Kathy Troccoli

Kathleen Colleen Troccoli (born June 28, 1958) is a contemporary Christian singer, author, and speaker.

Personal

Born in Brooklyn on June 24, 1958, New York, Miss Troccoli moved at age three and was raised in the East Islip community in Long Island, and graduated from East Islip High School, where as a senior, fellow classmates included fellow CCM artist Margaret Becker (a junior) and three-sport star Norman Esiason, Jr, a freshman. At 15, she lost her father to colon cancer. She also lost her mother to breast cancer in 1991, shortly before her album, Pure Attraction, hit the shelves with her number one mainstream hit, "Everything Changes".

Musical recognition

After graduation, she attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston for a year, studying jazz, before returning home to community college in the Long Island region. It was working a job to pay the college bill which she gave her life to Christ in 1978, and the alto voice gave rise when she opened for Ed Nalle's group Glad in 1980 during a concert in the area.

Nalle assisted Troccoli in her career, helping the young artist record demos which would be given to Michael Blanton and Dan Harrell (Amy Grant's brother-in-law), who formed the Reunion label to start her career in 1982 with Stubborn Love. A second album, Heart and Soul, was released in 1984 and gave her first Grammy nomination a year later, followed by Images in 1986.

After her mother's death, she paired with Reunion again in 1991 with Pure Attraction, which launched her on the national charts was "Everything Changes." But ironically, it was "Help Myself To You" which became her first #1 hit in her ten-year career, and began a string of GMA Music Awards nominations, including numerous attempts at Female Vocalist.

Numerous hit songs came afterwards, including 1994's "My Life Is in Your Hands," a song written with Bill Montvilo which defined her career, and inspired the eponymous devotional book, written in 1997, and 1995's "Go Light Your World," which gave us the rise of writer Chris Rice, and was used for charity efforts that year.

In 1996, Troccoli was featured on the Beach Boys' now out-of-print album "Stars and Stripes Vol. 1" singing lead vocals on a cover of their 1969 song "I Can Hear Music" (itself a cover of a Phil Spector song). The Beach Boys sing on the track as well, providing harmonies and backing vocals.

With no success at the GMA Music Awards from 1992 until 1997 (over 15 nomination attempts), she was tagged as "Christian music's Susan Lucci" for failure to win even one award.

The release of Love & Mercy in 1997 changed her career. One song, "A Baby's Prayer," written after she and cowriter Scott Brasher had observed the abortion issue and Brasher's viewing of Holocaust documentaries, made her a well-sought speaker in 1998, and with the Inspirational Song award, she finally won her first GMA Music Award.

Her 1998 release Corner of Eden resulted in an Inspirational Album award at the GMA Music Award in 1999, her second GMA Music Award.

Her second Grammy nomination came in 2003 with her album The Heart of Me, and it was marred by controversy as BMG had all five nominees for the award.

Writing and speaking activities

In addition to her musical activities, Kathy has also co-written several Christian books with Dee Brestin, and has written some of her own as well. These books include "Hope for a Woman's Heart", "Falling in Love With Jesus" (with Brestin), "Living in Love with Jesus" (with Brestin), "Forever in Love with Jesus" (with Brestin), "Am I Not Still God?", "My Life is In Your Hands", "Seven Celebrations for the Soul". She is a frequent, popular speaker and musician for Christian organizations and at well-known Christian events such as "Women of Faith," "Heritage Keepers," and "Time Out for Women Only" as well as several cruises that are known to take place annually in February. Kathy performed at the 1999 Fiesta Bowl National Championship as well as the 1999 National Day of Prayer.

Media appearances

Over the years, Kathy has appeared on The Tonight Show, Live with Regis and Kathie Lee, 700 Club, Entertainment Tonight, among others. She also appeared on Focus on the Family's video for teens, "Sex, Lies, & The Truth," speaking out on the importance of sexual purity.

Notably, Kathy auditioned for the role of Eva Perón in the film version of Evita, competing against well-known pop singer Madonna. She finally lost the role to Madonna after three call-back auditions.

Discography

Pure Attraction, 1991
Stubborn Love, 1994
Sounds of Heaven, 1995
Love and Mercy, 1997
Corner of Eden, 1998
Sentimental Christmas, 1999
Love Has a Name, 2000
Heart of Me, 2002
Greatest Hits, 2003
Comfort, 2005
Draw Me Close, 2005

Books

My Life Is in Your Hands, 1997
Different Roads, 1999
Am I Not Still God?, 2001
Hope for a Woman's Heart, 2002
A Love That Won't Walk Away, 2005
Seven Celebrations for the Soul, 2005
Live Like You Mean It: Engaging in a Life of Passion, Romance, and Adventure, 2006

Books with Dee Brestin

Falling in Love with Jesus , 2001 (hardback and Bible study)
The Colors of His Love, 2003 (hardback title)
Living in Love with Jesus (Bible study) (softcover version of The Colors of His Love also contains this title)
Forever in Love with Jesus, 2004 (Bible study)

GMA Music Awards

1998 Inspirational Recorded Song, "A Baby's Prayer" (two awards, one as artist, one as writer, shared with co-write Scott Brasher).
1999 Inspirational Album of the Year, Corner of Eden.

External links

Kathy Troccoli's official website

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