One of the most prolific and recognizable Southern gospel tenors of his generation, Dove Award-winning gospel artist
Brian Free has been at the fore of the Christian music scene since joining Gold City Quartet in the early 1980s.
Free formed his own group,
Brian Free & Assurance, in 1993 and issued an eponymous debut album the following year. The group soon began racking up accolades and awards, including the Singing News Fan Award for Album of the Year (their 1996 release
4 God So Loved) and Song of the Year (the title track from
4 God So Loved) from the Southern Gospel Music Association, as they toured the U.S. and Northern Ireland. They also toured back home and appeared on TNN, CBS, and TBN, and in 1997,
Assurance performed on NBC's Today show, representing the National Quartet Convention. A year later,
Free put the quartet on hiatus as he decided to focus on obtaining his ministerial license and ordination, but still found time to carry on as a solo artist (1999 saw the release of a self-titled solo release). 2001 was a busy year for
Free, as he reunited
Assurance in time for the album
Lovin' This Livin' for the Lord, as well as releasing another solo release,
Call of the Cross.
So Close to Home (a collection of regional hymns and praise songs) and
Timeless Hymns & Classics (an album of well-known hymns) were the next additions to his collaborations with
Assurance.
In 2006, the group took home a Dove Award for Southern Gospel Performance of the Year for the track "Long as I Got King Jesus," which appeared on their 2005 concert LP Live in New York City.
Assurance earned another Dove Award in 2014, this time for the song "Say Amen," taken from the studio album
Unashamed. Since then, the group has remained active on the Christian music charts, issuing inspirational efforts like
Beyond Amazed (2017),
How Good Does Grace Feel (2019), and Looks Like Jesus (2021). ~ Greg Prato & James Christopher Monger