Leeland (band)

Leeland
Leeland in 2007 L-R: Leeland Mooring, Mike Smith, Jack Mooring, Jake Holtz
Background information
Origin	Baytown, Texas, United States
Genres	Christian rock, CCM, progressive rock
Years active	2000–present
Labels	Essential, Provident Label Group, Sony BMG, Reunion Bethel Music
Associated acts	Bethel Music
Website	leelandonline.com
Members	Leeland Mooring Casey Moore
Past members	Jake Holtz Jeremiah Wood Matt Campbell Austin Tirado Jack Mooring Mike Smith Shelly Roberts

Leeland is a Christian rock band from Baytown, Texas. The band was formed in 2004, although lead singer Leeland Mooring had been writing songs beforehand. Leeland is composed of Leeland Mooring (lead vocals, guitar), and Casey Moore (guitar, background vocals). The band's original line-up included Jeremiah Wood (guitar), who left the band in late 2006 and was replaced by guitarist Matt Campbell in late spring of 2007, Jack Mooring (piano), Mike Smith (drums) and Jake Holtz (bass).

Leeland has released five studio albums, the latest having been released in July 2016. The band received a Grammy Award nomination and two Dove Award nominations for their debut album Sound of Melodies (2006). The band's third album, Love Is on the Move, was released on August 25, 2009.

Leeland's fourth studio album, The Great Awakening, was released on September 20, 2011, and received a nomination to the 54th Grammy Awards for Best Contemporary Christian Music Album.

Lead singer Leeland Mooring wrote his first song, "Shine," at the age of 11. After giving a successful performance of the song at a church in Illinois, the Mooring family began touring the United States. When he was 14, Mooring entered into Embassy Music's Ultimate Talent Search contest in Nashville, Tennessee, becoming a finalist in the songwriting and artist divisions. Although he did not win the competition, one of the contest's judges, Kent Coley, took interest in the young teen. A year later, Eddie DeGarmo, president of EMI CMG Publishing, also expressed interest in Mooring, and the two signed a songwriting contract on EMI/Capitol Music Group. Less than a year later, Leeland Mooring, his older brother Jack Mooring, their cousin Jake Holtz, and friends Jeremiah Wood and Mike Smith, whom the Moorings had known for several years, officially signed as a band onto Essential Records, a subsidiary of Sony BMG's Provident Label Group. The five members began practicing at night after youth group in their church's building, which doubled as a funeral home. Leeland Mooring's first name was used as the band's name because the members said that "it sounded cool".