Parachute Band

Parachute Band’s Complete Impacted my Life

As a worship leader, I attended a big conference and it was a different experience especially because one of the song we sung was “Complete.” I got curious about the song and my wife searched it in the internet about the creator, and it’s Parachute Band from New Zealand.

Parachute Band is now considered to be one of the most popular gospel music band alongside Casting Crowns and MercyMe. Wikipedia stated that Parachute Band is formed out of the New Zealand-based Christian organisation Parachute Music.

Parachute Band makes pop/rock music and is currently in its second generation, with the current line-up regularly topping the mainstream MySpace NZ Music Charts for acts on a Major Label. In 2008, Parachute Band finally won the coveted People’s Choice Award at the 2008 New Zealand Music Awards.

Parachute Band 1st Generation (1995-2006)

The first Parachute Band line-up was formed in 1995 to lead worship at Parachute Festival, and has since grown into a full-time endeavour. Parachute Band records New Zealand-written contemporary worship music, and performs it both in New Zealand and worldwide.

The original line-up, led by Wayne Huirua, Libby Huirua and Chris de Jong, released seven studio albums, toured extensively in the U.S., won numerous New Zealand Music Awards for Best Gospel/Christian Album, won the Gospel Music Association’s International Achievement award (in the U.S.) and paved the way for what the band is today.

Parachute Band 2nd Generation (2006 – present)

In 2006 the original members retired from the band and a complete generational changeover took place. This was marked by a moving ceremony at Parachute Festival 07.

Formerly known as Victor Rose, Parachute Band is now in its second generation. In fact in its early stage of being formed, Parachute Band quickly came-up and released two studio albums; Roadmaps and Revelations (September 2007) and Technicolor (September 2008). These albums made Parachute Band so popular and started touring extensively in USA, Canada, Asia, South Africa, UK, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. Parachute Band’s highlight performances have been: Mainstage slots at Creation Festival east to 65,000 people, Mainstage at Kingdom Bound Festival in NY to 50,000 people and also being the house band for the annual Parachute Festival to 25,000 people.

Parachute Band 2nd generation carries a passion to influence the 21st century generation through worship music that is relevant yet not sacrificing the spirituality of the lyrics. Parachute Band II is by the way composed of five young musicians in their 20s. Those involved in selecting these young individuals did the right thing because an synergy has quickly formed to create a new guitar-driven sound.

Parachute Band Next Album 2011

Winners of the 2008 VNZMA Peoples Choice Awards, the Parachute Band’s sophomore release Technicolor was a finalist for 2009′s Best Gospel/Christian Album. Parachute Band is informing us that the next release of their album will be in 2011. The title of the album is yet to be disclosed.

Parachute Band Awards and Recognition

The achievements of Parachute Band has been remarkable because to receive recognitions from different awarding body is not an easy thing. Anyways, here are the recognition received by the band since 1995:

1995-2006 Awards and Recognition

• 5 Gold albums in NZ
• 3 NZ Music Awards (Tuis)
• Winners of 2006 GMA International Award
• “All The Earth” debuted at #12 on US Billboard Gospel Chart
• “All The Earth” #1 US Gospel radio hit single
• Over 120,000 units sold in NZ

Awards and Recognition 2007-Present

• “Technicolor” debuted at #12 on the NZ iTunes mainstream album charts, #10 on the U.S. Christian/Gospel charts and #1 on the NZ itunes inspirational charts.
• Parachute Band won the coveted mainstreamPeoples Choice Award at the 2008 Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards and was a finalist for the Best Gospel Album award.
• The band was a finalist at the 2009 VNZMA’s, for Best Gospel/Christian Album, with its album “Technicolor”.

Parachute Band Albums for 1st and 2nd Generation
1997 – You Alone
1998 – Always and Forever
1999 – “Adore”
2000 – The Collection V1
2000 – Love
2001 – Amazing
2003 – Glorious
2005 – All The Earth
2007 – Roadmaps and Revelations
2008 – Technicolor