Featured Artist: Leeland
Leeland are from Baytown, Texas. The band was formed in 2004, although lead singer Leeland Mooring had been writing songs beforehand. Leeland is composed of Leeland Mooring (lead vocals, guitar), Jack Mooring (backing vocals, keyboard), Matt Campbell (guitar), Jake Holtz (bass) and Mike Smith (drums). The band's original line-up included Jeremiah Wood, but he left the band in late 2006, and was replaced by guitarist Matt Campbell in late spring of 2007. Leeland has released two studio albums, and received a Grammy Award nomination and two Dove Award nominations for their debut album Sound of Melodies (2006). The band's third and forthcoming album, Love Is on the Move, will be released this month.
Sounds of Melodies
Leeland began recording for their debut release, Sound of Melodies, in 2005, with Matt Bronleewe, Marc Byrd, and Steve Hindalong producing the album. It was released in the USA on August 15, 2006. At the 49th Grammy Awards the album was nominated for "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album".In 2007 the band received five GMA Dove Award nominations, including "New Artist of the Year" The album was also released in Japan on March 21, 2007, with the title song "Sound of Melodies" peaking at #6 on the general Japan radio chart.
The band has worked closely with Christian music legend Michael W. Smith. Smith has said that "Leeland is the best thing I have heard in a long, long time". Leeland Mooring co-wrote six songs on Smith's album, Stand, and wrote one song by himself. Later on, Jack Mooring married Smith's daughter Whitney Smith-Mooring on June 1, 2007.
After being with Leeland for four years, Jeremiah Wood left the band in October 2006 to pursue other endeavors. Although never an official member, Austin Tirado was hired on as a temporary guitar player until February 2007. In February, Matt Campbell was also originally hired as a temporary guitarist for three months, however he was added as an official band member after those three months.
Opposite Ways
Leeland's second studio album, Opposite Way, was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee. In November 2007, the band announced that the album would release on February 26, 2008. Lead singer Leeland Mooring said that "[Opposite Way] is primarily a call to our generation to passionately walk the 'opposite way' from the world; that it's OK to live the Christian life and to be on fire for God, even if it makes us look different." In its debut week of release, Opposite Way peaked at #72 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart, and also reached #1 on the iTunes Christian Albums chart. Starting in September 2007, Leeland began touring with Grammy Award-winning band Casting Crowns on The Altar and the Door tour.
Leeland have been nominated for many awards over there time as a band. The band's song "Tears of the Saints" from their debut album received two Dove Award nominations in 2008. Also, lead singer Leeland Mooring was nominated for "Songwriter of the Year" and co-writer of the song "Be Lifted High" with Michael W. Smith. The bands song "Brighter Days" from the Opposite Way album was featured in the June 22, 2008 episode of the television show Army Wives. The show's music supervisor Frankie Pine said, "We thought the use of 'Brighter Days' in this episode of Army Wives was moving, and was the perfect fit for what we were looking for". The song was also featured on the soundtrack of the movie Fireproof
In December 2008, the band's Opposite Way album was nominated for a 2009 Grammy Award in the category "Best Pop/Contemporary Gospel Album".
Now the band release their latest album Love Is On The Move this month.
