Gungor Biography
Gungor is a genre blurring, Grammy-nominated musical collective based in Los Angeles, CA. Led by Michael and Lisa Gungor, the collective crafts music intended to defy categorization and open the human heart.
The group’s journey began before their official formation as Gungor.
Early Career: Michael Gungor grew up in Marshfield, Wisconsin, where he developed a passion for music. He studied jazz guitar at Western Michigan University and the University of North Texas while touring and working as a multi-instrumentalist musician. Lisa Gungor hailed from Deming, New Mexico, fully embracing her musical abilities during her senior year in high school. Michael and Lisa met at Oral Roberts University during their first year. In 2002, Michael began producing albums with his church, catching the attention of Integrity Music. He released a solo album titled “Bigger Than My Imagination” in 2003 under Integrity Media, with Lisa contributing vocals. In 2005, Michael and Lisa released a live album titled “Battle Cry: Worship from the Frontlines” through Integrity Media.
The Michael Gungor Band (2006): Seeking more creative control over their music, Gungor parted ways with Integrity Music and formed The Michael Gungor Band. The band consisted of Michael on guitar and vocals, Lisa on vocals, and Brad Waller. They released the album “All I Need Is Here” in 2007. In 2008, they signed with Brash Records, which re-released the album as “Ancient Skies,” adding new tracks and omitting others.
Gungor (2010 - 2014): Michael renamed the group from The Michael Gungor Band to simply Gungor in 2010. Their first album release under the new name was “Beautiful Things” in 2010, featuring a short gospel-blues jam with Israel Houghton titled “Heaven.” In 2011, the album and its title track, "Beautiful Things", were nominated for the Grammy categories Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and Best Gospel Song, respectively.
One Wild Life Trilogy (2015 - 2016): “One Wild Life: Soul,” “One Wild Life: Spirit,” and “One Wild Life: Body” were part of a bold project released over 12 months, each exploring different aspects of life, spirituality, and creativity.
Hiatus and Archives (2018 - 2020): During this period, Gungor announced a shift in direction, returning to the progressive spiritual space while exploring other projects, including Michael and Lisa’s solo endeavors.
Praise and Love Song to Life (2021 - Present): Starting in 2021, the group began releasing singles, including collaborations and original songs, and announced they were releasing an album which they described as an attempt to make “worship music again that would be enjoyable for people who might not fit the traditional religious boxes.” In February 2022, they released an EP of covers titled “Praise.” In November 2022, they released “Love Song to Life,” their first studio album since 2016. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.