From Mark Tindall:

Copying the art of outsiders and turning it into Christianised kitsch is not the way to go. So few are encouraging Christian artists to express their whole life in the whole body of their art work. “Christian artist” usually conjures up visions of propganda and kitsch rather than cutting edge art. Compare the art of U2 to the kitsch of CCM. Why listen to CCM kitsch when good art is avalable elsewhere???

Some of the surprises I have found in my musical journey are reflective songs about God done by artists like:

Eric Burden, Alice Cooper, Annie Lennox, Aretha Franklin, Arlo Guthrie, Bette Midler, Bo Diddley, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Byrds, Cat Stevens, Cowsills, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Delaney & Bonnie, Electric Prunes, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Ike & Tina Turner, Jackson Browne, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Coltrane, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, Joni Mitchell, Kris Kristofferson, Ladysmith Black Mambaso, Leonard Cohen, Lenny Kravitz, Little Richard, Marianne Faithful, Steeleye Span (& Maddy Prior), Mahalia Jackson, Marvin Gaye, Nick Cave, Paul Simon, Paul Stookey, Randy Newman, Roy Buchannan, Wilson Pickett, Frank Zappa, Roger Waters, Sinead O’Connor, Tom Waits, Van Morrison, Yothu Yindi.

Gems that most Christians are unaware about (not that they are all Christians but that their art reflects a search for God)

Little Richard singing “He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands”, “Precious Lord Take My Hand”, “Please Have Mercy On Me”, “In The Name”, “If You’re Happy And You Know It”, “I’ve Got The Joy”, “Just A Closer Walk With Thee” are every bit better than CCM … and sung with moire passion …even if Little Richard is bi-sexual and liked to wear makeup. He also threw all his rings off a Manly ferry in Sydney and said he would be “preaching for the Lord” rather than doing rock’n’roll … which he did for a time. He is also a minister – Rev Richard Wayne Penniman. See http://www.kolumbus.fi/timrei/lre.htm