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| {{Short description|American musician and actor (1950–2019)}} | |||
| ] | |||
| {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2020}} | |||
| {{Multiple issues| | |||
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| {{Infobox musical artist | |||
| ⚫ | '''Jeffrey Craig Fenholt''' ( |
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| | name = Jeff Fenholt | |||
| | image = | |||
| | caption = | |||
| | image_size = <!-- Only for images smaller than 220 pixels --> | |||
| | birth_name = Jeffrey Craig Fenholt | |||
| | birth_date = {{birth date|1950|9|15}} | |||
| | birth_place = United States | |||
| | death_date = {{death date and age|2019|9|10|1950|9|15}} | |||
| | death_place = | |||
| | genre = {{hlist|]|]/]|]|]}} | |||
| | occupation = {{hlist|Musician|singer|actor|]}} | |||
| | instrument = {{hlist|Guitar|vocals|piano}} | |||
| | years_active = 1970–2019 | |||
| | label = | |||
| | associated_acts = {{hlist|]|]|]|]|]|]|]|]}} | |||
| ⚫ | }}'''Jeffrey Craig Fenholt''' (September 15, 1950 – September 10, 2019) was an American musician, singer and actor best known for his performance as the title character in the original Broadway theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and for his appearance on the cover of Time. In later years, Fenholt gained recognition as a Christian evangelist and singer, as well as controversy over his involvement with the heavy metal band Black Sabbath. | ||
| Attended Whetstone High School in Columbus, Ohio during which time he was a member of the band The Fifth Order, which charted with the single "Going Too Far". | |||
| Fenholt released several solo recordings, including a successful cover of ]'s "]"<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/445604us|title=Simple Man / Billy Is Dead – Jeff Fenholt|publisher=45cat|access-date=September 13, 2019}}</ref> (not to be confused with ]'s "A Simple Man," which was released at nearly the same time<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.45cat.com/record/bt141|title=A Simple Man / Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend – Lobo|publisher=45cat|access-date=September 13, 2019}}</ref>). | |||
| ==Background== | |||
| Fenholt grew up in ], and by his own admission was a troubled youth with a substantial juvenile criminal record. Turning to rock music as an outlet, he was involved with a number of rock bands, including "Fifth Order", which had a couple of regional hit singles. | |||
| An article in the December 1998 issue of ''Vanity Fair'' reviewing Ian Gibson's biography of ], detailed Fenholt's past as a "boy toy" for Dalí's wife ]. The article by John Richardson was titled "Dali's Demon Bride" and was unsparing in its criticism of both Gala and her husband. The article was not much more kind to Fenholt than it was to Gala; according to the review, Fenholt became Gala's lover when she was in her eighties, and secured in return "a sizable house on Long Island... and large sums of money."<ref>"," by John Richardson, ''Vanity Fair'', December 1998. Retrieved 2-3-2022</ref> Fenholt was outraged at the depiction of Gala, and wrote a scathing letter to the editor, stating the authors had no evidence to substantiate their depiction of Gala Dalí. | |||
| Fenholt's 1994 ] ''From Darkness To Light'' makes substantial allegations of abuse and mistreatment at the hands of his parents Janet and Robert Fenholt, including claims that he was subjected to frequent beatings at the hands of his parents. Jeff's siblings concur that the allegations made against their parents were invented by Jeff to further his career as an evangelist. In 1996, Jeff's parents sued him, ] (TBN), and the publisher of his autobiography for ]. The lawsuit was subsequently dropped, and Fenholt later claimed that he now has a "warm relationship" with his mother. | |||
| ==References== | |||
| ==Conversion To Christianity== | |||
| {{Reflist}} | |||
| Fenholt's autobiography claims that he was heavily addicted to alcohol and drugs following the end of ''Jesus Christ Superstar'''s run on Broadway. Fenholt's often-repeated testimony (later published in his autobiography) details a visit from Christian construction workers (hired by his Christian wife to rebuild a wing of his house) who confronted him regarding his portrayal of Christ on stage. Fenholt was converted, beat his addictions, then spent the next several years struggling to balance his faith and his career, before becoming a high-profile personality on programming aired by TBN. His Broadway and rock music background were used to sell him as an evangelist. Fenholt also sported long hair, an unusual style in conservative evangelical circles. Fenholt would often appear with his wife Maureen (nicknamed "Reeni"). | |||
| ⚫ | == External links == | ||
| ⚫ | |||
| *{{IMDb name|2682208}} | |||
| Fenholt built his career as a TBN personality based mostly upon his involvement with ''Jesus Christ Superstar'', and claims of having been a member of ]. In the publication 'Never Say Die', Jeff Fenholt very clearly states that Black Sabbath manager ] informed him he was singing for Black Sabbath. | |||
| *{{IBDB name}} | |||
| *{{discogs artist}} | |||
| ⚫ | {{Black Sabbath}} | ||
| There is a misconception that Fenholt only auditioned for the band. The 'Never Say Die' book refutes these claims, pointing out that a substantial number of recordings were made during this period. It is acknowledged that this was a confusing time in the band history as ] ] had left the band after six months only having recorded demos. ] and ] had also left, leaving ] to go it alone. | |||
| {{Authority control}} | |||
| Manager Don Arden suggested Iommi use Jeff Fenholt and tracks were written, in the main by Iommi and Nicholls, for a proposed new album. This has always been maintained to have been an intended Tony Iommi solo album. The book ''Never Say Die'' voices opinion from other band members that Fenholt might have been kept in the dark about this. Geoff Nicholls says Iommi wanted to use different singers, including ], ], ] and ]. Fenholt then left to join ], a band with Rudy Sarzo, Tommy Aldridge and Craig Goldy. | |||
