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{{Short description|Musical collective}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2019}}
{{other uses|Güngör}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Gungor
| image           = Gungor Live in August 2015 (cropped).jpg
| caption         = Gungor performing live in August 2015
| image_size      =
| landscape       = yes
| origin          =
| genre           = {{hlist|[[Baroque pop]]|[[folk music|folk]]|[[experimental rock]]|[[contemporary worship music]]}}
| years_active    = 2006–present
| label           = Brash, CD Listening Bar/Hither & Yon
| associated_acts =
| website         = {{URL|gungormusic.com/}}
| current_members = * [[Michael Gungor]]
* Lisa Gungor
| past_members    =
}}
'''Gungor''' is a band formed by husband and wife duo [[Michael Gungor]] and Lisa Gungor. The group's music has been compared to the music of [[Sufjan Stevens]], Bon Iver and Arcade Fire.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Song debut: Gungor's 'I Am Mountain'|website = [[USA Today]]|url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/08/16/gungor-i-am-mountain-song-debut/2665241/|accessdate = August 26, 2015}}</ref>
The band has released seven studio albums,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2628713-Gungor|title=Gungor|website=[[Discogs]]}}</ref> the last one appearing in March 2019. These albums explored a broad musical soundscape and charted the couple's changing beliefs from traditional Christianity through a more [[panentheistic]] worldview, other religions, and [[apophatic theology]].<ref name="Long Way Off lyrics">{{Cite web |url=https://genius.com/Gungor-long-way-off-lyrics |title=Long Way Off lyrics |access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref><ref name="Tweet on apophatic theology">{{Cite tweet |number=382949123399229440 |user=michaelgungor |title=Apophatic mystic...has come to terms with and actually deeply experiences and appreciates Mystery |author=Michael Gungor |date=September 25, 2013}}</ref><ref name="Tweet on Michael Gungor's beliefs">{{Cite tweet |number=941505762248888320 |user=michaelgungor |title=How’s this:  Apophatic mystic Hindu pantheist Christian Buddhist skeptic with a penchant for nihilistic progressive existentialism  |author=Michael Gungor |date=December 14, 2017}}</ref> In early 2018, they announced a shift in direction that would see Gungor return to the progressive spiritual space, while the less mainstream material will move to "other projects" including Michael and Lisa’s solo projects.<ref name="Facebook post, April 26, 2018">{{Cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/gungormusic/posts/10160305686320162 |title=Gungor - Publications |website=Facebook |access-date=May 29, 2018}}</ref>
== History ==
Michael Gungor grew up in [[Marshfield, Wisconsin]]. He is the son of pastor and author Ed Gungor. He began writing and playing music at a young age and went on to study jazz guitar at both [[Western Michigan University]] and the [[University of North Texas]] while also touring and working as a multi-instrumentalist musician.
Lisa Gungor grew up in [[Deming, New Mexico]].<ref name="last.fm">{{Cite web|title = Lisa Gungor's Biography – Free listening, videos, concerts, stats and pictures at Last.fm|url = http://www.last.fm/music/Lisa+Gungor/+wiki|website = last.fm|accessdate = August 26, 2015}}</ref> She came from a "sports-crazed" family and didn't fully commit to her musical abilities until her senior year in high school.<ref name="last.fm"/>
Michael and Lisa met at [[Oral Roberts University]] during their first year.
===Early career===
Michael and Lisa were worship leaders at Resurrection Life Church in [[Grandville, Michigan]].<ref name=ct2003>{{Cite web |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2003/biggerthanmyimagination.html |title=Bigger Than My Imagination - Michael Gungor |access-date=June 5, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070615094743/http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/reviews/2003/biggerthanmyimagination.html |archive-date=June 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
In 2002, Michael began producing albums with his church. The albums garnered the attention of Integrity music, who signed Michael for a solo album. In 2003, he released "[[Bigger Than My Imagination]]" under Integrity Media.<ref name=ct2003/> Lisa also sang on the album.<ref name=ct2003/>
In 2005 Michael and wife Lisa released a live album titled ''Battle Cry: Worship from the Frontlines'', through Integrity Media.
