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Kevin Max Smith (born August 17, 1967) is an American
singer Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or without ...
,
songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music gen ...
, and
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
. He is best known for being a member of the
Christian pop Contemporary Christian music, also known as CCM, Christian pop, and occasionally inspirational music is a genre of modern popular music, and an aspect of Christian media, which is lyrically focused on matters related to the Christian faith and s ...
group
dc Talk DC Talk (stylized as dc Talk) is a Christian hip hop, Christian rap and Christian rock, rock trio. The group was formed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by tobyMac, Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max, Kevin Max Smith ...
. As a solo artist following the band going on hiatus, he has recorded 12 full-length studio albums, including a Christmas album. From 2012 until 2014, he was the lead singer of the band
Audio Adrenaline Audio Adrenaline was an American Christian rock band that formed in 1986 at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. The band gained recognition during the 1990s and received two Grammy Awards and multiple Dove Awards. Audio Adr ...
.


Early life

Adopted as a baby to Max and Elaine Smith, Kevin Smith was raised in
Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
,
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. Kevin went to high school at Grand Rapids Baptist (now Northpointe Christian). He went to college at Liberty University in Lynchburg Virginia. Kevin Max Smith legally changed his name to "Kevin Max" in 1997 as a tribute to his adoptive father, Max Smith.


Career


dc Talk years (1989–2001)

While at
Liberty University Liberty University (LU) is a private Baptist university in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia (Southern Baptist Convention). Founded in 1971 by Jerry Falwell Sr. and Elmer L. Towns, Liberty i ...
, he met fellow
dc Talk DC Talk (stylized as dc Talk) is a Christian hip hop, Christian rap and Christian rock, rock trio. The group was formed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by tobyMac, Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max, Kevin Max Smith ...
bandmates:
Toby McKeehan Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...
("tobyMac") and
Michael Tait Michael DeWayne Tait (born May 18, 1966) is an American contemporary Christian music artist. Michael Tait met Toby McKeehan in 1984 when he was in high school. Both Toby and Michael met Kevin Max while attending Liberty University in the late 19 ...
. They formed DC Talk in 1988 and went on to achieve great success in both
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and mainstream music winning numerous Dove Awards and Grammys. The band went on to win 4
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
s, 16
GMA Dove Awards A Dove Award is an accolade by the Gospel Music Association (GMA) of the United States to recognize outstanding achievement in the Christian music industry. The awards are presented annually. Formerly held in Nashville, Tennessee, the Dove Awards ...
, and other recognition. The band went on hiatus in 2000 to pursue solo careers.


Going solo (2001–2012)

