After 33 years of music and ministry, Christian rock pioneer Petra will retire in December. The band has impacted generations of musicians and fans over the years with more than 7 million CDs sold, four GRAMMY Awards, 10 Dove awards and an induction into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Petra, formed in 1972 by Bob Hartman, helped pave the way for the rock genre in the Christian music industry. Though a rotating cast of musicians comprised Petra's lineup through the years, the band is closing 2005 with more than 20 albums to its credit, the latest being the 2003 GRAMMY-nominated Jekyll & Hyde.

There are talks of a live album or boxed set to release in the future. Final Petra tours in the United States and Europe are in the planning stages. There will be no further concerts booked after this year.

A full story will appear in the July 4 issue of Christian Retailing.

• Prev
• Next