Third Day Biography
Third Day, an iconic American Christian rock band that originated in Marietta, GA, in 1991, is known for well-crafted southern rock with substance. Their music blends faith with the raw energy of rock 'n' roll, offering fans an unfiltered way to express their beliefs. Members include Mac Powell (vocals/guitar), Mark Lee (guitar), Tai Anderson (bass), and David Carr (drums).
Early Years
Third Day began when singer Mac Powell and guitarist Mark Lee finished studying at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, Georgia. They had already played together in a garage band called Nuclear Hoedown but now wanted to form a band where they could express their faith in God. Powell and Lee added a keyboard player named Billy Wilkins and dedicated their time to writing songs and performing around the state of Georgia.
In 1992, they were playing at Lee's church the same night that drummer David Carr and bassist Tai Anderson were playing with a band called Bullard Family Singers. Their youth director asked the band to perform at their church. The group clicked quickly and were invited to join the band. The album that Carr produced would be released the next year under the title Long Time Forgotten.
In 1993, while dealing with their studies, the band started playing more aggressively around Atlanta and saved $3,000 to record a full-length album. During this time, original member Billy Wilkins, who was working as a school teacher, ended up leaving the band. Still, Third Day continued to work on their first full-length album, recording at Furies Studios in Atlanta. The album was finally released in 1994 with 2,000 copies available. In 1995, the band started looking for a second guitarist. They had heard Brad Avery play with singer Chris Carder and asked him to play with the band. After playing "Consuming Fire" during their first rehearsal, Avery officially joined the band.
As the band completed its line-up, they also started playing steadily around the Southeast area. They also started playing at an Atlanta venue called the Strand Theatre. The management of the locale decided to sign the band to a new independent record label called Gray Dot Records. That same year, the band released the album Third Day, which ended up selling 20,000 copies. Shortly after, Reunion Records signed the band to a multi-album deal.
International Success
In 1998, the band started working on their next project titled Time under the production of Monroe James. They had compiled around 30 songs to choose from during the last year and ended up choosing only ten. The album was also nominated for a Grammy and won another Dove Award for the band. Some of the other songs the band recorded but were left out can be found in the EP Southern Tracks. During the band's live shows, the worship part was becoming more powerful, which prompted them to release an album exclusively of worship songs, titled Offerings: A Worship Album. The album was recorded in about a week, and they followed it with a tour alongside Jennifer Knapp. They also collaborated on the project called City on a Hill: Songs of Worship and Praise.
In 2001, the band played in Australia and New Zealand on the heels of the success of the Offerings album. They continued to tour in the States and recorded one of their concerts in Atlanta to be released as their first DVD, The Offerings Experience. The concert was held at the Hi-Fi Buys Amphitheatre with an attendance of close to 15,000 people. That same year, the band won a total of five Dove Awards as well as their first Grammy. They followed that year with the release of Come Together, which ended up winning two Dove Awards and one more Grammy. The album was certified gold the next year, along with Time. In 2003, they also released a follow-up to their hit Offerings titled Offerings II: All I Have to Give.
The band appeared in the 2002 film Joshua, the movie version of the Joseph Girzone novel of the same name. The Third Day song "My Hope is You" was included in the Joshua soundtrack album.
Recent Years
In 2004, the band released their next album, Wire, and toured the States with tobyMac and Warren Barfield. In June of the same year, the band traveled to Europe for a two-week tour. Upon returning, the band recorded a concert in Louisville, which ended up as their next project, Live Wire, released later that year. During that year, they also collaborated on the soundtrack for Mel Gibson's film The Passion of the Christ, played at the Republican National Convention, and were featured in the show 60 Minutes.
In January 2007, the band played one night each in Melbourne, Brisbane, and Sydney, Australia. Their next album, Wherever You Are, debuted on the Billboard 200 at #8. It also won the band their third Grammy. They followed it with the holiday album Christmas Offerings in 2006 and with a compilation of their hits titled Chronology in 2007. On February 28, 2008, Third Day released a statement announcing Brad Avery's departure from the band after 13 years and over 1000 concerts. Their album Revelation was released on July 29, 2008.
Third Day released Miracle on November 6, 2012. The band toured Miracle on the Miracle Tour with artists Colton Dixon and Josh Wilson as their opening acts, commencing on February 21, 2013, in Fairfax, Virginia, and concluding on May 19, 2014, in Orlando, Florida.
Third Day released the worship album Lead Us Back: Songs of Worship on March 3, 2015. The album, produced by the duo The Sound Kids, composed of Jonny Macintosh and JT Daly, peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard 200, No. 1 on the Christian Albums chart, No. 5 on the Top Rock Albums chart, and No. 13 on the Digital Albums chart. The album has had one single, "Soul on Fire," that spent 19 weeks on the Billboard charts, peaking at No. 2 on Hot Christian Songs and No. 3 on Christian Digital Songs.
After nearly three decades of making music together, Third Day announced their farewell tour in 2018, closing a significant chapter in Christian music history. Over their illustrious career, Third Day captivated audiences with their unique blend of Southern rock and contemporary Christian music.
In 2020, Third Day celebrated their 25th anniversary with the release of a special live album titled 25, featuring some of their most beloved songs performed live. This album served as a testament to their enduring impact and dedication to their fans.
As of 2024, Mac Powell and Mark Lee have pursued solo projects, continuing to influence the music world with their individual talents. Mac Powell released his latest solo album, New Creation, in 2022, while Mark Lee has been actively involved in songwriting and producing music for other artists. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.