Max's first solo album, '' Stereotype Be'', released on August 28, 2001, was praised by
Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
for " ombiningpop, rock, and world music to create a versatile and intriguing project.". Artists
Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual and impressionistic approach to ...
and
Tony Levin Anthony Frederick Levin (born June 6, 1946) is an American musician and composer, specializing in electric bass, Chapman Stick and upright bass. He also sings and plays synthesizer. Levin is best known for his work with King Crimson (since 1 ...
of
King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...
,
Larry Norman Larry David Norman (April 8, 1947 – February 24, 2008) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of Christian rock music and released more than 100 albu ...
and drummer
Matt Chamberlain Matthew Chamberlain (born April 17, 1967) is an American session musician, drummer, producer and songwriter. Biography Life and career Chamberlain was born in San Pedro, California on April 17, 1967. He began learning how to play the drums ...
contributed to the album along with Max's collaborator Erick Cole. It became a turning point in Max's career, as the project was a foreshadowing of Max's own brand of alternative music. While ''Stereotype Be'' has developed a considerable cult following, it was not well received in the Christian music market. Soon after its release, Max was dropped from his Christian label,
Forefront Records ForeFront Records is a contemporary Christian music and Christian rock record label founded in 1987 by Dan R. Brock, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, and Ron W. Griffin. It was purchased by EMI in 1996 from Dan R. Brock and Eddie DeGarmo, and is a divis ...
. Undeterred, Max began to slowly build his solo career through live shows and word-of-mouth. He released independent albums via his website, including ''
Between the Fence & the Universe ''Between the Fence & the Universe'' is an EP by recording artist Kevin Max, initially released independently in 2004 and later by Northern Records in 2005. It is a compilation of previously unreleased songs that Max initially recorded for his sec ...
'' and a spoken-word collaboration with Adrian Belew, ''
Raven Songs 101 Raven Songs 101 is a spoken-word album by Kevin Max and Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist ...
'', both in 2004. In fall of 2004, Max's
word-of-mouth Word of mouth, or ''viva voce'', is the passing of information from person to person using oral communication, which could be as simple as telling someone the time of day. Storytelling is a common form of word-of-mouth communication where one pe ...
strategy finally began to pay off. He played the title role in the Visalia Theatre Company / Hutson-Cavale Productions revival of the classic
Tim Rice Sir Timothy Miles Bindon Rice (born 10 November 1944) is an English lyricist and author. He is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote, among other shows, ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'', ' ...
and
Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musicals, ...
musical ''
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat ''Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat'' (often colloquially known as ''Joseph'') is a sung-through musical with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the character of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. Thi ...
''. Later that year, he signed a new deal with
Northern Records Northern Records is an independent record label in California. It was founded in 1999 and is distributed in the United States and Canada by RED Distribution ( Sony BMG). Releases See also * List of record labels * RED Distribution R ...
and released a second full-length album, '' The Imposter'' on October 11, 2005. He released a
Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
album, ''Holy Night'', in time for the 2005 Christmas season. In April 2007, Infinity Music announced that Max had been signed to their label for his next project. ''
The Blood The Blood are an English, London-based punk rock band, formed in 1982. Led by Cardinal Jesus Hate and JJ Bedsore (AKA Colin Smith and Jamie Cantwell), the band formed in the early 1980s under the name "Coming Blood". Their music is a blend of ...
'' was released on December 26, 2007. According to Max, "The Blood is not a classic hymns cover project or a white/homogenized version of black gospel or soul music. It's a sensitive and stylized adaption of the music that was at the root of rock and roll, blues and popular culture." Max has attempted to create a name for himself apart from
DC Talk DC Talk (stylized as dc Talk) is a Christian hip hop, Christian rap and Christian rock, rock trio. The group was formed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by tobyMac, Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max, Kevin Max Smith ...
. While he does not shy away from vocally defending his faith, he has expressed a desire to create art with a universal appeal. He insists, "My music is for a
Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...
and a
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
to pick up and still enjoy, as well as for an
atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...
. But it is there to prod and ask questions: What is my worldview? What do I believe in, and why do I believe it?" In February 2008, Max starred in the independent film '' The Imposter''. In the film, Kevin plays a character named "Johnny C", a singer who becomes addicted to
OxyContin Oxycodone, sold under various brand names such as Roxicodone and OxyContin (which is the extended release form), is a strong, semi-synthetic opioid used medically for treatment of moderate to severe pain. It is highly addictive and a commonly ...
and loses his family and job as a Christian music star. The movie also features Tom Wright and
Troy Baker Troy Baker (born April 1, 1976) is an American voice actor and musician. Baker is known for his video game roles, including Joel Miller in ''The Last of Us'' (2013) and its sequel (2020), Booker DeWitt in ''BioShock Infinite'' (2013), Samuel ...
. In 2009, Max released Crashing Gates through dPulse records. It was critically praised as returning to his experimental side in the rock and pop genres. In February 2011, Max formed a supergroup with
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
singer
Tony Vincent Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leagu ...
and longtime collaborator David Larring. The band was tentatively named "Bad Omens". The three were writing songs when Vincent decided to drop out to pursue theater interests, leaving the new band in a state of pause. A song, "Control", can be heard on Max's SoundCloud. On February 27, 2012, Max released ''Fiefdom of Angels-Side One'', the first of two albums to coincide with the forthcoming novel series of the same name. The overall project were chosen covers of well known 80's rock songs, with one Kevin Max original and a
Muse In ancient Greek religion and mythology, the Muses ( grc, Μοῦσαι, Moûsai, el, Μούσες, Múses) are the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. They were considered the source of the knowledge embodied in the ...
cover set to lush orchestration. Ology Magazine describes the work as "a new wave mix-tape played at full volume through the Sistine Chapel".


