Jennifer's Back... Sort Of
I love Jennifer Knapp. Her albums from the late '90's to just a few years ago are full of beauty and power, honesty and passion. She never received the respect she deserved; Mrs. Zeke and I saw her at Spirit West Coast in Monterey the summer of 2001, and the kids in the audience showed total disrespect for her while they waited for the headline act. It was disgraceful.And then she disappeared, and we've been left for years with nothing more than rumors about what has happened to her. Now Gotee Records, which has been carrying her as an artist for years while she's been missing in action, is releasing a live album based on recordings that were made in 2001 (Hat tip to Dorsey for bringing this to my attention). If you read the "updated biography" on Gotee's website, it mentions no new biographical information, nothing to indicate what became of this extraordinary artist. We're not even assured that Jennifer participated at all in the production of the album, or that she even approved it.
Jennifer, where are you? What happened?
Has the CCM industry burned out another human being? Has she, like many in our blog circles, abandonded Churchianity and is living off the evangelical ranch?
No answers, just more product to consume. I'll pass, thanks.
posted by Zeke @ 12:44 PM
12 Comments:
Yes, Jennifar Knapp is a great musician.. She has a raw sound.. I especially like the song "Undo Me"..
That's "Jennif'E'r Knapp"....
oh my...I love this artist. I saw her in concert two or three times. I have all of her songs memorized, they speak to me in such a deep way.
I, too, am sad that she is no longer producing music. I do know that I get many searches on my blog inquiring about her sexual preference, because I have in the past made (separate) posts refering to her as well as sexual preference issues.
Jennifer, I don't care what you're struggling with, if you are at all, come back and make some more great music that ministers to me so deeply.
I was trying to get answers too because I was pretty shocked to find out that this live album is now being released by Jennifer Knapp after she just disappeared a few years back. About a year ago, I spoke with one of my really good friends who works at Gotee records and she told me that the last they had spoken with Jennifer, she was living in New Zealand with her "significant other". It is unfortunate, but sin is sin and if this is the case, it's no worse than when we have an impure thought or swear.
As far as I can tell, this live album is nothing that Jennifer took part in and is merely something they are releasing to make some money and to give something to her fans.
In reponse to "Anonymous said...
It is unfortunate, but sin is sin and if this is the case, it's no worse than when we have an impure thought or swear."
What Bible are you smoking? Since when is a "swear" being a sin? Maybe never. Its funny how the Bible has always been used to project values on society. Maybe you stop being so judgemental.
i hope people do not buy this album. Jennifer Knapp is still a very talented artist wherever she is. she has to wait till her contract expires with gotee before she can produce new music. and please think highly of her that she is fighting against the corporate christianity that sucked her in only to lock her up to their evil devices. i do believe her contract is nearing its end and this is a final attempt to get cash from her name. obviously this was done with 'the collection 2003' all demo/studio stuff owned by Gotee.
now i do not know if she will get proceeds from this album, or if she collected on 'the collection'. i assume it was underwritten that she had to produce X number of songs and albums for the duration of the contract, as is usually the case. she has not done this, again, obviously due to the fact that she signed a piece of paper that basically took ownership of her soul.
since she signed in 97 i think she'll be realeased relatively soon. that will mean great things for her, regardless of speculations about what 'type' of life she leads now. great artists deserve great praise. cheers to Jen and hopefully she'll be back recording with a mic and pic soon.
I'm the webmaster of Jennifer's original web page. You can check it out at www.jesusfreak.com/knapp. I've posted comments on the site about speculation over where she is and what she's up to.
I appreciate you posting this, Chad, but there is little on your site but finger-wagging at people who are speculating what happened to Jennifer. I agree that no one should jump to conclusions, and I would even agree that it's nobody's business. But as you can see from these comments, people care about this artist and her handlers have never done anything more than what you've done on your site: say "pray for her" and "stop speculating." Fine.
Well Jen, best wishes to you wherever you are, and God be with you.
My point is that until JK or people authorized to speak for her make any sort of public pronouncement, any sort of speculation, especially speculation which could lead to less-desired assumptions, is just hearsay and gossip and in no way builds up the body of Christ nor does anything to encourage people to pray for JK. I'm not saying there isn't concern as to where she is and what she's been up to, but nobody except JK and her music reps are authorized to speak for her, so the rest of us have no reliable, firsthand information we can go on and as such we have no clue what's happening with her. Are there rumors? Unfortunately, yes. Are they worth repeating? Not at all. It could be any one of us in her shoes, and if that were the case, I know I wouldn't appreciate people talking about me behind my back whether what they were saying was true or not. Sorry if I'm edgy about this, but it does absolutely nothing for the body of Christ nor for non-Christians' views of us when we engage in gossip and rumormongering about one of our own. Until JK or someone authorized to speak for her makes a public statement, all we can and should do is just take her before God and ask Him to make her more like Him and let Him take care of things from there. Anything beyond that is treading on pretty thin ice.
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It is so typical of the "Body of Christ" (especially the USA branch..) to dodge the truth as it relates to a believer..and that my friend is what non christians can't understand. I am not perfect either but I didn't sign a record deal with a "christian label" to promote the encouraging and uplifting of the body of Christ. If you have lived in Nashville for any amount of time, then you cannot be as blind as you pretend to be. The industry is just as "lost" as the secular. There really is no difference..disagree? What about Mark Lowery's sexual orientation?..Carman?..People in this business are hiding behind big friends in the business and just like the Catholic Church, Evangelicals will answer for all the wrong plagued upon the USA and abroad.
JZ
I just hope that if Miss Knapp doesn't show up in one way or another sooner or later here in the United States, I'll be able to give her a "What's up?" in heaven.
God, I pray that you would protect Jennifer wherever she's at, and that if she's wandered away from You, that You would draw her back to Yourself.
God, I want to see Jen in heaven.
Amen.
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