| {{DEFAULTSORT:Fenholt, Jeff}} | |||
| Only after being heavily pressured by ] and Don Arden did Iommi decide to release the album bearing the Sabbath name, as '']'' (released in March ]) was credited to "Black Sabbath Featuring Tony Iommi". | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| Fenholt says several of his melodies were used in songs that appeared on ''Seventh Star'' (and subsequently did not receive credit for them). None of his lyrics were used, as confirmed by comparing the Fenholt demos with the album. Rumors suggesting he only left the project because of supposed personal conflicts with the lyrical material being written and his religious faith are denied by Fenholt and Geoff Nicholls, who wrote the lyrics. Other rumours say he was fired because of his inability to come up with any suitable lyrics at all. Fenholt claims it was in fact a physical argument with Don Arden that caused his departure. | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| For the record, Iommi (who owns the rights to the name "Black Sabbath") has been mostly quiet on the subject of Fenholt. Fenholt's claimed membership in Black Sabbath is also absent from his . | |||
| ] | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ==Decline== | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| In 1993 Fenholt announced on the televangelist program '']'' that he planned to invade ] in ] and force a confrontation with ] ] ]. Having advance notification of his arrival, Rev. Fox got a ] from the local county court prohibiting not only his ] onto private property but actually specifying that he stay a particular distance from the property line. | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| With his announced confrontation not having occurred, Fenholt left the area, later characterizing the prevention of his trespass as a denial of his free speech rights to gain sympathy in his fundraising solicitations and televangelical appearances. | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| Fenholt disappeared from TBN programming shortly after an article published in the December ] issue of '']'' detailed his past as a "boy toy" for ], wife of ]. Gala was known for her numerous affairs and affections for young artists during the later years of her life. | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| For the next several years, Fenholt would be largely ] from TBN, except for a few brief appearances, including one after the events of ] ] that featured a marked change in his demeanor and appearance, including short collar-length hair and a quick exit from the stage following his performance. He was also briefly given a late-night timeslot for a half-hour program. | |||
| Fenholt returned to TBN on ] ] as a guest on the ''Behind the Scenes'' program, hosted by ]. Fenholt once again claimed to have been a member of Black Sabbath, citing a recent publication on the history of the band, 'Never Say Die' by Garry Sharpe-Young, that had interviewed then band members and Jeff Fenholt about his involvement with the early ''Seventh Star'' sessions in detail. | |||
| ==Quotes== | |||
| ''"Jeff Fenholt sang on some demos for Tony Iommi in (19)85 in (Los Angeles). He was never in Black Sabbath. Tony was looking for a singer for what was supposed to be his "solo" album. Jeff came down and sang some ideas in the studio for what were simply demos. That project became the "Seventh Star" album with ] on vocals, and my first album. That's pretty much all there is to the story. Jeff had a great voice but it just didn't work out."'' - ] | |||
| ⚫ | ==External links== | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | |||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ⚫ | ] | ||
| ] | |||
Latest revision as of 16:07, 15 November 2024
American musician and actor (1950–2019)
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
| Jeff Fenholt | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Jeffrey Craig Fenholt |
| Born | (1950-09-15)September 15, 1950 United States |
| Died | September 10, 2019(2019-09-10) (aged 68) |
| Genres | |
| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1970–2019 |
Jeffrey Craig Fenholt (September 15, 1950 – September 10, 2019) was an American musician, singer and actor best known for his performance as the title character in the original Broadway theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar, and for his appearance on the cover of Time. In later years, Fenholt gained recognition as a Christian evangelist and singer, as well as controversy over his involvement with the heavy metal band Black Sabbath.
Attended Whetstone High School in Columbus, Ohio during which time he was a member of the band The Fifth Order, which charted with the single "Going Too Far".
Fenholt released several solo recordings, including a successful cover of Graham Nash's "Simple Man" (not to be confused with Lobo's "A Simple Man," which was released at nearly the same time).
An article in the December 1998 issue of Vanity Fair reviewing Ian Gibson's biography of Salvador Dalí, detailed Fenholt's past as a "boy toy" for Dalí's wife Gala Dalí. The article by John Richardson was titled "Dali's Demon Bride" and was unsparing in its criticism of both Gala and her husband. The article was not much more kind to Fenholt than it was to Gala; according to the review, Fenholt became Gala's lover when she was in her eighties, and secured in return "a sizable house on Long Island... and large sums of money." Fenholt was outraged at the depiction of Gala, and wrote a scathing letter to the editor, stating the authors had no evidence to substantiate their depiction of Gala Dalí.
References
- "Simple Man / Billy Is Dead – Jeff Fenholt". 45cat. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- "A Simple Man / Don't Expect Me To Be Your Friend – Lobo". 45cat. Retrieved September 13, 2019.
- "Dali's Demon Bride," by John Richardson, Vanity Fair, December 1998. Retrieved 2-3-2022
External links
- Jeff Fenholt at IMDb
- Jeff Fenholt at the Internet Broadway Database
- Jeff Fenholt discography at Discogs