Audio Adrenaline years (2012–2014)

In August 2012, Max became the new lead vocalist in a reunited
Audio Adrenaline Audio Adrenaline was an American Christian rock band that formed in 1986 at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. The band gained recognition during the 1990s and received two Grammy Awards and multiple Dove Awards. Audio Adr ...
. He continued with the band until June 2014, when the band opted to take a different creative direction. Max has also contributed vocally to other artists projects including
Mark Heard John Mark Heard III (December 16, 1951 – August 16, 1992) was an American record producer, folk rock singer and songwriter from Macon, Georgia. Heard released sixteen albums, and produced or performed with many artists, including: Sam P ...
,
Jonathan Thulin Jonathan Andreas Thulin (born May 7, 1988), also known as Andreas Moss since his switch to pop music, is a Dove Award Nominated, Swedish recording artist and songwriter. He is best known for his singles "Dead Come to Life", featuring Australian ...
,
Marc Martel Marc Martel is a Canadian Christian rock musician born in Montreal, Canada. In 1999, he formed the band Downhere before going solo in 2013. Aside from his own work, Martel is known for his Queen covers and his vocal likeness to frontman Freddie ...
, Michael McDonald, 3kStatic, and many others.


Return to solo career (2014–present)

In late 2014, Max released two singles, "Infinite" and "Light Me Up". On March 10, 2015 the album ''
Broken Temples ''Broken Temples'' is the sixth album from Kevin Max Kevin Max Smith (born August 17, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, and poet. He is best known for being a member of the Christian pop group dc Talk. As a solo artist following the ban ...
'' was released. In 2015, Max released another studio album of covers of pop standards ''Starry Eyes Surprise''. Max released ''Playing Games With the Shadow'' in 2016, ''Serve Somebody'' in 2017, and both ''AWOL'' and ''Romeo Drive'' in 2018. In 2020, Max released spoken word album ''Radio Teknika'' with electronic pioneers 3Kstatic and in the same summer released ''Revisiting This Planet'' a tribute to legendary rock artist
Larry Norman Larry David Norman (April 8, 1947 – February 24, 2008) was an American musician, singer, songwriter, record label owner, and record producer. He is considered to be one of the pioneers of Christian rock music and released more than 100 albu ...
. Later that year, Max announced a new indie rock band called Sad Astronauts. In 2022, Max released the album ''FANTASY'' with co-production by Old Bear Records, Chris Hoisington. Singles ''Pure Imagination'' and David Bowie's ''As The World Falls Down'' were also released. A Kickstarter campaign was successful in supporting the new album ''Winter Woods'' to be released before December 25, 2022. In a statement made on his Facebook page, Max announced that he would be creating an album with Father John Misty Bassist, Eli Thomson in the Spring of 2023. Elijah Thomson was also featured on Max's album The Imposter.


Personal life

In 1997, Max married Alayna Bennett. They divorced in 2003. In April 2005, he married Amanda Lynn MacDonald, but stated in an interview that earlier the two had "a secret
wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...
and marriage vows were spoken and we had binding agreement together in front of a spiritual leader, but we decided to go with the public ceremony a little bit later." They have four children. In August 2010, Max and family moved back to
Grand Rapids Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
,
Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
. In 2016, Kevin Max bought a farm an hour southwest of Nashville in Centerville, Tennessee, and called it "Blind Thief Farm and Studio". In 2018, the Max family moved to the Westhaven community in Franklin, Tennessee. The Max family frequently tours the states in a Winnebago/Mercedes RV titled ''Bilbo Waggons''. It is estimated that Kevin Max has a net worth of $6 million. Max is known for an annual Christmas show at his residences or local venues titled ''Winter Woods''. Max became vocal on social media about his politics and spiritual deconstruction in 2019 and 2020 during the pandemic. On the song "Shock Ra" from his 2020 album ''Radio Teknika'', he proclaims himself a "''gothic, hippie, inclusive, Jesus freak wanting peace"'', alongside other political commentary on the album''.'' Politically, Max has identified as both a
socialist Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
and an
anarchist Anarchism is a political philosophy and movement that is skeptical of all justifications for authority and seeks to abolish the institutions it claims maintain unnecessary coercion and hierarchy, typically including, though not neces ...
and expressed support for a number of
left-wing Left-wing politics describes the range of political ideologies that support and seek to achieve social equality and egalitarianism, often in opposition to social hierarchy. Left-wing politics typically involve a concern for those in soci ...
causes. By 2021, he specifically identified as an "
exvangelical Exvangelical is a social movement of people who have left evangelicalism, especially white evangelical churches in the United States, for atheism, agnosticism, progressive Christianity, or any other religious belief, or lack thereof. The hash ...
", though he rejected claims that he was no longer a Christian and said that he followed "the Universal Christ".


