungor released Ghosts Upon the Earth and followed it with a live album, A Creation Liturgy in 2012. The band's third studio album, I Am Mountain, was released on September 24, 2013.{{Cite web |title=Gungor's Long Awaited New Release: I Am Mountain | Metro Youth Network | Connect. Experience. Grow.Metro Youth Network |url=http://metroyouthnetwork.com/2013/08/22/gungors-long-awaited-new-release-i-am-mountain/ |last=Irvine |first=Nate |date=August 22, 2013 |access-date=January 21, 2014}} On October 24, 2013, the band began a 60-city headline tour across the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.{{Cite news |last=Mansfield |first=Brian |date=August 16, 2013 |title=Song debut: Gungor's 'I Am Mountain' |publisher=usatoday.com |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/08/16/gungor-i-am-mountain-song-debut/2665241/ |access-date=September 26, 2013}}{{Cite web |title=Song Premiere: Gungor, "Wayward & Torn" |url=http://www.americansongwriter.com/2013/08/song-premiere-gungor-wayward-torn/ |date=August 26, 2013 |publisher=American Songwriter |access-date=January 21, 2014}}

Though Gungor's music is filled with Christian themes and language and is spiritual in nature, the collective has attempted to distance itself from being labeled simply a "Christian" band due to the problematic way the term is often used.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gungormusic.com/|title=Gungor|website=Gungor}}{{Cite web |title=Gungor Talks With FaithVillage – FaithVillage | MOVE YOUR FAITH HERE |url=http://www.faithvillage.com/article/c6e41a44b9e245c3a35967f0bcb02953/gungor_talks_with_faithvillage |date=May 14, 2012 |publisher=FaithVillage |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131008185111/http://www.faithvillage.com/article/c6e41a44b9e245c3a35967f0bcb02953/gungor_talks_with_faithvillage |archive-date=October 8, 2013 |access-date=January 21, 2014}} Michael Gungor refers to Gungor as a collective because at any given time the group is composed of 3–10 members. He and his wife believe that their music transcends any one genre.{{Cite web |title=Grammy-nominated Gungor, label-less in music and life |url=http://nbclatino.com/2013/11/08/gungor-label-less-in-music-and-life/ |last=Puga |first=Kristina |work=NBC Latino |date=November 8, 2013 |publisher=Nbclatino.com |access-date=January 21, 2014}}{{Cite web |title=Music: Gungor |url=http://citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-28870-music_gungor.html |date=October 22, 2013 |publisher=Citybeat.com |access-date=January 21, 2014}} Michael writes songs that are a mix of indie rock, post rock, prog, soft rock and more. When asked, he describes his style as "alternative, folk, textured and experimental."{{Cite web |title=Alt-Folk Collective Gungor Launches 60+ City Headlining Tour Oct. 24 at The Madison Theater |url=http://www.cincygroove.com/?p=26768 |date=October 9, 2013 |publisher=Cincy Groove |access-date=January 21, 2014}} The group performed at SXSW 2014.{{Cite web |title=SXSW 2014 |url=http://sxsw.com/ |publisher=SXSW LLC |access-date=March 7, 2014}}

Gungor announced the end of their journey as a band in early 2019.{{Cite web |title=Gungor says 'journey is over' for band, announces farewell tour: 'It's time for something new' |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/gungor-says-journey-is-over-for-band-announces-farewell-tour-its-time-for-something-new.html |website=Christian Post |date=February 4, 2019 |access-date=April 9, 2020}} The "End of the World" tour became their farewell tour.

