Paul Janz

Paul Janz (born 1951) is a Canadian theologian, and formerly a prominent singer-songwriter of pop rock music in the mainstream and contemporary Christian markets. He is known for such hits as "Every Little Tear", "One Night", "All I Have", "One Last Lie", "Go to Pieces", "Rocket to My Heart", "Close My Eyes", "Stand", "Prince Of Pain King Of Fools" and "I Won't Cry".

Paul Janz
Birth namePaul Janz
Born1951 (age 69–70)
Three Hills, Alberta, Canada
GenresPop-rock, contemporary Christian
Occupation(s)Professor of theology, former musician
Years active1970–1993
Associated actsDeliverance

Career

He began his music career in the 1970s with his brothers in a band called Deliverance. Brought up in a Mennonite family, he first learned the trumpet and by age 13 was engaged with his local chapter of The Salvation Army. Gospel music and rock, combined with a broad interest in music saw him record three albums with the band within 10 years. These were successful in Germany and included 1979's Leaving LA which reached No. 56 on Billboard. In 1984, he launched his solo career, which culminated in four projects with a string of chart-topping hits from each album. The first solo album recorded at Greenhouse Studios in Vancouver would achieve gold record status in Canada. In 1986, Michael Godin, who was vice president of A&R with A&M Records Canada, left to become Janz's manager. The success of his projects led to his nomination for a Juno Award, Canada's most prominent music award. Despite achieving great success in Canada, his U.S. record label's restructuring of its roster of artists led to the end of promotion in the American market. Janz's final project, Trust, which was recorded under a co-partnership with the Attic Records label, continued the same ground-breaking tradition with Janz's trademark lyrical compositions and driving melodic rhythms. Since that time, Janz hasn't released any new material.

In 1981 he took part in the German selection for the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Steine (Stones)". He finished tenth behind musicians like Taco and Peter Cornelius. Instead, Lena Valaitis was selected to represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 1981 with the song "Johnny Blue". The song has also been recorded in English with his band Deliverance, a longer version titled "Last Road to Forever".

In 1989 Songwriter was released, an album distributed by the publisher, Irving Music of Canada, to promote Janz's songs to other artists and producers, not intended for commercial release.

Prior to retiring, he was the Professor Emeritus of Philosophical Theology and Head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at King's College London. He formerly taught philosophy at Trinity Western University in Langley, British Columbia and has written a book entitled God, the Mind's Desire: Reference, Reason and Christian Thinking published by Cambridge University Press. In 2004, Janz's first album High Strung was re-released on CD for the first time by Escape Music in the UK. More recently, he has launched a new brand, Transformation Theology, a re-make of Bonhoeffer's grass-root theology.

His son Chris Janz was a recording artist and GMA Canada Covenant Award winning songwriter and Covenant Award-nominated producer. Chris died in Abbotsford, British Columbia on December 14, 2016.

Discography

Studio albums
  • High Strung (1985)
  • Electricity (1987)
  • Renegade Romantic (1990)
  • Trust (1992)

Compilation albums
  • Presence: A Collection of Hit Singles (1992)

Promotional albums
  • Songwriter (1989)

with Deliverance
  • To God Be the Glory (1976)
  • Give It a Try (1977)
  • Lasting Impressions (1978)
  • Tightrope (1979)

Singles
Title Release Peak chart positions Album
CAN
"Go to Pieces" 1985 29 High Strung
"Don't Cry Tonight" —
"High Strung" 85
"Close My Eyes" 94
"One Night (Is All it Takes)" 1987 67 Electricity
"Believe in Me" 1988 26
"I Won't Cry" 63
"Send Me a Miracle" 74
"Every Little Tear" 1990 5 Renegade Romantic
"Rocket to My Heart" 12
"Stand" 13
"Hold Me Tender" 1991 41
"This Love Is Forever" 1992 44 Presence: A Collection of Hit Singles
"Wind Me Up" 30 Trust
"Amazon Rain" 1993 28
"Calling My Personal Angel" 65
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

"Believe in Me" also reached No. 25 on the U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in 1987.[1]

Notes
  1. ^ "God, the Mind's Desire – Cambridge University Press". Archived from the original on March 5, 2005. Retrieved November 23, 2005.

References
  1. "Paul Janz – Chart history". www.billboard.com. Retrieved December 5, 2016.
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