Discography


With dc Talk

* (1989) ''
DC Talk DC Talk (stylized as dc Talk) is a Christian hip hop, Christian rap and Christian rock, rock trio. The group was formed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by tobyMac, Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max, Kevin Max Smith ...
'' (
Forefront Records ForeFront Records is a contemporary Christian music and Christian rock record label founded in 1987 by Dan R. Brock, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, and Ron W. Griffin. It was purchased by EMI in 1996 from Dan R. Brock and Eddie DeGarmo, and is a divis ...
) * (1990) ''
Nu Thang ''Nu Thang'' is the second studio album from DC Talk, which was released in 1990. It was certified Gold by RIAA. Almost two decades later, the single "Nu Thang" and its YouTube video gained more recognition after a viral video was put up known a ...
'' (Forefront Records) * (1992) '' Free at Last'' (Forefront Records) * (1995) ''
Jesus Freak ''Jesus freak'' is a term arising from the late 1960s and early 1970s counterculture and is frequently used as a pejorative for those involved in the Jesus movement. As Tom Wolfe illustrates in '' The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test'', the term "fr ...
'' (Forefront Records) * (1997) '' Live in Concert: Welcome to the Freak Show'' (Forefront Records) * (1998) ''
Supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...
'' (Forefront Records) * (2000) '' Intermission: the Greatest Hits'' (Forefront Records) * (2001) ''
Solo (EP) ''Solo'' (stylized as ''SOLO'') is the second Korean EP of South Korean singer Heo Young-saeng. It was released on May 22, 2012 under B2M Entertainment and distributed by LOEN Entertainment The album was later released in Taiwan on August 24, 2012 ...
'' (Forefront Records) * (2002) '' Free at Last: The Movie'' (Forefront Records)


Solo

Studio albums


Other notable projects

* (1994) ''At the Foot of Heaven: a Mini Audio Book'' (spoken word, Starsong) * (2010) ''Traveler (Mora Brothers Remixes)'' (dPulse Recordings) * (2010) ''Unholy Triad'' (dPulse Recordings) * (2010) ''Unholy Triad Remix'' (dPulse Recordings) * (2015) ''Same Wavelength'' (Kevin Max & Service Unicorn) (Blind Thief Recordings)


With Audio Adrenaline

* (2013) '' Kings & Queens'' (
Fair Trade Services Fair Trade Services, formerly known as INO Records, is an American record label based in Brentwood, Tennessee, specializing in Contemporary Christian music (CCM). History The label was founded in 1999 as INO Records, a division of M2 Communi ...
)


