2019 faCULTY bios
GINA BOE Gina is a songwriter, artist, teacher, wife, mom, lover of songs, and a developer of people. She has over 25 years experience in the music business including 10 independent recordings, a Dove award, song of the year nominations, cuts by artists such as Mandisa, The Martins, The Talley Trio, Carl Cartee, Brian Free and Assurance, and many more, as well as several musicals for both children and adult choirs. As the Chief Creative Office for EnCorps Music, Gina also writes and produces a variety of projects for organizations who use music to communicate their message. She recently released the first project from Kids Corps Music whose mission is to raise up an army of songs for kids. Return to Faculty Page DAVE CLARK Dave’s songwriting credits include hits that cross musical boundaries from contemporary Christian music to southern gospel, including songs recorded by Larnelle Harris, Sandi Patty, Steve Green, 4HIM, Al Denson, Point of Grace, Phillips, Craig & Dean, Glen Campbell, CeCe Winans, Jimmy Fortune, and many others. Twenty-seven of his songs have reached the #1 spot in the country on the Christian music charts, and his song "Pray Now," cut by Karen Peck and New River is his first southern gospel #1.. He is Director of Creative Development, A&R and Publishing for Lillenas Publishing Company. In 2009 Dave was awarded the prestigious ASCAP Living Legend Award. Return to Faculty Page JOE DAN CORNETT Joe Dan, a Nashville native, is currently Creative Manager at Daywind Music Publishing where he serves the staff writers and works within the Southern Gospel, Mainstream Country, and Worship/CCM markets. He has worked in several different facets of the music industry, which range from major market rock and country touring to the Film and TV department at BMI. He also serves as the Worship Pastor at his church. His heart is to serve others and to help guide “creatives” towards their goals and aspirations. Return to Faculty Page DENNIS DEARING For over 25 years, Dennis Dearing, a two-time Dove Award nominee for production, has invested his professional life in the music industry in Nashville, TN. After graduating from Belmont University with a Music Business degree (BBA), Dennis began touring as a guitar player with various Christian and country artists. His days home were filled with studio sessions where he performed on numerous #1 singles over the years that eventually led Dennis to the other side of the sound board. In 1996, Dennis opened his own recording studio, Menace Music, in Franklin, TN, becoming a sought-after producer, engineer, guitarist and performer. Working in a variety of genres, his name has appeared on dozens of projects by major labels, and he has worked and performed directly with notable artists and Grammy Award winners like Natalie Grant, Mathew West, Mandisa (American Idol), Hillary Scott (Lady Antebellum), Jay Demarcus & Gary Lavox (Rascal Flatts), Joy Williams (The Civil Wars), Sara Evans, Kathy Troccoli, Travis Cottrell, Nicol Smith Sponberg, Todd Smith (Selah), Lisa Bevill, The Martins, and David Phelps. Return to Faculty Page CLIFF DUREN Cliff Duren is the Worship Pastor at First Baptist Church Woodstock, GA. In addition, Cliff is a songwriter, arranger and orchestrator, producing music resources for various church music publishers and projects for various recording artists each year. He is a 5-time Dove Award winner for his contributions to church music. Cliff was honored to compose his first film score for the faith-based film Champion, which hit theaters nationwide in May of 2017. He became a Christian at age 17 and soon after pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Shorter University in Rome, GA, and a Master’s Degree in Church Music from Lee University in Cleveland, TN. He is currently pursuing his Doctorate from Southwestern Seminary in Dallas, TX. In March of 2002, Cliff married his college sweetheart, April. Together, they enjoy leading worship and ministering at many churches, conferences, and workshops. They reside in Woodstock, GA, with their 4 children: Mac, Sydney, Elijah, & Emma Kate. SIMON HAWKINS Simon Hawkins is an award-winning songwriter/producer and an Amazon best-selling author, based on the south coast of England. Simon was