petra.electricshockmusic.com :: < Back Forward >
Quick Profile
- The Greek word "petra" translates in English to "rock".
- Petra was established in 1972 in Fort Wayne, IN, by guitarist and principal songwriter Bob Hartman. He also shared lead vocal duties on the band's first two releases - Petra (1974) and Come And Join Us (1977).
- The band's 1974 eponymous debut was recorded in two weeks on a budget of approximately $900.
- Since 1974, Petra has released twenty official studio recordings, as well as one official live release.
- In 2000, Petra was the first Christian rock band to be inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
- Petra has earned ten GMA Dove Awards, as well as four Grammy Awards.
- In 1990, Petra was the first rock group to win the GMA "Group Of The Year" Dove Award.
- Petra is one of Christian music's top-selling artists, with total sales in excess of seven million units.
- Petra has two RIAA-certified Gold Albums to its credit: Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out (1989) and Beyond Belief (1990).
- The combined sales of 1989's Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out and 1997's Petra Praise 2: We Need Jesus equate to over one million copies.
- Petra is the only artist to have four albums simultaneously in SoundScan's Top 100 Christian albums - 1989's Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out, 1990's Beyond Belief, 1993's Wake-Up Call, and 1995's No Doubt.
- Petra was the first artist to hold five simultaneous #1 chart positions on CCM Update radio and retail charts.
- Petra became the first artist to earn ten consecutive CCM Magazine Reader's Awards.
- In Europe, Petra is the single best-selling non-European Christian artist.