Sara Groves (born Sara Lee Colbaugh, September 10, 1972) is an American

contemporary Christian Contemporary history, in English-language historiography, is a subset of modern history that describes the historical period from approximately 1945 to the present. Contemporary history is either a subset of the late modern period, or it is o ...

singer, record producer, and author. Groves received her Bachelor of Science degree in history and English in 1994 from

Evangel University Evangel University is a private Christian university and seminary in Springfield, Missouri. It is affiliated with the Assemblies of God Christian denomination, which is also headquartered in Springfield. The campus sits on that were originally ...

, a private Christian university in

Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 census. It is the principal city of the Springfield metropolitan area, which had an esti ...

. Groves spent four years teaching high school in

Rosemount, Minnesota Rosemount is a city in Dakota County, Minnesota, Dakota County, Minnesota, United States, on the southern edge of the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area. The population was 25,650 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Rosemount was establi ...

before recording her first album, ''Past the Wishing'', in 1998. Since then, she has released nine additional albums and appeared on several others. Groves has been nominated for three

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 Award ...

, including New Artist of the Year in 2002 and Special Event Album of the Year 2003 by the

Gospel Music Association The Gospel Music Association (GMA) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 for the purpose of supporting and promoting the development of all forms of gospel music. As of 2011, there are about 4,000 members worldwide. The GMA's membership co ...

. She was named one of the bes
Christian music artists of 2005
and the album, ''

Add to the Beauty ''Add to the Beauty'', a contemporary Christian album, is the fourth studio album and fifth album overall by Sara Groves. It was released in the United States on October 4, 2005, by Sony BMG. As a theme for her album, Christian singer-songwriter S ...

'', was named Album of the Year for 2005 by ''

CCM Magazine ''CCM Magazine'' is a twice-monthly online magazine focusing on contemporary Christian music, published by Salem Publishing, a division of Salem Communications. History ''CCM'' was first published in July 1978, as a printed magazine. It has b ...

''.

Career

Groves started writing songs when she was four years old. She describes her youth as being "lonesome", and she wrote about deep issues while still in junior high school. Eventually, she took a songwriting course, prompted by her husband, and she began to take the art seriously. In 2001, she appeared on Word Entertainment's ''What a Mom'' album with the song "Generations", and also on Word Entertainment's ''New Music from Our Heart To Yours'' album. In 2002, she performed with

Randy Stonehill Randall Evan Stonehill (born March 12, 1952) is an American singer and songwriter from Stockton, California, best known as one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. His music is primarily folk rock in the style of James Taylor, bu ...

on the song "Take Me Back", performed with

Joel Hanson PFR may refer to: Science and technology * Plug flow reactor model, a reactor simulation model * Prototype Fast Reactor, a nuclear reactor at Dounreay * PFR, Phosphate Flame Retardant, a type of Flame Retardant * pFR, a form of the light-sensing pi ...

on the title song for the album ''Traveling Light: Songs From the 23rd Psalm'', and performed the song "Child of Love" for the album '' City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time''. In 2003, she appeared on the '' City on a Hill: The Gathering'' album with the song "Come Be Who You Are", and the following year's sequel ''City on a Hill: The Collection'' album, with the song "Jesus Went to the Garden". Groves was recognized by the Alumni Board from

in 2004, for her significant achievements in the years since graduation. In September 2005, Groves, her husband Troy, her father-in-law, a neighbor, and a Minneapolis ER doctor delivered a tour bus and trailer load of baby supplies to victims of

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that caused over 1,800 fatalities and $125 billion in damage in late August 2005, especially in the city of New Orleans and the surrounding areas. It was at the time the cost ...

Slidell, Louisiana Slidell is a city on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 28,781 at the 2020 census. It is part of the New Orleans− Metairie− Kenner metropolitan statistical area. Hi ...

. In August 2006, Groves released a film titled ''Nomad Film: Sara Groves – Just Showed Up for My Own Life'', the first installment of a film series called ''Nomad: The Show With No Home'' produced by Fearless Films Inc. The video presents a collection of videos about Sara's musical career, some of her inspirations in life, and her charitable engagement. Notably, was deeply moved after reading Philip Gourevitch's ''

We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families #REDIRECT We Wish to Inform You That Tomorrow We Will Be Killed with Our Families {{R from other capitalisation ...

'', so she took a trip to

Rwanda Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...

, Africa, with Pastor

Rick Warren Richard Duane Warren (born January 28, 1954) is an American Southern Baptist evangelical Christian pastor and author. He is the founder of Saddleback Church, an evangelical megachurch affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention in Lake Fo ...

and a Christian group from

Saddleback Church Saddleback Church is a Baptist Evangelical multi-site megachurch, affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, located in Lake Forest, California. It is the largest church in California, and one of the largest in the United States of America ...

to learn about the challenges of reconciliation and economic development 11 years after the mass

Rwandan genocide The Rwandan genocide occurred between 7 April and 15 July 1994 during the Rwandan Civil War. During this period of around 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority ethnic group, as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa, were killed by armed Hutu ...

. She also engaged in the Katrina relief effort in 2005 and expressed how

Gary Haugen Gary Alan Haugen (born April 16, 1963) is an American attorney who is the Founder, CEO, and former President of International Justice Mission, a global organization that protects the poor from violence throughout the developing world. Interna ...