initially signed with Brentwood Benson Music Publishing/Universal CMG, where he now has some 200 songs in his catalogue, having had cuts with Vince Gill and Sheri Easter (Livin’ in the Rain, #2 SOGO charts, long-listed for a Grammy), Mandisa (Truth About Me), Abandon (Known), Avalon (Destined), Gold City (Never Too Broken, #1 SOGO charts). Simon also received a Dove nomination for the musical LifeSong: The Musical, written with Sue C Smith. In 2014 Simon wrote the modern hymn "He Is God" which won www.weareworship.com Search for a Hymn 2015, which Simon recorded with Integrity/Thankyou Music. Simon now has his own publishing company, Great British Music, to represent his own work and to offer writers in the UK access to opportunities in the US. Last year Simon published his first book, “Song Maps - A New System to Write Your Best Lyrics”, which immediately became #1 on Amazon’s store internationally. Return to Faculty Page DONNA KING Nashville singer, songwriter, producer, and music artist, Donna King, is quickly becoming one of the most sought after producers in Nashville. She has been working full-time in the music industry for over twenty years. She was awarded Producer of the Year in 2013 by the esteemed Absolutely Gospel Music Awards. She writes and produces Christian Music, Country, Pop, and a handful of other genres. She and her husband, Zane, known as Zane and Donna King, perform around town on many writer's rounds, and in churches and concert venues across the country. It's a long way from the Motor City (Detroit), where she was born and raised. Donna is a classically trained vocalist who is now known as a demo & BGV (back ground vocals) singing "chameleon," able to perform a variety of styles on demos and for artist's projects. She has a golden ear for detail and nuance. in addition to her talents as a performer, producer, songwriter, and vocalist, she has proven to be an excellent music industry strategist who understands marketing and commercial radio. She’s worked with major labels in radio promotion as well as PR and has a solid understanding of what works as a radio single and in live performance. She is committed to keeping the songs she works on fresh and current in today's ever-shifting music world. So, if Donna's not in the songwriting room, she's in the studio doing demo work, producing a new project for an artist, singing demos or bgv overdubs, and so on. Her energy, positivity, work ethic, musical intuition, and LOVE for her calling make a difference in every endeavor she's a part of. Return to Faculty Page |
ZANE KING Zane is a multi-talented instrumentalist, producer, and songwriter. He’s been called the "Man Of Steel” by the steel guitar community. Zane moved to Nashville in 1994 after attending Harding University in AR, then the renowned Berklee College of Music in Boston. At Zion Music Group, he worked with Christian groups such as the Crabb Family, Ivan Parker, Anchormen, Heaven Bound and many others. Next Zane was named A&R director of Homeland Entertainment Group’s roster of artists, including The Cathedrals, the Hoppers, the Bishops and others. At Homeland, he developed a new label. As the president of Journey Records, he wrote songs and/or produced recordings for Terry Terrell, Jessica King, Skyline Boys, Chosen Few, Russ Lee, N’ Harmony, and many more. On the songwriting side, Zane has written hits like ”Keep Me In Your Will,” "Help Me Get Down On My Knees,” “Go Close The Windows.”More recently he’s written songs with his wife for their duo Zane & Donna King. Their most recent hit is “It Takes Jesus" which they wrote with Sue C. Smith. These days, Zane's full-time job is as Artist Relations Manager for Compassion International. In his off time, he and Donna write Christian and country music, produce and record, and play in churches and various events sharing hope and love with their audiences. Return to Faculty Page DON KOCH Don is a professional songwriter, publisher and record producer. He signed his first publishing deal in 1986 and since then, he has written 39 number one songs in the Christian radio market and has worked with some of the biggest names in Christian music. Some of his best known songs include “In Christ Alone” by Michael English, “Mercy Said No,” “Adonai,” “Strange