The night before Rush Limbaugh passed, we lost another icon among Conservatives or at least fire brand Christians and/or fans of Christian Music...especially what came out of the 1980’s. His full name was Carmelo Domenic Licciardello, but he was better known simply as Carman. While his brand of Christianity sounded like he was into the teachings of hard-core Pentecostalism and/or Charismatic doctrine, if not certain teaching that has been branded as the “Word of Faith,” Carman was anything but dishonest regarding his own faith in Jesus Christ, and wanting to pass that faith onto others. In fact, many of his concerts would be open free of charge to his fans and that allowed them to bring their friends on a night out to hear not only Carmen sing but to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Carman was an Italian American, born in Trenton, New Jersey (January 19, 1956) as well as born into a musical family. He was a performer in his mother’s band playing the drums at age five, playing guitar at age 15 and a year later singing on stage. Carman made a name for himself in the Atlantic City and greater New Jersey club circuit in spite of his age. He also studied acting at the Abbey Playhouse in Philadelphia. He was even approached by one of the top “crime families” in the area seeking to represent Carmen’s interests and career. He turned them down, and let them know crystal clear that he would decide whether or not when he was leaving Las Vegas.
He struggled on the Las Vegas circuit and his sister Nancy married a pastor of what some might call a Holy Roller church named Son Light Christian Center. While he was close to his sister and his brother in law Joe Magliato, it seemed that Carman was just too proud to go to church…especially theirs. Joe and Nancy’s prayers would soon be answered when Carman attended an Andraé Crouch concert at Disneyland. It was that very concert in which Carman committed his life to Jesus Christ. Crouch was one of the few African American Gospel artists that were supportive of the Jesus Movement of the 1970’s and contributed to its overall growth. Carman after finding Christ gave up his music career, doing odd jobs must to the dismay of the New Jersey mobs, but eventually he would find himself performing in local churches in Southern California.
In 1980, Carman cut his first album called God’s Not Finished With Me. He caught the attention of Bill Gather and was an opening act for Gather’s namesake trio. CBS Records (known today as Sony Music) also caught wind of Carman’s independent release and signed him to a recording deal and would release two albums with their short-lived Priority Records imprint (no relation to the name sake label that was established in 1985 that would be known for Hip-Hop/Rap music and is now owned by Universal Music). The second of those albums (a live album) would help gain Carman some traction with the title track Sunday’s On The Way. After CBS Records folded Priority, Carman was able to secure a deal with Word Records iconic Contemporary Christian Music imprint at the time Myrrh in 1984. Carman released his third studio and fourth overall album Comin' On Strong. Carmen began to mix the concepts of pop of stage musicals if not rock operas with that respected release, and used those very skills to present the Gospel and stories and characters of the Bible in a language, lexicon, and slang in which people could understand. One of those songs if not the first to embrace the concept of a mini-musical/rock opera was Lazarus Come Forth, in which Lazarus meets up with the core Bible characters in the afterlife. Before “the new kid” could truly settle down with them in their holy jive talk of sorts, Jesus himself calls out Lazarus by his very name and was brought back to the living.
In late 1985 Carman released what would be his breakthrough album titled The Champion. The title track just as with Lazarus Come Forth, was a mini-musical depicting a cosmic boxing match between Jesus Christ and Satan with God the Father as referee. The album reached #3 on the Christian Music album charts, it would eventually be certified Gold by Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and would-be Carman’s first gold album. The Champion would also feature Carman’s collaboration with established Christian artist Steve Camp on the song Revive Us, O Lord which would also be a hit on Christian music radio. Camp for the record, would record his own version of Revive Us on his 1987 album After God’s Own Heart. In 1986 Carman signed with Benson Records and released his first Christmas album titled A Long Time Ago ... In A Land Called Bethlehem which served as a concept album telling the Christmas story. In 1987 he released his second live album called Carman Live: Radically Saved. As with Sunday’s On The Way, the album contained new music including the title track which was a style parody of George Thorogood’s Bad To The Bone. The album also had the up-tempo song of worship titled Lord of All. This album would earn Carman’s second Gold album but only peaked at #2 on the Christian album chart.
Carman would finally get a #1 album on the Christian Music chart and his third gold album with the release Revival In the Land. Carman produced eight music videos out the overall ten tracks on the album and with production values that matched up to most of the music videos played on MTV or sister network VH1 at the time. Two of the tracks were written mostly as recitations; A Witch's Invitation and the title track. His 1993 album The Standard released on Sparrow (and recently became part of the Capitol Christian Music Group), featured the song The River which was executively produced by the Hit Man himself David Foster. The album concludes with a recitation and serves as a follow-up of sorts to Revive Us O Lord, entitled America Again in which Carman points out how our nation was founded on the Christian faith and how those who removed God from the equation usher in bad consequences, but Carman on the recording stays optimistic and declares;
I believe it's time America to stand up and proclaim, That one nation under God is our demand, And send this evil lifestyle back to Satan where it came from, And let the Word of God revive our dying land. For Jesus Christ is coming back again in all His glory, And every eye shall see Him on that day, That's why a new anointing of God's power's coming on us, To boldly tell the world you must be saved.
The Standard would be Carman’s only album to go Platinum. Carmen would have six gold albums altogether.
Carman also faced personal challenges in his life. In 2013 Carman battled multiple myeloma, and was given was given a prognosis of three to four years to live. Carman was free of cancer in 2014 and continued to perform and tour. In December 2017 after being single for many years, Carman would finally marry. His family would include one son, five daughters, and nine grandchildren
Even when his cancer resurfaced in 2020. Carman was planning to tour in 2021. Due to compilations of his hiatal hernia, Carman Licciardello passed away February 16, 2021 in Las Vegas. You may disagree with Carman’s brand of Christianity, but you can’t deny that he was able to make an impact. He did not enter a Christian music career just to make money. As his star was rising, he formed his name sake non-profit ministry and because of that very likely, it allowed him not to charge admission to his concerts.
If anyone told Carman that it was time to leave Las Vegas, it was God the Father himself.
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/february/died-carman-licciardello-christian-singer-las-vegas-tour.html
http://www.carman.org/carman-biography.php
In an upcoming piece, I will be taking about Carman’s song Revive Us O Lord, and the importance and need of a spiritual revival in our country. If God does not allow a revival as he did in the past (the last one being the Jesus Movement of the 1970’s), you may not see the death of America par say, but you will be ushered into a world in which the Marxists finally make America another Soviet Union…before it takes its final fall…and if not that…certainty a satellite nation of China.
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