A veteran in the Contemporary Christian Music community, Dallas Holm has been using his talents in the service of the Lord since the mid-'60s. Born in St. Paul, Minnesota on November 5, 1948, Holm started playing in local rock bands in his mid-teens. As Holm put it, when he was 16, "One night the pastor of our church sat down and talked with me about my life, my goals, and Jesus. On October 17, 1965, I committed my life and my music to the Lord. I've never looked back." Soon Holm was performing Christian music at local revival events, as well as playing on street corners, in jails, and anywhere he felt he could reach lost souls. After attending bible college, Holm served as a youth pastor before he began working with well-known evangelist David Wilkerson. During his ten years with Wilkerson, Holm made music an important part of his message, releasing his self-titled debut album in 1970. In 1976, he formed a Christian pop group, Dallas Holm & Praise. In 1978, Holm debuted his best known song, "Rise Again," which won the Dove Award as Song of the Year, while Holm was named Songwriter of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year, and Praise was awarded Mixed Group of the Year. In 1980, Holm once again won the Dove for Male Vocalist of the Year, while All That Matters by Dallas Holm & Praise took home the trophy for Best Pop/Contemporary Album. 1980 also saw Holm founding his own ministry in Texas as he continued to record and make personal appearances on a regular basis. Between 1970 and 2005, Holm released 34 albums, either as a solo act, with Praise, or in collaboration with other CCM artists, and he's embraced styles ranging from adult contemporary and country to blues and reggae. In 2007, Holm was inducted into the Texas Gospel Music Hall of Fame, and the GMA Gospel Music Hall of Fame followed suit in 2012. ~ Mark Deming
