Knight hits No. 1 on Christian country music charts, up for ICGMA’s Album of Year

by By Cristin Parker cristin@thecherokeean.com
Courtesy Photo
Turney resident Michael Knight returns to the ICGMA awards ceremony in July after being nominated for the Association’s Male Horizon award, Male Vocalist of the Year, Christian Country Songwriter of the Year and Album of the Year. Courtesy Photo
Turney resident Michael Knight returns to the ICGMA awards ceremony in July after being nominated for the Association’s Male Horizon award, Male Vocalist of the Year, Christian Country Songwriter of the Year and Album of the Year.

He’s number one on the charts and number one in our hearts – local country Gospel artist Michael Knight’s song ‘I Got Saved’ has hit the number one spot on the National Cashbox Magazine, the Positive County Music and Camp Meeting Radio music charts for this month.

Knight has also been nominated for a quartet of awards from the International Christian County Gospel Music Association. He’s up for the Male Horizon award, Male Vocalist of the Year, Christian Country Song Writer of the Year and his album ‘Live Your Dream’ is up for Album of the Year. The awards ceremony will be held July 18-20 in West Plains, Mo.

“I wasn’t expecting anything like this – I guess that means somebody’s listening,” Knight said with a laugh. “It’s pretty cool to be at number one. All the glory goes to God for this success.”

He said he’s played 120 gigs at churches and other venues over the last year and is already reporting he’s got even more lined up for the upcoming year.

“I’m going to be in Hugo, Oklahoma, this weekend and it’s only getting busier,” he said. “I’ve been a musician for 40 years, on the road since I was 14,” he said.

He recorded his debut county album ‘Last Story’ in Nashville in 1983, and followed up with numerous singles through the 1980s, including ‘Country Way,’ ‘Say It Isn’t So,’ and ‘Who You Gonna Be Tonight?’ – all of which charted in the top 10 nationally.

Knight has also opened for country music acts including Joe Stampley, Moe Bandy, Gary Stewart, Dan Seals, Dwight Yoakam, Restless Heart, Mark Chesnutt, Randy Travis and others.

But in 2010 Knight changed his tune.

“I started going to cowboy churches at the time, and then I got saved,” he said. “I started playing in cowboy churches all over East Texas and left the bar scenes behind.”

He said his music has been touted as “honkey-tonk Christian county.”

“It’s Gospel music, but I still got that honkey-tonk sound,” he said with a laugh. “I play country Christian music for good country folk.

“And I’m having a blast traveling around and playing Christian music for my Christian families everywhere.”

He released his first Christian album, ‘Livin’ the Good Life,’ in 2014. In 2015, he also appeared in the movie ‘Nail 32,’ which featured five of Knight’s original songs, both in the movie and on its soundtrack.

Visit Knight’s website, michaelknightlivemusic.com to order his CDs.

He’s number one on the charts and number one in our hearts – local country Gospel artist Michael Knight’s song ‘I Got Saved’ has hit the number one spot on the National Cashbox Magazine, the Positive County Music and Camp Meeting Radio music charts for this month.

Knight has also been nominated for a quartet of awards from the International Christian County Gospel Music Association. He’s up for the Male Horizon award, Male Vocalist of the Year, Christian Country Song Writer of the Year and his album ‘Live Your Dream’ is up for Album of the Year. The awards ceremony will be held July 18-20 in West Plains, Mo.

“I wasn’t expecting anything like this – I guess that means somebody’s listening,” Knight said with a laugh. “It’s pretty cool to be at number one. All the glory goes to God for this success.”

He said he’s played 120 gigs at churches and other venues over the last year and is already reporting he’s got even more lined up for the upcoming year.

“I’m going to be in Hugo, Oklahoma, this weekend and it’s only getting busier,” he said. “I’ve been a musician for 40 years, on the road since I was 14,” he said.

He recorded his debut county album ‘Last Story’ in Nashville in 1983, and followed up with numerous singles through the 1980s, including ‘Country Way,’ ‘Say It Isn’t So,’ and ‘Who You Gonna Be Tonight?’ – all of which charted in the top 10 nationally.

Knight has also opened for country music acts including Joe Stampley, Moe Bandy, Gary Stewart, Dan Seals, Dwight Yoakam, Restless Heart, Mark Chesnutt, Randy Travis and others.

But in 2010 Knight changed his tune.

“I started going to cowboy churches at the time, and then I got saved,” he said. “I started playing in cowboy churches all over East Texas and left the bar scenes behind.”

He said his music has been touted as “honkey-tonk Christian county.”

“It’s Gospel music, but I still got that honkey-tonk sound,” he said with a laugh. “I play country Christian music for good country folk.

“And I’m having a blast traveling around and playing Christian music for my Christian families everywhere.”

He released his first Christian album, ‘Livin’ the Good Life,’ in 2014. In 2015, he also appeared in the movie ‘Nail 32,’ which featured five of Knight’s original songs, both in the movie and on its soundtrack.

Visit Knight’s website, michaelknightlivemusic.com to order his CDs.