Contemporary Christian musician, David Meese, has been a recording artist for more than thirty years. He grew up in Humble, Texas, and was considered a child prodigy on the piano. He had an abusive, alcoholic father, and his earliest happy memories mostly revolve around the piano. He remembers wanting so much to be able to play and press the keys. Because he was too small to get up on the piano bench by himself, someone had to help him. Once he was on the bench, he recalls being very happy.
He began touring as a concert pianist at the age of ten. When he was fourteen, he performed the Mozart piano Concerto in F Major with the Houston Chamber Orchestra. At fifteen he won a nationwide talent show and as a result toured England, Germany, France, Switzerland and Holland. At sixteen he was the featured soloist with the Houston Symphony. Renowned conductor Andre Previn directed his performance of the difficult Khachaturian Piano Concert, which is forty-five minutes in length.
He received a full scholarship to the Peabody Conservatory of Music in Baltimore. This is where he made a serious commitment to follow Christ. His goal of having a career as a classical pianist began to change--he decided to write songs of his own that described his relationship with the Lord and to also perform them. He became a youth pastor and met his future wife, Debbie. She was also a student, majoring in viola. David credits her with keeping things together during tough times. She is his stabilizing help-mate.
That was in 1976. That same year executives of Word Records discovered his work, and this resulted in his first album. It was self-titled, "David" and released on the Myrrh label. This was followed by the recording of several more of his own original songs, along with contributing his talent and giving inspiration to other music projects. More than 30 of his compositions have made the top of the charts. Some of them reached the top spot at the same time in more than one genre category. His signature song became "We Are the Reason", so well loved that more than 200 other artists have performed it, some in other languages..
David and Debbie Meese have been married for over thirty-five years. Debbie has written a wonderful devotional to go along with David’s much-loved CD, "Once in a Lifetime". His performance travels have taken him to Australia, Canada, throughout Asia, Europe and South Africa. He has been a guest participant in Billy Graham Crusades and performed in festivals and on television. Concerts with his band are sell-outs, yet he is just as happy performing with only a piano in the smallest of churches. David has been inducted into the Christian Music Hall of Fame and was the recipient of the 2009 Visionary Award for the Inspirational Male Soloist category.
David's father passed away in 1986. It was at the height of David's career, and he was about half-way through his 70-City Tour entitled, "Seventy Times Seven". He resumed the tour after attending his father's funeral. His father's passing brought to the surface the many deep and unresolved hurtful memories of his childhood. While performing each night and singing about forgiveness, he began to realize that he desperately needed to forgive his own father. Through the sharing of his powerful testimony of forgiveness, many have been helped to heal traumas experienced in their own lives. David has a humorous perspective and outlook that gives a memorable comic relief, but it still gets across his serious message.
He often introduces his autobiographical song, My Father’s Chair, by telling about one memory he has of his father, who would always sit in the same chair to watch television when he came home from work. Because he was an alcoholic with a violent temper, the abuse David experienced at his hand has erased other memories of his father. It was like his father disappeared.
In the first verse of the song, he talks about his father’s chair, but it is empty. The second verse is about David’s chair and how he hopes his children will see his chair as a place that is full of love and acceptance.
Then, in the third verse, David makes a wonderful discovery. He explains in the song that the Father in heaven is his real Father, whose chair is His heavenly throne. This Father is always with him, and someday all of His children will gather around His chair in heaven to live with Him forever.
David Meese has a clear message: Total surrender to God in trust and obedience. He says, “I’m convinced that there has been a tremendous urgency placed upon my life by the Holy Spirit, an urgency to get the Gospel out to as many people as possible,” he said. “I believe God wants me to go and share the Gospel everywhere, anywhere people will have me. I’ve never felt this calling on my life so strongly, (as) I’m convinced Jesus is coming back very soon.” His passion for excellence in the field of Contemporary Christian Music will leave a powerful legacy for generations to come.
Further information on David and his music ministry can be found on his website: www..davidmeece.com.