Jeffrey Craig Fenholt (September 15, 1950 – September 10, 2019) was an American musician, singer and actor best known for his performance as the title character in the original Broadway theatre adaptation of ''
Jesus Christ Superstar
''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...
'' and for his appearance on the cover of ''Time''. In later years, Fenholt gained recognition as a Christian
evangelist
Evangelist may refer to:
Religion
* Four Evangelists, the authors of the canonical Christian Gospels
* Evangelism, publicly preaching the Gospel with the intention of spreading the teachings of Jesus Christ
* Evangelist (Anglican Church), a c ...
and singer, as well as controversy over his involvement with the English
heavy metal band
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
.
Background and early years
Fenholt grew up in Ohio and went to school in Columbus, Ohio. He was involved with a number of rock bands and performed at various school functions. Fenholt got his first regional hit recording titled "Goin' Too Far" with the band The Fifth Order when he was 14. He toured extensively while he was in high school. By his own admission, he was a troubled youth with a juvenile delinquency record. Later, while in college, he worked at Jeffrey Mining Machinery Co. as a material mover in the motor winding and assembly department, and loading and unloading beef sides for a non-union roughneck truck dock, EC Jones, Trucking. Fenholt attended Ohio State University for two years on a music scholarship, and later earned his B.A. in music at The School of Bible Theology University in San Jacinto, California.
Fenholt was cast as Jesus in the title role in the original Broadway production of ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' sold in excess of 12 million albums. The album recording however didn't feature Fenholt in the title role but Ian Gillan known from the British group Deep Purple. ''JCS'' legends
Carl Anderson and
Yvonne Elliman
Yvonne Marianne Elliman (born December 29, 1951) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who performed for four years in the first cast of the stage musical ''Jesus Christ Superstar''. She scored a number of hits in the 1970s and achieved ...
toured with Fenholt on the JCS world tour as Judas Iscariot and Mary Magdalene, respectively.
Fenholt released several solo recordings, including a successful cover of
Graham Nash
Graham William Nash (born 2 February 1942) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, photographer, and activist. He is known for his light tenor voice and for his contributions as a member of the Hollies and the supergroups Crosby, Stills ...
's "
Simple Man" (not to be confused with
Lobo's "A Simple Man", which was released at nearly the same time).
Fenholt co-founded Entertainment Capital Corporation with Jeff Thornburg, former president of The Robert Stigwood Org, producing Andy Warhol's film, ''Bad''. ECC also produced recordings for Fenholt. Thornburg and Fenholt amicably parted ways when Thornburg accepted the position of head of venture capital for Paramount Pictures.
In 1978, Fenholt recorded a disco LP titled ''Smile'' for CBS and was paid $300,000. Fenholt also recorded for Capitol Records, Universal, Paramount, Polygram, Polydor, Decca, RCA, and as a youth, Laurie, Diamond and Cameo Parkway. He last recorded for Sony.
In 1983, Fenholt moved across the country to Southern California to pursue music, but this time it was for rock and roll. During this period, Fenholt would record demos in the studio with Tony Iommi and members of Black Sabbath as a lead vocalist, but his departure from the group would take place before anything officially materialized. Fenholt was also the lead singer of a number of other rock groups in his lifetime, such as, "Driver" featuring members of Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, and Dio.
Fenholt's 1994 autobiography ''From Darkness to Light'' reveals that he was abused and mistreated as a youth and subjected to frequent beatings. In 1996, Fenholt's parents sued him,
Trinity Broadcasting Network
The Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) is an international Christian-based broadcast television network and the world's largest religious television network. TBN was headquartered in Costa Mesa, California, until March 3, 2017, when it sold its ...
(TBN), and the publisher of his autobiography for $12 million each for defamation of character. Fenholt's siblings claimed he made up the stories of abuse, but the lawsuit subsequently was dropped after Fenholt produced court documents from the superior court of Franklin County, Ohio, confirming his claims. Fenholt later said that he had a "warm relationship" with his mother and family.