===The Michael Gungor Band===
In 2006, Gungor parted ways with Integrity Music, seeking more creative control over his music. He then formed The Michael Gungor Band, consisting of himself on guitar and vocals, his wife Lisa on vocals & Brad Waller. They released the album ''All I Need Is Here'' in 2007.
In 2008, they signed with Brash Records.  The label re-released ''All I Need Is Here'' in 2008 as ''Ancient Skies'', omitting two songs and adding the upbeat rock opener "Say So", as well as a song sung by Lisa, "You Are The Light".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ancient Skies – Michael Gungor |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/ancient-skies-mw0000795107 |website=AllMusic |access-date=November 9, 2014}}</ref>
===2010 - 2014: Gungor===
Michael renamed the group from The Michael Gungor Band to simply Gungor in 2010.{{Citation needed|date=August 2015}} The first album release under the new name was ''Beautiful Things'' in 2010 that features a short gospel-blues jam featuring [[Israel Houghton]] titled "Heaven". In 2011, the album and its title track, "Beautiful Things", were nominated for the Grammy categories Best Rock or Rap Gospel Album and Best Gospel Song, respectively.
In 2011, Gungor released ''Ghosts Upon the Earth''. Gungor followed up with a live album, ''A Creation Liturgy'' in 2012. The band's third studio album, ''I Am Mountain'', was released on September 24, 2013.<ref>{{cite web|last = Irvine|first = Nate|url = http://metroyouthnetwork.com/2013/08/22/gungors-long-awaited-new-release-i-am-mountain/|title = Gungor's Long Awaited New Release: I Am Mountain &#124; Connect. Experience. Grow.Metro Youth Network|date = August 22, 2013|accessdate = January 21, 2014}}</ref> On October 24, 2013, the band began its 60-city headline tour across the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Europe.<ref>{{cite news|url = https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/music/2013/08/16/gungor-i-am-mountain-song-debut/2665241/|title = Song debut: Gungor's 'I Am Mountain'|work = USA Today|date = August 16, 2013|accessdate = September 26, 2013|first = Brian|last = Mansfield}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.americansongwriter.com/2013/08/song-premiere-gungor-wayward-torn/|title = Song Premiere: Gungor, "Wayward & Torn"|publisher = American Songwriter|date = August 26, 2013|accessdate = January 21, 2014}}</ref>
Though Gungor's music is filled with Christian themes, the band has attempted to distance itself from being labeled simply a "Christian" band due to the problematic way the term is often used.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://gungormusic.com/#!/2011/11/zombies-wine-and-christian-music/|title=Gungor|accessdate=August 27, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.faithvillage.com/article/c6e41a44b9e245c3a35967f0bcb02953/gungor_talks_with_faithvillage|title = Gungor Talks With FaithVillage - FaithVillage &#124; MOVE YOUR FAITH HERE|publisher = FaithVillage|date = May 14, 2012|accessdate = January 21, 2014|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://archive.today/20131008185111/http://www.faithvillage.com/article/c6e41a44b9e245c3a35967f0bcb02953/gungor_talks_with_faithvillage|archivedate = October 8, 2013|df = mdy-all}}</ref> Michael refers to Gungor as a collective because at any given time the group is composed of 3-10 members. He and his wife believe that their music transcends one genre.<ref name="nbclatino2">{{cite web|last = Puga|first = Kristina|url = http://nbclatino.com/2013/11/08/gungor-label-less-in-music-and-life/|title = Grammy-nominated Gungor, label-less in music and life|publisher = Nbclatino.com|accessdate = January 21, 2014|archive-date = January 17, 2014|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140117055646/http://nbclatino.com/2013/11/08/gungor-label-less-in-music-and-life/|url-status = dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url = http://citybeat.com/cincinnati/article-28870-music_gungor.html|title = Music: Gungor|publisher = Citybeat.com|date = October 22, 2013|accessdate = January 21, 2014}}</ref> Gungor write songs that are a mix of indie rock, post rock, progressive rock, soft rock and more. If asked, Michael describes his song style as "alternative, folk, textured and experimental."<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.cincygroove.com/?p=26768|title = Alt-Folk Collective Gungor Launches 60+ City Headlining Tour Oct. 24 at The Madison Theater|publisher = Cincy Groove|date = October 9, 2013|accessdate = January 21, 2014}}</ref> They performed at [[South by Southwest|SXSW]] 2014.<ref name="nbclatino2"/><ref>{{cite web |url = http://sxsw.com/|title = SXSW 2014|publisher = SXSW LLC|accessdate = March 7, 2014}}</ref>
===2015 - 2017: ''One Wild Life''===
