ARTIST BIOS: WORSHIP

Lenny LeBlanc

Integrity Music

CBN.com – These days a lot of Christian artists are trying to crossover into the pop market; and some are even succeeding. For Lenny LeBlanc "crossover" has an entirely different meaning: crossing over in the other direction, from pop success to Christian music. The man whose voice and instrumental talent graced the recordings of stars such as Roy Orbison, The Supremes, Hank Williams Jr., Crystal Gayle and Joan Baez also had a pop career of his own as part of a duo and as a solo artist.

In what many consider to be the "golden age" of tasteful pop music, the late 1970s, Lenny LeBlanc rode the crest of success as half of the popular duo LeBlanc & Carr. To this day their smash hit "Falling" remains in the record books as one of the most popular singles ever, lasting 27 weeks during 1978 and 1979. In fact, "Falling," a dreamy, romantic ballad co-written by LeBlanc, attained the rare feat of being named a BMI Millionaire song, indicating one million radio plays, and was named one of Billboard's all time favorite Top 40 hits.

So how did this reverse crossover happen? Well, after achieving many of the goals LeBlanc dreamed about as a teenager, things were looking good. "My career was my god and I began to worship the gift He had given me even to the point of leaving my family behind. I was not at a low point in life nor looking or searching for God until a good friend of mine who was a drug smuggler called me late one night. He said 'Lenny I got saved and I'm going to heaven.' Then he said, 'Lenny I want you to be there with me. Are you saved?' Without even thinking I said 'Yes,' not knowing what being saved even meant. My friend sent me a Bible and for the next few weeks God began to reveal His love to me. I began to realize how shallow and selfish my life was and there in my house I cried out to God for mercy and forgiveness."

After that life changing experience, Lenny's desires changed radically. Before long he began to write songs that reflected his new found faith in Christ. "I could have gone on in the field of pop music as a Christian but I sensed that God had something different for me. I didn't know anything or anyone in Christian music except for Amy Grant. I had sung on her first record "My Fathers Eyes." She was only 18 years old at the time." Soon LeBlanc began making many new friends in the Contemporary Christian music industry and his first release entitled "Say a Prayer" was warmly received. He has had seven solo releases with more than a dozen top 10 radio singles. His involvement with the Maranatha Praise Band and serving as worship leader on Integrity Hosanna's "Pure Heart" has brought him in front of even more Christian audiences. As a songwriter he primarily writes Christian music like the Dove Award winning "Above All," but occasionally pens solid relational songs like the #1 country hit "Treat Her Right" for Sawyer Brown and "Father Knows Best" for Ricky Skaggs.

Lenny lives in Florence, Alabama, with his wife Sherrie and youngest daughter Hanna where he serves as Worshp Leader at Faith Church. Lenny continues to travel, performing 30 to 40 concerts a year as well as producing various releases like Integrity Hosanna's "Revival at Brownsville". His latest release entitled "One Desire" is part of Integrity's live worship series recorded at The Church of the Apostles in Atlanta, GA. "I would hope that my music causes people to seek to know God," says Lenny. "Not seek to become a better Christian, but to know Him more. That's what I desire in my own life."