Collaborations

* (1995) ''In the Bleak Mid-Winter'' from ''Noel'', (as Kevin Smith), produced by Steve Hindalong & Derri Dougherty * (1996) ''Lonely Moon'' (from ''
Strong Hand of Love ''Strong Hand of Love: A Tribute to Mark Heard'' is a compilation of songs by various artists in tribute to songwriter, Mark Heard. Recorded and released in 1994, after Heard's death in 1992. Proceeds benefit the Heard Family Fund. In 1994, wit ...
: A Tribute to
Mark Heard John Mark Heard III (December 16, 1951 – August 16, 1992) was an American record producer, folk rock singer and songwriter from Macon, Georgia. Heard released sixteen albums, and produced or performed with many artists, including: Sam P ...
'') * (1996) ''Louie's Solo''
Petra Petra ( ar, ٱلْبَتْرَاء, Al-Batrāʾ; grc, Πέτρα, "Rock", Nabataean Aramaic, Nabataean: ), originally known to its inhabitants as Raqmu or Raqēmō, is an historic and archaeological city in southern Jordan. It is adjacent to t ...
cover with Passafist, from ''
Never Say Dinosaur ''Never Say Dinosaur'' is a tribute album dedicated to Christian rock band Petra. The album includes 11 revisions and re-imaginings of classic Petra songs and one original composition by Kevin Smith of DC Talk. ''Dinosaur'' contained an eclectic ...
'') * (1997) '' The Canticle of the Plains'', (musical written by Rich Mullins) * (1998) ''Save Me'' (from '' Awesome God: A Tribute to Rich Mullins'') * (1998) ''
Birthday A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage. Many re ...
''
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...
cover, from
ForeFront Records ForeFront Records is a contemporary Christian music and Christian rock record label founded in 1987 by Dan R. Brock, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, and Ron W. Griffin. It was purchased by EMI in 1996 from Dan R. Brock and Eddie DeGarmo, and is a divis ...
' '' Ten: The Birthday Album'') * (1999) ''There's Something About That Name'' (with
Sonicflood Sonicflood (sometimes stylized as SONICFLOOd) is an American contemporary worship music band from Nashville, Tennessee, that has been touted as "The Fathers of the Modern Worship Movement." The group took the name "Sonicflood", a reference to a ...
, from ''
Listen Louder Listen may refer to: * The action of listening * Auditory system#Central auditory system, Central auditory system listening is how the brain processes what you hear * Listening behaviour types in human communication Computing * LISTEN, a Transm ...
'') * (2002) ''Just an Illusion'' (from ''Songs For a Purpose Driven Life'',
Maranatha! Music Maranatha! Music is a Christian music record label which was founded as a nonprofit ministry of Calvary Chapel in 1971. The label is distributed by Capitol Christian Music Group, a division of Universal Music. Background In the early 1970s Cal ...
) * (2003, 2009) ''
Raven Songs 101 Raven Songs 101 is a spoken-word album by Kevin Max and Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist ...
'' (collaboration with
Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual and impressionistic approach to ...
, Blind Thief Publishing) * (2006) '' Help Me Rhonda'' (from '' Making God Smile: An Artists' Tribute to the Songs of Beach Boy Brian Wilson'') * (2006) ''The Day Is Dawning'' (with
Jill Phillips Jill Anne Gullahorn (''née'', Phillips; born February 15, 1976) is an American Christian musician based out of Nashville, Tennessee, who brings a folk rock and roots rock sound with contemporary Christian music themes. Early and personal lif ...
), from '' The Prayer Of Jabez...A Worship Experience'' * (2007) ''Blue'' (feature appearance for
Manic Drive Manic Drive is a Canadian Christian rock band, formed in 2004 by brothers Michael and Shawn Cavallo. After receiving interest from a record label, they released ''Reason for Motion'' in May 2005. Over the last several years, the band has release ...
, Whiplash Records) * (2009) ''Sugar Evolver'' (with 3kStatic, from ''Evolver'',
Sony Music Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainment ...
) * (2010) ''Come Together Now (Music City Unites for Haiti)'' (
charity single A charity record or charity single is a song released by musicians with most or all proceeds raised going to a dedicated foundation or charity. George Harrison's " Bangla Desh" single in 1971 is commonly acknowledged as the first ever purpose-mad ...
, relief effort led by
Michael W. Smith Michael Whitaker Smith (born October 7, 1957) is an American musician who has charted in both contemporary Christian and mainstream charts. His biggest success in mainstream music was in 1991 when " Place in This World" hit No. 6 on the '' ...
) * (2011) ''I Am Second'' (feature appearance for Newsboys on ''God's Not Dead'', Inpop) * (2011) ''A Name, A Day'' (from "of Shadows and Scars"] with Atlantic * (2013) ''Man On Fire'' (feature appearance for Newsboys on '' Restart (Newsboys album), Restart: Deluxe Edition'', Inpop) * (2013) ''The Living Years'' (feature appearance for Newsboys on ''Restart'', Inpop) * (2019) ''Love One Another'' (feature appearance for Newsboys on ''United'',
Fair Trade Fair trade is an arrangement designed to help producers in developing countries achieve sustainable and equitable trade relationships. The fair trade movement combines the payment of higher prices to exporters with improved social and enviro ...
) * (2020) ''Under Pressure'' (feature appearance with Marc Martel) * (2022) ''You Did Not Have A Home'' (from ''Bellsburg'' album release) Old Bear Records)


