Evie
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Evelyn Tornquist Karlsson (born Evelyn Tornquist; March 29, 1956), mononymously known as Evie, is an American Christian music singer, who was known in the late 1970s and early 1980s for songs such as "Mirror," "Step Into the Sunshine," "Come On, Ring Those Bells" and "Four Foot Eleven." She is considered one of the early pioneers of "easy listening" or "adult contemporary" Christian music. Evie has released more than 30 albums including several album either sung in Norweigian or Swedish.
Born in the United States to Norwegian immigrants in Rahway, New Jersey, Evie began her singing career as a young teenager while visiting her parents' homeland. Evie sang in programs there on the family's frequent trips back and forth across the Atlantic, recording an album and performing on national television by age fourteen. For the next three years, she spent one week a month in Scandinavia and then, at age seventeen, recorded her first album for American audiences. Her self-titled debut album on Word Records, Evie, was a tremendous hit, featuring a range of songs from "Say I Do" to Andraé Crouch's "My Tribute." A year later in 1975, Evie released her second Word album, Evie Again, that featured Nancy Honeytree's "Clean Before My Lord." Gentle Moments was released in 1976 featuring more classic hits like "Pass It On," "Give Them All" and "Part the Waters."
Evie's breakthrough album was Mirror released in 1977 featuring the title song, "Four Foot Eleven" and another Crouch cover "If Heaven Was Never Promised to Me." CCM Magazine named Mirror as one of the 100 greatest albums in Christian music in 2001. That same year, she released her first Christmas album Come On, Ring Those Bells featuring her signature title song. Both albums were Grammy nominated for Best Gospel Performance, Contemporary. Evie won back to back Dove Awards for Female Vocalist of the Year in 1977 and 1978.
Evie continued to release albums like Never the Same, Unfailing Love and a Children's album titled A Little Song of Joy For My Little Friends. She married Swedish pastor and musician Pelle Karlsson in 1979 and retired from performing music in 1981 to pursue other avenues of ministry and to spend more time with her family. Evie made two albums with her husband Pelle in the early 1980s and even released an album titled Celebrate the Family in 1990 with Pelle and their two children Kris and Jenny and credited as Evie & the Karlssons. Evie later became a mentor to Christian musician Rebecca St. James, joining her for an event series geared toward helping girls and women apply biblical principles in the 21st century.
Evie was officially inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame on February 22, 2005 and was one of the inaugural inductees to the Christian Music Hall of Fame.
More information on Evie at Wikipedia:
Discography
English releases:
Everything is Beautiful (1972)
A Song For Everyone (1973)
Evie (1974)
Evie Again (1975)
Gentle Moments (1976)
Mirror (1977)
Come On, Ring Those Bells (1977) (Christmas album)
A Little Song of Joy For My Friends (1978) (Children's music album)
Never the Same (1979)
Evie Favorites (1980) (compilation album)
Teach Us Your Ways: Together in Prayer and Worship (1981) (with Pelle Karlsson)
Unfailing Love (1981)
The Very Best of Evie (1981) (Australia only compilation album)
Restoration: A Prayer in Music for the Church (1983) (with Pelle Karlsson)
Hymns (1983)
Christmas, A Happy Time (1984) (Christmas album)
Loving Promises - From Heaven to Your Heart (1985) (compilation album)
When All is Said and Done (1986)
Christmas Memories (1987) (compilation album)
Celebrate the Family (1990) (with the Karlssons)
ReCollections (1996) (Word Records compilation album)
Kingdom Connection (2002) (with Pelle Karlsson)
We Pray for the World (2012) (with Pelle Karlsson)
Songs From the Hymnbook (2013)
Scandinavian releases:
Evie På Svenska (1972)
Evie 2 (1973)
Jag Kommer Till Dig (1973)
Jul Med Evie (1974)
Evie - Favoritter (1975) (Norweigian compilation album)
Du Skulle Vara Med I Sången (1975)
Till Mina Små Vänner (1977) (Children's music album)
Julens Klocker, Ring! (1978) (Christmas album)
Evie På Svenska, Volym II (1982)
Mina Älsklingssånger (1984)
Mer Av Dig - Sånger För Hans Lärjungar (1994)
Evies Beste (2007) (compilation album)
På Norsk Och Svenska (2014)
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