Josh Baldwin

Joshua Aaron Baldwin was born on July 8, 1979, to William Baldwin, a pastor, and Kathy Baldwin in Albemarle, North Carolina. Baldwin shared that his father was also a worship leader and is "very much into music," and grew up playing drums for him and other worship leaders.[4] He started leading worship and playing guitar during his high school years,[4] learning at Albemarle High School. Baldwin, at nineteen-twenty years, was studying at Lee University when he first realized that he wanted to be a worship leader after leading at a youth camp in North Carolina, thus dropping out of Lee University and enrolled at MorningStar Ministry School, attending together with John Mark McMillan and Jonathan David Helser.[4]

Josh Baldwin started his career with MorningStar in early 2008, featuring on two albums: Worship and Warfare, Vol. 3 with the song "After You"; and Jesus Broken with "Love You Only".[5][6] He was a part of MorningStar Fellowship Church for nine years,[4][7] and he also travelled with artists Rita Springer and Suzy Yaraei working as a drummer.[8] Baldwin served as the worship minister at MorningStar in Wilkesboro, North Carolina.[7] On September 3, 2008, Josh Baldwin independently released his debut album, Changing.[9][7] Baldwin then moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, to serve as worship pastor of Queen City Church.[4]

On September 17, 2013, Josh Baldwin launched a Kickstarter funding campaign to raise $12,000 for a new worship album's mixing, mastering, printing, and artwork to be completed.[10] The campaign was a success, with 202 backers pledging $12,635, with a twenty two day period that ended on October 10, 2013.[10] Baldwin released Rivers, his sophomore album on January 28, 2014, in partnership with Watershed Music.[11] Rivers peaked at No. 44 on the Heatseekers Albums chart issued by Billboard,[12] his first entry on a Billboard's chart. In 2014, Baldwin went on to sign a record deal with Bethel Music during a week-long visit with his wife to Redding, California after discussions with Brian Johnson, whom he knew since meeting in 2007.[4][8] On March 11, 2016, Bethel Music then released its eighth live album dubbed Have It All,[13] with Baldwin performing a live cover of his song, "Praises (Be Lifted Up)".[14]

Josh Baldwin released his first album with Bethel Music, The War Is Over, on May 26, 2017.[15] The War Is Over earned sales of 3,000 equivalent album units in its opening week, and thus debuted at No. 2 on the US Christian Albums chart dated June 17, 2017, issued by Billboard.[16] The album also debuted at No. 3 on the Official Christian & Gospel Albums Chart in the United Kingdom.[17] "Get Your Hopes Up" was released as the first single from the album.[18]

On July 19, 2018, Bethel Music and Josh Baldwin published the song "Stand in Your Love" on YouTube.[19][20] They subsequently released "Stand in Your Love" on August 10, 2018,[21] as the first single from the Bethel Music's album, Victory (2019).[22] The single was a hit as it became his first entry on the US Christian Songs chart,[23] and peaked at No. 7. It garnered nominations for 2019 K-Love Fan Awards in the Breakout Single of the Year and Worship Song of the Year categories.[3][24] On July 19, 2019, Josh Baldwin released "Let the Redeemed" as a single.[25]

Josh Baldwin married Sheila Strite and they have two children, Ellie and Bear.[1][2]

• List of Christian worship music artists

• Official website
• Josh Baldwin's profile on Bethel Music
• Josh Baldwin on AllMusic