Thurlow Spurr’s Biography

Thurlow Spurr is legendary in the music industry. Spurr’s innovation is credited with the beginnings of Contemporary Christian Music. Past President of the Gospel Music Association and GMA board member for eight years, Spurr’s personal handprint upon the industry can be seen even today. Thurlow has produced dozens of award-winning television specials as well as hundreds of daily and weekly television shows including his work multiple times as musical director/conductor for the annual Dove Awards.

His well-known group, The Spurrlows, internationally acclaimed as “American’s Official Musical Ambassadors,”, pioneered entertainment for corporate America by traveling and performing throughout the USA and around the world for more than 35 years. The Spurrlows became the first Christian singing group to be sponsored by the world’s fifth largest industrial corporation, the Chrysler Corporation, in a relationship that existed for six productive years and more than 3,000 concert events.

The Spurrlows were the first of many traveling groups that Spurr created. As the first ever Musical Director of Youth for Christ International, he created music for millions of teens worldwide. The dozens of musical groups he created became renowned for their ability to communicate and spread the gospel across the country and around the world. Some of those groups have included First Gear, Common Ground, Garden Party, Dust, Crimson Bridge, Earth Opera, Pilgrim 20, Pride of Man, and Love’s Distinction.

He provided the pattern and consultation for Cam Florida’s Continentals, Roger Breland’s Truth, Derrick Johnson’s Regeneration, and Richard Roberts’ World Action Singers. He has represented most of the fortune 500 companies, as well as the Florida Department of Tourism, Busch Gardens, Disney, Sea World, Universal, The Bob Hope Special (NBC Television Network), The Readers’ Choice Awards Show, and The Charisma 15th Anniversary Special. It is clear that Thurlow Spurr has made an incredible impact on the Gospel Music Industry.

Spurr’s live concerts have thrilled audiences in all 50 states as well as in North Korea, South Korea, Russia, Europe, the Caribbean, the British Isles, South America, Japan, China, and Finland. He was the first to bring Christian music inside the Kremlin after the fall of the Soviet Union and under his guidance, one million Bibles were distributed in the Russian language including a bible for every desk in the Kremlin. At the request of the Israeli Government, Spurr produced and directed an international 600-voice choir in a three-day musical event for the celebration of the 3,000th Anniversary of Jerusalem. Spurr also was invited by the Israeli Government to return to create a musical program held in Palestine’s Manger Square for the historical Bethlehem 2000 celebration.

Internationally recognized, Spurr led the first American Christian musical group permitted to perform in North Korea. The Spurrlows, under Spurr’s leadership, won first place in the Day of the Sun Music Festival, a competition held on North Korea’s most important holiday.

Thurlow Spurr’s impact on Gospel Music has been far-reaching. Responsible for the careers of many musical leaders in diverse positions across the world, his former students and employees hold many prominent positions throughout the music industry. They are sound engineers, TV producers and directors, studio musicians, choir and worship leaders, record company executives, talent coordinators, film industry contributors and notables in all areas of Gospel music. He has provided Booking and Management for Kathie Lee Gifford, Dino, Bobby Jones and New Life and Larnelle Harris.

With his management, Spurr was instrumental in launching the career of CCM artist Larnelle Harris. Few names are as tantamount with inspirational Christian music as Larnelle Harris. Harris has enjoyed a career that spans over five decades earning five Grammy Awards, eleven Dove Awards, a Stellar Award, and the prestigious Silver Bell Award from the Ad Council for his involvement in the longest-running television ad campaign of all time. Still represented by Spurr, Harris continues to travel the world as one of the premier vocalists of our generation and is still in demand at concerts and for television programs. As the consummate conductor, composer, and producer, Thurlow combined Harris with Sandi Patty and Dino in a multi-city tour called The Big Three. The backup 200-voice choir comprised of singers from each concert city, gave people across the country an opportunity to get involved in a large-scale, high-quality production and have an evangelistic outreach at the same time.

His reputation for excellent music has placed him as Minister of Music at some of America’s largest mega-churches. Spurr has been Minister of Music at the Salem Baptist Church in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; the First Church of the Nazarene in Detroit, Michigan; the Calvary Assembly in Orlando, Florida; and the Metro Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. It was at Metro Church where he created a musical series called Metro Band that remains available in print and CD. He has additionally produced more than sixty record albums and created more than thirty choral books for church choirs.

Festival of Praise, an outreach program of Spurr’s Concert Ministries Inc., was a cutting-edge, innovative musical training tool that was intended to lead churches and their congregations in praise and worship at the beginning of the dramatic change in liturgy. Integrated with dance and drama and based on scripture, the six musical books, recordings, and live concerts ran for ten years taking thousands to a more meaningful understanding regarding genuine worship. He used non-professional singers to form a traveling choir to tour a few weeks each year. Festival of Praise made a lasting impression on praise and worship in the church by combining exceptional travel and life-changing experiences that impacted every participant and by providing ministry opportunities for ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

To reach musicians who did not have an opportunity to perform outside of their church choirs, Spurr developed the concept of regional choirs and established them in Orlando, Tulsa, Dallas, New York City, Houston, Ft. Lauderdale, Honolulu, St. Louis, and Oklahoma City. Spurr’s commitment to this vigorous program made a spiritually significant imprint on each community.

In one of his latest endeavors, Spurr has created an incredible anthology of the world’s most beloved and enduring music entitled The Thurlow Spurr Collection featuring The Music of Life. Arranged for concert piano and orchestra, the 12 CDs feature 150 timeless love songs, classical pieces, treasured hymns, Broadway hits, as well as patriotic and Christmas music. The Thurlow Spurr Collection is currently featured nightly on network Radiant TV.

Spurr serves on the board of ACTS Television Network and is the creative financial architect for the $60 million television facility. His award-winning television work on TBN and PTL are still played every year.

Spurr continues to produce music for the masses. For the past 47 years as president, producer and director of the famed Michigan/Ohio/St. Louis 200-voice interdenominational, multi-generational, and multi-cultural Concert Choir, Spurr continues to further increase the impact of Christian music in America and around the world. Comprised of voices representing people from all walks of life, Spurr continues to generate sold-out crowds with his annual Christmas Concerts.

A man dedicated to working for the Kingdom of God. A man of great passion, known not only for his musical prowess, but also for his motivational skills, Thurlow Spurr continues to share his philosophy that “an audience listens with their eyes.” He continues to captivate audiences the world over with an infectious enthusiasm for his craft, his flair for dramatic stage direction, and his dedication to a higher standard of excellence and presentation.

Other info: Past president of the Gospel Music Association and legendary conductor, producer, writer, musician and one of the very earliest founders of what became known as CCM. he has seriously impacted the music industry for more than 70 years as an advocate for the music that has impacted countless lives and is a pillar of the entire Gospel Music Industry. His accomplishments in leading the Christian Musical revolution have been recognized in the secular world as well. He has created more than 25,000 live shows as well as films, videos, TV specials, recording projects, major theme park entertainment, performances for Presidents, musical director for the Dove Awards, Worship Minister at major churches and manages/producer of leading Christian Artists. He continues to advance Gospel Music in the fourth quarter of his life and impact the cause of Christ with excellence.