I was shocked and saddened when I learned this week that Christian rock pioneer Dana Key had died unexpectedly from a ruptured blood clot last Sunday night at the age of 56.  Key was the co-founder of the Christian rock band DeGarmo and Key back in the 1970′s and was serving as senior pastor of The Love of Christ Church in Cordova, Tennessee at the time of his death.

Dana Key is credited as one of the early innovators of Christian rock, and with his longtime friend Eddie DeGarmo, founded DeGarmo and Key over thirty years ago.  Evidently, the two were lifelong friends, and DeGarmo led Key  to Christ at the age of 15.

I have most of their albums and loved their straight-forward rock-and-roll music.  Some of their lyrics were profound, and some of them were a bit cheesy – but whose weren’t back in the 80′s?!  My turntable spun their albums a lot when I was a teen, and occasionally, I’ll listen to their stuff even today.  Streetlight is – in my opinion – their best album, and I still consider it one of my favorite Christian albums from the 80′s.

DeGarmo and Key recorded 17 albums, picked up seven Grammy nominations and 17 Dove Award nominations.  They also wrote major hits for other artists including Amy Grant and Sandi Patty, and have  influenced generations of Christian musicians.

I saw them in concert twice, and at one of the shows I attended, a little-known threesome named DC Talk opened up for them.  That’s how good they were in their prime.  They were the headliner while DC Talk (who worked as D&K’s road crew) was the opening act!

Of course, Dana Key’s life was lived well beyond the music.  He was married and had three children (all of whom survive), and he was a beloved pastor of a vibrant Tennessee congregation.  Please pray with me for his grieving family and congregation.

Here’s a vintage DeGarmo and Key video from 1986.  Dana Key is the lead singer.