Conversion to Christianity
According to Fenholt's autobiography, he was heavily addicted to alcohol and drugs following the end of
''Jesus Christ Superstars run on Broadway. Fenholt's often-repeated testimony (later published in his autobiography) details a visit from Christian construction workers (Nick Dissipio, owner, hired by his Christian wife to rebuild a wing of his house) who confronted him regarding his portrayal of Christ on stage. Fenholt converted to Christianity, abstained from his addictions, spent the next several years struggling to balance his faith and his career, and then became a high-profile personality on TBN. Fenholt sported long hair, an unusual style in conservative evangelical circles, and he often appeared with his wife Maureen (nicknamed Reeni).
His ministry went global, with tours and concerts in Italy, South Africa (including one tour with his daughter Shaye), Australia, New Zealand, South and Central America, and Europe. The international trip to Moscow, Russia in the Olympic Stadium took place with approximately 100,000 people in attendance in communist Russia.
In 1989, Jeff Fenholt would return to the very same theater where it all started with Jesus Christ Superstar—the Mark Hellinger Theater, but this time it was to dedicate the theater as a new evangelical Pentecostal church in Times Square pastored by David Wilkerson called "Times Square Church".
In 1996, Fenholt was Chairman of Youth for a rally called "Washington for Jesus" which took place at the Nation's Capitol, and is reported as drawing nearly 500,000 people.
His show, ''Highway to Heaven'', on TBN was aired around the world and reached millions. Fenholt also had a national and world-wide musical TV program called ''Standing on the Rock'', which aired over 36 satellites covering most of the world. TBN also recorded some of Fenholt's self-composed solo worship albums. His Christian music sold in excess of 3.5 million albums, and his ''Christmas Classics'' album went platinum. In total, Jeff Fenholt received a double-platinum album for ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', plus an additional platinum album and two gold albums in the gospel genre.
Involvement with Tony Iommi/Black Sabbath
Fenholt built his career as a TBN personality based mostly upon his involvement with ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', and
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath were an English rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1968 by guitarist Tony Iommi, drummer Bill Ward (musician), Bill Ward, bassist Geezer Butler and vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. They are often cited as pioneers of heavy met ...
. In the Black Sabbath Biography publication ''Never Say Die'', Fenholt said that Black Sabbath manager
Don Arden
Don Arden (born Harry Levy; 4 January 1926 – 21 July 2007) was an English music manager, agent, and businessman. He managed the careers of rock acts such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Little Richard, Air Supply, Small Faces, The Move, Black Sabbath ...
informed him he was singing for Black Sabbath.
The ''Never Say Die'' book, written by Garry Sharpe-Young and updated as ''Sabbath Bloody Sabbath – The Battle for Black Sabbath'', states that a substantial number of recordings were made during Fenholt's time with the group. It is acknowledged that this was a confusing time in the band's history, as singer
David Donato had left the band after six months only having recorded demos.
Geezer Butler
Terence Michael Joseph "Geezer" Butler (born 17 July 1949) is a English musician and songwriter. He is best known as the bassist and primary lyricist of the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. He has also recorded and performed with Heaven & Hell ...
and
Bill Ward had left as well, leaving
Tony Iommi
Anthony Frank Iommi () (born 19 February 1948) is a British musician. He co-founded the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, and was the band's guitarist, leader and primary composer and sole continuous member for nearly five decades. I ...
as the sole original member.
Manager Don Arden suggested Iommi use Fenholt and tracks were written, in the main by Iommi and Nicholls, for a proposed new album. The book ''Never Say Die'' voices opinion from other band members that Fenholt might have been kept in the dark about plans to make an Iommi solo album. Geoff Nicholls has stated that after Fenholt's departure, Iommi wanted to use different singers, including
David Coverdale
David Coverdale (born 22 September 1951) is an English singer who is best known as the lead vocalist of Whitesnake, a hard rock band he founded in 1978. Before Whitesnake, Coverdale was the lead singer of Deep Purple from 1973 to 1976, after wh ...
,
Steve Marriott
Stephen Peter Marriott (30 January 1947 – 20 April 1991) was an English guitarist, singer and songwriter. He co-founded and played in the rock bands Small Faces and Humble Pie, in a career spanning over two decades. Marriott was inducted po ...
