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I was born, Sydney, Australia in 1970 into a loving, supportive and large extended family. Despite a lack of an understanding about God, I always had a really strong sense that there was something out there, something greater than me, my family and friends. I have always believed that there is a plan for my life – I just had no idea what it was.
When I look back throughout my younger years – I can clearly see how God has been instrumental in orchestrating events in my life that have led me to find my purpose and become the man I am today. From primary school through secondary school and then on into university my best friends, the people that I clicked with were all practicing committed Christians. At the time, I was heavily involved in sport and in music so didn’t feel I had the time to learn about God. However, God was patient, biding His time waiting for the right moment. That moment came back in 1993. I was sent out into Rural NSW to a town called Griffith for my first teaching position. While I was in my first 6 months of teaching, we had parent / teacher conferences. One of my interviews was with a parent who was also the local Salvation Army Officer. At the end of the interview she very boldly asked if I played the piano. On hearing my response she then asked if I could possibly come to the church on Sunday to play the piano as their pianist was ill. I agreed, thinking it a good opportunity to connect with some people from town – but that meeting changed my life forever. I was made to feel so welcomed by everyone and there was such genuine joy in that room, that morning that I kept going back – God had made His move and I was hooked! A few months later I made my decision to live as a follower of Christ. At this time I was also diagnosed with a form of arthritis called Ankylosing Spondylitis which has been the pain in my life ever since. It was and continues to be an attack of Satan – when you are doing something for God – Satan tries to come right on in! After 2 years in the country, I moved back to Sydney so that I was closer to my family and the medical specialists that I was seeing regularly. While back in Sydney I met my now wife Janelle at the Parramatta Salvation Army and we now have a 13 year son, Anderson. I began working as the Director of Performing Arts at Penrith Anglican College, a large, busy school in Sydney’s Western Suburbs. I really enjoyed my job but the effects of the Arthritis continue to reek havoc on my health. By 2005 I had had both of my knees replaced and then in 2007 I suffered a perforated stomach as a result of medication. I continued to work at the College and enjoyed my work keeping very busy with rehearsals, lessons and organizing concerts for the department. My life changed considerable in 2009 when again, I was rushed to hospital. This time my bowel had perforated. After emergency surgery to remove the bowel, and physical recovery, I returned to work, but things had changed and I ended up spiraling into a severe depression. I was appointed to a psychologist by the hospital and, by Gods intervention, he was a Christian. We spent a lot of time praying and talking at length about Gods plan for my life. And this is when I had my light bulb moment! I had become a comfortable Christian! I was working in a Christian environment at the College but I was so busy seeing to the day to day running of my department that I was being an ineffective Christian. I was going to church, reading my bible, doing all of those things I was supposed to do – but I wasn’t telling anyone about Jesus. I wasn’t doing my part to bring people the good news. Looking back, I really feel that God allowed for these things to happen to me so that I became reliant on Him, so that He could move me out of my comfort zone and start guiding me down the road that He had always planned for me – telling people about Jesus through my music. As part of my therapy, I recorded a small Folky/Bluegrass CD called “Long Way Home”. It had some cover songs but it also had a few Gospel songs on it. It was these Gospel songs that people enjoyed and as a result began receiving invitations to churches to sing. Thus began my ministry. I started travelling out to rural churches that did not have access to live music to help with praise and worship. Word began to spread and soon I found myself accepting bookings up and down the east coast of Australia. A second CD – SHINE consolidated my foot in the Gospel music scene within Australia. This CD was a combination of Standard Country sounding