Guest appearances

*
Marc Martel Marc Martel is a Canadian Christian rock musician born in Montreal, Canada. In 1999, he formed the band Downhere before going solo in 2013. Aside from his own work, Martel is known for his Queen covers and his vocal likeness to frontman Freddie ...
-
Under Pressure
" * Michael McDonald – "Ain't That Peculiar" *
Audio Adrenaline Audio Adrenaline was an American Christian rock band that formed in 1986 at Kentucky Christian University in Grayson, Kentucky. The band gained recognition during the 1990s and received two Grammy Awards and multiple Dove Awards. Audio Adr ...
 – "My World View" *
Manic Drive Manic Drive is a Canadian Christian rock band, formed in 2004 by brothers Michael and Shawn Cavallo. After receiving interest from a record label, they released ''Reason for Motion'' in May 2005. Over the last several years, the band has release ...
 – "Blue" *
Jimmy Abegg Jimmy Abegg (born December 29, 1954), also known as Jimmy A, is an American musician who grew up in Alliance, Nebraska and is currently living in Nashville, Tennessee. In 1985, Abegg was a founding member of the progressive rock band Vector (ban ...
 – "These Daughters of Mine" *
TobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...
 – "Atmosphere (Remix)" on 2004's ''
Welcome to Diverse City ''Welcome to Diverse City'' is the second full-length studio album released by Christian singer TobyMac. The songs on this album deal with racial tolerance in society and a desire to know God better. Several other Christian artists appear on thi ...
'' *
SONICFLOOd Sonicflood (sometimes stylized as SONICFLOOd) is an American contemporary worship music band from Nashville, Tennessee, that has been touted as "The Fathers of the Modern Worship Movement." The group took the name "Sonicflood", a reference to a ...
 – "Something About That Name" * Raze – "Forgive Me" *
Newsboys Newsboys (sometimes stylised as newsboys) are a Christian rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia, by Peter Furler and George Perdikis. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee, the band has released 17 studio albums, 6 of which ...
 – "
God's Not Dead (Like a Lion) "Like a Lion" is song written by Daniel Bashta and originally performed by Passion (with David Crowder) on the 2010 album '' Passion: Awakening''. In 2011, it was covered by Newsboys as "God's Not Dead (Like a Lion)" and released as a single fr ...
", "
I Am Second I Am Second is a US multimedia movement and not-for-profit organization that is designed to inspire people to "put Jesus Christ first." in their lives. It was founded in 2008 by Norm Miller, the CEO and Chairman of the Interstate Battery Syste ...
", "Man on Fire", "
The Living Years "The Living Years" is a soft rock ballad written by B. A. Robertson and Mike Rutherford, and recorded by Rutherford's British rock band Mike + The Mechanics. It was released in December 1988 in the United Kingdom and in the United States a ...
", and "Love One Another" *
Michael Sweet Michael Harrison Sweet (born July 4, 1963) is a singer and guitarist from Whittier, California; he is the co-founder, songwriter, guitarist and lead singer of the Christian metal band Stryper. He's also had a successful solo career, and briefly ...
 - "This Time" on 2014's ''
I'm Not Your Suicide ''I'm Not Your Suicide'' is the sixth studio album from the Christian music musician and Stryper frontman Michael Sweet, who helmed the production on the album. The album released on May 6, 2014, by Big3 Records. This album charted at No. 154 on ...
'' *
tobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...
 – "Love Feels Like" on 2015's '' This Is Not a Test'' * Philippa Hanna – "Embers" on 2016's ''Speed of Light'' *
TobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...
 – "Space" on 2022's ''Life After Death''