Way to Save the World,” “Mercy Came Running,” “Crucified With Christ” and “The Basics of Life.” A few of the artists he has Produced include Avalon, 4-Him, Larnelle Harris, Newsong, Greg Long, Charles Billingsley, Al Denson, Dallas Holm and Matthew Ward. Don has also played keyboards on recordings for Avalon, 4-Him, Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, Fred Hammond, Rascal Flatts, Craig Morgan and others. Don has received 6 Dove Awards including Song of the Year, Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year and Inspirational Record of the Year. He now Serves as Vice President of Creative (A&R and Publishing) at Red Street Records. Don lives in Nashville with his wife, Leslie, and their three children, Tyler, Kendall and Carson. JOEL LINDSEY Now in his fourth decade as a professional songwriter, Joel Lindsey has established himself as one of the most prolific and sought-after writers in the industry. With a catalog of over 2000 recorded songs to his credit, including over 30 #1 songs, 18 Dove Awards, 8 BMI Awards, 2 ASCAP awards, 4 Platinum records, 7 Gold records and 11 platinum videos, Lindsey continues to create new music in a wide variety of genres. His songs have been recorded by such artists as Selah, Sandi Patty, Kristin Chenoweth, Avalon, Chris Mann, Gaither Vocal Band, Ty Herndon, TaRanda, Cana’s Voice, Ernie Haase & Signature Sound, Oak Ridge Boys, Point of Grace, Kathie Lee Gifford, Mark Lowry, Riley Harrison Clark, Dailey and Vincent, Todd Smith, Joy Williams, The Perrys, Triumphant Quartet, Karen Peck & New River, The Nelons, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Joseph Habedank, Larnelle Harris, 4Him, and many others. His musical, Emmanuel: Celebrating Heaven’s Child is the highest selling musical in the history of Brentwood Benson Music Publishing company and is just one of over 30 musicals he has written for the church choir market. In addition to writing songs, Joel is the co-founder and co-owner of Sunset Gallery Music and its subsidiaries. Sunset Gallery is the publishing home for exclusive songwriters Geron Davis, Scott Inman, Jeff Bumgardner, Marcia Henry, Mark Mathes, Jim Davis, Rachel McCutcheon, Donna King, Val Dacus, Gene Ezell, Adina Bowman, Barbara Huffman, Randall Garland, Jonathan Denney, Ed Stivers, Keagan Denney and Carolyn Cross. Lindsey is also the A&R Director for the recently formed Club44 Records, a label which specializes in the American Songbook, jazz and cabaret music. Their upcoming first release, Christmas At Birdland, features well-known Broadway artists Jim Caruso, Billy Stritch and Klea Blackhurst on the studio recording of their legendary annual Christmas show at the world-famous Birdland Jazz Club in New York City. Joel Lindsey divides his time between Santa Barbara, California and Nashville, Tennessee and is an exclusive songwriter for Word/Curb Music Publishing. Return to Faculty Page KRISSY NORDHOFF Songwriter Krissy Nordhoff is also co-founder of Brave Worship endeavors to call out the boldness in those with a heart for worship — whether leader or writers.. She has had 3 Dove Award Nominations, and also won the Dove Award for Worship Song of the Year in 2012 for the song “Your Great Name,” which has impacted the church worldwide. Her songs have been recorded by many artists, including Natalie Grant, Mandisa, Darlene Zschech, Lauren Daigle, Dustin Smith, Aaron Shust, Anthony Evans, Meredith Andrews, Charles Billingsley, Todd Agnew, Anthony Evans, Kerrie Roberts, Lacey Sturm, Joseph Habedank, Corey Voss, and Michael Farren. Return to Faculty Page BELINDA SMITH A Dove Award-winning songwriter, Belinda has seen hundreds of her original songs recorded by renowned artists in the Christian and Gospel genres, including several number ones (a few include “In Time, On Time, Every Time” by Gold City, “I Stand Redeemed” by Legacy V, “Over and Over” by Jeff & Sheri Easter and “I Know Enough” by The Bowlings) and numerous award-nominated hits. She landed the Dove Award for Bluegrass Song of the Year for “So Many Years, So Many Blessings“ by the Lewis family. Additionally, she’s penned the Christmas musical “Once You’ve Seen the Star” along with having numerous placements in various other print and productions. She’s presently signed as a staff writer for Daywind Music and owns 7th Row Music, a publishing company. Belinda also mentors aspiring songwriters through her company BelindaSmithCreative.com. Return to Faculty Page |