,
Glenn Hughes and
Rob Halford
Robert John Arthur Halford (born 25 August 1951) is an English heavy metal singer. He is the lead vocalist of Judas Priest, which was formed in 1969 and has received accolades such as the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance. He has b ...
.
Fenholt says several of his melodies were used in songs that appeared on ''Seventh Star'' (and subsequently did not receive credit for them). None of his lyrics were used, as confirmed by comparing the Fenholt demos with the album. Rumors suggesting he only left the project because of supposed personal conflicts with the lyrical material being written and his religious faith are suggested by Fenholt and Geoff Nicholls, who wrote the lyrics. Fenholt claims it was in fact a physical argument with Don Arden, along with Iommi's bad habits and Tony's proposed dark lyrics that caused his departure. However, Iommi has stated that Fenholt was never an official member of Black Sabbath. Iommi went on to say that he thought Fenholt had a great voice, but it didn't work, due to Fenholt having difficulty in singing "Sabbath" type lyrics and fitting in.
During this period, Fenholt would also audition and record demos with Geezer Butler for his proposed
Geezer Butler Band project which never got off the ground.
After his time with Iommi, Fenholt would briefly replace
Jeff Scott Soto
Jeff Scott Soto (born November 4, 1965) is an American rock singer of Puerto Rican descent. He is best known for being the vocalist on Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums, and (briefly) the lead vocalist for Journey in 2006–2007. Soto also sa ...
in Driver, a joint project of Rudy Sarzo and Tommy Aldridge (each of Ozzy and Whitesnake fame). Upon recording several cuts with Driver (one of which is in common circulation amongst fans, "Rock the World") Fenholt left the project to do a solo tour of South America and was replaced by his successor in
Joshua
Joshua () or Yehoshua ( ''Yəhōšuaʿ'', Tiberian: ''Yŏhōšuaʿ,'' lit. 'Yahweh is salvation') ''Yēšūaʿ''; syr, ܝܫܘܥ ܒܪ ܢܘܢ ''Yəšūʿ bar Nōn''; el, Ἰησοῦς, ar , يُوشَعُ ٱبْنُ نُونٍ '' Yūšaʿ ...
,
Rob Rock
Robert Rock (born June 29, 1959) is an American heavy metal singer who is best known as the longtime frontman of Impellitteri, a position he has held from 1987 to 1988, 1992 to 2000, and now from 2008 to the present day. Rock has also released ...
. Following a legal dispute with another band of the same name, the Driver project would change its name to M.A.R.S., upon the recruitment of guitarist
Tony MacAlpine
Tony MacAlpine (born August 29, 1960) is an American musician and composer. In a career spanning four decades, he has released twelve studio albums. MacAlpine is best known as an instrumental rock and heavy metal solo guitarist, although he has ...
. Only one album was released, 1986's ''
Project: Driver'', before the band officially disbanded.
Fenholt continued as a solo Christian artist to perform numerous American and world tours in stadiums and arenas, often drawing in excess of 100,000 in attendance.
Departure
In 1993, Fenholt announced on the TV program ''
The 700 Club
''The 700 Club'' is the flagship television program of the Christian Broadcasting Network, airing each weekday in syndication in the United States and available worldwide on CBN.com. The news magazine program features live guests, daily news, con ...
'' that he planned to do a Halloween concert in an arena in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin. Having advance notification from the attorney general of Massachusetts of his arrival in Wisconsin, Wiccan Priest Selena Fox (Circle Sanctuary) got a
restraining order
A restraining order or protective order, is an order used by a court to protect a person in a situation involving alleged domestic violence, child abuse, assault, harassment, stalking, or sexual assault.
Restraining and personal protection or ...
from the local county court prohibiting not only his trespass on private property but actually specifying that he stay a particular distance from the property line. Fenholt won in court.
In 1996, Fenholt was the chairman of a youth rally titled Washington for Jesus on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, drawing nearly 500,000 in attendance. Fenholt raised over $1.7 million to stage the event, donating over $300,000 of his own funds.