In 2014, Gungor, together with Michael's wife and sister, began collaborating with other artists and releasing music as "The Liturgists", which he calls "an experimental art collective".{{Cite web |title=The Liturgists {{!}} Gungor |url=http://gungormusic.com/2014/04/the-liturgists/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601041416/http://gungormusic.com/2014/04/the-liturgists/ |archive-date=June 1, 2015 |access-date=August 26, 2015}} It is also the title of their podcast, which discusses topics through the lenses of science, art, and faith.{{Cite web |title=The Podcast |url=https://theliturgists.com/the-podcast/ |access-date=May 26, 2020}}{{better source|date=September 2016|reason=Primary source. A secondary source, with a review of the podcast should be provided.}}

Michael Gungor published his first book The Crowd, the Critic and the Muse in 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://www.michaelgungor.com/new-page-1|title=Books|website=Michael Gungor}} In April 2019, he published his second book This. He is the host of a podcast which shares the name with a book, Loving This,{{Cite web|url=http://www.michaelgungor.com/new-page|title=About|website=Michael Gungor}} exploring the spiritual themes of clinging and suffering.{{Cite web|url=http://www.michaelgungor.com/|title=Michael Gungor|website=Michael Gungor}}

Michael Gungor grew up in Marshfield southeast of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He is the son of pastor and author Ed Gungor. Michael began writing and playing music at a young age. He studied jazz guitar at both Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and the University of North Texas in Denton while also touring and working as a multi-instrumentalist musician. He met his wife Lisa at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma during their first year of college. She later became his music partner and is the other primary vocalist and songwriter for Gungor.{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

Michael and Lisa live in Los Angeles with their two daughters, Amelie and Lucette. They wrote the song "Light" for their youngest daughter, born in May 2014, who has Down syndrome.{{Cite web |title=Gungor Music Blog |url=http://gungormusic.com/2014/05/lucette/ |website=Gungormusic.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110002302/http://gungormusic.com/2014/05/lucette/ |archive-date=November 10, 2014 |access-date=November 9, 2014}} In 2007, Michael and Lisa Gungor founded a non-denominational church community called Bloom, but have since dissociated themselves from the church.{{Cite web |title=Interview on music and Bloom community |url=http://media.blubrry.com/thecollisionpodcast/collisioncm.com/html/podcast/collision_podcast_ep044.mp3 |publisher=The Collision Podcast |access-date=May 17, 2012}}

• Bigger Than My Imagination (November 11, 2003)
• Battle Cry: Worship from the Frontlines (October 4, 2005)

• Ancient Skies EP (March 24, 2006)
• All I Need Is Here (October 9, 2007)
• Ancient Skies (September 9, 2008)

• Beautiful Things (February 16, 2010)
• Ghosts Upon the Earth (September 20, 2011)
• A Creation Liturgy (October 9, 2012)
• I Am Mountain (September 24, 2013)
• One Wild Life: Soul (August 7, 2015)
• O Christmas EP (November 27, 2015)
• One Wild Life: Spirit (March 25, 2016)
• One Wild Life: Body (September 30, 2016)

• Vapor EP (February 28, 2014)
• Garden EP (April 8, 2014)
• God Our Mother EP (May 6, 2014)
• Pentecost EP (June 6, 2014)
• Oh Light (December 20, 2015)
• Holy Week (March 2016)

• GMA Dove Awards 2008: "Say So" – Contemporary Gospel Recorded Song of the Year{{Cite web |title=Dove Awards History Artist: Michael Gungor |url=http://www.doveawards.com/history.php?x=artist |publisher=Gospel Music Association |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120605031050/http://www.doveawards.com/history.php?x=artist |archive-date=June 5, 2012 |access-date=October 14, 2009}}
• Independent Music Awards 2013: A Creation Liturgy (Live) – Best Live Performance Album[http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima/2013/12th-annual-independent-music-awards-winners-announced "12th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced!"] Independent Music Awards, June 11, 2013. Retrieved on September 4, 2013.

• The Crowd, the Critic, and the Muse: A Book for Creators – (2012)
• This: Becoming Free – (2019)

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• {{Official website|http://www.michaelgungor.com}}

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Category:Living people

Category:Oral Roberts University alumni

Category:Western Michigan University alumni

Category:University of North Texas College of Music alumni

Category:1980 births

Category:American spiritual writers