BRYAN WARD
Bryan is a music business veteran of 26 years and has held positions at Sony as VP, Marketing and EMI/Capitol Christian Music Group as Director, Artist Development working with Steven Curtis Chapman, Hillsong, Third Day, Amy Grant, Mathew West, Mandisa, & TobyMac to name a few. Currently, he is an Artist & Brand Manager with Proper Management (Casting Crowns, Anthem Lights, Vertical Worship, Red Rocks Worship, Chris Mcclarney & more). In his ‘side job’, he has performed on stage beginning 5 years old trying to impress his elementary school teachers all the way to performing with Amy Grant in front of 60,000 people trying to impress his parents. Bryan has also been a worship leader for over 15 years and has a deep passion for seeing songs connect with people. He has worked in every side of the music business and says he is ‘always a student’ of the music business because it changes daily and that is the best job in the world. Return to Faculty Page KENNA TURNER WEST Kenna Turner West is a multi-Dove Award-winning songwriter and five-time Songwriter of the Year, co-writing hit songs such as “Say Amen,” “Revival,” “Small Town Someone,” and “Even Me.” With over seventy “Song of the Year” nominations, twenty-two “Song of The Year” wins, six BMI Awards, and over thirty-five national #1’s to her credit, Kenna’s songs have been recorded by artists such as Jason Crabb, Hillary Scott (of Lady Antebellum), Michael English, The Martins, Finding Favour, The Isaacs, The Booth Brothers, Triumphant Quartet, The Collingsworth Family, Brian Free & Assurance, Joseph Habedank, Shenandoah’s Marty Raybon, Karen Peck & New River, Jeff & Sheri Easter, The Nelons, Selah, The Blackwood Brothers, The Oak Ridge Boys, Gold City, Wes Hampton and Adam Crabb of the Gaither Vocal Band, The Talleys, The Perrys, Karyn Williams, Mac Powell (of Third Day), Greater Vision, Gordon Mote, The Erwins, 11th Hour, Legacy Five, Doug Anderson, The Whisnants, The Old Paths, Tribute Quartet, Sisters, The Bowlings Family, HighRoad, Canton Junction, Ivan Parker, and many more. She has also penned six musicals, including Word Music’s 2019 Easter release, “We Are Witnesses.” For over thirty-five years, the author and board-certified counselor has blended music, devotional teaching, and humor into a ministry that has reached across the nation and around the world. Whether she is writing songs or ministering alongside noted Christian leaders at venues ranging from The Pentagon to NASCAR chapels to the local church, Kenna’s life has a singular call: to creatively communicate the Living Hope found in Jesus Christ. Kenna resides near Nashville, TN with her husband, Kerry—the son of Country Music Hall of Fame-member Dottie West and audio engineer of over twenty-five years for country music artist Ronnie Milsap. Their son, Graham, is currently pursuing a PhD in computational science at nearby MTSU. Return to Faculty Page TONY WOOD Tony Wood is a five-time Dove Award winner, nominee for Songwriter of the Year and writer of 31 #1 songs. Recent singles include: EVEN THEN by Micah Tyler; GOD IS ON THE MOVE (7eventh Time Down), BREATHE (Jonny Diaz) and FEARLESS (Jasmine Murray). Other artists recording his songs include Michael W. Smith, Francesca Battistelli, Matt Redman, Zach Williams, Mandisa, We Are Messengers, Point of Grace, Big Daddy Weave, Sandi Patty, Gaither Vocal Band, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs and many others. Tony is a staff writer for WORD Music Publishing. You can follow him on Instagram and Twitter at: tonywood_exit71. Return to Faculty Page HOLLY ZABKA Holly is Vice President of Publishing for Essential Music, working with such writers as Jason Ingram, Mia Fields, Matt Maher, Zach Williams, Jonathan Smith, Tauren Wells, Casting Crowns, Elevation Worship. Vertical Worship. In 2019, she was named BMI Publisher of the Year. Holly was Creative Director for Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing for eight years, and before that the Membership Director for the Gospel Music Association. Return to Faculty Page |