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Over a storied career that spans over three decades, John Schlitt has surely made his mark on classic rock.

John first came to mainstream success with AOR stalwarts Head East – whose hit ‘Never Been Any Reason’ from the RIAA Certified Gold album “Flat as a Pancake” charted for nine weeks on the Billboard Magazine Hot 100. John’s eight-year stint with Head East put him on the map in terms of his career – the band was celebrated for its raw energy and swagger. Described by one newspaper as a "brash…cocky, (and) hard-fisted rock band,” the five-piece group enjoyed a loyal following with six albums and a string of hits throughout the ‘70s that helped solidify their fan base.

John’s career seemed set but it all came to a distressing end in 1980 when he was let go by the band. The reason: John had an out-of-control drug and alcohol addiction.

Poised for a long and fruitful career in music, John was suddenly an abject failure, another casualty of rock ‘n roll decadence, rejected by his peers and left to his own drug-influenced devices.

As John battled his inner demons, God began working on his wife Dorla, who met the Lord as John continued his descent into despair. John’s initial reaction to the Gospel was one of distaste, fighting every step of the way. In his mind, suicide was the only way out of the downward spiral that had so engulfed his life.

But Dorla’s persistent prayer and love led to John’s spiritual awakening one extraordinary evening; letting go of the addictions that held him captive for so many years, John resolved to live for God and even forsake music, if that was what God ordered.

But God wasn’t done with him musically. In fact, it turned out that John’s days in Head East were a precursor to something even greater. Five years after firmly putting music behind him, God called John back to fronting the Christian rock band Petra.

Arguably the most popular and acclaimed Christian Rock band in history, Petra (with John at the helm) recorded 16 albums (including two Spanish versions) including two RIAA Certified Gold albums, and notched 4 GRAMMY® and 10 Dove Awards.

With five solo albums to his credit (The Christmas Project, The Greater Cause, The Grafting, Unfit for Swine, and Shake), John tours throughout the world in support of “The Greater Cause,” as well as select reunion dates with Petra.

John Schlitt has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame as the lead singer of Petra and was recently named the best rock singer in Christian music history by GospelMusicChannel.com.
 
According to the website, Schlitt “remains one of the most distinctive and impactful men to ever stand behind a microphone.”

Today, a new chapter in the life of John Schlitt begins with the formation of John Schlitt Ministries, a 501(c)3 non-profit entity. Destined to open new doors and new Christian AND mainstream ventures, John Schlitt Ministries is poised to further the spread of the Gospel by offering support opportunities for tax deductible donations.