's work has deeply influenced her. Bonus features included Grove's performance of ''Add To The Beauty'' from the 2006 Jars of Clay Tour, Nomad vignettes for small group, etc. On October 30, 2007, the first single from the upcoming album ''Tell Me What You Know'', titled "When the Saints", was featured as a free download from Apple's

iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...

INO Records Ino or INO may refer to: Arts and music *I-No, a character in the ''Guilty Gear'' series of video games *Ino (Greek mythology), a queen of Thebes in Greek mythology * INO Records, an American Christian music label *Ino Yamanaka, a character in t ...

released the album ''Tell Me What You Know'' on November 6, 2007. ''Tell Me What You Know'' held the No. 1 sales spot for Christian music on iTunes for one week and landed at No. 2 for iTunes album of the year. Groves produced her father's, Dwight Colbaugh, first album titled ''Beautiful Story''. Groves ended 2007 in the lineup with Andrew Peterson on his ''Behold the Lamb of God Tour'' in November and December 2007. In 2008, Groves toured throughout the year to promote her new album ''Tell Me What You Know'' and to benefit several Christian ministries. Groves and her husband teamed up with

Charlie Peacock Charles William Ashworth (born August 10, 1956), known professionally as Charlie Peacock, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, and author. His albums include ''Love Press Ex-Curio'', ''Arc of the Circle'' and ''No Man's L ...

Derek Webb Derek Walsh Webb (born May 27, 1974) is an American singer-songwriter who first entered the music industry as a member of the band Caedmon's Call, and later embarked on a successful solo career. As a member of the Houston, Texas-based Caedmon's ...

Sandra McCracken Sandra Marie McCracken Work ID: 886831052 ISWC: T9140398330 (born June 16, 1977) is an independent singer-songwriter. She currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee. Drawing from folk, gospel, and hymn traditions, her music often weaves togethe ...

and

Brandon Heath Brandon Heath Knell (born July 21, 1978) is an American contemporary Christian musician, singer, and songwriter from Nashville, Tennessee. He has released six studio albums: ''Don't Get Comfortable'' (2006), ''What If We'' (2008), ''Leaving Ed ...

in September and October 2008 for the ''Art*Music*Justice Tour'' to benefit both the

International Justice Mission International Justice Mission is an international, non-governmental 501(c)(3) organization focused on human rights, law and law enforcement. Founded in 1997 by lawyer Gary Haugen of the United States, it is based in Washington, D.C. All IJM emp ...

and Food For the Hungry. Groves released her first Christmas album, ''O Holy Night'', in October 2008. The album contains both Christmas standards and newly written material. Groves was in the lineup in December 2008 of the ''Love Came Down Tour: A Christmas Pageant'' with Jars of Clay,

Sixpence None the Richer Sixpence None the Richer (also known as Sixpence) is an American Christian alternative rock band that formed in New Braunfels, Texas, and eventually settled in Nashville, Tennessee. They are best known for their songs " Kiss Me" and "Breathe Yo ...

and Leeland. She ended 2008 with a free concert at the

United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners The United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP Springfield) is a United States federal prison in Springfield, Missouri which provides medical, mental health, and dental services to male offenders. It is operated by the Federal Bureau ...

. The USMCFP is the same prison that Sara's grandparents, Lloyd and Nita Colbaugh, have visited for 39 years and to which they took her as a baby at Christmas-time 1972. Groves said later about this concert, "More than anything I wanted to say something of encouragement, something to remind these men that they are the art of God, especially in this place. Like always, I left encouraged myself." Groves' ninth album, ''Fireflies & Songs'', was released on November 17, 2009. On the track "From This One Place," Groves sings about her battles with onstage anxiety attacks. The album, ''Fireflies and Songs'', was named Album of the Year by ''

Christianity Today ''Christianity Today'' is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham. It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois. ''The Washington Post'' calls ''Christianity Today'' "evan ...

'' as the "runaway" No. 1 choice by a panel of ten music critics choosing Christianity Today's Top 12 Albums of 2009. Groves ended 2009 with her first solo Christmas tour performing songs from her 2008 Holiday release ''O Holy Night''. Groves released her tenth album ''Invisible Empires'' on October 18, 2011. Groves produced several live music videos in support of the album, including a video with Stephen Mason of Jars of Clay for the song "Eyes on the Prize". In 2012 Groves and her husband launched "Art House North". In describing the space, the Groves write: "The heart of Art House is to provide 'resources that communicate the worth and necessity of all vocations with access to speakers, teachers, and guest artists. All Art House programs promote community, life, and world engagement, helping people become more and more interested in the same things that Jesus is interested in.'"

Discography

Albums

Publications

* Essay in ''The Art of Being'', 2004 original essays and stories from a diverse list of contributors (compiled and edited by Constance Rhodes)

References

External links

*
interview with Sara Groves
{{DEFAULTSORT:Groves, Sara 1972 births Living people American women composers 21st-century American composers Evangel University alumni Fair Trade Services artists American performers of Christian music Singers from Minnesota People from Burnsville, Minnesota Songwriters from Minnesota North Central University alumni 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers 21st-century women composers