White Heart, also listed as Whiteheart, was an American contemporary Christian music and pop-rock band which formed in 1982.
Original members Billy Smiley and Mark Gersmehl worked with a continually changing cast of bandmates.
Florian is a real estate agent in the Franklin, Tennessee, area and also continues to sing for various recording projects.
[1][2] Dann Huff left the band shortly after to pursue his dream of being a studio musician, and recommended his high school friend, Gordon Kennedy as his replacement for the WhiteHeart album, Hotline.
[2] A few weeks later, Florian came up to Smiley and asked if he could audition for the lead vocalist position, and he was later chosen as Douglas' replacement.
After Emergency Broadcast was released in 1987, White Heart made an important change with Brown Bannister coming on as producer for their next album.
White Heart signed on with Star Song Records, and hired Brian Wooten (guitars), Anthony Sallee (bass), and Mark Nemer (drums) to fill the spots.
[citation needed] Nemer left soon after and the band brought back former drummer Chris McHugh to do the drumming for Tales of Wonder, with the exception of one song on which they used Jon Knox.
They also brought back Brown Bannister as a production adviser for the project and announced Jon Knox as their new drummer.
[citation needed] Anthony Sallee left the band and John Thorn was hired to replace him for the Highlands Tour.
[citation needed] This album was notably produced and mixed by the legendary Ken Scott, whose production and engineering credits include The Beatles, David Bowie and Supertramp.This record marked an edgier sound and was also the band's launch through the newly created and now-defunct Warner Christian Distribution.
[citation needed] After its release, Smiley, Gersmehl and Florian entered what they called "a dormant or eternal sabbatical stage".
Billy Smiley, Rick Florian, Mark Gersmehl, Tommy Sims, Jon Knox and Gordon Kennedy reunited to perform "Over Me"[5] and "Sing Your Freedom".
[citation needed] Florian, Gershmehl, Kennedy, McHugh and Sims performed a benefit concert in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the release of Freedom on June 29, 2019, at the New Hope Community Church in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Scott Bernard, who joined White Heart for the Australian Easterfest concert in 2014, handled Smiley's original album guitar parts.
The album's producer, Brown Bannister, was also present, and vocalist Bart Millard of MercyMe acted as emcee for the evening.