Singles

, rowspan="1", 2021 , 2021 , "A Pearl To Hide" , non-album single , - , rowspan='3', 2022 , "As The World Falls Down' , "Pure Imagination" , "Coventry Carol" , -


Filmography

Music videos * (2001) ''Existence'' (
ForeFront Records ForeFront Records is a contemporary Christian music and Christian rock record label founded in 1987 by Dan R. Brock, Eddie DeGarmo, Dana Key, and Ron W. Griffin. It was purchased by EMI in 1996 from Dan R. Brock and Eddie DeGarmo, and is a divis ...
) * (2003) ''Seek (Live)'' (
Northern Records Northern Records is an independent record label in California. It was founded in 1999 and is distributed in the United States and Canada by RED Distribution ( Sony BMG). Releases See also * List of record labels * RED Distribution R ...
) * (2010) ''Carry On My Wayward Son (with Kerry Livgren of Kansas)'' (Unknown) * (2015) ''Moon Over Bourbon Street'' ( Blind Thief Recordings) * (2016) ''Girl With the Tiger Eyes'' ( Blind Thief Recordings) * (2018) ''Moonracer'' ( Blind Thief Recordings) Film * (2010) '' The Imposter'' * (2014) ''As Dreamers Do''


Books

* (1994) ''At the Foot of Heaven'' (poetry/artwork, Starsong) * (2001) ''Unfinished Work'' (autobiography, T. Nelson) * (2002) ''Slip of the Ink'' * (2003) ''The Detritus of Dorian Gray'' (poetry, Blind Thief Publishing) * (2004) ''Divine Erotica'' * (2005) ''PO/ET/RY'' (poetry, Blind Thief Publishing) * (2014) ''Fiefdom of Angels''


See also

*
dc Talk DC Talk (stylized as dc Talk) is a Christian hip hop, Christian rap and Christian rock, rock trio. The group was formed at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia in 1987 by tobyMac, Toby McKeehan, Michael Tait, and Kevin Max, Kevin Max Smith ...
- Christian Band, 1988-2001 with
tobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...
, Kevin Max and
Michael Tait Michael DeWayne Tait (born May 18, 1966) is an American contemporary Christian music artist. Michael Tait met Toby McKeehan in 1984 when he was in high school. Both Toby and Michael met Kevin Max while attending Liberty University in the late 19 ...
*
tobyMac Toby McKeehan (born Kevin Michael McKeehan; October 22, 1964), better known by his stage name TobyMac (styled tobyMac or TOBYMAC), is an American contemporary Christian music singer, rapper, songwriter, and record producer. He was first known f ...
- Christian artist of former band dc Talk *
Newsboys Newsboys (sometimes stylised as newsboys) are a Christian rock band founded in 1985 in Mooloolaba, Queensland, Australia, by Peter Furler and George Perdikis. Now based in Nashville, Tennessee, the band has released 17 studio albums, 6 of which ...
- Christian band with lead singer Michael Tait (as of 2009) *
Adrian Belew Robert Steven "Adrian" Belew (born December 23, 1949) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. A multi-instrumentalist primarily known as a guitarist and singer, he is noted for his unusual and impressionistic approach to ...
- guitarist, producer, frequent collaborator * Tait - Band of former dcTalk member Michael Tait.


References


External links

*
NewReleaseTuesday.com Between The Fence And the Universe Interview

NewReleaseTuesday.com Exclusive The Blood Interview with Kevin Max

Interview with Kevin Max About ''The Blood'' with ''Wrecked for the Ordinary''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Max, Kevin 1967 births Living people American male singer-songwriters American male poets DC Talk members American rock singers American rock songwriters American performers of Christian music Christian writers Musicians from Grand Rapids, Michigan Liberty University alumni Audio Adrenaline members Former evangelicals Singer-songwriters from Michigan