Phillip Sandifer

Personal life

Phillip Sandifer was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1959 but moved to Dallas, Texas as a youth. He attended Highland Park High School, Auburn University (Auburn, Alabama) and the University of Texas at Austin where he received a degree in History. He holds Masters degrees from Clemson University (Clemson, South Carolina) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (South Hamilton, MA) and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Covenant Theological Seminary (St. Louis, MO). He has been married to Rene Burchard Sandifer since 1984. They have four children.

Music career

Sandifer began his music career in 1981, when he created an album on a minimal budget. He has authored and performed 22 top 40 Adult Contemporary songs and six #1 inspirational songs (as noted in CCM Magazine and The Christian Research Report) in the Christian Music field. Sandifer acknowledges that while financial gain may elude those choosing the route of the independent label there is a great deal of satisfaction in creating largely on one's own terms. While not as visible as many artists, maintaining artistic control over his music has allowed for a career described as "constant" and music described as "consistent". His releases have been distributed on Urgent Records (Austin, TX) through Sparrow Records (now known as EMI Christian Music) followed by Benson Music Group (now known as Provident-Integrity Distribution) and Wider Sky through IODA (Sony Music Entertainment).

Sandifer has recorded with such artists as Jennifer Warnes, Wendy Foy (Sierra), Billy Crockett, Bob Bennett and Michele Wagner and written music for Glen Campbell, Fernando Ortega, Bob Bennett, Kim Hill, Cheri Keaggy, Rob Frazier, Dawn Smith Jordan (Miss South Carolina), Gary Powell and others. He has participated on recordings distributed by EMI, Disney, BMG Music and Warner Music Group although most of his solo recordings have been released on Urgent Records (Austin, TX), an independent label founded by Sandifer in 1984, Selfless Music and more recently Wider Sky Music.

Current

In 1998 Sandifer participated in Disney Records "A Bugs Life Sing Along" which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1999. In 1999 he withdrew from the music industry in order to focus on expanding Christian radio's reach in the Austin, Texas metro area. In 2000 he joined a local church staff in order to participate in furthering the involvement of the contemporary arts in church settings. In 2004 he participated as a guest vocalist on his second Disney Recording – "Luv-A-Byes", recording the Kenny Loggins classic (and one of Phillip's favorites) "Return To Pooh Corner".

Between 1999 and 2005 Sandifer participated in launching four new radio stations broadcasting largely Christian music programming in the Austin, TX area. In addition, he launched a local community radio station (KDRP-LP, aka K-Drip) to serve his local community of Dripping Springs,TX. KDRP plays an eclectic mix of music including Texana flavored music and involves many local personalities. Sandifer currently serves as the Worship & Arts Director at Colonial Presbyterian Church in Overland Park, KS.

In 2010–11 he renewed his writing and recording career releasing two new solo projects "Prone To Calamity" and "Expressions: Songs Of Worship" (an album of worship songs). Of "Prone To Calamity" Cross Rhythm's Phil Thomson noted "This has to be one of the best self-produced albums I have come across in many a year". In January 2012 Sandifer released "Simple Hymns". Of "Simple Hymns" Cross Rhythm's Tony Cummings noted Phillip's "warm, Dan Fogelberg-sounding voice and beautifully picked guitar". Cummings further regarded Sandifer's renditions of "Be Thou My Vision", "Blessed Assurance" and "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" as showing "the veteran to be one of the most underrated song interpreters around".

Discography (artist)

Discography (producer)