Tree63
Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use South African English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox musical artist
Tree63 is a South African three-piece rock band from Durban, South Africa.
HistoryEdit
1996 - 2000: Formation and initial yearsEdit
The band was formed in 1996 and originally, it was unnamed. In 1997, the band had to come up with a name before performing at North Beach, Durban, and came up with "Tree". They added the "63" part of their name in 2000 due to a naming conflict with an American band.<ref name="CMD">Christian Music Daily Template:Webarchive. Interview with John Ellis of Tree63, 2007. Retrieved 2009-11-25.</ref> 63 had been the name of their second album, which was named in reference to Psalm 63.<ref name="Powell_Fe">Template:Cite book</ref>
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'We were originally just "Tree", after the numerous references in the Bible to trees: the garden of Eden, the cross Jesus hung on etc. "63" was the title of our second record, and it came from Psalm 63. When we got to the States in 2000, we discovered a band in Boston called "Tree" already, and they were unwilling to give up their band name, so we had to either alter or change ours. The compromise was "Tree63".'{{#if:John EllisInterview with Christian Music Daily|{{#if:|}}
— {{#if:|, in }}Template:Comma separated entries}}
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2001 - 2009: Popularity and Move to AmericaEdit
Their first album released in the United States, Tree63, won the GMA Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year in 2001.<ref name="DOVE">"Dove Award Recipients for 2001 Template:Webarchive". Published by the Gospel Music Association. Retrieved 2007-02-21.</ref>
Tree63's recording of Matt Redman's "Blessed Be Your Name" peaked at number 2 on the US Billboard Christian Songs chart,<ref>Billboard Christian Songs Chart dated August 21, 2004</ref> and helped to spark the song's popularity. This recording was featured on the 2005 edition of WOW Hits and was nominated for two Dove Awards. On a 2 February 2007 broadcast of 20, The Countdown Magazine (special edition, Praise and Worship), guest Chris Tomlin described Tree63's rendition of "Blessed Be Your Name" as "...the definitive recording of one of the most all-encompassing songs in the entire world of Christian music." The song was then announced as the number 3 Praise and Worship song of all time.<ref>20 The Countdown Magazine Template:Full citation needed</ref>
Tree63 parted ways in 2009, and John Ellis returned to South Africa, where he started his solo career. His debut solo album, Come Out Fighting, was released in June 2010.
2014 - 2015: Reunion with Ornellas and SwartEdit
Splashy Fen Music Festival announced that Tree63 would be part of their line-up in 2014.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In November 2014, Tree63 released previously unreleased songs from 2006 which were recorded during the sessions for their Sunday! album. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
After reconvening in 2014 for a series of celebratory South African concerts, talk of a new album and resumed live work resurfaced and the band began work on their new album in Nashville in November 2014. Land was released in November 2015<ref name="JFH-Land">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
2024 - 2025: New Members, Shows and RecordingEdit
In 2024, John Ellis relaunched the Tree63 brand with new members Angus Warden (drums, vocals) and Deon Knipe (bass, vocals), both accomplished and seasoned musicians.
The band is touring through 2025 and plans to record new material for global release in 2025-26.
Band MembersEdit
Current
- John Ellis — vocals, guitar, piano
- Angus Warden — drums, backing vocals
- Deon Knipe — bass, backing vocals
Former
- Darryl Swart — drums
- Daniel Ornellas — bass
- Thinus Odendaal — drums
- Jon Randall — bass
- Martin Engel — bass
DiscographyEdit
Studio albumsEdit
| Title | Details | Peak positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ. <ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
US Heat. <ref>Template:Cite magazineTemplate:Dead linkTemplate:Cbignore</ref> | |||
| Overflow (as "Tree") |
|
— | — | |
| 63 (as "Tree") |
|
— | — | |
| Tree63 |
|
— | — | |
| The Life and Times of Absolute Truth |
|
— | — | |
| The Answer to the Question |
|
32 | 29 | |
| Worship Volume One: I Stand For You |
|
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|
— | — |
| Sunday |
|
32 | 47 | |
| Blessed Be Your Name: The Hits |
|
— | — | |
| Land |
|
— | — | |
EPEdit
- UNFINISHED DREAM – Songs from the Sunday Sessions <ref name="Discogs.com: Tree63 discography"/>
SinglesEdit
| Year | Title | Peak positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Christ. <ref name="Billboard Hot Christian">Template:Cite magazine</ref> |
US Christ. AC <ref name="Billboard Hot Christian AC">Template:Cite magazine</ref> | |||
| 2002 | "Be All End All" | — | — | The Life and Times Of Absolute Truth |
| "Anxious Seat" | — | — | ||
| 2004 | "Blessed Be Your Name" | 2 | 2 | The Answer to the Question |
| "King" | 22 | 21 | ||
| 2005 | "Maker Of All Things" | 33 | 33 | |
| 2006 | "I Stand For You" | 15 | 14 | Worship Volume One: I Stand for You |
| "All Over The World" | 5 | 3 | ||
| 2007 | "Sunday" | 14 | 12 | Sunday |
| 2015 | "The Storm" | — | — | Land |
| "Standing On It" | — | — | ||
AwardsEdit
Tree63, won the GMA Dove Award for Rock Album of the Year in 2001.<ref name="DOVE"/>