In 2015, Gungor embarked on their most ambitious creative project thus far: ''One Wild Life.'' The band released three full-length albums—''Soul'', ''Spirit'' and ''Body''—in a span of 12 months. ''[[One Wild Life: Soul]]'' kicked off the trilogy on August 7, 2015. While each record carries a distinct vibe, the album series presents a body of work that celebrates the adventure and challenges faced by Michael and Lisa Gungor since the release of their previous album "I Am Mountain".<ref>{{Citation|title = One Wild Life Soul|url = http://www.gungormusic.com/onewildlife/|accessdate = August 26, 2015}}</ref> ''[[One Wild Life: Soul]]'' charted on multiple ''Billboard'' charts the first week of release, including [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/303246/Gungor/chart?f=305|title=Gungor - Chart history - Billboard|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=|accessdate=July 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/303246/Gungor/chart?f=794|title=Gungor - Chart history - Billboard|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=|accessdate=July 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/303246/Gungor/chart?f=310|title=Gungor - Chart history - Billboard|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=|accessdate=July 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/303246/Gungor/chart?f=326|title=Gungor - Chart history - Billboard|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=|accessdate=July 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/303246/Gungor/chart?f=408|title=Gungor - Chart history - Billboard|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|publisher=|accessdate=July 16, 2016}}</ref> On ''One Wild Life: Soul,'' Michael and Lisa wrote a song dedicated to Lucie,<ref>{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_uioQqW8ac |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211220/A_uioQqW8ac |archive-date=2021-12-20 |url-status=live|title=Light - Gungor [OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO]|date=July 14, 2015|work=YouTube|accessdate=August 27, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> their second daughter, who was diagnosed with Down Syndrome.<ref>{{cite web|title = Gungor Music Blog|url = http://gungormusic.com/2014/05/lucette/|website = Gungormusic.com|accessdate = November 9, 2014|url-status = dead|archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20141110002302/http://gungormusic.com/2014/05/lucette/|archivedate = November 10, 2014|df = mdy-all}}</ref>
===2018 - 2020: Hiatus and ''Archives''===
On April 26, 2018, Gungor announced on the band's official Facebook page that they were going to address the "multiple personality thing going on within its musical stylings" by bringing Gungor back to its roots in "the progressive spiritual space, and finding different homes for some of the other music that we’ve tried unsuccessfully to fundamentally change the Gungor brand with". This was accompanied by the removal of ''I Am Mountain'' and ''One Wild Life'' series from online stores and streaming services, the latter being replaced by a 90-minute "director's cut" of the three albums. Michael and Lisa also announced an upcoming solo album each in the post.<ref name="Facebook post, April 26, 2018"/>
On February 1, 2019, the band announced that their upcoming "End of the World" Tour would be "Gungor's farewell tour". While Michael and Lisa would continue to make music, future projects would no longer be recorded under the Gungor band name.<ref name="The End, Blog Post, 20 Feb 2019">{{cite web |last1=Gungor |first1=Michael |title=The End |url=http://www.gungormusic.com/blog/2019/1/the-end |website=Gungor |accessdate=February 20, 2019 |archive-date=February 20, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220181604/http://www.gungormusic.com/blog/2019/1/the-end |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gungor Is Ending: 'It's Time For Something New' |url=https://relevantmagazine.com/culture/gungor-is-ending-its-time-for-something-new/ |website=RELEVANT Magazine |accessdate=February 20, 2019 |date=February 1, 2019}}</ref>
On March 1, 2019, the band released ''Archives'', an album intended to wind down the project. ''Archives'' is composed of previously unreleased material as well as re-released material.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BueKv1VDYas/|title=Gungor on Instagram: "NEW ALBUM out now! With this being the close of our journey as "Gungor," we decided to clean out the hard drives and release a bunch of…"|website=Instagram|language=en|access-date=2019-03-06}}</ref>
===2021 - present: ''Praise'' and ''Love Song to Life'' ===
Starting in 2021, the group began releasing singles, including collaborations and original songs and announced they were releasing an album which they described as attempt to make "worship music again that would be enjoyable for people who might not fit the traditional religious boxes".<ref>{{Cite web|title = Gungor Announces New Music: ‘Worship for the Heretics’|website = Church Leaders|url = https://churchleaders.com/news/408040-gungor-worship-for-heretics.html/2|accessdate = December 19, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220817033116/https://churchleaders.com/news/408040-gungor-worship-for-heretics.html/2|archivedate=August 17, 2022}}</ref> In February 2022 they released an EP of covers ''Praise''. In November 2022 they released ''Love Song to Life'' their first studio album since 2016.
