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| 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. | 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 that had |
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== | ==Quotes== | ||
Revision as of 10:06, 21 January 2006
Jeffrey Craig Fenholt (born 1951) is a singer noted for his performance as the title character in the Broadway theatre adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar. In later years, he would gain notoriety as a born-again Christian evangelist and singer, as well as controversy over his claimed involvement with the rock band Black Sabbath.
Background
Fenholt grew up in Ohio, 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.
Fenholt's 1994 autobiography 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, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and the publisher of his autobiography for defamation of character. The lawsuit was subsequently dropped, and Fenholt later claimed that he now has a "warm relationship" with his mother.
Jesus Christ Superstar
Fenholt was selected to portray the title character in the Broadway adaptation of Jesus Christ Superstar. (Fenholt's stage act and autobiography claimed that he was originally sent home by a Superstar casting director after Fenholt rebuffed his homosexual advances, before being selected.) The production opened on October 12, 1971 at the Mark Hellinger Theatre, and ran for 718 performances.
Conversion To Christianity
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 Trinity Broadcasting Network (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").
Black Sabbath
Fenholt built his career as a TBN personality based mostly upon his involvement with Jesus Christ Superstar, and his claims of having been a member of Black Sabbath.
However, Fenholt was never directly involved with any facet or lineup of the band. By 1985, Sabbath was on an indefinite hiatus, caused in part by a string of albums with frequent lineup changes following the departure of original vocalist Ozzy Osbourne. Guitarist Tony Iommi had assembled a studio band to record and produce what was intended to be his first solo record. For this project, Iommi auditioned several vocalists, including Fenholt. According to several eyewitnesses, Fenholt was a talented vocalist, but was unable to improvise, and was not considered for the job any further. Only after being heavily pressured by Warner Bros. Records did Iommi decide to release the album bearing the Sabbath name, as Seventh Star (released in March 1986) was credited to "Black Sabbath Featuring Tony Iommi".
Fenholt paints a much different picture of this time in his career, claiming that he worked on the project from December of 1984 to September of 1985, co-wrote several of the songs that appeared on Seventh Star (and subsequently did not receive credit for them), and only left the project because of personal conflicts with the lyrical material being written and his religious faith. Regardless, Fenholt's claims of being a member of the band are seen at best as an exaggeration of a warped point of view regarding the history of the band, and at worst a blatant lie designed to further his singing career and credibility as an evangelical vocalist designed to convert fans of heavy metal music to born-again Christianity.
For the record, Iommi (who owns the rights to the name "Black Sabbath") has been mostly quiet on the subject of Fenholt, while other past members of the band have been very vocal regarding their objections to Fenholt using the band's name and his fictional involvement to further his evangelical career and agenda.
Decline
Fenholt disappeared from TBN programming shortly after an article published in the December 1997 issue of Vanity Fair detailed his past as a "boy toy" for Gala Dali, wife of Salvador Dali. 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 persona non grata from TBN, except for a few brief appearances, including one after the events of September 11, 2001 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 March 3, 2004 as a guest on the Behind the Scenes program, hosted by Paul Crouch. 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 Glenn Hughes 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." - Eric Singer
External links
- Official Jeff Fenholt Website
- Black Sabbath Online: Jeff Fenholt??
- The Jeff Fenholt Files: Minister of Reality
- Christian Singer Sued By Parents For Defamation