Kutless Fans All you Kutless Fans, Join This Group. Moderated By: Troy (I Love Helicopters!) Members: 99 Created On: Feb 10, 2007 This is a group where we can talk about Kutless,and their tours. Members: Jon Micah Sumrall Vocals Ryan Shrout Guitar Jeffrey Gilbert Drums James Mead Guitar Dave Luetkenhoelter Bass In late 2001, founding members Ryan Shrout ('01), Jon-Micah Sumrall ('01), and James Mead, along with former band members Kyle Mitchell ('01) and Nathan "Stu" Stuart ('01), were a fledgling Warner Pacific jam band. Just over a year later, they had become the top-selling new Christian rock group of 2002. In its short history, the group has landed three top singles on the Christian music charts, has sold 180,000 copies of its self-titled debut album, and 250,000 copies of its 2003 effort Sea of Faces. The group has toured with some of the top bands in Christian music, and even performed at a Billy Graham crusade in Pasadena, Calif. last year before an audience of 95,000. However, despite the new found fame, the band members remain grounded in their belief that they were called to communicate the love of God through their music, not to become rock stars. "We feel so blessed to be where we are, and we want to have a bigger and bigger impact," said Sumrall. Kutless started out as a campus worship band at Warner Pacific during the 1999-2000 school year. Originally called Call Box, the group debuted some original songs at a college preview weekend for visiting high school students in the spring of 2000. They were rough, but well received. "We were terrible, but in the whole scheme of bands just starting out, we did all right," Shrout said. The band members lived in the same house on campus, and practiced almost every day. Mead joined the group in the summer of 2001 and found a job at a local skateboard shop. In September, Mead was at work when he got to chatting about his band with a customer who turned out to be Seth Ebel, an executive with the Seattle-based record label Tooth & Nail Records. Ebel wanted to hear the band practice and offered to come to campus the next day—September 11, 2001. When the terrorist attacks unfolded the next morning, the band felt it was no day to play. However, Ebel called, saying it was the only time he could manage. So the band performed a few songs for Ebel, and later joined him at a prayer vigil that evening. The next day, the guys gathered to pray about their future, knowing that if they landed a record deal, it would mean leaving school for an uncertain future. "At the end of the prayer, we all looked up at each other and we were like, 'Did you hear that?'" Shrout said. "It was totally God telling us, 'Go. It's time. You guys need to be out there. The country is hurting. You need to go now.'" In late 2001, Tooth & Nail signed the band, which the band members had renamed Kutless (in reference to Jesus Christ taking blows on their behalf, leaving them "cut-less"). Kutless finished recording its first album in December, and hit the road in early 2002. Driving themselves in a van and a car, the band members played over 220 gigs that first year. By spring they had management, and by fall they had a bus. In 2003, Sea of Faces received strong reviews, and Kutless continued to tour heavily. Last year, Kutless recorded its third album, Strong Tower, putting its own hard-edged stamp on some original and favorite worship songs. Strong Tower is on pace to become the band's best-selling recording yet. In 2005, the band [found] itself at another key stage. Stuart and Mitchell are no longer in the group. [Some of them have families of their own now.] The men of Kutless are no longer the new kids on the block, and family life is changing the dynamics of touring. However, Shrout says Kutless is just getting started. New members Dave Luetkenhoelter (bass) and Jeffrey Gilbert (drums) have helped shape a new sound, and have given the group even greater resolve to create music that speaks to Christian and non-Christian kids alike. "I know that we've been able to minister to kids," Shrout said. "I see this as the beginning of Kutless's actual ministry. God is amazing."

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Message Board Displaying Posts 1 - 10 of 11  Topic Views Replies Most Recent Reply Make Sticky favorite from kutless Author: David - Jul 4, 2009 - 1:03 PM 236 0 N/A Kutless on Shoutlife :) Author: FunkyWhiteBoy - Jul 17, 2007 - 4:18 PM 445 6 Jun 30, 2009 - 7:25 PM By: David what.... Author: Laura_Love - Dec 4, 2007 - 5:56 PM 469 7 Jul 28, 2008 - 6:20 PM By: Laura_Love are you stoaked? Author: Laura_Love - Feb 17, 2008 - 1:40 PM 438 0 N/A videos Author: Steve from breadbox & Trenton - Aug 1, 2007 - 1:44 PM 452 1 Sep 26, 2007 - 5:02 PM By: Laura_Love Playlist Author: Troy (I Love Helicopters!) - Feb 11, 2007 - 3:23 PM 538 2 Sep 10, 2007 - 9:19 PM By: Laura_Love Ryan Shrout (Guitar) Author: Troy (I Love Helicopters!) - May 14, 2007 - 10:28 AM 488 5 Aug 22, 2007 - 1:38 PM By: Laura_Love Kutless Author: Troy (I Love Helicopters!) - Feb 10, 2007 - 12:49 PM 531 5 Aug 22, 2007 - 1:34 PM By: Laura_Love Concert volunteers needed! Author: BeyondStreetteams - Feb 19, 2007 - 1:37 PM 464 1 Aug 22, 2007 - 1:32 PM By: Laura_Love Anyone willing to Ddonate a Kutless CD to contest Author: Under-reconsideration - May 25, 2007 - 2:53 PM 246 0 N/A