== Discography ==
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:8em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:16em;"| Album details
! scope="col" colspan="1"| Peak chart positions
|-
! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| [[Billboard 200|US]]<br /><ref name="Billboard200">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/303246/Gungor/chart?f=305 |title=Gungor - Chart history |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |accessdate=March 16, 2016}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| ''All I Need Is Here'' (As ''The Michael Gungor Band'')
|
* Released: 2007
* Label: Brash Music
|—
|-
! scope="row"| ''Ancient Skies'' (As ''The Michael Gungor Band'')
|
* Released: October 9, 2008
* Label: Brash Music
|—
|-
! scope="row"| ''Beautiful Things''
|
* Released: February 16, 2010
* Label: Brash Music
|—
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Ghosts Upon the Earth]]''
|
* Released: September 20, 2011
* Label: Brash Music
| 43
|-
! scope="row"| ''A Creation Liturgy (Live)''
|
* Released: October 9, 2012
* Label: Brash Music
| 194
|-
! scope="row"| ''I Am Mountain''
|
* Released: September 24, 2013
* Label: Hither & Yon Records
| 50
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[One Wild Life: Soul]]''
|
* Released: August 7, 2015
* Label: Hither & Yon Records
| 118
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[One Wild Life: Spirit]]''
|
* Released: March 25, 2016<ref>{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/one-wild-life-spirit/id1085824469 |title=One Wild Life: Spirit by Gungor |publisher=[[iTunes]] |accessdate=March 16, 2016}}</ref>
* Label: Hither & Yon Records
| —
|-
! scope="row"| ''One Wild Life: Body''
|
* Released: September 30, 2016
|—
|-
! scope="row"| ''Archives''
|
* Released: March 1, 2019<ref>{{Citation|title=Archives by Gungor|date=March 2019|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/archives/1454713998|language=en-us|access-date=2019-03-06}}</ref>
|—
|-
! scope="row"| ''Love Song to Life''
|
* Released: November 11, 2022<ref>{{Citation|title=Love Song to Life by Gungor|date=November 2022|url=https://genius.com/albums/Gungor/Love-song-to-life|language=en-us|access-date=2023-06-05}}</ref>
|—
|-
|colspan="3" style="font-size:90%"| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
|}
== Awards ==
* Independent Music Awards 2013: ''A Creation Liturgy (Live)'' - Best Live Performance Album<ref>[http://www.independentmusicawards.com/ima/2013/12th-annual-independent-music-awards-winners-announced "12th Annual Independent Music Awards Winners Announced!"] Independent Music Awards, June 11, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.</ref>
== See also ==
* [[Kevin Olusola]] who performed on several tours with the band
== References ==
{{Reflist
}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.gungormusic.com/}}
* [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/gungor-mn0002379647/ Gungor] at AllMusic
* [http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-michael-gungor-band-mn0000997434 The Michael Gungor Band] at AllMusic
{{Authority control}}
[[Category:American musical duos]]
[[Category:Musical groups established in 2006]]