Petra was formed in 1972,  guitarists and songwriters Bob Hartman and Greg Hough teamed up with bassist John DeGroff.  Later, the group added drummer Bill Glover.  They started out playing small venues like coffee houses, using their music to witness and share the Word.

Petra

It has been a privilege and honor to represent our Savior and participate in His Great Commission. We have nothing but thanks to God for all He has done.

Pioneering Christian Rock

Petra was formed in 1972,  guitarists and songwriters Bob Hartman and Greg Hough teamed up with bassist John DeGroff.  Later, the group added drummer Bill Glover.  They started out playing small venues like coffee houses, using their music to witness and share the Word.  They signed with Myrrh Records and released their first album, Petra, in 1974, which featured a southern rock sound, similar to that of the Allman Brothers.  With no promotional tour, the album was a commercial failure.

The 1970s saw three more albums and several changes in the roster. By the end of the 1970s, Petra was on the edge of success, but not quite there.  Their audiences were struggling with the combination of the Christian message and their heavy rock sound.  Despite public airplay, their 1979 album, Washes Whiter Than, was not available to fans, due to distribution problems.

Finding Success

Petra released Never Say Die in 1981.  The album marked  a move toward commercial success.  They went on tour with Servant and their fanbase began to grow.  They followed up the album with a series of three more increasingly successful albums.  With the help of aggressive touring and promoting, Petra had found the commercial and critical success they had been seeking.

In 1986, the band replaced lead singer Greg X.Volz with John Schlitt, formerly of Head East.  He had a fuller and raspier voice than Volz had, directing the band into a heavy metal sound.  Back To The Street was the first album to feature the new sound; it enjoyed only moderate success, but it did lead to the band's first music video, Whole World.  Petra released nine albums in the 1980s and eight in the 1990s.

Finishing On Top

Petra released four albums in the 2000s, ending with Petra's Farewell in 2005.  By then, the band had won four Grammy Awards and ten Dove Awards.  They were inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame, the Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and the Hard Rock Cafe.  The band reunited for a single show in 2007 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and are scheduled to perform together in July, 2010 at two festivals in Colorado and South Dakota, respectively.

There have been multiple tribute albums over the years, the most famous being Never Say Dinosaur, a compilation including contributions from Jars of Clay, MxPx, and Galactic Cowboys.  They are one of the few bands to have tribute covers from rock bands and choirs.  With the dawn of the internet, an entirely new fan base has emerged, and their hits are now available for download on line.

Did you know . . .

1. Petra included a short speech at the beginning of their single, Judas Kiss, that required the phonograph be turned backward to be heard:  “What are you looking for the devil for, when you ought to be looking for the Lord?"

2. Petra was the only Christian band to play at the 1992 Farm Aid concert.

3. Evangelists such as Jimmy Swaggart and David Wilkerson openly opposed Petra and their music.

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