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CCM Magazine goes to the video vault to reveal the Top 5 Sandi Patty covers that you probably have never heard—by artists you definitely know. From X-Men’s Hugh Jackman to television and stage actress Kristin Chenoweth and Dove Award-winning singer-songwriter Ginny Owens, Sandi Patty’s musical sway defies definition—a testament to the five-time GRAMMY winner’s major mainstream pull and broad influence on generations of artists. In this impressive countdown, CCM probes the video vault to unearth five Sandi Patty covers you ain’t never heard (nor seen) before.
5. “Upon This Rock” – Kristin Chenoweth
The Emmy Award-winning television, film and stage actress/singer is notoriously outspoken about her Christian faith, and her love for Sandi Patty. In between clips covering one of Sandi’s infamous Inspo anthems, Kristin shares how gospel music impacted her musical life from the very beginning. From her recent live recording, Coming Home (Concord Music Group).
Multiple Dove Award winning artist Ginny Owens and multiple Dove Award nominated singer-songwriter-author reinvent a dramatic Sandi classic with an all-acoustic, live-to-tape treatment of the Holy Week favorite, “Via Dolorosa.”
Famous for his hair-raising performances of rafter-raising ballads, GRAMMY winner David Phelps offers a stunning live rendition of Patty’s breakout ballad, “We Shall Behold Him” (written by gospel music legend, Dottie Rambo). From his 2015 album, Freedom (Gaither Music Group).
Hugh Jackman is known the world over for his long-running role as “Wolverine” in the wildly successful X-Men movie series. But long before he was a household mutant, Jackman was a Tony Award-winning stage actor, and a singer. In a rare 1997 television special, the multi-talented Australian exhibits his vocal strong suit, singing his version of Sandi’s Christmas classic “Bethlehem Morning.”
As a part of the Gospel Music Association’s 42nd Annual Dove Awards telecast, the “Female Vocalist of the Year” nominees presented a special tribute medley of some of Sandi’s most memorable hits, capped off with a performance by the legend herself. (Trivia: Between the years of 1982–1992, Patty won the Female Vocalist trophy a record eleven consecutive years.)
Although many of today’s CCM singers don’t have the kind of voice Sandy Patty had, it was a nice moving tribute to one of the first ladies of Gospel Music from the 1980’s. Too bad most CCM fans of today don’t know much about the music of the 1980’s & 90’s–they are really missing out on some truly Spirit-driven music.