Meet Glad

"Nearly two decades ago, GLAD’s elegant vocals helped set them apart from other pioneers of contemporary Christian music. That vocal sound has since evolved into a complex, self-sustaining life form of its own. . . ." ---Contemporary Christian Music magazine

In the 1970s and ’80s, those "elegant vocals" were accompanied by superior instrumentation, positioning GLAD as a progressive Christian rock band that melded jazz, classical, and pop genres with sophistication. It wasn’t until the release of the highly successful A Cappella Project (1988) that GLAD began to build their reputation as one of America’s premier vocal groups. Though all accomplished musicians, the quartet now lets their pipes do most of the praising.

GLAD was formed at West Chester State University (near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) in the early ’70s. Ed Nalle, GLAD’s founder, is the only remaining member of the group’s original lineup, which included Bob Kauflin, T. Coble, John Bolles, Brad Curry, Fred Kramer, and Don Nalle. Ed graduated from West Chester with a degree in music education and eventually rounded up the musicians who make up GLAD’s current roster: Chris Davis (guitarist; studied music at Messiah College), John Gates (drummer; performed with Gladys Knight and the Pips), Jim Bullard (bassist; former staff musician at Grace World Outreach of St. Louis), and Paul Langford (keyboardist; studied music at Oklahoma Baptist University).

Since their self-titled debut in 1978, GLAD has released more than 20 albums and received impressive honors and awards, including a Billboard Critics’ Choice Award for The A Cappella Project, the "sequel" of which, The A Cappella Project II, was a #1-selling album. Their latest record, A Cappella Worship II, promises to be another big hit, and a blessing for worship leaders and fans everywhere.

As strong as their passion is for music ministry, GLAD is equally committed to the cause of Compassion International, a Christian humanitarian organization that offers aid to Third World children. In fact, GLAD’s concerts have become the leading fundraiser for Compassion. "The magnitude of people’s needs can overwhelm you," says Chris Davis, "unless you remember Compassion’s motto---saving the world is done one child at a time." This motto is much like GLAD’s ultimate mission as a music group: to spread the message of God’s saving grace to a needy world . . . one song at a time.