Mark Hall (musician)
John Mark Hall (born September 14, 1969) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist for the Georgia-based contemporary Christian music group Casting Crowns, a seven-member group composed of worship leaders. He is also youth pastor at Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough.[2]
Mark Hall
John Mark Hall[1]
September 14, 1969
Henry County, Georgia, U.S.
Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.
Singer, composer, pastor
Vocals, piano
1999–present
Early childhood[edit]
Hall was diagnosed with learning disabilities as a child, including attention deficit disorder just before third grade. He also was diagnosed with dyslexia.[3] Mark defines himself as "a broken person made whole". He talks about his trials in his book Lifestories.
Early ministry[edit]
Hall served as youth pastor to the First Baptist Church of Samson, Alabama and other churches while pursuing a music degree at the Baptist College of Florida. Upon earning his degree, Mark and his wife Melanie moved to Loganville, Georgia, where he served as the Minister of Music and Students at Center Hill Baptist Church. In each church he started a youth band as a way to involve students in a ministry that would allow them to use their musical talents and interests. Hall would continue this practice during his tenure at the First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach, Florida.
The beginning of Casting Crowns[edit]
Casting Crowns began as the student worship band that Hall formed while he was serving at First Baptist Daytona Beach in 1999. As in previous churches, Mark was the lead singer and songwriter; other members would go on to write songs for the group as well. Other members at that time included: Juan DeVevo (guitar), Melodee DeVevo (vocals and violin), Hector Cervantes (guitar), and Darren Hughes (production manager).
Return to Georgia[edit]
After two years of service in Florida, Mark Hall and Casting Crowns moved to Eagle's Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough, Georgia.
Record label[edit]
In 2015, Hall established, along with Mark A. Miller, the M2T Records (Made to Thrive), and the first artist they signed together was Hannah Kerr.[4]
Awards[edit]
Mark Hall received several Dove Award nominations at the 36th GMA Dove Awards. In 2007, Hall was nominated to a Dove Award for Male Vocalist of the Year at the 38th GMA Dove Awards. The Casting Crowns song "Praise You in This Storm", written by Hall, was also nominated for Song of the Year.
The next year, Hall collected five trophies at the 2008 39th GMA Dove Awards.[5] Hall, who was that night's leading nominee with six, won Song of the Year and Pop/Contemporary Recorded Song of the Year for "East to West", which he co-wrote with Bernie Herms.
His participation on the multi-artist worship project Glory Revealed brought Hall individual honors for Special Event Album of the Year for the CD, as well as Inspirational Recorded Song of the Year for "By His Wounds".