An article in the December 1997 issue of ''Vanity Fair'' reviewing Ian Gibson's biography of
Salvador Dalí
Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...
, detailed Fenholt's past as a "boy toy" for Dalí's wife
Gala Dalí
Gala Dalí (born Elena Ivanovna Diakonova, Елéна Ивáновна Дья́конова; – 10 June 1982), usually known simply as Gala, was the wife of poet Paul Éluard and later of artist Salvador Dalí, who were both prominent in ...
. The article by John Richardson was titled "Dali's Demon Bride" and was unsparing in its criticism of both Gala and her husband. The article was not much more kind to Fenholt than it was to Gala; according to the review, Fenholt became Gala's lover when she was in her eighties, and secured in return "a sizable house on Long Island... and large sums of money."
[Dali's Demon Bride]
" by John Richardson, ''Vanity Fair'', December 1997. Retrieved 2-3-2022 Fenholt was outraged at the depiction of Gala, and wrote a scathing letter to the editor, stating the authors had no evidence to substantiate their depiction of Gala Dalí.
Fenholt was divorced in 1998 and left TBN, except for a few brief appearances, including one after the events of September 11, 2001, that featured a marked change in his demeanor and appearance, including short hair and a quick exit from the stage following his performance. His album of Christian music was TBN's promotion in December 2001. Fenholt recorded five solo albums for TBN, featuring many of his own compositions. These sold in excess of 3.3 million copies. Fenholt earned one Platinum and two Gold albums. He briefly was seen doing a late-night timeslot for a half-hour program. Fenholt stated that after his divorce he had "lost his fire".
Fenholt returned to TBN on March 3, 2004, as a guest on ''Behind the Scenes'', hosted by
Paul Crouch
Paul Franklin Crouch /kraʊtʃ/ (March 30, 1934 – November 30, 2013) was an American television evangelist. Crouch and his wife, Jan, founded the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN) in 1973; the company has been described as "the world’s la ...
. Fenholt mentioned Black Sabbath, citing the book ''Never Say Die''.
In 2008, Fenholt was hired as executive producer of the Beijing Olympic concert series.
Personal life
Jeffrey Craig Fenholt was born on September 15, 1950, in Columbus, Ohio to parents Robert and Janet Fenholt, has a brother named Tom, and two sisters, Nancy and Melinda. He also has one foster brother, Bill.
Fenholt married Maureen (Reeni) McFadden at only 20 years of age and was married for 28 years. He has six adult children, Shaye, Tristan, Nissa, William, Amory, and Jeffrey.
Fenholt died of natural causes at his residence on September 10, 2019. A memorial service was held at The Rock in Anaheim, California on September 28, 2019. The service was attended by family and friends, members of the original Broadway cast of ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', as well as former bandmates associated with Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake and Dio. Pastors and ministers across the country also attended.
In popular culture
Fenholt is portrayed by
Zachary Nachbar-Seckel in
Mary Harron
Mary Harron (born January 12, 1953) is a Canadian filmmaker and screenwriter, and former entertainment critic. She gained recognition for her role in writing and directing several independent films, including ''I Shot Andy Warhol'' (1996), ''Ame ...
's biopic Daliland. The film depicts him as
Gala Dali
Gala may refer to:
Music
* ''Gala'' (album), a 1990 album by the English alternative rock band Lush
*'' Gala – The Collection'', a 2016 album by Sarah Brightman
*GALA Choruses, an association of LGBT choral groups
*''Gala'', a 1986 album by T ...
's self-centered lover who she spends large amounts of money on in order to support his fledgling solo career.
References
External links
*
*
*
Jeff Fenholtat
Find a Grave
Find a Grave is a website that allows the public to search and add to an online database of cemetery records. It is owned by Ancestry.com. Its stated mission is "to help people from all over the world work together to find, record and present fin ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fenholt, Jeff
1951 births
2019 deaths
American evangelists
American heavy metal singers
American male singers
American performers of Christian music
Black Sabbath members
Converts to Christianity
Joshua (band) members
People from Columbus, Ohio
Place of birth missing
Place of death missing