music as well as some more Gospel Music so, it also led to some exposure at mainstream Country Music festivals in Australia. At this stage I began collaborating with some other musicians and together we formed the Peter Christie Band. A third CD ‘REVIVAL’ was written and recorded in 2013. This album was different – this was a completely Christian CD. Every song was written to contain a message. God was blessing us in our ministry with lots of opportunity to not just play at churches and festivals but also to testify, preach and evangelize. We began holding Ecumenical Gospel Concerts in the towns that we visited as a means of providing Christians with an opportunity to bring their non believer friends to an event that was not as threatening to them as a full church service. At the end of 2014, we felt that God was leading us to take our music to a greater audience. A 4th CD was produced and our first single ‘My Father’s House’ was released into the American Country Gospel Market with the help of Double E Promotions. The song was very successful charting on a number of charts and climbing to No. 6 on the Christian Voice Magazine Chart. We were named as finalists in 6 categories of the 2015 CVM Gospel Fan Fair Awards and I was very humble and honored to be at the ceremony in Somerset, Kentucky to be named winner of the Horizon Group and the Favorite Band Awards. 2016 was a very exciting year. The second single off the ‘Take Some Time’ album “You Alone Are Worthy’ reached the #2 spot on the US Charts and ‘When My Time Comes’ reached the #3 spot on the charts. I was blessed to be able to travel to the USA on multiple occasions to perform and was delighted on winning some amazing awards. CVM FAIR AWARD – Video Clip of the Year (Rest) CRIMSON AWARD - Video of the Year CRIMSON AWARD - Male Entertainer of the Year DIAMOND AWARD- Song Writer of the Year. Again, God has been gracious continuing to grow my ministry as a soloist. My most recent Album “Take Some Time” has been doing very well resulting in a Brumby Award (Australian Independent Country Music Association) for Best Male Gospel Song of the Year for both 2015 and 2016. I was also a finalist in 4 categories of the Australian Country Music Peoples Choice Awards – Best Song – Best Album – Best Film Clip and Best Male Vocal. I was very blessed by these finalist positions as the People Choice awards are a secular award and I am the first fully Gospel Artist to be recognized at these awards. I also had the privilege of performing one of my Gospel Songs at the Awards night. God, Guitars and the Open Road was released in 2017. A number of songs released in the USA charted, with 'Standing on Grace' co-written with Roy Hall and Roger Corbett reached #8 on the SGN Scoops Country Gospel Chart as well as charting on the Bluegrass charts. The single God, Guitars and the Open Road also charted here in Australia. In 2018, I was awarded the Josie Music Award as Gospel Artist of the Year. The award was presented at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge Tennessee. At the end of 2018, a Christmas song 'Love Came Down' was released and also charted both here in Australia as well as in the USA. At the Tamworth Country Music Festival in 2020 I was awarded with a TSA Songwriter Salute Award for 'Across the Jordan Wide'. 2020 has also been a time of writing to get ready for a new album which I hopewell be released in early 2021. Blessings |
Awards• Semi FInalist - UK Songwriting Contest • 3 time finalist CCM Songwriting Awards • My Father's House - Gospel Song of the The Year 'Canberra Country Music Festival • 2015 Horizon Group CVM Gospel Music Awards USA * 2015 Favourite Band CVM Gospel Music Awards USA * 2015 Male Gospel Song of the Year 'Brumby Awards' (ICMA) *2016 Male Gospel Song of the Year 'BRUMBY AWARD' (ICMA) * 2016 Video of the Year 'REST' - CVM Gospel Music Awards USA * 2016 Video of the Year - CRIMSON AWARD USA * 2016 Male Entertainer of the Year - CRIMSON AWARD USA * 2016 Song Writer of the Year - DIAMOND AWARD USA * 2017 Brumby Award - Gospel Song of the Year - 'My Father's House' 2018 Brumby Award Gospel Song of the Year - 'When My Time Comes' 2018 Josie International Music Award - Gospel Artist of the Year 2018 Songs Alive Gospel Song of the Year - 'God, Guitars and the Open Road' 2020 TSA Songwriter Salute Award - Gospel Song of the Year 'Across The Jordan Wide' |
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Publications• Creative Ministry Magazine
• Australian Country Music Capital News • Trad and Now • Nashville Magazine *Christian Voice Magazine |